Written questions by Holmes.

Communities and Local Government, what representations his department has received on postponing local elections in May 2026 from (a) Blackburn with Darwen Council and (b) Hyndburn Council.

I wrote to Council Leaders on 18 December to invite them to set out their views on the potential postponement of local elections in their area, and if they consider that postponement would release essential capacity to deliver local government reorganisation. All representations received are being taken into account before a final decision is made following a fair process. I will continue to update the House on this issue.

Communities and Local Government, how many unauthorised traveller caravans are (a) land owned by travellers and (b) land not owned by travellers, including tolerated unauthorised sites, by each local authority for which the latest data is available.

Data on unauthorised traveller caravans on land owned by travellers and on land not owned by travellers, including tolerated unauthorised sites, by each local authority, is available from Live Table 1 of the published Official Statistics, available on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, whether unmet need for traveller sites constitute grounds for traveller site development in (a) the Green Belt and (b) open countryside.

National planning policy is clear that it is the responsibility of local planning authorities to assess the need for traveller sites in their areas and plan to meet that need, in the same way that they plan for all forms of housing. In producing their local plan, local planning authorities should set pitch targets for traveller sites, and identify a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years' worth of sites against their locally set targets. When considering applications, local planning authorities should consider matters such as the local need for sites and whether an up-to-date five-year supply of deliverable sites can be demonstrated. It is for local authorities to make decisions on specific development proposals and locations, taking into account all relevant circumstances.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 88278 on Travellers: Caravan Sites, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of Temporary Stop Notices in preventing unauthorised development or encampments by travellers.

My Department has no current plans to amend the guidance on temporary stop notices. The criteria for issuing a temporary stop notice, namely that the local planning authority thinks there has been a breach of planning control and that it is expedient for it to be stopped immediately, are set out in legislation. The changes made to the National Planning Policy Framework on 12 December 2024 do not affect this. We have not made an assessment of the effectiveness of temporary stop notices in preventing unauthorised development by travellers.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 87776 on Private Rented Housing: Energy, whether new registration and licensing fees are a material consideration in assessing an open market rent increase.

Section 14 of the Housing Act 1988 sets out the factors that must be considered or disregarded by the Tribunal when determining the open market rent for a tenancy. As set out in my response to Question UIN 87776 on 17 November 2025, the Tribunal must look at the rent the landlord could expect to receive for the property when making a rent determination, rather than costs borne by the landlord. While it is for the Tribunal to decide in each case, the government considers that it is unlikely that registration and licensing fees would affect the open market rent, due to their limited impact on the rent that the landlord would expect to receive if they were to let the property on the open market.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2025 to Question 30628, on Local Government: Codes of Practice, and further to the consultation response entitled Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England – consultation results and government response, published on 11 November 2025, if he will make it his policy to ensure that the new mandatory code of conduct has a free speech clause modelled on the Bromley code of conduct.

The government response to the local government standards framework consultation published on 11 November 2025 confirmed our intention to legislate to prescribe a mandatory code of conduct. We are continuing to engage with the sector as we develop final detailed policies for implementation.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 November 2025 to Question 86657 on Elections and Political Parties, whether each of those parties were (a) consulted and (b) engaged before the publication of the strategy in July; if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the meeting of the Parliamentary Parties Panel held after the strategy was published; and what consultation he intends to hold with political parties on the proposals on (i) political finance and (ii) election law.

The Government’s Strategy for Modern and Secure Elections outlines how we will deliver on Labour’s manifesto commitment to strengthen the rules governing political donations. Our proposals draw on long‑standing, well‑established recommendations from expert bodies across the electoral sector. Views of stakeholders have been key to the development of these reforms. Regarding the Electoral Commission’s Parliamentary Parties Panel, the Commission convenes these panels and publishes the minutes of meetings on its website. We will continue to engage with stakeholders, including political parties, as we work to finalise and implement these reforms.

Communities and Local Government, whether the absence of a five-year land supply for traveller sites constitutes grounds for traveller site development in the green belt in the context of (a) a local plan and (b) an individual planning decision.

National planning policy is clear that it is the responsibility of local planning authorities to assess the need for traveller sites in their areas and plan to meet that need, in the same way that they plan for all forms of housing. In producing their local plan, local planning authorities should set pitch targets for traveller sites, and identify a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years' worth of sites against their locally set targets. When considering applications, local planning authorities should consider matters such as the local need for sites and whether an up-to-date five-year supply of deliverable sites can be demonstrated. It is for local authorities to make decisions on specific development proposals and locations, taking into account all relevant circumstances.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 11 November 2025 on Social and Affordable Housing Programme, HCWS1027, what estimate his Department has made of the level of subsidy per unit for a (a) social rent, (b) affordable rent and (c) affordable home ownership under the new scheme.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60080 on 24 June 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2025, to Question 86656, on Hate Crime: Internet, if he will place a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding in the Library.

In keeping with general practice, we do not currently intend to place the Memorandum of Understanding in the library.

