Written questions by Simmonds.

Communities and Local Government, whether an (a) Impact Assessment and (b) Equality Impact Assessment was produced for changes to the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

The latest data on the number of thank you payments made between April 2024 and June 2024 is published here:Annex A: Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (England) - GOV.UKAnnex A: Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (Wales) - GOV.UKAnnex A: Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (Scotland) - GOV.UKAnnex A: Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (Northern Ireland) - GOV.UKBefore implementing the changes to thank you payments we fully considered the impact on homelessness. We recognise the importance of continued sponsorship for local authorities as a tool to ease pressures on the system, including on homelessness and temporary accommodation in local areas. Providing £350 a month to all sponsors means we are able to extend this support for 18-months under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme, supporting guests to remain in sponsorship and reducing their risk of homelessness. Councils also continue to receive a tariff payment of £5,900 per Homes for Ukraine arrival, and councils have the flexibility to use this funding as best suits the local area which could include supporting guests to access privately rented accommodation.We continue to closely monitor the homelessness pressures relating to Ukrainian homelessness and separately publish statistics here: Homelessness management information - Ukrainian nationals: England - GOV.UK.Our Homes for Ukraine Equality Impact Assessment was updated to reflect MHCLG policy changes made. Potential environmental and all other impacts of the policy were also considered.

Communities and Local Government, how many households are being supported in each local authority area by sponsors receiving thank you payments under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

The latest data on the number of thank you payments made between April 2024 and June 2024 is published here:Annex A: Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (England) - GOV.UKAnnex A: Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (Wales) - GOV.UKAnnex A: Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (Scotland) - GOV.UKAnnex A: Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (Northern Ireland) - GOV.UKBefore implementing the changes to thank you payments we fully considered the impact on homelessness. We recognise the importance of continued sponsorship for local authorities as a tool to ease pressures on the system, including on homelessness and temporary accommodation in local areas. Providing £350 a month to all sponsors means we are able to extend this support for 18-months under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme, supporting guests to remain in sponsorship and reducing their risk of homelessness. Councils also continue to receive a tariff payment of £5,900 per Homes for Ukraine arrival, and councils have the flexibility to use this funding as best suits the local area which could include supporting guests to access privately rented accommodation.We continue to closely monitor the homelessness pressures relating to Ukrainian homelessness and separately publish statistics here: Homelessness management information - Ukrainian nationals: England - GOV.UK.Our Homes for Ukraine Equality Impact Assessment was updated to reflect MHCLG policy changes made. Potential environmental and all other impacts of the policy were also considered.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 20283 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, if the (a) Chinese Embassy (b) the Chinese Government and (c) its representatives discussed the Chinese Embassy planning application via correspondence.

Prior to the application being called in, there was no such correspondence. Following call in, there has been correspondence between the Planning Inspectorate and interested parties ahead of the forthcoming public inquiry.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to payments for the Homes for Ukraine scheme on (a) homelessness and (b) temporary accommodation.

The latest data on the number of thank you payments made between April 2024 and June 2024 is published here:Annex A: Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (England) - GOV.UKAnnex A: Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (Wales) - GOV.UKAnnex A: Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (Scotland) - GOV.UKAnnex A: Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (Northern Ireland) - GOV.UKBefore implementing the changes to thank you payments we fully considered the impact on homelessness. We recognise the importance of continued sponsorship for local authorities as a tool to ease pressures on the system, including on homelessness and temporary accommodation in local areas. Providing £350 a month to all sponsors means we are able to extend this support for 18-months under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme, supporting guests to remain in sponsorship and reducing their risk of homelessness. Councils also continue to receive a tariff payment of £5,900 per Homes for Ukraine arrival, and councils have the flexibility to use this funding as best suits the local area which could include supporting guests to access privately rented accommodation.We continue to closely monitor the homelessness pressures relating to Ukrainian homelessness and separately publish statistics here: Homelessness management information - Ukrainian nationals: England - GOV.UK.Our Homes for Ukraine Equality Impact Assessment was updated to reflect MHCLG policy changes made. Potential environmental and all other impacts of the policy were also considered.

Communities and Local Government, if she will publish any correspondence sent to councils on local government restructuring since 16 December 2024.

I wrote immediately after the publication of the English Devolution White Paper on 16 December to leaders of all councils in areas where there is a two-tier structure of local government, and to leaders of neighbouring unitary councils. My letter set out further details on the Government's ambitions for local government reorganisation and next steps in the process of moving to simpler structures in all those areas. I will make arrangements for that letter to be published on gov.uk shortly. I will write to this group again by the end of January to invite unitary proposals for their area.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 December to Question 16276 on Warm Homes Plan: Insulation, whether the Warm Homes Plan will support investment in loft insulation protection.

The Government’s Warm Homes Plan will support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other home improvements to cut bills. We will set out full details in due course.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the policies set out in her Department’s policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working Paper: Planning Committees, published on 9 December 2024, on local democracy.

The government believe that planning committees have an integral role in providing local democratic oversight of planning decisions. It is however vital that in exercising that democratic oversight, planning committees operate as effectively as possible.The government’s planning reform working paper on planning committees invites views on a range of proposals designed to support better decision making in the planning system. If we determine to take forward any of the proposals in question, each of which would require primary legislation through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, they would be the subject of further detailed consultation in the normal way – in particular where necessary to underpin secondary legislation following passage of the Bill.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department’s policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working Paper: Planning Committees, published on 9 December 2024, what say ward councillors would have on a planning application in their ward; where they disagreed with the decision of the planning officer; and whether they could call-in the matter to a planning committee.

