Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6386 on Affordable Housing, whether the social rent homes target in the 2021-26 Affordable Housing Programme has increased since 9 September 2024.

As set out in the Deputy Prime Minister’s statement made on 30 July 2024 (HCSW48), we have asked Homes England and the Greater London Authority to maximise the number of Social Rent homes in allocating the remaining Affordable Homes Programme funding. The programme targets for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme remain as set out in our update on 30 July.At the Budget the Chancellor announced an immediate injection of £500 million into this Programme. This will support delivery of up to 5,000 additional homes and bidding is already open to local authorities and other social landlords. I have asked Homes England and the GLA to prioritise social rent homes in assessing those bids and allocating this funding.

Communities and Local Government, what the (a) substantive information requested and (b) decision was for each (i) Freedom of Information Act and (ii) Environmental Information Regulation request received by her Department since the general election; and what exemption was used to (A) refuse and (B) part-refuse each request.

The Cabinet Office has responsibility for Freedom of Information policy in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and publishes information on the handling of requests at this link: Freedom of Information statistics - GOV.UK.Statistics for the period requested are attached. We have annexed the information you requested to this response.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6395 MHCLG: departmental responsibilities, what work the Deputy Prime Minister's Policy and Strategy Unit does for her remit as Deputy Prime Minister.

The Deputy Prime Minister's Policy and Strategy Unit supports delivery of priorities across both her remit as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Deputy Prime Minister. The policy and strategy unit performs a similar role to equivalent units established under previous administrations.The Policy and Strategy Unit is comprised of two Deputy Directors, supported by policy advisors (at grade HEO/SEO) and senior policy advisors (at grade 7/6). The approach to recruitment and staffing levels is in line with the approach taken for these central functions under the previous administration.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to (a) employer National Insurance contributions and (b) business rate relief on community pubs.

To repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the Government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance. The Government recognises the need to protect the smallest employers which is why we have more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning more than half of businesses with NICs liabilities either gain or see no change next year. A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 November and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-the-class-1-national-insurance-contributions-secondary-threshold-the-secondary-class-1-national-insurance-contributions-rate-and-the-empl/changes-to-the-class-1-national-insurance-contributions-secondary-threshold-the-secondary-class-1-national-insurance-contributions-rate-and-the-empl Without any Government intervention, Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) business rates relief would have ended entirely in April 2025, creating a cliff-edge for businesses. Instead, the Government has decided to offer a 40 per cent discount to RHL properties up to a cash cap of £110,0000 per business in 2025-26 and frozen the small business multiplier. By tapering RHL relief to 40%, rather than removing it entirely, the Government has saved the average pub, with a rateable value (RV) of £16,800, over £3,300 in 2025. The Chancellor also announced a duty cut on qualifying draught products – approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This represents an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year and is equivalent to a 1p duty reduction on a typical pint. This reduction increased the relief available on draught products to 13.9%.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6395 on MHCLG: departmental responsibilities, what the headcount number of staff is for the Policy and Strategy Unit by civil service grade.

The Deputy Prime Minister's Policy and Strategy Unit supports delivery of priorities across both her remit as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Deputy Prime Minister. The policy and strategy unit performs a similar role to equivalent units established under previous administrations.The Policy and Strategy Unit is comprised of two Deputy Directors, supported by policy advisors (at grade HEO/SEO) and senior policy advisors (at grade 7/6). The approach to recruitment and staffing levels is in line with the approach taken for these central functions under the previous administration.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 5412 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public Consultation, how many officials in her Department are employed to work specifically on consultations.

This government is committed to using consultations and other forms of public engagement to support effective decision-making and delivery. We will respond to all consultations in a timely manner, in line with agreed deadlines.Within MHCLG, responsibility for managing consultations primarily sits with the relevant individual policy team. No staff are therefore specifically employed to work on consultations.Information relating to consultations under the previous administration cannot be provided, as it is not held centrally and collating it would result in a disproportionate cost to the department.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to Homes England press release of 15 October 2024, entitled Homes England invests in Schroders Capital’s Real Estate Impact Fund, whether the £50 million of funding is (a) capital spending, (b) revenue spending and (c) a financial transaction.

The Homes England investment into Schroders Capital’s Real Estate Impact Fund was announced following the government’s International Investment Summit. The investment of £50 million was a Financial Transaction from Capital Spending budgets (CDEL- FT) and sits alongside other capital from private sector investors with the aim of generating a financial return for shareholders. The commitment from Homes England will increase the ability of the fund to secure further allocations whilst also enabling the provision of new social and affordable homes and supporting town centre regeneration, key objectives of Homes England.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 5412 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public Consultation, if she will list the consultation documents that closed between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024 that have not yet received a formal response.

