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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled Government calls last orders on red tape choking pubs, clubs and restaurants in major boost to the British night out, published on 4 April 2025, whether the London pilot will operate on a voluntary basis; and whether it will be piloted in London boroughs which do not support the proposals to transfer licensing powers.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In April, the government announced that it would work with the Greater London Authority to review strategic licensing powers and explore a pilot scheme, providing the Mayor of London with new powers over strategic licensing. My officials are working closely with the Greater London Authority to design a pilot to boost growth in London’s sporting, cultural and hospitality venues and revitalise London’s nightlife. Alongside this, the GLA is carrying out extensive consultation with key London partners including the Metropolitan Police, London councils and business groups. The London pilot will aim to unlock the full potential of London’s hospitality, cultural and night-time economies by exploring how the Mayor’s strategic oversight role can complement local licensing powers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has provided (a) funding and (b) guidance to (i) private contractors and (b) local authorities for the provision of free TV licences to people seeking asylum.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question 65010.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether allotments are classified as (a) greenfield or (b) brownfield land for planning purposes.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The National Planning Policy Framework defines previously developed land (brownfield land) as land which is, or was, occupied by a permanent structure and any associated fixed surface infrastructure.

However, the definition explicitly excludes land in built-up areas such as residential gardens, parks, recreation grounds and allotments.

As such, allotments do not fall within the category of previously developed land and are therefore considered greenfield.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 58771 on Local Government: Elections, whether she has made an estimate of the number of councils which will be subject to the transitional arrangements in 2026, and have their scheduled 2026 elections cancelled to make way for replacement elections; and in what year would the replacement elections take place.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Seven councils could have their elections replaced with elections to new unitary councils in May 2026. Surrey is the only area whose ambitious timetable is such that we will need Parliamentary approval by March 2026 to allow for elections to the new unitary authorities in May 2026 to enable new authorities to go live in April 2027.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will publish a response to the press release by PCS entitled PCS members at MHCLG escalate industrial action, published on 26 June 2025.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The department will not be publishing a direct response to the PCS communication published for their members. We continue to hope for a resolution and remain open to further discussions on the matters raised.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 30 May to Question 52625 on Travellers: Caravan Sites, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of unauthorised traveller encampments on operational policing, in the context of the High Court judgement of May 2024.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The judgment is being reviewed in detail. Engagement has taken place with the National Police Chiefs’ Council.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question 59362 on Asylum: Housing, whether local authorities have a veto on the use of specific properties for asylum accommodation.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 23 June to Question 59362.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 12 June 2025 on Local Government Best Value, HCWS697, what discussions her Department has had with (a) councillors and (b) political assistants from Croydon on the best value intervention in that area since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All details of ministerial meetings with external bodies are published on gov.uk.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 12 June 2025 on Local Government Best Value, HCWS697, what discussions her Department has had with hon. Members from Croydon on the best value intervention in that area since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I hold regular meetings with honourable members in accordance with my Ministerial responsibilities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 30 May to Question 52709 on Police: Elections and of 2 May to Question 47267 on Cambridgeshire Constabulary: Domestic Visits, what assessment she has made of the compatibility of speeches made by the (a) Home Secretary and (b) Prime Minister at Cambridgeshire Police Headquarters on 10 April 2025 with the National Police Chief’s Council pre-election guidance on impartiality.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The National Police Chiefs’ Council is independent of government, and any assessment of compliance with its guidance on any subject would be for the NPCC to make.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question 59362 on Asylum: Housing, if she will place a copy of the template Asylum Accommodation Service Contracts in the Library.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts are already published and available on Contracts Finder as follows:

Wales AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Wales - Contracts Finder

South AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract South - Contracts Finder

North West AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NW - Contracts Finder

Midlands & Eastern England AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract MEE - Contracts Finder

North East Yorks & Humber AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NEYH - Contracts Finder

Scotland AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Scotland - Contracts Finder

Northern Ireland AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NI - Contracts Finder

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of small boat arrivals were (a) children, (b) babies and (c) women in the most recent period for which data is available.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes statistics on detected irregular arrivals to the UK in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on small boat arrivals by age group and sex is published in table Irr_D01 of the ‘Irregular migration to the UK detailed datasets’, with the latest data up to the end of March 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 60081 on Asylum: Housing, what her policy for housing asylum seekers in hostels which have been converted from hotels via change of use is.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil its legal obligations, whilst delivering on this Government’s commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her plans to remove asylum seekers from hotel accommodation extends to (a) hostels and (b) other types of communal accommodation.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil its legal obligations, whilst delivering on this Government’s commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 57661 on Water Charges, what estimate he has made of the average household water bill in each year from 2025 to 2030.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The price controls set by Ofwat under Price Review 2024 came into effect on 1st April 2025. The average customer bill will increase by 36% over the next five years. These bill rises equate to around £3 additional per month on average, before inflation, over the next five years. This will pay to fix crumbling infrastructure, which will dramatically reduce sewage spills and lead to cleaner rivers, lakes and seas.

The Secretary of State has secured agreement with Ofwat that funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment. Ofwat will also ensure that when money for investment is not spent, companies refund customers, with money never allowed to be diverted for bonuses, dividends or salary increases.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding her Department plans to provide to local authorities to (a) house and (b) build housing for (i) asylum seekers and (ii) refugees in each financial year to 2029‑30.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes information on asylum expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of planning applications that have been granted by each local authority in each of the last 12 months.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The number of planning applications granted per quarter is published in the Department’s quarterly planning applications statistical release which can be found on gov.uk here.

The number of planning applications granted by each local planning authority in the 12 months to 31 March 2025 for district matters is available in live table P134.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the new affordable housing programme will include (a) bringing empty homes back into use, (b) the acquisition of existing built properties and (c) traveller pitches.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July (HCWS771).

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of dwellings with planning permission granted where construction has not begun in each London borough.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department does not collect data on the number of dwellings with planning consent that have not yet started construction.

On 25 May, the government published a Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out (which can be found on gov.uk here) inviting views on further action the government should take to speed up homes being built.

On the same day, we launched a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve the transparency of build rates from new residential development, which includes proposals to implement provisions in Section 113 of the LURA on the power to decline to determine applications. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the government intends bring forward the regulations to implement these measures at the earliest practical opportunity with the new build out reporting framework coming into force from 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance entitled Openness and transparency on personal interests: guidance for councillors, published on 21 March 2013, what requirements councillors have to declare to their local authority any political donations made to (a) assist future election campaigns and (b) for political campaigning outside a regulated election period.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The ‘openness and transparency on personal interests: guidance for councillors’ is clear that a councillor’s disclosable pecuniary interests must be declared to their local authority. This is in line with requirements set out in regulations under the Localism Act 2011.

The legislation and guidance are clear that a councillor in receipt of sponsorships must declare them. This would include any payment or provision of any other financial benefit, other than from their council or authority, made or provided in respect of any expenses incurred by a councillor carrying out duties as a member, or towards their election expenses.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued recent guidance to local authorities on public right of access to privately-owned public spaces that are owned by (a) private companies and (b) local authorities through a private company.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department has not issued guidance in relation to this matter.

Found: Schools Partnership and a member of the DfE Regional Advisory Board  Gagan Mohindra – MP  David Simmonds