Every parliamentary written question tabled by Kevin Hollinrake this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1,121–1,140 of 2,926 · this parliament
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 51391 on Water Charges, whether he plans to provide (a) guidance and (b) directions on innovative tariffs.
As set out in the previous answer, as the water regulator, Ofwat regulates the charging trials by issuing rules that require companies to set fair charges for all customers, and to ensure all trials are consistent with good practice principles.
Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release entitled Independent Water Commission publishes interim findings, published on 3 June 2025, whether consideration of changes to household water tariffs is within scope of the final report of the Commission.
The Commission will report later in 2025 on how to tackle inherited systemic issues in the water sector to help restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health, meet the challenges of the future and contribute to economic growth.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 9 May 2025 to Question HL070 on Unitary Councils, what criteria her Department plans to use to determine when to make a request to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to (a) provide formal advice and (b) undertake a formal electoral review, in the context of Sections (i) 4 and (ii) 8 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
As set out in my answers to PQ 38625 and 34287, my department is liaising closely with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) so that they are involved at the appropriate time. The process set out in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 allows the Secretary of State to seek the advice of the LGBCE on any matter relating to a proposal that has been submitted in response to an invitation. No criteria have been set for seeking advice, which will depend on the proposals received, as appropriate at the time. The LGBCE is responsible for its own work programme. It carries out electoral reviews for local government, reviewing wards, and setting the council size in terms of number of councillors.
Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on (a) which water companies are planning to trial seasonal water tariffs and (b) the timetables for those trials.
All companies plan to trial new charging structures by 2030. A list of all current and planned trials is publicly available on Ofwat’s website, which can be found here.
Food and Rural Affairs, which water companies are planning to trial progressive or rising block water tariffs, and to what timetables, according to the latest information held by (a) Ofwat and (b) his Department.
All companies plan to trial new charging structures by 2030. A list of all current and planned trials is publicly available on Ofwat’s website, which can be found here.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Local government reorganisation: summary of feedback on interim plans, published on 3 June 2025, if she will publish each feedback letter sent to every council that submitted proposals for local government reorganisation.
We have no plans to publish the feedback provided to individual areas. There will be a significant volume of correspondence with local authorities as part of the reorganisation programme and we do not consider it appropriate to publish all of that correspondence. We have been clear to councils that our feedback is shareable should they wish to do so.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's transparency data entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, April 2025, published on 30 May 2025, if she will publish the specification of the research commissioned from Verian Group UK Limited for Research on Demolition and Planning Policy.
The report for the research in question is being finalised. We intend to publish this in due course, in line with departmental policy, including details of the research objectives and methodology.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the number of second home dwellings liable for the second homes council tax premium being flipped to holiday lets liable for business rates; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of this on net revenues.
The government is not aware of any substantial evidence which demonstrates a trend of second homes being converted into holiday lets. There is a clear set of criteria before a holiday let can be assessed for business rates. The property must have been available to let for at least 140 days in the last year and actually let for at least 70 days in the last year. The government keeps all taxes under review.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the merger of the Valuation Office Agency into HM Revenue and Customs on (a) Ministerial accountability and (b) the ability of Ministers to amend valuation practices.
Moving the VOA’s functions into HMRC will strengthen direct accountability to Ministers, helping to improve the experience of taxpayers and businesses and support the delivery of the government's commitments to reform business rates and modernise the tax system. The Valuation Office Agency has a legal responsibility to provide independent and impartial advice on property valuations based on appropriate evidence and methodology. It does this using internationally recognised valuation approaches for property taxation. It will continue to do this following the merger with HMRC.
How local government restructuring scores on public (a) spending and (b) borrowing.
Any changes to local government spending as a result of local government reorganisation will be reflected in the OBR forecast via estimates of local authority self-financed expenditure, with associated impacts on overall fiscal metrics, including public sector net borrowing (PSNB). Any central government funding for restructuring would be allocated within departmental budgets in the usual way.
Food and Rural Affairs, what targets have been set by (a) his Department and (b) Ofwat on rolling out residential water smart meters between 2025 and 2030; and how smart meters are funded.
