Written questions by Stafford.

Communities and Local Government, when he plans to announce the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant for the 2026-27 financial year.

As announced in the Local Government Policy Statement on 20 November, found here, the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant will be worth at least £480 million over the 3 years from 2026/27 and the distribution will follow the existing allocation formula. Further details will be in the Local Government Finance provisional settlement before Christmas.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of guidance issued to local planning authorities on the increase in housing delivery targets through revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework; and whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of that guidance in enabling authorities to meet statutory obligations.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a new Standard Method for assessing housing needs that is aligned to our Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million new safe and decent homes in England by the end of this Parliament The standard method is used by local authorities to inform the preparation of their local plans. Once local housing need has been assessed, authorities should then make an assessment of the number of new homes that can be provided in their area. This should be justified by evidence on land availability, constraints on development, such as National Landscapes and areas at risk of flooding, and any other relevant matters. The approach taken is then be tested by the Planning Inspector during the examination of the Local Plan. Alongside the publication of a new Standard method, my Department also published revised planning practice guidance to reflect these changes. This can be found on gov.uk here. We will keep the need for additional planning practice guidance under review.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of levels of Community Infrastructure Levy in the Borough of Waverley on the supply of new (a) residential and (b) commercial premises in that borough.

My Department has made no such an assessment.

Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to implement the same rules on (a) binding contracts and (b) upfront information in property transactions as are in place in Scotland.

On 6 October 2025, the government published two consultations outlining reform proposals to transform home buying and selling. They can be found on gov.uk here and here. The consultations include proposals to require sellers and estate agents to provide upfront property information and to support binding contracts. Final decisions are subject to the outcome of these consultations.

Communities and Local Government, what recent steps he has taken to support (a) religious freedom and the (b) protection of minority faith groups.

Freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right. Everyone in Britain has the right to feel safe and at ease where they live. The Government is committed to protecting individuals’ right to practise their religion freely and will not tolerate religious hatred in any form. Those who incite religious hatred will face the full force of the law.Faith Groups in England and Wales that are particularly vulnerable to religiously or racially motivated hate crime are eligible for funded protective security measures through the Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme. This scheme offers physical security enhancements, such as CCTV, intruder alarms, and secure perimeter fencing.An Antisemitism Working Group has been established to advise the Government on effective strategies to tackle hate against Jewish communities. Additionally, the government continues to work with the independent advisor Lord Mann in combating antisemitism through meaningful engagement with diverse communities.The Government has also established an independent working group to advise on a non-statutory definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred. The working group have engaged widely to ensure their proposed definition accounts for the variety of backgrounds and experiences of communities across the United Kingdom.

Communities and Local Government, if his Department will respond to the correspondence of 16 July 2025 from the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon regarding the Woolmead site in the Farnham and Bordon constituency.

A response to the hon. Member was issued on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to publish updated comparative data on average council tax payments (a) per dwelling and (b) per capita across local authorities.

The Department publishes council tax per dwelling for each billing authority in England annually in March. We do not publish council tax per capita.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take to adjust the council tax system to account for differing property market values in rural areas.

All councils are responsible for setting their own level of council tax to meet their specific service requirements. The government annually publishes data on the council tax levels set by different local authorities across the country. This is available here. The Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the system and consider options for reform where there is clear evidence that change would deliver better outcomes for residents and councils alike.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the level of variation in council tax per dwelling between rural and urban local authorities; and what steps he is considering taking to ensure that households in rural areas are not subject to higher tax burdens due to property valuation and banding distributions.

All councils are responsible for setting their own level of council tax to meet their specific service requirements. The government annually publishes data on the council tax levels set by different local authorities across the country. This is available here. The Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the system and consider options for reform where there is clear evidence that change would deliver better outcomes for residents and councils alike.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential role of (a) German-style Fertighäuser and (b) other prefabricated or modular housing to help tackle housing shortage.

The government wants to see greater adoption of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) as part of our Plan for Change commitment to deliver 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament.MMC is key to boosting productivity in the construction sector – helping deliver homes faster, with improved energy performance, and creating new offsite jobs in the construction sector.We have already acted through our planning reforms to provide the certainty developers and manufacturers need to invest in MMC; provided an additional £700 million of support through the Home Building Fund to help manufacturers looking to grow and expand; and published the Publicly Available Specification (PAS-8700) for residential MMC.We will set out further details in the Long-Term Housing Strategy shortly.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has had discussions with local authorities in (a) Surrey and (b) Hampshire on maintaining support for community transport operators following local government reorganisation.

Local support for community transport operators remains a matter for local authorities in Surrey and Hampshire, or any future local authorities that may be set up following local government reorganisation. Before a local government reorganisation proposal can be implemented, the Secretary of State must first consult any council affected that has not submitted the proposal, as well as any other persons considered appropriate. This includes local public service providers in the area. The consultation on local government reform in Surrey closed on 5 August. A decision will now be made on which proposal, if any, to implement. Hampshire is part of the Devolution Priority Programme and final proposals for local government reform in the county are due to submitted to the Government by 26 September.

Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for bringing into force the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 that provide consumer protections for homeowners on freehold estates.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 74882 on 12 September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department’s fair funding review for local authorities on adult social care provision for people of working age.

The government is committed to transforming adult social care, including for people of working age, and making tangible improvements in the short-term. The Spending Review allows for an increase of over £4 billion available for adult social care in 2028-29 compared to 2025-26. We have consulted on proposals, as part of ‘The Fair Funding Review 2.0’, to ensure adult social care funding reflects an up-to-date assessment of need, including updating the Adult Social Care Relative Needs Formula (ASC RNF) with the most recent data. The ‘Fair Funding Review 2.0’ proposals are a fundamental step to improving the sustainability of the sector and will allow councils to focus on service delivery and transformation. We are considering ‘The Fair Funding Review 2.0’ consultation responses; decisions are yet to be taken that will determine final allocations for local authorities overall. We will respond to the consultation in due course and will set out further details at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement later this year.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of Homes England’s management of the (a) Techforest and (b) Woolmead sites in Farnham and Bordon constituency.

Homes England has worked closely with East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) to support priorities for growth in Whitehill and Bordon for several years. This includes supporting the delivery of new employment sites in the area. Tech Forest has been identified as an employment site and, following consultation with EHDC, will be marketed for employment use. Homes England purchased Woolmead in Farnham via the Brownfield Infrastructure Land Fund, which has an extant planning permission for 138 new homes and over 4,000m² of commercial space. Homes England is considering options for the delivery of the site, including seeking a new planning consent, and remaining in contact with the market and prospective partners. In the meantime, Homes England continues to manage the site to ensure it remains safe, secure, and in a stable condition whilst longer-term plans for the site evolve.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of financial requirements for standing in mayoral elections on the (a) accessibility and (b) diversity of candidates.

The Government has not made such an assessment. Under electoral law, candidates are required to pay a deposit in certain elections, reflecting the scale of the role, including budget responsibility, role as chair of the Combined Authority or Combined County Authority, and the ability to raise a levy; as well as the size of the electorate and electoral area. This has been set at £5,000 for Mayoral candidates for Combined Authorities and Combined County Authorities which was deemed proportionate and fair by Parliament when the relevant legislation was made. A deposit is returned if a candidate receives more than 5% of the valid votes cast.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of whether funding allocated to upper-tier authorities adequately reflects (a) inflationary pressures in social care, (b) the increasing cost of regulatory compliance and (c) the additional costs expected from recent immigration and employment policy changes.

The government is committed to transforming adult social care and making tangible improvements in the short-term. The Spending Review allows for an increase of over £4 billion available for adult social care in 2028-29 compared to 2025-26. This includes an increase to the NHS’s minimum contribution to adult social care via the Better Care Fund, in line with DHSC's Spending Review settlement. The Department works closely with local government and other government departments to understand specific demand and cost pressures facing local government on an ongoing basis. This involves looking at a range of cost and demand data, as well as regular engagement with local authorities.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to consult on new fiscal incentives to support younger people into home ownership.

The government has no plans to consult on new fiscal incentives to support younger people into home ownership. ​ The affordability challenges facing prospective first-time buyers mean that too many people are now locked out of home ownership. In addition to increasing the supply of homes of all tenures, the government will be launching a new mortgage guarantee scheme in July 2025. Further details can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement of 11 June (HCWS694).

Communities and Local Government, if her Department will make an assessment of trends in the relationship between home ownership levels among under-45s and historic tax support for mortgage holders.

The government has no plans to consult on new fiscal incentives to support younger people into home ownership. ​ The affordability challenges facing prospective first-time buyers mean that too many people are now locked out of home ownership. In addition to increasing the supply of homes of all tenures, the government will be launching a new mortgage guarantee scheme in July 2025. Further details can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement of 11 June (HCWS694).

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to prevent unitary authorities formed through the Local Government Reorganisation requiring exception financial support.

On 5 February, the Government issued invitations to councils in two-tier areas in England and neighbouring unitary councils to prepare proposals for local government reorganisation. The invitation sets out the criteria against which proposals will be assessed, including that unitary local government must be the right size to achieve efficiencies improve capacity and withstand financial shocks. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to (a) allow the establishment of new precepting (i) parish, (ii) town and (iii) community councils and (b) (A) retain and (B) improve the Community Governance Review process.

The ability to establish new parish, town and community councils is devolved to principal local authorities through the community governance review process. This remains the case. Areas considering new parish councils should think carefully about how they might be funded, to avoid putting further pressure on local authority finances and/or new burdens on the taxpayer Decisions over whether to raise a precept, and over the level of this precept, are taken independently of central government by the parish council in question. The government views the current process for undertaking community governance reviews as sufficient. We are in regular contact with the sector to understand what improvements would be helpful.