Every parliamentary written question tabled by Kevin Hollinrake this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1,621–1,640 of 2,926 · this parliament
If she will make it her policy to reverse the regulatory changes to (a) pavement licences and (b) takeaway pints from the expiry of the covid easements on 1 April 2025.
I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made to the House on 27 February.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 42243 on Recreation Spaces, whether SANGS payments will still be required in addition to contributions to (a) the Nature Restoration Fund and (b) Biodiversity Net Gain, in the context of development near Habitats Sites.
Where an Environmental Delivery Plan is in place to address the negative effects of recreation on Habitats Sites, payment of the Nature Restoration Levy would offer an alternative option to applicants to discharge their environmental obligations. Applicants would therefore be able to choose to pay the levy as an alternative to making a SANGs payment. Where no Environmental Delivery Plan is in place, the current environmental assessment system would remain in place, and any required SANGs payments would continue to apply. Biodiversity Net Gain is an additional requirement separate from obligations related to impacts to Habitats Sites and will run concurrently with the Nature Restoration Fund. The requirement to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain would remain regardless of whether an Environmental Delivery Plan is in place.
Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending the National Planning Framework, published in December 2024, to require people planning to use houses for (a) second homes and (b) short-term lets to seek planning permission.
Whilst second homes and short-term lets can benefit local economies, the government appreciate that excessive concentrations in some areas of the country can impact the availability and affordability of homes, both to rent and buy. We remain committed to introducing a registration scheme for short-term lets and removing the furnished holiday lets rules to ensure all income from property will be treated the same for tax purposes. We also recognise that more needs to be done and are considering what additional powers we might give local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures created by short term lets.
Communities and Local Government, if she will publish the responses to the Devolution Priority Programme consultations.
The consultations for the six areas on the Devolution Priority Programme closed on 13 April 2025. The Government is now carefully considering all responses received, before taking a decision on whether to proceed. This decision, and a report on the consultation, will be published in due course.
Communities and Local Government, whether (a) she and (b) the Planning Inspectorate have full access to redacted sections of (i) documentation and (ii) drawings of the proposed Chinese Embassy.
All Inquiry documents for this case are publicly available on Tower Hamlets website here. The case is not yet before the Secretary of State.
If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2015 on (a) the likelihood of future industrial action in local authorities relating to the collection of household rubbish and (b) intimidation on municipal picket lines.
The government published an impact assessment on the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016 in October 2024. The Act places unnecessary red tape on trade union activity that works against their core role of negotiation and dispute resolution. As such, the government is substantively repealing it.The repeal of the 2016 Act will not impact legislation that provides for picketing to lawfully take place. This picketing must be peaceful and those on picket lines must not intimidate workers who attend work. The Code of Practice on Picketing will also continue to remain in effect.
In how many council areas have grooming gangs been reported.
Child sexual abuse and exploitation, including group-based offending or ‘grooming gangs’, remains under-identified and under-reported. Police recorded crime figures are captured by Police Force Area, which equates to local authorities in many instances. Analysis by the police found that there were 115,000 cases of child sexual abuse recorded by the police in England and Wales in 2023, with 4,228 group-based offences identified by the Taskforce, which is likely to be a significant under-estimate. That i’s why all 43 police forces in England and Wales have been tasked with looking again at historic cases of group-based Child Sexual Exploitation which were closed with No Further Action, and to re-open investigations and pursue new lines of inquiry where appropriate.Baroness Louise Casey is also currently conducting a national audit into the nature, scale and profile of grooming gangs offending across the UK, which will report back next month.
Communities and Local Government, what the total cost to her Department was for her visit to Doncaster Airport on 10 April 2025.
The DPM was undertaking official and political business from multiple locations on 10 April and was accompanied by her security detail with costs accrued in the usual way. Costs of the DPM's protection arrangements are not disclosed for security reasons.
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department engages with the European Islamic Centre.
The department does not engage with the European Islamic Centre. The responsibility for decisions around who departments engage sits with the respective departments and the appropriate policy areas. We also refer the hon. member to the response provided by the Minister for Security during Oral Parliamentary Questions on 31st March 2025. Debate: Oral Answers to Questions - 31st Mar 2025 - Nick Timothy extracts.
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities on trade union facility time since 1 March 2013.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has not issued guidance to local authorities on trade union facility time since 1 March 2013. However, the Local Government Transparency Code 2015 sets out publication requirements on trade union facility time for local authorities. The Cabinet Office published guidance for public bodies on reporting trade union facility time data on 21 May 2019. This guidance was most recently updated on 22 May 2024. The Ministry has also previously written to the sector periodically to remind authorities of their obligations regarding publishing trade union facility time.
Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 7 April 2025 to Question on Public Consultation; Young People, if she will list the DCMS-funded youth programmes through which young people were invited to participate in the long-term strategy for communities.
We invited young people from #iWill and UK Youth Parliament to participate in the roundtables.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 40908 on New Towns: Planning Permission, whether she plans to allow housing development on Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that development on land within or outside a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and which is likely to have an adverse effect on it (either individually or in combination with other developments), should not normally be permitted. The only exception is where the benefits of the development in the location proposed clearly outweigh both its likely impact on the features of the site that make it of special scientific interest, and any broader impacts on the national network of Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Ministerial residence at 1 Carlton Gardens pays council tax as a (a) sole or main residence, (b) single person discount and (c) second home.
The Foreign Secretary pays the necessary council tax on 1 Carlton Gardens.
Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 39015 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, if she will have discussions with Historic England on its approach to engaging with the public inquiry on the Chinese Embassy planning application.
Neither I, nor the Secretary of State, have any plans to discuss this matter with Historic England.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the statutory guidance entitled Guidance on the flexible use of capital receipts, updated on 26 March 2025, whether the sale of a local authority school playing field would qualify as a capital receipt.
Under the general direction on “Flexible Use of Capital Receipts” (FUCR), authorities may use the proceeds from qualifying asset sales (capital receipts) to fund the revenue costs of projects designed to generate ongoing savings or reduce the costs of service delivery. This is to help councils deliver transformation and invest-to-save projects they might not otherwise be able to afford from their budgets. When applying the direction, the Authorities are required to have regard to the Guidance on Flexible Use of Capital Receipts issued by the Secretary of State under section 15(1)(a) of the Act. This sets out best practice in using the flexibility. For the purposes of this direction, authorities may use the proceeds from any qualifying asset disposal made while the direction is in force, provided the use is not otherwise restricted. For example, receipts from the sale of Right to Buy assets are excluded. Disposals must also be genuine: the flexibility does not apply to sales made to companies owned or controlled by the authority or in which it has a financial interest. It is for local authorities to determine how best to use this flexibility, including decisions on which assets to sell. However, the Government expects all decisions to demonstrate value for money and to be in the best interests of local residents.
Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to freeze council tax.
Council tax levels are decided by individual local authorities. The government sets referendum principles to give residents the final say over excessive increases. Decisions on council tax referendum principles are taken annually. The government will set out its proposed principles for 2026-27 as part of the local government finance settlement in the usual way later this year.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the policy paper entitled New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, published on 17 March 2025, what steps her Department is taking to review the compliance costs related to planning regulations.
My Department is progressing a bold set of reforms to the planning system to support the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure. These reforms will streamline planning procedures and reduce the cost of planning for developers, local planning authorities and others engaged in the planning system. Key measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill include a faster and more certain Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime, a new strategic approach to nature recovery for development, and the modernisation of planning committees. We are also reviewing the role of statutory consultees. All reforms to planning law and regulations which affect businesses are subject to Impact Assessments to identify the costs and benefits of those reforms.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 29 March 2025 to Question 39475 on the Aarhus Convention, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that convention on the effective operation of the planning system.
The Aarhus Convention sets out obligations on Parties to guarantee certain procedural rights for the public relating to access to environmental information, participation in environmental decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters. The United Kingdom Government remains committed to the effective implementation of its international obligations under the Aarhus Convention, and we consulted on one aspect of this, the cost caps regime last year. Major infrastructure projects are vital in this Government’s mission to deliver growth across the country, and we want to see them built quicker. Earlier this year we announced part of our response to Lord Banner’s report which set out our reforms to speed up the planning process while making sure people still have the opportunity to bring challenges in court.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 38622 on Council tax, whether there is a (a) minimum and (b) maximum level of average Band D council tax in England that the she plans to achieve in this Parliament.
The government does not set council tax levels. The government sets referendum principles to give residents the final say over excessive increases. Decisions on council tax referendum principles are taken annually.
Communities and Local Government, whether the Ministerial residence in Admiralty House pays council tax as a (a) sole or main residence, (b) single person discount or (c) second home.
The council tax arrangements for Admiralty House are as has been the case for successive governments and Ministers occupying it as an official residence. The Deputy Prime Minister’s council tax responsibility is properly discharged.