Written questions by Medi.

Communities and Local Government, how many non-metropolitan county councils in England are supported housing providers.

This data is not collected centrally by the UK Government.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Welsh Government will receive consequential funding as a result of the decision to expand Phase 2 of the Pride in Place programme to an additional 40 places, based on an England-only methodology.

We are already supporting 14 communities across Wales through the Pride in Place programme, each with up to £20 million of funding to unlock the potential of the place they call home. The recent programme expansion is limited to English neighbourhoods since it is funded from existing MHCLG budgets for England. The governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have already received their share of this funding via their respective block grant.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2025 to Question 30336 on Parking: Regulation, what steps he is taking to (a) consult and (b) assess the potential impact of the measures contained in the proposed Government code on standards of parking operator (i) practice and (ii) behaviour.

The government consulted on its proposals to raise standards across the private parking industry between 11 July 2025 and 26 September 2025. All responses are now being analysed. The government’s response to the consultation, together with the impact assessment of the measures contained in the new Code on the industry, will be published in due course. The consultation document can be accessed on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, when he plans to respond to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime consultation.

We are analysing the feedback received to the consultation on reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime, and will publish a government response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what is the financial breakdown for the Local Growth Fund, including capital and revenue split, for (a) Wales (b) Scotland (c) Northern Ireland and (d) England.

The UK Government is working with partners across the nations to develop and implement a new Local Growth Fund, which is part of a wider targeted, long-term approach to regional growth across the UK. Under this approach, funding for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will remain at the same overall level in cash terms as under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2025-26. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we will confirm funding and delivery arrangements for the Local Growth Fund in due course. In England, the financial breakdown, including capital and revenue split, was published on 26 November: Local Growth Fund: Place selection and allocation methodology note - GOV.UK.

Communities and Local Government, for what reason the value of the Local Growth Fund for Wales was reduced from £633million to £547million.

The UK Government is working with the Welsh Government to develop and implement a new Local Growth Fund, which is part of a wider targeted, long-term approach to regional growth across the UK. Under this approach, funding for Wales will remain at the same overall level in cash terms as under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2025-26. Taken alongside Wales’ four City and Regional Growth Deals, Investment Zones and Freeports, this represents a significant investment to boost growth and create jobs across Wales.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press notice entitled £214m new funding for Welsh communities to improve neighbourhoods and restore pride, published on 25 September 2025, when the capital funding for Welsh local authorities will be made available; and over what period that funding will be released.

The government has announced its flagship Pride in Place programme, supporting 244 of Great Britain’s most in need neighbourhoods with up to £20 million each over the next decade. Nine Local Authorities in Wales will benefit from the new programme. These areas will join five communities where work is already underway, taking the total to fourteen local authorities across Wales sharing £280 million. Local authorities will be invited to propose the communities within their areas to participate in the Pride in Place Programme for UK Government approval with capacity and capital funding to all places from Spring 2026.On top of this every local authority in Wales will receive £34.5 million of capital funding through a new Pride in Place Impact Fund to improve their public spaces, including fixing broken bus shelters, reopening park toilets, more bins to help stop litter and revamping run-down leisure centres. Funding from the Pride in Place Impact Fund will go directly to Local Authorities, who will play a leading role in shaping and delivering projects in partnership with their local communities and MPs. The Pride in Place Impact Fund is a two-year programme ending in March 2027. Each Local Authority will shortly receive its first payment of £750,000 with a second to follow next year.With support from the Wales Office, we will work in partnership with the Welsh Government to implement the new programme to complement the work of their Transforming Towns and Placemaking Initiatives.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press notice entitled £214m new funding for Welsh communities to improve neighbourhoods and restore pride, published on 25 September 2025, whether the £34.5million in capital funding for Welsh local authorities will be released (a) directly to local authorities, (b) through Corporate Joint Committees or (c) through the Welsh Government.

The government has announced its flagship Pride in Place programme, supporting 244 of Great Britain’s most in need neighbourhoods with up to £20 million each over the next decade. Nine Local Authorities in Wales will benefit from the new programme. These areas will join five communities where work is already underway, taking the total to fourteen local authorities across Wales sharing £280 million. Local authorities will be invited to propose the communities within their areas to participate in the Pride in Place Programme for UK Government approval with capacity and capital funding to all places from Spring 2026.On top of this every local authority in Wales will receive £34.5 million of capital funding through a new Pride in Place Impact Fund to improve their public spaces, including fixing broken bus shelters, reopening park toilets, more bins to help stop litter and revamping run-down leisure centres. Funding from the Pride in Place Impact Fund will go directly to Local Authorities, who will play a leading role in shaping and delivering projects in partnership with their local communities and MPs. The Pride in Place Impact Fund is a two-year programme ending in March 2027. Each Local Authority will shortly receive its first payment of £750,000 with a second to follow next year.With support from the Wales Office, we will work in partnership with the Welsh Government to implement the new programme to complement the work of their Transforming Towns and Placemaking Initiatives.

Communities and Local Government, what criteria were used to determine how local authorities qualified for funding under the Pride in Place programme.

On 25 September the government announced its flagship Pride in Place Programme, supporting 244 of Great Britain’s most in need neighbourhoods with up to £20 million each over the next decade. This will serve as the cornerstone of this government’s support for communities, incorporating the existing 25 trailblazer areas announced at Spending Review and the 75 Plan for Neighbourhoods programme areas that were announced in March. New areas across England were selected using a robust, metrics-based methodology based on deprivation (the Index of Multiple Deprivation) and community need (the Community Needs Index) to identify areas with the poorest social and economic outcomes. The full list of areas and place selection methodology was published and is set out on gov.uk here.

What steps her Department is taking to develop a future funding model for local councils in rural areas.

As the hon Member will be aware, Local Government is a devolved matter. The government is absolutely committed to supporting rural communities. This year’s Settlement saw places with a significant rural population on average receive almost a 6% cash increase in their Core Spending Power. We are introducing an improved and updated approach from 2026-27, directing funding to where it is needed most.

Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on whether the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will continue as a distinct funding stream beyond the current Spending Review period.

The Government will set out its long-term vision for local growth at the multi-year Spending Review.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral contribution from the Minister for Housing and Planning in response to an question from the hon. Member for Cheltenham on 28 October 2024, Official Report, col 517, when she plans to outline her plans for the regulation of letting, management and estate agents.

The government will set out our full position on regulation of estate, letting and managing agents in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to take steps to regulate overvaluations of properties by estate agents.

The government is committed to ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service at the hands of unscrupulous estate agents.All estate agents are legally required to belong to one of two government-approved redress schemes; administered either by The Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme. This legislation is currently enforced by local authorities and by the National Trading Standards’ Lettings and Estate Agency Team, who have the power to issue warnings and banning orders to rogue estate and letting agents.The previous government committed to regulate the property agent sector in 2018 and asked a working group chaired by Lord Richard Best to advise them on how best to do it.However, they failed to respond to the recommendations set out in the working group’s 2019 Regulation of Property Agents: working group report which can be found on gov.uk here.This government will set out our full position on regulation of estate, letting and managing agents in due course.

Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to develop a rural economic strategy that provides regional funding for rural communities.

The UK Government is committed to supporting economic growth across the UK, including in our rural communities. Through the Plan for Change programme, we are working closely with the Welsh Government to ensure Wales can benefit from future investment and support. Our focus will be on working closely with the Welsh Government to inform their strategies and plans for rural communities in Wales. The UK Government is supporting through programmes like the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), Freeports and Investment Zones, which collectively aim to target growth and investment across Wales.

Communities and Local Government, what recent progress she has made on developing a future funding framework to replace the Shared Prosperity Fund.

The government is progressing with the development of a future funding framework to replace the Shared Prosperity Fund. We will set out our long-term vision for local growth at the multi-year spending review.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has had recent discussions with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance in the Welsh Government on the funding framework that will replace the shared prosperity fund.

The government is progressing with the development of a future funding framework to replace the Shared Prosperity Fund. We will set out our long-term vision for local growth at the multi-year spending review.I have discussed this issue with my Ministerial counterparts in each of the devolved governments, including a very constructive meeting with the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning. I look forward to building on this engagement as we approach the spending review.

Communities and Local Government, when she plans to publish the funding framework that will replace the shared prosperity fund.

The government is progressing with the development of a future funding framework to replace the Shared Prosperity Fund. We will set out our long-term vision for local growth at the multi-year spending review.I have discussed this issue with my Ministerial counterparts in each of the devolved governments, including a very constructive meeting with the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning. I look forward to building on this engagement as we approach the spending review.

Communities and Local Government, what recent progress her Department has made on reviewing the outline business case for Anglesey Freeport; and whether she plans to make a decision on this in 2024.

Officials have been working with the Freeport and with the Welsh Government to take forward the Freeport’s business case and we will be in a position to provide further updates shortly.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2024 to Question 1070 on Anglesey Freeport, what progress she has made on the decision on the proposed Anglesey Freeport.

The future of the Freeports Programme will be confirmed after the Spending Review has concluded. We will return to outstanding decisions on individual Freeports, including Anglesey Freeport, at that point.