Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the estimated annual cost is of the retail, hospitality and leisure multiplier in 2026-27; and how many hereditaments will be eligible in England.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic.
To support with bill increases, the Government has introduced a generous support package worth £4.3 billion over the next 3 years, including support to help ratepayers to transition to their new bill.
As a result, over half of all ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.
More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto.
The Government is doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties in England. The Government is paying for this tax cut through higher rates on the top one per cent of most expensive properties, including distribution warehouses used by online giants.
The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing income tax on income from rental property on the level of private sector rents.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The independent Office for Budget Responsibility does not expect that the reform to property income tax will have a significant impact on rental prices.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the high value council tax surcharge will be payable by Ministers in official Ministerial residences which are (a) occupied as a primary residence and (b) occupied as a secondary residence.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Hon Member to PQ 95176.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what is the timetable for the Islamophobia definition review to be published.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The group have now provided their advice to Ministers who are rightly taking the time to review and consider the advice carefully before confirming next steps in due course.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has a policy on naming organisations (a) regarded as extremist and (b) subject to non-engagement.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Home Office cannot comment on specific groups or individual cases.
This Government takes the threat from extremism very seriously. As a society we must not permit those that radicalise others into violence and terrorism to act with impunity. The Government is committed to tackling those who spread views that promote violence and hatred against individuals and communities in our society, and that radicalise others into terrorism
Each department must consider their own due diligence when choosing to engage with any organisation or individual.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 84646 on Housing: Greater Manchester, what types of management information have been provided by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority under Schedule 3 of the agreement since July 2024.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Examples of management information received by my Department include accountancy and financial data.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 evidence submitted by the Home Office to the Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry on the Home Office's management of asylum accommodation, AAC0141, HC 580, which local authorities are participating in pilots relating to the Accommodation Strategy.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This Government is committed to ending the use of asylum hotels. To support that goal, we are investing £500 million in a new, more sustainable asylum accommodation model, developed in consultation with local authorities. This will help make available basic alternative accommodation so that it can be used on a temporary basis to house asylum seekers waiting for their cases to be processed. Our ambition is that this investment will leave a lasting legacy of housing for local communities and reduce pressure on local housing markets.
This new funding will complement ongoing Home Office reforms to the asylum accommodation estate, including pilot schemes to repurpose derelict buildings and to develop other community-led alternatives to the use of hotels.
MHCLG and the Home Office are working closely with councils and devolved partners to co-design this approach. Funding allocations to local authorities are yet to be finalised and will be confirmed in due course.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which local authorities are participating in asylum seeking housing pilots; and how much funding has been allocated to those pilots.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This Government is committed to ending the use of asylum hotels. To support that goal, we are investing £500 million in a new, more sustainable asylum accommodation model, developed in consultation with local authorities. This will help make available basic alternative accommodation so that it can be used on a temporary basis to house asylum seekers waiting for their cases to be processed. Our ambition is that this investment will leave a lasting legacy of housing for local communities and reduce pressure on local housing markets.
This new funding will complement ongoing Home Office reforms to the asylum accommodation estate, including pilot schemes to repurpose derelict buildings and to develop other community-led alternatives to the use of hotels.
MHCLG and the Home Office are working closely with councils and devolved partners to co-design this approach. Funding allocations to local authorities are yet to be finalised and will be confirmed in due course.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Homes England has issued guidance on (a) requiring diverse street names in new developments and (b) diversity targets on suppliers and registered providers receiving funding for developments outside London.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Street names are a local matter and are formally determined by the local authority for the area.
Homes England does not set targets for diversity from suppliers or recipients of funding but does require that all partners comply with the Equalities Act 2010 and meet the needs of people across the country. All guidance for partners of Homes England is available on gov.uk, for example the recently published Social and Affordable Homes Programme guidance here.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 policy paper entitled Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026-2036: MHCLG policy statement to accompany guidance to bidders from Homes England and the Greater London Authority, published on 7 November 2025, if he will set out the timetable to set RDEL and CDEL figures for funding the affordable housing programme in (a) 2026-27, (b) 2027-28 and (c) 2028-29.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 60128 on 4 July 2025.