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 20 January 2026 to Question 105978 on second homes: council tax, whether he has made any assumption on changes in the adoption of (a) second and (b) empty home council tax premiums when estimating the council tax requirement over the three years of the settlement.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As part of the provisional local government finance settlement, the government has made estimates of changes to Core Spending Power between 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29. This includes estimates of council tax requirements councils will set for those years which take account of estimated taxbase growth. These estimates, and the underpinning methodology are set out here.

The government has not made assumptions about changes in the adoption of second home or empty home council tax premiums. These decisions remain a matter for local discretion.

The way council tax in Core Spending Power is estimated is unchanged from previous Local Government Finance Settlements. The inclusion of council tax premium income in Core Spending Power does not affect how much local authorities receive through our assessment of relative need and resources, which assumes that authorities make no use of their discretionary discounts and premiums in order to protect the principle of local discretion. The Government will review the approach to calculating Core Spending Power ahead of the 2027-28 Settlement.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his planned timetable is for laying secondary legislation to cancel the May 2026 local elections for specific local authorities; and whether it will be by negative or affirmation resolution.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Statutory Instrument to postpone elections for specified local authorities was laid before Parliament on 5 February. The instrument will be considered by the negative resolution procedure.

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 his Department's correspondence entitled 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, published on 27 January 2026, whether the new scheme disapplies the transitional relief schemes for (a) 2027-28 and (b) 2028-29 financial years by capping any increases relative to the outturn bill for 2026-27 at CPI inflation.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Properties eligible for the pub and live music venue relief scheme will benefit from a 15% relief in 2026/27. Thereafter they will see their rates bill frozen in real terms in 2027/28 and 2028/29 provided the pub remains occupied. Any improvements to the pub which increases its rateable value after 1 April may also increase the bill in the normal way.

The Treasury have published examples of how the pub and live music venue relief scheme will work. Pubs and Live Music Venues Relief - 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 assessment has been made of the potential impact of the local government finance settlement on councils in London on the sustainability of their existing local council tax support schemes for working age people.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Council tax support for working age households is designed by councils in consultation with their residents, taking into account the resources available to them and the needs and circumstances of their local communities. Each year, councils must consider whether to revise or replace their scheme in consultation with their residents.

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 his Department's correspondence entitled 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, published on 27 January 2026, for pubs eligible for the £800 Supporting Small Business Relief (SSBR) cap, whether the 15% pubs relief (a) reduces the £800 cap to £680 and (b) reduces the rates liability by 15% before any £800 cap is applied.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Properties eligible for the pub and live music venue relief scheme will benefit from a 15% relief in 2026/27. The 15% relief will be applied after the existing Supporting Small Business Relief scheme.

The Treasury have published examples of how the pub and live music venue relief scheme will work. Pubs and Live Music Venues Relief - GOV.UK.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the new pub relief will apply to (a) business rate supplements levied by the Mayor of London and (b) business improvement district levies on business rates.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Decisions around the determination and application of local Business Rates Supplement are for relevant local authority, must ensure they follow the requirements set out in the Business Rates Supplement Act 2009 and the policies set out in their final prospectus.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to the business rate information letter, 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, whether the reduction in business rate revenue from the new relief will affect the revenue to local government from locally retained business rates in the new revaluation cycle from 2026 to 2029.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 27 January, the department confirmed to local authorities that they will be fully compensated for the loss of income associated with granting the pubs and live music venues relief and the government will fund the associated new burdens, including the administrative and software costs of implementation.

This communication with local authorities is published here.

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 20 January 2026 to Question 106139 on Local Government Finance: City of Westminster and Wandsworth, what the change in core spending power is excluding the council tax requirement.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 106139 on 20 January 2026. The provisional local government Settlement, published on 17 December 2025, sets out individual funding allocations for local authorities.

The government consulted on the provisional Settlement and the consultation closed on 14 January 2026.

