Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what proportion of deprivation weighting in the Index of Deprivation is linked to measures of welfare or benefit take-up.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Within the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) measure, three domains from seven incorporate measures of welfare or benefit take-up. The Income Deprivation Domain carries a weight of 22.5% and the Employment Deprivation Domain carries a weight of 22.5%. The Comparative Illness and Disability Ratio, which is drawn from similar sources, has a weighting of 0.294 in the overall Health Deprivation and Disability Domain, which contributes 13.5% to the IMD.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2026 to Question 113112 on MHCLG: Remote Working, whether his Department holds data on workplace attendance data and numeric staff attendances in each of its regional offices.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The department does hold data on workplace and staff attendance including in regional offices.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the DESNZ press release, Government to make “plug-in solar” available within months, of 24 March 2026, whether householders will be required to hire a certified electrician to connect to the main electricity supply and comply with BS 7671 UK Wiring Regulations; and whether building regulations will apply to the installation.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Part P of the Building Regulations 2010 and Approved Document P make clear electrical installations in dwellings should be designed and installed in such a way to protect people from electric shock and fire hazards. Approved Document P refers to the electrical installation standards in BS7671 as the way of showing compliance with Building Regulations. In domestic situations, if electrical work is notifiable, competent electricians can self-certify that their work is compliant with Part P of the Building Regulations. All electricians who have been authorised by a government approved Competent Person Scheme are listed on the Registered Competent Person Electrical Register All other functional requirements of Building Regulations, beyond electrical safety, must also be met.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his correspondence entitled Rycroft Review: Letter to parliamentary party representatives, dated 25 March 2026, whether an impact assessment has been made on the two measures, including assymetric effects on political parties.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Following the publication of the independent Rycroft Review on 25 March 2026, the Government wrote to political party representatives to set out the immediate steps being taken to strengthen the UK’s political finance framework to address the risk of foreign financial interference.

The Government announced its intention to introduce a cap on donations from overseas electors and a moratorium on donations via cryptoassets. Further policy detail will be set out as we bring forward these policies as amendments to the Representation of the People Bill.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2026, to Question 113730, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Administration of Justice, how many Information Tribunal cases relating to his Department has been determined since 4 July 2024 and if he will list the reference numbers of each case.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department does not routinely publish details of its Information Tribunal cases as these are listed both by the Tribunals Judiciary (here) and by The National Archives when determined (here).

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that efforts by local authorities to encourage the restoration of empty dwellings by providing exemptions from long-term empty home premiums do not result in buildings becoming more derelict.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities have discretionary powers to change additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The Government recognises that there are circumstances where it may not be appropriate for a premium to apply and we have introduced a number of statutory exemptions to premiums. These include 12 months exemption for empty homes undergoing major repairs or structural alterations to support bringing empty homes back into use and to prevent buildings becoming more derelict. The taxpayer will have to apply for the exception, and provide supporting evidence to the relevant local authority.

It is for the local authorities to decide where it is appropriate to apply the premium, taking into account a number of factors, including local circumstances and government guidance.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of postal delays on the delivery of postal ballots for 2026 local elections.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local Returning Officers undertake stringent risk assessments and contingency planning as part of running elections, including the monitoring of known or emerging postal issues.

Officials in the Ministry of Housing and Communities and Local Government meet regularly with suppliers to discuss matters relating to elections including capacity, capability and contingency planning, and I will meet with senior representatives of Royal Mail to discuss preparedness ahead of the May elections.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, page 28, whether the cross-government integration strategy will be published as a substantive policy or strategic document in its own right.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

We will provide more detail of the cross-government integration strategy in due course.

The Social Cohesion Taskforce is an internal Civil Service team comprised of civil servants. Following existing precedent, we will not be identifying members.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, page 44, if he will name the members of the Social Cohesion Taskforce.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

We will provide more detail of the cross-government integration strategy in due course.

The Social Cohesion Taskforce is an internal Civil Service team comprised of civil servants. Following existing precedent, we will not be identifying members.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, page 31, whether the Social Cohesion Measurement Framework will include English language proficiency.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Social Cohesion Measurement Framework will be available to local government, civil society and impact investors across England, to help them identify emerging tensions. Work on the framework is underway and we will publish fuller details in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the 2013 Written Ministerial Statement advising local authorities against translating into foreign languages remains his department’s policy.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

We are clear that the ability to use and understand our shared language should be a fundamental basis for participating in society and an expectation of those who wish to call the UK home.

To support this, we are reviewing English language provision to identify best practice, and explore how innovation, including digital delivery, can increase the number of people able to speak English.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the cost to developers of installing solar panels on new homes under the Future Homes Standard.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government has not estimated a single standalone cost for installing solar PV on new homes under the Future Homes Standard. The published Impact Assessment instead considers solar PV as part of the overall package of measures required to meet the Standard.

The Department intends to monitor impacts on developers following implementation.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the UK fulfils its obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination to ensure that public authorities do not engage in or support any act or practice of racial discrimination.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

We recognise the importance of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination to combat and eradicate racial discrimination worldwide, and we will continue to uphold our obligations. We are committed to upholding Britain’s long-standing record of protecting the rights of individuals against unlawful discrimination. The Public Sector Equality Duty in the Equality Act 2010 requires public authorities, and those carrying out public functions, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason paragraph 119 on communications infrastructure was removed from the National Planning Policy Framework.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included a new section intended to replace Chapter 10 of current Framework on supporting high-quality telecommunications infrastructure.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications were submitted for change of use into Class E for each of the last three years.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department does not hold the information requested.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps is the government taking to include charitable housing providers within the definition of affordable housing in the National Planning Policy Framework.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 123092 on 31 March 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has he made of the adequacy of the preparations for avoiding school exam disruption during the construction a320 HIF scheme.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department has made no such assessment. The matter in question is for the relevant local authority.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what data his Department holds on the average time taken to complete a residential property purchase from offer acceptance to completion.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department does not hold the information requested.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what data his department has available on the time taken by local authorities to finalise infrastructure (S106) agreements for residential planning permissions.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Research conducted under the previous government in 2019, which can be found on gov.uk here, found that the large majority of S106 agreements were agreed and signed immediately but that the main cause of delay related to S106 agreements was the time taken by legal teams acting for both the applicant and Local Planning Authority to review the S106 agreements to ensure they were robust, which took an average of four to five months.

As per the Written Ministerial Statement made on 28 January 2026 (HCWS1286), we want to simplify and strengthen the process for agreeing developer contributions through S106 agreements at the application stage of new developments. It is our intention to publish a template S106 agreement to speed up the process of drafting and concluding new S106 agreements.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what measures the Government is considering to lower the cost of building new properties in marsh land areas in order to ensure they can be competitive in low value areas.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government has no current plans to directly intervene to lower the cost of building new properties in marsh land areas.

We are taking decisive action across a wide range of areas to support housebuilding across the country, including in lower value areas.

The Brownfield Land Release Fund provides funding to local planning authorities to help address market failures and viability gaps on small to medium sized brownfield sites.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2026 to UIN 120030, how much of the £252m allocated to Vistry has been paid; and how many of the 3,758 homes have been delivered.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As of 31 March 2026, Vistry has received a total of £202 million from the allocated grant payments in question. As of the same date, Vistry had completed 2,569 homes of the 3,578 allocated with 3,486 homes started on site.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress has been made on making water companies statuary consultees when planning applications are submitted.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60676 on 23 June 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for each of the past five years, what proportion of social housing evictions involved households who had lived in the UK for (a) under 1 year, (b) 1–3 years, (c) 3–5 years, (d) 5–10 years, and (e) more than 10 years.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department does not hold the information requested.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent progress he has made on the regulation of property managing agents; and whether steps are being taken towards the introduction of a single regulator.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Neither the Secretary of State nor I have regular discussions with individual property management companies regarding effective communications with leaseholders.

I have had no further direct discussions with FirstPort subsequent to my meeting with Martin King on 17 November 2025 and the exchange of letters that followed it as referenced in my answer to Question UIN 94116 on 1 December 2025.

My Department continues to actively monitor standards and quality of service among property management companies, including FirstPort.

I otherwise refer the hon. Members to the answer given to Question UIN 85213 on 4 November 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2025 to Question 94116 on FirstPort: Standards, what discussions he has had with FirstPort since 17 November 2025.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Neither the Secretary of State nor I have regular discussions with individual property management companies regarding effective communications with leaseholders.

I have had no further direct discussions with FirstPort subsequent to my meeting with Martin King on 17 November 2025 and the exchange of letters that followed it as referenced in my answer to Question UIN 94116 on 1 December 2025.

My Department continues to actively monitor standards and quality of service among property management companies, including FirstPort.

I otherwise refer the hon. Members to the answer given to Question UIN 85213 on 4 November 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he is having discussions with property management companies on effective communications with leaseholders.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Neither the Secretary of State nor I have regular discussions with individual property management companies regarding effective communications with leaseholders.

