Written questions by Patel.

Communities and Local Government, for what reason he has reduced the cash grants from Government element of Core Spending Power to (a) Maldon District Council; and (b) Braintree District Council as part of Core Spending Power in the local government settlement published on 17 December 2025.

The provisional Settlement 2026–27 will make available almost £78 billion in Core Spending Power (CSP) for local authorities in England, a 5.7% cash-terms increase compared to 2025–26. By the end of the multi-year Settlement in 2028-29 Maldon will have a total of £11.3 million, and Braintree will have a total of £24.2 million in CSP.The government has been clear that councils furthest above their new funding allocations which have benefitted the most from the existing system will need to accept some income losses, to ensure funding can be redirected to where it is assessed as being needed most. Recalculating available business rates alongside a new assessment of funding need will ensure that business rates income is reallocated to meet these changes in relative need - restoring the Business Rates Retention system to its intended purpose of providing a responsive funding stream for local government while rewarding authorities for business rate growth. This group of authorities will still receive protection of 95% of their income, including business rates growth.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an estimate of the total estimated yield in non-national domestic rates from commercial properties in each district in Essex in 2025-26 and 2026-27, broken down by local authority area.

We do not collect data on national non-domestic rates by specific types of property. However, we do collect data on net rates payable by local authorities in England. Forecast data for 2025-26 can be found here National non-domestic rates collected by councils - GOV.UK. Data relating to 2026-27 will be published in February 2026.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of cancelling of the A12 widening scheme on sites of proposed housing developments in local plans in local authorities in Essex.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 66157 on 17 July 2025.Local development plans should address needs and opportunities in relation to infrastructure and identify what infrastructure is required and how it can be funded and brought forward. When preparing a Local Plan, Planning Practice Guidance recommends that local planning authorities use available evidence of infrastructure requirements to prepare an Infrastructure Funding Statement. Such Statements can be used to demonstrate the delivery of infrastructure throughout the plan-period.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department was informed of the Department for Transport’s decision to cancel the A12 widening scheme between junctions 19 and 25 before 8 July 2025.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government received confirmation that the A12 widening scheme had been cancelled on 7 July 2025. Together with National Highways and local partners, we are working through the impacts of this decision. We will be able to provide further details as this work progresses.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 23 April 2025 entitled Further reforms to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime, HCWS594, which projects were used to calculate the difference in the average processing time of applications in this Parliament compared to the last Parliament; and what (a) projects in the pipeline were and (b) methodology was used to calculate the estimated reduction in expenditure.

Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) applications once accepted by the Planning Inspectorate are being processed on average 50 days quicker in this Parliament than in the last. This was calculated using the average time taken by projects processed in the parliamentary term July 2019 to July 2024 compared to projects in this parliament between July 2024 to February 2025. Information on applications for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, and their decisions, can be found on the Planning Inspectorate’s website here. This page includes information on projects already determined, projects due for decision and projects at an earlier stage in the application process. In Written Ministerial Statement of 23 April 2025, the government announced that it will amend the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to remove the statutory requirement to consult as part of the pre-application stage for NSIP applications, bringing requirements in line with all other planning regimes. We estimate that these changes could result in a cost saving of £1bn across the pipeline. This estimate is based on analysis from the National Infrastructure Commission which identified that delays can cost a project around £1.5m per month of delay. Together with evidence from key stakeholders in the NSIP process which shows that these changes could save projects 12 months, we estimate a saving of £18m per project. If you apply £18m in savings to the number of expected projects that would benefit from these changes within this Parliament, it will give a total saving of over £1bn.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the amount of land outside of currently designated settlement boundaries in Essex in respective local plans which will be required to meet her housing targets, by each local planning authority.

The National Planning Policy Framework expects local planning authorities to plan to meet their identified needs and have a clear understanding of the land available in their area. This includes identifying suitable locations for sustainable development.In doing so, local authorities should promote effective use of land, making as much use as possible of previously developed land and land within settlements.Local authorities may also consider land outside of existing settlement boundaries where this can meet identified needs in a sustainable way, or by supporting applications for Rural Exception Sites.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer given on 29 January 2025 to Question 21599 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Infrastructure, if she will list the (a) nine projects already determined, (b) the 12 projects due for decision and (c) the 15 projects yet to progress to decision stage; and set out any changes in their status.

