Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 45 of Annex 10 of the Impact Assessment for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, whether the requirement for 374,000 net additions per year from 2027 is referring to 2026-27 or 2027-28.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 55284 on 10 June 2025.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 64449 on Electoral Commission: Finance, what is the business case for increasing the budget of the Electoral Commission by over £20 million from 2027-28 to 2028-29.

The main driver is spend related to a UK General Election. The figures referenced in Question 64449 were shared with HM Treasury and our funding parliaments as an overall estimate for the Commission’s spending over the next five years, prior to the Commission’s Corporate Plan being approved by Parliament.Each year the Commission submits a Main Estimate for Parliamentary approval, and approval by the Scottish Parliament and Senedd, with a budget request for the forthcoming year. The Commission expects its spending to increase in the run up to the next UK parliamentary general election, which must be held by August 2029; it estimates an increase of £11.6 million from 2027-28 to 2028-29 to account for this general election spending.The key driver for these costs are the public awareness campaigns that give voters the information they need to participate with confidence, alongside additional staff for the general election period and election related research projects. The Commission has a duty to promote public awareness, including awareness of any new changes introduced by Government. Typically, most of this spending falls in the year prior to a general election, because of the scale of work and the preparation required.Given the exact timing of the next general election is uncertain, the Commission has built general increases into its planned spending, which can be adjusted as appropriate through the annual Main Estimate process.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 45662 on Universal Studios: Bedfordshire, what her planned timetable is for publishing this information.

The Government is following due process and will publish further information later this year.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2025 to Question 59791 on Greater Manchester Combined Authority: Housing Investment Programmes, whether (a) her Department and (b) Homes England have had recent discussions with (i) Sheikh Mansour and (ii) Abu Dhabi United Group on housing development in Greater Manchester.

I am not aware of any recent engagements between my Department or Homes England with Sheikh Mansour and the Abu Dhabi United Group regarding housing development in Greater Manchester.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with her (a) Welsh and (b) Scottish counterpart on the risk of foreign interference in the political process from hostile actors under provisions allowing foreign donations in those countries.

As pledged in our manifesto, we are strengthening the rules around donations to political parties. We have published our gov.uk ‘Strategy for Modern and Secure Elections’ which sets out a number of reforms we are making to strengthen rules on political donations, responding to the threat of foreign interference. These include “Know Your Donor” requirements for recipients of donations, tighter controls on company and unincorporated association donations, and enhanced transparency requirements for all donors to political parties. We have engaged with Welsh and Scottish governments on the development of the reforms set out in this strategy.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 64772 on Public Appointments: Council of the Nations and Regions, who is now undertaking the responsibilities that were previously assigned to the Envoy for the Nations and Regions.

The Council facilitates partnership working between the UK Government, Devolved Governments, the Mayor of London, and Mayors of Combined Authorities and Mayors of Combined County Authorities.The Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster routinely engage with the Heads of Devolved Governments and the Deputy Prime Minister and other ministers routinely engage with England’s Regional Mayors.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 60496 on Civil Servants: London Allowance, what is the policy Cabinet Office policy on whether junior civil servants in his Department receiving London weighting have to attend and work in an office within Greater London.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer on 3 July 2025 (PQ 63008).Pay arrangements, including those for London, are delegated to each department. The Cabinet Office does not have a London Weighting Allowance. There are separate London and National pay ranges. An individual’s pay, paid as a salary, is determined by the location of their designated office, as set out in their contract.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled Reform of planning committees: technical consultation, published on 28 May 2025, whether the mandatory training for planning committee members will include training not listed in that consultation.

The content of mandatory training for members of planning committees will be set through regulation. We will engage with the sector on details of the training and will publish further details in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has published on the maximum of deputy mayors that may be appointed by the (a) Greater London Authority and (b) combined authority mayors; and whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend these limits.

The maximum number of deputy mayors for the Greater London Authority (GLA), combined authorities, or combined county authorities is set out in relevant legislation – that being the Greater London Authority Act 1999, the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, and the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. There are several positions that may be referred to as ‘deputy mayor’. In the GLA, this includes the statutory deputy mayor, the mayor’s appointees under section 67(1)(b) of the 1999 Act, and the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. In combined authorities and combined county authorities, there is the statutory deputy mayor and, where applicable, the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will, if passed, introduce the position of ‘commissioner’, whom the Mayor can appoint to help deliver on one or more areas of competence. The Mayor of London may appoint up to 11 ‘deputy mayors’ under section 67(1)(b) of the 1999 Act. In combined and combined county authorities, mayors can appoint one statutory deputy mayor and one Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. As currently drafted, they will be able to appoint up to seven commissioners. There are no plans to amend these limits.