I have had no further direct discussions with FirstPort subsequent to my meeting with Martin King on 17 November 2025 and the exchange of letters that followed it as referenced in my answer to Question UIN 94116 on 1 December 2025.

My Department continues to actively monitor standards and quality of service among property management companies, including FirstPort.

I otherwise refer the hon. Members to the answer given to Question UIN 85213 on 4 November 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of differences between local authorities in the qualification criteria used to determine access to social housing registers.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department commissioned a Systems-wide Evaluation of Homelessness and Rough Sleeping, which explored Social Housing Allocations and the use of qualification criteria used to determine access to social housing registers. The report can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, If he can confirm the dates of the proposed technical consultation for Local Government Reorganisation in Sussex.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

We anticipate that the consultation will take place shortly after the local elections and will run until around mid-June.

Once the consultation has closed, the Secretary of State will take a final decision on which, if any, proposal to take forward in these areas, having regard to all relevant information, including responses to the technical consultation.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle hate speech directed towards minority faith communities.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is committed to tackling all forms of religious hatred, wherever and however it manifests.

On 9 March 2026, we published our Protecting What Matters which details the specific action being taken by government to tackle religious hatred across the country. This can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Future Homes Standard on housing affordability.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Future Homes Standard (FHS) has now been published and will come into force on 24 March 2027.

The Department is intending to monitor the impacts of the standard following implementation, including impacts on developers and housing affordability.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, whether the councils will be able to change the name from those currently proposed.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

A statutory consultation has already been undertaken on the proposal for five new unitary councils, which will now be implemented.

It is intended that the secondary legislation establishing the new councils will name them in line with that proposal.

Once established, new councils will have the same powers as other local authorities to change their name if they choose to do so. It will be for the councils themselves to determine whether they wish to pursue a different name and whether to engage the public as part of that process.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to his Statement of 9 March 2026, Official Report, Column 80, on Social Cohesion Action Plan, whether organisations deemed extremist or subject to the Government’s policy of non-engagement were permitted to submit evidence to Islamophobia working group met.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Anti-Muslim Hatred/ Islamophobia Working Group launched a Call for Evidence which closed on Sunday 20 July. It was open to the public and any individual or organisation was able to submit evidence.

The Department does not engage with MEND, CAGE, the Muslim Association of Britain or the Muslim Council of Britain and the Working Group did not meet with any of these organisations.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 24 December 2024, to Question 20228, on Civil Society: Islam, whether the policy of non-engagement with (a) CAGE and (b) MEND applies across government, or whether it is a policy adopted by individual departments on a case by case basis.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Anti-Muslim Hatred/ Islamophobia Working Group launched a Call for Evidence which closed on Sunday 20 July. It was open to the public and any individual or organisation was able to submit evidence.

The Department does not engage with MEND, CAGE, the Muslim Association of Britain or the Muslim Council of Britain and the Working Group did not meet with any of these organisations.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress he has made on the High Streets Strategy; and whether that strategy will include illicit trade on high streets.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

High streets are at the heart of local communities, supporting jobs, local businesses and social connection. The Government recognises that illicit trade can undermine the success of our high streets and threaten legitimate traders.

Government is working with enforcement bodies through a dedicated taskforce to improve understanding of the scale and impact of illegality on high streets and to develop a long-term policy response. The High Streets Strategy will be published later this year and will consider how Government can go further.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of illegal trade on high streets and communities.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

High streets are at the heart of local communities, supporting jobs, local businesses and social connection. The Government recognises that illicit trade can undermine the success of our high streets and threaten legitimate traders.

Government is working with enforcement bodies through a dedicated taskforce to improve understanding of the scale and impact of illegality on high streets and to develop a long-term policy response. The High Streets Strategy will be published later this year and will consider how Government can go further.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 4 February 2025, to Question 27162, on Civil Society: Islam, whether the Islamophobia Working Group took evidence from (a) MEND, (b) CAGE, (c) the Muslim Association of Britain and (d) the Muslim Council of Britain.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Anti-Muslim Hatred/ Islamophobia Working Group launched a Call for Evidence which closed on Sunday 20 July. It was open to the public and any individual or organisation was able to submit evidence.

The Department does not engage with MEND, CAGE, the Muslim Association of Britain or the Muslim Council of Britain and the Working Group did not meet with any of these organisations.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will place in the Library a copy of the formal third-party representations submitted in response to the Special Development Order planning application for Universal Studios.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 81310 on 28 October 2025 and UIN 87785 on 17 November 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2026, to Question HL14714, on MHCLG: Public Consultation, what the policy approach of his Department is on this matter.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As the Department with responsibility for Counter Extremism policy since 2024, Home Office oversees the engagement principles for government and will advise and share information to help inform the decisions of other departments, including MHCLG. The responsibility for decisions around who departments engage with sits with respective departments and the appropriate policy areas.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing national adoptable standards for new build estates.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement published on 18 December 2025  (HCWS1210).

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, what were the reasons for his decision to cancel the 2027 local elections in Basildon.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Government intends to implement its decision to create five new unitary councils in Essex through a Structural Changes Order. It is anticipated that this Order will be considered by Parliament in the autumn.

As set out in the summary of the local government reorganisation process published in July 2025, and consistent with previous reorganisations including the approach taken for Surrey, that Order will make transitional and electoral arrangements. This will include replacing scheduled elections to councils that are to be abolished with elections to the new unitary councils. Where elections would otherwise take place, councillors’ terms are instead extended for a short, defined period, ensuring continuity of democratic representation while avoiding elections that would result in very short terms of office. Replacing those elections with all‑out elections to the new councils supports an orderly transition and provides clarity about future governance arrangements.

Until the Structural Changes Order comes into force and the existing councils are abolished on 1 April 2028, current councils will remain responsible for services in their areas, and the usual arrangements, including for by‑elections where vacancies arise, will continue to apply.

In taking these decisions, the Secretary of State had regard to all representations received, including consultation responses, and all other relevant information available.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's flowchart entitled Political Donations Overview: existing rules and what is changing, published on 2 March 2026, if he will amend the thresholds so they are in line with the Electoral Commission guidance entitled Political party donations and loans in Great Britain, published on 21 November 2023.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s position on political donation thresholds and donor permissibility is set out in legislation and in the Representation of the People Bill. The Electoral Commission will reflect any necessary changes in their guidance.

In terms of unlimited companies, where statements are not available on Companies House the company must provide revenue statements to political parties in order to make a donation.

The new rules will not exclude companies less than three years old. The reference in the factsheet to a three‑year period is intended as a window of time for assessing whether a company can demonstrate sufficient revenue. It does not operate as an age‑based restriction. Companies will be able to make political donations, provided they are able to demonstrate sufficient revenue and meet the other eligibility criteria set out in legislation.

Where a company is majority‑owned or controlled by another company, the donating company must meet the eligibility criteria in its own right. A company that does not meet those criteria would be impermissible, regardless of whether the owning company itself is permissible.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, whether the debt acquired by Basildon council over the last two years was considered when deciding it should merge with Thurrock.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All proposals for local government reorganisation were considered carefully, on a case‑by‑case basis, against the criteria set out in the statutory guidance, alongside responses to the consultation, representations made, and all other relevant information. This included evidence on the estimated costs and benefits of each proposal. The five unitary model met the criteria on being the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks.

The Government has committed to repay in-principle £200m of debt repayment support to Thurrock Council in 2026-27. This is a significant and unprecedented commitment given the historic capital practices at the Council and is a decision that has not been taken lightly, reflecting the value for money case for protecting taxpayers from the spiralling costs of ever-increasing debt. This is a first tranche of debt repayment support, and we will continue to explore what further debt support is required at a later point.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 113631 on West Yorkshire Combined Authority: Lexington Communications, whether she will make an assessment of the compliance of the contract between West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Lexington Communications with the Recommended code of practice for local authority publicity published by his Department on 31 March 2011.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities are required to have regard to the Recommended Code of Practice on Local Authority Publicity when making decisions about publicity. Responsibility for compliance with the Code rests with individual authorities. Where the Secretary of State considers that an authority is not complying with the Code, he has powers under section 4 of the Local Government Act 1986 to issue a direction requiring the authority to comply. Any concerns regarding compliance should in the first instance be directed to the authority concerned. Following this, if the Rt Hon. Member still has concerns about West Yorkshire Combined Authority, he may wish to write to the Department setting out the relevant evidence.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 25 March 2026 on Local Government Reorganisation, HCWS1455, whether the Local Government Boundary Commission was consulted on the boundaries of the new local authorities, including the division of existing councils and the reallocation of parishes.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department is liaising closely with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (the Commission). The Secretary of State invited the Commission to respond as a named consultee on all proposals received that involved boundary change requests splitting districts between new unitary councils.

With regard to electoral boundaries within new councils, these will be reflected in the Structural Changes Order that establishes them, once Ministers have decided which proposals to implement. For the first elections, anticipated in May 2027, we ask councils to provide us with their suggested interim warding arrangements for inclusion in the structural changes order, based on existing wards, divisions or, where appropriate, parishes.