We will publish our response to the consultation in February, alongside the publication of the final Local Government Finance Settlement.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2026, to Question 104894, on business rates, and to the answer of 6 January 2025, to Question 20948, on Business Rates: Greater London, whether the Chief Statistician of the Valuation Office Agency has consulted on the change to official statistical publications.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

As part of its official statistics, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) publishes the number of hereditaments by Special Category Code and local authority. The percentage change in RV is also published by Special Category Code and by Local/Unitary authority separately.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the business rate information letter, 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, whether the new relief will be available to (a) licensed premises which have a members’ clubs premises licence under the Licensing Act 2023 and (b) the bar of a community sports club.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

This relief will be awarded to pubs and live music venues at the discretion of Local Authorities, who will determine eligibility using guidance published by the Government and based on existing definitions.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's correspondence entitled 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, published on 27 January 2026, whether a gastro-pub categorised by the Valuation Office Agency as a restaurant is eligible for the relief; and whether a restaurant with a bar at which customers can sit and order a drink without food makes the venue eligible for the pubs relief.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

This relief will be awarded to pubs and live music venues at the discretion of Local Authorities, who will determine eligibility using guidance published by the Government and based on existing definitions.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Council Tax Valuation Operating System Evaluation, published by the Valuation Office Agency on 20 January 2026, what are the new geospatial tools, and which datasets is it populated with.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Valuation Office Agency’s Valuation Operating System for Council Tax replaces multiple existing tools with a single case management system. This includes a mapping tool which utilises publicly available geographical data and government records to support Council Tax work.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the total budget for the Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Valuation Operating System; and which contractors are being used to deliver the project.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Information about the Valuation Office Agency’s Valuation Operating System for Council Tax can be found on Contracts Finder.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which scheduled town or parish council elections will take place in May 2026 in localities where scheduled principal council elections will be postponed in May 2026 by district council.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Parish and town council elections will be proceeding as planned, given they are outside of local government reorganisation. Information on town and parish councils elections is held by the relevant district councils.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the Treasury Select Committee, Work of HM Revenue and Customs - Oral evidence, HC 416, 13 January 2026, Question 480, what number and proportion of hotels have seen their Rateable Value increase above the English average change of 19%.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Statistics on changes in the rateable value of non-domestic properties as a result of the 2026 Revaluation and publication of the draft 2026 Rating List are published here: Change in rateable value of rating lists, 2026 Revaluation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department is taking steps to help prevent the misuse of Pride in Place public funds in (a) the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and (b) other local authorities.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 25 September, the Government launched its overarching Pride in Place Strategy, committing up to £5 billion in funding and support to 339 communities. The flagship Pride in Place Programme will provide up to £20 million in flexible funding and support to 244 neighbourhoods over the next decade. This will serve as the cornerstone of this Government’s support for communities. Alongside this, the £150 million Pride in Place Impact Fund complements the longer-term Pride in Place Programme. It provides short-term funding for immediate improvements to make sure that the places and spaces valued by communities are improved and match the pride people feel for their local areas.

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is not currently a funded area under either Phase 1 or Phase 2 of the Pride in Place Programme, and does not receive funding from the Pride in Place Impact Fund.

The Government has put in place robust governance and assurance arrangements to safeguard public funds and prevent misuse across all selected neighbourhoods, with funding delivered through the relevant local authorities acting as the accountable bodies. Programme assurance follows a three lines of defence model, with the first line provided by local authority Chief Financial Officers, the second by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) through proportionate, risk-based checks, and the third by MHCLG’s independent auditors.

For the Pride in Place Programme, each place must establish a Neighbourhood Board and produce a 10-year Pride in Place Plan, which is subject to approval by the MHCLG and must set out how the activity will be pursued to achieve the three strategic objectives of the programme. MHCLG’s Communities Delivery Unit provides each neighbourhood with a named official to monitor delivery, support governance and escalate any concerns.

For the Pride in Place Impact Fund local authorities are tasked with working with local stakeholders to identify and invest in interventions that meet local need. They will receive an area’s allocation to manage, including assessing and approving any onward grant disbursement, processing payments and day-to-day monitoring.

