Written questions by O'Brien.

Communities and Local Government, when he plans to answer question 14926 from the hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, for a breakdown of the programme gross spend and income of RDEL in the Housing and Planning Estimate Line in FY 2024/5, with reference to MHCLG's Annual Report 2024/5, SoPS 1.1.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the capital budget reduction from 2026/7 to 2029/30 on his Department's delivery of its spending plans, and where reductions have been allocated to meet the budget reduction, with particular reference to the capital spending in Voted Expenditure on page 278 of the Central Government Supply Estimates 2026/7 in the following categories: i) Housing and Planning, ii) Local Growth and Devolution, iii) Housing and Planning (ALB)(net) and iv) Integrated Settlements for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, which funding streams are available to Mayoral Combined Authorities which are not available to areas without MCAs, and how much is being spent per year through each of these fund

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, in each of the last three years how many households owed a prevention or relief duty there were a) UK nationals b) EEA nationals c) non-EEA nationals, broken down by the reason f

The government publishes annual data on the nationality of main applicants owed a homelessness duty. You can access this for 2024/25 in table A9 here. The government also publishes quarterly and annual data on the reason why an applicant lost or was threa...

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's Annual Report 2024-25 and with reference to the Answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 105347 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Gove

We do not recognise the figure of £1,012,406,000 as an RDEL figure for the Affordable Housing Programme. This figure may relate to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Details of funding provided to Mayoral Combined Authorities are published each year in annual...

Communities and Local Government, in each of the last three years how many households owed a prevention or relief duty were a) UK nationals b) EEA nationals c) non-EEA nationals, broken down by the reason for the duty being i) End of an assured shorthold tenancy, ii) End of non-assured shorthold private tenancy, iii) Family or friends no longer willing or able to accommodate, iv) Non-violent relationship breakdown with partner, v) domestic abuse, vi) Other violence or harrassment, vii) end of social rented tenancy, viii) evicted from supported housing, ix) Departure from institution, x) Required to leave accommodation provided by Home Office as asylum support, xi) Home no longer suitable - disability / ill health, xii) Loss of placement or sponsorship provided through a resettlement scheme, xiii) other reasons.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's Annual Report 2024-25 and pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 105347 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public Expenditure, for a breakdown of the (a) £1,012,406,000 in RDEL in 2024-25 on the Affordable Housing Programme, (b) £167,774,00 in RDEL in Investment Funds and (c) programme spend and income of RDEL in FY 2024/5 in the Estimate Lines for (i) Housing and Planning, and (ii) Local Government and Public Services.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's publication entitled High Street Rental Auctions: Non-statutory guidance, updated 5 June 2025, what steps her Department has taken to commence the use of High Street Rental Auctions powers since the publication of that guidance.

This Government is firmly committed to tackling high street vacancy. Since publishing the non-statutory guidance on 2 December 2024, we have continued to work closely with the 12 early adopters and other local authorities to implement High Street Rental Auctions (HSRA), in addition to providing support and targeted funding. Uptake continues to grow as more councils adopt the measures and are reporting reductions in long-term vacancies, with landlords taking action even before formal notices or auction processes begin.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to table SoPS 1.2 of his Department's annual report and accounts 2024 to 2025, if he will publish a breakdown of the Gross Outturn and Income of CDEL in the Local Growth and Devolution Estimate Line in financial year 2024-25.

Please see table below for a breakdown of the gross outturn and income expenditure streams of the requested estimate row for CDEL. Estimate RowMain Expenditure Streams Gross Income NetCommunities DEL Estimate Rows24/25 £k £k £kC: Local Growth and Devolution CDEL Levelling Up Fund787,168-787,168 Towns and Future High Street Funds503,113-503,113 UK Shared Prosperity Fund431,579-431,579 Place Based Funding343,438-343,438 European Regional Development Fund246,760-246,7600 Investment Funds152,500-152,500 Devo Deals143,610-143,610 Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land Fund141,676-141,676 Levelling Up Pathfinders103,286-103,286 Freeports84,083-84,083 Local Growth Fund81,266-81,266 Other99,839-1,71998,120Total3,118,318 -248,479 2,869,839

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish a lookup table matching census Output Areas to Broad Rental Market Areas.

The government has no plans to publish a lookup table matching census Output Areas to Broad Rental Market Areas. The Broad Rental Market Areas for a specific postcode or local authority area can be found using the Valuation Office Agency’s LHA Direct search. This can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to MHCLG's Annual Report 2024/5, if he will publish a breakdown of the Gross Outturn and Income of CDEL in the Housing and Planning Estimate Line in FY 2024/5.

Please see table below for a breakdown of income and expenditure on the requested estimate rows and DEL control totals. Estimate RowMain Expenditure StreamsGrossIncomeNetCommunities DEL Estimate Rows24/25 £k £k £kB: Housing and Planning CDEL Affordable Housing Programme642,249-642,249 Building Safety Fund278,770-278,770 Local Authority Housebuilding199,897-199,897 Housing Infrastructure Fund102,517-102,517 Planning Stewardship63,781-63,781 Brownfield Housing Fund59,728-59,728 Disabled Facilities Grant711,000-711,0000 Other131,732-25,408106,324Total2,189,675 -736,408 1,453,267 I: Housing and Planning (ALB)(Net) CDEL Affordable Homes Programme 2,398,482 Existing Homes England Delivered Programmes 847,683 Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land Fund 298,720 Cladding Safety Scheme 150,599 Other 18,197Total 3,713,681 C: Local Growth and Devolution RDEL Programme UK Shared Prosperity Fund1,012,406-1,012,406 Investment Funds167,774-167,774 European Regional Development Fund101,533-101,755-222 Devo Deals69,233-69,233 Place Based Funding36,891-36,891 Levelling Up Fund19,540-19,540 Other59,509-38759,122Total1,466,886 -102,142 1,364,744

Communities and Local Government, for a breakdown of the programme spend and income of RDEL in the Local Growth and Devolution Estimate Line in FY 2024/5, with reference to MHCLG's Annual Report 2024/5, SoPS 1.1.