The Commission can offer advice and guidance to councils as they draw up these boundaries. The Commission intend to undertake a full electoral review of all new councils after their first election and before their second.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will set out the process of deciding boundaries for shadow unitary authority elections in 2027, including in those existing districts which will be split between two proposed unitary authorities.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department is liaising closely with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (the Commission). The Secretary of State invited the Commission to respond as a named consultee on all proposals received that involved boundary change requests splitting districts between new unitary councils.

With regard to electoral boundaries within new councils, these will be reflected in the Structural Changes Order that establishes them, once Ministers have decided which proposals to implement. For the first elections, anticipated in May 2027, we ask councils to provide us with their suggested interim warding arrangements for inclusion in the structural changes order, based on existing wards, divisions or, where appropriate, parishes.

The Commission can offer advice and guidance to councils as they draw up these boundaries. The Commission intend to undertake a full electoral review of all new councils after their first election and before their second.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to facilitate the introduction of Article 4 directions in relation to Houses in Multiple Occupation by local authorities.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local planning authorities already have powers to limit the proliferation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) through 'Article 4' directions.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, whether he had any discussions with the leader of Basildon council before deciding to cancel Basildon’s 2027 local election.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Government intends to implement its decision to create five new unitary councils in Essex through a Structural Changes Order. It is anticipated that this Order will be considered by Parliament in the autumn.

As set out in the summary of the local government reorganisation process published in July 2025, and consistent with previous reorganisations including the approach taken for Surrey, that Order will make transitional and electoral arrangements. This will include replacing scheduled elections to councils that are to be abolished with elections to the new unitary councils. Where elections would otherwise take place, councillors’ terms are instead extended for a short, defined period, ensuring continuity of democratic representation while avoiding elections that would result in very short terms of office. Replacing those elections with all‑out elections to the new councils supports an orderly transition and provides clarity about future governance arrangements.

Until the Structural Changes Order comes into force and the existing councils are abolished on 1 April 2028, current councils will remain responsible for services in their areas, and the usual arrangements, including for by‑elections where vacancies arise, will continue to apply.

In taking these decisions, the Secretary of State had regard to all representations received, including consultation responses, and all other relevant information available.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, whether he sought legal advice before deciding to cancel the 2027 Basildon election.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Government intends to implement its decision to create five new unitary councils in Essex through a Structural Changes Order. It is anticipated that this Order will be considered by Parliament in the autumn.

As set out in the summary of the local government reorganisation process published in July 2025, and consistent with previous reorganisations including the approach taken for Surrey, that Order will make transitional and electoral arrangements. This will include replacing scheduled elections to councils that are to be abolished with elections to the new unitary councils. Where elections would otherwise take place, councillors’ terms are instead extended for a short, defined period, ensuring continuity of democratic representation while avoiding elections that would result in very short terms of office. Replacing those elections with all‑out elections to the new councils supports an orderly transition and provides clarity about future governance arrangements.

Until the Structural Changes Order comes into force and the existing councils are abolished on 1 April 2028, current councils will remain responsible for services in their areas, and the usual arrangements, including for by‑elections where vacancies arise, will continue to apply.

In taking these decisions, the Secretary of State had regard to all representations received, including consultation responses, and all other relevant information available.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, what assessment he has made of the financial viability of each of the five proposed Essex councils.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

A summary of the decision on local government reorganisation in Essex, Southend-on Sea and Thurrock has been provided. The Department has no plans to publish the advice to Ministers, or minutes of meetings.

All proposals were considered carefully, on a case-by-case basis, against the criteria, alongside the responses to the consultation, representations made and all other relevant information. This includes evidence to support the delivery of high-quality public services and estimated costs/benefits of each proposal.

The Government has made an unprecedented in-principle commitment of £200m to support Thurrock’s debt repayment and is confident that the five unitary model will be delivered on a financially sustainable basis.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to Essex council leaders on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, what assessment he made of the potential merits of the four-council model advocated by Thurrock Council.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

A summary of the decision on local government reorganisation in Essex, Southend-on Sea and Thurrock has been provided. The Department has no plans to publish the advice to Ministers, or minutes of meetings.

All proposals were considered carefully, on a case-by-case basis, against the criteria, alongside the responses to the consultation, representations made and all other relevant information. This includes evidence to support the delivery of high-quality public services and estimated costs/benefits of each proposal.

The Government has made an unprecedented in-principle commitment of £200m to support Thurrock’s debt repayment and is confident that the five unitary model will be delivered on a financially sustainable basis.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, whether minutes and records were kept of meetings relating to the decision set out in his letter.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

A summary of the decision on local government reorganisation in Essex, Southend-on Sea and Thurrock has been provided. The Department has no plans to publish the advice to Ministers, or minutes of meetings.

All proposals were considered carefully, on a case-by-case basis, against the criteria, alongside the responses to the consultation, representations made and all other relevant information. This includes evidence to support the delivery of high-quality public services and estimated costs/benefits of each proposal.

The Government has made an unprecedented in-principle commitment of £200m to support Thurrock’s debt repayment and is confident that the five unitary model will be delivered on a financially sustainable basis.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 25 March 2026 on Local Government Reorganisation, HCWS1455, what discussions he had with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) the Secretary of State for Education on the proposed new unitary sizes and composition.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The 500,000 population figure has always been a guiding principle, not a fixed threshold. There may need to be exceptions to ensure new structures make sense for an area, including to support devolution, and that decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. The population size of proposed new unitary councils therefore varies between areas.

Where any new council is below 500,000, the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is appropriate on the basis it produces the most coherent and effective outcome for that area.

As standard, the Secretary of State had discussions on new unitary councils with relevant colleagues in Government and decisions were collectively agreed through the normal and well-established processes.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, what assessment he made before his decision of how long it would take for efficiency savings as a result of restructuring local authorities in Essex to exceed any costs of restructuring.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

A summary of the decision on local government reorganisation in Essex, Southend-on Sea and Thurrock has been provided. The Department has no plans to publish the advice to Ministers, or minutes of meetings.

All proposals were considered carefully, on a case-by-case basis, against the criteria, alongside the responses to the consultation, representations made and all other relevant information. This includes evidence to support the delivery of high-quality public services and estimated costs/benefits of each proposal.

The Government has made an unprecedented in-principle commitment of £200m to support Thurrock’s debt repayment and is confident that the five unitary model will be delivered on a financially sustainable basis.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, what assessment he made regarding the expected effectiveness of the delivery of council-run services under the proposed five-council model of Essex compared to its current council structure.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

A summary of the decision on local government reorganisation in Essex, Southend-on Sea and Thurrock has been provided. The Department has no plans to publish the advice to Ministers, or minutes of meetings.

All proposals were considered carefully, on a case-by-case basis, against the criteria, alongside the responses to the consultation, representations made and all other relevant information. This includes evidence to support the delivery of high-quality public services and estimated costs/benefits of each proposal.

The Government has made an unprecedented in-principle commitment of £200m to support Thurrock’s debt repayment and is confident that the five unitary model will be delivered on a financially sustainable basis.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, what assessment he has made the progress of local authorities’ local plans before deciding on the five-council model for Essex.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

A summary of the decision on local government reorganisation in Essex, Southend-on Sea and Thurrock has been provided. The Department has no plans to publish the advice to Ministers, or minutes of meetings.

All proposals were considered carefully, on a case-by-case basis, against the criteria, alongside the responses to the consultation, representations made and all other relevant information. This includes evidence to support the delivery of high-quality public services and estimated costs/benefits of each proposal.

The Government has made an unprecedented in-principle commitment of £200m to support Thurrock’s debt repayment and is confident that the five unitary model will be delivered on a financially sustainable basis.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, whether he made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing the 2027 Basildon council elections forward to 2026.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Government intends to implement its decision to create five new unitary councils in Essex through a Structural Changes Order. It is anticipated that this Order will be considered by Parliament in the autumn.

As set out in the summary of the local government reorganisation process published in July 2025, and consistent with previous reorganisations including the approach taken for Surrey, that Order will make transitional and electoral arrangements. This will include replacing scheduled elections to councils that are to be abolished with elections to the new unitary councils. Where elections would otherwise take place, councillors’ terms are instead extended for a short, defined period, ensuring continuity of democratic representation while avoiding elections that would result in very short terms of office. Replacing those elections with all‑out elections to the new councils supports an orderly transition and provides clarity about future governance arrangements.

Until the Structural Changes Order comes into force and the existing councils are abolished on 1 April 2028, current councils will remain responsible for services in their areas, and the usual arrangements, including for by‑elections where vacancies arise, will continue to apply.

In taking these decisions, the Secretary of State had regard to all representations received, including consultation responses, and all other relevant information available.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, if he will list who he consulted before deciding to cancel the 2027 Basildon council election.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Government intends to implement its decision to create five new unitary councils in Essex through a Structural Changes Order. It is anticipated that this Order will be considered by Parliament in the autumn.

