Every parliamentary written question tabled by Kevin Hollinrake this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1,261–1,280 of 3,003 · this parliament
With reference to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question HL7317 on Fire and Rescue Service and Police: Employers’ Contribution, what methodology her Department used to calculate the National Insurance mitigation funding for police forces.
Allocations of the relevant funding were based on total workforce headcount shares as at March 2024.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the report entitled Securing the ballot: Report of Sir Eric Pickles’ review into electoral fraud, published in August 2016, if she will take steps to implement Recommendation 50.
The previous Government responded to this review’s recommendations in December 2016. Statutory overview and scrutiny guidance was updated in April 2024 to take account of deeper devolution to mayoral combined authorities and the creation of combined county authorities.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 48127 on Planning Permission: Equality, whether the Planning Inspectorate requires planning appeal applicants to provide personal diversity or protected characteristic information.
The Planning Inspectorate do not require appellants to submit personal diversity information or details relating to protected characteristics. PINS Inspectors are mindful of human rights considerations when making decisions and are fully aware of their responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) as set out under the Equality Act 2010. All actions and decisions are guided by the Franks Principles and our organisational Code of Conduct.
Communities and Local Government, whether (a) her Department and (b) the Planning Inspectorate has issued guidance on the definition of readily accessible under Schedule 1, Class A, of The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007.
We have not issued any guidance on the definition of readily accessible under Schedule 1, Class A, of The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2025 to Question 51398 on Flags: Festivals and Special Occasions, how much funding has been allocated by her Department to support Historic County Flag Day in July 2025.
The Department will continue its annual celebration of Historic County Flags Day in July 2025 by flying all registered historic county flags of Great Britain in Parliament Square. The final cost of the event this year will be confirmed after the event has taken place.
Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to commence the provisions on consumer protection in the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.
Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 requires the Secretary of State to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities. The purpose of the Code of Practice is therefore to raise standards in the parking sector, which will, in turn, benefit the motorists who use private parking facilities.The Government is currently reviewing how best to raise standards in the industry, and we plan to launch a consultation on this shortly.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Levelling Up Missions Annual Report 2024-25, published on 21 May 2025, whether her Department considered implementing the social fabric index target in the pride of place mission.
The Social Fabric Index ‘Adapted Relationship Thread’ was included as one of four headline metrics in the February 2024 Statement of Levelling Up Missions for the Pride in Place mission. The underlying data for the index is not publicly available, requiring the creation of a new measure with the think tank Onward who conceived the index. Following the July 2024 election this Government moved away from the levelling up agenda so the metric was not implemented. This government is instead tackling regional inequalities through its five central missions, as stated in the recently published Levelling Up Missions annual report.
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department's proposed Delayed Homes Penalty will apply to unbuilt-out sites for which the (a) planning permission has expired and (b) development has not commenced.
The government’s ‘Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out’, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out initial proposals for how the Delayed Homes Penalty would operate. We look forward to receiving feedback on the consultations from hon. Members, local authorities, housebuilders and other important stakeholders before determining next steps.
Whether her Department has issued guidance in addition to the Ministerial Code on engaging with extremist organisations that are subject to a Government policy of non-engagement or proscription in a (a) personal and (b) Parliamentary capacity.
No such guidance is considered necessary. The Government's policy on these matters is clear, and is unchanged from the approach adopted under successive Governments before.
What information her Department holds on whether (a) Network Rail and (b) HS2 has issued guidance on the use of road signs near engineering works with foreign languages.
Network Rail is consistent with the Safety at Street Works and Road Works: A Code of Practice 2013, which states that the size shape and style of all signs must comply with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions, and that in Wales and some areas of Scotland the signs should be bilingual.HS2 Ltd issues guidance to its contractors that signs on roads affected by HS2 Ltd works should be produced and installed in accordance with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions, which does not permit languages other than English to be used on traffic signs on public highways in England.