Communities and Local Government, whether changes to the National Planning Policy Framework on decision making in December 2024 are a material consideration when a council considers a Temporary Stop Notice on an unauthorised traveller site.

My Department has no current plans to amend the guidance on temporary stop notices. The criteria for issuing a temporary stop notice, namely that the local planning authority thinks there has been a breach of planning control and that it is expedient for it to be stopped immediately, are set out in legislation. The changes made to the National Planning Policy Framework on 12 December 2024 do not affect this. We have not made an assessment of the effectiveness of temporary stop notices in preventing unauthorised development by travellers.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2025 to Question 87114 on Eden Project: Morecambe, what data his Department holds on any changes made to the scale and size of the proposed Eden Project development since July 2024.

Since July 2024 the Eden Project: Morecambe team have continued design work. An update on potential options for the development, including their size and scale, was presented to MHCLG in March 2025. These options were subject to ongoing community conversations. In September 2025, the department launched the Local Regeneration Fund which provided certainty of funding and flexibility to Local Authorities, including Lancaster City Council as sponsors of the Eden Project Morecambe. The Eden Project: Morecambe team submitted a planning application for their preferred option on the 15th of October 2025. The planning application proposal is currently out for consultation, ending 23rd January.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 87776 on Private Rented Housing: Energy, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the costs of new energy efficiency measures on the level of open market rents.

Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector, including proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030. We have engaged with landlord and tenant groups in developing this policy and set out several proposals to help landlords reach the new standard. Our proposed changes should not require landlords to increase rents. Instead, they will help tenants cut their energy bills by delivering more energy efficient homes. The consultation has now closed and we are analysing responses and reviewing evidence on the potential impact of these proposals. A government response will be published in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the official statistics entitled Count of Traveller Caravans, July 2025: England, published on 11 December 2025, what information his Department holds on the reasons for the 22% increase in unauthorised developments on land owned by travellers in the last year.

The July 2025 Traveller Caravan Count reported a 21% increase in unauthorised developments since July 2024. The reported increase in unauthorised developments is due in part to improved reporting in this category; data providers are encouraged to report the excess caravans on sites with planning permission as unauthorised developments where the planning permission has been breached or exceeded. My Department does not systematically collect or hold the reasons for increases in figures of each site type, although some information may be provided by local authorities in order to assist with quality assuring the statistics. Comments provided as part of quality assurance include references to caravans in excess of planning permission on some sites, as well as sites where a planning decision is pending. Local authorities are best placed to provide information on reasons for increases in their area.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Local Authority Housing Fund: Round 4 prospectus and guidance, of 19 November 2025, for what reason the funding can be used for the flipping of forthcoming shared ownership completions into social rented housing; and what the estimated grant per unit is.

Local authorities delivering the fourth round of the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF R4) can shape its delivery according to local circumstances. Converting unsold shared ownership completions into social rented housing is included in a list of possible delivery routes and may be appropriate where there is insufficient demand for shared ownership homes and greater need for social rented housing. There is not a fixed grant intervention rate for converting use from shared ownership homes. The amount of funding which can be applied depends on how the shared ownership scheme was originally funded.

Communities and Local Government, If he will place in the Library a copy of the equality impact assessment produced in relation to the revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 16 December 2025.

The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here. Duty assessments alongside such consultations. We are seeking views through the consultation on how the proposed policies could affect protected characteristics, and the views we receive will inform our final assessment and the government’s response to the consultation.

Communities and Local Government, whether his department holds information on the number of local authorities which offer rural rate relief and in which locations.

Rural rate relief is a mandatory business rates relief so can be offered to eligible businesses by all authorities in England. In 2024-25, 159 local authorities reported that they gave some rural rate relief. The data on the amount of rural rate relief given by these authorities can be found in ‘DatasheetPart3’ tab here.

Communities and Local Government, what data his Department holds on the estimated level of council tax receipts in England from 2026-27 onwards, including police, combined authority, GLA and parish precepts.

The Department does not publish specific data on estimated levels of council tax receipts in England for Police, combined authorities, Greater London Authority and parish councils. As part of the provisional settlement the Government has made estimates of changes to Core Spending power for 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29. This includes estimates of the council tax requirements councils will set for those years. These estimates are set out here. These estimates exclude parish precepts, police and crime commissioner precepts, and the High Value Council Tax Surcharge being introduced from 2028.

Communities and Local Government, how much funding was allocated to the Affordable Housing Programmes in (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25, including funding provided to his Department, Homes England, the Greater London Authority, local councils, housing associations and combined authorities.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 95055 on 5 December 2025.

Communities and Local Government, What plans he has to (a) publish the election pilots prospectus on gov.uk and (b) make it available to Hon Members.

Officials shared a prospectus detailing proposed flexible voting pilots with relevant local authorities in August 2025 and are currently engaging with local authorities wishing to pilot at the May 2026 elections. The government will share further details in due course.