As set out in the summary of the local government reorganisation process published in July 2025, and consistent with previous reorganisations including the approach taken for Surrey, that Order will make transitional and electoral arrangements. This will include replacing scheduled elections to councils that are to be abolished with elections to the new unitary councils. Where elections would otherwise take place, councillors’ terms are instead extended for a short, defined period, ensuring continuity of democratic representation while avoiding elections that would result in very short terms of office. Replacing those elections with all‑out elections to the new councils supports an orderly transition and provides clarity about future governance arrangements.

Until the Structural Changes Order comes into force and the existing councils are abolished on 1 April 2028, current councils will remain responsible for services in their areas, and the usual arrangements, including for by‑elections where vacancies arise, will continue to apply.

In taking these decisions, the Secretary of State had regard to all representations received, including consultation responses, and all other relevant information available.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, whether by-elections will continue to take place to Basildon council, in light of his decision to cancel the 2027 Basildon council election.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Government intends to implement its decision to create five new unitary councils in Essex through a Structural Changes Order. It is anticipated that this Order will be considered by Parliament in the autumn.

As set out in the summary of the local government reorganisation process published in July 2025, and consistent with previous reorganisations including the approach taken for Surrey, that Order will make transitional and electoral arrangements. This will include replacing scheduled elections to councils that are to be abolished with elections to the new unitary councils. Where elections would otherwise take place, councillors’ terms are instead extended for a short, defined period, ensuring continuity of democratic representation while avoiding elections that would result in very short terms of office. Replacing those elections with all‑out elections to the new councils supports an orderly transition and provides clarity about future governance arrangements.

Until the Structural Changes Order comes into force and the existing councils are abolished on 1 April 2028, current councils will remain responsible for services in their areas, and the usual arrangements, including for by‑elections where vacancies arise, will continue to apply.

In taking these decisions, the Secretary of State had regard to all representations received, including consultation responses, and all other relevant information available.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, when the legislation to cancel Basildon’s 2027 local election will be brought before Parliament.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Government intends to implement its decision to create five new unitary councils in Essex through a Structural Changes Order. It is anticipated that this Order will be considered by Parliament in the autumn.

As set out in the summary of the local government reorganisation process published in July 2025, and consistent with previous reorganisations including the approach taken for Surrey, that Order will make transitional and electoral arrangements. This will include replacing scheduled elections to councils that are to be abolished with elections to the new unitary councils. Where elections would otherwise take place, councillors’ terms are instead extended for a short, defined period, ensuring continuity of democratic representation while avoiding elections that would result in very short terms of office. Replacing those elections with all‑out elections to the new councils supports an orderly transition and provides clarity about future governance arrangements.

Until the Structural Changes Order comes into force and the existing councils are abolished on 1 April 2028, current councils will remain responsible for services in their areas, and the usual arrangements, including for by‑elections where vacancies arise, will continue to apply.

In taking these decisions, the Secretary of State had regard to all representations received, including consultation responses, and all other relevant information available.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Building Safety Regulator’s (BSR) report entitled Building control approval application data January to March 2026, published on 31 March 2026, what is the BSR’s definition of a complex case; and for what reasons has the complex cases category been created in the January to March 2026 data.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

“Complex Cases” has replaced the term for cases previously referred to as being with an Account Manager. The change in name is representative of the nature of these cases. These cases can include:

• Large and/or multi-building developments

• Cases where the construction systems, materials or design approaches that are proposed give rise to a new technical or operational policy issue that requires extra consultation with subject matter experts

• Cases that contain disputable design solutions that cannot be fully resolved through the normal MDT process

These criteria mean the application may take longer than a standard case to work to completion.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) can confirm that 100 Gateway Two applications were completed in March 2025, with 40 of these being determined within the 8 or 12-week statutory period.

Between 1st January 2026 and 13th April 2026 there have been 38 formal complaints raised to the BSR. Within these complaints, 8 have been upheld, and 11 have been partially upheld. Of the remainder, 11 were not upheld and 8 are still live.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many building control applications made under regulation 3 or 11 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023 were determined by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) within the respective statutory 8 or 12 week period in March 2025.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

“Complex Cases” has replaced the term for cases previously referred to as being with an Account Manager. The change in name is representative of the nature of these cases. These cases can include:

• Large and/or multi-building developments

• Cases where the construction systems, materials or design approaches that are proposed give rise to a new technical or operational policy issue that requires extra consultation with subject matter experts

• Cases that contain disputable design solutions that cannot be fully resolved through the normal MDT process

These criteria mean the application may take longer than a standard case to work to completion.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) can confirm that 100 Gateway Two applications were completed in March 2025, with 40 of these being determined within the 8 or 12-week statutory period.

Between 1st January 2026 and 13th April 2026 there have been 38 formal complaints raised to the BSR. Within these complaints, 8 have been upheld, and 11 have been partially upheld. Of the remainder, 11 were not upheld and 8 are still live.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many formal complaints the Building Safety Regulator received this year; and how many of these complaints were upheld.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

“Complex Cases” has replaced the term for cases previously referred to as being with an Account Manager. The change in name is representative of the nature of these cases. These cases can include:

• Large and/or multi-building developments

• Cases where the construction systems, materials or design approaches that are proposed give rise to a new technical or operational policy issue that requires extra consultation with subject matter experts

• Cases that contain disputable design solutions that cannot be fully resolved through the normal MDT process

These criteria mean the application may take longer than a standard case to work to completion.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) can confirm that 100 Gateway Two applications were completed in March 2025, with 40 of these being determined within the 8 or 12-week statutory period.

Between 1st January 2026 and 13th April 2026 there have been 38 formal complaints raised to the BSR. Within these complaints, 8 have been upheld, and 11 have been partially upheld. Of the remainder, 11 were not upheld and 8 are still live.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to council leaders in Essex on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, whether there will be any public consultation on what the names of the five new Essex councils should be.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

A statutory consultation has already been undertaken on the proposal for five new unitary councils, which will now be implemented.

It is intended that the secondary legislation establishing the new councils will name them in line with that proposal.

Once established, new councils will have the same powers as other local authorities to change their name if they choose to do so. It will be for the councils themselves to determine whether they wish to pursue a different name and whether to engage the public as part of that process.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to his decision letter to Essex council leaders on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, what assessment he made of the expected level of debt of Basildon Council by 2028 in determining the creation of South West Essex Council.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All proposals for local government reorganisation were considered carefully, on a case‑by‑case basis, against the criteria set out in the statutory guidance, alongside responses to the consultation, representations made, and all other relevant information. This included evidence on the estimated costs and benefits of each proposal. The five unitary model met the criteria on being the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks.

The Government has committed to repay in-principle £200m of debt repayment support to Thurrock Council in 2026-27. This is a significant and unprecedented commitment given the historic capital practices at the Council and is a decision that has not been taken lightly, reflecting the value for money case for protecting taxpayers from the spiralling costs of ever-increasing debt. This is a first tranche of debt repayment support, and we will continue to explore what further debt support is required at a later point.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to Essex council leaders on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, what estimate he has made of the debt projected to be acquired by Thurrock council by 2028.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All proposals for local government reorganisation were considered carefully, on a case‑by‑case basis, against the criteria set out in the statutory guidance, alongside responses to the consultation, representations made, and all other relevant information. This included evidence on the estimated costs and benefits of each proposal. The five unitary model met the criteria on being the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks.

The Government has committed to repay in-principle £200m of debt repayment support to Thurrock Council in 2026-27. This is a significant and unprecedented commitment given the historic capital practices at the Council and is a decision that has not been taken lightly, reflecting the value for money case for protecting taxpayers from the spiralling costs of ever-increasing debt. This is a first tranche of debt repayment support, and we will continue to explore what further debt support is required at a later point.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his department's factsheet, Political Donations Overview: existing rules and what is changing, of 2 March 2026, and to the statement the company or LLP donating will need to have demonstrated making sufficient revenue in the three years prior to the year in which the donation is received to justify its donation, whether companies which are less than three years old will be permitted to make political donations.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s position on political donation thresholds and donor permissibility is set out in legislation and in the Representation of the People Bill. The Electoral Commission will reflect any necessary changes in their guidance.

In terms of unlimited companies, where statements are not available on Companies House the company must provide revenue statements to political parties in order to make a donation.

The new rules will not exclude companies less than three years old. The reference in the factsheet to a three‑year period is intended as a window of time for assessing whether a company can demonstrate sufficient revenue. It does not operate as an age‑based restriction. Companies will be able to make political donations, provided they are able to demonstrate sufficient revenue and meet the other eligibility criteria set out in legislation.

Where a company is majority‑owned or controlled by another company, the donating company must meet the eligibility criteria in its own right. A company that does not meet those criteria would be impermissible, regardless of whether the owning company itself is permissible.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to ensure that local councils in England do not count Universal Credit Transitional Protection as income when calculating council tax payment in cases prior to 10 November 2025.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Councils are responsible for designing local council tax support schemes for working age people in consultation with their residents. The Government is aware of the variations in the way schemes assess legacy benefits, Universal Credit and transitional protection payments. The Government has recently written to billing authorities on this issue, encouraging them to reflect on the impact of their approach on low-income households. The letter can be found here.

