Written questions by Hollinrake.

Pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2025 to Question 51393 on Fast Food, how the (a) Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and (b) Public Health England defines a fast food outlet.

In February 2025, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities published data on fast food outlets per 100,000 population. In this analysis, fast food was described as “food that is energy dense and available quickly, usually via a counter service, and for consumption on or off the premises”. This definition covers a range of outlets selling foods, including, but not limited to:burgers;pizza;kebabs;chicken;Indian takeaway;Chinese takeaway; andfish and chips.Public Health England was abolished in 2021, but published comparable data, and in 2018 defined fast food as “energy dense food that is available quickly, therefore it covers a range of outlets that include, but are not limited to, burger bars, kebab and chicken shops, chip shops and pizza outlets.”

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Unite trade union press release entitled Birmingham Bin Strike Escalates, published on of 21 May 2025, what role the Best Value Commissioners in Birmingham City Council have in the ACAS negotiations between Birmingham City Council and the Unite trade union on the bin collection industrial action.

Local Authorities are independent employers responsible for agreeing pay and terms for their workforce, and so the ACAS negotiations relating to Birmingham's waste service are rightly being held between the Council and the Unite trade union. Commissioners do not have a direct role in these negotiations; their role is to support the council in line with Directions from the Secretary of State, and ensure the Council is meeting its Best Value duty.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2025 to Question 51393 on Fast Food, whether the Food Standards Agency categorises (a) Pret a Manger, (b) Subway and (c) Greggs as a fast food outlet.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not categorise businesses as fast-food outlets. The FSA gathers information on and categorises food businesses based on understanding potential risk in relation to food safety only.

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.

Representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 52266 on Overseas Trade: Israel and Occupied Territories, which companies that trade with (a) Israel and (b) the Occupied Territories are excluded following a controversy screen and assessment of the human rights risks.

The Church Commissioners do not disclose details of restricted companies due to commercial sensitivity. As stated in the answer issued in UIN 52266 on 20th May, the Church Commissioners have a process where they may restrict companies which are considered to cause, contribute to or are linked to human rights risks and impacts. In conflict-affected and high-risk areas, the Church Commissioners note the heightened risks of human rights harms and take this into account when screening their portfolios. The Pensions Board, as a separate legal entity, takes a similar approach.

With reference to the policy paper entitled The plan for drivers, published 2 October 2023, what progress her Department has made on the call for evidence on options to restrict local authorities’ (a) ability to generate surpluses from traffic offences and (b) over-zealous use of traffic enforcement powers.

The Department for Transport’s ‘Statutory Guidance to Local Authorities on the Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions’ makes clear that local authorities should never issue Penalty Charge Notices to raise revenue. The Department is currently considering the findings of the Call for Evidence on 'Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions' which was issued as part of the previous Government’s Plan for Drivers.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 51130 on Chinese Embassy, whether the Bank of England has made representations to her Department on the potential cyber-security implications of the Chinese Embassy development.

It is not the role of the Bank of England to consider the cyber-security implications of the Chinese Embassy development. However, national security is the first duty of Government and has been HMG’s core priority throughout this process. A final decision on the application for the new Chinese embassy in Tower Hamlets will be made in due course by ministers in the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government.

When he plans to (a) publish, (b) consult on and (c) ratify the Airports National Policy Statement.

The government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement. The Secretary of State will determine the scope of the review of the Airports National Policy Statement in due course and therefore, the Department cannot speculate on the scope nor the timings at this stage.

With reference to the press release entitled Prime Minister unveils new plan to end years of uncontrolled migration, published on 11 May 2025, whether the English language requirements for (a) migrants and (b) adult dependents will apply to claims for asylum made (i) outside and (ii) by people who have illegally entered the UK.

The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues – including English language requirements – further details of which will be set out in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2025 to Question 52624 on Asylum: Housing, if she will publish the template accommodation contract for accommodation under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Information about contracts with the government and its agencies, including the Asylum Accommodation Support and Service Contracts are available at: Contracts Finder - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

How many asylum accommodation dwellings are provided by each private contractor.

Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including accommodation type, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab of our most recent statistics release. The data can also be broken down by local authority. Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (opens in a new tab).

Whether her Department collects data from local authorities on the (a) revenue from and (b) number of (i) on-street and (ii) off-street parking fines issued by local authorities in (A) London (B) the rest of England.

The Department for Transport does not collect such data centrally. The Department has published statutory guidance which requires local authorities outside London to publish annual financial and statistical data on their enforcement activity. London Councils collects enforcement data as the representative body for the London Boroughs and Transport for London.

Whether the Highways Agency has issued guidance on the use of (a) electronic and (b) other road signs with foreign languages.

National Highways does not have a specific policy and has not issued guidance on the use of non-electronic or electronic traffic signs using a different language other than English.

With reference to the PCS trade union press release entitled Valuation Office to move into HMRC, published on 28 April 2025, for what reason the trade unions were not consulted over the announcement of the closure of the Valuation Office Agency.

The government is conducting a full review of all arm’s-length bodies with a presumption that they will be closed, merged, or have functions brought into departments.The decision to move the Valuation Office Agency’s (VOA) functions into its parent department (HMRC) was taken to provide greater ministerial oversight and accountability of an essential function of significant national importance.The VOA has begun consultation with its trade unions, Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and Prospect. It will continue to work closely and consult with them throughout the transition period to ensure a successful outcome.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2025 to Question 50853 on Valuation Office Agency: Staff, whether all Valuation Office Agency staff will be transferred into HMRC.

Yes, all Valuation Office Agency employees will be transferred to HMRC.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has responded to the Unite trade union request for fair council funding of 19 May 2025.

The previous government committed to improving and updating the way in which local authorities are funded through the “Fair Funding Review” - but this was not delivered. We will make good on this commitment and implement long-awaited reforms through a multi-year settlement in 2026-27. We will set this out in more detail through further consultation following the Spending Review, and welcome views across the local government sector and the public.Councils are responsible for their own financial management, and this includes ensuring that borrowing is affordable and managed sensibly. The Government has already announced that, where councils deem it necessary to undertake additional borrowing to support their financial recovery, we will not replicate the previous government’s punitive approach of making that borrowing more expensive through an additional 1% premium.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to Annex 11 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Impact assessment, published in May 2025, what statistics will be collated on the unit planning fee charges for different types of application charged by local authorities under the localised regime.

In order to inform a national default fee schedule, the government will consult and undertake a national benchmarking exercise. We will also publish guidance on the costs that may be considered when calculating planning fees.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to Annex 11 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Impact assessment, published in May 2025, what estimate her Department has made of the change in (a) prior approval and (b) householder planning fees under the localised regime.

In order to inform a national default fee schedule, the government will consult and undertake a national benchmarking exercise. We will also publish guidance on the costs that may be considered when calculating planning fees.

With reference to the Written Statement of 14 May 2025 on Places for Growth 2030, HCWS633, if he will list the locations of the 13 cross-government regional hubs; and if he will estimate how many staff who will be based at each hub.

The details of the 13 cross-government regional hubs can be found on the Places for Growth gov.uk page and are Greater Manchester, York, Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Bristol, Cardiff, Belfast, Sheffield, Darlington, and Newcastle and Tyneside. Further details about the number of staff that will be based at each hub are being worked through as part of the Spending Review process.

What steps the Government is taking to disrupt pro-Iranian regime groups spreading extremist narratives in the UK.

I announced in my statement to the House on 4 March that we are reviewing where any Iranian interference is being conducted in the UK and that Iran has been specified on the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) under the National Security Act 2023. This specification of Iran will shine more light on any undisclosed relationships between the Iranian state and UK-based institutions and individuals.In concert with partners, we will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to protect the UK, and its people, from any Iran-linked threats.