Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Electoral Commission on accounting for the fluctuating value of cryptocurrencies.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
The rules around political donations must be abided by regardless of the type of donation made, which includes donations made using cryptocurrency.
Political donations can only be accepted from permissible sources, and the recipients of donations must make an honest assessment of the value of the donation at the time they receive it. The Electoral Commission provides guidance on donations, including for non-standard donations such as those made in cryptocurrencies.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Electoral Commission on the recording of cryptocurrency donations.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
The rules around political donations must be abided by regardless of the type of donation made, which includes donations made using cryptocurrency.
Political donations can only be accepted from permissible sources, and the recipients of donations must make an honest assessment of the value of the donation at the time they receive it. The Electoral Commission provides guidance on donations, including for non-standard donations such as those made in cryptocurrencies.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of political donation regulations for cryptocurrency.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
The rules around political donations must be abided by regardless of the type of donation made, which includes donations made using cryptocurrency.
Political donations can only be accepted from permissible sources, and the recipients of donations must make an honest assessment of the value of the donation at the time they receive it. The Electoral Commission provides guidance on donations, including for non-standard donations such as those made in cryptocurrencies.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
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 31 January 2025 to Question 18874 on Leasehold: Ground Rent, what the Government's timetable is for (a) publishing its response to the consultation entitled Modern Leasehold: Restricting Ground Rent for Existing Leases, which closed on 17 January 2025, and (b) bringing forward legislative proposals.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 18874 on 17 December 2024
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to ensure that new housing developments include (a) GP surgeries and (b) other primary healthcare infrastructure.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner.
Local development plans should address needs and opportunities in relation to infrastructure and identify what infrastructure is required and how it can be funded and brought forward. When preparing a Local Plan, Planning Practice Guidance recommends that local planning authorities use available evidence of infrastructure requirements to prepare an Infrastructure Funding Statement. Such Statements can be used to demonstrate the delivery of infrastructure throughout the plan-period.
The government provides financial support for essential infrastructure in areas of greatest housing demand through the Housing Infrastructure Fund.
The changes to the National Planning Policy Framework announced on 12 December will support the increased provision and modernisation of various types of public infrastructure, including health infrastructure.
The Government is also committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
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 31 October 2024 to Question 11148 on Local Plans, if she will write to leaders of local authorities to ask for Local Growth Plans.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
As places with the leaders with the widest range of powers, functions, and funding, we are working with each of the Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Greater London Authority to produce a Local Growth Plan. But everywhere has an important role to play in driving local growth, with many local authorities having or developing local economic strategies, and we will set out the role of these strategies in supporting growth shortly.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
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 14 October 2024 to Question 7096 on Local Plans, for what reason she chose the local authorities to which she has written to ask for Local Growth Plans.
Answered by Jim McMahon
The Government has been clear that, as local leaders who know their areas best, Mayors are key partners in delivering the national growth mission. That is why we are committed to transferring power out of Westminster and into local communities, devolving powers to local leaders. Local Growth Plans will be central to putting this new partnership into action.
We recognise there are growth opportunities across the country and the new Industrial Strategy will unleash the full potential of our cities and regions, concentrating efforts on places with the greatest potential for our growth sectors: city regions, high-potential clusters, and strategic industrial sites.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
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 households with children in temporary accommodation had been in that accommodation for (a) less than six months, (b) between six months and one year, (c) between one and two years, (d) between two and five years and (e) over five years as of 31 March 2024.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
Statutory homelessness statistics for 2023-24 publishes data on the length of time that households with children stay in temporary accommodation. As of 31 March 2024, there were 17,430 households with children in temporary accommodation for less than six months, 11,080 between six months to one year, 12,260 between one to two years, 16,690 between two to five years and 16,790 for over five years.
This information is available at table TA4C Additional_temporary_accommodation_breakdowns__31_March_2024.ods (live.com).
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of non-mayoral devolution agreements.
Answered by Jim McMahon
The English Devolution White Paper will set an ambitious new framework for English devolution, moving power out of Westminster and back to those who know their areas best.
This Government believes that the benefits of devolution are best achieved through the establishment of combined authorities or combined county authorities supported by a mayor. We want every part of England to take its place on the Council of Nations and Regions, with strong and effective partnerships in place with councils and other partners to deliver the missions we have set out to transform the country. Non-mayoral devolution can however be an important step for areas to see early benefits from devolution in the short-term, including on adult skills, as they assess all options to unlock deeper devolution across England.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to publish her Department's devolution framework for England.
Answered by Jim McMahon
The devolution framework will be published alongside the English Devolution White Paper in due course.