Councils also have discretion, under section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, to provide council tax discounts where they consider this appropriate.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2026, to Question 113631, on West Yorkshire Combined Authority: Lexington Communications, and of 12 March 2026, to Question 117739, on Local Government: Lobbying, whether he considers the Lexington contract has broken his Department’s Local Government Publicity Code.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities are required to have regard to the Recommended Code of Practice on Local Authority Publicity when making decisions about publicity. Responsibility for compliance with the Code rests with individual authorities. Where the Secretary of State considers that an authority is not complying with the Code, he has powers under section 4 of the Local Government Act 1986 to issue a direction requiring the authority to comply. Any concerns regarding compliance should in the first instance be directed to the authority concerned. Following this, if the Rt Hon. Member still has concerns about West Yorkshire Combined Authority, he may wish to write to the Department setting out the relevant evidence.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his department's factsheet, Political Donations Overview: existing rules and what is changing, of 2 March 2026, through what mechanism will political parties be able to ascertain the past and current revenues of (a) small companies and (b) micro-entities, given the lack of profit and loss data in Companies House accounts.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s position on political donation thresholds and donor permissibility is set out in legislation and in the Representation of the People Bill. The Electoral Commission will reflect any necessary changes in their guidance.

In terms of unlimited companies, where statements are not available on Companies House the company must provide revenue statements to political parties in order to make a donation.

The new rules will not exclude companies less than three years old. The reference in the factsheet to a three‑year period is intended as a window of time for assessing whether a company can demonstrate sufficient revenue. It does not operate as an age‑based restriction. Companies will be able to make political donations, provided they are able to demonstrate sufficient revenue and meet the other eligibility criteria set out in legislation.

Where a company is majority‑owned or controlled by another company, the donating company must meet the eligibility criteria in its own right. A company that does not meet those criteria would be impermissible, regardless of whether the owning company itself is permissible.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's document entitled Political donations overview: existing rules and what is changing, published on 2 March 2026, and to the statement that if the company is majority owned by another company, it will not pass this requirement, whether such a provision would still apply if the other company was itself permissible.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s position on political donation thresholds and donor permissibility is set out in legislation and in the Representation of the People Bill. The Electoral Commission will reflect any necessary changes in their guidance.

In terms of unlimited companies, where statements are not available on Companies House the company must provide revenue statements to political parties in order to make a donation.

The new rules will not exclude companies less than three years old. The reference in the factsheet to a three‑year period is intended as a window of time for assessing whether a company can demonstrate sufficient revenue. It does not operate as an age‑based restriction. Companies will be able to make political donations, provided they are able to demonstrate sufficient revenue and meet the other eligibility criteria set out in legislation.

Where a company is majority‑owned or controlled by another company, the donating company must meet the eligibility criteria in its own right. A company that does not meet those criteria would be impermissible, regardless of whether the owning company itself is permissible.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's factsheet, Political Donations Overview: existing rules and what is changing, of 2 March 2026, through what mechanism political parties will be able to ascertain the past and current revenues of unlimited companies, given the lack of information on Companies House.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s position on political donation thresholds and donor permissibility is set out in legislation and in the Representation of the People Bill. The Electoral Commission will reflect any necessary changes in their guidance.

In terms of unlimited companies, where statements are not available on Companies House the company must provide revenue statements to political parties in order to make a donation.

The new rules will not exclude companies less than three years old. The reference in the factsheet to a three‑year period is intended as a window of time for assessing whether a company can demonstrate sufficient revenue. It does not operate as an age‑based restriction. Companies will be able to make political donations, provided they are able to demonstrate sufficient revenue and meet the other eligibility criteria set out in legislation.

Where a company is majority‑owned or controlled by another company, the donating company must meet the eligibility criteria in its own right. A company that does not meet those criteria would be impermissible, regardless of whether the owning company itself is permissible.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 16 March 2026, to Question 118666, on Elections: Pilot Schemes, what the provisional budget is for pilot schemes in May 2026.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s position on political donation thresholds and donor permissibility is set out in legislation and in the Representation of the People Bill. The Electoral Commission will reflect any necessary changes in their guidance.

In terms of unlimited companies, where statements are not available on Companies House the company must provide revenue statements to political parties in order to make a donation.

The new rules will not exclude companies less than three years old. The reference in the factsheet to a three‑year period is intended as a window of time for assessing whether a company can demonstrate sufficient revenue. It does not operate as an age‑based restriction. Companies will be able to make political donations, provided they are able to demonstrate sufficient revenue and meet the other eligibility criteria set out in legislation.

Where a company is majority‑owned or controlled by another company, the donating company must meet the eligibility criteria in its own right. A company that does not meet those criteria would be impermissible, regardless of whether the owning company itself is permissible.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his decision letter to Essex council leaders on local government reorganisation, dated 25 March 2026, what assessment he made of the potential merits of the three-council model advocated by Essex County Council.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

A summary of the decision on local government reorganisation in Essex, Southend-on Sea and Thurrock has been provided. The Department has no plans to publish the advice to Ministers, or minutes of meetings.

All proposals were considered carefully, on a case-by-case basis, against the criteria, alongside the responses to the consultation, representations made and all other relevant information. This includes evidence to support the delivery of high-quality public services and estimated costs/benefits of each proposal.

The Government has made an unprecedented in-principle commitment of £200m to support Thurrock’s debt repayment and is confident that the five unitary model will be delivered on a financially sustainable basis.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85787 on Combined Authorities and Unitary Councils, whether it remains the case that new unitary councils should have a population size of 500,000 or more.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The 500,000 population figure has always been a guiding principle, not a fixed threshold. There may need to be exceptions to ensure new structures make sense for an area, including to support devolution, and that decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. The population size of proposed new unitary councils therefore varies between areas.

Where any new council is below 500,000, the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is appropriate on the basis it produces the most coherent and effective outcome for that area.

As standard, the Secretary of State had discussions on new unitary councils with relevant colleagues in Government and decisions were collectively agreed through the normal and well-established processes.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the estimated (a) population size and (b) total number of households is in each of the proposed new unitary councils in England.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The 500,000 population figure has always been a guiding principle, not a fixed threshold. There may need to be exceptions to ensure new structures make sense for an area, including to support devolution, and that decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. The population size of proposed new unitary councils therefore varies between areas.

Where any new council is below 500,000, the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is appropriate on the basis it produces the most coherent and effective outcome for that area.

As standard, the Secretary of State had discussions on new unitary councils with relevant colleagues in Government and decisions were collectively agreed through the normal and well-established processes.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential economic impact of the overnight visitor levy on GDP generated by tourism in (a) the UK and (b) the Midlands.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The impacts of the overnight visitor levy will be determined by local decisions. It will be up to Mayors and local leaders to decide whether to implement a levy, subject to a local consultation on specific proposals.

Visitor levies are common in Europe and the rest of the world. All other G7 countries already have some form of tourism or overnight accommodation levy in place.

Evidence from other countries suggests that modest levies have a limited impact on visitor numbers, jobs, GDP, and tourism competitiveness.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing targeted funding to councils to increase infrastructure adoption on new estates.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement published on 18 December 2025  (HCWS1210).

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the overnight visitor levy on the number of tourism jobs in (a) the UK and (b) the Midlands.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The impacts of the overnight visitor levy will be determined by local decisions. It will be up to Mayors and local leaders to decide whether to implement a levy, subject to a local consultation on specific proposals.

Visitor levies are common in Europe and the rest of the world. All other G7 countries already have some form of tourism or overnight accommodation levy in place.

Evidence from other countries suggests that modest levies have a limited impact on visitor numbers, jobs, GDP, and tourism competitiveness.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the overnight visitor levy on the UK's tourism competitiveness compared with other countries.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The impacts of the overnight visitor levy will be determined by local decisions. It will be up to Mayors and local leaders to decide whether to implement a levy, subject to a local consultation on specific proposals.

Visitor levies are common in Europe and the rest of the world. All other G7 countries already have some form of tourism or overnight accommodation levy in place.

Evidence from other countries suggests that modest levies have a limited impact on visitor numbers, jobs, GDP, and tourism competitiveness.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of empty properties in Chichester constituency.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Statistics on empty properties in England are published annually and can be found on gov.uk. Data on vacant homes is not broken down by constituency.

Housing policy is a devolved matter, so information for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is held by the respective devolved administrations.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of empty properties there are in the UK.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Statistics on empty properties in England are published annually and can be found on gov.uk. Data on vacant homes is not broken down by constituency.

