Written questions by Hollinrake.

What the role of the Bank of England is in ensuring cyber-security of financial institutions and telecommunication exchanges based within the vicinity the City of London.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is the UK's technical authority for cyber security, including helping to protect the UK's critical infrastructure and services from cyber-attacks. The Bank of England, through the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and working closely with the NCSC and other authorities, requires PRA-regulated financial institutions to have rigorous cyber security frameworks in place and requires regular assessment of financial institutions’ cyber security measures. The Bank of England does not regulate telecommunication exchanges.

Innovation and Technology, what role (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) Ofcom play in ensuring the cyber-security of telecommunication exchanges (i) at Wapping in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and (ii) in the City of London.

The Government is committed to ensuring the security and resilience of the UK’s telecommunications infrastructure. The Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 introduced a robust security framework requiring public telecoms providers to identify, reduce and prepare for security and resilience risks. We have also included data centres as parts of Critical National Infrastructure.DSIT is responsible for developing policies to help ensure the security of the UK’s public telecoms networks and services. DSIT works with the National Cyber Security Centre as the technical authority providing advice on cyber-security threats and vulnerabilities, the National Protective Security Authority as the technical authority for physical and personnel security, and Ofcom as regulator for the framework.The Government does not comment on the security of specific sites; however, we work with our agencies to respond to specific security incidents or vulnerabilities identified.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 2 June 2025 entitled Planning reform and housing delivery, HCWS673, who will be responsible for determining whether planning applications will fall into tier (a) A and (b) B.

Through regulations we will set out which planning applications should be delegated to planning officers and which could go to a planning committee, if the Chair of the committee and chief planning officer (or equivalent officer in local planning authorities without a chief planning officer) agree that committee consideration is warranted. Further details are set out in the technical consultation on the implementation of our proposals to modernise planning committees that the government published on 28 May. It can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to commence the remaining provisions of the Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017.

The government intends to commence the temporary possession provisions in the Neighbourhood Planning Act (NPA 2017). To pave the way for this, we are taking forward a measure in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to amend the NPA 2017 temporary possession powers to disapply them to Transport and Works Act Orders, Development Consent Orders and Infrastructure Consent Orders. This will allow the NPA 2017 provisions to be commenced for taking temporary possession of land in respect of compulsory purchase orders made under regimes such as the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 without impacting the delivery of critical infrastructure. Following Royal Assent of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and before commencing the amended NPA 2017 temporary possession power provisions, we will need to consult on regulations relating to the reinstatement of land subject to a period of temporary possession.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to section 6.4 of the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, who the members of the working group with the Greater London Authority are.

The working group is attended by senior officials from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Greater London Authority.

Communities and Local Government, how many affordable homes were built in England in each of the last 30 years; and what type of affordable tenure those homes were.

The amount of new build affordable housing by tenure is available since 1991-92 in Live Table 1009 here. The data is presented separately for new builds and acquisitions.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has provided guidance to local authorities on retaining Community Infrastructure Levy payments for the purpose of using the interest accrued on that funding for servicing spending from local authority General Fund Accounts.

Community Infrastructure Levy receipts must be used for the purposes which are set out in section 216 of the Planning Act 2008 and Part 7 of the CIL Regulations. The Department has not provided guidance to local authorities on retaining Community Infrastructure Levy payments for the purpose of using the interest accrued on that funding for servicing spending from local authority General Fund Accounts.

Communities and Local Government, how many households have used Government-funded home ownership schemes in England in each of the last 30 years.

Over the past 30 years, various government-funded home ownership schemes have supported first-time buyers in England. As these schemes were administered by different organisations, some of which no longer exist, there is no single, centralised, and comprehensive data source capturing the total number of households assisted over the full period in question. The number of households helped between April 2013 and 31 May 2023, using a Help to Buy: Equity Loan and between March 2012 and 8 September 2015 using Help to Buy: NewBuy scheme can be found on gov.uk here. There is also sales data available on gov.uk on Right to Buy from 1980-81, Right to Acquire from 1998-99, and Social HomeBuy from 2006-07 in Live Tables 678, 677 and 683 respectively which are published here. Although data on sales through individual affordable home ownership schemes such as First Homes, Affordable Home Ownership, and Shared Ownership is not available, the number of new delivered homes under these tenures, which can be used as a proxy, is available in Live Table 1000 here. These have been delivered using a mix of funding sources, including government funding and developer contributions. Data on the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme since launching in April 2021 is available here.