The government’s planning reform working paper on planning committees invites views on three options for a national scheme of delegation. If we determine to take forward any of those options, each of which would require primary legislation through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, they would be the subject of further detailed consultation in the normal way – in particular where necessary to underpin secondary legislation following passage of the Bill.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working Paper: Planning Committees, published on 9 December 2024, which individual would decide whether or not an application was compliant with a Local Plan; and what the process would be in the event of a disagreement on that matter, when deciding whether or not to delegate to planning officers.

The government’s planning reform working paper on planning committees invites views on three options for a national scheme of delegation. If we determine to take forward any of those options, each of which would require primary legislation through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, they would be the subject of further detailed consultation in the normal way – in particular where necessary to underpin secondary legislation following passage of the Bill.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working Paper: Planning Committees, published on 9 December 2024, whether it is her policy that Councillors would have a role in determining a reserved matters application where the outline approval was compliant with the Local Plan but a reserved matter may not be.

The government’s planning reform working paper on planning committees invites views on three options for a national scheme of delegation. If we determine to take forward any of those options, each of which would require primary legislation through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, they would be the subject of further detailed consultation in the normal way – in particular where necessary to underpin secondary legislation following passage of the Bill.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Prime Minister’s Oral Statement of 21 November 2024 on G20 and COP29 Summits, Official Report, columns 371-373 and pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024, to Question 14996, on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, whether the Prime Minister has had discussions with her on the planning application for the proposed Chinese Embassy between 23 August and 18 October 2024.

The decision to call in the planning application for the proposed Chinese Embassy was made by the Deputy Prime Minister, in line with current policy on call-in.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 23 of the King’s Speech Background Briefing Notes, published by the Prime Minister's Office on 17 July 2024, whether strategic planning will operate at the combined authority level.

Yes. The Government is proposing that all combined authorities will oversee the development and agreement of strategic plans for their areas. This will be formalised in legislation.

Communities and Local Government, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to remove the requirement for councillor’s home addresses to be published.

Primary legislation is needed to remove the requirement for local government members’ home addresses to be included in published versions of registers of interests. We intend to legislate at the first available opportunity.There are also limited circumstances where those local government candidates acting as their own election agent may need to disclose their home address during an election, when they do not provide an office address. We are considering whether to amend this requirement, whilst ensuring that agents continue to provide a correspondence address for enforcement and legal purposes.

Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for responding to the policy paper entitled Publication of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase 2 report, published on 4 September 2024.

We are considering the recommendations set out in the Grenfell Inquiry report. The Prime Minister has committed to respond in full to the Inquiry’s recommendations within six months.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's policy paper, entitled Brownfield Passport: Making the Most of Urban Land, published in September 2024, whether it is her policy that planning approvals under the new brownfield passport regime would still require a substantive planning application.

The government’s planning reform working paper regarding a brownfield passport invites views on further action the government could take through the planning system to support the development of brownfield land in urban areas. It proposes options for a form of ‘brownfield passport’, which would be more specific about the development that should be regarded as acceptable, with the default answer to suitable proposals being a straightforward “yes”. The proposals relate to the principle, the scale, and the form of development, and to the potential wider use of Local Development Orders to grant area-wide permissions – all in a way that retains appropriate local oversight. A series of questions are posed at the end of the paper, to inform discussions with the sector before determining whether any of these proposals are taken forward. We continue to accept responses to the paper, and will set out further information on how we intend to respond in due course.

Which (a) individuals and (b) organisations attended the first meeting of the Council of the Nations and Regions.

The inaugural Council of the Nations and Regions met on 11 October in Edinburgh to discuss growth and investment. On 17 October the UK Government published a communique for the meeting on gov.uk which sets out the attendees and their organisations. The government also published the terms of reference which include the names and roles of the standing invitees.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 3005 on Housing: Greater London, what discussions he has had with the Greater London Authority on the reasons for housing delivery being below below existing London Plan targets.

The Government is committed to working in partnership with the Mayor of London, boroughs and the sector to significantly increase housing delivery in the capital. My department, both ministers and officials, meet regularly with the Greater London Authority to discuss housing delivery.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6190 on Permitted Development Rights, whether her Department has made an assessment of the extent to which that consultation met the Cabinet Office’s consultation principles guidance.

While we cannot comment on the actions of the previous government, the consultation document sets out how it was planned to adhere to the consultation principles issued by the Cabinet Office.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued guidance on whether the embodied carbon of an existing building is a material consideration in the planning process.

The government’s Planning Practice Guidance on Climate Change, National Design Guide and National Model Design Code provide general guidance on how carbon impacts can be taken into account in the planning process.In our recent consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, we sought views on whether carbon can be accurately measured and accounted for in plan-making and planning decisions. The consultation closed on 24 September and officials in my department are currently analysing responses with a view to publishing a government response before the end of the year

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to help ensure that vacant homes built under section 106 agreements are occupied.

The government is well aware of concerns about reduced appetite from Registered Providers of social housing to buy affordable homes delivered under Section 106 agreements. We will continue to work with housebuilders, local authorities, and Registered Providers to tackle this problem.One of the main causes of the problem is a reduction in Registered Providers’ financial capacity over recent years. The government recognises that Registered Providers need support to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply. We are currently consulting on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement, to give Registered Providers the certainty they need to invest in new social and affordable housing.We have also announced that councils will be allowed to keep 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales, so that they are better able to build and buy new homes. We have provided flexibility for councils to combine Right to Buy receipts with Section 106 contributions (this flexibility will be in place for an initial 24 months and then subject to review).