How many applications for the disposal of school playing fields her Department has (a) approved and (b) rejected by (i) school and (ii) local authority since 4 July 2024.

The department has interpreted disposal in this context to mean the freehold sale, grant of a long-term lease of 30 years or more or appropriation of playing field land to another local authority use.A register of decisions to dispose of school playing field land is published on GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-land-decisions-about-disposals.

Whether transitional relief in the 2026 business rates revaluation will be funded by (a) the Exchequer, (b) higher multipliers, and (c) downward phasing.

The Government provides transitional relief to support ratepayers seeing large bill increases as a result of revaluations. Only once we understand the complete 2026 revaluation picture will the Government be in a position to make final decisions, at Budget 2025, on the transitional relief scheme.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 2 July 2025 on Social and Affordable Housing Renewal, HCWS771, if she will publish the full public sector equality duty assessment undertaken in relation to reductions in Right to Buy.

The government’s response to the Right to Buy consultation published on 2 July included a Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) assessment. This can be found on gov.uk here.

Whether she has made an assessment of the financial (a) risk and (b) cost to councils of controlling bus franchising.

As part of the bus franchising process, local transport authorities (LTAs) must develop a robust assessment of all elements of a move to franchising. This assessment requires LTAs to demonstrate a financial and economic case for franchising in their area which considers whether the authority would be able to afford to make and operate the scheme, and whether the scheme represents value for money. There is no one size fits all approach to bus franchising, and the cost of bus franchising and level of financial risk to LTAs will vary depending on the individual area and the model of franchising that LTAs wish to pursue. Government is working to provide more active support to LTAs, and is developing a tailored programme of support for LTAs wishing to franchise. In addition, work will continue to reduce the cost of franchising to help make it more accessible to LTAs. My Department is also engaging with LTAs and bus operators to identify potential alternative models of franchising to those pursued by Greater Manchester and other Mayoral Combined Authorities. At the Spending Review, the Government announced funding for bus franchising pilots, including in York and North Yorkshire and Cheshire West and Chester as part of additional funding to maintain and improve bus services from 26/27 onwards.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 63031 on Asylum: Private Rented Housing, whether community cohesion is a material consideration when assessing the suitability of a local area for asylum accommodation.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 8 July in response to Question 63031.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 63031 on Asylum: Private Rented Housing, whether her Department provides guidance on the factors that should be assessed when determining the suitability of a local area for asylum accommodation.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 8 July in response to Question 63031.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2025 to Question 63624 on Admiralty House: Energy Performance Certificates, if he will place the three EPCs for the Admiralty House flats in the Library.

Where a building has an EPC the information on EPC ratings can be found at https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate/Admiralty-House.

Whether she has had recent discussions with the Mayor of London on (a) graffiti and (b) vandalism on the London Underground.

Department for Transport Ministers and officials have regular discussions with Transport for London (TfL) and the Mayor of London on a range of issues, including London Underground maintenance requirements. Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor and TfL who are responsible for the operation and maintenance of London Underground.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 59360 on Driving: Standards, which policies from that plan she has discontinued.

Those policies in “The Plan for Drivers” that would have made no positive difference for drivers have been discontinued. These include the speculative suggestions for interfering in local authorities’ decisions about how best to manage local road networks and threats to remove their access to vehicle keeper information. The Government is committed to empowering local leaders and Mayors to make the right decisions for their communities, including on transport.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, March 2025, published on 28 April 2025, what the goods or services commissioned from HM Treasury entitled subscription were.

The Department employs a number of analysts and some are members of the Government Economic Service and Government Social Research professions. The HMT subscription line covers payment of a range of membership costs for both these professions.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to introduce legislation to establish local versions of the Public Accounts Committee.

The government remains committed to enhancing accountability and scrutiny of local public spending in Strategic Authorities.The English Devolution White Paper outlines the government’s ambition to go further in this area, including exploring a Local Public Accounts Committee model. It remains our ambition to do this. We are developing policy options on this, working with Mayoral Combined Authorities to test our thinking. The Government will confirm its policy approach and any supporting legislation that may be required to advance these in due course.