Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, whether (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department have had meetings with representatives of the Chinese government since 4 July 2024.

Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk as part of the government’s transparency agenda.An independent Planning Inspector will hold a public inquiry at which interested parties will be able to put forward evidence and representations. These will be taken into account when a final decision is made.Following the inquiry, the Inspector’s report and recommendation will be sent to MHCLG, and Planning Ministers will then reach a decision on whether to grant planning permission.

Communities and Local Government, what information (a) her Department and (b) Homes England holds on the average grant awarded per unit for new (i) affordable and (ii) social rent dwellings in (A) England, (B) London and (C) England outside London under the Affordable Homes Programme 2021-26 to date.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government delegates delivery of the government’s Affordable Homes Programme to Homes England (outside London) and to the Greater London Authority (GLA) in London.The government agrees budgets and targets with both agencies to deliver the programme’s overall targets for additional homes and specific types of tenure.In awarding contracts under the programme Homes England and the GLA assess the need for grant on a site-by-site basis.In agreeing how much grant a project requires they will take into account the costs for building out the site with how much grant is needed to make that project viable, and the overall value for money for the programme.

Communities and Local Government, how many civil servants other than special advisers from his Department attended this year’s Labour Party Conference.

Guidance on Party Conferences is published on gov.uk and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-servants-and-party-conferences-guidance(opens in a new tab).This is applied appropriately and robustly in MHCLG. There is no record of any breach of this policy.

Communities and Local Government, what (a) interests and (b) political activities Mo Baines declared when she was appointed as Lead Non-Executive Director.

Relevant information will be published in due course as part of the annual publication of board members' interests.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has received representations from trade unions on introducing a four-day working week for civil servants working in her Department.

The department is aware of a campaign by members of the Public and Commercial Services trade union (PCS) on the introduction of a four-day week. No formal representations have been made to the department.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2024 to Question 8688 on Affordable Housing: Construction, if she will make a comparative assessment of the (a) spending profile and (b) contractual commitment profile of the 2021-26 programme with the (i) 2011-15 and (ii) 2015-18 programme.

The National Audit Office’s report into the Affordable Homes Programme since 2015, which can be found here, assessed the programme’s management and whether it achieved the intended benefits. The report captured a range of helpful data and made a number of key findings.As we confirmed in July, the previous government agreed but did not publish a reduction in the 2021-26 programme's delivery targets from “up to 180,000 homes should economic conditions allow” to between 110,000-130,000.This government will seek to learn lessons from earlier affordable housing programmes as we work to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.

With reference to the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, what the revenue effect will be of the combination from 2026-27 of the ending of 75% retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) rate relief, the new RHL lower multiplier, and the higher £50,000+ multiplier.

As set out at Budget, the government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high-street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties from 2026-27. However, this plan to provide support for the high street must be sustainable. That is why we intend to apply a higher rate from 2026-27 on the most valuable properties - those with a Rateable Value of £500,000 and above. The Government will confirm the rates for the new multipliers at Budget 2025, taking account of the outcomes of the 2026 revaluation as well as the broader economic and fiscal context. As set out at Budget, the Government intends for the lower multipliers to be funded by the new higher multiplier. Ahead of these changes being made, we have prevented the cliff-edge of RHL relief ending in April 2025 by extending it for one year (2025-26) at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business.

What recent estimate her Department has made of the (a) cost of preparing and (b) length of the environmental impact assessment for the Lower Thames Crossing development consent order application.

Due to the level of interdependency between the large number of different elements of the Lower Thames Crossing Development Consent Order (DCO) application, it is not possible to accurately attribute costs to the production of the individual documents within it. However, the total amount spent on the planning process is £295.1million. The Environmental Impact Assessment information submitted in 2022 as part of the Lower Thames Crossing DCO application comprised of approximately 12,000 pages.

Communities and Local Government, whether the new Property Portal requirements on the private rented sector will be in addition to selective licensing requirements, where such selective licensing requirement is in effect.

Local authorities set fees for their selective licensing schemes based on a number of factors including the set-up costs of the scheme, the cost of assessing applications and issuing licences, and the cost of inspecting properties where necessary.The government expects local authorities to make details of these fees, along with the rationale behind their determination to be transparent and readily accessible. Money raised through enforcement sanctions should be used to enforce high standards in private rented properties.Selective licensing and the Private Rented Sector Database have different purposes. The database is not designed to replace selective licensing. Selective licensing schemes aim to target specific local issues by enabling more intensive proactive enforcement strategies. Selective licensing is a valuable tool enabling local authorities to drive better outcomes for local residents, tenants, and responsible landlords. We will continue to review the use of selective licensing as we develop the Private Rented Sector Database and will look to refine the way the two systems work together including through sharing data.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department issues to local authorities on whether councillors should declare ownership of property which is (a) rented out to their local authority at a commercial rate and (b) used by their local authority at a commercial rate via a third party.