11 projects have now been decided in this parliamentary term, with Hinckley National Rail Freight Exchange being the most recent (decided on 10 March 2025). There are 9 projects due for decision and 16 projects at the Examination and Recommendation stage.Information on applications for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and their decisions can be found on gov.uk here. This page includes information on projects already determined, projects due for decision and projects at an earlier stage in the application process.

Communities and Local Government, if she will publish an explanation for the decision taken in respect of each project that (a) will receive and (b) have had cancelled their share of Levelling Up funding for cultural projects.

Due to the extremely challenging financial situation this government inherited we have had to make difficult choices to prioritise funding within extremely tight budgets.We have carefully considered the responses to our consultation and chosen projects at an advanced stage that will have the greatest impact on local people and economic growth - this government’s number one mission.For the cancelled projects, officials will be in contact to discuss reimbursement for costs incurred.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2024 to Question 18359 on Cabinet Office: Infrastructure, which existing projects will count towards the target of 150 major infrastructure projects.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 18359 on 18 December 2024.As of 29 January 2025, 9 such projects have already been determined in this Parliament, there are 12 projects that are currently due for decision, and another 15 have yet to progress to decision stage.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Prime Minister's speech entitled Plan for Change of 5 December 2024, what each of the 150 major infrastructure projects are.

The 150 major infrastructure projects are defined as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), which are decided through the Development Consent Order (DCO) process.Government has not identified what all of the 150 projects will be, rather this represents what we expect to come through the system over this Parliament, as well as projects currently in the pipeline.Further details on existing NSIP projects can be found on the Planning Inspectorate’s website: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to extend the statutory override on the treatment of deficits to the dedicated schools grant after the 2025-26 financial year.

We will work with the sector when considering how we can help councils manage the impacts of Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficits on their finances.This Government recognises the vital work that local councils do for their communities, and we stand ready to speak to any council that is experiencing financial difficulties.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to (a) continue the Adult Social Care Precept and (b) amend the Council Tax referendum limit.

The Government is committed to keeping taxes on working people as low as possible. Decisions of the future of local authority funding are a matter for the Local Government Finance Settlement which will report in the coming months.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on (a) local government salary related costs and (b) local government third party spend costs.

We have announced £1.3 billion of new grant funding in 2025/26 for local government to deliver core services, of which at least £600 million is for social care.The Government has committed to provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer NICs costs. This applies to those directly employed by the public sector, including local government.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the level of funding that her Department will provide to local authorities in each of the next five years.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 524 on 26 July 2024.

Communities and Local Government, what plans she has for the adult social care precept in the next five years.

Decisions on future local authority funding will be a matter for the Spending Review and Local Government Finance Settlement in which we are engaged. Ahead of any decisions taken on the tax, the Government will carefully consider the impact on councils and taxpayers. The Government is committed to keeping taxes on working people as low as possible.

Communities and Local Government, how her Department calculated revised housing targets affecting (a) Braintree District Council, (b) Colchester City Council and (c) Maldon District Council.

The proposed methodology to calculate local housing need figures for each local authority, including Braintree District Council, Colchester City Council and Maldon District Council is set out in the ‘Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system’ consultation documents. These can be found at gov.uk.

Communities and Local Government, how many households receive a single person discount on their council tax liability; and what the total value was of that discount in the latest period for which data is available.

The latest available data for October 2023 shows there were approximately 8.6 million households in receipt of a single person discount. This data is available here: Council Taxbase 2023 in England. The Government does not collect data on the revenue foregone to provide the discount.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential barriers to employment for people from Hong Kong who are resident in the UK under the British National (Overseas) visa (a) in general and (b) when that employment requires a Certificate of No Criminal Conviction to be secured from the Hong Kong authorities for the purposes of a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

The Government is aware that some Hong Kong British National (Overseas) status holders [BN(O)s] can face barriers to employment in the UK. To support BN(O)s as they integrate into their communities, the department developed a Welcome Programme, which launched in April 2021. Through this programme, BN(O)s are able to access guidance and support on a range of issues including employment, education, housing and English language provision.The Government has recently announced a “Jobs for Hongkongers” initiative, part of the Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Programme. This will be delivered by The Growth Company and will support BN(O)s in England to find employment through an 8-week course. Support will be delivered in Cantonese, in person and remotely, allowing access to all who need support. Where a BN(O) requires a Certificate of No Criminal Conviction check, there is guidance on the process and sectoral examples for obtaining alternative checks on GOV.UK.