Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to developers on the level of information required to satisfy Gateway 2 approval for an application to the Building Safety Regulator.

The Building Safety Regulator’s (BSR) handling time for each application is dependent on a range of factors, primarily the quality of the application and the additional information submitted by the applicant. As can be seen in the table below, the average handling time by hour varies.Average Assessment HoursCategory ACategory BConversion from Non-HRB to HRBNew BuildUn-Categorised01/10/2024 to 01/09/2025371911817617 BSR officials have provided the table below which demonstrates the average number of days taken to approve a Gateway 2 (GW2) application. Average of Decision (Days) Month BeginningCategory ACategory BConversion from Non-HRB to HRBNew BuildUn-CategorisedGrand Total01/10/2024132132 152 13401/11/2024153159 15501/12/202415712376127 15001/01/2025179171 17801/02/2025165147 20435818101/03/2025225179 15821701/04/2025229239211 11422301/05/2025193194 36726221501/06/2025213236 35325823601/07/2025212270 32540022801/08/2025195122 27334820901/09/2025200178184338420223Grand Total193174173284272202 Information on the length of documents submitted as part of applications is not something the BSR actively collects data for. The length and number of documents required to support a GW2 application varies, and there is no correlation between page length and achievement of a GW2 determination as the size and complexity of projects varies considerably. The BSR is actively supporting the Construction Leadership Council to develop and publish a further suite of industry guidance on the statutory documents accompanying building control approval applications, staged approvals for single tower HRBs and construction phase and gateway three (completion certificate stage). This is expected in November. The BSR has also published four new pieces of guidance, including:Building control approval for higher-risk buildings - GOV.UKMaking changes to a higher-risk building project - GOV.UKPreparing information for a building control approval application - GOV.UKApplying for a completion certificate - GOV.UK

Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department has made on clearing the backlog caused by the Building Safety Regulator since 30 June 2025.

We recognise that delays to the assessment of applications have been unacceptable, which is why we announced reforms to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) on 30 June, including plans to establish the BSR as a separate body. The BSR is already making operational and policy changes to speed up decision making, particularly on building control approval, including through the introduction of an Innovation Unit. Early signs are positive with all applications in the Innovation Unit so far on track to exceed or meet the 12-week SLA as they progress through the application process. To support transparency and accountability, the BSR published performance data on 16 October and will continue to do so monthly to track progress against this commitment. Gateway 2 decisions in July-September 2025 doubled to over 500 compared to around 250 in January-March 2025. In addition, the backlog of new-build applications has reduced from 134 on 30th June 2025 to 102 on 15th October 2025. The BSR has provided the sum of residential units that were without a decision covering these timeframes as of the 1st of each month spanning over 6 months: May -25Jun- 25Jul-25Aug-25Sep-25Oct-2512-25 weeks3,4172,2312,4122,0111,221026-51 weeks4,6033,9093,6932,9232,9152,01052+ weeks3086484836066060

Communities and Local Government, on average how many days it takes for the Building Safety Regulator to approve a successful Gateway 2 application.

The Building Safety Regulator’s (BSR) handling time for each application is dependent on a range of factors, primarily the quality of the application and the additional information submitted by the applicant. As can be seen in the table below, the average handling time by hour varies.Average Assessment HoursCategory ACategory BConversion from Non-HRB to HRBNew BuildUn-Categorised01/10/2024 to 01/09/2025371911817617 BSR officials have provided the table below which demonstrates the average number of days taken to approve a Gateway 2 (GW2) application. Average of Decision (Days) Month BeginningCategory ACategory BConversion from Non-HRB to HRBNew BuildUn-CategorisedGrand Total01/10/2024132132 152 13401/11/2024153159 15501/12/202415712376127 15001/01/2025179171 17801/02/2025165147 20435818101/03/2025225179 15821701/04/2025229239211 11422301/05/2025193194 36726221501/06/2025213236 35325823601/07/2025212270 32540022801/08/2025195122 27334820901/09/2025200178184338420223Grand Total193174173284272202 Information on the length of documents submitted as part of applications is not something the BSR actively collects data for. The length and number of documents required to support a GW2 application varies, and there is no correlation between page length and achievement of a GW2 determination as the size and complexity of projects varies considerably. The BSR is actively supporting the Construction Leadership Council to develop and publish a further suite of industry guidance on the statutory documents accompanying building control approval applications, staged approvals for single tower HRBs and construction phase and gateway three (completion certificate stage). This is expected in November. The BSR has also published four new pieces of guidance, including:Building control approval for higher-risk buildings - GOV.UKMaking changes to a higher-risk building project - GOV.UKPreparing information for a building control approval application - GOV.UKApplying for a completion certificate - GOV.UK

Communities and Local Government, what the average number of pages is that an applicant submits to achieve Gateway 2 clearance from the Building Safety Regulator.

