Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2025 to Question 62596 on Greater Manchester Combined Authority: Property Development, how many affordable homes have been built in developments that received funding from the Great Manchester Housing Investment Loans fund in each of the last ten years.

The Greater Manchester Housing Investment Loan Fund is operated by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). MHCLG and Homes England do not hold information in individual developments in this programme. GMCA is therefore best placed to respond to this question.

Whether trade envoys are permitted to visit northern Cyprus.

While carrying out official duties Trade Envoys are representatives of Government and are therefore expected to follow Government policy. The Government’s long-standing position of not recognising the self-declared ‘Turkish Republic of North Cyprus’ remains unchanged.

Further to the letter to the Hon Member for Thirsk and Malton from the Director General of the Propriety & Constitution Group of 23 June 2025, if he will provide guidance to departments from the Propriety and Ethics Team on ensuring that the political impartiality of the police is upheld in future events involving Ministers.

Elections guidance for civil servants is kept under review and published in advance of the relevant election period.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with local authorities in Oxfordshire on traffic filters restrictions.

Local authorities are responsible for managing their local transport networks. The Department has not had discussions with Oxfordshire County Council on its planned introduction of traffic filters in Oxford.

With reference to the letter from the Director General of the Cabinet Office Propriety and Constitution Group of 24 July 2025 to the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton, what his planned timetable is for the updated guidance to special advisers on what support can be provided to different types of events during periods of sensitivity in the run up to local elections.

Elections guidance for civil servants, including special advisers, is kept under review and will be published in advance of local elections in 2026.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 May 2025 to Question 53094 on Second Homes: Council Tax, whether his Department has issued guidance on applying for a job-related (a) council tax second homes discount and (b) exemption from the council tax second homes premium on Ministerial residences.

The Cabinet Office has not issued any such guidance.

Who attended the reception for content creators at 10 Downing Street on 31 July 2025; and what the cost was of the event.

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

If she will place in the Library a copy of the presentation materials for the Guilt of Being British seminar given by her Department's race network.

HMRC is focused on its three priorities as set by the government: improving day-to-day performance and the customer experience, closing the tax gap, and reforming and modernising the tax and customs system.The question refers to a planned departmental staff network event which we can confirm was cancelled. Therefore, no materials will be placed in the Library.The Cabinet Office recently published its Staff Network guidance on 23 September and HMRC’s Staff Networks will adhere to this.

Whether his Department has issued revised guidance on assessing the potential local dimension of future announcements undertaken in a pre-election period.

Elections guidance for civil servants is kept under review and will be published in advance of local elections in 2026.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 May 2025 to Question 52864 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, when the Government last undertook a valuation of Admiralty House.

The valuation of Admiralty House was last updated in March 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 64498 on Waste Disposal: Fixed Penalties, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of instances of local authorities using fly-tipping powers to fine households for breaches of waste receptacle offences that would not permit a waste receptacle fine under the harm to local amenity test.

This Government has not made an assessment of the potential implications for the department’s policies of instances of local authorities using fly-tipping powers to fine households for breaches of waste receptacle offences that would not permit a waste receptacle fine under the harm to local amenity test. The principles of the Regulators Code apply to enforcement action carried out by local authorities. This includes that regulatory activity should be carried out in a way which is proportionate, transparent, accountable and consistent. We are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise existing enforcement powers.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2025 to Question 64507 on Business Rates, if she will publish the written responses.

The interim report will provide a summary of responses to the Transforming Business Rates discussion paper.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 64077 on Film: Business Rates, if she will make it her policy to increase the level of film studio business rate relief to compensate for new business rates surcharge from 2026-27.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced an intention to introduce a higher business rates multiplier on the most valuable properties – those with Rateable Values (RVs) of £500,000 and above – from April 2026 to fund permanently lower multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with RVs below £500,000. Eligible film studios receive 40 per cent relief on gross business rates bills until March 2034. Business rates bills are calculated by applying the relevant multiplier first and so film studios will receive 40 per cent relief on their total liability. As set out in supporting guidance, the Government may review the level of relief in the event of significant changes in RVs at future revaluations.

