Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, whether she will make it her policy to introduce combined mayoral authorities only in areas where they have been approved through a local referendum.

There is an existing statutory process for establishing combined authorities, including the requirement for a public consultation. Government is currently carrying out such public consultations in the areas in the Devolution Priority Programme. The results of these consultations will inform decisions on whether the statutory tests have been met to proceed with the necessary secondary legislation to establish the combined authorities. The consultations are not a referendum, and these are not a requirement for devolution.

Communities and Local Government, if she will publish her Department's report Population size and local authority performance: final research report”, written in 2006.

The Government has no plans to publish the report Population size and local authority performance: final research report (2006) as it is already in the public domain.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance entitled Green Belt, published on 27 February 2025, whether an environmental principles assessment was prepared in relation to the new guidance.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 26508 on 5 February 2025 and Question UIN 37174 on 11 March 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of implementation of the Aarhus Convention.

The UK Government is committed to the effective implementation of our international obligations. The UK has been a party to the Aarhus Convention since ratification in 2005 and has long given effect to aspects of the Convention in domestic legislation. The Government has not estimated the cost of upholding its international law obligations as a Party to the Convention. Over the past decade, the UK has been found to not be compliant with aspects of the Aarhus Convention. To ensure that the UK upholds its international law obligations, the Government is undertaking a call for evidence to gather views on the best way to bring policies concerning access to justice in line with our obligations under the Convention. Where new policy contains provisions relevant to matters covered by the Convention on access to information, public participation in decision making and access to justice, the implications of the UK’s obligations under the Aarhus Convention are considered in the same manner as the UK’s other domestic and international legal obligations.

Communities and Local Government, whether the guidance entitled Green Belt, published on 27 February 2025, would permit villages in the green belt to be merged with towns.

The definition of grey belt, for the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, is provided in the glossary of the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024. Grey belt is land in the Green Belt that is previously developed land or other land that does not make a strong contribution to the following Green Belt purposes (a) checking the sprawl of large built-up areas, (b) preventing the merging of neighbouring towns, and (d) preserving the setting and special character of historic towns. It is for individual local planning authorities to decide if land is grey belt and to determine whether and how to amend Green Belt boundaries through the preparation or updating of plans, including neighbourhood plans where appropriate. It is also for each local planning authority to assess, as a material consideration when writing Local Plan policies or determining planning applications, what environmental impacts could occur. National planning policy and our recently published guidance on Green Belt assessment are clear that release of, or development on, Green Belt land should not fundamentally undermine the ability of the remaining Green Belt across the area of the plan from serving all five of the Green Belt purposes. The definition of grey belt, and the revised Framework more widely, were determined following extensive consultation, including with relevant public bodies. For further detail, I refer the hon. Member to the government response to the proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system consultation which can be found on gov.uk here. Our guidance introduces new criteria to drive a more consistent approach to the identification of grey belt land, and to inform Green Belt assessments. It is for these Green Belt assessments to consider if any particular features act to preserve visual separation. Green Belt guidance is clear that assessing the contribution land makes to Green Belt purposes (a), (b) and (d) relates to large built-up areas, towns, and historic towns respectively, rather than villages. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that villages can be included in the Green Belt where it is necessary to restrict development because of the contribution the village makes to the Green Belt. If the character of the village should be protected for other reasons, other means should be used, such as conservation area or normal development management policies. The National Planning Policy Framework and the Green Belt guidance do not introduce a definition of historic town, town, or village. The responsibilities of local planning authorities to recognise and protect their historic assets, making use of built heritage and conservation expertise as necessary, remain unaltered. Local planning authorities continue to have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use to tackle all types of unauthorised development.

Communities and Local Government, whether the proposed (a) combined authorities and (b) combined county authorities will operate in shadow form before they are vested.

The establishment of a Combined County Authority or a Combined Authority is done via implementing secondary legislation. It is for the local authorities who are to become constituent councils in the area to determine whether to set up shadow or transition arrangements prior to the combined authority’s establishment.

Communities and Local Government, whether the guidance entitled Green Belt, published on 27 February 2025, will apply to (a) planning applications for authorised, (b) retrospective planning permission for unauthorised, (c) planning enforcement (i) decisions and (ii) appeals in relation to unauthorised and (d) plan-making for traveller sites on the Green Belt.

I refer the hon. Member to UIN 39868 answered on 26 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has increased the level of funding for the Greater London Authority in 2025-26 to address the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions; and what representation she has received from the Greater London Authority on this subject.

The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26 makes available over £69 billion for local government in England. The Greater London Authority will see an increase in their Core Spending Power of 3.1% in cash terms, or £97.7 million, on 2024-25.As part of this package, the government confirmed allocations for the unringfenced £502 million Employer National Insurance Contributions Grant for local authorities in England. I can confirm the Greater London Authority will receive £18.8 million from the Employer National Insurance Contributions Grant.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 2.1.1 of her Department's English devolution white paper published on 16 December 2024, whether she will designate Surrey as a Foundation Strategic Authority.

