Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including Electoral Returning Officers on the list of public authorities subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The Government has not issued guidance on including Returning Officers or Electoral Registration Officers within the definition of local authorities for the Re-use of Public Sector Information. The Government has not made an assessment of the potential merits of including Returning Officers of Electoral Registration Officers on the list of public authorities subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Electoral Commission provides guidance to Returning Officers and Electoral Registration Officers, and recommends that they disclose requested information where possible, provided the information is either already in the public domain or does not include personal data.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to consolidate the different types of nature designation of land.

The Government has no plans to consolidate the different types of nature designation of land.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 31685 on Public Consultation: Young People, how the young people for the two round tables on the long term strategy for communities were selected.

Young people were invited to participate via DCMS-funded youth programmes. Participants represented a range of age groups and communities from across the country. The government continues its work to deliver for communities and is currently developing its longer-term strategy. We will set out next steps in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether the members of the working group on the definition of Islamophobia will be remunerated; and what is the process by which they have been selected.

Members of the Anti-Muslim Hate/Islamophobia Definition Working Group will not be remunerated but will be able to claim expenses for travel and/or costs incurred whilst carrying out their role. Members are technical experts and have been selected for their ability to deliver against the group’s objectives. All members must follow The Seven Principles of Public Life and the Government retains the right to end the relationship if any member does not abide by the principles. All appointments are subject to assessment of any potential or actual conflicts of interest, which must be fully disclosed to the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government. Further details are provided in the Group’s Terms of Reference which have been published on GOV.UK.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on how campaigners can (a) hold street stalls and (b) give out leaflets in local high streets.

The government has not issued any guidance to local authorities on issues relating to campaigning. The Electoral Commission is responsible for providing guidance directly to candidates and campaigners.

What assessment she has made of whether particular types of retail outlets in high streets and town centres are used for money laundering from the sale of drugs.

The Government recognises that cash intensive businesses such as barber shops and nail bars can be exploited by criminals seeking to launder their criminal cash from serious and organised crime. Addressing cash-based money laundering is one of the strategic priorities of the National Economic Crime Centre which sits within the National Crime Agency, and who are currently working with partners to facilitate an increased operational response to this threat.In parallel, the National Police Chiefs’ Council economic crime co-ordinators are engaged in the development of Clear Hold Build strategies to help police forces tackle serious and organised crime. Clear Hold Build aims to reclaim and rebuild neighbourhoods affected by organised crime, including tackling financial crime on the high street.

Communities and Local Government, in what circumstances a previous landowner is eligible for additional compensation following a Compulsory Purchase Order; and how this applies to Compulsory Purchase Orders where hope value has been removed.

Additional compensation may be payable where a compulsory purchase order was confirmed with a direction removing hope value, but the acquiring authority does not build out their scheme as proposed. The Department has issued guidance on the circumstances where additional compensation may be claimed.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled £2 billion new investment to support biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, published on 25 March 2025, over what period the (a) funding will be allocated and (b) new homes will be (i) commenced and (ii) completed.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549)

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to change disqualification rules for (a) councillors, (b) mayors and (c) other elected representatives, in relation to those found guilty of sexual offences.

On changes to local government disqualification criteria, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 41451. The government has been clear that standards in local government need to be improved and that could include a standards regime which has the power to suspend, sanction and disqualify for the most serious breaches. Councillors and mayors already face disqualification if found guilty of sexual offences. Individuals made subject to the notification requirements or who receive a relevant order for sexual offences are disqualified for as long as they remain subject to them. Someone cannot be a Police and Crime Commissioner if they have ever been convicted of an imprisonable offence. We have no plans to extend the House of Commons disqualification criteria beyond those set out in the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 and the Representation of the People Act 1981. There are also mechanisms in place under the Recall of MPs Act 2015 for the electorate to decide whether to remove MPs convicted of other offences.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department holds information on the individual bye-laws in force by each local authority.

MHCLG does not hold information on individual byelaws in force by each local authority.

Communities and Local Government, whether (a) environmental delivery plans and (b) the nature restoration fund will replace suitable alternative natural greenspace.

Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) can be used to address the negative effects of development leading to recreational disturbance of Habitats Sites. Where appropriate, SANGs will continue to play an important role in nature restoration under both Environmental Delivery Plans (which will be funded by the Nature Restoration Fund) and the existing Habitats Regulations Assessment regime.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to amend the Habitats Regulations.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes targeted amendments to the Habitats Regulations, with Schedule 4 including changes necessary to streamline environmental assessment as part of Environmental Delivery Plans and Schedule 6 adding Ramsar Sites to Part 6 of the Habitats Regulations so these sites are covered whilst strengthening protections.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Nature Restoration Fund levy will be in addition to Biodiversity Net Gain.

The Nature Restoration Fund will be in addition to Biodiversity Net Gain and will run concurrently, focusing on enabling development in areas where it has stalled due to specific environmental obligations relating to impacts on protected sites or species. We will ensure that developers receive a user-friendly experience and that BNG credit and the Nature Restoration Fund revenue is deployed in a joined-up manner to maximise environmental outcomes.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 31685 on Public Consultation: Young People, what his planned timetable is for the publication of the long term strategy for communities; and what policy areas it will cover.

