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 1,961–1,980 of 2,926 · this parliament
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 February 2025 to Question 29152 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Equality, which (a) contractors and (b) organisations that funding went to.
a) Funding in the aforementioned response procured learning services from the following suppliers: Ernst & Young LLP through the Government Learning FrameworksInclusive Employers Ltd. b) This funding was not provided to any other organisations.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 23920 on MHCLG: Minister’s Private Offices, if she will publish the invoices for these works.
It is not in our policy to publish individual invoices for works. However, we have previously provided costings for fittings in Ministers’ Private Offices in the answers to Question UIN 9072 on 3 December 2024 and Question UIN 23920 on 14 February 2025.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025 to Question 30632 on Admiralty House, whether any civil servants assisted her move into Admiralty House.
Professional removal and cleaning services were hired and paid for personally by the Deputy Prime Minister and at no cost to the Department. Some logistical support was provided by civil servants for the move into an official residence.
If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of minimum energy efficiency standards on the commercial viability of shops in (a) high street and (b) town centre locations.
The energy shock of recent years has highlighted the urgent importance of improving energy efficiency in non-domestic buildings. For shops in high street and town centres, improving energy efficiency can be one of the most cost-effective mechanisms for businesses to reduce their energy bills, while also reducing their carbon emissions. Minimum energy efficiency standards help unlock energy efficiency upgrades in rented buildings where landlords and tenants often do not have aligned incentives to improve the performance of the building.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2025, to Question 22329, on Noise: Pollution Control, whether his Department has published guidance on established use in statutory nuisance complaints for (a) long-standing chiming clocks and (b) church bells.
The Statutory Nuisance Regime under Section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA) is designed to provide protection from nuisances including noise, odour, smoke, fumes, artificial light, infestations and accumulations. Local authorities are responsible for investigating nuisance problems brought to their attention under the EPA. If local authorities consider that a statutory nuisance is happening, has happened or will happen in the future, they must serve an abatement notice (usually on the person responsible). Further guidance on planning policy on noise, which includes advice on the agent of change’ principle, is published by MHCLG.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025 to Question 30643 on Nightclubs and Public Houses: Planning, what guidance his Department has issued on noise and statutory nuisance; and whether his Department has issued guidance on the agent of change principle.
The Statutory Nuisance Regime under Section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA) is designed to provide protection from nuisances including noise, odour, smoke, fumes, artificial light, infestations and accumulations. Local authorities are responsible for investigating nuisance problems brought to their attention under the EPA. If local authorities consider that a statutory nuisance is happening, has happened or will happen in the future, they must serve an abatement notice (usually on the person responsible). Further guidance on planning policy on noise, which includes advice on the agent of change’ principle, is published by MHCLG.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025 to Question 30440 on Housing: Construction, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of enabling developers to meet biodiversity net gain through off-site credits.
The biodiversity gain hierarchy makes clear that a developer should first look to deliver their 10% BNG on-site. If they cannot achieve all or part of the 10% on-site, they must achieve the BNG off-site either on their own land, or by purchasing biodiversity units through the off-site market. If the type of units they need are unavailable in the market, they can purchase statutory biodiversity credits as a last resort. Developers must follow this hierarchy as set out in legislation. The Government is working with stakeholders to monitor the implementation of BNG to make sure it is working as intended.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025 to Question 25703 on MHCLG: consultants, what the monetary value is of the target to reduce spending by 50%.
This information will be published in due course as part of MHCLG’s annual report and accounts for financial year 2024-25.
Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if he will ask the Electoral Commission to publish (a) invoices and (b) receipts relating to its spending by the Labour Party on its battlebus during the 2024 general election campaign.
The use of a battlebus by the Labour Party was reported in its return submitted to the Electoral Commission in January.The Commission will publish the spending returns for parties and campaigners that spent over £250,000 at the 2024 general election in the coming months.As part of this, it will publish invoices and receipts for any payment over £200, which parties have to submit with the details of their spending.This is an important part of the Commission’s work to provide voters with transparency over the money spent and received at the election.
What guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on whether a road in a new build development should be adopted by a local authority.
Any decision on whether or not to adopt roads of this sort is a matter for the local highway authority. The Department has published guidance on gov.uk on Highways Adoption: The Adoption of Roads into the Public Highway, which was last updated in August 2022. It sets out the process by which new and existing roads can be adopted by highway authorities so that they become maintainable at public expense.
Communities and Local Government, for what reasons she appointed Dominic Grieve as the Chair of the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia working group.
