Written questions by Hollinrake.

When he plans to (a) publish, (b) consult on and (c) ratify the Airports National Policy Statement.

The government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement. The Secretary of State will determine the scope of the review of the Airports National Policy Statement in due course and therefore, the Department cannot speculate on the scope nor the timings at this stage.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2025 to Question 52624 on Asylum: Housing, if she will publish the template accommodation contract for accommodation under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Information about contracts with the government and its agencies, including the Asylum Accommodation Support and Service Contracts are available at: Contracts Finder - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

How many asylum accommodation dwellings are provided by each private contractor.

Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including accommodation type, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab of our most recent statistics release. The data can also be broken down by local authority. Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (opens in a new tab).

Whether her Department collects data from local authorities on the (a) revenue from and (b) number of (i) on-street and (ii) off-street parking fines issued by local authorities in (A) London (B) the rest of England.

The Department for Transport does not collect such data centrally. The Department has published statutory guidance which requires local authorities outside London to publish annual financial and statistical data on their enforcement activity. London Councils collects enforcement data as the representative body for the London Boroughs and Transport for London.

Whether the Highways Agency has issued guidance on the use of (a) electronic and (b) other road signs with foreign languages.

National Highways does not have a specific policy and has not issued guidance on the use of non-electronic or electronic traffic signs using a different language other than English.

With reference to the PCS trade union press release entitled Valuation Office to move into HMRC, published on 28 April 2025, for what reason the trade unions were not consulted over the announcement of the closure of the Valuation Office Agency.

The government is conducting a full review of all arm’s-length bodies with a presumption that they will be closed, merged, or have functions brought into departments.The decision to move the Valuation Office Agency’s (VOA) functions into its parent department (HMRC) was taken to provide greater ministerial oversight and accountability of an essential function of significant national importance.The VOA has begun consultation with its trade unions, Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and Prospect. It will continue to work closely and consult with them throughout the transition period to ensure a successful outcome.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2025 to Question 50853 on Valuation Office Agency: Staff, whether all Valuation Office Agency staff will be transferred into HMRC.

Yes, all Valuation Office Agency employees will be transferred to HMRC.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to Annex 11 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Impact assessment, published in May 2025, what statistics will be collated on the unit planning fee charges for different types of application charged by local authorities under the localised regime.

In order to inform a national default fee schedule, the government will consult and undertake a national benchmarking exercise. We will also publish guidance on the costs that may be considered when calculating planning fees.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to Annex 11 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Impact assessment, published in May 2025, what estimate her Department has made of the change in (a) prior approval and (b) householder planning fees under the localised regime.

In order to inform a national default fee schedule, the government will consult and undertake a national benchmarking exercise. We will also publish guidance on the costs that may be considered when calculating planning fees.

With reference to the Written Statement of 14 May 2025 on Places for Growth 2030, HCWS633, if he will list the locations of the 13 cross-government regional hubs; and if he will estimate how many staff who will be based at each hub.

The details of the 13 cross-government regional hubs can be found on the Places for Growth gov.uk page and are Greater Manchester, York, Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Bristol, Cardiff, Belfast, Sheffield, Darlington, and Newcastle and Tyneside. Further details about the number of staff that will be based at each hub are being worked through as part of the Spending Review process.

What steps the Government is taking to disrupt pro-Iranian regime groups spreading extremist narratives in the UK.

I announced in my statement to the House on 4 March that we are reviewing where any Iranian interference is being conducted in the UK and that Iran has been specified on the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) under the National Security Act 2023. This specification of Iran will shine more light on any undisclosed relationships between the Iranian state and UK-based institutions and individuals.In concert with partners, we will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to protect the UK, and its people, from any Iran-linked threats.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has undertaken research into the causes of (a) vacant and (b) long-term vacant dwellings; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to council tax (i) discounts and (ii) premiums on the reporting of such dwellings.

There are a range of reasons for why a property may be vacant for a period of time and the Government wants to see more empty homes brought back into use. Councils have the discretionary power to charge a council tax premium on second homes and long-term empty homes. However, this government has introduced exceptions to those premiums, in line with the consultation response published by the previous administration, to reflect individual circumstances.The government does not make any reporting assessments based on the premium

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Deputy Prime Minister's speech at UK Real Estate and Infrastructure Forum, on 20 May 2025, what steps her Department plans to take to move Homes England to a more regionalised model.

As set out in my letter to Homes England’s Chair on 30 September 2024, which can be found on gov.uk here, Homes England is currently working with my Department to progress the rapid implementation of a new Target Operating Model to ensure Homes England has a sustainable, regional and place-based operating model to reflect the shifting focus to delivering successful placemaking and align with our wider devolution agenda.Further detail on Homes England's approach to regional working will be set out in a revised Strategic Plan which will be published later this year.

With reference to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question HL7317 on Fire and Rescue Service and Police: Employers’ Contribution, what methodology her Department used to calculate the National Insurance mitigation funding for police forces.

Allocations of the relevant funding were based on total workforce headcount shares as at March 2024.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2025 to Question 50855 on Revenue and Customs and Valuation Office Agency, how many of those (a) HMRC and (b) VOA offices will be closed as a consequence of the abolition of the VOA as a standalone agency.

HMRC and VOA are working closely together on plans to bring VOA into HMRC by April 2026 which will deliver 5 to 10% of additional savings in VOA’s total administrative costs by 2028-29. HMRC and VOA regularly review their locations planning to identify opportunities to deliver savings. VOA are already co-located with HMRC in 13 locations.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the report entitled Securing the ballot: Report of Sir Eric Pickles’ review into electoral fraud, published in August 2016, if she will take steps to implement Recommendation 50.

The previous Government responded to this review’s recommendations in December 2016. Statutory overview and scrutiny guidance was updated in April 2024 to take account of deeper devolution to mayoral combined authorities and the creation of combined county authorities.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2025 to Question 51398 on Flags: Festivals and Special Occasions, how much funding has been allocated by her Department to support Historic County Flag Day in July 2025.

The Department will continue its annual celebration of Historic County Flags Day in July 2025 by flying all registered historic county flags of Great Britain in Parliament Square. The final cost of the event this year will be confirmed after the event has taken place.

Communities and Local Government, whether (a) her Department and (b) the Planning Inspectorate has issued guidance on the definition of readily accessible under Schedule 1, Class A, of The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007.

We have not issued any guidance on the definition of readily accessible under Schedule 1, Class A, of The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 48127 on Planning Permission: Equality, whether the Planning Inspectorate requires planning appeal applicants to provide personal diversity or protected characteristic information.

The Planning Inspectorate do not require appellants to submit personal diversity information or details relating to protected characteristics. PINS Inspectors are mindful of human rights considerations when making decisions and are fully aware of their responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) as set out under the Equality Act 2010. All actions and decisions are guided by the Franks Principles and our organisational Code of Conduct.

Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to commence the provisions on consumer protection in the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.

Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 requires the Secretary of State to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities. The purpose of the Code of Practice is therefore to raise standards in the parking sector, which will, in turn, benefit the motorists who use private parking facilities.The Government is currently reviewing how best to raise standards in the industry, and we plan to launch a consultation on this shortly.