Smart metering is essential for Government water demand reduction targets. Defra has set out, through its regulators, that it expects water companies to uphold their commitment to halve leakage by 2050, through smart metering as part of the statutory water demand target to reduce demand by 20% by 2038. Water companies have committed to increase metering to around 70% across household customers by 2040. To enable this, Ofwat has set targets on smart meter delivery through Price Control Deliverables in its Price Review 2024. These set out meter communication, connectivity and data completeness standards. Companies are incentivised to meet this target through non-delivery payments (where customers are reimbursed for failure to deliver commitments). The Government expects all newly installed meters to be smart; this includes companies running upgrade programmes for those on older meters. These programmes must have customer support and provide value for money before being approved as part of a company’s Water Resource Management Plan. Companies have social tariff programmes to protect consumers who cannot afford their bills.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of (a) the upfront cost to the public purse of local government restructuring and (b) the configuration of unitary restructuring necessary to deliver savings.
We have no estimate of the upfront cost of reorganisation. As set out in my answers to Question UIN 31960 answered on 3 March 2025, and Question UIN 48973 answered on 8 May 2025, the upfront costs of local government reorganisation will be a matter for local councils to consider as they develop their proposals. In our invitations to councils, we set out that proposals should set out how an area will seek to manage transition costs. We expect that areas will be able to meet potential costs over time from existing budgets, including the flexible use of capital receipts and invest-to-save projects, and the efficiencies from reorganisation.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) metered and (b) unmetered households can refuse the installation of a water smart meter.
Smart metering is essential for Government water demand reduction targets. Defra has set out, through its regulators, that it expects water companies to uphold their commitment to halve leakage by 2050, through smart metering as part of the statutory water demand target to reduce demand by 20% by 2038. Water companies have committed to increase metering to around 70% across household customers by 2040. To enable this, Ofwat has set targets on smart meter delivery through Price Control Deliverables in its Price Review 2024. These set out meter communication, connectivity and data completeness standards. Companies are incentivised to meet this target through non-delivery payments (where customers are reimbursed for failure to deliver commitments). The Government expects all newly installed meters to be smart; this includes companies running upgrade programmes for those on older meters. These programmes must have customer support and provide value for money before being approved as part of a company’s Water Resource Management Plan. Companies have social tariff programmes to protect consumers who cannot afford their bills.
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has a policy on the use of technical language in planning applications.
The government has no specific policy related to the use of technical language in planning applications.
Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the operation of the arrangements in relation to the implementation of Section 81 of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 on the renaming of streets.
My Department continues to monitor the implementation of s.81 of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 51872 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Civil Servants, how many staff are in a redeployment position in each of her department's Arm's Length Bodies in the most recent period for which information is held.
The department does not hold this information.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the consultation entitled Reform of planning committees: technical consultation, published on 28 May 2025, whether the Full Council of a local authority will be able to call in a (a) Tier A and (b) Tier B planning application if requested by local councillors.
As set out in the technical consultation on reform of planning committees published on 28 May 2025, all applications in Tier A would be delegated to planning officers. However, Question 5 asks for views on whether there should be a mechanism to bring a Tier A application to committee in exceptional circumstances and, if so, what would those circumstances be and how would the mechanism operate. Applications in Tier B would be presumed to be delegated unless the chief planning officer (or equivalent officer in local planning authorities without a chief planning officer) and Chair of Committee agree it should go to Committee based on a gateway test. The consultation is open for views until 23 July 2025.
Communities and Local Government, whether the provisions in her Department's guidance entitled Sensitive information in planning applications have been used for the planning application for the Chinese Embassy in relation to information provided by (a) the applicant and (b) third parties.
There is no direction under section 321 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in force in respect of this case.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46286 on Housing, whether she plans to (a) bring forward legislative proposals and (b) update guidance on Empty Dwelling Management on the issuing of those orders for empty homes of the deceased.
As set out in the Devolution White paper, we are committed to strengthening local authority powers to take over the management of vacant residential premises. Further updates will be provided in due course.
Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to amend planning (a) policy and (b) legislation to help facilitate the construction of new water reservoirs.
On 29 May, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced the Fens and Lincolnshire Reservoirs would be given ‘nationally significant’ status and set out the government’s intention to legislate so that similar projects would automatically be ‘Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects’ and considered under the Planning Act 2008.The National Policy Statement for Water Resources Infrastructure, which includes policy on reservoirs, was designated in September 2023.The Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs intends to undertake a targeted update to the NPS to streamline water resources infrastructure projects.