Whether (a) the Competition and Market Authority and (b) his Department has provided guidance to public authorities on offering loans to developers (i) at less than market rate and (ii) on preferential terms.

The Department for Business and Trade’s statutory guidance for the subsidy control regime helps public authorities to comply with the Subsidy Control Act 2022.This includes subsidies given in the form of loans. We also provide additional guidance to public authorities on request. This would include discussions on below market rate and preferential loans. Where relevant thresholds are met, the Subsidy Advice Unit in the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is responsible for evaluating the relevant public authority’s assessment of compliance with subsidy control rules, and publishing a report of their findings. These can be found on the CMA’s website.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2025 to Question 52268 on Independent Commission into Adult Social Care, whether the financial expenditure report will include the chair's salary.

As the Commission is independent, it will be responsible for reporting on its financial expenditure and is responsible for what it includes in the report.

Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for making a decision on local government restructuring in Surrey; whether she plans to hold a formal consultation process on the number of new unitary councils to be created; when she plans to publish the proposed council (a) wards and (b) divisions for the new unitary councils; and what the latest date is for the passage of secondary legislation to allow for shadow unitary elections in May 2026.

I am currently considering the submissions for unitary local government in Surrey that were received on 9 May. Before a proposal can be implemented the statute – the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 – requires consultation. As I set out to the House on 3 June, I will provide the House with a full update shortly.My expectation remains that in Surrey there will be elections to new shadow unitary councils in May 2026 with a view to going live in April 2027. Warding or divisional arrangements would be included in the secondary legislation that gives effect to a proposal and makes provision for those elections. Any legislation would need to be in force ahead of the date by which the notice of the elections must be published, which for the ordinary day of election in 2026 is 30 March 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what plans the Valuation Tribunal Service has to update the Council Tax Manual.

The last published update for the Valuation Tribunal Service (VTS) Council Tax Manual was August 2023. This document can be accessed through the VTS website here. A further update is near completion and will be published in July 2025.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52622 on National Security: China, what information her Department holds on whether the United Front Work Department has sought to interfere in the planning process for the proposed Chinese Embassy in London.

In line with my previous response to UIN 29609 on 12/02/25, the planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this quasi-judicial decision independent from the rest of Government, and from any form of external interference by any other party.

Communities and Local Government, if she will list the documents that set out the relationship between the Electoral Commission and (a) the Government and (b) Parliament.

The Electoral Commission is the statutory body responsible for overseeing elections and regulating political finance in the UK. It is independent of government and is accountable to – and funded by – the UK Parliament for its reserved functions through the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission. Its role, powers and governance arrangements are set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 50516 on Trade Unions: Finance, whether she plans to update that guidance once the Employment Rights Bill is passed.

No.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Valuation Tribunal Service's Council Tax Manual has been updated since the 2022 edition published on its website.

The last published update for the Valuation Tribunal Service (VTS) Council Tax Manual was August 2023. This document can be accessed through the VTS website here. A further update is near completion and will be published in July 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to make changes to (a) regulation and (b) guidance in relation to council tax (i) collection and (ii) debts.

The government has announced it will be consulting on modernising the administration of council tax, including its collection and enforcement. The government will consider any necessary changes to regulations or guidance following this consultation.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2025 to Question 52861 on Empty Property: Council Tax, how many council tax appeals relating to second homes have been considered by the Valuation Tribunal Service since July 2024.

The Valuation Tribunal for England have cleared 1102 Council Tax Liability appeals since 1 July 2024. Fewer than 100 of these cases referenced issues relating specifically to second homes.

Communities and Local Government, whether local billing authorities are required to collect data on the name of each adult in a household when billing a dwelling for council tax.

Councils are required to assess who is liable for council tax for a specific dwelling and whether any discounts, disregards, reductions, premiums or exemptions are applicable to the dwelling or its occupants. However, councils are not required to collect data on the name of every individual resident of a household.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2025 to Question 52867 on Written Questions, what is the 19% figure in absolute terms; and what is the average percentage figure of carded questions tabled by the hon. Members of each political party represented in the House of Commons.

During the period in question, the total number of questions tabled was 60,136, of which 11,654 were carded because they did not comply with the rules of order. The vast majority of card queries are resolved quickly when the hon. Member who tabled the question contacts the Table Office to discuss it. There is, however, a growing backlog of carded questions in cases where hon. Members have tabled questions but have not responded to the card note.It is not possible to provide a party breakdown of the proportion of questions carded.The Table Office is happy to offer training to hon. Members and their staff on the rules of order and the drafting of orderly WPQs.