Local authority members must register and disclose pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests with their authority.This includes contracts where a member is providing a service to their local authority, as well as any land interests they may have in the local authority area.The government guidance ‘Openness and transparency on personal interests: guidance for councillors’ provides practical information to councillors about how to be open and transparent about their personal interests.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her speech at the Local Government Association Conference of 24 October 2024, what deliverable plans councils will need to put in place.

Councils under statutory intervention are directed to develop and implement clear, deliverable plans for reform and recovery that address their specific governance and financial challenges and protect local taxpayers. The six councils under statutory intervention are supported in driving progress by Commissioners or Panels appointed by the Secretary of State, who provide written updates on the latest position of each council. I refer the Hon Member to Written Ministerial Statements made on 20 November 2024 (HCWS235) and 22 October 2024 (HCWS155). Through this approach, we are committed to resetting the relationship between local and regional government to establish partnerships built on mutual respect, genuine collaboration and meaningful engagement.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the level of selective licensing fees charged by each local authority with such a scheme; and what the average fee is in England.

Local authorities set fees for their selective licensing schemes based on a number of factors including the set-up costs of the scheme, the cost of assessing applications and issuing licences, and the cost of inspecting properties where necessary.The government expects local authorities to make details of these fees, along with the rationale behind their determination to be transparent and readily accessible. Money raised through enforcement sanctions should be used to enforce high standards in private rented properties.Selective licensing and the Private Rented Sector Database have different purposes. The database is not designed to replace selective licensing. Selective licensing schemes aim to target specific local issues by enabling more intensive proactive enforcement strategies. Selective licensing is a valuable tool enabling local authorities to drive better outcomes for local residents, tenants, and responsible landlords. We will continue to review the use of selective licensing as we develop the Private Rented Sector Database and will look to refine the way the two systems work together including through sharing data.

Communities and Local Government, for what reason an impact assessment for the Renters’ Rights Bill was not published at (a) First Reading and (b) Second Reading; and if she will make it her policy to ensure impact assessments for all future Bills are published at First Reading.

The government published its Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Bill on 22 November 2024, following scrutiny from the Regulatory Policy Committee. The Impact Assessment received a ‘green’ rating, indicating it is ‘fit for purpose’. The Impact Assessment can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2024 to Question 10435 on Government Departments: Trade Unions, what the check-off arrangements in her Department are.

The Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government honours the historic contractual rights of employees to pay subscriptions via a check off arrangement. Existing payroll mechanisms are in place to facilitate this.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 11493 on Buildings and Housing: Solar Power, whether she is taking planning-related steps to facilitate the fitting of solar panels in conservation areas.

To facilitate the take up of renewable energy, nationally set permitted development rights enable the installation of solar equipment on or within the curtilage of buildings, including in conservation areas, without the need to submit a planning application. The rights are subject to certain conditions and limitations to protect local amenity. Proposals which go beyond what is allowed under the rights will require a planning application. Any such applications will be considered on their individual merits. We will continue to keep permitted development rights under review.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the extent to which local authorities are meeting their obligations under the Local Government Transparency Code to publish up to date information.

The purpose of the Local Government Transparency Code 2015 (the Code) is to make it easier for the public to directly hold their councils to account, not as a means for central government to check up on local authorities. Therefore, the government does not monitor compliance with the Code.If there were concerns about a local authorities’ compliance with the Code, a complaint could be made to the local authority’s Monitoring Officer, or via their complaints procedure. It is possible to make a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman where the usual complaints procedures have been exhausted, or to make a Freedom of Information request if local authorities continue to fail in fulfilling their duties under the Code.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's Guidance on the implementation of the council tax premiums on long-term empty homes and second homes, published on 1 November 2024, which of the exclusions across Classes F to M can be applied cumulatively to other exclusions at the end of initial exclusion.

The government’s published guidance clearly set out the responsibilities of councils when making a determination to charge a council tax premium. The time limited exceptions to council tax premiums can be applied in succession where the dwelling is eligible.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her speech at the Local Government Association Conference of 24 October 2024, whether she plans to end the allocation of funding to local government by bidding.

The government is committed to pursuing a comprehensive set of reforms for public services to return the local government sector to a sustainable position. This will be done in partnership with local government and on the principle of giving forward notice and certainty to allow time for councils to plan.To further support the sector, we will end time-consuming competitive bidding processes and cut burdensome reporting requirements around government grants - allowing local authorities to focus on delivering services for their residents. We will also reduce the number of restrictive grants, and consolidate them into the Local Government Finance Settlement wherever possible.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her speech at the Local Government Association Conference of 24 October 2024, what the terms of reference of the Workforce Development Group are.

The Local Government Workforce Development Group will provide a central-local partnership on local government capacity and capability challenges. It will try to identify the priority cross-cutting issues impacting the local government workforce as a whole and seek creative solutions to address them.

Communities and Local Government, how many premises applied for a pavement licence under the Business and Planning Act 2020.

The department does not collect data on the number of pavement licences applied for. It is up to local authorities to determine pavement licencing applications.