Written questions by Cleverly.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83343 on Elections: Pilot Schemes, whether political parties were consulted on the plans for election pilots; and what publicity has been undertaken to promote the scheme other than issuing the prospectus.

The Government is exploring ways to make voting in person more efficient, more convenient, and better aligned with the expectations of today’s electors. In addition to the prospectus, further communications on flexible voting pilots were issued to support ongoing local authority sector engagement. We are working with individual local authorities to shape the detail of their flexible voting pilots. We will continue to work with key stakeholders and local authorities throughout the development and delivery process. Where communications are shared with the public, our intention is for them to be tailored to the specific piloting option and the geographic area in which it is being delivered.

Communities and Local Government, how many homes will be built in new towns in (a) total and (b) this Parliament.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the government’s initial response to the New Towns Taskforce’s final report which can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, whether the proposed strategic authority for Surrey will only include Surrey; whether that strategic authority will have an elected mayor; whether that strategic authority will set a council tax precept; and whether that strategic authority will absorb the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner functions.

Simplifying local government structures in Surrey will ensure a strong foundation for devolution. We are committed to working with partners across Surrey, including new unitary authorities once established, to establish a strategic authority for the area. This strategic authority would receive the functions at the appropriate level, whether Foundation or Mayoral, as set out in the devolution framework, subject to Royal Assent of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. A strategic authority across Surrey will ensure that relevant functions held at the county level can continue to be delivered on that geographic footprint where possible, such as transport and adult skills. The establishment of a strategic authority will be subject to the relevant statutory tests being met and local consent. We will also ensure fire and rescue functions continue to be governed on the same geography.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78240 on Absent Voting: British Nationals Abroad, whether he plans to take steps to help tackle postal delays for overseas electors.

The Government is committed to fixing the foundations of our electoral processes. As set out in the policy paper, Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections (17/07/2025), the Government will introduce a package of measures intended to improve the resilience and capacity of the postal voting system overall. These measures include moving the postal vote application deadline forward by three working days. The deadline for candidate nominations will also be moved forward in order to allow returning officers more time to proof the ballot papers for printers, in turn giving more time for the next part of the process to get underway, and in particular to enable postal ballot papers to be printed and issued to postal voters at an earlier point. These changes will benefit all administrators and voters, including those living overseas.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2025 to Question 78207 on Hate Crime: Internet, for what reason True Vision was funded via a non-competitive process.

As of the financial year 2020/21, under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding, MHCLG allocates funding of £80,000 to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority as part of the True Vision programme which aims to support the operation and development of the True Vision resource. The resource is managed by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and directed by its National Policing Lead, and provides a range of services to support victims, professionals, and NGOs. The programme also maintains outreach and audit activity to ensure accountability and knowledge sharing between Police, Government and external stakeholders by contribution to the cost of employing a National Police Hate Crime Coordinator.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 28 October 2025 entitled Local Government Reorganisation, HCWS998, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of renaming West Surrey council as West Surrey and South Middlesex Council.

There are no plans to make such an assessment.

Communities and Local Government, how many (a) uncontracted and (b) unsold homes have been supported for (i) purchase and (ii) completion under the Section 106 Affordable Housing Clearing Service since its inception.

In December 2024, the government launched the Homes England Clearing Service to help buyers and sellers of Section 106 homes find each other more effectively. Whilst interested parties are encouraged to update when a sale is facilitated, doing so is not mandatory. As a result, we do not have exhaustive data on the number of homes sold or contracted through the service.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of delivery of new housing by the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation; and whether that corporation has a target for new homes to be completed in this Parliament.

The role of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC) is to facilitate delivery of up to 15,000 homes at Ebbsfleet Garden City. To date, over 5,000 new homes have been completed. EDC publishes annual business plans that show over the last five years, an average of over 550 homes have been delivered per annum, exceeding the Corporation’s annual targets in each of these years. The next EDC business plan will be published in due course.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 78235 on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Working Group, which states that the working group did not engage with organisations which are subject to the Government's non-engagement policy, whether under that non-engagement policy consultation responses from extremist groups were disregarded and not read by the Working Group.

The Working Group did not engage with anyone that government holds a non-engagement policy with. They held a call for evidence that was open to the public - any individual or organisation could respond.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2025 to Question 75607 on Working Hours: Cambridge City Council, whether he has (a) changed policy and (b) written to local authorities on four day weeks.

This Government is committed to working in partnership with local authorities and will not micromanage their day-today running. The Secretary of State wrote to South Cambridgeshire District Council in October 2025 (copied to Cambridge City Council), stating the Government’s policy that local authorities should not be offering full time pay for part time work.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78942 on Allotments: Green Belt, if he will take steps to amend planning (a) policy and (b) practice guidance to explicitly exclude allotment land in the green belt from being classified as grey belt land.

