Written questions by Cleverly.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance he has given to business improvement districts on whether they should adjust their multiplier supplement as a consequence of the increase in Rateable Values from the 2026 business rates revelation.

The Secretary of State has not issued any guidance to Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) on adjusting levy arrangements or supplements in response to changes in rateable values from the 2026 business rates revaluation. BID levies are set locally through ballot‑approved proposals and are not automatically affected by national revaluation or multipliers, so any adjustment is a matter for the individual BID under its governing arrangements.

Communities and Local Government, how will the uplift in Rateable Values of airports in the 2026 Rating List, relative to the 2023 Rating List, affect the revenue of local billing authorities with airports in their localities.

At revaluations, adjustments through the business rates retention system ensure that as far as possible local authorities do not see a change in the income they raise from business rates. In 2026-27, the business rates retention system is being reset as part of the design of the multi-year settlement which will also deliver the Fair Funding Review reforms. The reset includes a new measurement of all local authorities’ income which takes into account the impact of the 2026 revaluation, and reallocates business rates funding according to an updated measurement of local government funding need.

Communities and Local Government, whether Government business rate (1) transitional relief and (2) Supporting Small Business Relief applies to the (a) Business Improvement District supplements and (b) Crossrail / GLA business rate supplement, in 2026-27 where the increased Rateable Value of a hereditament following the revaluation has (i) made the property liable for the supplement or (ii) increased the existing liability for the supplement.

The application and calculation of BID supplements and the Business Rates Supplement in London are matters for the BID body and the GLA respectively. The government does not determine these levies.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Affordable Homes Programme annual report 2024 to 2025, published on 7 January 2026, what was the average grant subsidy in London for the 871 homes completed to date, by (a) social rent, (b) affordable rent, (c) London living rent and (d) affordable home ownership.

The Affordable Homes Programme is delivered in London by the Greater London Authority (GLA). The GLA do not publish the information requested on the basis it is commercially sensitive.

With reference to the answer of 7 January 2026 to Question HL13000 on Police and Crime Commissioners, whether those savings include the operational costs of PCC functions being transferred to the offices of elected combined authority mayors.

As set out in the government’s answer to Question HL13000, we expect to be able to save at least £20m per annum from 2028/29 as a result of aligning back office and support arrangements for policing governance with wider local government functions.This includes savings as a result of transferring PCC functions to combined authority mayors.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2026, to Question 103292, on Asylum: Housing, if he will publish the list of local authorities that his Department has engaged with to date on the new model.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is committed to working in close partnership with local authorities to develop and deliver a new, more sustainable model for asylum accommodation. While we do not plan to publish a list of the individual local authorities we have engaged with, our approach has been designed to ensure we hear from a broad and representative range of local authorities during the development of the new model.

Communities and Local Government, if he will ensure that policies applying to local government members apply to Ministers in his Department.

Ministers are expected to maintain high standards of behaviour and to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety. The Ministerial Code provides guidance to ministers on how they should act and arrange their affairs in order to uphold these standards. Ministers are responsible for their own behaviour, and are ultimately accountable to the Prime Minister for their conduct under the Ministerial Code

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 November 2025 to Question 90722 on Local Government: Reorganisation, what practical steps his Department has taken to implement the Civil Service Code and the principles of public life set out by the Nolan Committee when a lobbyist working on behalf of a local authority seeks to influence government policy on local government restructuring.

All civil servants are expected to adhere to the Civil Service Code and the Nolan Principles when carrying out their duties, including during engagement with external stakeholders.

Whether the 2026 business rates revaluation is revenue-neutral.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down next year. Government support also means that most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.

Pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2025, to Question 95399, on Council tax: valuation, what was the evidential basis and sources used to estimate the 1% figure.

The sources used to calculate the number of properties impacted are set out in the published costings document: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/692872fd2a37784b16ecf676/Budget_2025-Policy_Costings.pdf

What the business rates special category code (SCAT) the Valuation Office Agency uses for (a) coffee shops, (b) wine bars and (c) cafes is.

Information on SCAT codes is available at this link [SCat code list]

How many value estimates will be produced by the Valuation Office Agency for the council tax surcharge valuations.

Fewer than 1% of properties are expected to be above the £2 million threshold. The Valuation Office Agency is developing its approach and will set out more information alongside the government’s consultation.

Pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2025, to Question 99923, on Retail Trade: Business Rates, what is the estimated number of hereditaments, and average Rateable Value, that will receive Retail Hospitality & Leisure (RHL) multiplier in 2026-27 that were otherwise at the £110,000 cap for RHL relief in 2025-26.

The Government is introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government publishes data on the cost of, and number of properties receiving, business rates relief. This data can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-non-domestic-rates-collected-by-councils-in-england-forecast-2025-to-2026

Communities and Local Government, how much total government grant will (1) Wandsworth Borough Council and (2) Westminster City Council receive in (a) 2024-25, (b) 2025-26 and (c) 2026-27.

The provisional Settlement 2026–27 will make available almost £78 billion in Core Spending Power (CSP) for local authorities in England, a 5.7% cash-terms increase compared to 2025–26. CSP allocations for individual local authorities through the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-27 can be found here. CSP allocations for individual local authorities for the Local Government Finance Settlement 2024-25 and 2025-26 can be found here and here respectively.

How many hereditaments in London were (a) valued over £75,000 on the 2023 Rating List and (b) valued over £85,000 on the 2026 Rating List, according to information held by the Valuation Office Agency.

Information relating to your request can be found here.

If she will place in the Library a copy of the Equality Impact Assessment produced by the Valuation Office Agency for the 2026 business rates revaluation.

We do not routinely release equality assessments.

What external contractors is the Valuation Office Agency using to support its valuation work on (a) a council tax revaluation in Wales and (b) the council tax surcharge in England.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is not using external contractors to perform its valuation work on the 2028 Council Tax revaluation in Wales.The approach to the High Value Council Tax Surcharge is being developed and more details will be set out in due course, alongside the Government's consultation.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to Local authority capital expenditure and receipts in England: 2024 to 2025 final outturn, Published 6 November 2025, what proportion of the £3.0 billion of total capital receipts in 2024-25 was subject to the Flexible Use of Capital Receipts direction that allows such receipts to spent on revenue expenditure.

The Flexible Use of Capital Receipts general direction was introduced in 2016 by the previous government and remains substantively unchanged. The total value of capital receipts received by local authorities in 2024-25 was £4.3 billion, as reported on gov.uk here. This government has not changed the rules on use of capital receipts; not all capital receipts are eligible for use under the general flexibility. For example, under the direction, eligible capital receipts must be genuine disposals outside of the local authorities’ group structure. Nor does the flexibility override any statutory restrictions that may exist on certain types of assets. The government does not collect specific data on eligible capital receipts held by local authorities. Use of the flexibility is at the discretion of local authorities but must be compliant with the conditions of the general flexibility and their wider statutory duties. The government is clear that its use should represent value for money and be in the best interests of local residents.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2026, to Question 102762, on Countering Foreign Financial Influence and Interference in UK politics independent review, how many civil servants are assigned to support the review; and whether the review will be undertaking any formal call for evidence.

A team of five civil servants has been assigned to support the review. The review will not be undertaking a formal call for evidence, but individuals and organisations are able to submit evidence via the public mailbox - reviewteam@rycroftreview.independent.gov.uk.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 88734 on Asylum Housing, whether (a) his Department and (b) the Planning Inspectorate has issued guidance on this matter.

Neither my Department nor the Planning Inspectorate has issued any guidance to local authorities on when and how often they can issue stop notices in relation to housing asylum seekers.