Housing policy is a devolved matter, so information for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is held by the respective devolved administrations.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the sufficiency of the level of accessible homes for people with disabilities in the North West.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Data relating to the number of wheelchair accessible homes is not collected centrally, although the English Housing Survey collects occasional series on accessibility and adaptations within the home.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals to set clearer expectations for accessible housing to meet the needs of older and disabled people. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria, and a means test. The Disabled Facilities Grant is provided by government and distributed to local authorities to fund home adaptations for disabled people of all ages and tenures subject to the statutory conditions.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure the accessibility of new housing for people with disabilities.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Data relating to the number of wheelchair accessible homes is not collected centrally, although the English Housing Survey collects occasional series on accessibility and adaptations within the home.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals to set clearer expectations for accessible housing to meet the needs of older and disabled people. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria, and a means test. The Disabled Facilities Grant is provided by government and distributed to local authorities to fund home adaptations for disabled people of all ages and tenures subject to the statutory conditions.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the press release entitled Ministers rip up consultation culture, published on 26 March 2026, what research his Department have conducted of the efficiencies that will be gained by replacing Environmental Impact Assessments with Environmental Outcomes Reports; and whether this will be published.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the Environmental Outcomes Reports: Roadmap to reform published on 13 March 2026, which can be found on gov.uk here, and the response to the previous government’s March 2023 consultation on Environmental Outcomes Reports, which can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the press release entitled Ministers rip up consultation culture, published on 26 March 2026, what differences will exist between Environmental Impact Assessments and Environmental Outcomes Reports in terms of scope and scrutiny.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the Environmental Outcomes Reports: Roadmap to reform published on 13 March 2026, which can be found on gov.uk here, and the response to the previous government’s March 2023 consultation on Environmental Outcomes Reports, which can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's document entitled Environmental Outcomes Reports: a new approach to environmental assessment - government response, updated 13 March 2026, whether the new Environmental Outcomes Reports will monitor Scope (a) 1, (b) 2 and (c) 3 carbon emissions.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Through the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, the previous government secured powers to bring forward a new domestic framework to replace the current EIA and SEA environmental assessment regimes.

The purpose of Section 164 of that Act is to allow Environmental Outcomes Reports Regulations to manage interactions with existing environmental assessment legislation, including the Habitats Regulations.

Detailed arrangements for how Environmental Outcome Reports will operate will be set out in regulations and guidance. The government will consult on these draft regulations in due course following policy development and engagement with key stakeholders.

Until a new system is implemented, existing legislation on environmental assessment and its supporting guidance continues to apply.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing mechanisms available to hold former parish or town councillors to account for financial decisions that have contributed to substantial increases in local precepts.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Parish and town councils are independent of central government. Decisions on precept levels are taken locally by individual councils, in line with the relevant legislative framework. The Government continues to monitor the precept increases set by town and parish councils, and considers whether to set referendum principles for the sector as part of the annual local government finance settlement process. Issues about parish council expenditure can be raised at the annual parish meeting.

The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 require parish councils to complete and publish an Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) to support scrutiny of council spending and enable the local electorate to hold them to account. To strengthen public confidence in the oversight of parish council finances, the government committed to reviewing the AGAR process in its response to the Local Audit Strategy consultation published in April 2025.

The government has no plans to assess the merits of developing mechanisms to hold former councillors to account.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of financial oversight and scrutiny arrangements in parish and town councils.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Parish and town councils are independent of central government. Decisions on precept levels are taken locally by individual councils, in line with the relevant legislative framework. The Government continues to monitor the precept increases set by town and parish councils, and considers whether to set referendum principles for the sector as part of the annual local government finance settlement process. Issues about parish council expenditure can be raised at the annual parish meeting.

The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 require parish councils to complete and publish an Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) to support scrutiny of council spending and enable the local electorate to hold them to account. To strengthen public confidence in the oversight of parish council finances, the government committed to reviewing the AGAR process in its response to the Local Audit Strategy consultation published in April 2025.

The government has no plans to assess the merits of developing mechanisms to hold former councillors to account.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release, New amendments will create safer streets, champion culture, and strengthen local accountability under the English Devolution Bill, of 18 March 2026, whether the ten commissioners that Mayors can recruit will (a) be politically restricted and (b) have a salary cap; and whether they must be appointed by open and fair competition.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government published on 16 April statutory guidance on appointing mayoral commissioners and setting/reporting allowances in combined authorities and county combined authorities. This sets out information about political restrictions, remuneration and how they should be recruited through fair and open competition.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what underlying mechanism(s) the Department is minded to use to implement the working definition on anti-Muslim hostility into government policy decisions and operational matters of state bodies.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government will refer to the definition of anti-Muslim hostility when developing and revising relevant policy. We encourage relevant organisations, employers and sectors to do the same – with the definition designed for organisations to use in ways that they consider to be useful and lawful.

As part of our next steps, we will work with sectors to consider practical guidance and the best approaches to provide sector-specific guidance and support effective implementation.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to make it a requirement for local planning authorities to take into account the need to replace or upgrade existing rooftop telecommunications equipment when determining planning applications.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Between 18 December 2025 and 26 February 2026, the government undertook a call for evidence in respect of reforming planning rules to accelerate deployment of digital infrastructure. It can be found on gov.uk here.

We are currently analysing the feedback received with a view to determining next steps, which may include consulting on draft measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward necessary legislation.

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Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Government plans to bring forward further legislation to help prevent and hold online platforms accountable for the monetisation of hate-driven engagement.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Online Safety Act places duties on online platforms to tackle illegal content that stirs up hatred and to protect children from legal content that is hateful or abusive. Platforms must ensure their algorithms do not promote these types of content.

In March, MHCLG published Protecting What Matters, in which DSIT, in partnership with DCMS, committed to engaging the advertising industry and platforms to further understand how advertising can inadvertently fund legal but harmful content and consider potential solutions to this issue.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of consumer transparency, accountability and protection in complex supply chains involving sales agents, installers, finance companies, insurers and certification bodies in government‑supported energy efficiency schemes.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

As set out in the Warm Homes Plan, our assessment is that the current consumer protection system is too fragmented and lacks sufficient oversight of the various actors involved in the delivery of government‑supported domestic retrofit schemes.

The Department is reforming the consumer protection system to simplify delivery and bring oversight under closer government control, and will consult on options for reform this year. This includes clearer accountability across supply chains, strengthened assurance arrangements, and improved monitoring and escalation processes.

We are working across Government, including MHCLG, and consumer experts from industry to develop and stress test plans.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 122307, whether her Department plans to collect data from local authorities on roads awaiting adoption.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department does not currently plan to collect data from local authorities on roads awaiting adoption. However, it has commissioned research to improve understanding of adoption rates and is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which has consulted on related issues, to support a coordinated cross‑government approach.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department provides to highway authorities on how the place before movement principle should be operationalised in rural transport assessments, particularly where multiple developments exert cumulative impacts across neighbouring settlements.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

My officials work closely with counterparts in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on national planning policy, including how transport is considered in plan‑making and decision‑taking for new development.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework, published in December 2024, requires transport to be considered from the earliest stages of planning, using a vision‑led approach to support well‑designed, sustainable places. This includes integrating movement, streets and parking into scheme design, including in rural areas. The Government consulted on further changes to the NPPF between December 2025 and March 2026 and will publish its response in due course, alongside updated planning guidance.

The Department for Transport has also developed the Government’s Connectivity Tool, which combines land‑use and transport data to provide a consistent measure of access to jobs and essential services. This tool can support authorities and in understanding connectivity and potential changes to connectivity when assessing new development.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration is given within national transport assessment guidance to cumulative and cross boundary impacts in rural areas, including rat running, school run congestion, and early network stress occurring prior to full occupation of approved developments.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport’s Transport Analysis Guidance provides a technical framework for assessing network‑wide transport impacts, including cumulative and cross‑boundary effects. Through its requirements on scenario testing, forecasting and appraisal of social impacts, Transport Analysis Guidance enables local authorities and developers to identify issues such as rat‑running, congestion at sensitive locations including villages and schools, and early network stress occurring before full occupation or mitigation is in place.

Alongside this, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Planning Practice Guidance on transport assessments makes clear that cumulative impacts from committed development should be taken into account where these affect the same parts of the transport network. MHCLG are currently updating this guidance and this will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to account for the costs of transporting SEND students to school in rural areas when making future funding allocations.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Central government funding for home-to-school travel is provided through the Local Government Finance Settlement administered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The Settlement uses relative needs formulae to assess each local authority’s relative need to spend on specific services. From the 2026/27 financial year, we have introduced a new specific relative needs formula for home-to-school travel which estimates each authority’s relative need to spend based on pupil numbers and home-to-school distances. This ensures funding reflects real journeys to school including those for rural local authorities.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of victim support services for women in Great Yarmouth, including access to crisis accommodation, counselling, and legal advice, and whether any additional funding has been provided.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice is investing £550 million in victim support services over the next three years – the biggest investment in victim support services to date. We will be increasing funding for victim support services year on year, from 2026 to 2029, recognising the need to meet the rising cost pressures of delivery.

In addition, £6 million will be invested over the next two years to deliver free, independent legal advice for victims and survivors of adult rape across England and Wales, to help them understand their legal rights.

