Written questions by Hollinrake.

Whether she plans to provide additional funding to public bodies for the increase in business rates for hereditaments with a Rateable Value above £500,000.

To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values 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 a rateable value of £500,000 and above, representing less than one percent of all properties. The Spring Statement confirmed the spending envelope for phase 2 of the spending review. We will consider the full range of priorities and pressures facing departments in the round, when setting these budgets.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2025 to Question 43351 on Domestic Waste: Fires, whether the UK Health Security Agency has undertaken research on the impact of the low-intensity burning of domestic household waste in household gardens.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not undertaken an assessment of the health impact of the low intensity burning of domestic household waste in household gardens, as there is legislation and guidance to prevent fires causing pollution or a nuisance. However, the UKHSA has published systematic reviews of the epidemiological studies on the health impacts associated with outdoor and indoor exposure to solid fuel burning.The evidence suggests that burning solid fuels indoors could contribute to the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer in adults, while the evidence for other respiratory effects is less clear. The results regarding outdoor exposure and the health effects were too limited to draw firm conclusions.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 41457 on Local Government: Elections, whether the public can request data held by (a) returning officers and (b) electoral registration officers through Re-Use of Public Sector Information requests.

Regulation 3 of the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015 defines the public sector bodies to which the Regulations apply, and neither Returning Officers nor Electoral Registration Officers are defined as public sector bodies for these purposes. Consequently, the public are not able to request data held by either Returning Officers or Electoral Registration Officers via these Regulations.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2025, to Question 22035, on Candidates: Expenditure, if he will publish a copy of the spending return for the hon. Member for Hamilton and Clyde Valley at the 2024 General Election.

The Electoral Commission does not have the legal power to publish full candidate spending returns.Returning Officers must make the full returns available for public scrutiny on request for a period of two years beginning with the date when the return is received.Headline figures from candidate spending returns, including the constituency of Hamilton and Clyde Valley, were published on the Commission’s website on 18 March. The Commission publishes these so that voters and candidates can see how much was spent and ensure spending limits have been observed.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of used nappies discarded in public places on Public Health.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not made a specific assessment of the potential impact of discarded used nappies on public health. The UKHSA and other agencies provide support to local authorities and their directors of public health for localised incidents, such as risks associated with household waste.The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency have produced the statutory guidance Waste duty of care: code of practice, which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/waste-duty-of-care-code-of-practice/waste-duty-of-care-code-of-practice Guidance for waste planning policy is published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/waste

Whether the Access for All funding allocated to Thirsk Station has been placed on hold.

The feasibility work for Thirsk station is underway and we expect all 50 of the feasibility studies announced last year to be complete in the spring. We expect to be able to confirm which stations will move forward over the summer. The Access for All programme continues to be heavily oversubscribed. We remain committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the valuable social and economic benefits this brings to communities.

Communities and Local Government, how many dwellings were built on green belt land in each year since 1997.

The Department does not collect or publish the requested dataabsolute numbers of dwellings built on Green Belt land. The proportions of new residential addresses that were created on Green Belt land in each year from 2013-14 to 2021-22 are published here. Figures for 1989 to 2011 are published here. Figures for 2022-23 and more recent years will be published in due course.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 April 2025 to Question 43564 on Waste Disposal: Birmingham, if she will publish the minutes of the meeting with Unite.

In line with normal practice, the minutes of the meeting will not be published.

Communities and Local Government, how much has been spent on flights by her Department since 5 July 2025.

The Department has spent no money on flights since 5 July 2025 because that date is in the future.In general terms, data on minister’s overseas travel and on senior civil servant’s business expenses is published on a quarterly basis.

Communities and Local Government, how many social sector homes are empty in England.

The number of empty social sector homes in England as at 31 March 2024 can be calculated using published statistics for vacant dwellings owned by local authorities and private registered providers of social housing. There were 33,904 vacant dwellings owned by local authorities in England on 31 March 2024 (see MHCLG Live Table 615). There were 37,231 vacant low cost rental general needs dwellings and 17,744 vacant low cost rental supported housing dwellings owned by large private registered providers of social housing (those owning at least 1,000 dwellings) in England on 31 March 2024 (see Regulator of Social Housing’s Private Registered Providers Additional Tables 3.8 and 3.10). There were 5,078 vacant low cost rental dwellings owned by small private registered providers of social housing (those owning fewer than 1,000 dwellings) in England on 31 March 2024 (see “SDR24_Small_PRP_Rents Vacancies” table of the Regulator of Social Housing’s Private Registered Providers Data Release). Therefore, there were a total of 93,957 empty social sector homes in England on 31 March 2024, including homes earmarked for sale or demolition, or awaiting or undergoing major repairs. This may include a small number of units owned by English private registered providers which are situated outside of England. Low-cost home ownership stock owned by English private registered providers are excluded.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43478 on Admiralty House, how many of the flats are occupied.