Communities and Local Government, whether the proposed Delayed Homes Penalty will apply to unbuilt housing (a) that only has outline planning permission and (b) for which the development has not commenced.
The government’s ‘Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out’, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out initial proposals for how the Delayed Homes Penalty would operate. We look forward to receiving feedback on the consultations from hon. Members, local authorities, housebuilders and other important stakeholders before determining next steps.
Pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 51967 on Admiralty House, what was the cost of (a) removing gas appliances and (b) purchasing new electric cookers in the kitchens of the Ministerial residences.
The Government Property Agency (GPA) does not hold this information. The removal of the gas appliances and subsequent purchasing of replacement electric appliances was over 10 years ago.
Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Charity Commission on the activities of Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission.
Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission is not a registered charity. No discussions have taken place with the Charity Commission on the activities of this organisation.
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.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed Chinese Embassy at Royal Mint Court on the security of the telecommunications exchange CLWAP at Royal Mint Street.
In line with my previous response to UIN 29609 on 12 February 2025, 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.The Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary submitted written representations to the Planning Inspector on 14 January. That letter is clear that the Home Office has considered the breadth of national security issues associated with the proposed Embassy. It would not be appropriate to comment in detail on specific matters relating to national security.
Communities and Local Government, whether the proposed delayed homes penalty would apply to sites where the original applicant has gone into administration and the site (a) has and (b) has not commenced.
The government’s ‘Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out’, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out initial proposals for how the Delayed Homes Penalty would operate. We look forward to receiving feedback on the consultations from hon. Members, local authorities, housebuilders and other important stakeholders before determining next steps.
Pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2025 to Question 50855 on Revenue and Customs and Valuation Office Agency, how many of those (a) HMRC and (b) VOA offices will be closed as a consequence of the abolition of the VOA as a standalone agency.
HMRC and VOA are working closely together on plans to bring VOA into HMRC by April 2026 which will deliver 5 to 10% of additional savings in VOA’s total administrative costs by 2028-29. HMRC and VOA regularly review their locations planning to identify opportunities to deliver savings. VOA are already co-located with HMRC in 13 locations.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to p.61, Appendix 2 of the document entitled Annex 1: Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects reform of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Impact assessment, published on 6 May 2025, for what reason the dates listed in that document for the next updates to National Policy Statements differ to those on p.25 of the Plan for Change, CP 1210, published on December 2024.
The dates the hon. Member refers to relate to different aspects of our reforms to National Policy Statements (NPSs). The ‘next summer’ date referred to in the government’s Plan for Change relates to the commitment made by the Chancellor on the 8 July last year to update relevant NPSs within the next 12 months. The government also committed itself to legislate to ensure that all NPSs are updated at least every five years. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes a transitional period for older NPSs. To comply with the legislation, any NPS which is more than five years old at the time the Bill receives Royal Assent, will be required to be updated within two years.
Whether it is her policy that financing should not be provided for the development of green technologies relating to direct manufacture of alcoholic beverages.
The Government provides financial support for green technologies including those related to the manufacturing of alcoholic beverages. For example, £60m was provided to the Farming Innovation Programme this year, which offers R&D grant funding for innovative and green technologies across the farming, food and drink sector. It has previously funded the development of electronic weeding technology for vineyards, which helps protect the environment by reducing chemical pesticide usage.
Communities and Local Government, what meetings she has had with the Fire Brigades Union since 4 July 2024.
The fire and rescue policy function transferred from the Home Office to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 01 April 2025.The government is proactively engaging with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) alongside other fire and rescue sector stakeholders both at Ministerial and at official level. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Building Safety, Fire and Local Growth has met with the FBU on several occasions and addressed the FBU spring conference.The FBU are also members of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Fire and Rescue Reform (MAGFRR) which has been established under this government and has met twice. The MAGFRR brings together key fire and rescue sector leaders to discuss policy and key issues.