Written questions by Hollinrake.

Whether repairing potholes is (a) revenue and (b) capital expenditure for local authorities.

The Department for Transport provides local highway authorities with capital funding for local highway maintenance. Local authorities receive revenue funding from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government through the Local Government Finance Settlement. Capital funded highway maintenance activities are typically structural in nature and may include planned reactive repairs, such as permanent small-scale repairs to roads and pavements. However, capital funding cannot be used to fund the operating costs of a service, or for recurring expenditure such as grass-cutting or other cyclical maintenance activities, or for temporary short-term patching of potholes.

What statistics her Department holds on the (a) number of potholes repaired and (b) area of roads resurfaced each year.

The Department does not collect data on the number of potholes treated or miles of road resurfaced in each local authority area each year, but instead collects information from local highway authorities on the overall condition of their roads. This is published annually, together with other information such as local authority expenditure on highway maintenance, on gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/road-condition-statistics-data-tables-rdc.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to clause 45 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, published on 11 March 2025, what training on planning matters councillors will receive.

My Department has had a constructive engagement with the sector regarding our proposals for mandatory training for planning committee members and we will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders in respect of the details of the proposed training and how this will be delivered. We have not made an estimate of the number of planning applications decided by the casting vote of the chair if the size of planning committees is reduced. We will, however, consult on the right level to set the size of planning committees to reflect best practice.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of recent trends in levels of fixed penalty notices for Public Spaces Protection Orders that are issued by private enforcement companies outsourced from local government; and whether guidance has been provided on such contacts which (a) reward companies for increasing numbers of fines and (b) profit share revenue from fines.

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour (ASB), including the Public Spaces Protection Order.The powers in the 2014 Act are deliberately flexible in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in the specific circumstances of each individual case.Contracting enforcement to third parties is a common arrangement and it is for the local authority to ensure use of powers remains just and proportionate. Contractors are bound by the same legal obligations, and the same safeguards in legislation, as councils themselves. Local authorities are also obliged to follow the rules set out in the Public Contract Regulations 2015 in appointment of such companies.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of the indirect impact of local government restructuring on the appointment and boundaries of the High Sheriffs.

There is no intention that the priorities set out in the English Devolution White Paper will impact on the ceremonial counties or the important roles the High Sheriffs and Lord Lieutenants play as the Monarch’s representatives in those counties, and ceremonial counties will be retained. The Government recognises and values the work they do in relation to civic, business, social and community life in the ceremonial counties, and will ensure that the ceremonial rights and privileges of an area will be maintained after any reorganisation of local government.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to clause 45 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, published on 11 March 2025, who will deliver planning training for councillors.

My Department has had a constructive engagement with the sector regarding our proposals for mandatory training for planning committee members and we will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders in respect of the details of the proposed training and how this will be delivered. We have not made an estimate of the number of planning applications decided by the casting vote of the chair if the size of planning committees is reduced. We will, however, consult on the right level to set the size of planning committees to reflect best practice.

Communities and Local Government, what access rights asylum seekers with refugee status have to social housing; and whether homeless asylum seekers with refugee status are entitled to emergency housing.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Question UIN 34617 on 10 March 2025 and Question UIN 11929 on 8 November 2024.

Communities and Local Government, with reference the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, published on 11 March 2025, whether she has made an estimate of the number of planning applications decided by the casting vote of the chair if the size of planning committees is reduced.

My Department has had a constructive engagement with the sector regarding our proposals for mandatory training for planning committee members and we will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders in respect of the details of the proposed training and how this will be delivered. We have not made an estimate of the number of planning applications decided by the casting vote of the chair if the size of planning committees is reduced. We will, however, consult on the right level to set the size of planning committees to reflect best practice.

Communities and Local Government, what will happen to adopted local plans within local authorities abolished in local government re-organisation.