There has been no change to the allocation of the flats in Admiralty House since my Noble Friend’s answer of 17 December 2024, Official Report, HL2901.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2025 to Question 38040 on Roads: Hampshire, what the net increase in local authority road maintenance funding is in monetary cash terms in 2025-26 relative to the aggregation of the (a) HS2, (b) Network North and (c) other funding streams given to local authorities in 2024-25.

In 2024/25, local highway authorities received a total of £1,067 million of capital funding for local highway maintenance from various funding streams including the Highways Maintenance Block “needs” element, Highways Maintenance Block “incentive” element, potholes funding, and the £150 million Network North funding uplift (which came from redirected HS2 funding). In 2025/26, the Government is providing £1,567 million of capital funding for local highway maintenance, meaning that the net increase in cash terms is £500 million. Further detail is provided on page 94 of the Budget 2024 document, and the details of allocations to local highway authorities in each year are available on gov.uk.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 41085 on Domestic Waste and Fly-tipping: Health Hazards, if he will publish the risk assessment on the potential health impacts of uncollected waste.

The risk assessment is a live document, owned and kept under review by the local Director of Public Health who is responsible for its distribution. The UK Health Security Agency is part of a multi-agency response Strategic Commissioning Group and has contributed to the risk assessment.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Environment Agency has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) fly-tipping and (b) uncollected household rubbish on the environment; and whether the Environment Agency has had discussions with Birmingham City Council on (i) fly-tipping and (ii) uncollected household rubbish.

A multi-agency coordinating group was established in response to the declaration of a major incident by Birmingham City Council due to the buildup of waste in Birmingham. The Environment Agency is supporting Birmingham City Council who have led on producing risk assessments and plans as part of the multiagency response. The Environment Agency’s remit is to investigate fly tipping or illegal dumping where there is a single waste deposit of more than 20 cubic metres, more than 5 cubic metres of fibrous asbestos, or 75 litres of potentially hazardous waste in drums or containers. If the offending is believed to be linked to criminal business activity or organised crime, then this may fall to the Environment Agency to investigate and will seek to work jointly with the Local Authority and other partner agencies to resolve the issue. Local Authorities are responsible for assessing, removing and disposing of all fly-tipped waste if it’s on relevant land, which includes land under their direct control and is publicly accessible. The Environment Agency regulates waste-permitted sites to ensure compliance with the conditions of their Environmental Permits and has proactively inspected permitted sites in Birmingham to ensure they are compliant with their permits and no issues arise from the ongoing clean up in the city.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 40908 on New Towns: Planning Permission, which rare (a) plant, (b) bird and (c) invertebrate species other than the Distinguished Jumping Spider lead to the creation of the Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Ebbsfleet area.

Natural England notified the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at the Swanscombe Peninsula in 2021 due to its special interest for numerous rare plant, bird and invertebrate species. The SSSI’s citation sets out the full list of species concerned and can be found at : Swanscombe Peninsula 2021 SSSI Citation.

Media and Sport, with reference to the press release entitled Multi-billion-pound investment secured as Universal theme park and resort set to be built in Bedford, bringing thousands of jobs, published on 9 April 2025, whether (a) Government funding and (b) bespoke tax relief is being provided to (i) Universal Studios and (ii) the local council to support the deal.

Details of negotiations between private investors and the Government are currently confidential but will be set out in due course.

Media and Sport, whether her Department's planned national mandatory registration scheme will apply to (a) second homes and (b) second homes which are let occasionally.

The registration scheme for short-term lets legislated for in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 will apply to specified short-term rental properties in England. The detailed scope of the scheme, including how it will apply to second homes, and second homes which are let occasionally, is still being determined and details will be announced in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to increase the delegation rate for planning applications.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes a regulation-making power to issue statutory guidance on a national scheme of delegation. The government intend to formally consult on proposals relating to the delegation of planning decisions in England alongside the Bill’s passage.

Communities and Local Government, how many homes are empty due to probate.

The government does not collect data on the number of properties which are empty due to probate. However, we do collect data on the number of dwellings which are exempt from council tax due to the death of the occupant. As of the latest available data, 132,883 dwellings were receiving this exemption.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to commission research on the potential impact of the (a) second homes and (b) higher empty homes premium on (i) house prices, (ii) housing markets, (iii) the local economy and (iv) tourism.

It is for councils to decide whether it is appropriate or effective to use the premium. The government collects data on the use of premiums and the number of empty and second homes, which is published in the government’s council taxbase statistics. However the data does not make any other assessment based on the use of the premiums.