The Anti-Muslim Hate/Islamophobia Definition Working Group has been established to provide government with a non-statutory definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, supporting a wider stream of work to tackle the unacceptable incidents of anti-Muslim hatred. The Rt Hon Dominic Grieve KC has a strong legal background and experience of working with Muslim communities. This technical expertise will be invaluable to meeting the group’s objective to advise His Majesty’s Government on the appropriate and sensitive language to describe, understand and define unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025 to Question 30144 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Inspectorate, if she will (a) list the representations that were received after the deadline, but which have been accepted by the Inspector and (b) state how many representations were submitted late but not accepted.
The representations which were received after the deadline that were accepted by the Inspector can be viewed in the inquiry library here.The number of representations submitted after the deadline and not accepted by the Inspector stands at 33 as of 12 March 2025.
Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the level of duplication of regulation on fire matters in (a) building regulation and (b) planning consent processes.
Fire safety regulations in building regulation and planning permission processes serve distinct purposes and are not duplicated. Planning addresses fire safety in relation to land-use planning matters, such site layout, and access for emergency services. Building regulations focus on detailed technical standards for construction, including fire resistance of materials, means of escape, and fire detection systems. These regulations are tested at different gateways, each serving distinct purposes to ensure comprehensive fire safety measures are in place. Together, these elements contribute to a robust fire safety regime that delivers safe buildings and protects occupants.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025 to Question 30659 on Conditions of Employment: Departmental Responsibilities, how many headcount staff in her Department are assigned to work on matters relating to (a) employment law, (b) industrial and trade union relations and (c) the Future of Work Cabinet Committee.
Strengthening employment rights is a key priority across Government. The Deputy Prime Minister is supported in her role as the Chair of the Future of Work Cabinet Committee, alongside the delivery of other cross-cutting priorities on Make Work Pay, by a Deputy Director and five FTE policy advisors.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2025 to Question 22777 on HM Land Registry: Buildings, and with reference to the Public and Commercial Services Union press release entitled Land Registry Action Short of a Strike begins, dated 22 January 2025, what the status is of the industrial action at HM Land Registry as of March 2025; what assessment she has made of the potential impact of that industrial action on office attendance requirements at HM Land Registry; and what steps she is taking to help resolve that dispute.
The action short of a strike (as per the Public and Commercial Services Union press release of 22 January 2025) is continuing as are talks with PCS to conclude the dispute.The industrial action in question does not alter the expectation that HM Land Registry staff comply with the government’s 60% office attendance requirement.HM Land Registry has been monitoring office attendance of staff during the action short of a strike, and there has been no discernible impact.MHCLG is in regular contact with HM Land Registry management and supports their attempts to resolve the dispute.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to para 129 of the UK Government Response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, CP1248, published in February 2025, whether the extension of the Freedom of Information Act to Tenant Management Organisations (a) is limited to matters relating to social housing and (b) covers all information held by the organisation; and what her planned timetable is for secondary legislation on the issue.
The government is committed to increasing transparency in the social rented sector, including by enabling residents of Tenant Management Organisations (TMOs) to request access to information about the management of their homes in the same way as other social tenants.We will work closely with TMOs, local authorities and residents of homes managed by TMOs to consider how best to implement the requirements. Our priority will be to ensure tenants can access as much information as possible on their housing services. We will set out next steps in due course.
If she will take steps to increase the transparency of the work of the Defending Democracy Taskforce.
The Defending Democracy Taskforce continues to drive forward a programme of work to address the full range of threats to our democracy.I will, as Chair of the Taskforce, update Parliament in due course particularly on the work of the Taskforce to tackle harassment and intimidation.I am also due to give oral evidence to the Joint Committee on National Security Strategy later this month.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question 30226 on Children’s Play: Business Rates, whether children’s soft play centres are entitled to retail, hospitality and leisure business rate relief; and what Special Category Code the Valuation Office Agency uses to categorise such hereditaments.
The administration of business rates, including billing, enforcement and decisions on the award of relief, including for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme is the responsibility of local councils. They do so having regard to the guidance published by the government.The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for valuation matters. Soft play centres occupy a range of different types of building from retail premises to warehouse units and leisure centres. There is no specific VOA special category code that covers all soft play centres, they are attributed a special category code dependant on the type of premises in which they are located.
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to (a) reduce the level and (b) increase the transparency of service charges on (i) private estates and (ii) new build developments.
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).
Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to make changes to the cost of (a) Lawful Development Certificate and (b) householder planning consent application in relation to making changes to the windows of an existing dwelling.
The fee for the enlargement, improvement or other alteration of a dwellinghouse will increase to £528 from 1 April 2025. The fee for lawful development certificates will vary depending on the type of development involved.