The Ministry of Justice provides all Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales with core grant funding to commission support services, such as counselling, for victims of all crime types. In addition, they receive ring-fenced funding for domestic and sexual abuse services. PCCs are best placed to understand their local communities, and to commission appropriate support to meet the needs of victims in their area.

The Department’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund (RASASF) provide grants to over 60 specialist organisations. Funded activities provide holistic, trauma-informed support to victims within the Norfolk area.

Under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, Tier 1 local authorities in England are required to assess local need for, and commission, support for victims of domestic abuse and their children within relevant safe accommodation, for example, refuges. To support delivery of the duty, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has provided £499 million to local authorities over the next three years.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she will issue guidance to local authorities and other public bodies on the retention of historic records that may be relevant to investigations into group-based child sexual exploitation.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Baroness Casey made clear in her audit into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse that local authorities, police forces and other relevant agencies should be required not to destroy any relevant records. Once the government responded to Baroness Casey’s report and accepted all her recommendations in June 2025, including establishing an Inquiry, organisations already had additional legal obligations to protect relevant information.

Alongside her appointment on 9 December 2025, the Chair of the Inquiry wrote to the Cabinet Secretary to highlight the publication of the draft Terms of Reference at the earliest possible opportunity, to ensure that organisations were retaining information in line with the specific scope that the draft Terms of Reference established, including the time period, organisations, and issues likely to be examined. This letter highlighted the need for relevant local and national bodies to be ready to meet their legal obligations to provide relevant records, information and data to the Inquiry as it is requested.

This letter was shared with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Department for Education (DfE) and Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to cascade the requirement to retain records to their relevant sectors, including local councils, health agencies and police forces.

Following this, on 14 January 2026 the Home Office Permanent Secretary wrote to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and other arm’s length bodies to pass on the Chair’s letter to the Cabinet Secretary, to set out the need for full transparency and cooperation with the Inquiry.

The Inquiry has full statutory powers to compel evidence and witnesses and the Inquiry Chair has been clear that any gaps in evidence will be identified and investigated. If the Inquiry identifies potential criminal wrongdoing, including the destruction of evidence that should have been retained, this will be passed to law enforcement to assess.

We expect organisations to comply with the law on record retention and do not intend to issue further guidance. The Inquiry may choose to write to affected organisations on record retention in due course now it has been formally established.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the risk that relevant records may have been destroyed before formal retention notices were issued; and what steps she has taken to ensure no loss of material occurs.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Baroness Casey made clear in her audit into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse that local authorities, police forces and other relevant agencies should be required not to destroy any relevant records. Once the government responded to Baroness Casey’s report and accepted all her recommendations in June 2025, including establishing an Inquiry, organisations already had additional legal obligations to protect relevant information.

Alongside her appointment on 9 December 2025, the Chair of the Inquiry wrote to the Cabinet Secretary to highlight the publication of the draft Terms of Reference at the earliest possible opportunity, to ensure that organisations were retaining information in line with the specific scope that the draft Terms of Reference established, including the time period, organisations, and issues likely to be examined. This letter highlighted the need for relevant local and national bodies to be ready to meet their legal obligations to provide relevant records, information and data to the Inquiry as it is requested.

This letter was shared with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Department for Education (DfE) and Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to cascade the requirement to retain records to their relevant sectors, including local councils, health agencies and police forces.

Following this, on 14 January 2026 the Home Office Permanent Secretary wrote to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and other arm’s length bodies to pass on the Chair’s letter to the Cabinet Secretary, to set out the need for full transparency and cooperation with the Inquiry.

The Inquiry has full statutory powers to compel evidence and witnesses and the Inquiry Chair has been clear that any gaps in evidence will be identified and investigated. If the Inquiry identifies potential criminal wrongdoing, including the destruction of evidence that should have been retained, this will be passed to law enforcement to assess.

We expect organisations to comply with the law on record retention and do not intend to issue further guidance. The Inquiry may choose to write to affected organisations on record retention in due course now it has been formally established.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of whether all relevant public bodies have taken the necessary steps to preserve records that may be required by the independent inquiry into grooming gangs.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Baroness Casey made clear in her audit into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse that local authorities, police forces and other relevant agencies should be required not to destroy any relevant records. Once the government responded to Baroness Casey’s report and accepted all her recommendations in June 2025, including establishing an Inquiry, organisations already had additional legal obligations to protect relevant information.

Alongside her appointment on 9 December 2025, the Chair of the Inquiry wrote to the Cabinet Secretary to highlight the publication of the draft Terms of Reference at the earliest possible opportunity, to ensure that organisations were retaining information in line with the specific scope that the draft Terms of Reference established, including the time period, organisations, and issues likely to be examined. This letter highlighted the need for relevant local and national bodies to be ready to meet their legal obligations to provide relevant records, information and data to the Inquiry as it is requested.

This letter was shared with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Department for Education (DfE) and Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to cascade the requirement to retain records to their relevant sectors, including local councils, health agencies and police forces.

Following this, on 14 January 2026 the Home Office Permanent Secretary wrote to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and other arm’s length bodies to pass on the Chair’s letter to the Cabinet Secretary, to set out the need for full transparency and cooperation with the Inquiry.

The Inquiry has full statutory powers to compel evidence and witnesses and the Inquiry Chair has been clear that any gaps in evidence will be identified and investigated. If the Inquiry identifies potential criminal wrongdoing, including the destruction of evidence that should have been retained, this will be passed to law enforcement to assess.

We expect organisations to comply with the law on record retention and do not intend to issue further guidance. The Inquiry may choose to write to affected organisations on record retention in due course now it has been formally established.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what systems her department has put in place to ensure that local authorities, police forces and other agencies cannot delete or destroy records that may be relevant to the independent inquiry into grooming gangs.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Baroness Casey made clear in her audit into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse that local authorities, police forces and other relevant agencies should be required not to destroy any relevant records. Once the government responded to Baroness Casey’s report and accepted all her recommendations in June 2025, including establishing an Inquiry, organisations already had additional legal obligations to protect relevant information.

Alongside her appointment on 9 December 2025, the Chair of the Inquiry wrote to the Cabinet Secretary to highlight the publication of the draft Terms of Reference at the earliest possible opportunity, to ensure that organisations were retaining information in line with the specific scope that the draft Terms of Reference established, including the time period, organisations, and issues likely to be examined. This letter highlighted the need for relevant local and national bodies to be ready to meet their legal obligations to provide relevant records, information and data to the Inquiry as it is requested.

This letter was shared with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Department for Education (DfE) and Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to cascade the requirement to retain records to their relevant sectors, including local councils, health agencies and police forces.

Following this, on 14 January 2026 the Home Office Permanent Secretary wrote to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and other arm’s length bodies to pass on the Chair’s letter to the Cabinet Secretary, to set out the need for full transparency and cooperation with the Inquiry.

The Inquiry has full statutory powers to compel evidence and witnesses and the Inquiry Chair has been clear that any gaps in evidence will be identified and investigated. If the Inquiry identifies potential criminal wrongdoing, including the destruction of evidence that should have been retained, this will be passed to law enforcement to assess.

We expect organisations to comply with the law on record retention and do not intend to issue further guidance. The Inquiry may choose to write to affected organisations on record retention in due course now it has been formally established.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with HM Treasury on the potential impact of the introduction of an overnight visitor levy on (a) the levels of domestic tourism and (b) small and medium enterprises in the tourism industry.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

I am working closely with HM Treasury and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in relation to the potential impact of the introduction of a visitor levy and was pleased to join the Exchequer Secretary, Daniel Tomlinson, for a roundtable with industry leaders on this in March. My officials are also working closely with colleagues across government on this matter and have engaged with the tourism sector throughout the consultation process, including at a series of sector roundtables.

The power to introduce a visitor levy will be given to local leaders who best understand their region, allowing them to tailor investment towards growing the local economy, bearing in mind its needs, including those of the tourism industry. Mayors will need to decide whether to implement a levy and, if so, they will need to consult on specific proposals. I’m sure Mayors will engage constructively with businesses and their communities to hear any concerns throughout the consultation period and beyond.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 117731, on Housing: Asylum, what are the pilots for LA-led asylum accommodation referenced in the Home Office guidance, entitled Funding Instruction for Local Authorities: Asylum Grant 2025 - 2026, updated 23 April 2025; and how this relates to the proposed MHCLG fund.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

We have committed to closing every asylum hotel, and work is well underway, with more suitable sites, including military bases, being brought forward to ease pressure on communities. The Home Office are working with MHCLG to explore a model of asylum accommodation that achieves value for money and supports asylum system reform and further detail will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support her Department provides for faith-based social enterprises.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Ministry for Housing, Communities, and Local Government supports grassroots programmes, such as Near Neighbours, which promotes dialogue, relationship building and civic engagement across religiously and ethnically diverse communities. In the previous financial year, MHCLG provided £587,000 of grant funding to the Near Neighbours programme. MHCLG also supported Inter Faith Week 2025, ensuring it remains a key part of the national calendar for dialogue, learning, and connection between people of different faiths and beliefs.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the MHCLG Chief Planner planning newsletter, of 5 March 2026, page 9-10, what steps are being taken to address the appeal delays for Forestry Commission appeals.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government inherited a backlog of appeals to restocking notices, some cases dating back to 2020. We are making progress to reduce the delays by a comprehensive action plan improving how appeals are progressed. This includes through enlarging the number of panel members who can hear appeals and increasing oversight including monthly ministerial meetings. We are also working to improve the awareness of the felling licence regime. This includes asking local authorities to work with developers to make it clear that unlawful tree felling can risk development being delayed.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that migration from legacy benefits to Universal Credit does not affect a benefit claimant's eligibility for Council Tax Reduction, including the level of reduction they are entitled to; and what steps he is taking to help ensure that local authorities treat the Universal Credit transitional element as a regular part of a Universal Credit award for the purposes of determining Council Tax Reduction eligibility.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

DWP does not have any control over council tax schemes, and overarching responsibility for Local Council Tax Reduction lies with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). As a result, Council Tax Reduction entitlement may differ from the support customers previously received under legacy benefits.

