Written questions by Cocking.

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Special adviser data releases: numbers and costs, July 2025, published on 17 July 2025, how much was Sue Gray’s salary.

The Annual Report for Special Advisers releases salary information for individuals in post as at 31 March 2025. We do not release salary details outside of this publication.

Communities and Local Government, which (a) existing and (b) new combined mayoral elections will take place in May (i) 2026 and (ii) 2027.

The government announced on 17 July that we are taking forward all six places on the Devolution Priority Programme and establishing mayoral strategic authorities via secondary legislation. Subject to the consent of local councils, legislation will be brought before Parliament in order to establish institutions early in 2026. Inaugural Mayoral elections in Hampshire and the Solent, Greater Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk and Sussex and Brighton would be held in May 2026.Following requests by the local authority leaders of Cheshire & Warrington and Cumbria, we’ve agreed the inaugural mayoral elections for those two areas will take place in May 2027. No existing mayoral strategic authorities have elections in 2026 or 2027.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the ban on upward-only rent reviews on (a) pension funds and (b) property investments owned by councils.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 68122 on 24 July 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 65373 on Private Rented Housing: Licensing, whether the restrictions on using selective licensing revenues is in scope of the Fair Funding Review's consideration of flexibility on fees and charges.

As stated in the answer to Question UIN 65367 on 14 July 2025, selective licensing fees paid by landlords to local authorities should only be used to cover the costs of running schemes, and local authorities are not expected to profit, nor should they use licensing revenues to fund other local authority services.Through the Fair Funding Review 2.0, the government is consulting on proposals to review local authority fees and charges where they no longer recover the cost of delivery, and to consider where there is a case for updating or devolving the fee. We welcome views on this, including the scope of proposed reforms.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help tackle conditional selling by estate agents.

It is unacceptable for estate agents to withhold offers from sellers because the potential buyer declines to use their additional services. Where there is evidence of such practices, agents can face sanctions including a ban.The government is committed to protecting people from abuse and poor service at the hands of unscrupulous property agents and to improving estate agent standards more generally.The National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team (NTSEAT) is the lead estate agent enforcement authority. Alongside local authority Trading Standards teams, they are responsible for ensuring estate agents comply with the Estate Agents Act 1979 and other relevant legislation. NTSEAT have powers to issue warnings and banning orders against rogue agents. In cases of conditional selling, it is essential that any misconduct or manipulation in the offer process is reported to help build a clearer picture of the problem and support potential investigations.My Department engages regularly with NTSEAT to discuss how best to address specific issues, including conditional selling, and continue to look at options to improve standards across the estate agent sector.

What her planned timetable is for each stage of (a) consulting on and (b) ratifying the updated Airports National Policy Statement.

The Government published a letter to potential promoters inviting proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. The government is now assessing the proposals against the criteria set out in the letter. Once this is complete the Government will review the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS). We cannot speculate on the timings of the review at this stage, however when conducting the review, the Secretary of State will comply with the requirements in the Planning Act 2008, including consultation, publicity and parliamentary requirements.

Communities and Local Government, whether mayors in (a) mayoral and (b) county combined authorities will have rights of veto.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, introduced to the House of Commons on 10 July 2025, makes provision to standardise voting arrangements for mayoral combined authorities and mayoral county combined authorities when making decisions. Unless prescribed otherwise, the standard voting arrangement will be a simple majority of the authority’s members voting and present, including the mayor. This means the mayor must be in the majority for a decision to pass.

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Special adviser data releases: numbers and costs, July 2025, published on 17 July 2025, how much of severance costs in 2024-25 related to the severance payment made to Sue Gray.

In line with the Model Contract for Special Advisers which is published online and details the circumstances in which severance is payable, Baroness Gray was not eligible for a severance payment, therefore no such payment was made.

Communities and Local Government, whether she consulted the Parliamentary Parties Panel on the policy paper entitled Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, published on 17 July 2025.

The government has worked closely with its partners in local and devolved government, with the electoral sector, with education providers and civil society, and with citizens themselves in the development of the strategy for modern and secure elections. We will continue to engage with a range of stakeholders, including with political parties and sector representative organisations such as the Association of Electoral Administrators, to ensure these changes are delivered successfully.

What estimate has been made of the number of (a) retail, (b) hospitality and (c) leisure hereditaments ineligible for the retail, hospitality and leisure business rate relief under the £110,000 cap per business.