The legal status of local development plans is not impacted by local government reorganisation. Where reorganisation occurs, new unitary authorities are expected to promptly prepare a local plan covering the whole of their area. Until that new plan is adopted, existing constituent local plans remain in force as part of the development plan for their area. New unitary authorities have the discretion to progress any emerging constituent local plans.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 33369 on Roads: Hampshire, whether the change to local highways allocations for 2025-26 (a) is in addition to or (b) replaces the funding for highways from (i) Network North and (ii) repurposed HS2 funding announced on 4 October 2023.

The highway maintenance funding uplift of £500 million for 2025/26, which was announced by the Chancellor in October 2024, comes on top of the increase of £150 million in 2024/25 that was announced by the previous Government as part of the Network North plan. The 2024 Budget document makes clear that the £150 million Network North funding increase has, in effect, become part of the highway maintenance funding baseline. The Government will say more on future years’ funding after the Spending Review.

How much (a) Network North and (b) repurposed High Speed 2 funding was given to local highways authorities in 2024-25; and whether she plans to continue that funding in 2025-26.

In 2024/25 the previous Government allocated £150 million of additional highway maintenance funding to local highway authorities as part of its Network North plan, all of which was repurposed High Speed 2 funding. This Government has allocated £500 million of additional highway maintenance funding to local highway authorities for 2025/26. Funding beyond 2025/26 is a matter for the forthcoming Spending Review.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 33046 on Prime Minister, how 10 Downing Street determines whether an organisation (a) should and (b) should not be engaged with.

Engagement with organisations is considered on a case-by-case basis.

Which (a) individuals and (b) organisations were invited to the Downing Street preview of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on 11 March 2025.

Ministerial meetings with external organisations will be published in the usual way on gov.uk

Pursuant to the Answer of (a) 3 March 2025 to Question 33047 and (b) 23 January 2025 to Question 24244 on Government Departments: Sanitation, what the terms are of the policy review; and what plans he has for previously installed gender-neutral toilets.

I refer the hon. member to the answer given in response to PQ24244 on 23 January.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 33046 on Prime Minister, how his Department records its policy of non-engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain.

Our policy on engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain has not changed.

What estimate he has made of the number of non-departmental public bodies that (a) were operating and (b) scheduled to operate on 13 March 2025.

As of March 2025 there are currently 249 non-departmental public bodies operating. Whether an ALB will become an NDPB, or another type of body is dependent on a number of factors and is subject to the Cabinet Office and Treasury approval process. The Prime Minister has announced that the Government is committed to cutting bureaucracy across the state, in order to focus government on the priorities of working people and shift money to the frontline. As part of this, the Prime Minister announced the abolition of the arms-length body NHS England.

If she will make an estimate of the total value of Construction Industry Training Board (a) levies paid and (b) expenditure on (i) apprenticeships and (ii) training in the most recent year for which figures are available.

The requested information is contained in the published Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) for 2023/24. The report is available on the CITB’s website and GOV.UK. It can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/citb-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.The figure for the 2023/24 period on levies paid is £202 million. Expenditure on apprenticeships was £111.2 million and expenditure on training was £86 million.

Whether the Deputy Prime Minister has a role in the development of his Department’s employment law reforms.

Making work pay is a priority for delivering the Government's Plan for Change.As Chair of the Future of Work Cabinet Committee, the Deputy Prime Minister oversees the Committee which considers and takes decisions on matters related to the Make Work Pay package of reforms to the employment law framework. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade and the Minister for Employment Rights, Competition and Markets work very closely with the Deputy Prime Minister and have responsibility for all policy development which falls within the responsibility of the Department for Business and Trade.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 33485 on Public Appointments: Political Activities, through what process a declaration of previous political activity within the last five years is made public.

Declarations of previous political activity within the last five years made by successful candidates in the Public Appointments process are published on the announcements page of the Public Appointments website. This can be found using the following link: https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/announcements

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to publish an update of the document entitled The 2011 Rural-Urban Classification for Output Areas in England, published on 13 September 2013, in the context of (a) local government reorganisation and (b) housing developments.

The Office for National Statistics published the 2021 Rural Urban Classification for Output Areas and other geographies on 6 March 2025. This takes account of the 2021 Census, local Government reorganisation and development since 2011. Details can be found here with links to resources published by the Office for National Statistics.