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 of 24 September 2025 entitled Communities to seize control over high streets and restore pride, how his Department plans to give councils powers to block fake barbers.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Pride in Place Strategy set out how this government will empower communities to reclaim their high streets and restore pride to their communities. This includes powers to auction off vacant premises, a new Community Right to Buy for valued assets, and streamlined compulsory purchase orders. We are also taking further steps to target illegal activity on our hight streets. The Budget provided £15 million per year towards measures including enhanced Trading Standards capabilities, an uplift of law enforcement officers, and a new cross-government policy taskforce to better understand criminality on our high streets.

This government will also bring forward a High Streets Strategy, backed by at least £150 million of support to help turn the tide on the high streets most in need. This targeted investment will be used to tackle the challenges people care about most.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the telecommunication cables by the Royal Mint site will be amended or moved when the Chinese Embassy is built.

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

Details of the development for which planning permission has been granted in the case in question are set out in the relevant decision letter which can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's correspondence entitled 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) pub and (b) live music hereditaments that will benefit.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The number of pubs and live music venues that will benefit from this relief will be determined, ultimately, by the relief decisions made by councils in line with the guidance published.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the business rates revaluation 2026, whether the base liability for charity shops' (a) transitional rate relief and (b) Supporting Small Business Relief includes the application of mandatory charitable rate relief.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The base liability for charity shops within the transitional relief scheme does not include the application of mandatory or discretionary charitable rate relief. However, charitable relief where applicable is awarded against the bill after Transitional Rate relief.

A charity is not eligible for Supporting Small Business Rate relief.

For more information on Charitable Rate relief, please see: Business rates relief: Charitable rate relief - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to ensure the review conducted by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority into the West Yorkshire Mass Transit Programme, issued to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority on the 19 September 2025, is placed into the public domain.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

On 18 December, Mayor Brabin announced a revised plan for development and delivery of Mass Transit, following an independent peer review by NISTA in September 2025. The changes aim to strengthen delivery and reduce risk, and do not result from any delay by the Department for Transport. All major project reviews undertaken by NISTA are treated as confidential, in the interests of ensuring that everyone involved is able to share their honest feedback. This has been standard practice across successive governments.

The Department for Transport continue to work closely with West Yorkshire Combined Authority to ensure the programme remains firmly on track for successful delivery.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department names organisations that are (a) regarded as extremists and (b) subject to a policy of non-engagement; and how is the Muslim Council of Britain classified.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Although The Home Office does not comment on specific groups or individual cases, I would like to reassure the Hon. Gentleman that we are committed to addressing the full range of threats that we currently face as a country and tackling anyone who spreads views that promote violence and hatred against individuals and communities.

We carry out due diligence when choosing to engage with any organisation or individual and, if asked, we will advise and share information to help others inform their decisions.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials had meetings with (i) the Venice Commission and (ii) the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe on (A) elections and (B) democracy since July 2024.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

MHCLG ministers and officials have not held any meetings with either the Venice Commission or the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe on elections or democracy since July 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his assessment is of the effectiveness of Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The UK fully supports the operation of the international treaties which enable the cross-border enforcement of maintenance decisions. Children have a right to care and support, and parents have a responsibility to provide it. That responsibility endures regardless of family separation and includes situations where the paying parent and the child are living in different countries.

The effectiveness of reciprocal enforcement depends on how national governments operate the procedures required under the different treaties. The administration of the reciprocal enforcement of maintenance procedures in England and Wales is kept under continuous review and officials work to address any issues arising.

Regular discussions take place between UK officials and officials from other countries.

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 20 January 2026 to Question 106139 on Local Government Finance: City of Westminster and Wandsworth, what assumption his Department made on the percentage increase in the level of Band D council tax in each of the individual three years of the Settlement on which the increase in council tax requirement for (a) Westminster and (b) Wandsworth was estimated.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

It is for individual councils to decide their level of council tax, taking into consideration a range of local factors, including the impact on taxpayers. As has been standard practise with previous governments, the government’s estimate of core spending power, for these councils, assumes that they will increase by 5% in 2026-27 and by 5% plus an additional £150 in both2027-28 and 2028-29.

