Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 2 May 2025 to Question 47712 on Night-time economy: Greater London, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to transfer powers to the Mayor of London.

The government will work with the Greater London Authority to review strategic licensing powers and explore a pilot scheme, providing the Mayor of London with new powers over strategic licensing. The government and the Greater London Authority will work closely with local stakeholders to design the pilot scheme, including determining if legislation is required.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department holds information on the number of dwellings subject to a second homes council tax premium in each local authority area.

The Department will publish data on the number of second homes liable for a council tax premium in November as part of the annual council taxbase statistics.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2025 to Question 48443 on Water Charges, whether the introduction of (a) progressive and (b) seasonal water metering tariffs would require Government (i) support and (ii) consent.

This Government supports the innovative approaches being taken to trial new charges aiming to make bills fairer and more affordable. All companies plan to trial new charging structures by 2030 and some of them plan to introduce them more widely for additional customers if the trials are successful. Companies can design their charges to provide benefits and incentives in a range of ways. As the water regulator, Ofwat regulates the charging trials by issuing rules that require companies to set fair charges for all customers, and to ensure all trials are consistent with good practice principles. Information on Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 2 May 2025 to Question 45642 on European Islamic Centre, in what capacity the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution has engaged with the European Islamic Centre since being appointed.

The department does not engage with the European Islamic Centre. Members of Parliament routinely undertake engagements in their own constituencies, separate to any other roles held.

What assessment she has made of the potential security impact of the proposed Chinese Embassy development on nearby underground communications cables.

National security is the first duty of Government. As set out in a joint letter by the Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary to the Planning Inspector on 14 January, the Home Office has considered the full breadth of national security issues in relation to the planning application. It would not be appropriate to comment further on specific matters relating to national security.The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government, in her independent, quasi-judicial role, will make the final decision on the Chinese Embassy planning application in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 29 April 2025 to Question 45654 on Bank Services: Vetting, what her planned timetable is for issuing revised guidance on Political Exposed Persons.

The Government has been working closely with the FCA to follow up on the findings of its review into the treatment of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) by financial institutions and to ensure firms improve their practices where necessary. The FCA expects that the revised guidance will be published and brought into effect this summer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15200 on Council Tax: Wales, when the Valuation Office Agency will publish this information.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) published the information on gov.uk on 31 March 2025: How model assisted valuation delivers large-scale property valuations - GOV.UK – A high level overview of how the VOA uses model assisted valuation and mass appraisal to support large-scale valuation. This links through to further information:External assurance of the VOA automated valuation model (AVM): VOA response - GOV.UK - This page sets out the VOA response to external review and assurance of the VOA AVM developed to support Wales Council Tax reform. More_information_on_mass_appraisal_and_AVM.pdf - More information on how the VOA is using mass appraisal to support Council Tax reform in Wales and on the AVM. Model_specification_document.pdf – A document setting out the data utilised in development of the AVM for a future revaluation of Council Tax in Wales, as well as the core spatial regression model specification and an overview of the comparables model.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46892 on Asylum: Housing, how many dwellings have been procured by (a) Serco, (b) Mears, (c) Clearspring Homes and (d) Corporate Travel Management.

The Home Office continues to work closely with a range of stakeholders to fulfil its statutory obligations, while seeking to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation for the taxpayer.The Home Office does not publish detailed information on the location of asylum accommodation sites for safety and security reasons. Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, 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).

Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is on the future of the chalk stream recovery pack programme.

Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams is a top government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system works.Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams, namely over abstraction, phosphorous pollution and physical modifications of habitats. Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health is part of our overall programme of reforms for the water sector.Alongside this, we are continuing to direct investment to projects that will improve chalk streams. Through the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), over 1000 improvement projects are planned within chalk stream catchments between 2024-2029.

Which Department is responsible for paying the council tax bill for the empty Ministerial residences in Admiralty House.

The payment of Council Tax (Domestic Rates) costs relating to Admiralty House is the responsibility of the Cabinet Office.

Whether her Department has had discussions with the Bank of England on the proposed Chinese Embassy in London.

Treasury officials hold regular discussions with the Bank of England across various financial and economic matters. A final decision on the application for the new Chinese embassy in Tower Hamlets will be made in due course by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government in her independent, quasi-judicial role. As such, it would not be appropriate to comment further on the case.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46900 on Asylum: Housing, whether any asylum accommodation is provided directly by local authorities.

The Home Office continues to work closely with a range of stakeholders to fulfil its statutory obligations, while seeking to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation for the taxpayer.The Home Office does not publish detailed information on the location of asylum accommodation sites for safety and security reasons. Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, 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).

