Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Government has modelled any increase in contingent liabilities arising from changes to rent review certainty under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

My Department engages regularly with build to rent operators and other stakeholders from the sector in relation to the reforms that we are making to the private rented sector and will continue to do so to ensure the successful implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. The Impact Assessment for the Act is available here. While this does not model the specific impacts referred to in the hon. Member’s questions, it concludes that the costs of our reforms are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually (0.2% of mean annual rents).

Communities and Local Government, what Government-backed loan guarantees or financing facilities currently support lending to the build-to-rent sector.

The government‘s £3.5 billion Private Rented Sector Guarantee Scheme (PRSGS) was reopened in March 2025 to new applicants for another three years and makes loan guarantees available for Build-to-Rent operators to support housebuilding Build to Rent operators are also one of the groups that benefit from finance from our £2 billion Home Building Fund.We have also announced that the National Housing Bank, backed by up to £16 billion of finance, will be launched in April 2026. Its detailed investment approach will be outlined in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether tenancy deposit scheme data will be made available under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

The use of data collected by Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) schemes is governed by the Housing Act 2004 and the individual data sharing agreements with providers. Details of the purpose of data collection, and where and how TDP data is shared with other bodies is set out in the TDP privacy notice. This can be found on gov.uk here. The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 does not grant the power to allow further use of TDP data beyond its current uses as set out in the Housing Act 2004, contractual agreements, and privacy notice.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment the Government has made of the potential impact of the rent review provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on the risk profile of loans supported by Government-backed loan guarantees or financing facilities to the build-to-rent sector.

My Department engages regularly with build to rent operators and other stakeholders from the sector in relation to the reforms that we are making to the private rented sector and will continue to do so to ensure the successful implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. The Impact Assessment for the Act is available here. While this does not model the specific impacts referred to in the hon. Member’s questions, it concludes that the costs of our reforms are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually (0.2% of mean annual rents).

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of rent review provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on the viability and future pipeline of build-to-rent developments.

My Department engages regularly with build to rent operators and other stakeholders from the sector in relation to the reforms that we are making to the private rented sector and will continue to do so to ensure the successful implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. The Impact Assessment for the Act is available here. While this does not model the specific impacts referred to in the hon. Member’s questions, it concludes that the costs of our reforms are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually (0.2% of mean annual rents).

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of rent review provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on the valuation methodology of build-to-rent developments where future rental growth assumptions form a material part of valuation.

My Department engages regularly with build to rent operators and other stakeholders from the sector in relation to the reforms that we are making to the private rented sector and will continue to do so to ensure the successful implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. The Impact Assessment for the Act is available here. While this does not model the specific impacts referred to in the hon. Member’s questions, it concludes that the costs of our reforms are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually (0.2% of mean annual rents).

Communities and Local Government, what modelling he has undertaken on the expected number of market rent determination applications following implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

My Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and Tribunal Service to ensure that the justice system is well prepared for the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act, including the potential impact of the Act on the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). This includes ensuring that suitable arrangements are in place for monitoring data relating to rent increase challenges in the Residential Property Tribunal. The justice system will be supported with funding to ensure that the courts and tribunals have the resources and capacity they need to handle the workload that implementation of the Act will generate.

How many additional (a) judges and (b) valuers have been recruited in advance of the implementation of the rent review provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Judges, salaried regional surveyors (valuers), and fee paid valuers assigned to the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) Property Chamber can hear any case type in the Chamber, including rent determinations. The number of judges in post as of 1 April 2025 assigned to the Property Chamber is published in the 2025 Judicial Diversity Statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/diversity-of-the-judiciary-2025-statistics. 2 regional surveyors and 77 valuers in post as of 1 April 2025 are assigned to the Property Chamber as their primary appointment. We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to assess the impact of the Renters’ Rights Act on the Chamber, including on judicial capacity. Recruitment was completed in 2025 for salaried and fee-paid judges of the FTT, including for the Property Chamber, and further recruitment in 2026 is planned. The independent Judicial Appointments Commission publishes data on the outcomes of these exercises once recruitment is completed: https://judicialappointments.gov.uk/completed-exercises/.

How many (a) judges and (b) specialist valuers are assigned to residential rent determination cases in the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).

Judges, salaried regional surveyors (valuers), and fee paid valuers assigned to the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) Property Chamber can hear any case type in the Chamber, including rent determinations. The number of judges in post as of 1 April 2025 assigned to the Property Chamber is published in the 2025 Judicial Diversity Statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/diversity-of-the-judiciary-2025-statistics. 2 regional surveyors and 77 valuers in post as of 1 April 2025 are assigned to the Property Chamber as their primary appointment. We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to assess the impact of the Renters’ Rights Act on the Chamber, including on judicial capacity. Recruitment was completed in 2025 for salaried and fee-paid judges of the FTT, including for the Property Chamber, and further recruitment in 2026 is planned. The independent Judicial Appointments Commission publishes data on the outcomes of these exercises once recruitment is completed: https://judicialappointments.gov.uk/completed-exercises/.

