Written questions by Holden.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides on taking factors other than merit into consideration when it comes to fire service appointments and promotions.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 120874, whether his Department plans to publish the baseline information it holds on private parking appeals; and if he will provide a breakdown of the number of disputes and appeals relating to private parking charges for each of the last five years.

The government does not hold a breakdown of the number of disputes and appeals relating to private parking charges for each of the last five years. Some baseline information on private parking appeals includes information already in the public domain such as the trade associations’ annual reports and these may be accessed via the IAS and POPLA sites. Any other relevant information will be published in the government response when the Code is laid in autumn 2026.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2026 to Question 112231, whether his Department holds data on (a) the number of fires involving road vehicles of all types attended by Fire and Rescue Services in England each year and (b) fires involving electric vehicles as a distinct category.

MHCLG collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) in England through the Fire and Rescue Data Analysis Platform (FaRDaP), and previously through the Incident Recording System (IRS). This includes information on primary fires, fire-related fatalities, and non-fatal casualties in road vehicles. Data on the number of fires involving road vehicles of all types attended by FRSs in England is published in the Department’s fire statistics data tables, available on gov.uk here. In particular, table FIRE 0302 ‘Primary fires, fatalities and non-fatal casualties in road vehicles by motive and vehicle type, England’ presents the number of primary fires for each recorded type of road vehicle per year. However, the data currently collected by FRSs does not identify whether a vehicle involved in a fire was an electric vehicle. The Department is therefore not able to provide data on fires involving electric vehicles as a distinct category. Work is ongoing to update the data FaRDAP will collect covering both the questions and answer categories to capture lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicles, and more.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has provided guidance to local planning authorities on whether recreational routes associated with major residential developments should accommodate all non-motorised users, including horse riders and people with restricted mobility.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out that planning policies and decisions should protect and enhance public rights of way and access, including taking opportunities to provide better facilities for users, for example by adding links to existing rights of way networks including National Trails. The NPPF is also clear that applications for development should address the needs of people with disabilities and reduced mobility in relation to all modes of transport. Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to promoting sustainable transport. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the level of disputes over charges regarding private parking operators belonging to accredited trade associations since 4 July 2024.

The department holds baseline information on private parking appeals, provided through stakeholder engagement. The government also has a new strategy to enable the regular collection of data regarding the private parking industry, as outlined in the 2025 Code of Practice Consultation, once the revised Code has been published.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2026 to Question 111868 on Fire and Rescue Services: Databases, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring fire and rescue services to record whether such fires involve lithium-ion batteries or electric vehicles; and whether his Department plans to make such reporting mandatory under the Fire and Rescue Data Platform Version 2.

As part of the development of Version 2 of the Fire and Rescue Data Platform (FaRDaP), we will be adding new reference data to allow fire and rescue services to record and report on when an incident involves lithium‑ion batteries or electric vehicles. This will include identifying whether the source of ignition was a battery and, where relevant, whether that battery was on charge at the time of the incident. These additions will ensure such information is collected and reported consistently across services.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has considered the effectiveness of household fuseboards in reducing fire risk.

Part P of the Building Regulations 2010 covers electrical safety in dwellings and is intended to protect people from fire or injury. In England, installation of new household circuits, addition or alteration of circuits in specified locations and replacement of a consumer unit or fuse board are notifiable electrical works and must comply with Building Regulations Part P. In existing buildings, fire risk assessments under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 require responsible persons to demonstrate how they are managing fire safety in their buildings, which may include risk arising from electrical equipment.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has issued guidance to councils on higher parking fees for heavier vehicles.

No such guidance has been issued. Local authorities are best placed to determine requirements for their own area.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91458 on Roads: Local Government, whether his Department holds that data.

The department collects data about local authorities’ expenditure and income relating to all services through the General Fund Revenue Outturn data collection. This includes data on traffic management and road safety but with the exception of congestion charging, this is not broken down into the requested categories. The information for the financial year 2024 to 2025 can be found within the RO2 tables on lines 51 to 58.

Communities and Local Government, what information their Department holds on (a) the proportion of tyres procured that were re-tread tyres for (i) Department-operated and (ii) commercially contracted heavy vehicle fleets, including lorries, buses and refuse vehicles and (b) the volume of tyres procured for those fleets that were single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months; and whether such information is held centrally or by individual contractors.

The Department does not own or have commercially contracted heavy vehicles. It has not procured any tyres of any type for that class of vehicle within the past 12 months. The Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994, set out requirements for re-treaded tyres, as well as brand new tyres. Consumers can be confident in the safety of any tyre that complies with these requirements.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2026 to Question 108300, how many fires involving road vehicles of all types were recorded by Fire and Rescue Services in England in each of the last 15 years.

MHCLG collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) in England through the Fire & Rescue Data Platform (FaRDaP), and previously through the Incident Recording System (IRS). This includes information on primary fires, fire-related fatalities, and non-fatal casualties in road vehicles. Data covering the year ending March 2025 is published here: Fire statistics data tables - GOV.UK, see FIRE 0302 ‘Primary fires, fatalities and non-fatal casualties in road vehicles by motive and vehicle type, England’. These tables present the number of primary fires for each recorded type of road vehicle per year. Data is also available on the number of accidents involving fire and rescue authority vehicles, by fire and rescue authority, in the FIRE1402 data table. Incident level data for road vehicle fires can be found here: Fire statistics incident level datasets - GOV.UK, see ‘Road vehicle fires dataset’ for the raw data, and ‘Road vehicles fire dataset guidance’ for guidance on the dataset.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2026 to Question 108300, when the rollout of the Fire and Rescue Data Analysis Platform (FaRDAP) will be completed; and from what date Fire and Rescue Services will be required to record whether fires involve lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles.

The Fire and Rescue Data Platform (FaRDaP) Version 1 was successfully rolled out to 48 Fire and Rescue Services in England, Scotland and Wales by 14 November 2025. At present, Fire and Rescue Services are not required to record whether fires involve lithium-ion batteries or electric vehicles in national incident data, and no date has been set for when such recording will become mandatory. However, work is underway on FaRDaP Version 2 to update the data collected, including the development of categories to capture incidents involving lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles (including e-bikes and e-scooters).

Communities and Local Government, how many fires involving electric vehicles have been recorded by fire and rescue services in England in the last five years; and whether the Government has received assessments on the impact and risk of such fires from fire and rescue services.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) in England, including fires involving road vehicles. This data is published in the Department’s fire statistics releases. However, the data currently collected by Fire and Rescue Services does not identify whether a vehicle involved in a fire was an electric vehicle. The Department is therefore not able to provide data for the number of fires involving electric vehicles in England over the last five years. Our new Fire and Rescue Data Analysis Platform (FaRDAP) is being rolled out and work is ongoing to update the data it will collect covering both the questions and answer categories to capture lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicles (including personal light electric vehicles such as e-scooters and e-bikes), and more. In addition, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) publishes data using information available from Fire and Rescue Services on fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters. Updated data now including figures for 2017-2024 was published in June 2025 and can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101474, whether (a) his Department and (b) its arm's length-bodies have adopted any environmental targets.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 101474 answered on 12 January 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle wildfires in 2026.

The Government recognises that the impact of climate change is likely to increase and intensify fire incidents in England and Wales – with potential to impact fire and rescue service’s (FRS) resources, capacity, and strategical response. As the lead government department for wildfire, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) maintains regular and ongoing engagement with other government departments including the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and Cabinet Office on this national risk. This is alongside the department’s work with national bodies including the National Fire Chiefs Council and England and Wales Wildfire Forum to monitor and review sector led improvements and mitigations. Since 2024 we have also funded a National Resilience Wildfire Advisor to assess what additional wildfire national capabilities might be needed to increase resilience to the wildfire risk and to ensure coordination of approaches across the sector.

Communities and Local Government, whether the postponement or delay of the 2025 Basildon Borough Council elections was discussed during the meeting between Baroness Taylor and Basildon Borough Council councillors or officials during her visit to Basildon on Friday 12 December.

As would be expected, topics relating to local government reorganisation were raised with the Minister, including 2026 elections. We have invited Basildon Borough Council and other councils undergoing local government reorganisation to set out their views on the postponement of their local election and if they consider this could release essential capacity to deliver local government reorganisation. This is a locally led approach. Councils are best placed to judge their local capacity and we will consider representations carefully.

Communities and Local Government, what the net zero targets for the Department and its arm’s-length bodies are; and what guidance has been issued on adopting net zero targets earlier than 2050.

The Net Zero target in the Climate Change Act 2008, is a target for the whole of the UK, not individual departments or arms-length bodies. Greening Government Commitments are the central framework setting out the actions UK government departments and their agencies will take to reduce their impacts on the environment, including setting targets to reduce emissions, during the framework period. Defra are reviewing the Greening Government Commitments to ensure that they remain aligned with government priorities.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on including locally manufactured materials such as natural stone in planning conditions and development frameworks.

National design guidance, which supports the National Planning Policy Framework, states that well-designed places should be responsive to local history, culture and heritage. The guidance highlights the role of resources, including the careful selection of materials and construction techniques, to minimise any environmental impacts. A local design code can introduce requirements on the use of materials for new development, if appropriate.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential energy-efficiency benefits derived from using natural stone in public and private construction.

Energy efficiency requirements for new dwellings and buildings are set through the Building Regulations, which specify overall performance standards rather than mandating particular materials. This allows designers and developers to select the most practical and cost-effective materials for each project, including the use of natural stone where appropriate.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77649 on Parking: Automatic Number Plate Recognition, whether the Government allows requests from (a) Patrol, (b) the British Parking Association and (c) the Local Government Association for the use of ANPR for civil parking enforcement in off-street parking; and if he will publish responses by his Department to representations made by those bodies on this issue since July 2024.

As stated in my response of 13 October to Question 77649, local authorities can use ANPR for civil parking enforcement. However, the Deregulation Act 2015 restricts the use of any surveillance technology by local authorities as the sole means of enforcing parking contraventions. In practice, this means that local authorities cannot issue Penalty Charge Notices by post following the detection of a parking contravention through surveillance technology, except in the limited circumstances set out in Regulation 10(2) of the Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (Approved Devices, Charging Guidelines and General Provisions) (England) Regulations 2022.In addition to the use of ANPR by local authorities, the 2024 letter from Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London (PATROL), the British Parking Association, and the Local Government Association raised other topics covering policy responsibilities of both the Department for Transport (DfT) and the MHCLG. At that time, my department issued a holding response, committing to provide a more substantive reply following a review of private parking charges. This response has not yet been provided as the department is still considering its response to the consultation on the Code of Practice for private parking which included proposals on private parking charges.