Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

Communities and Local Government, when the next police and fire commissioner elections will take place where existing boundaries are not co-terminus.

As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, where mayoral geographies align with police force and fire and rescue geographies, Mayors will be, by default, responsible for exercising Police and Crime Commissioner and Fire and Rescue Authority functions.We will also explore whether a single Mayor can take responsibility for Police and Crime Commissioner and Fire and Rescue Authority functions across two or more police forces or two or more Fire and Rescue Authorities, where this would result in coterminous boundaries, and bring forward any legislative changes as part of the English Devolution Bill.Where Strategic Authorities do not currently align with these boundaries, or where alignment is not appropriate for new devolution areas, we will take steps to ensure alignment over the longer term.The timing of elections and the transfer of Police and Crime Commissioner functions will be determined in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's Devolution White Paper (CP 1218), published on 16 December 2024, who will carry existing debt held by local authorities where a local government restructuring occurs.

It is the responsibility of councils to manage their budgets, and it is standard for councils to borrow and to hold debt, which they will do in the normal course of business. Local government re-organisation does not change this.

Communities and Local Government, what the projected cost to the public purse is of implementing the measures on local government within the the Devolution White Paper (CP 1218), published on 16 December 2024.

The English Devolution White Paper published on 16th December set out measures to support local government and drive the government’s ambitious agenda on devolution. Where these require legislative changes, the government will bring these forward in the English Devolution Bill. Future funding is a matter for the Spending Review.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department prepared an impact assessment on the restructuring of local government proposed in the Devolution White Paper (CP 1218), published on 16 December 2024.

The case for unitarisation in the English Devolution White Paper set out the opportunities available to areas for local government reorganisation. The potential impact of local government reorganisation on individual areas will be a matter for local councils to consider as they develop their proposals for reorganisation.

Communities and Local Government, whether the conversion of a single property into a house of multiple occupancy increases the overall number of properties within the Government's housing stock figures.

The conversion of an existing residential property into a house of multiple occupancy would not normally count as a net additional dwelling in the official statistics on housing supply or dwelling stock estimates.Data for the housing supply release is collected from local authorities and the Greater London Authority (for London Boroughs). The official guidance for the data return is that a House in Multiple Occupation, cannot be counted as a net additional dwelling, as the house would have been counted as a net additional dwelling in a previous year.However, if a House in Multiple Occupation is created by change of use from a non-residential building, then it can be counted as one net additional dwelling.The official guidance can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what the potential impact of local government reorganisation is on Police and Fire Commissioners who are coterminous with an existing combined authority.

The English Devolution White Paper set out the Government’s ambitions for devolution and local government reorganisation. Government's aim is for empowered, simplified, resilient and sustainable structures for local government. It will be essential for councils to work with local partners to develop plans for sustainable unitary structures capable of delivering the high-quality public services that residents need and deserve. We intend to formally invite unitary proposals from all councils in two-tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries in January 2025. We will ask for interim plans in March and full proposals later in the year. The White Paper also set out that where geographies align with Police and Crime Commissioner and Fire and Rescue Authorities, Mayors will, by default, be responsible for those services.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to make renting easier for people with pets.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will give tenants the right to request a pet, which landlords must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with the (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) local authorities and (c) water companies on the potential impact of the proposed Universal Studios theme park in Bedfordshire on water (i) demand and (ii) supply in the East of England in the context of planned house-building in the region.

Given this is a potential matter that may come before the Secretary of State for decision, it would not be appropriate to comment on planning merits of any Universal Studios proposal in Bedford.Planning decisions are not subject to Cabinet responsibility and are made by the decisions maker on planning grounds, based on the merits of the case and in line with propriety guidelines.Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk.

Communities and Local Government, which agency leads the multi-agency response to flooding in Cambridgeshire.

Cambridgeshire constabulary will usually chair local strategic and tactical response coordination meetings attended by a range of relevant partners including the emergency services, local authorities, and the Environment Agency.Multi-agency flood response in Cambridgeshire is coordinated through Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Resilience Forum (CPLRF) who will stand up response structures to help respond to and recover from major emergencies or incidents that may occur. Any agency within the LRF can declare a major incident.

Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for the publication of her Department's response to the consultation on the Future Homes Standard.

The Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation was published in December 2023 and closed in March 2024, and a Government response has not yet been issued. The consultation proposed that the new standards would apply to all new domestic and non-domestic buildings.We fully support the need for low carbon homes and buildings, fit for a net zero future. We are reviewing proposals and feedback from the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation and will publish the Government response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2024 to Question 6842 on Veterans: Homelessness, how many veterans have been denied allocation of social housing owing to not passing local connection and residency tests for the area in which they require housing.

The forthcoming changes to social housing allocations regulations will exempt all veterans from local connection and residency tests. Local councils will continue to design and operate allocations policies in a way that best meets the needs of local communities.The Statutory Homelessness in England statistics for January to March 2024 (Statutory homelessness in England: January to March 2024 - GOV.UK) shows that between January-March 2024, 650 households owed a homelessness duty in England included a member who reported having served in HM Forces. However, we do not hold data on the number of veterans who may have failed to qualify for social housing due to a lack of a local connection.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2024 to Question 6842 on Veterans: Homelessness, how many homeless veterans will eligible for social housing following the exemption of veterans from local connection and residency tests.

The forthcoming changes to social housing allocations regulations will exempt all veterans from local connection and residency tests. Local councils will continue to design and operate allocations policies in a way that best meets the needs of local communities.The Statutory Homelessness in England statistics for January to March 2024 (Statutory homelessness in England: January to March 2024 - GOV.UK) shows that between January-March 2024, 650 households owed a homelessness duty in England included a member who reported having served in HM Forces. However, we do not hold data on the number of veterans who may have failed to qualify for social housing due to a lack of a local connection.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to (a) introduce, (b) manage and (c) monitor the effectiveness of the Homes for Heroes scheme.

On 24 September, the Prime Minister announced an ambition to house all veterans in housing need.As a result, the Department will bring forward changes to social housing allocations regulations to exempt all veterans, along with young care leavers and victims of domestic abuse, from local connection and residency tests to improve their access to social rented housing.We have also written to local authorities to explain these changes in more detail, and to remind them of existing guidance on improving access to social housing for members of the Armed Forces and victims of domestic abuse.

Communities and Local Government, what the projected cost to the public purse will be of (a) introducing and (b) managing the Homes for Heroes scheme in (i) 2024-25 and (ii) 2025-26; and from which Department budget will it be funded.

On 24 September, the Prime Minister announced an ambition to house all veterans in housing need.As a result, the Department will bring forward changes to social housing allocations regulations to exempt all veterans, along with young care leavers and victims of domestic abuse, from local connection and residency tests to improve their access to social rented housing.We have also written to local authorities to explain these changes in more detail, and to remind them of existing guidance on improving access to social housing for members of the Armed Forces and victims of domestic abuse.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing council tax bands.

Future decisions on council tax will be taken at the spending review in which we are fully engaged. Ahead of any decisions taken on the tax, the Government will carefully consider the impact on councils and taxpayers. The Government is committed to keeping taxes on working people as low as possible.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to introduce legislation requiring mandatory installation of photovoltaic panels on new (a) houses, (b) commercial buildings and (c) logistic distribution hubs.

Future standards next year will set our new homes and buildings on a path that moves away from relying on volatile fossil fuels and ensures they are fit for a net zero future. This will support our ambition that the 1.5 million homes we will build over the course of this parliament will be high quality, well designed and sustainable. That is why the Deputy Prime Minister and I are clear that rooftop solar should play an important role, where appropriate, as part of the future standards for homes and buildings.