Whether he has made an estimate of the number of (a) judges and (b) valuers required to determine market rent determination applications within reasonable timeframes following implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Judges, salaried regional surveyors (valuers), and fee paid valuers assigned to the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) Property Chamber can hear any case type in the Chamber, including rent determinations. The number of judges in post as of 1 April 2025 assigned to the Property Chamber is published in the 2025 Judicial Diversity Statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/diversity-of-the-judiciary-2025-statistics. 2 regional surveyors and 77 valuers in post as of 1 April 2025 are assigned to the Property Chamber as their primary appointment. We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to assess the impact of the Renters’ Rights Act on the Chamber, including on judicial capacity. Recruitment was completed in 2025 for salaried and fee-paid judges of the FTT, including for the Property Chamber, and further recruitment in 2026 is planned. The independent Judicial Appointments Commission publishes data on the outcomes of these exercises once recruitment is completed: https://judicialappointments.gov.uk/completed-exercises/.

What estimate he has made of the average cost of determining a market rent application; and what the projected annual cost is following implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

It is not currently possible to identify the cost of determining a market rent application. This is one of several types of case heard by the Residential Property Tribunal and currently costs are not apportioned to individual case types. We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure the Property Tribunal is able to accommodate the impact of the Renters’ Reform Act.

What the average time taken to determine a market rent application from receipt to decision is in the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).

HM Courts & Tribunals Service does not hold specific information for applications for market rent determination. Published data is available on receipts, disposals and open caseload for residential property within Tribunals Statistics Quarterly, which will include applications for market rent determination. This information in available in column AS in tables S_2, S_3 and S_4:Main_Tables_Q2_2025_26.ods.

Whether the Government will publish data on market rent determinations, tribunal volumes, decision times and outcomes following implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Currently HM Courts and Tribunals Services (HMCTS) publish quarterly data on the Residential Property Chamber.HMCTS is reviewing the data captured, drawn and published from the supporting systems for the Tribunal as part of preparations for the Renters’ Rights Act.

How many applications for market rent determination were received by the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) in each of the last 12 months.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service does not hold specific information for applications for market rent determination. Published data is available on receipts, disposals and open caseload for residential property within Tribunals Statistics Quarterly, which will include applications for market rent determination. This information in available in column AS in tables S_2, S_3 and S_4:Main_Tables_Q2_2025_26.ods.

What methodology the Government intends should be used to determine market rent for the purposes of rent reviews under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

The determination of market rent for the purposes of rent reviews under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 will be a decision for the judiciary in the First-tier Tribunal.The First-tier Tribunal panels, which include expert valuers, will take into account evidence submitted by both tenant and landlord, alongside other relevant factors, such as rents for comparable local properties.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, at what monetary thresholds do exit payments to departing Ambassadors or Heads of Mission need to be approved by (a) the Accounting Officer and Permanent Secretary of FCDO and (b) the Chief Secretary to the Treasury; and whether they need to be published by name of the civil servant in departmental accounts.

The guidance governing the approval of such payments is publicly available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-sector-exit-payments-guidance-on-special-severance-payments.

With reference to the Cabinet Office publication, Public Appointments made by or of interest to the Prime Minister, of 30 October 2025, what does the inclusion of a regulated public appointment in that list entail for the process of that appointment; and whether the No10 Public Appointments Unit is consulted by the sponsor department on the (a) panel members, (b) longlist, (c) shortlist and (d) proposed final appointment by the sponsor department.

This Government is continuing to ensure the highest standards in the public appointments process. The process for public appointments is set out on gov.uk, including a transparent list of appointments that by their nature may be of interest to the Prime Minister’s Office.

With reference to the transparency data, Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP official charity receptions, July to September 2025, updated on 19 December 2025, what was the cost to the public purpose of each of the listed official receptions.

As under previous administrations, details of official receptions are published in quarterly transparency returns on gov.uk.

Whether his Department has negotiated a signed data sharing agreement with the Labour Party in relation to the operation of the Number 10 Political Office.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 31 March 2025, Official Report, PQ 39119.

Pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2025 to Question 97796, what the estimated financial value was of the Downing Street property in the 2022-23 valuation.

A professional revaluation of the Downing Street estate was last carried out under the previous government. The estimated value is included in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23.