Every parliamentary written question tabled by Kevin Hollinrake this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 2,561–2,580 of 2,858 · this parliament
Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, if she will make it her policy to ensure elections to principal and strategic authorities take place concurrently.
The Government has no plans to change the timing of elections for principal and strategic authorities to ensure that they take place concurrently.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of biodiversity net gain on the cost of housebuilding.
Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain was introduced by the previous government through the Environment Act 2021. To support this, an impact assessment was undertaken in 2019 estimating the overall assessed cost of biodiversity net gain to developers and the effect on developable land prices. No subsequent assessment has been made under the current government.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, what financial resources will be made available by her Department to support mayoral combined authorities in bringing forward spatial development plans.
We recognise that strategic authorities will require effective capacity so that they can deliver on the ambitions set out in the English Devolution White Paper, including in relation to proposed Spatial Development Strategies. Any decisions on funding will be a matter for the upcoming Spending Review.
Communities and Local Government, how many households were on social housing waiting lists in (a) England and (b) London in each year since 2009-10.
The number of households on social housing registers (waiting lists) in (a) England) and (b) London each year since 2009-10 is available in live table 600 here. The number of households on the housing register (waiting list) is not the same as the number of households waiting. Local authorities periodically review their registers to remove households who no longer require housing, so the total number of households on housing registers may overstate the number of households who still require social housing at any one time. The frequency of reviews varies between local authorities. Housing register size may also be affected by other factors. For example, there is the potential for some households to be on the housing register of more than one local authority.
Communities and Local Government, what the average grant subsidy per unit is to build an average affordable dwelling under the (a) social rent, (b) affordable rent and (c) affordable home ownership tenures for the current Affordable Housing Programme.
The Department delegates delivery of the Affordable Homes Programme to Homes England outside London and to the Greater London Authority (GLA) in London. The government agrees budgets and targets with both agencies to deliver the programme’s overall targets for additional homes and specific types of tenure, as well as types of home, including those built using of Modern Methods of Construction and Supported Housing.In awarding contracts under the programme Homes England and the GLA assess the need for grant on a site-by-site basis. In agreeing how much grant a project requires they will take into account the costs for building out the site with how much grant is needed to make that project viable, and the overall value for money for the programme. The most recent publication, with data reflecting grant allocations to the end of March 2023, can be found here.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 3.35 of Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, how much and what proportion of the £46 million in funding allocated to her Department will be spent on (a) recruitment and training for graduates and apprentices, (b) accelerating large sites waiting for planning approval and (c) upskilling local planning authority capacity.
Details of precisely how the £46 million committed to support capacity and capability in local planning authorities will be allocated is subject to departmental planning, and negotiations are ongoing with delivery partners. Further detail will be provided in due course and the House will be updated in the usual way.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) increases to (i) capital gains tax and (ii) stamp duty, (b) fixed term tenancies and evictions in the Renters’ Rights Bill and (c) requiring landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their properties to a EPC C rating by 2030 on the private rented sector by the end of this Parliament.
There were no changes made to Capital Gains tax residential property rates at Autumn Budget and Spending Round 2024.The increase of the higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) by two percentage points does not affect existing landlords, only those looking to enter the market or expand their portfolio. Landlords can still benefit from the lower non-residential rates of SDLT when purchasing six or more properties in a single transaction, or mixed (commercial and residential) property.The Department published the Renters’ Rights Bill Impact Assessment on 22 November 2024. It received a ‘Green’ rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC), indicating that it is ‘fit for purpose’. For landlords that already provide decent homes and a prompt repair service to their tenants, the costs of our reforms, including abolishing fixed terms and introducing reformed possession grounds, are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually – only 0.2% of mean annual rents.The government will consult shortly on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030. The consultation will be accompanied by an assessment of the potential impacts of the proposals.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department’s English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, what the evidential basis is for the decision to set new unitary council sizes at 500,000 or more.
The overall case for local government reorganisation is set out the English Devolution White Paper. New unitary councils must be the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks. For most areas this will mean creating councils with a population of 500,000 or more, but there may be exceptions to ensure new structures make sense for an area, including for devolution, and decisions will be on a case-by-case basis.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answers of 3 December 2024 to Question (a) 15923 and (b) 15934 on Mayors: Elections, for what reason Greater Lincolnshire is not listed as having a mayoral election in 2025.
Questions UIN 15923 and UIN 15934 concerned combined authorities. Greater Lincolnshire will be established as a combined county authority under legislation currently before Parliament. When that legislation is approved by Parliament, and made, the Greater Lincolnshire mayoral election will be added to the published list of elections.
Whether properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or less will be able to continue to claim Small Business Rate Relief for the 2026-27 year.
Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000. The government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Transforming Business Rates Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on whether the current eligibility criteria impact businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property.
What assessment her Department has made of the financial impact of potential changes to Small Business Rate Relief after the introduction of new non-domestic rate multipliers on small businesses; and whether she plans to take steps to mitigate this impact.
Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000. The government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Transforming Business Rates Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on whether the current eligibility criteria impact businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions on (a) construction and (b) housebuilding.
The government considered the cost pressures facing all employers as part of the Spending Review process.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 15439 on Local government finance, if she will list each of the bidding schemes that have operated in her Department in 2024-25.