The government confirmed we would progress with a non-mayoral single local authority agreement for Surrey in September 2024. Future designation is subject to wider timelines on the passage of the English Devolution Bill as well as next steps on local government reorganisation and to deepen devolution for the area. Surrey are on the Local Government Reorganisation fast track to unlock devolution to the fastest possible timeline, to deepen and widen their existing devolution agreement and take strides towards mayoral devolution.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23351 on Regulator of Social Housing: Translation Services, if she will issue updated guidance to the regulator on translation services to councils and social housing providers to reflect the guidance outlined in the Written Ministerial Statement of 12 March 2013 entitled Translation into Foreign Languages, Official Report, Column 5WS.

The government has no plans to issue guidance or a direction to the Regulator of Social Housing on changes to their standards or codes of practice in relation to translation into foreign languages.The regulator’s consumer standards Code of Practice is designed to amplify some of the requirements in the standards and provides examples of how requirements might be achieved.It states that providers should make tenants aware of the different ways in which services are tailored to meet their needs. Informing tenants that information can be supplied in different languages on request is one of the examples given for how providers might seek to deliver the outcomes of the standard, but providers are not required to take a particular approach.

Communities and Local Government, how much (a) capital and (b) resource funding was allocated to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in the (i) 2024-25 and (ii) 2025-26 financial year.

In the 2024-25 Financial Year, £1.3 billion resource and £0.2 billion capital funding was allocated to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This includes the Department for Education managed allocation for the Multiply programme in England. This allocation can be found in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 publication here: Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 (HTML) - GOV.UK. In the 2025-26 financial year, £668 million resource and £234 million capital funding has been allocated to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. There are no separate Multiply allocations for 2025-26. Local allocations for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2025-26 can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, further to her Department's Green Belt guidance published on 27 February 2025, for what policy reasons Green Belt (a) purpose (c) and (b) purpose (e) do not form part of the Green Belt assessment process.

The definition of grey belt, for the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, is provided in the glossary of the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024. Grey belt is land in the Green Belt that is previously developed land or other land that does not make a strong contribution to the following Green Belt purposes (a) checking the sprawl of large built-up areas, (b) preventing the merging of neighbouring towns, and (d) preserving the setting and special character of historic towns. It is for individual local planning authorities to decide if land is grey belt and to determine whether and how to amend Green Belt boundaries through the preparation or updating of plans, including neighbourhood plans where appropriate. It is also for each local planning authority to assess, as a material consideration when writing Local Plan policies or determining planning applications, what environmental impacts could occur. National planning policy and our recently published guidance on Green Belt assessment are clear that release of, or development on, Green Belt land should not fundamentally undermine the ability of the remaining Green Belt across the area of the plan from serving all five of the Green Belt purposes. The definition of grey belt, and the revised Framework more widely, were determined following extensive consultation, including with relevant public bodies. For further detail, I refer the hon. Member to the government response to the proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system consultation which can be found on gov.uk here. Our guidance introduces new criteria to drive a more consistent approach to the identification of grey belt land, and to inform Green Belt assessments. It is for these Green Belt assessments to consider if any particular features act to preserve visual separation. Green Belt guidance is clear that assessing the contribution land makes to Green Belt purposes (a), (b) and (d) relates to large built-up areas, towns, and historic towns respectively, rather than villages. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that villages can be included in the Green Belt where it is necessary to restrict development because of the contribution the village makes to the Green Belt. If the character of the village should be protected for other reasons, other means should be used, such as conservation area or normal development management policies. The National Planning Policy Framework and the Green Belt guidance do not introduce a definition of historic town, town, or village. The responsibilities of local planning authorities to recognise and protect their historic assets, making use of built heritage and conservation expertise as necessary, remain unaltered. Local planning authorities continue to have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use to tackle all types of unauthorised development.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance entitled Green Belt, published on 27 February 2025, whether her Department consulted Historic England on the new guidance on historic (a) towns and (b) villages.

