Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to respond to the consultation on Transparency of land ownership involving trusts, published in December 2023.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 30021 on 18 February 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has issued a direction under section 321 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in relation to the Chinese Embassy planning application.

There is no direction under section 321 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in force in respect of this case.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 50158 on Polygamy, if she will make it her policy to commission research on this issue.

The department has no plans to commission research on this issue. It has been the policy of successive governments to prevent the formation of polygamous households in the UK.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the transparency data entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, April 2025, published on 30 May 2025, what the services commissioned from Verian Group UK Limited were.

The following sets out more detail of spend for Verian Group UK Ltd: The Rough Sleeping Questionnaire was carried out in 2019 to understand issues faced by those sleeping rough. The Department repeated the questionnaire in 2025 to update findings, and commissioned Verian to conduct the survey fieldwork with those sleeping rough. The PRS Place Based Quality Pilots are a set of pathfinder projects to improve enforcement of existing standards in the private rented sector. Verian have been commissioned to deliver an evaluation of the scheme, including a range of fieldwork and analysis of data. The Department commissioned Verian to research Demolition Planning Policy. Verian have conducted a survey of stakeholders across the industry to understand how and why decisions are made to demolish and redevelop or retrofit buildings, explore the role of national and local policy in decision-making and the tools and guidance used to inform decisions. The Department commissioned Verian to carry out focus groups and interviews about the levels of understanding around a number of policy areas relating to housing and infrastructure to help improve government communications to inform the Long Term Housing Strategy.

Communities and Local Government, how much funding has been provided to the Independent Commission On Neighbourhoods; and whether the Commission is a public authority for (a) Freedom of Information and (b) environmental information regulation purposes.

The Independent Commission On Neighbourhoods has received no funding from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. It is independent and not a public authority and therefore does not fall within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.This government welcomes the establishment of the Independent Commission On Neighbourhoods (ICON) and the important work it is undertaking to understand how to build neighbourhoods that are more resilient, more empowered, and more capable of shaping their own futures.We look forward to engaging constructively with the Commission’s findings and insights as they emerge, and to learning from its work in helping communities take greater control of their futures.

Whether she plans to issue guidance to political parties on the potential impact of the Supreme Court judgement in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers on all-women shortlists; and whether she plans to discuss this matter with the (a) Equality and Human Rights Commission, and (b) Electoral Commission.

The Supreme Court Judgment was clear that for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010, biological sex determines whether a person is a woman or not. Accordingly, in relation to the Equality Act 2010’s provisions allowing political parties to use all-women shortlists to increase the number of women standing for election, parties will need to have regard to the recent ruling. A political party wishing to use these Equality Act provisions will need to be satisfied that any such shortlists are lawful.We regularly consult stakeholders, including the Equality and Human Rights Commission, on a range of issues, including where new guidance is proposed.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to annex 14 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Impact assessment, published in May 2025, what she expects the average length of a strategic plan to be.

As the Planning and Infrastructure Bill Impact Assessment sets outs, the government expects that spatial development strategies will be concise and focused to reflect their role as high level strategic documents. As such, we expect future spatial development strategies to be significantly shorter than the current London Plan.While we do not intend to indicate precisely how long spatial development strategies should be, my department will provide strategic planning authorities with further guidance to support them in meeting this expectation.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of people not from the UK or EU who are sleeping rough.

The expectation is that migrants coming into the UK should be able to maintain and accommodate themselves without recourse to public funds. This reflects the need to maintain the confidence of general public that immigration brings benefits to our country, rather than add costs to the public purse. When individuals granted refugee status leave Home Office accommodation, they are entitled to help with finding accommodation from their local authority if homeless. If in priority need, they will be provided with temporary accommodation. The Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant funding can be used to help anyone, as long as areas act within the law in doing so.

Communities and Local Government, what representations her Department has received on collection practices for the Community Infrastructure Levy by Waverley Borough Council.

My Department has received correspondence concerning the imposition of Community Infrastructure Levy charges by various levy charging authorities, including Waverley Borough Council. We are keeping the issues highlighted in this correspondence under review.The government is committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure that new developments provide appropriate affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 52274 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Aviation, when she plans to deposit this information.

