Written questions by Simmonds.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 7690 on Local Government: Standards, what her Department's timetable is for consultation with stakeholders.

The Government will be launching the consultation on the local government standards regime, referred to in my previous response, at the earliest opportunity.We are committed to working with local and regional government to establish partnerships built on mutual respect, genuine collaboration, and meaningful engagement. The measures outlined in the upcoming consultation reflect our ambition to create a rigorous standards framework that will actively contribute to ensuring local government throughout the country is fit, legal, and decent.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has targets to reduce the number of people (a) homeless, (b) rough sleeping and (c) on social housing waiting lists.

The Government recognises that homelessness levels are far too high, and this can have a devastating impact on those affected. We will look at these issues carefully, including issues around hidden homelessness, to make sure we put in place services that meet people’s needs.The Deputy Prime Minister is leading cross-government work to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. This includes chairing a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, bringing together ministers from across government to develop a long-term strategy. We have also established an Expert Group to bring together representatives from across the homelessness and rough sleeping sector, local and combined authorities and wider experts. We have no plans to appoint an external champion.We recognise England is in an acute housing crisis and there is insufficient social housing to meet demand. This Government will deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, and has already set out a number of steps: Housing targets increased to get Britain building again - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Local authorities have the freedom to manage their own social housing waiting lists, so they can decide who should qualify for social housing in their area and develop solutions that make best use of the social housing stock.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2024 to Question 5414 on Local Government: Elections, whether she plans to lay the associated legislation to allow the combined authority mayoral elections to take place in May 2025; and in which other areas combined authority mayoral elections will take place in May 2025 for the first time.

There are two scheduled combined authority mayoral elections in 2025: the Mayor for West of England Combined Authority, which includes the local authority areas of Bristol City, Bath and North East Somerset, and South Gloucestershire; and the Mayor for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, which includes the local authority area of Peterborough City Council and the local authorities in Cambridgeshire.Legislation to establish a new Mayoral Combined Authority covering Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council was laid in Parliament on 26 November and, subject to parliamentary approval of the legislation, their first mayoral election will also take place in 2025. There are no scheduled mayoral elections in combined authority areas in 2026 currently.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 7872 on Local Government: Elections, in which combined authority areas are mayoral elections expected to take place in (a) 2025 and (b) 2026.

There are two scheduled combined authority mayoral elections in 2025: the Mayor for West of England Combined Authority, which includes the local authority areas of Bristol City, Bath and North East Somerset, and South Gloucestershire; and the Mayor for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, which includes the local authority area of Peterborough City Council and the local authorities in Cambridgeshire.Legislation to establish a new Mayoral Combined Authority covering Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council was laid in Parliament on 26 November and, subject to parliamentary approval of the legislation, their first mayoral election will also take place in 2025. There are no scheduled mayoral elections in combined authority areas in 2026 currently.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October, to Question 5413, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Remote Working, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of 40% in-person attendance levels on public sector productivity levels.

We remain committed to maximising the benefits of hybrid working through fostering the best of time in offices, work with partners and stakeholders, and working from home. At MHCLG we see that spending more time together in person brings benefits to the work we do and our departmental culture.Those benefits include sharing ideas more easily, collaborating effectively, solving problems and learning from each other, all of which are vital factors in delivering positive outcomes for the communities we serve.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2024 to Question 5674 on National Security, if she will list the key stakeholders who her Department is working with; and whether this includes (a) the Parliamentary Parties Panel and (b) political parties directly.

As set out in our manifesto, the Government is committed to strengthening our democracy, upholding the integrity of elections and widening participation in the democratic process.The department will work closely with key stakeholders, including local authorities, the Electoral Commission, and where relevant the Parliamentary Parties Panel and political parties, to develop proposals which give effect to these commitments.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2024, to Question 5299, on Devolution: Local Government, whether council (a) leaders and (b) mayors were invited to attend the Council of the Nations and Regions.

