Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 will put forward proposals for increasing local government transparency under the next round of the UK National Action Plan for Open Government.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department keeps this issue under review. A wide range of mechanisms exist to ensure transparency and accountability of local authorities. The Local Government Transparency Code 2015 requires authorities to publish a range of information about their activities including spending, procurement and assets. Authorities are also required to produce annual accounts which are independently assured by an external auditor. The Ministry is working to improve transparency through reforms to the local audit system which will establish the Local Audit Office to oversee the system. The Local Outcomes Framework will provide outcomes based performance measurement against key national priorities delivered at the local level.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, page 38, when the first State of Extremism report will be published.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
We will seek to publish the first report later this year. It will set out the threat picture, and will include information around specific ideologies including Islamism, the Extreme Right and Extreme Left. It will provide an overview of extremist groups as well as the action taken by government and partners to counter extremism.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 11 March 2026, to Question 107992, on Lichfields, whether their work was awarded by open competition, or via direct award.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The contract in question was awarded directly following failed competitions. This information was published within the contract award notice which can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff are assigned to work in the Government’s Darlington Campus, by department; and whether workplace attendance is monitored.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) will comprise of two buildings Feethams House (open and in operation) and Brunswick St (in construction). These form part of a wider Darlington Portfolio - currently 8 buildings (excluding Brunswick St.). Of the 8 buildings, Bishopsgate House may yet form part of the DEC, but this is still undetermined.
The GPA cannot confirm how many staff are assigned to work at the Darlington Economic Campus (in effect Feethams House at this time) as this information is held by individual departments. The GPA does not monitor attendance. However we do receive data for Feethams for the purpose of reporting to Departments on building utilisation, i.e. number of people occupying a building by department. This data is captured via building Access Control Systems.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, pages 35 and 40, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the definition of anti-Muslim hostility being adopted by (a) the police and (b) Crown Prosecution Service; and which body will be responsible for the practical guidance.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt Hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 47703 on Civic Dignitaries and Members, what his policy is on Members of the House of Lords serving as (a) councillors, (b) council mayors, (c) Police and Crime Commissioners, (d) the Mayor of London and (e) combined authority mayors, including any restrictions on nominating as candidates.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before ProrogationAsked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 7 January 2026 to Question 97134 on MHCLG: Departmental Responsibilities, whether his attendance at the Labour YIMBY awards will be declared in gov.uk returns; whether he was accompanied by a private secretary; and if he will publish his speech.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he discussed Departmental business at the Labour YIMBY dinner on 28 October 2025.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 letter sent by the Secretary of State to HM Opposition of 21 March 2026, on MHCLG spending commitments, if he will provide a breakdown of the £62 billion of spending commitments, and the profile across each year and each programme.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 18 March 2026, to Question 116483, on MHCLG: Publicity, if he will list each supplier who have undertaken translation activities for the department since July 2024; and the amount of expenditure on each supplier.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.