I will arrange for this information to be deposited in the House of Commons Library.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2025 to Question 52267 on DESNZ: Islamophobia, what definition of Islamophobia was used in the training session.

The training and awareness session was delivered by the Anti-Islamophobia Working Group as an external provider. The material from the session is owned by the provider and therefore we cannot share the content due to commercial sensitivity.

Whether she plans to update the 20mph zone guidance for England.

We have no current plans to revise Setting Local Speed Limits. We believe that traffic authorities are best placed to decide where lower limits will be effective on the roads for which they are responsible, and that consultation and community support should be at the heart of the process.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, March 2025, published on 28 April 2025, what the purpose was of the payment to the Science Museum on Recruitment.

The payment to the Science Museum was for the National Railway Museum Levelling Up Culture capital project announced at the Spring Budget 2024. It has been incorrectly categorised on the document published on 28 April 2025. Officials will seek to correct this error.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the source of revenue to fund social tariffs under Section 13 of the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 is; and whether costs will be imposed (a) directly and (b) indirectly on the water bills of residential customers who do not have social tariffs.

This Government is working with industry to ensure that eligible customers across the country get the support to which they are entitled.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2025, to Question 52267, on DESNZ: Islamophobia, if he will publish the training material and handouts produced for the training and awareness session.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero does not publish training materials as these resources are intended for internal use only. All training events are run in accordance with the Civil Service code.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what proportion of valid votes were cast by (a) postal ballot and (b) proxy ballot, by Parliamentary constituency in the 2024 general election.

All votes are mixed for counting so it is not possible to distinguish the proportion of valid votes cast by post or proxy.The Commission has published data, where provided by Returning Officers, on the proportion of postal votes included in counts and the number of proxies appointed.

With reference to Appendix 2 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill Impact Assessment, Annex 1: Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects reform, what the target date is for the publication of EN-8 on Nuclear Fusion Energy.

The Department plans to publish its response to the consultation on a Fusion Energy National Policy Statement EN-8 soon. Further details will be available in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the change in average household water bills on a family home in England in cash terms between (a) 2025 and (b) 2030; and what proportion of this change is (a) assumed inflation and (b) increases in charges other than inflation.

For too long, investment has not kept pace with the challenges of an ageing infrastructure system, a rapidly growing population and climate change. It is Ofwat's responsibility to independently scrutinise water company business plans and ensure that the prices water companies charge their customers are fair and proportionate. Ofwat’s final determinations set out in December 2024 that bills in England and Wales will increase by an average £31 (or 36%) per year, before inflation, between 2025 and 2030. Individual bills will vary depending on the circumstances of each household: for instance, metered customers’ bills depend on their water use and non-metered customers’ bills can depend on the rateable value or assessed water use of the property. Government expects water companies to ensure their customers know what support schemes are available and how to access them if they need help. Water companies have more than doubled the number of customers that will receive help with their bills through social tariffs – from 4% of customers supported in 2020-25, to 9% by 2030.

Communities and Local Government, when her Department plans to respond to the First Report of the Speaker's Conference on the security of MPs, candidates and elections, published on 22 June 2025, HC 570; and whether political parties will be consulted prior to that response.

This government has made it clear that intimidation and abuse of those participating in public life has no place in our society and cannot be tolerated. We value the work done by the Speaker’s Conference to bring attention to and investigate this important issue. We will carefully consider the recommendations made by the Speaker’s Conference in their first report and will respond in due course. The government intends to engage with both political parties and external stakeholders prior to a formal response. This is a complex challenge, so the joint efforts of government, the police and parliament are crucial to addressing this issue. We will continue to engage with the Speaker’s Conference as they move into the next phase of their work

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Commission has issued on political donations being made via cryptocurrencies.

The Commission’s guidance on permissibility of donations includes information on cryptocurrencies. The guidance states that the same legal requirements apply to donations received in cryptocurrencies as any other donations. Parties must ensure that they obtain donors’ details, so they can check permissibility. As with other types of assets, parties must report the value in pounds at the time of the donation.The Commission will continue to review its guidance and support for parties to ensure that they are aware of how the law applies to cryptocurrency donations.