The Council of the Nations and Regions on 11 October brought together the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales, the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, and the Mayors of Combined Authorities and County Combined Authorities in England.The following Mayors from English regions are invited to attend the Council of Nations and Regions: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, the East Midlands, Greater London, Greater Manchester, the Liverpool City Region, the North East, South Yorkshire, Tees Valley, the West Midlands, the West of England, West Yorkshire, and York and North Yorkshire.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press notice entitled Thousands of new homes to be built as government unlocks brownfield sites, published on 15 October 2024, how much and what proportion of the £550 million impact investments are funded by (a) direct grants from and (b) financial transactions underwritten by the government.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer to Question UIN 16497 on 5 December 2024.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the impact of planning restrictions on the ability of private rented homes to meet the new Energy Performance Certificate C requirement.

The Government will shortly consult on implementing a minimum energy efficiency standard of Energy Performance Certificate Band C or equivalent in the private rented sector by 2030. The consultation will be accompanied by an Options Assessment, which will consider impacts arising from the policy proposals.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increased employer National Insurance contributions, as announced in the Autumn Budget 2024, on (a) the housing association sector and (b) the capacity of housing associations to increase levels of social housing building.

Restoring stability and fixing the foundations of our economy are the best things we can do to support growth. Tax rises need to play a part to fund public services and to invest in rebuilding Britain – and this includes investment in much needed new social and affordable housing.At the Budget, the Chancellor set out details of an immediate one-year cash injection of £500 million to top up the existing Affordable Homes Programme which will deliver up to 5,000 new social and affordable homes. This comes ahead of the multi-year Spending Review next spring, where the government will set out details of new investment to succeed the current Affordable Homes Programme.The government recognises that housing associations and councils need support to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply. We are consulting on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement to give housing associations and other providers the certainty they need to invest in new social housing. We will be carefully considering all responses to that consultation.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2024 to Question 11851 on Employers' Contributions: Local Government, if she will publish a breakdown of the £1.3 billion.

We have announced £1.3 billion of new grant funding in 2025/26 for local government to deliver core services, of which at least £600 million is for social care. Further details will be included in the upcoming Policy Statement and Local Government Finance Settlement.In regard to whether funding will be made available for changes to:(a) the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions, English local authorities will be fully compensated for the loss of income and administration costs resulting from administering 40 per cent Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief and freezing the small business multiplier for 2025-26.(b) the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions, I refer the Hon Member to the answer to Question UIN 11851 on 8 November 2024.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2024 to Question 11925 on Council tax: Greater London, what are the assumed council tax requirement excluding parish precepts figures for the local government core spending power figures of (a) £64,786 million in 2024-25 and (b) £68,459 million in 2025-26.

The Government has confirmed that it will not increase council tax referendum principles above the current 3% core council tax principle and the 2% principle for the adult social care precept, in line with the OBR forecasting. This is a continuation of the previous government’s policy, and informs the Core Spending Power figures for both 2024-25 and 2025-26. Further details will be set out at the Local Government Finance settlement.The Government has published an explanatory note on the methodology used to calculate Core Spending Power for the 2024-25 Local Government Finance Settlement. The note is available on the Gov.UK website here.

Communities and Local Government, what her Department's policy is on gas boilers being (a) installed in new homes and (b) re-installed or replaced in existing homes.

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. These homes will be future proofed with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency. No further energy efficiency retrofit work will be necessary to enable them to become zero-carbon over time as the electricity grid continues to decarbonise.For existing homes, the Government’s position is not to force anyone to rip out a working boiler and will incentivise moves to cleaner, affordable heating. The Government has started delivery of the Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in heat pumps and other home improvements to cut bills. More detail will be set out in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what methodology was used to calculate the council tax requirement, excluding parish precepts, in (a) Core spending power table: final local government finance settlement 2024 to 2025, published on 5 February 2024, and (b) Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2024 to 2025, published on 8 May 2024.