I once again refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Question UIN 58901 on 19 June 2025 and Question UIN 78942 on 20 October 2025. The House will be updated on any proposed changes to planning policy and practice guidance in the usual way.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 28 October 2025 entitled Local Government Reorganisation, HCWS998, what estimate his Department has made of the debt that West Surrey council will inherit when it is established.

It is the responsibility of councils to manage their budgets, and it is standard for councils to borrow and to hold debt. The government was clear in statutory invitations for Reorganisation proposals (criterion 2f), that proposals should reflect the extent to which the implications of debt linked to historic capital practices could be managed locally.On 28 October 2025, we announced our unprecedented commitment to repay in-principle £500 million of Woking Borough Council’s debt in 2026-27. This reflects significant unsupported debt held by the Council that cannot be managed locally. This is a first tranche of debt repayment support, and we will continue to explore what further debt support is required at a later point.Government remains committed to achieving the best value for money for taxpayers in the rationalisation of Woking’s assets, and to providing interim financial support to the new council until a final decision is made.

Communities and Local Government, what his planned timetable is for the (a) commencement and (b) implementation of the provisions of the Renters Rights Act 2025; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of implementation on existing tenancies.

The government intends to set out detailed implementation plans in the near future. An Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Bill was published in November 2024. It can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 81306 on Planning, when he plans to publish the evaluation plan on (a) gov.uk and (b) the evaluation registry.

Details of the government’s Digital Planning Programme Evaluation are published on gov.uk here. It is not a requirement to publish an evaluation plan and the publication of one is yet to be determined for this programme.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has consulted the (a) Conservative Party and (b) Labour Party on proposed changes to (i) electoral and (ii) political finance law since 4 July 2024.

The political finance and wider electoral measures set out in the Government’s Strategy for Modern and Secure Elections paper are building on long-standing, well-established recommendations from expert stakeholders across the electoral landscape.In developing our measures, we have worked closely with key stakeholders. Following the publication of the Elections Strategy paper, we have engaged with a variety of stakeholders including the Parliamentary Parties Panel. We are keen to continue this important engagement with all stakeholders, including political parties, as we progress this work.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has received communications from lobbying companies on local government reorganisation; and whether officials in his Department have had meetings with lobbying companies representing local authorities.

My Department is regularly contacted by organisations with an interest in local government reorganisation. My officials also conduct regular meetings with a wide range of stakeholders to hear their views and insights, as part of the Department’s public engagement on the issue.Officials must adhere to the Civil Service code at all times and abide by the Nolan Principles, which set out the standards expected of those in public life.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled PM backs true patriots to lead UK renewal with £5bn investment, whether the £3.5 billion of additional Pride in Place funding is funded from the abolition of the Levelling Up Fund.

On 25 September, the Government launched its overarching Pride in Place Strategy, committing up to £5 billion in funding and support to 339 communities. The flagship Pride in Place Programme will provide up to £20 million in flexible funding and support to 244 places over the next decade. This will serve as the cornerstone of this Government’s support for communities, incorporating the existing 25 trailblazer areas announced at Spending Review and the 75 Phase 1 Plan for Neighbourhoods programme areas that were announced in March. This Government is delivering in contrast to the empty unfunded promises that were made by the previous administration. The Pride in Place funding is separate from programmes announced by the previous administration, including the Levelling Up Fund, and forms part of this Government’s new regeneration agenda to help build strong, resilient communities in areas facing the most entrenched social and economic challenges.

Communities and Local Government, whether single foundation authorities will have (a) access to full devolution and (b) an elected mayor.

Single foundation strategic authorities will be non-mayoral. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill makes provision for the Secretary of State to designate a unitary council or county council, which is not covered by an existing strategic authority, as a single foundation strategic authority, subject to the consent of the council involved. The deepest powers and functions will be available to strategic authorities led by a mayor, as set out in the English Devolution White Paper.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has given to mayoral combined authorities that cannot find a constituent member to consent to be nominated as a deputy mayor.

The Department has not issued any guidance to Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) to cover the circumstances where the Mayor cannot find a constituent member to act as their statutory deputy mayor. This situation has not arisen to date and no authority has requested advice.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 44 of his Department's policy paper entitled Pride in Place Strategy, published on 25 September 2025, what the terms of reference are for the Common Ground Resilience Fund; and over which years that funding will be allocated.

The purpose of the Common Ground Resilience Fund is set out in the Pride in Place Strategy. A key strand of the Fund is the Common Ground Award details of which can be found on gov.uk here. The funding is for the 2025-26 Financial Year.