Removing referendum principles in these areas will enable the government to allocate over £250 million more funding for public services in places with higher need instead of subsidising very low bills for 500,000 households in these councils.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish an equality impact assessment on the postponement of local elections in 2026.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

An equality impact assessment has been completed in line with normal practice.

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 17 November 2025 to Question 8777, on Local Government: Elections, whether local authorities which submitted bids to hold a May 2026 election pilot scheme subsequently submitted a request to the Department to cancel their May 2026 elections.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In August 2025, local authorities were invited to apply to pilot a range of flexible voting methods at the May 2026 elections in England.

A number of local authorities expressed interest in participating, and we are currently engaging with those local authorities. A small number of authorities that submitted applications subsequently made requests to postpone their May 2026 elections.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement on Local roads and highways, published on 12 January 2026, HCWS1232, what discussions she had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government before the publication of the statement.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Department for Transport ministers and officials regularly engage with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on a range of issues including in relation to local roads maintenance.

At the Autumn Budget, the government confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion for local authorities over the next four years to repair and renew their roads and fix potholes. Earlier in January, the Department published a new traffic light rating system. Under this system, every local highway authority in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, the level of investment into maintaining roads, and whether they do so using best practice.

The ratings are designed to enable the public to gauge how well each council is maintaining its local roads. They also provide an incentive to local highway authorities to continue to adopt best practice and they enable the department to identify where councils need to improve and to support them to ensure road conditions improve nationwide.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with her Polish counterpart on outstanding cases of children abducted from the UK to Poland.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I recognise the distress of all those affected by international parental child abduction (IPCA). It is an issue this Government takes very seriously. Ministers and officials continue to raise IPCA with the Polish authorities at every appropriate opportunity. Most recently, the Deputy Prime Minister raised IPCA with Polish Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski in January. The Foreign Secretary and I also raised IPCA with our Polish counterparts in October 2025.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the business rate information letter entitled 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, of 27 January 2026, what the cost is of the new relief in (a) 2026-27, (b) 2027-28 and (c) 2028-29.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

From April, every pub and live music venue will get 15% off its new business rates bill on top of the support announced at Budget and then bills will be frozen in real terms for a further two years.

Final costings will be confirmed at a fiscal event in the usual way.

The retail and hospitality sectors will continue to benefit from the £4.3 billion support package announced at Budget. This support package means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the business rate information letter, 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, whether the new relief is subject to a state aid cap for chain pubs; and whether it will apply to venues subject to the high value multiplier.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

From April, every pub and live music venue will get 15% off its new business rates bill on top of the support announced at Budget and then bills will be frozen in real terms for a further two years.

Final costings will be confirmed at a fiscal event in the usual way.

The retail and hospitality sectors will continue to benefit from the £4.3 billion support package announced at Budget. This support package means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions he has had with her Polish counterparts on Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

There have been no recent discussions on Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders between the Secretary of State for Justice and Polish Ministers. Regular discussions take place between UK and Polish officials.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he received representations on delaying local elections from Labour (a) MPs, (b) councillors and (c) council groups that were separate from formal representations from the local authority.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Representations were received from councils with elections scheduled in May, including from councillors and political groups, and from other councils, interested organisations, Member of Parliament, and members of the public.

The Secretary of State ran a locally led process and it was for councils to make representations and assess their capacity to conduct a safe and smooth transition to new authorities at the same time as holding elections.

In reaching his decisions, the Secretary of State carefully considered all the representations made alongside departmental advice on those representations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department undertook verification of local authorities’ representations which noted insufficient capacity because of the scheduled May 2026 elections.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Representations were received from councils with elections scheduled in May, including from councillors and political groups, and from other councils, interested organisations, Member of Parliament, and members of the public.

The Secretary of State ran a locally led process and it was for councils to make representations and assess their capacity to conduct a safe and smooth transition to new authorities at the same time as holding elections.

In reaching his decisions, the Secretary of State carefully considered all the representations made alongside departmental advice on those representations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Rt Hon Member for Ashton-under-Lyne has an official car provided.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Rt Hon Member for Ashton-under-Lyne is not provided with an official government car.