The Government has confirmed that it will not increase council tax referendum principles above the current 3% core council tax principle and the 2% principle for the adult social care precept, in line with the OBR forecasting. This is a continuation of the previous government’s policy, and informs the Core Spending Power figures for both 2024-25 and 2025-26. Further details will be set out at the Local Government Finance settlement.The Government has published an explanatory note on the methodology used to calculate Core Spending Power for the 2024-25 Local Government Finance Settlement. The note is available on the Gov.UK website here.

Communities and Local Government, what the Greater London Authority precept on Band D council tax, (a) including and (b) excluding the Transport for London element, was in each year since 2016-17; and how much was allocated in monetary terms to Transport for London funding in each year.

The average Band D council tax set by the Greater London Authority over time can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662a4c28690acb1c0ba7e617/Live_Table_-_Band_D_2024-25__revised_.ods.There is no separate council tax precept for Transport for London. The Government does not collect information on how much council tax was allocated by Greater London Authority to Transport for London.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2024 to Question 11851 on Employers’ Contributions: Local Government, what was the evidential basis for allocating £600 million of social care funding.

The Autumn Statement announced at least £600 million of new grant funding for social care. This funding, alongside income from unringfenced sources including council tax, can be used to address the range of pressures facing the social care sector. Further details will be included in the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2024 to Question 11851 on Employers' Contributions: Local Government, which grants are included in the £1.3 billion of new grant funding in 2025-26; and whether funding will be made available for changes to (a) retail, hospitality and leisure business rate relief in the 2025-26 financial year and (b) the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions.

We have announced £1.3 billion of new grant funding in 2025/26 for local government to deliver core services, of which at least £600 million is for social care. Further details will be included in the upcoming Policy Statement and Local Government Finance Settlement.In regard to whether funding will be made available for changes to:(a) the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions, English local authorities will be fully compensated for the loss of income and administration costs resulting from administering 40 per cent Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief and freezing the small business multiplier for 2025-26.(b) the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions, I refer the Hon Member to the answer to Question UIN 11851 on 8 November 2024.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 3.16 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, where the proposed locations are of the three large housing development sites in (a) Cambridgeshire, (b) West Sussex and (c) Durham; and how many houses will be built in each county.

Information on the three housing development sites is as follows:a) Cambridgeshire: Permission for up to 1,000 new homes on land between Huntingdon Road and Histon Road, Cambridge, known as Darwin Green Phases Two and Three, was granted on 25 September 2024;b) West Sussex: A reserved matters application for 280 new homes at Kilnwood Vale, Crawley Road, Faygate, Horsham, was approved on 25 October 2024;c) Durham: Permission for up to 1,924 new homes at Sniperley Park and Sniperley Farm, Pity Me, Durham, was granted on 21 August 2024.

Communities and Local Government, what obligations local authorities have to house (a) asylum seekers and (b) refugees not covered by Government funded accommodation.

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 10286 on 29 October 2024.Individuals granted refugee status are eligible for assistance from their local authority in finding accommodation, if homeless, as well as temporary accommodation if they have a priority need. The Homelessness Code of Guidance sets out the framework which local authorities must follow when carrying out their homelessness duties. See: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homelessness-code-of-guidance-for-local-authorities.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 5.149 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295 published on 30 October 2024, what the new Right to Buy discount rates are; and if she will make a comparative assessment of the adequacy of these rates compared to the previous regime.

As announced in the Autumn Budget and in accordance with our manifesto commitment, the Government reviewed the increased Right to Buy discounts introduced in 2012 and determined to reduce the maximum cash discounts to between £16,000 and £38,000. The level of discount available will depend on where a tenant lives. The review of Right to Buy discounts was published alongside the Budget and can be found on gov.uk here. Secondary legislation to reduce the maximum cash discounts was laid in Parliament on 30 October and is intended to come into force on 21 November.