The government is committed to pursuing a comprehensive set of reforms for public services to return the local government sector to a sustainable position. This will be done in partnership with local government. We are inviting views on our objectives and principles for local government funding reform via a consultation that is open until the 12 February.In regard to Local Growth funding, this Government was elected on a manifesto that stressed a partnership approach with local authorities and an intention to stabilise the funding system by providing multi-year funding settlements and ending competitive bidding which was the requirement for funds such as Future High Streets Fund, Town Deals and the Levelling Up Fund.
Communities and Local Government, on what dates the public hearings will be held for the Planning Inspectorate's inquiry into the Chinese Embassy planning application; and which planning inspector will be chairing the inquiry.
The desired information can be found here on the Appeals Casework Portal reference APP/E5900/V/24/3353754.
Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of new dwellings built in (a) England and (b) London were flats in the last year for which figures are available.
Annual estimates of the proportion of building control reported new build purpose-built flats in England and London are shown in Live Table 254, which can be found on gov.uk here.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's press release on building, published on 5 December 2024, what the mechanism is by which she plans to meet the target of 150 infrastructure decisions to be decided; and whether this target relates to (a) national infrastructure planning and (b) major developments under the Town and Country Planning Act.
As part of its Plan for Change, the government has pledged to make decisions on at least 150 major infrastructure projects within this parliament. This target is aimed at projects of a certain type and over a certain size as set out under the Planning Act 2008, which are considered by government to be of national importance and therefore should be consented at a national level through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the target of 1.5 million new homes in the context of net migration.
I refer the hon Member to the answer to Question UIN 2451 on 5 September 2024.
Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of job vacancies in her Department have been externally advertised since 4 July 2024.
For the period, 4 July to 31 December 2024, 179 vacancies (67.6%) were advertised externally. 58 job vacancies (32.4% of total advertised) were advertised as Across Government only campaigns.This data set reflects campaigns that were advertised and appointments made within this period – it does not include expressions of interest.Further detail of across government campaigns, job titles and grade:Departmental groupGrade breakdownJob titleGradeCorporate Group3x Grade 6 5x Grade 7 6x SEOCareers and Development LeadGrade 7Physical Security LeadSEOWorkforce TeamGrade 6StatisticianGrade 7Ministerial Team Security AdvisersSEOHead of Programme DeliveryGrade 6Deputy Head of ProfessionGrade 7Product ManagerSEOAssistant Departmental Records OfficerSEOSenior Product ManagerGrade 7Private Secretary & Business ManagerSEOLive Services ManagerSEOSubject Matter ExpertGrade 7Local Government and Public Services1x HEOCommunications OfficerHEOLocal Growth, Communities and Devolution6x Grade 6 5x Grade 7 5x SEO 3x HEODelivery ManagerSEOHead of UnitGrade 6Head of UnitGrade 6Policy LeadGrade 7Head of PolicyGrade 7Business Support OfficerHEOHead of OfficeGrade 7Programme ManagerGrade 6Programme Management Office ManagerGrade 7Senior Policy AdvisorSEORisk and Issue ManagerSEOStrategy Policy AdvisorHEOPolicy leadGrade 6Fund EvaluatorSEOHead of Elections DataGrade 6Policy & Funding AnalysisGrade 6Policy AdvisorSEOSenior Strategy AdvisorGrade 7Policy AdvisorHEORegeneration, Housing and Planning4x Grade 6 7x Grade 7 4x SEO 1x HEOPolicy Team LeadGrade 7Head of StrategyGrade 6Senior Policy AdvisorGrade 7Senior Policy and Strategy AdvisorsGrade 7Head of Housing Insights & Strategic PolicyGrade 6Social Housing Directorate SEOsSEOProperty Technology Strategy AdvisorGrade 7Policy AdvisorSEOPolicy OfficerHEOPolicy AdvisorSEOSenior Policy AdvisorGrade 7Private SecretaryGrade 7Head of Programme Management OfficeGrade 6Project ManagerSEOHead of Evaluation & InsightGrade 7Head of Economic AnalysisGrade 6Senior Policy AdviserSEOSafer and Greener Buildings1x Grade 6 3x SEO 1x HEOConstruction Products Policy AdviserSEOCommunity Relationship ManagerSEOPolicy AdvisorHEOPolicy and Briefing AdvisorSEOLead Technical ArchitectGrade 6Strategy and Communications1x Grade 6 1x Grade 7 1x HEOHead of Data ScienceGrade 6VideographerHEOSenior Private Secretary/Head of OfficeGrade 7
Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether the decision to suspend councillors will be taken by (a) the full council or (b) the local authority's standards committee; and what right of appeal will there be.
On 18 December the Government launched a consultation to seek views from local authorities, sector bodies, and the public on a range of proposals to strengthen the local government standards regime and ensure there is a stronger, more consistent, and more accountable framework for addressing member misconduct.The results of this consultation will help to inform any policy and legislative change, including in relation to the possible introduction of the sanction of suspension and related safeguards, and the appropriate arrangements for an appeals process.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 December 2024 to Question 16480 on Community Cohesion, if she will publish the (a) membership and (b) terms of reference of the Communities and Recovery Steering Group.
Membership and Terms of Reference for the Community and Recovery Steering Group will be published in due course.