With reference to her Department's news story entitled Statement on Serco asylum accommodation list, published on 27 April 2025, whether her Department asked Serco to remove the list from its website.

The Home Office continues to work closely with a range of stakeholders to fulfil its statutory obligations, while seeking to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation for the taxpayer.The Home Office does not publish detailed information on the location of asylum accommodation sites for safety and security reasons. Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, 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).

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46893 on Asylum: Local Government, what the names of those grants are.

Details of the grant names are accessible through the following links:Government grants statistics 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK.https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67e56dd1bb6002588a90d662/2025-03-24_Government_Grants_Register_2023_to_2024.ods.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the absence of a cash cap on the cost of retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) rate relief in 2026-27; and what estimate she has made of the gross revenue required from the multiplier surcharge on hereditaments with a Rateable Value above £500,000 to fund the new RHL multiplier in 2026-27.

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief has been extended year-by-year by previous governments since the pandemic – creating uncertainty for businesses and an unsustainable fiscal pressure for the Government. Without any government intervention, RHL relief would have ended entirely in April 2025, creating a cliff-edge for businesses. Instead, the Government has decided to offer a 40 per cent discount to RHL properties up to a cash cap of £110,0000 per business in 2025-26, ahead of introducing permanently lower tax rates for RHL properties from 2026-27. Like all business rates multipliers, these lower RHL multipliers will not be subject to a cash cap. This permanent tax cut will ensure that RHL businesses benefit from much-needed certainty and support. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to apply a higher rate from 2026-27 on the most valuable properties – those with a Rateable Value of £500,000 and above. The rates for any new business rate multipliers will be set at Budget 2025 so that the Government can take into account the upcoming revaluation outcomes as well as the economic and fiscal context.

Pursuant to the Answer of 29 April 2025 to Question 45678 on Licensing Laws, who the members of the taskforce are; and how they were selected.

The Taskforce Terms of Reference and membership is published Terms of Reference and taskforce member list - GOV.UKMembers were selected by Department for Business and Trade, Home Office, Ministry of Housing Communities Local Government and Department for Culture Media and Sport officials. The Taskforce brings together representatives from government, industry, police and local government, including mayoral areas.

With reference to her Department's news story entitled Statement on Serco asylum accommodation list, published on 27 April 2025, which local authorities in Serco provides asylum accommodation to in (a) the North West, (b) the Midlands, (c) the East of England and (d) the rest of the country; and how many individual properties are managed in each local authority area.

The Home Office continues to work closely with a range of stakeholders to fulfil its statutory obligations, while seeking to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation for the taxpayer.The Home Office does not publish detailed information on the location of asylum accommodation sites for safety and security reasons. Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, 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).

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2025 to Question 48443 on Water Charges, if he will publish representations received on (a) progressive and (b) seasonal water metering tariffs since 4 July 2024.

This Government supports the innovative approaches being taken to trial new charges aiming to make bills fairer and more affordable. All companies plan to trial new charging structures by 2030 and some of them plan to introduce them more widely for additional customers if the trials are successful. Companies can design their charges to provide benefits and incentives in a range of ways. As the water regulator, Ofwat regulates the charging trials by issuing rules that require companies to set fair charges for all customers, and to ensure all trials are consistent with good practice principles. Information on Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK.

Communities and Local Government, what plans she has made to ensure that any final local government reorganisation proposals reflect the views of local residents and stakeholders.

On 5 February, the government issued invitations to councils in two-tier areas in England and neighbouring unitary councils to prepare proposals for local government reorganisation. The invitation is clear on the importance of engagement in developing proposals for strong, stable unitary councils that are fit for the future. This engagement should include local residents and stakeholders, including public service providers, workforce and their representatives, Members of Parliament and businesses. Final proposals put forward should include evidence of local engagement, an explanation of the views that have been put forward and how concerns will be addressed. Once a proposal has been submitted it will be for the government to decide on taking a proposal forward and to consult as required by statute.

Communities and Local Government, what criteria will be used to allocate the £7.6 million capacity funding for local government reorganisation to local authorities.

The £7.6 million will be made available in the form of local government reorganisation proposal development contributions, to be split across the 21 areas that have been invited to submit proposals for unitary local government. This is the first time that capacity funding has been made available for reorganisation proposals, recognising the priority that this government attaches to this. Further information will be provided on how this will be allocated soon, and we intend to make payments as soon as possible. As set out in the invitation to areas, considering the efficiencies that are possible through reorganisation, we expect that areas will be able to meet transition costs over time from existing budgets, including from the flexible use of capital receipts that can support authorities in taking forward transformation and invest-to-save projects. We asked areas to include indicative costs in their interim plans.