This government is committed to using consultations and other forms of public engagement to support effective decision-making and delivery. We will respond to all consultations in a timely manner, in line with agreed deadlines.Within MHCLG, responsibility for managing consultations primarily sits with the relevant individual policy team. No staff are therefore specifically employed to work on consultations.Information relating to consultations under the previous administration cannot be provided, as it is not held centrally and collating it would result in a disproportionate cost to the department.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 5420 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Pentland Communications and Sovereign Strategy, where on gov.uk details are published of meetings between special advisers and external organisations that are not senior media executives.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of external meetings held by Special Advisers are published in line with the requirements set out in guidance here.

Communities and Local Government, what her Department's policy is on (a) Ministerial and (b) official-level engagement with (i) the Muslim Association of Britain, (ii) Cage and (iii) MEND.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 20228 on 24 December 2024.

Communities and Local Government, for what reason the Minister for Homelessness and Democracy is no longer responsible for the Grenfell brief.

Trusted relationships between ministers and the Grenfell community are essential for this Department. Before I became a Minister, I called for the French delegation of the Franco-British Colloque to cut ties with Saint Gobain. But I understand that perception matters and I therefore concluded that the building safety portfolio would be best transferred to another minister.Updated ministerial responsibilities were published in October.Our goals of making buildings safe and preventing another tragedy continue to be very important issues for me, and the Deputy Prime Minister and the rest of the ministerial team have my full support in delivering on this work.

Communities and Local Government, how much funding has been provided to local authorities from Right to Buy receipts to fund new housing in each year since 2009-10.

Since 2012, councils have been able to retain a portion of the capital receipts generated from Right to Buy sales to use towards new affordable housing.Prior to 2012, around 75% of receipts were returned to the Treasury and the remaining 25% was retained by the council for any capital purpose.Since 2012, councils have retained on average £446.8 million per year for replacement social housing.Between 2012-13 and 2021-22 councils were required to return a portion of the capital receipt to HMT representing approximately £183 million per annum.As announced at Budget, the government is allowing councils to retain the share of the receipts that was previously returned to HMT so support the delivery of replacement homes.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Prime Minister's speech entitled PM International Investment Summit Speech: 14 October 2024, whether she plans to remove (a) nutrient neutrality rules, (b) Environmental Information Assessments and (c) Strategic Environmental Assessments.

I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 556 on 26 July 2024 and Question 1315 on 26 July 2024.

Communities and Local Government, whether any planning applications for national significant infrastructure development consent have been delayed from the original statutory deadline since 4 July 2024.

There has been a total of seven planning applications delayed from the original statutory deadline since 4 July 2024.They are as follows:Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant;Heckington Fen Solar;Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange;Luton Airport;Lower Thames Crossing;North Lincolnshire Green Energy Park; andWest Burton Solar.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question HL1722 on Housing: Regeneration, whether the 1.5 million new homes target will count residential dwellings resulting from a change of use from non-residential hereditaments.

As confirmed in my recent evidence to the select committee, net additional dwellings will be the main measure of the commitment to deliver 1.5 million homes over this Parliament.This statistic includes residential dwellings resulting from a change of use from non-residential hereditaments.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to commission further rounds of the (a) Build to Rent fund and (b) Private Rented Sector Guarantee scheme.

The government provides development finance for Build to Rent schemes alongside institutional investors through our Levelling Up Home Building Fund, delivered by Homes England.Building on the announcement in the last Budget, we will be reopening the Private Rented Sector Guarantee Scheme (PRSGS) for another three years to new applicants, and just under £2 billion of guarantee capacity will be available to Build-to-Rent developers to support housebuilding.We have also modernised the scheme rules to reflect the current state of the market, meaning that more housebuilders will be able to access lending.

Communities and Local Government, if she will set council tax referendum thresholds for 2025-26.

The government has published the local government finance policy statement setting out referendum thresholds for 2025-26. This is available here.

Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on facilitating the use of the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre by Parliament during its Restoration and Renewal Programme.

There is no policy or agreement in place with the Houses of Parliament on using the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre during the Restoration and Renewal Programme. However, the Government continues to work with Parliament on the Restoration and Renewal Programme ahead of proposals coming to the House in 2025.

Communities and Local Government, if she will publish all correspondence between her Department and the Commissioner for Public Appointments in relation to the appointment of the MHCLG Lead Non-Executive Director on 21 October 2024.

I will place a copy of the department’s letter to the Commissioner for Public Appointments in the Library of the House in the coming days. The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments also publishes an annual list of direct appointments that the Commissioner has been consulted on.

Communities and Local Government, by what dates her Department is required to (a) publish and (b) ratify the local government finance settlement for 2025-26; and what the deadlines are for local authorities to publish their (i) budget and (ii) council tax requirements for 2025-26.

Precepting authorities must set their council tax by 1 March each year and billing authorities must set their council tax by 11 March. Within 21 days of setting their council tax, billing authorities are required to publish details of the total council tax charges in their area. There are no set dates by which the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS) must be published.To allow councils to set their budgets in good time, ahead of the 1 March deadline for setting council tax bills, the Department should publish and put before Parliament the final Local Government Finance Settlement 2025/26 before the end of February 2025.