Written questions by Lowe.

Communities and Local Government, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their Department and (B) its agencies in 2025.

MHCLG spent £59,064.46 on translation and interpretation services in FY24/25, excluding the languages specified in the question. MHCLG does not report on translation and interpretation separately. MHCLG does not pay for these costs for any of its agencies. Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the outcomes of bans on wearing full face coverings in public spaces in (a) France, (b) Denmark, (c) Austria and (d) other European countries.

Britain has a proud tradition of freedom of speech and religious expression within the confines of the law. There are no current general policies or legislations that ban the wearing of religious and non-religious full-face coverings in public spaces. The government has no intention to introduce any.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department holds information on the breakdown of applicants in social housing by first language.

My Department does not hold data on the number of applicants for social housing by first language.

Communities and Local Government, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.

MHCLG uses language services to provide spoken and written translation services for those who are deaf, hard of hearing or do not speak English as a first language where required in line with the Equality Act 2010.Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of new housing demand that is attributable to net migration since 2010.

The government does not routinely publish assessments of the factors that influence housing demand. Boosting the supply of homes of all tenures must be at the heart of any strategy to meet housing demand which is why the government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament. The government is determined to address the dire inheritance left by its predecessor and restore order to the asylum and immigration systems, delivering lower net migration.

Communities and Local Government, if she will ensure that blasphemy laws are not reintroduced.

The government has been clear that there is no blasphemy law in England, and we will not introduce one. Everyone has a fundamental right to freedom of speech. All language adopted by government must be accurate and acknowledge British citizens’ unchanging right to freedom of speech and expression.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has provided guidance to (a) local authorities and (b) community cohesion officers on the application of religious offences to (i) lawful speech, (ii) art, and (iii) protest in public spaces.

We have regular engagement with local authorities on a range of issues including social cohesion and people are expected to express their views concerning religion and beliefs respectfully including exercising the appropriate restraints within the confines of the law when providing criticism.

Communities and Local Government, if her Department will prioritise (a) Great Yarmouth constituency and (b) other coastal areas for economic regeneration funding.

This Government is fully committed to supporting the regeneration of our town centres and coastal communities.Our new £1.5bn Plan for Neighbourhoods programme will deliver up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade into 75 communities across the UK, including Great Yarmouth and 24 other coastal towns; laying the foundations to kickstart local growth and drive-up living standards.The programme will help revitalise local areas and fight deprivation at root cause. Funding from the Plan for Neighbourhoods will help people across all 75 towns create bespoke regeneration plans that best fits the needs of their community, delivering change that people can see and identify with.Alongside this, Great Yarmouth will benefit from an additional £597k for 2025-26 to support new or existing UK Shared Prosperity Fund investments.

Communities and Local Government, what funding she has made available for town centre regeneration in Great Yarmouth constituency.

This Government is fully committed to supporting the regeneration of our town centres and coastal communities.Our new £1.5bn Plan for Neighbourhoods programme will deliver up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade into 75 communities across the UK, including Great Yarmouth and 24 other coastal towns; laying the foundations to kickstart local growth and drive-up living standards.The programme will help revitalise local areas and fight deprivation at root cause. Funding from the Plan for Neighbourhoods will help people across all 75 towns create bespoke regeneration plans that best fits the needs of their community, delivering change that people can see and identify with.Alongside this, Great Yarmouth will benefit from an additional £597k for 2025-26 to support new or existing UK Shared Prosperity Fund investments.

Communities and Local Government, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their Department’s remit following the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.

The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling. It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should have access to services they need but in keeping with the ruling.The Equality & Human Rights Commission, as Britain’s Equalities watchdog, is developing updated guidance to support service providers. Ministers will consider the EHRC’s updated draft once they have submitted it following further work in light of this ruling.The Government is considering the implications of the Court’s judgment, including what this means for Government buildings.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department collates local authority-level data on service usage by foreign nationals.

This information is not held centrally.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the planning system in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on chalk streams protection.

Cleaning up our waters, including chalk streams, is a government priority. Restoring them to better ecological health means fixing the systemic issues in the water system. Through the Water Environment Improvement Fund, the government is funding 45 projects this financial year (worth £2.5m of government investment) that improve chalk streams, each with the injection of private investment. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill establishes the Nature Restoration Fund which will create the opportunity for housing and infrastructure to do more to drive environmental recovery, including for chalk streams where these are covered by an Environmental Delivery Plan.

Communities and Local Government, how many (a) air miles and (b) flights she has completed since 5 July 2024.

Data on minister’s overseas travel and on senior civil servant’s business expenses is published on a quarterly basis. The latest available quarterly publications can be found here: MHCLG: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, July to September 2024 - GOV.UK MHCLG: senior officials’ hospitality, July to September 2024 - GOV.UK.

Communities and Local Government, when the next tranche of levelling up funding is due to be paid to coastal towns.

Monitoring Returns determine the amount councils are paid in relation to each Levelling Up Fund project, with the next payments due in late March.

Communities and Local Government, if she will provide a breakdown of sponsors of the Homes for Ukraine scheme by nationality.

We are very grateful for the continued generosity of sponsors in opening up their homes to support Homes for Ukraine guests.The department does not hold information on the nationality of sponsors. However, since 19 February 2024, Homes for Ukraine sponsors of new guests are required to be British or Irish citizens, or have settled status in the UK, on the date of the guest’s visa application.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with (a) local authority officers and (b) local authority elected representatives on the cancellation of local elections in Norfolk; and if she will publish those discussions.

The Secretary of State has not had discussions with these local authorities on the cancellation of local elections.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with (a) local authority officers and (b) local authority elected representatives on the cancellation of local elections in Suffolk; and if she will publish those discussions.

The Secretary of State has not had discussions with these local authorities on the cancellation of local elections.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the (a) total amount of people who are exempted from paying council tax for religious reasons and (b) estimated total value of council tax exemptions for religious reasons in each local authority in the last financial year.

It is not true to say that individuals can be exempt from council tax for religious reasons. A dwelling may be exempt from council tax where it is unoccupied but is held for the purposes of being occupied by a minister, of any religious denomination, in order for them to perform their duties.Based on the latest available data 1,203 dwellings were in receipt of this exemption in England in 2024. The Government does not collect data on the council tax revenue foregone in providing this exemption.

Communities and Local Government, if she will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.

The total cost of centrally-funded EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) courses for MHCLG from January to December 2024 was £47,272.The figure above covers costs relating to centrally-funded L&D activity where training includes the awareness of diversity, equality or inclusion as the main theme of the training.This response covers all centrally funded activity that meets this definition. We do not have a central record of any training covered by this definition that may have been undertaken more locally by business areas; this information could only be provided at a disproportionate cost to the department.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.

The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the approach taken under the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy.