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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 20 March (HL5602), what representations the government of China or its representatives have made to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport relating to the latest planning application for the Chinese Embassy, prior to and after the Secretary of State's call-in decision, and on what dates.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not received any representations on this matter from the Government of China or its representatives. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is the lead department on planning matters, and the final decision rests with its Secretary of State.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 20 March (HL5602), what representations the government of China or its representatives have made to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office relating to the latest planning application for the Chinese Embassy, prior to and after the Secretary of State's call-in decision, and on what dates.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this decision independent from the rest of Government corresponding to her quasi-judicial role. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials speak regularly with the Chinese Government about a range of issues.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what individual programmes or initiatives have been launched since 5 July 2024 that require local authorities to bid to the government to receive funding.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government has committed to providing multi-year funding settlements and moving away from wasteful competitive bidding in order to give councils the stability and certainty they need to plan for the long-term. No department currently holds information on all individual programmes or initiatives that require local authorities to bid to the government for funding.

MHCLG is leading a programme of funding simplification to move Whitehall away from a system reliant on hundreds of separate funding pots and tight spending controls, to one based on partnership and respect. We estimate there are currently circa 300 grants provided to the sector each year with around a third allocated via a bidding process. We are working with all government departments to confirm (1) data on existing grants, including those allocated by bidding process, and (2) arrangements for the 2026/27 Local Government Finance Settlement, where the Government has committed to further consolidation.

In line with the usual approach, we will set out more detail at the local government finance settlement, towards the end of the calendar year.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the role of the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff in determining devolution deals with (1) combined authority mayors, (2) council mayors, and (3) council leaders.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government has moved away from individual negotiated deals to a consistent devolution offer for new areas and to existing Mayors and combined authorities, as set out in the English Devolution White Paper. Discussions on new devolution agreements or unlocking further powers for existing combined authorities are led by the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution on behalf of the Government. There is no role for the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff in these negotiations.

New devolution agreements must be supported by all the proposed constituent councils and can only go ahead if the Secretary of State is satisfied that the statutory tests have been met to proceed with the necessary secondary legislation to establish the strategic authority.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 20 March (HL5602), what representations the government of China or its representatives have made to the Cabinet Office relating to the latest planning application for the Chinese Embassy, prior to and after the Secretary of State's call-in decision, and on what dates.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this decision independent from the rest of Government corresponding to her quasi-judicial role.

Cabinet Office officials speak regularly with the Chinese Government about a range of issues.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government which individual infrastructure planning National Policy Statements will be updated by summer 2025, and which will be updated on a slower timetable.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government intends to consult shortly on draft amended Energy National Policy Statements (NPSs) ENs-1, 3 and 5, and the NPS for Ports. These draft amended NPSs will also be laid in Parliament for consideration as prescribed by the Planning Act 2008. Completion of the update processes is subject to the outcome and timings of the consultation and Parliamentary timings.

Consultation on the draft new nuclear NPS EN-7, which will be applicable to nuclear power stations expected to deploy beyond 2025, closed on 3 April. Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft NPS is expected to be completed by 23 June. Depending on the completion and outcome of these processes, the Government aims to designate this new NPS before the end of the year.

Further to this, we are introducing legislation through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to make at least five-yearly reviews of all NPSs a legal requirement. This would include a transitional period in which NPSs that are currently out of date (i.e. more than 5 years old at the time of Royal Assent) will have 2 years from the bill being enacted to update their NPSs in line with the legislation.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of firms contracted to (1) the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and (2) each of its arm’s-length bodies, which are now contractually entitled to fee increases for the 2025–26 financial year in order to pay for the cost of the increase in employer National Insurance from April 2025.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

No contract held by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government explicitly provides for cost increases as a result of changes to National Insurance contribution rates as these are classed as General Change in Law. Where the contract allows for rates to be reviewed, any request by a supplier to do so would be considered by MHCLG on a case-by-case basis.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the evidential or methodological basis for having a higher candidacy age than voting age under their plans to lower the latter to 16; and what assessment they have made of the capacity of 16 and 17 year-olds in the holding of elected office.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Pursuant to previous debate [Column 569 Volume 844] where this issue was raised, the Government was elected on a manifesto promising to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all UK elections, strengthening our democracy and increasing the engagement of young people. This commitment does not extend to lowering the age at which an individual can hold elected office. The Government has no plans to change the candidacy age for any elections. We are therefore rightly focusing our efforts on delivering our manifesto commitment.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government which sections of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 they intend not to be (1) implemented via further secondary legislation, or (2) commenced.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to Question UIN 27566 on 7 February 2025.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the total budget for the new British embassy development in China; what is the target date for the planning permission to be granted; and what is the target date for the final completion of the embassy.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We continue to work on the details of the timetable and budget for the new British embassy in Beijing. We have submitted our planning application for the new embassy and as with any project, this would be subject to due consideration by Chinese authorities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the net cost of supporting (1) asylum seekers and (2) their children, to local authorities in England across all public services, including schooling and housing.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold an assessment of the kind requested, but we regularly publish details of the costs of the asylum system in our departmental annual reports.

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