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief has been extended year-by-year by previous Governments since the pandemic – creating uncertainty for businesses and an unsustainable fiscal pressure for the Government. Without any Government intervention, the RHL relief scheme would have ended entirely in April 2025, creating a cliff-edge for businesses. Instead, the Government decided to provide a 40 per cent discount to RHL properties up to a cash cap of £110,0000 per business in 2025/26, ahead of permanently lower rates for RHL properties from 2026/27. Like all business rates multipliers, these lower RHL multipliers will not be subject to a cash cap. This permanent tax cut will ensure that RHL businesses benefit from much-needed certainty and support. Tax policy and legislation is not subject to the Better Regulation Framework Guidance, which requires an Impact Assessment to accompany policy decisions. Nevertheless, when the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Molior London report entitled Residential Development in London: Q1 2025, April 2025.

The government recognises the significant challenges affecting housing delivery challenge in London. We are committed to working in partnership with the Mayor of London, boroughs, and others to significantly increase rates of housebuilding in the capital.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 65373 on Private Rented Housing: Licensing, what estimate she has made of the average annual licensing and registration fee under (a) selective licensing, (b) Private Rented Sector Database and (c) PRS Ombudsman.

Selective licensing schemes are introduced by local authorities. Fees differ based on regional variations in the administrative and operational costs of schemes. Due to these factors, no estimate of an annual average across all schemes has been made.Fees to register on the PRS Database will be set out in secondary legislation and will take account a range of factors, including burden on landlords.In line with practice across other ombudsmen, the PRS ombudsman will set the fee members would be required to pay. This will be on the basis of their running costs and service provision. The ombudsman would not be able to make profit and the government will ensure that the fee is proportionate and is good value.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of (a) wealth taxes and (b) taxes on high-value residential property.

The Government is committed to making sure the wealthiest in our society pay their fair share of tax. That is why the Chancellor announced a series of reforms at Autumn Budget 2024 to help fix the public finances in as fair a way as possible.  These and other decisions announced at the Budget will help repair the public finances and fund public services such as the NHS and education. The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the tax policy making process. Any tax changes are generally announced at Budget where decisions are taken in the round.

How many (a) pubs, (b) hotels and (c) restaurants in England have a Rateable Value over £500,000.

The Valuation Office Agency published this information, as at 31 March 2025, in its latest 'Non-domestic rating: stock of properties' release here: Non-domestic rating: stock of properties, 2025 - GOV.UK

Communities and Local Government, how many (a) town and (b) parish councils have Band D council tax precepts above £100.

The Department publishes data on council tax for all local precepting authorities (parish and town councils, charter trustees and the Temples of London) which can be found on gov.uk here Of the 8,911 local precepting authorities that set a precept for 2025-26, 1,563 authorities set the average Band D council tax at £100 or above.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 63 of her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, published on 17 July 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of allowing dual registration on election spending limits.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN HL9888 on 4 August 2025.With regards to the impact on election spending limits, we continue to work through the detail on the application of this measure.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, published on 17 July 2025, whether the code of conduct for campaigning will be statutory.

As set out in our strategy, we will work with the Speaker’s Conference and the Electoral Commission to consult with political parties to develop a code of conduct which is fit for purpose. This code will be non-statutory.

Communities and Local Government, if she will undertake a public consultation on proposed changes to election law.

The government has worked closely with its partners in local and devolved government, with the electoral sector, with education providers and civil society, and with citizens themselves in the development of the strategy for modern and secure elections. We will continue to engage with a range of stakeholders, including with political parties and sector representative organisations such as the Association of Electoral Administrators, to ensure these changes are delivered successfully.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 63 of her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, published on 17 July 2025, which organisations were impacted by the prohibition on dual registration.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN HL9888 on 4 August 2025.With regards to the impact on election spending limits, we continue to work through the detail on the application of this measure.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 65428 on Local Government: Elections, if he will list the councils which could have their elections replaced with elections to new unitary councils in May 2026.

Government is working with local leaders in Surrey to facilitate reorganisation to the most ambitious timeframe possible, meaning that Surrey could have elections to new unitary councils in May 2026, in advance of those councils going live in April 2027.Elections are currently scheduled for May 2026 in Surrey are Elmbridge Borough Council, Mole Valley District Council, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, Runnymede Borough Council, Tandridge District Council, Surrey County Council and Woking Borough Council.