Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 2 June 2025 entitled Planning reform and housing delivery, HCWS673, who will be responsible for determining whether planning applications will fall into tier (a) A and (b) B.

Through regulations we will set out which planning applications should be delegated to planning officers and which could go to a planning committee, if the Chair of the committee and chief planning officer (or equivalent officer in local planning authorities without a chief planning officer) agree that committee consideration is warranted. Further details are set out in the technical consultation on the implementation of our proposals to modernise planning committees that the government published on 28 May. It can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to section 6.4 of the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, who the members of the working group with the Greater London Authority are.

The working group is attended by senior officials from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Greater London Authority.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2025 to Question 52268 on Independent Commission into Adult Social Care, whether the financial expenditure report will include the chair's salary.

As the Commission is independent, it will be responsible for reporting on its financial expenditure and is responsible for what it includes in the report.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52622 on National Security: China, what information her Department holds on whether the United Front Work Department has sought to interfere in the planning process for the proposed Chinese Embassy in London.

In line with my previous response to UIN 29609 on 12/02/25, the planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this quasi-judicial decision independent from the rest of Government, and from any form of external interference by any other party.

Communities and Local Government, if she will list the documents that set out the relationship between the Electoral Commission and (a) the Government and (b) Parliament.

The Electoral Commission is the statutory body responsible for overseeing elections and regulating political finance in the UK. It is independent of government and is accountable to – and funded by – the UK Parliament for its reserved functions through the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission. Its role, powers and governance arrangements are set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 50516 on Trade Unions: Finance, whether she plans to update that guidance once the Employment Rights Bill is passed.

No.

Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to make changes to (a) regulation and (b) guidance in relation to council tax (i) collection and (ii) debts.

The government has announced it will be consulting on modernising the administration of council tax, including its collection and enforcement. The government will consider any necessary changes to regulations or guidance following this consultation.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Valuation Tribunal Service's Council Tax Manual has been updated since the 2022 edition published on its website.

The last published update for the Valuation Tribunal Service (VTS) Council Tax Manual was August 2023. This document can be accessed through the VTS website here. A further update is near completion and will be published in July 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2025 to Question 52861 on Empty Property: Council Tax, how many council tax appeals relating to second homes have been considered by the Valuation Tribunal Service since July 2024.

The Valuation Tribunal for England have cleared 1102 Council Tax Liability appeals since 1 July 2024. Fewer than 100 of these cases referenced issues relating specifically to second homes.

Communities and Local Government, whether local billing authorities are required to collect data on the name of each adult in a household when billing a dwelling for council tax.

Councils are required to assess who is liable for council tax for a specific dwelling and whether any discounts, disregards, reductions, premiums or exemptions are applicable to the dwelling or its occupants. However, councils are not required to collect data on the name of every individual resident of a household.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2025 to Question 52867 on Written Questions, what is the 19% figure in absolute terms; and what is the average percentage figure of carded questions tabled by the hon. Members of each political party represented in the House of Commons.

During the period in question, the total number of questions tabled was 60,136, of which 11,654 were carded because they did not comply with the rules of order. The vast majority of card queries are resolved quickly when the hon. Member who tabled the question contacts the Table Office to discuss it. There is, however, a growing backlog of carded questions in cases where hon. Members have tabled questions but have not responded to the card note.It is not possible to provide a party breakdown of the proportion of questions carded.The Table Office is happy to offer training to hon. Members and their staff on the rules of order and the drafting of orderly WPQs.

Pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2025 to Question 51393 on Fast Food, how the (a) Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and (b) Public Health England defines a fast food outlet.

In February 2025, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities published data on fast food outlets per 100,000 population. In this analysis, fast food was described as “food that is energy dense and available quickly, usually via a counter service, and for consumption on or off the premises”. This definition covers a range of outlets selling foods, including, but not limited to:burgers;pizza;kebabs;chicken;Indian takeaway;Chinese takeaway; andfish and chips.Public Health England was abolished in 2021, but published comparable data, and in 2018 defined fast food as “energy dense food that is available quickly, therefore it covers a range of outlets that include, but are not limited to, burger bars, kebab and chicken shops, chip shops and pizza outlets.”

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of households that are paying the second homes premium on council tax.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 51402 on 20 May 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what plans the Valuation Tribunal Service has to update the Council Tax Manual.

The last published update for the Valuation Tribunal Service (VTS) Council Tax Manual was August 2023. This document can be accessed through the VTS website here. A further update is near completion and will be published in July 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for making a decision on local government restructuring in Surrey; whether she plans to hold a formal consultation process on the number of new unitary councils to be created; when she plans to publish the proposed council (a) wards and (b) divisions for the new unitary councils; and what the latest date is for the passage of secondary legislation to allow for shadow unitary elections in May 2026.

I am currently considering the submissions for unitary local government in Surrey that were received on 9 May. Before a proposal can be implemented the statute – the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 – requires consultation. As I set out to the House on 3 June, I will provide the House with a full update shortly.My expectation remains that in Surrey there will be elections to new shadow unitary councils in May 2026 with a view to going live in April 2027. Warding or divisional arrangements would be included in the secondary legislation that gives effect to a proposal and makes provision for those elections. Any legislation would need to be in force ahead of the date by which the notice of the elections must be published, which for the ordinary day of election in 2026 is 30 March 2026.

Representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 52266 on Overseas Trade: Israel and Occupied Territories, which companies that trade with (a) Israel and (b) the Occupied Territories are excluded following a controversy screen and assessment of the human rights risks.

The Church Commissioners do not disclose details of restricted companies due to commercial sensitivity. As stated in the answer issued in UIN 52266 on 20th May, the Church Commissioners have a process where they may restrict companies which are considered to cause, contribute to or are linked to human rights risks and impacts. In conflict-affected and high-risk areas, the Church Commissioners note the heightened risks of human rights harms and take this into account when screening their portfolios. The Pensions Board, as a separate legal entity, takes a similar approach.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2025 to Question 51393 on Fast Food, whether the Food Standards Agency categorises (a) Pret a Manger, (b) Subway and (c) Greggs as a fast food outlet.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not categorise businesses as fast-food outlets. The FSA gathers information on and categorises food businesses based on understanding potential risk in relation to food safety only.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Unite trade union press release entitled Birmingham Bin Strike Escalates, published on of 21 May 2025, what role the Best Value Commissioners in Birmingham City Council have in the ACAS negotiations between Birmingham City Council and the Unite trade union on the bin collection industrial action.

Local Authorities are independent employers responsible for agreeing pay and terms for their workforce, and so the ACAS negotiations relating to Birmingham's waste service are rightly being held between the Council and the Unite trade union. Commissioners do not have a direct role in these negotiations; their role is to support the council in line with Directions from the Secretary of State, and ensure the Council is meeting its Best Value duty.

With reference to the policy paper entitled The plan for drivers, published 2 October 2023, what progress her Department has made on the call for evidence on options to restrict local authorities’ (a) ability to generate surpluses from traffic offences and (b) over-zealous use of traffic enforcement powers.

The Department for Transport’s ‘Statutory Guidance to Local Authorities on the Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions’ makes clear that local authorities should never issue Penalty Charge Notices to raise revenue. The Department is currently considering the findings of the Call for Evidence on 'Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions' which was issued as part of the previous Government’s Plan for Drivers.

With reference to the press release entitled Prime Minister unveils new plan to end years of uncontrolled migration, published on 11 May 2025, whether the English language requirements for (a) migrants and (b) adult dependents will apply to claims for asylum made (i) outside and (ii) by people who have illegally entered the UK.

The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues – including English language requirements – further details of which will be set out in due course.