The Building Safety Regulator’s (BSR) handling time for each application is dependent on a range of factors, primarily the quality of the application and the additional information submitted by the applicant. As can be seen in the table below, the average handling time by hour varies.Average Assessment HoursCategory ACategory BConversion from Non-HRB to HRBNew BuildUn-Categorised01/10/2024 to 01/09/2025371911817617 BSR officials have provided the table below which demonstrates the average number of days taken to approve a Gateway 2 (GW2) application. Average of Decision (Days) Month BeginningCategory ACategory BConversion from Non-HRB to HRBNew BuildUn-CategorisedGrand Total01/10/2024132132 152 13401/11/2024153159 15501/12/202415712376127 15001/01/2025179171 17801/02/2025165147 20435818101/03/2025225179 15821701/04/2025229239211 11422301/05/2025193194 36726221501/06/2025213236 35325823601/07/2025212270 32540022801/08/2025195122 27334820901/09/2025200178184338420223Grand Total193174173284272202 Information on the length of documents submitted as part of applications is not something the BSR actively collects data for. The length and number of documents required to support a GW2 application varies, and there is no correlation between page length and achievement of a GW2 determination as the size and complexity of projects varies considerably. The BSR is actively supporting the Construction Leadership Council to develop and publish a further suite of industry guidance on the statutory documents accompanying building control approval applications, staged approvals for single tower HRBs and construction phase and gateway three (completion certificate stage). This is expected in November. The BSR has also published four new pieces of guidance, including:Building control approval for higher-risk buildings - GOV.UKMaking changes to a higher-risk building project - GOV.UKPreparing information for a building control approval application - GOV.UKApplying for a completion certificate - GOV.UK

What discussions her Department had with housing developers before publishing the consultation with proposals to reform the Landfill Tax regime.

The Government recently consulted on proposals for reform of Landfill Tax to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste to be diverted away from landfill and to support our environmental goals. As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders, including representatives from the construction sector. The consultation closed on 28 July, and the government is considering responses and will set out next steps, including a summary of responses, in due course. This government is committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over 5 years as set out in the Plan for Change, and any final proposals will be designed to maintain the environmental effectiveness of the tax while supporting these plans.

Communities and Local Government, how many homes would have been delivered in buildings waiting for Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for (a) over 12 weeks, (b) over 26 weeks, (c) over 52 weeks and (d) in total in each of the last six months.

We recognise that delays to the assessment of applications have been unacceptable, which is why we announced reforms to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) on 30 June, including plans to establish the BSR as a separate body. The BSR is already making operational and policy changes to speed up decision making, particularly on building control approval, including through the introduction of an Innovation Unit. Early signs are positive with all applications in the Innovation Unit so far on track to exceed or meet the 12-week SLA as they progress through the application process. To support transparency and accountability, the BSR published performance data on 16 October and will continue to do so monthly to track progress against this commitment. Gateway 2 decisions in July-September 2025 doubled to over 500 compared to around 250 in January-March 2025. In addition, the backlog of new-build applications has reduced from 134 on 30th June 2025 to 102 on 15th October 2025. The BSR has provided the sum of residential units that were without a decision covering these timeframes as of the 1st of each month spanning over 6 months: May -25Jun- 25Jul-25Aug-25Sep-25Oct-2512-25 weeks3,4172,2312,4122,0111,221026-51 weeks4,6033,9093,6932,9232,9152,01052+ weeks3086484836066060

What estimate she has made of the cost to housing developers from the proposed reforms of Landfill Tax; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of this cost on housing delivery.

The Government recently consulted on proposals for reform of Landfill Tax to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste to be diverted away from landfill and to support our environmental goals. As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders, including representatives from the construction sector. The consultation closed on 28 July, and the government is considering responses and will set out next steps, including a summary of responses, in due course. This government is committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over 5 years as set out in the Plan for Change, and any final proposals will be designed to maintain the environmental effectiveness of the tax while supporting these plans.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the causes of the decline in the number of houses delivered in London this year.

When it comes to development, London faces challenges that are common to all parts of England over recent years. These include a significant increase in building material prices; a rise in financing costs; and planning capacity and capability pressures. In addition, the capital faces a number of challenges unique to its housing market which differs in important ways from the rest of the country. These include the fact that London is overwhelmingly reliant on flatted developments; has depended over recent decades on demand from international buyers and investors; and has a higher proportion of landowners (and traders acting on their behalf) who are global investors allocating development funding based on competing returns globally and across asset classes. The government is acutely aware of the housing delivery challenge in London. We are committed to working in partnership with the Mayor of London, London Boroughs, and other partners to significantly increase rates of housebuilding in the capital as part of our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. On 23 October 2025, the Secretary of State and the Mayor of London announced a new package of support for housebuilding in London. Details of that package can be found on gov.uk here. This package sits alongside reforms to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) announced on 30 June 2025, including operational and policy changes to speed up decision making, particularly on building control approval and the introduction of an Innovation Unit and batching process. Early signs are positive with all applications in the Innovation Unit so far on track to exceed or meet the 12-week SLA target.

