Written questions by Simmonds.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 2.81of Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, what the assumptions are on the increase in the percentage Band D level of the (a) social care, (b) police, (c) fire and (d) Greater London Authority precepts in 2025-26 as part of the estimate of the increase in local government core spending power.

Local government core spending power (CSP) is £64,786m in 2024-25, and is forecast to be £68,459m in 2025-26.These figures for CSP are estimates and subject to data changes. Final figures will be published as part of the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS). Components of CSP will be confirmed in the 2025-26 LGFS, including council tax referendum principles.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 2.98 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, what her policy is on whether local authorities will (a) be selected by her Department or (b) volunteer to work with her Department to create simpler organisational structures.

The Government has now been clear on its long term vision for simpler local government structures so councils are the right size and shape to deliver citizen-focused services for their communities. We have heard from councils that unitarisation can be a positive way to increase sustainability and resilience of local government and want to work in partnership with local leaders to support them to achieve these objectives. Further detail will follow in the English Devolution White Paper, to be published shortly.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 2.98 of Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, which new funding streams will be placed into the single pots for (a) Greater Manchester and (b) the West Midlands Combined Authorities.

Delivering integrated settlements in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands will provide meaningful control over funding and improve the fragmented funding landscape for Mayoral Combined Authorities with a flexible single pot.The funds in scope, formulae and final allocations for the West Midlands and Greater Manchester will be published in due course and commence at the start of the 2025-26 financial year.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department issues on use of single notional invoices for Representation of the People Act 1983 candidate returns where multiple elections are contested concurrently.

The Government does not issue guidance on political finance matters. The Electoral Commission, as the independent body responsible for regulating political finance, has a statutory duty to provide guidance for political parties, candidates and other campaigners.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has plans for legislation changes on (a) enfranchisement rights, (b) ground rents, (c) default tenure and (d) cladding remediation liability for (i) leasehold and (ii) commonhold ownership.

The Government intend to act quickly to provide homeowners with greater rights, powers, and protections over their homes by implementing the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. We will set out details in due course about the extensive programme of secondary legislation need to bring the Act into force.Over the course of this Parliament, the Government will further reform the leasehold system. We will enact remaining Law Commission recommendations relating to enfranchisement and the Right to Manage, tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, reinvigorate commonhold through a comprehensive new legal framework, and ban the sale of new leasehold flats so commonhold becomes the default tenure.The Government has made clear it intends to publish draft legislation on leasehold and commonhold reform in this session so that it may be subject to broad consultation and additional parliamentary scrutiny. We will announce further details in due course.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 September 2024 to Question 2675 on Council Housing: Finance, whether his Department’s wider review of Right to Buy will set out potential changes in (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation.

The government has made clear that it intends to bring forward a consultation in the Autumn seeking views on how the Right to Buy should be reformed. Among other things, the consultation will ask for views on eligibility criteria and protections for new homes. Implementing any changes to eligibility requirements would require primary legislation.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department’s guidance entitled New Homes Accelerator programme, published on 29 August 2024, whether her Department has a planned timetable on when 300,000 new homes could be delivered.

The New Homes Accelerator was first announced by the Chancellor on 8 July 2024 and is a key component of the government’s commitment to deliver 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament. We are already working on sites in Liverpool Central Docks, Worcestershire Parkway, Northstowe, Langley Sutton Coldfield, Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community, Stretton Hall, and Biggleswade Garden Community, representing more than 28,000 homes.A call for additional sites, launched on 29 August and closing on 31 October 2024, invites developers, local authorities and landowners to identify large-scale housing developments that are delayed or stuck so that we can better understand the scale of the challenge and evaluate what support might be provided.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2024 to Question 5232 on Local Government: Elections, if she will publish the (a) council and (b) mayoral elections that are (i) scheduled and (ii) expected to take place subject to the passage of the necessary secondary legislation in May (A) 2025 and (B) 2026.

The department publishes our understanding of the years in which each council’s elections will be held. That list can be found here.In accordance with legislation, councils are required to post notice of any election or by-election taking place which they administer, and this can be found on council websites.

Communities and Local Government, what data her Department holds on the average Right to Buy discount (a) in London and (b) outside London in each year since 1997.

Financial information on Right to Buy sales in England was not collected prior to 1998-99. Average discounts from 1998-99 onwards at England level are available in Live Table 682 at the following link.Figures for numbers of sales and total discounts given are available from 2011-12 onwards by local authority at the following link.Prior to 2011-12, reliable financial data that is consistent with the numbers of sales is not held at regional or local authority level, so for these years it is not possible to provide a geographic breakdown of average discounts beyond the England level available at the above link.The maximum Right to Buy discounts for the various regions since the inception of the scheme are published in the technical notes of the department’s Right to Buy sales and replacements statistical release at the following link, under section 4.4 “Discounts”.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2024 to Question 4069 on Local Government: Hampshire, whether she plans to introduce multi-year Local Government Finance Settlements.

This Government is committed to resetting the relationship between local and central government and working in partnership in the interests of working people. A key part of this is our commitment to moving towards multi-year Local Government Finance Settlements.

Communities and Local Government, what data her Department holds on the maximum Right to Buy discount (a) in London and (b) outside London in each year since 1997.

Financial information on Right to Buy sales in England was not collected prior to 1998-99. Average discounts from 1998-99 onwards at England level are available in Live Table 682 at the following link.Figures for numbers of sales and total discounts given are available from 2011-12 onwards by local authority at the following link.Prior to 2011-12, reliable financial data that is consistent with the numbers of sales is not held at regional or local authority level, so for these years it is not possible to provide a geographic breakdown of average discounts beyond the England level available at the above link.The maximum Right to Buy discounts for the various regions since the inception of the scheme are published in the technical notes of the department’s Right to Buy sales and replacements statistical release at the following link, under section 4.4 “Discounts”.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Outdoor advertisements and signs: a guide for advertisers, published on 18 June 2007, what guidance her Department issues on advertisements displayed inside a courtyard but visible from a public highway; and whether such advertisements would be categorised as an outdoor advertisement.

The department has not issued any further guidance on advertisements displayed inside a courtyard but visible from a public highway beyond that contained in the Outdoor advertisements and signs: a guide for advertisers. General guidance on the advertisement control regime can be found at Advertisements - GOV.UK.The control of advertisements is governed by the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007. Class 6 of Schedule 3 to the Regulations grants deemed consent subject to certain conditions and limitations for advertisements on the forecourt of business premises. It is for local planning authorities to decide whether a particular advertisement requires consent or not having regard to the Regulations.