Young people were invited to participate via DCMS-funded youth programmes. Participants represented a range of age groups and communities from across the country. The government continues its work to deliver for communities and is currently developing its longer-term strategy. We will set out next steps in due course.

With reference to the Written Ministerial Statement on Update on tackling intimidation in public life of 18 March 2024, HCWS348, what further steps her Department is taking to help tackle intimidation in (a) elections and (b) public life; and which policies from that Written Ministerial Statement she (i) plans and (ii) does not plan to implement.

In light of increasing levels of harassment and intimidation ahead of the General Election, the previous Government invested £31m into additional protective security measures such as expanding the police led operation BRIDGER, and the introduction of a Home Office run private security capability. However, our approach needs to evolve with the threat and go further. Under the Defending Democracy Taskforce, the Government is actively reviewing its levers for preventing harassment and intimidation, identifying gaps and vulnerabilities, and developing recommendations to strengthen our response.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36414 on Local Government: Reorganisation, whether she plans to include London Boroughs in a future round of restructuring.

As outlined in our answer to Question UIN 36414 on 13 March 2025, on 5 February the government formally invited unitary proposals from only those councils in two-tier local government areas and their neighbouring small unitaries, no London Boroughs were included in this invitation. The English Devolution White Paper set out that the government is taking a phased approach to delivery and will also facilitate reorganisation for those unitary councils where there is evidence of failure or where their size or boundaries are impacting on their responsibilities.

Communities and Local Government, with reference her Department's consultation response entitled, Building Safety Levy: Technical consultation response, published on 25 March 2025, when the Building Safety Levy will come into force.

The Building Safety Levy (levy) is one of a package of measures to make sure that the burden of paying for fixing historical building safety defects does not fall on leaseholders or further burden taxpayers.Developers will pay the levy on new residential development, subject to certain exemptions. It will come into effect in Autumn 2026. Anyone submitting an application for building control approval with full plans, a building control approval application (made to the Building Safety Regulator), or an initial notice for construction of, or works to, one or more dwellings or purpose built student accommodation (PBSA), after the levy has come into effect, will be liable to pay the levy, except where an exemption applies. The levy will not apply to applications for new dwellings that were submitted before the coming-into-force date.The design of the levy maintains viability of new developments as far as possible through variable levy rates at local authority level and a 50% discount on developments on previously developed land, reflecting the additional costs of building on these sites. Affordable housing and community facilities are exempt from the levy.The rates for each local authority can be found at Annex A: Levy Rates of the Building Safety Levy: Technical consultation response.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled A new approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, published on 17 March 2025, which public body will be designated as the lead regulator for major projects.

As the Government announced on 17 March a lead environmental regulator will be appointed for all major projects in which multiple environmental regulators have an interest, to make decisions on their behalf. This will reduce layers of regulation and create a single front door for major projects. This model will be tested through a series of projects this year, which could start with the Lower Thames Crossing subject to the planning process, as well as a new town-related housing project and future schemes like Heathrow expansion. We will assign a lead environmental regulator as part of this pilot phase. We are also asking industry to come forward with suggestions of additional projects which meet the steering criteria where they want to trial this new approach.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 31973 on Affordable Housing: Construction, and with reference to the Update from MHCLG on targets on the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme, published on 30 July 2024, if she will provide a breakdown of the latest target or estimated total number of dwellings to be delivered under the 2021-26 programme, separate to the proposed extension to 2026-27 set out in 25 March 2025, Official Report, HCWS549.

My Department published an update on targets in the 2021-26 Programme on 30 July 2024 on gov.uk here. At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549). In October 2024, this government announced £500 million in new in-year funding for the Affordable Homes Programme, found on gov.uk here. As a result of significant demand from housing providers across the country, that additional funding is already oversubscribed. In the Written Ministerial Statement made on 12 February 2025 (HCWS447), this government announced allocating a further £300 million to the Affordable Homes Programme. This will support the near-term delivery of more social and affordable housing, delivering up to 2,800 new homes with more than half being Social Rent homes. In addition, at the multi-year Spending Review later this year, the government will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and home-ownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for Social Rent. We will publish a new report after the summer recess.

Communities and Local Government, with reference her Department's consultation response entitled, Building Safety Levy: Technical consultation response, published on 25 March 2025, at what rate the Building Safety Levy will be set..

The Building Safety Levy (levy) is one of a package of measures to make sure that the burden of paying for fixing historical building safety defects does not fall on leaseholders or further burden taxpayers.Developers will pay the levy on new residential development, subject to certain exemptions. It will come into effect in Autumn 2026. Anyone submitting an application for building control approval with full plans, a building control approval application (made to the Building Safety Regulator), or an initial notice for construction of, or works to, one or more dwellings or purpose built student accommodation (PBSA), after the levy has come into effect, will be liable to pay the levy, except where an exemption applies. The levy will not apply to applications for new dwellings that were submitted before the coming-into-force date.The design of the levy maintains viability of new developments as far as possible through variable levy rates at local authority level and a 50% discount on developments on previously developed land, reflecting the additional costs of building on these sites. Affordable housing and community facilities are exempt from the levy.The rates for each local authority can be found at Annex A: Levy Rates of the Building Safety Levy: Technical consultation response.