Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to reform Internal Drainage Board special levies.

Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) play a crucial role in managing water levels and flood risk. MHCLG recognises the continued increases in special levies which local authorities are having to pay over the past few years. This is why the government announced, as part of the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement, that it will provide £5 million in funding for the local authorities most impacted by Internal Drainage Board levies. This follows the £3 million grant awarded in the previous two years. Allocations for the 2025-26 IDB levy support grant will be announced in due course. MHCLG recognises the need for a long-term solution and is working with Defra to explore potential approaches.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 3 February 2025, HCWS413 on the Local Government Finance Settlement 2025-26, whether she plans to provide additional support to local authorities impacted by increases to Internal Drainage Board special levies.

Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) play a crucial role in managing water levels and flood risk. MHCLG recognises the continued increases in special levies which local authorities are having to pay over the past few years. This is why the government announced, as part of the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement, that it will provide £5 million in funding for the local authorities most impacted by Internal Drainage Board levies. This follows the £3 million grant awarded in the previous two years. Allocations for the 2025-26 IDB levy support grant will be announced in due course. MHCLG recognises the need for a long-term solution and is working with Defra to explore potential approaches.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 38374 on Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill, what estimate her Department has made of the number of local authorities which now have boycott or divestment policies against Israel.

The Government has consistently opposed both the BDS Movement and calls to boycott the State of Israel by public authorities including local authorities. It is not government’s business to monitor the number of debates or motions on any matter provided councils are compliant with the law.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to explore alternative funding models of Internal Drainage Boards.

Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) play a crucial role in managing water levels and flood risk. MHCLG recognises the continued increases in special levies which local authorities are having to pay over the past few years. This is why the government announced, as part of the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement, that it will provide £5 million in funding for the local authorities most impacted by Internal Drainage Board levies. This follows the £3 million grant awarded in the previous two years. Allocations for the 2025-26 IDB levy support grant will be announced in due course. MHCLG recognises the need for a long-term solution and is working with Defra to explore potential approaches.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund: prospectus, published on 2 April 2025, whether (a) Tell MAMA and (b) Faith Matters will receive any funding from her Department in 2025-26; and whether they will be required to bid for this funding.

We are committed to providing a comprehensive service to monitor Anti-Muslim Hatred and provide support for victims. Applications to the Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund are now open. With cases of anti-Muslim hatred on the rise, up-to-date and detailed information on incidents and drivers of this hatred will play a fundamental part in supporting the government to combat Islamophobia and ensure Muslim communities feel safe and supported. We welcome an application from Faith Matters. In addition to announcing the new Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund, the Government made available £500,000 for funding Tell MAMA in 2025/26 to support their work for Q1 and Q2 of 2025/26, subject to signing of a Grant Funding Agreement. This funding offer has now been rejected by Faith Matters. We are disappointed Faith Matters have chosen to decline our offer of a funding extension - but thank them for their many years of work in monitoring anti-Muslim hatred and supporting victims.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of providing additional funding to Internal Drainage Boards.

The Government fully supports the important work internal drainage boards (IDBs) do in managing water and flood risk, benefiting communities, businesses and the environment. On 31st March the Government announced an additional £16 million boost to the IDB Fund to support greater flood resilience for farmers and rural communities. The Fund has increased from £75 million to £91 million to provide opportunities to modernise and upgrade assets. More than 400,000 hectares of agricultural land and around 91,000 homes and businesses across England are expected to benefit. In addition, IDBs, as risk management authorities, are eligible for the government’s flood investment programme. The government is investing a record £2.65 billion over two years in building, maintaining and repairing flood defences, better protecting 52,000 properties by March 2026.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 38367 on Fast Food: Planning Permission, what guidance her Department has issued on the necessary and sufficient features of a fast food outlet.

My Department has not published guidance on the specific features of a fast food outlet.As per my answer to Question UIN 38367 on 24 March 2025, it is for local planning authorities, when receiving a planning application from any of the providers named in the question, to consider whether, given the type of food and service to be provided at the location proposed, they consider the outlet to be either a hot food takeaway or a fast food outlet.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2025 to Question 39802 on Regulator of Social Housing: Translation Services, whether her Department holds information on which councils do not follow the 2013 guidance on translation into foreign languages.

The Department does not collect information on which local authorities follow the guidance outlined in the Written Ministerial Statement of 12 March 2013 entitled Translation into Foreign Languages, Official Report, Column 5WS.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Shake up of tech and AI usage across NHS and other public services to deliver plan for change, published on 21 January 2025, what changes are being made to the requirement to publish statutory notices in local newspapers.

Planning law requires local planning authorities to publicise planning applications through various means, including site notices, advertisements in local newspapers, and publishing information on their website. The government are exploring ways to enhance community engagement in the planning system, including by leveraging digital platforms.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 35701 on Embassies: Planning Permission, whether local authorities can enforce against planning breaches by Embassies which operate under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, embassies and their staff are protected from the jurisdiction of the host country's courts. However, embassies are still expected to respect local laws and work cooperatively with local authorities to resolve any planning issues.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 35705 on Independent Commission into Adult Social Care, whether he plans for the recommendation of the Phase two of the independent commission to (a) have a Government response, (b) undertake a further consultation, (c) have legislation introduced and (d) be commenced in this Parliament.

Chaired by Baroness Casey of Blackstock, the independent commission on adult social care will be undertaken in two phases.Phase 1, reporting in 2026, will identify the biggest challenges in adult social care and recommend practical changes to improve people’s lives over the next decade.Phase 2, reporting by 2028, will make longer-term recommendations for the transformation of adult social care, addressing demographic change, how services should be organised to deliver this and how best to create a fair and affordable adult social care system.The Government will consider and respond to the commission’s recommendations, including whether there is a need for further consultation or legislation, when it reports.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she and her Ministers have had with Unite on the Birmingham bin strike.

The Secretary of State engaged with Unite last week to encourage them to get back around the negotiating table with Birmingham City Council. Talks between Birmingham City Council and Unite continue.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 32222 on Homes England: Equality, whether this expenditure was signed off by the Principle Accounting Officer for Homes England.

The Whitehall Diversity & Industry Group (WIG) Diversity & Inclusion event is a conference with key note speakers, panel discussions and interactive sessions and therefore does not fall under the EDI restrictions and/or require sign off from the Principal Accounting Officer for Homes England.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2025 to Question 35307, on Asylum: Contracts, whether her Department directly procures asylum accommodation itself, separate to those contracts.

The Home Office is working closely with a range of stakeholders to fulfil its statutory obligations, while seeking to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation for the taxpayer.As part of this programme, the Home Office works with its contracted Estates delivery partner, Cushman and Wakefield, to identify potential leasehold and freehold properties for the Home Office to acquire. This involves assessing the feasibility of options and working with Local Authorities and MPs.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 38627 on Democracy and Elections, if she will name each of the stakeholders who have been consulted to date.

The Government engages with a broad range of stakeholders including local authorities, Civil Society Organisations and electoral bodies including the Electoral Commission, the Association of Electoral Administrators, The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and the Scottish Assessors’ Association. The Government is committed to working proactively and collaboratively with those groups where the Government’s ambitious agenda for electoral reform will have the most impact and we will continue to build on these trusted relationships.

How much local highway authorities in England will receive in 2025-26 from the (a) pothole fund, (b) highways maintenance block needs, (c) highways maintenance block incentive, (d) integrated transport block, (e) Maintenance funding uplift from HS2 Euston savings, (f) Network North highways maintenance funding and (g) other repurposed HS2 funding for potholes and road maintenance.

During 2025/26, the Department will provide a total of £1,567 million to local highway authorities in England under a new single, consolidated highway maintenance capital grant. This consolidates into one single funding stream the previous pothole fund, highway maintenance block (needs and incentive elements) and earlier Network North funding uplift, as well as the £500 million funding uplift announced in the Chancellor’s October 2024 Budget. The funding allocations to individual authorities are all on gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/highways-maintenance-funding-allocations/highways-maintenance-block-formula-allocations-2025-to-2026. The Department will also provide £170 million of Integrated Transport Block (ITB) funding to local highway authorities in 2025/26. Allocations to individual authorities are published on gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/integrated-transport-block-allocations. None of the above figures include the £208 million or so of highway maintenance funding per annum, or the £90 million or so of ITB funding per annum, that has been consolidated into the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) that are paid to some Mayoral Combined Authority areas.

With reference to the Answer of 28 November 2023 to Question 2562 on Jewish Safety, when the Jewish Community Crime, Policing and Security Taskforce last met.

The taskforce last met on October 23rd, 2023. To discuss the surge in antisemitism seen in UK following the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7th, 2023.We continue to work closely with the Community Security Trust (CST) and other stakeholders in the Jewish community to discuss the scourge of antisemitism and the protection of Jewish synagogues, schools and other communal centres. The Home Secretary addressed these and other issues in her speech to the CST annual dinner on 26 March 2025, which can be read here: Home Secretary speech at the Community Security Trust - GOV.UK.Antisemitism has absolutely no place in British society, and we are funding measures to protect Jewish communities and places of worship. We have assigned £72M from 2024/25 to 2027/28 as part of the Jewish Protective Security Grant, which is administered by the Community Security Trust.

With reference to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question HL5597 on Political Parties: Finance, if he will place in the Library an unredacted version of the guidance.

As set out in response to question HL5597, the guidance document in question is owned by the House of Lords Appointments Commission and is an internal document for Commission members. When ordering release of the guidance in December 2021, the Information Commissioner decided that some of the information in the document should be redacted in order to protect the integrity of the Commission's vetting process.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37583 on Elections: Expenditure, what guidance the Commission has issued on (a) itemising and (b) listing notional spending below £50 in Representation of the People Act returns where the total notional expenditure from that organisation is greater than £50.

The Elecotoral Commission has published guidance for candidates and agents on reporting notional expenditure. Property, goods, services or facilities received over the value of £50, provided for free or at a non-commercial discount, must be reported as candidate spending and as a donation. There are no requirements in law for candidates to report items of notional spending where the value is £50 or lower.Candidates do not need to itemise or list individual items of spending with a value of £50 or below, even when they have received multiple items of spending from the same organisation with a total value over £50.Agents are required to include the details of any reportable notional expenditure, and a declaration of its value in the candidate spending return.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37209 on Government Departments: Written Questions, whether it is her policy that if information would be released under the Environmental Information Regulations it should also be released in response to a written Parliamentary Question.

I refer the Hon. Member to the response provided to Question 37209, which answers his question.I encourage the Hon. Member to raise any specific issues they may have regarding PQ responses with myself and my office.