The definition of grey belt, for the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, is provided in the glossary of the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024. Grey belt is land in the Green Belt that is previously developed land or other land that does not make a strong contribution to the following Green Belt purposes (a) checking the sprawl of large built-up areas, (b) preventing the merging of neighbouring towns, and (d) preserving the setting and special character of historic towns. It is for individual local planning authorities to decide if land is grey belt and to determine whether and how to amend Green Belt boundaries through the preparation or updating of plans, including neighbourhood plans where appropriate. It is also for each local planning authority to assess, as a material consideration when writing Local Plan policies or determining planning applications, what environmental impacts could occur. National planning policy and our recently published guidance on Green Belt assessment are clear that release of, or development on, Green Belt land should not fundamentally undermine the ability of the remaining Green Belt across the area of the plan from serving all five of the Green Belt purposes. The definition of grey belt, and the revised Framework more widely, were determined following extensive consultation, including with relevant public bodies. For further detail, I refer the hon. Member to the government response to the proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system consultation which can be found on gov.uk here. Our guidance introduces new criteria to drive a more consistent approach to the identification of grey belt land, and to inform Green Belt assessments. It is for these Green Belt assessments to consider if any particular features act to preserve visual separation. Green Belt guidance is clear that assessing the contribution land makes to Green Belt purposes (a), (b) and (d) relates to large built-up areas, towns, and historic towns respectively, rather than villages. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that villages can be included in the Green Belt where it is necessary to restrict development because of the contribution the village makes to the Green Belt. If the character of the village should be protected for other reasons, other means should be used, such as conservation area or normal development management policies. The National Planning Policy Framework and the Green Belt guidance do not introduce a definition of historic town, town, or village. The responsibilities of local planning authorities to recognise and protect their historic assets, making use of built heritage and conservation expertise as necessary, remain unaltered. Local planning authorities continue to have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use to tackle all types of unauthorised development.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the estimated cost is to the public purse of compliance with the Aarhus Convention.

The UK Government is committed to the effective implementation of our international obligations. The UK has been a party to the Aarhus Convention since ratification in 2005 and has long given effect to aspects of the Convention in domestic legislation. The Government has not estimated the cost of upholding its international law obligations as a Party to the Convention. Over the past decade, the UK has been found to not be compliant with aspects of the Aarhus Convention. To ensure that the UK upholds its international law obligations, the Government is undertaking a call for evidence to gather views on the best way to bring policies concerning access to justice in line with our obligations under the Convention. Where new policy contains provisions relevant to matters covered by the Convention on access to information, public participation in decision making and access to justice, the implications of the UK’s obligations under the Aarhus Convention are considered in the same manner as the UK’s other domestic and international legal obligations.

Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for commencing (a) environmental delivery plans and (b) developments affected by nutrient neutrality rules.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 38624 on 25 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to provide funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2026-27.

At the autumn budget we announced that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will continue for a further year; this is a transitional arrangement to provide as much stability as possible for 2025-26 in advance of wider local growth funding reforms thereafter. We will set out our long-term vision for local growth at the multi-year spending review.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 31950 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, whether her Department received representations from the Cabinet Office on this matter.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government did not receive representations from the Cabinet Office on this matter pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 31950.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance entitled Green Belt, published on 27 February 2025, how a (a) historic town and (b) non-historic town is defined.

The definition of grey belt, for the purposes of plan-making and decision-making, is provided in the glossary of the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024. Grey belt is land in the Green Belt that is previously developed land or other land that does not make a strong contribution to the following Green Belt purposes (a) checking the sprawl of large built-up areas, (b) preventing the merging of neighbouring towns, and (d) preserving the setting and special character of historic towns. It is for individual local planning authorities to decide if land is grey belt and to determine whether and how to amend Green Belt boundaries through the preparation or updating of plans, including neighbourhood plans where appropriate. It is also for each local planning authority to assess, as a material consideration when writing Local Plan policies or determining planning applications, what environmental impacts could occur. National planning policy and our recently published guidance on Green Belt assessment are clear that release of, or development on, Green Belt land should not fundamentally undermine the ability of the remaining Green Belt across the area of the plan from serving all five of the Green Belt purposes. The definition of grey belt, and the revised Framework more widely, were determined following extensive consultation, including with relevant public bodies. For further detail, I refer the hon. Member to the government response to the proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system consultation which can be found on gov.uk here. Our guidance introduces new criteria to drive a more consistent approach to the identification of grey belt land, and to inform Green Belt assessments. It is for these Green Belt assessments to consider if any particular features act to preserve visual separation. Green Belt guidance is clear that assessing the contribution land makes to Green Belt purposes (a), (b) and (d) relates to large built-up areas, towns, and historic towns respectively, rather than villages. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that villages can be included in the Green Belt where it is necessary to restrict development because of the contribution the village makes to the Green Belt. If the character of the village should be protected for other reasons, other means should be used, such as conservation area or normal development management policies. The National Planning Policy Framework and the Green Belt guidance do not introduce a definition of historic town, town, or village. The responsibilities of local planning authorities to recognise and protect their historic assets, making use of built heritage and conservation expertise as necessary, remain unaltered. Local planning authorities continue to have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use to tackle all types of unauthorised development.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2025 to Question 30633 on Democracy and Elections, if she will consult with political parties.

The government is currently in the process of consulting with various stakeholders, ahead of setting out our approach to elections and electoral reform for this Parliament.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 25268 on Political Parties: Finance, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to prevent (a) Iranian, (b) Russian and (c) Chinese citizens who are resident in (i) Wales and (ii) Scotland donating to UK (A) political parties and (B) regulated donees.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the Question UIN 25690 on 30 January 2025.