We recognise that this can be difficult for customers, particularly where there has been no change in their overall household income following migration to Universal Credit. Transitional protection is designed to protect customers’ benefit entitlement levels when they move to Universal Credit. It does not provide cover for schemes that are administered by local authorities, including Council Tax Reduction, which are assessed separately from benefit entitlement.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of local authority land charges register failures for residential property transactions on the Exchequer.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The government does not hold this data. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and HM Land Registry (HMLR) are actively transforming the way Local Land charge data is held and searched through HMLR’s Local Land Charges Programme.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on Stamp Duty Land Tax receipts when local authorities are unable to process land charges searches due to IT system failures.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The government does not hold this data. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and HM Land Registry (HMLR) are actively transforming the way Local Land charge data is held and searched through HMLR’s Local Land Charges Programme.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent homelessness for veterans as part of the (a) National Plan to End Homelessness and (b) Inter-Ministerial Group on homelessness, and how Op FORTITUDE interacts with the National Plan to End Homelessness.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

This Government is clear that one veteran rough sleeping is one too many. This Government is fully committed to ensuring that all veterans across the UK have access to the support they need on housing. That is why we have committed an additional £12 million to ensure the continuation of the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme. This programme, alongside Op FORTITUDE, will deliver three years of support services across the UK for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

In December last year, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published A National Plan to End Homelessness, the Ministry of Defence contributed to this strategy and will continue to do so through its attendance at the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping. This includes ensuring that all councils are aware of service provision in their area to support veterans at risk of homelessness; and recognises the importance of veteran-specific support such as Op FORTITUDE, putting the service that has already supported over 1,100 veterans on a sustainable footing.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of enforcement powers available to Trading Standards authorities at county level to take action against premises engaged in persistent breaches of consumer protection and trading laws; whether he has considered devolving powers to county-level Trading Standards authorities to enable them to apply for the closure of premises in cases of serious or repeat offending; and what discussions he has had with the (a) Home Office and (b) Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on aligning enforcement powers between licensing authorities, the police, and county-level enforcement bodies.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales are responsible for delivering trading standards services, aiming to ensure fair trading and safeguard both consumers and reputable businesses. Trading standards services operate independently from central government and enforce a wide range of laws, tailored to local needs.

Where issues impact on a wider group of consumers or businesses, or the detriment is particularly high, other regulators have power to take action. For instance, National Trading Standards plays a role in delivery of broader national and regional enforcement issues, supported by local trading standards services.

We keep this system under review, and the Department for Business and Trade is reviewing the current duties of Trading Standards to ensure that consumers remain protected from harm. My department is working with the Home Office, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and other Whitehall Departments in this work.

The Business Secretary and the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister recently wrote jointly to Cabinet colleagues to ask them to set out what further action they plan to take in this Parliament to address consumer harms in their areas, including on toughening enforcement actions against conduct and businesses that do the most harm to the community.

We will report back on this work in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the role of mobile digital infrastructure in supporting local economic growth, productivity and investment in planning policy in East Grinstead and Uckfield Constituency.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Digital infrastructure is a significant contributor to the UK economy, with the telecommunications services industry contributing around £37 billion in 2025 to the UK economy in “real” terms (1). It underpins growth across the wider economy, including by supporting the adoption of new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in all parts of the country.

We regularly engage other government departments, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), to underline the importance of digital infrastructure in unlocking economic growth and the role of the planning system in supporting network rollout. As part of this work, we launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether existing permitted development rights should be expanded to better support digital infrastructure deployment. The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February and subject to the evidence received, the Government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

The ‘National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes’ consultation, led by MHCLG, closed on 10 March. MHCLG is responsible for planning regulations, including the National Planning Policy Framework, and we are continuing to engage with MHCLG to ensure that the importance of digital infrastructure is appropriately reflected in national and local planning policy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the role of mobile digital infrastructure in supporting local economic growth, productivity and investment in planning policy in Sussex.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Digital infrastructure is a significant contributor to the UK economy, with the telecommunications services industry contributing around £37 billion in 2025 to the UK economy in “real” terms (1). It underpins growth across the wider economy, including by supporting the adoption of new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in all parts of the country.

We regularly engage other government departments, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), to underline the importance of digital infrastructure in unlocking economic growth and the role of the planning system in supporting network rollout. As part of this work, we launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether existing permitted development rights should be expanded to better support digital infrastructure deployment. The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February and subject to the evidence received, the Government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

The ‘National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes’ consultation, led by MHCLG, closed on 10 March. MHCLG is responsible for planning regulations, including the National Planning Policy Framework, and we are continuing to engage with MHCLG to ensure that the importance of digital infrastructure is appropriately reflected in national and local planning policy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with regard to her Department's consultation entitled National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes to the planning system, what steps she is taking to ensure that the importance of digital infrastructure is recognised.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Digital infrastructure is a significant contributor to the UK economy, with the telecommunications services industry contributing around £37 billion in 2025 to the UK economy in “real” terms (1). It underpins growth across the wider economy, including by supporting the adoption of new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in all parts of the country.

We regularly engage other government departments, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), to underline the importance of digital infrastructure in unlocking economic growth and the role of the planning system in supporting network rollout. As part of this work, we launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether existing permitted development rights should be expanded to better support digital infrastructure deployment. The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February and subject to the evidence received, the Government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

The ‘National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes’ consultation, led by MHCLG, closed on 10 March. MHCLG is responsible for planning regulations, including the National Planning Policy Framework, and we are continuing to engage with MHCLG to ensure that the importance of digital infrastructure is appropriately reflected in national and local planning policy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the role of mobile digital infrastructure in supporting local economic growth, productivity and investment in planning policy.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Digital infrastructure is a significant contributor to the UK economy, with the telecommunications services industry contributing around £37 billion in 2025 to the UK economy in “real” terms (1). It underpins growth across the wider economy, including by supporting the adoption of new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in all parts of the country.

We regularly engage other government departments, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), to underline the importance of digital infrastructure in unlocking economic growth and the role of the planning system in supporting network rollout. As part of this work, we launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether existing permitted development rights should be expanded to better support digital infrastructure deployment. The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February and subject to the evidence received, the Government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

The ‘National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes’ consultation, led by MHCLG, closed on 10 March. MHCLG is responsible for planning regulations, including the National Planning Policy Framework, and we are continuing to engage with MHCLG to ensure that the importance of digital infrastructure is appropriately reflected in national and local planning policy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when her (a) Ministers and (b) Officials last met with representatives from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to discuss using planning reform to boost mobile connectivity.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Responsibility for national planning policy in England, including permitted development rights, sits with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is responsible for digital infrastructure policy.

We engage regularly with MHCLG on the role of the planning system in supporting mobile connectivity. As part of this work, the government launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether changes to existing permitted development rights could better support digital infrastructure deployment.

The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February, and subject to the evidence received, the government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the use of planning reform to boost mobile connectivity is a formal responsibility of her Department.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Responsibility for national planning policy in England, including permitted development rights, sits with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is responsible for digital infrastructure policy.

We engage regularly with MHCLG on the role of the planning system in supporting mobile connectivity. As part of this work, the government launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether changes to existing permitted development rights could better support digital infrastructure deployment.

The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February, and subject to the evidence received, the government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

Found: these Regulations are available for inspection at the Planning Directorate, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: includes: • Housing policy: DfE works with the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG

Found: On 9 February 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published the

Found: On the 24 March, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published the Future Homes

Found: The Planning Inspectorate is an executive agency, sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: Called In Planning Applications and Recovered Appeals, including decision letters, can be viewed on the MHCLG

Found: Called In Planning Applications and Recovered Appeals, including decision letters, can be viewed on the MHCLG

Found: Called In Planning Applications and Recovered Appeals, including decision letters, can be viewed on the MHCLG

Found:

Found: 13,209.00 Housing, Communities & Local Government PINS 13/01/2026 IT - Service Contracts Digital Services MHCLG

Found:

Found: Rescue Data Platform (FaRDaP) held by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG