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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential use of a legislative reform order to remove the requirement to publish the home addresses of councillors.

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

I refer the noble Lord to the response given to Question on 21 January 2025 UIN 23872. We consider removal of the requirement for councillors’ home addresses to be published is best achieved by primary legislation and intend to legislate at the first available opportunity.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have a target for the number of bat tunnels that will be provided as nature mitigation mechanisms as a result of the changes set out in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

No.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Local Government Boundary Commission will assess the new wards and boundaries of the new unitary authorities.

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

The Local Government Boundary Commission England (LGBCE) is responsible for electoral reviews for local government, reviewing wards, and setting the council size in terms of number of councillors. When a full electoral review of a newly established authority is carried out, the LGBCE will follow its guidance (which is available on its website), and the electoral review process includes a local consultation.

In terms of the number of and external boundaries of new unitary councils, the process set out in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 is that following the receipt of proposals for a single tier of local government the Secretary of State may request the LGBCE to advise on any matter that relates to the proposal. The Secretary of State may by order implement the proposal, with or without modification; if she has received an alternative proposal from the LGBCE, by order implement that alternative proposal with or without modification; or decide to take no action.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment has been made of the activities of the United Front Work Department in the United Kingdom in relation to the called-in Chinese Embassy planning application.

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

I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 11 March 2025 to question UIN HL5338.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government why there are different business rate liabilities for fee-charging (1) standalone nursery schools, and (2) nurseries within the curtilage of independent schools.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Private schools in England no longer benefit from business rates charitable rate relief. The definition of a private school is set out in the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Act. This definition includes private schools with nursery classes, which, despite the presence of some nursery provision are, by their nature, private schools.

Standalone nursery schools with their own business rates assessments remain eligible for charitable rate relief if they are eligible charities. This approach best ensures consistency with the underlying policy intent to remove eligibility from private schools.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether a treehouse within the curtilage of a domestic dwelling is deemed to be a material consideration by the Valuation Office Agency when a property is valued for council tax in Wales.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Valuation Office Agency considers each property valuation on a case-by-case basis, considering the impact that any features could have on the property’s value and whether any such features would be classified as a self-contained unit.

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