Please see table below for a breakdown of income and expenditure on the requested estimate rows and DEL control totals. Estimate RowMain Expenditure StreamsGrossIncomeNetCommunities DEL Estimate Rows24/25 £k £k £kB: Housing and Planning CDEL Affordable Housing Programme642,249-642,249 Building Safety Fund278,770-278,770 Local Authority Housebuilding199,897-199,897 Housing Infrastructure Fund102,517-102,517 Planning Stewardship63,781-63,781 Brownfield Housing Fund59,728-59,728 Disabled Facilities Grant711,000-711,0000 Other131,732-25,408106,324Total2,189,675 -736,408 1,453,267 I: Housing and Planning (ALB)(Net) CDEL Affordable Homes Programme 2,398,482 Existing Homes England Delivered Programmes 847,683 Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land Fund 298,720 Cladding Safety Scheme 150,599 Other 18,197Total 3,713,681 C: Local Growth and Devolution RDEL Programme UK Shared Prosperity Fund1,012,406-1,012,406 Investment Funds167,774-167,774 European Regional Development Fund101,533-101,755-222 Devo Deals69,233-69,233 Place Based Funding36,891-36,891 Levelling Up Fund19,540-19,540 Other59,509-38759,122Total1,466,886 -102,142 1,364,744

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the drivers of and reasons for the doubling of the wage and salary costs of the Planning Inspectorate since April 2017.

The Planning Inspectorate deals with a range of planning and environmental casework from across government including: planning and environmental appeals, including against refusals of planning related applications by Local Planning Authorities and refusals of applications by other bodies including the Environment Agency.advising on and examining applications for nationally significant infrastructure and other infrastructure orders including large scale energy infrastructure and power generation, large road and other transport schemes like airports, and reservoirs.examining local plans for compliance with legal tests and national policy.deciding or making recommendations on a range of casework on behalf of Secretaries of State including 'called in' planning applications, Crown Development applications, Compulsory Purchase Orders, planning applications in Local Planning Authorities designated for poor performance, Drought Orders and Permits and Necessary Wayleaves.deciding a range of casework for Defra relating to access to the countryside, including new rights of ways, changes to existing rights of way, village and town greens and the regime to protect and manage Common Land. Since 2017 the Planning Inspectorate has increased its employees by approximately 60%, including an increase in full time equivalent Inspectors providing advice, decisions, and recommendations from 261 to 421 (61%). This reflects the significant increase and complexity in the Planning Inspectorate's casework over that period as well as a significant investment in digital services which has been necessary for the organisation to fulfil its critical role in delivering the agendas of successive governments. Inflation accounts for about a third of the increase in costs over the period.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the drivers of and reasons for the doubling of the wage and salary costs of the Land Registry since April 2017.

HM Land Registry’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2016-17 and 2024-25 respectively show that staff costs for permanent HMLR employees have increased from £168 million to £326 million. The drivers of this increase are a combination of the compound interest of annual pay increases, plus the increase in permanent employees from 4,148 at the end of March 2017, to 6,907 at the end of March 2025. The principal reason for the staff increase at the Agency has been the need to invest in its people and systems to improve the services it provides following a period of historic underinvestment following the property market crash in 2007-08, prior to which HMLR had over 8,000 permanent employees.

Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of staff in his Department were promoted (a) in-grade and (b) to a higher grade in the last year broken down by (i) performance marking in the previous year and (ii) grade.

The information is not held centrally in the format requested and could only be provided at a disproportionate time and cost.

Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of his Department's staff in each grade were rated in the top performance category in the last year.

The department operates a rating-less system for Performance & Development and as such the information requested is not available.

Communities and Local Government, how many disciplinary cases were concluded against civil servants in (a) his Department and (b) his Department's agencies broken down by (i) outcome and (ii) whether the primary allegation related to (A) performance and (B) conduct in the last twelve months.

The department is not responsible for collecting or maintaining data on disciplinary action for staff in its executive agencies. We do hold information on concluded disciplinary cases within the core department; however, producing the requested information for both the core department and its executive agencies, and in the format specified, would incur disproportionate time and cost.

Communities and Local Government, what the total cost was for (a) settlement agreements and (b) special severance payments made to departing staff from his Department in the last year.

Any payments made in each Financial Year relating to settlement agreements, which includes special severance payments associated with settlement agreements where relevant, will be published in the relevant Annual Report and Accounts.For the last financial year, these are published at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mhclg-annual-report-and-accounts-2024-to-2025A further update will be provided as part of the next set of published accounts for 2025-26.

Communities and Local Government, what the average number of working days lost to sickness absence per full-time equivalent member of staff was in (a) the Department and (b) its executive agencies in the last year; and how many formal performance warnings were issued to staff whose absence exceeded departmental triggers.

Sickness absence data for the Civil Service, including departmental breakdowns is published annually, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence. The department is not responsible for collecting or maintaining performance data for staff in its executive agencies. We do hold information on the number of formal performance warnings issued to staff within the core department; however, producing the requested information for both the core department and its executive agencies, and in the format specified, would incur disproportionate time and cost.