Written questions by Hollinrake.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49772 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, if she will publish the (a) State of Conservation Report and (b) Historic England advice.

The Executive Summary of the State of Conservation Report is published on UNESCO’s website: https://whc.unesco.org/document/218772. There are no plans to publish the full State of Conservation Report at the current time.Historic England’s advice is published on Tower Hamlets’ planning website: https://development.towerhamlets.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=DCAPR_145208

Communities and Local Government, if she will publish a list of the local authorities which will levy a second homes premium on council tax in 2025-26; and what estimate she has made of the number of homes liable to that premium.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 51402 on 20 May. This data will be provided in November.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 1 May 2025 to Question 47263 on Returning Officers, whether she provides guidance to local authorities on whether Electoral (a) Returning Officers and (b) Registration Officers are considered to be part of local authorities in relation to the rights to access public sector information.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 41457 on 3 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what the average cost to a local authority is of holding a (a) Parliamentary and (b) local authority by-election; and whether information is held by type of local authority ward.

The cost of UK Parliamentary elections is met directly by the Consolidated Fund. The estimated cost of a Parliamentary by-election is stated in the relevant Charges Order. The latest order can be found here. The Department does not hold any data on the costs of local authority elections and by-elections.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to tackle Islamist sectarianism.

Government policy plays a key role in supporting thriving and resilient communities. We are committed to bridging divisions between communities, challenging hatred and promoting good inter and intra faith relations. We continue to work closely with community groups, faith and belief groups, charities, and public sector partners to achieve this.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued guidance to relevant authorities on whether the use of a hotel as asylum hostel accommodation constitutes a material change of use.

My Department has not issued any such guidance.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of local authority-owned homes that are empty in each local authority in England.

The number of local authority owned homes that are empty in each local authority in England can be found in Live Table 615 here on vacant dwellings in England at local authority district level. Figures in this table show vacant dwellings owned by local authorities within each local authority area in England.The latest published statistics refer to vacant dwellings owned by local authorities in England on 31 March 2024, including homes earmarked for sale or demolition, or awaiting or undergoing major repairs.

Communities and Local Government, what requirements local planning authorities have to undertake Green Belt reviews; and whether this includes Metropolitan Open Land.

Metropolitan Open Land is a local designation used by the Mayor of London in his London Plan.Policy relating to the designation, as well as the current extent of Metropolitan Open Land, is entirely a matter for the Mayor.The government’s approach to the Green Belt, including the circumstances in which Green Belts should be reviewed, is set out in Chapter 13 of the revised National Planning Policy Framework that was published on 12 December 2024. The Framework makes clear that local planning authorities should review their Green Belt in exceptional circumstances, including situations where an authority cannot meet its identified needs through other means.It is only in built-up areas that residential gardens are excluded from the definition of previously developed land.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 45670 on Green Belt: Planning Permission, whether she took into account (a) the fall in housing starts due to the post-2008 recession and financial crisis and (b) the redesignation in 2010 of gardens as greenfield land.

Metropolitan Open Land is a local designation used by the Mayor of London in his London Plan.Policy relating to the designation, as well as the current extent of Metropolitan Open Land, is entirely a matter for the Mayor.The government’s approach to the Green Belt, including the circumstances in which Green Belts should be reviewed, is set out in Chapter 13 of the revised National Planning Policy Framework that was published on 12 December 2024. The Framework makes clear that local planning authorities should review their Green Belt in exceptional circumstances, including situations where an authority cannot meet its identified needs through other means.It is only in built-up areas that residential gardens are excluded from the definition of previously developed land.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 45670 on Green Belt: Planning Permission, how many homes were approved on greenfield land within the Green Belt in each year since 1997-98 for which figures are held.

My Department does not hold the requested information.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 40908 on New Towns: Planning Permission, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies of the loss of the 1,300 homes and 30,000sqm of commercial development originally planned by the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 40908 on 7 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether (a) her Department and (b) the Valuation Tribunal Service has issued guidance to local billing authorities on the definition of a second home for council tax purposes.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 52861 on 23 May 2025. The government’s guidance also sets out how second homes are defined for council tax purposes.

Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on redevelopment for housing of (a) golf courses and (b) other green space sporting facilities located on (i) Green Belt and (ii) Metropolitan Open Land.

Metropolitan Open Land is a local designation used by the Mayor of London in his London Plan.Policy relating to the designation, as well as the current extent of Metropolitan Open Land, is entirely a matter for the Mayor.The government’s approach to the Green Belt, including the circumstances in which Green Belts should be reviewed, is set out in Chapter 13 of the revised National Planning Policy Framework that was published on 12 December 2024. The Framework makes clear that local planning authorities should review their Green Belt in exceptional circumstances, including situations where an authority cannot meet its identified needs through other means.It is only in built-up areas that residential gardens are excluded from the definition of previously developed land.

Communities and Local Government, what planning status Metropolitan Open Land has under the National Planning Policy Framework.

Metropolitan Open Land is a local designation used by the Mayor of London in his London Plan.Policy relating to the designation, as well as the current extent of Metropolitan Open Land, is entirely a matter for the Mayor.The government’s approach to the Green Belt, including the circumstances in which Green Belts should be reviewed, is set out in Chapter 13 of the revised National Planning Policy Framework that was published on 12 December 2024. The Framework makes clear that local planning authorities should review their Green Belt in exceptional circumstances, including situations where an authority cannot meet its identified needs through other means.It is only in built-up areas that residential gardens are excluded from the definition of previously developed land.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's correspondence on the appointment of the Oxford Growth Commission Chair, published on 12 May 2025, whether the Chair is remunerated; and if she will require him to publish a declaration of (a) interests and (b) political activity.

I can confirm that the Chair of the newly formed Oxford Growth Commission (OGC) has been appointed as a direct ministerial appointment and will be remunerated.Direct ministerial appointments such as the Chair of the OGC are not regulated public appointments and do not fall within the remit of the Governance Code on Public Appointments. However, the usual public law principles applicable to all ministerial decision-making still apply. The Department has carried out appropriate due diligence checks and is satisfied these principles are met.

Communities and Local Government, if there will be a mayoral election for Lancashire County Combined Authority in May 2026.

We are continuing to work with Lancashire Combined County Authority to deepen their existing devolution agreement and, dependent on their ongoing governance review, we will explore a path towards mayoral devolution for the region.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he plans to de-designate the Swanscombe Peninsula Site of Special Scientific Interest to allow housebuilding previously planned for the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation.

Section 28D of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides the legal framework for denotification of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). If Natural England’s opinion is that an SSSI (or part of an SSSI) is no longer of special interest e.g. because of natural changes, they can denotify it. The Secretary of State has no role in the de-notification of terrestrial SSSIs. Natural England has no plans to de-notify the site. They report that all but 1 of the 12 special features of Swanscombe Peninsula are in favourable condition.

Communities and Local Government, what data her Department holds on the amount of (a) Metropolitan Open Land and (b) Green Belt land in Greater London, broken down by (i) electoral ward and (ii) division.

Metropolitan Open Land is a local designation used by the Mayor of London in his London Plan. Policy relating to the designation, as well as the current extent of Metropolitan Open Land, is entirely a matter for the Mayor. The Department does not hold data or produce maps on the amount of Metropolitan Open Land in London. Figures for the amount of Green Belt in Greater London as at 31 March 2024 are published within the ‘Area by LA’ accompanying table here. The Department does not hold figures broken down by electoral ward or division.

Communities and Local Government, whether she intends to lay regulations to commence the substantive provisions in section 113 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 on Power to decline to determine applications in cases of earlier non-implementation etc.

On 25 May, the government launched a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve the transparency of build rates from new residential development, which includes proposals to implement provisions in section 113 of the LURA on the power to decline to determine applications. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the government intends bring forward the regulations to implement these measures at the earliest practical opportunity with the new build out reporting framework coming into force from 2026.

Communities and Local Government, if she will publish a copy of the Section 106 agreement that was submitted to the planning inquiry for the proposed Chinese Embassy in London.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 45663 on 29 April 2025.