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 5 September 2024 to Question 2635 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public Expenditure, if she will provide a breakdown of the £5 million saving in legal fees.

The £5 million was a contingency in case an organisation or group named as “extremist” brought a successful defamation claim, obtaining damages and costs against the department. It was an overall figure so no further breakdown is available. As the department is no longer expecting to name any organisations or groups as “extremist”, this contingency is no longer needed.