Written questions by Cleverly.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77631 on Local Government: Reorganisation, whether his Department has commissioned research on the (a) costs and (b) impact of local government restructuring since 4 July 2024.

I refer the Rt. hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN: 77631 on 13 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, how many (a) social and (b) private homes were started in London in the first half of 2025.

My Department publishes a quarterly release entitled ‘Housing supply: Indicators of New Supply, England’, which includes estimates of new build starts and completions in London. Statistics to the quarter ending June 2025 can be found in Table 217 on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, with reference his Department's policy paper entitled English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether he plans to amend the proposed (a) minimum population and (b) geographic area of new (i) unitary and (ii) combined authorities.

The English Devolution White Paper and the Statutory Invitation set a guiding principle that new unitary councils should have a population size of 500,000 or more. We have been clear on the need for flexibility and there may be exceptions to ensure new structures make sense for an area. For the areas going through local government reorganisation, decisions will therefore be taken individually and proposals will be carefully considered against the criteria set out in the invitation letter of 5 February, alongside the responses to the consultation, all representations and all other relevant information to assess the proposals. The White Paper also set out that the default assumption is for Strategic Authorities to have a combined population of 1.5 million or above, but we accept that in some places, smaller authorities may be necessary. Decisions on strategic authorities will also be on a case-by-case basis. Instead of presenting a top-down solution for each area, our starting point is to support and empower local leaders and to respect their knowledge, expertise and insight.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77636 on local government finance, if he will (a) list each local authority that has had a disposal flexibility request approved since 4 July 2025 and (b) the value of each.

The Flexible Use of Capital Receipts general direction was introduced in 2016 by the previous government and remains substantively unchanged. As set out in the general direction and guidance, local authorities intending to use the discretionary freedoms must provide the government with details of their planned use of the flexibility. This is to make sure that the government is adequately sighted on the use of the flexibility and can monitor how it is used. Government does not, however, approve the plans or any specific use of the flexibility. Local authorities remain responsible for appropriately complying with the direction and guidance, and ensuring their decisions are in the best interests of local residents. Since 4 July 2025, MHCLG has received new and updated plans from 16 local authorities. The government does not publish a list of authorities that have submitted plans or details that authorities have provided on the intended use of the flexibility – in some cases authorities may have chosen not to make this information public for reasons such as commercial sensitivity.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) remaining in and (b) leaving the Aarhus Convention.

The Government remains committed to the effective implementation of its international obligations and to the three pillars of the Aarhus Convention of access to environmental information, participation in environmental decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters. We remain committed to working with the Convention's mechanisms to ensure it functions effectively and upholds these principles.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the initial Government response to the independent report entitled New Towns Taskforce, published on 28 September 2025, what the (a) budget and (b) timetable is for the (i) strategic environment assessment and (ii) habitats regulation assessment.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the government’s initial response to the independent New Towns Taskforce report published on 28 September which can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the policy paper entitled Licensing policy sprint: joint industry and HM government taskforce report, published on 14 August 2025, whether he plans to implement the recommendations in the section entitled Planning – permitted development.

The government published its response to the Licensing Taskforce Report on 14 August. We continue to keep permitted development rights under review.

Communities and Local Government, how many long-term empty dwellings received funding through the New Homes Bonus in each year since the creation of that scheme.

The New Homes Bonus has been paid in respect of over 2.9 million net additional homes since its introduction in 2011. This includes over 745,000 affordable homes and 65,000 long-term empty properties returned to use.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to review Document O building regulations for windows, in the context of encouraging house building.

Part O of the Building Regulations ensures new housing is built to mitigate the risk of overheating. This came into effect in June 2022.Since October 2023, the Building Safety Regulator has a statutory duty under the Building Safety Act 2022 to keep the safety and standard of buildings under review. This includes continuous review of the Building Regulations and the Approved Documents, which provide statutory guidance on how to meet the functional requirements on the Regulations.In the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation, which ran from December 2023 – March 2024, the Government sought views on whether the current overheating standards are appropriate or require amendment. We are reviewing proposals and feedback from the consultation and will publish the Government response in the coming months.We are also engaging with industry via the Future Homes Hub to gain greater insight into how Part O is being implemented in practice.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has received recent representations from relevant stakeholders on the closure of the (a) Smithfield and (b) Billingsgate market.

The Secretary of State has not received recent representations from relevant stakeholders about Smithfield or Billingsgate market.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2025 to Question 75992 on Combatting Hate Against Muslims Fund, which organisations submitted an application.