Whether the new surcharge on hereditaments with Rateable Values above £500,000 from 2026-27 will be revenue-neutral in relation to the cost of the new Retail, Hospitality and Leisure rate multiplier from the 2026-27 financial year onwards; and whether the business rates regime will have a (a) positive or (b) negative cost to the public purse in the 2025-26 financial year.

To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with Rateable Values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026-27.This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to apply a higher rate from 2026-27 on the most valuable properties - those with RVs of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties, but cover the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by online giants.  The rates for these new business rates multipliers will be set at Budget 2025 so that the Government can take into account the upcoming revaluation outcomes as well as the economic and fiscal context. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the expected effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2025 to Question 62604 on Planning: Disclosure of Information, whether information on the internal layout of Embassy developments can be redacted by a planning applicant, before it is submitted to a local planning authority.

The submission of application documents is a matter for applicants themselves.

Whether the new surcharge on hereditaments with Rateable Values above £500,000 from 2026-27 will be revenue neutral in relation to the cost of the new Retail, Hospitality and Leisure rate multiplier from 2026-27.

To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with Rateable Values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026-27.This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to apply a higher rate from 2026-27 on the most valuable properties - those with RVs of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties, but cover the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by online giants.  The rates for these new business rates multipliers will be set at Budget 2025 so that the Government can take into account the upcoming revaluation outcomes as well as the economic and fiscal context. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the expected effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 64049 on Alcoholic Drinks, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) production of organic wines and sparkling wines in British vineyards and (b) use of renewable technologies on achieving environmental objectives, in the context of green bond objectives.

The Green Financing Programme’s objective is to raise funds via green gilts and retail Green Savings Bonds for policies with a positive climate or environmental impact. All eligible policies financed by the Programme are drawn from policies agreed by HM Treasury and departments in the Spending Review. In the context of the Green Financing Programme, HM Treasury does not conduct impact assessments of existing or potential policies. Spending departments are responsible for the decision to conduct ex-ante or ex-post impact assessments of their policies. HM Treasury does publish a biennial Impact Report of policies funded via the Green Financing Programme, using data from other departments. The most recent such report was published in September 2023 and can be found via the following website link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/651446cdb1bad4000d4fd916/HMT-UK_Green_Financing_Allocation_Impact_Report_2023_Accessible.pdf

Whether his Department has set a target for reducing the number of deaths attributable to particulate air pollution.

There is not currently a Government target to reduce the number of deaths attributable to particulate air pollution. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set two targets for particulate matter, an emissions reduction target and a Population Exposure Reduction Target, which will continue to reduce peoples’ average exposure across the country. The Department of Health and Social Care will continue to work across Government to reduce people’s exposure to pollutants harmful to health.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has had recent discussions with the Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London Adjudication Joint Committee on automatic number plate recognition powers for off-street car parks.

Whilst the Secretary of State has held no meetings with the Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London Adjudication Joint Committee, the government is committed to raising standards for off-street private parking operators.On 11 July, the government published a consultation document setting out its proposals for raising standards across the private parking industry ahead of preparing a code of practice and an accompanying compliance framework for private parking operators. The consultation document can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation closes on 5 September.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 64455 on Water Charges, whether households are able to opt-out of pilots on (a) rising block tariffs and progressive water metering and (b) seasonal water metering.

The Government is committed to delivering for customers. Following the Independent Water Commission report, the Government will establish a new statutory water ombudsman - a single, free service to help customers resolve complaints such as incorrect bills. Additionally, the amount of compensation customers are legally entitled to when key standards are not met has been more than doubled. Further updates to the Guaranteed Standards Scheme are due to come into force in October. Several water companies are currently trialling a range of charging approaches, such as seasonal tariffs and rising block tariffs. Through these trials the sector will learn how to best support customers with their water bills. Companies are responsible for their own charges and for designing and running their trials to test new charging structures. Companies can design their trials in a range of ways within the good practice principles for charging trials outlined by Ofwat. In designing their trials, companies are required to consult with the Consumer Council for Water to ensure that safeguards are in place to protect vulnerable consumers or exclude them from trials where appropriate.