Communities and Local Government, what recent guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the expiry dates of postal voting mandates for individual electors with postal votes.

The Electoral Commission, as the independent electoral regulator, holds responsibility for issuing guidance to Electoral Registration Officers on electoral registration, including on the expiry dates of postal voting mandates for individual electors with postal votes. The Government continues to support local authorities as they undertake activity related to the expiry of postal vote arrangements through New Burdens funding and engagement with the electoral sector.

Pursuant to the Answer of 29 August 2025 to Question 68763 and to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 74201 on Alcoholic Drinks, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing the financing of alcohol-related spending in green bond frameworks.

The Government provides financial support for green technologies, including those related to the manufacturing of alcoholic beverages. These policies are not funded via the Green Financing Programme: in line with international norms and investor expectations for green bond frameworks, the financing of the direct manufacture of alcoholic beverages is excluded from the Green Financing Framework. This approach enables the UK’s green gilts to be accessible to the greatest possible pool of investors, improving value-for-money. Allowing the financing of alcohol-related spending within the Framework would not change policy decisions or the level of public spending but could prohibit some investors from purchasing the green gilt, thus reducing value-for-money.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to consult with political parties formally on the political finance technical measures outlined in the policy paper entitled Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, published on 17 July 2025.

The political finance measures are building on long-standing, well-established recommendations from expert stakeholders across the electoral landscape.In developing our measures for the Elections paper, we have worked closely with key stakeholders. We are keen to continue this important engagement with all stakeholders, including political parties, as we progress this work.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued to Electoral Registration Officers on the declarations that a potential elector must make to enter the electoral roll.

The Electoral Commission, as the independent electoral regulator, holds responsibility for publishing guidance for Electoral Registration Officers, including guidance on electoral registration. This guidance can be found on the Electoral Commission’s website.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 114 of the policy paper entitled Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, published on 17 July 2024, what types of information could be shared through the Electoral Commission's statutory gateway that it cannot currently (a) send and (b) accept.

The Electoral Commission currently lacks an explicit statutory gateway to share information with other regulators and enforcement authorities. At present, the Commission relies on other organisations’ statutory gateways or Memorandums of Understanding when sharing information, making routine information-sharing burdensome. The Government therefore intends to provide the Commission with an explicit statutory gateway to enable it to share information with certain regulators and enforcement authorities, for the purpose of assisting relevant bodies in carrying out their statutory functions. This will provide a solid legal foundation for the Electoral Commission to share information on cross-cutting issues such as foreign interference or data protection, nurturing a more collaborative and effective regulatory environment. Any disclosures will remain subject to UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Alongside other proposals in the Elections Strategy, we will legislate to bring forward this measure as soon as parliamentary time allows.

What estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of paying council tax on the former Deputy Prime Minister's flat in Admiralty House in each of the next three months.

The council tax charges levied by Westminster City Council are available online on their website at https://www.westminster.gov.uk/council-tax/council-tax-bands-and-charges.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71213 on Public Sector: Pay, how many applications made through the senior pay process (a) were rejected since 4 July 2024 and (b) were approved since the new guidance was issued in July 2025; and if he will publish the number of approvals made through that process since 4 July 2024, broken down by (i) Department and (ii) public body.

Since July 2024, of the senior pay cases submitted to HM Treasury for approval, three were outright rejected. A further 28 cases were modified or partially approved. Since the issuance of new guidance in July 2025, 21 cases have been approved. Pay of senior public sector employees is published in organisation’s annual reports and accounts.

How much his Department has spent on promotion through social and digital influencers since July 2024.

The Department for Work and Pensions has spent a total of £120,023 on influencer marketing since July 2024. Please note this figure is inclusive of whole costs, including agency fees. It is not possible to release individual spend per influencer, as commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2025 to Question 73832 on Special Advisers: Political Parties, whether special advisers have been asked to undertake opposition research.

As has been the case under successive governments, special advisers are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers at all times.

Further to the Prime Minister's visit to the offices of Palantir Technologies in Washington with Lord Mandelson on 27 February 2025, whether any minutes were taken at that meeting.

This was not a formal meeting, therefore we do not hold any minutes.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 73317 on Diplomatic Service: Pay, whether Lord Mandelson is still being paid as a civil servant following his withdrawal as Head of Mission.

Lord Mandelson's withdrawal is undergoing normal HR processes.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to with reference to DEP2025-0538/ MHCLG Flights July 5 2024- May 31 2025, deposited on 24 July 2025, for what reason his Department travelled from London to Islamabad.

Earlier this year, the then Minister for Faith, Communities and Resettlement visited Pakistan on official government business to undertake diplomatic and humanitarian engagements, including meeting with the Prime Minister of Pakistan.