Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much Vehicle Excise Duty was collected in each local authority area, every year since 2020.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The information requested is not held as the amount of vehicle excise duty collected cannot be broken down by local authority area. The annual amount of vehicle excise duty revenue collected since the financial year 2019/20 is shown in the table below.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish all formal correspondence with local authorities about local government reorganisation, and whether they will place copies of that correspondence in the Library of the House.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Useful documents, including letters to councils, announcements and news items on the local government reorganisation programme will appear on gov.uk at Local government reorganisation: Policy and programme updates - GOV.UK. We anticipate that during this programme of local government reorganisation there will be a significant volume of correspondence with local authorities. We do not anticipate publishing all of that correspondence, nor do we consider it appropriate to place copies in the Library of the House. We will ensure that the House is updated at key moments, as we have done since the publication the English Devolution White Paper on 16 December 2024. I am of course happy to meet Noble Lords at any point.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to allocate the £7.6 million of capacity funding for local government reorganisation, and when that funding will be made available.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 24 March the government announced it has made £7.6 million available as ‘proposal development contributions’ to support the 21 areas undergoing local government reorganisation.

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.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of planning permissions that were granted for properties that ended up not being built in each of the past five years, broken down by local authority.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Department does not hold the requested information.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will amend the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to make it easier for local authorities to carry out covert surveillance in areas with a high incidence of fly tipping.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Since 2012, local authority authorisations for directed surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 have been subject to enhanced arrangements. This includes a requirement for local authorities to obtain prior judicial approval before conducting activity and for that activity to be for the purpose of preventing or detecting criminal offences that are punishable by at least six months' imprisonment.

The Government believes that these additional safeguards remain important to strike the right balance in protecting rights while ensuring local authorities have the ability to authorise directed surveillance to investigate offences in an appropriate and lawful manner, which can include the investigation of the criminal offence of fly tipping.

The Government keeps all legislation related to investigatory powers under review.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what advice the Deputy Prime Minister received from (1) the Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office, (2) the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, and (3) the Cabinet Office propriety and ethics team, regarding ministerial discussions with the Unite trade union.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

As set out in the Ministerial Code, there is an established process in place for the declaration and management of private interests held by ministers. This ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any actual or perceived conflicts of interest. Any advice given to ministers as part of this process would be in confidence.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many local authorities charge an empty homes premium on council tax in England in 2025–26, and what are the percentage rates of those premiums.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government annually publishes data on council taxbases including their use of any council tax premiums. Data for the 2024 snapshot is available here. Data for the 2025 snapshot will be published in November.

This data sets out that 292 billing authorities made use of the long-term empty homes premium in 2024. The data also provides a breakdown for each billing authority and the various percentages of premiums they have applied.

Councils have had the power to charge a council tax premium on second homes since April this year. Data on the number of billing authorities making use of the second home premium will be published in the 2025 council taxbase statistics in November.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many local authorities charge a second home premium on council tax in England in 2025–26.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government annually publishes data on council taxbases including their use of any council tax premiums. Data for the 2024 snapshot is available here. Data for the 2025 snapshot will be published in November.

This data sets out that 292 billing authorities made use of the long-term empty homes premium in 2024. The data also provides a breakdown for each billing authority and the various percentages of premiums they have applied.

Councils have had the power to charge a council tax premium on second homes since April this year. Data on the number of billing authorities making use of the second home premium will be published in the 2025 council taxbase statistics in November.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they keep records of the embassies or consulates that have not followed the convention of following local laws and process in relation to planning issues.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

MCHLG does not record such information. Responsibility for planning enforcement rests with local planning authorities.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the expected cumulative increase in band D council tax in the next four years.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Council tax levels are decided by individual local authorities. The Office for Budget Responsibility has projected a continued 5% principle for the next spending review period. However, the government determines referendum principles annually with the approval of the House of Commons to give residents the final say over excessive increases.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what advice they provide to local authorities on taking out insurance for potential cyber attacks.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government Cyber Security Strategy sets a clear target for all public bodies to be resilient to known vulnerabilities and common attack methods by 2030. Cyber insurance should be considered as part of wider cyber security resilience measures taken by organisations. The NCSC (The National Cyber Security Centre) has provided helpful guidance for organisations thinking about taking out cyber insurance.

In 2024 MHCLG introduced the Cyber Assessment Framework for local government to help councils assess and improve their cyber security. The framework also aims to promote good cyber security practices and cultures within councils to minimise the impact of cyber-attacks.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to respond to those local authorities that have submitted interim reorganisation proposals.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 3 June the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution (Jim McMahon OBE MP) has updated the House to confirm that the Department had provided individual written feedback to each area on the interim plans for local government reorganisation that they submitted by 21 March 2025. Areas have been encouraged to share that feedback with MPs and the Department also published a summary of the feedback to support all areas in progressing their proposals and in the interests of transparency.

Global Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: with at-home early medical abortions; and for connected purposes was brought to the House by Baroness Eaton

Further Education and Lifelong Learning APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Conservative Kerry McCarthy MP, Bristol East, Labour Dame Margaret Hodge, Barking, Labour Baroness Eaton

Music Education APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: 2020 Minutes AGM Business Parliamentarians present: Alex Davies-Jones MP, Barbara Keeley MP, Baroness Eaton