The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government received 34 applications to the Combating Hatred Against Muslim Fund. All applicants were required to submit a detailed business plan as well as provide answers to questions related to 16 criteria. More information on the 16 criteria which applications were assessed against can be found on the fund’s prospectus here. The prospectus for the Combatting Hate Against Muslims Fund did not indicate that the names of applicants would be made public and applications were not submitted on this basis.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2025 to Question 76608 on Local Government: Elections, (a) what types of information cannot be shared and (b) which (i) regulators and (ii) enforcement authorities information is shared with.

The Electoral Commission currently lacks an explicit statutory gateway to share information with other regulators and enforcement authorities, making routine information-sharing burdensome and impeding effective cooperation.Alongside other proposals in the Elections Strategy, further details will be set out in legislation which will be introduced when parliamentary time allows.

Communities and Local Government, if he will set out the differences in (a) scope and (b) the terms and reference between the (a) Community Cohesion and Resilience Programme and (b) Community Recovery Fund in 2024-25; and if will list the local authorities that received funding from both in 2024-25.

The scope and terms of reference of the Community Cohesion Resilience Programme was set out in my response to Parliamentary Question UIN 78216. Those for the Community Recovery Fund are set out on GOV.UK Community Recovery Fund: Guidance - GOV.UK including the Councils receiving the funding. The Councils to receive funding through the Community Cohesion Resilience Fund were:Birmingham City CouncilBlackburn with Darwen Borough CouncilBolton Metropolitan Borough CouncilBrent London BoroughBurnley Borough CouncilBury Metropolitan Borough CouncilCalderdale Metropolitan Borough CouncilCity of Bradford Metropolitan District CouncilCity of Doncaster CouncilCoventry City CouncilDerby City CouncilDover District CouncilDudley Metropolitan Borough CouncilEaling London BoroughEnfield London BoroughGateshead Metropolitan Borough CouncilHaringey London BoroughHillingdon London BoroughHounslow London BoroughHull City CouncilHyndburn Borough CouncilKirklees CouncilLeeds City CouncilLeicester City CouncilLiverpool City CouncilLuton Borough CouncilManchester City CouncilMiddlesbrough CouncilNewcastle City CouncilNewham London BoroughNorth Lincolnshire CouncilOldham Metropolitan Borough CouncilPendle Borough CouncilRedbridge London BoroughRochdale Metropolitan Borough CouncilRotherham Metropolitan Borough CouncilSandwell Metropolitan Borough CouncilSheffield City CouncilSouth Tyneside CouncilStoke-on-Trent City CouncilSunderland City CouncilTower Hamlets London BoroughWalsall Metropolitan Borough CouncilWolverhampton City Council

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77537 on Hotels: Taxation, if he will publish those representations.

The government does not intend to publish representations from Mayors relating to further funding, powers, partnerships or pilots. It is a matter for Mayors to decide if they want to make their representations public.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, published on 17 July 2025, whether he received representations from the Co-operative Party prior to the publication of that document.

The Government has worked closely with its partners in local and devolved government, with the electoral sector, with education providers and civil society, and with citizens themselves in the development of the strategy for modern and secure elections. We will continue to engage with a range of stakeholders, including with political parties and sector representative organisations such as the Association of Electoral Administrators, to ensure these changes are delivered successfully.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 16 September 2025 to Question 7560, on Sheffield City Council, whether he has received written representations from Sheffield City Council on the proposed abolition of the committee system of local authority governance.

I have not received any written representations from Sheffield City Council on the proposed abolition of the committee system of local authority governance. The Government remains open to hearing views from local authorities and others as the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill progresses through Parliament.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2025 to Question 75613 on Central Government: Supply Estimates, whether his Department has produced an internal 2025-26 outcome delivery plan.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 75613 on 16 September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether Cornwall Council will have a (a) single foundation elected mayor or (b) council elected mayor.

As set out in the Written Statement of 24 June 2025 (Simplified Local Leadership Structures, HCWS736), the Government is taking steps to prevent the creation of any further directly elected local authority mayors in England. In addition, 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 without a mayor, subject to the consent of the council involved. The English Devolution White Paper makes clear that non-mayoral devolution arrangements for single local authorities will only be considered by exception, and that the Government’s preference is for councils to combine with one or more neighbouring councils in order to be designated a strategic authority. The Government remains committed to working in partnership with local government, including Cornwall Council, to explore how devolution can best be delivered in each area

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's document entitled Initial government response - September 2025, published on 28 September 2025, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of homes that will be (a) started and (b) completed in new towns during 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, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) percentage and (b) area of (i) grey belt land within the green belt and (ii) green belt land that is grey belt.

My Department does not hold the requested information. It is for individual local planning authorities to undertake the necessary assessments to identify if land is grey belt, either through plan making or through considering specific applications that come forward. Similarly, it is for authorities to determine whether and how to evidence, justify, amend, and set out Green Belt boundaries through the preparation or updating of statutory plans.