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, 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 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.
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, when he plans to respond to Question 107991, tabled on 23 January 2026.
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, what his policy is on consulting (a) HM Opposition and (b) minority opposition parties, in relation to departmental spending pledges that go beyond the Spending Review.
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 11 March 2026, to Question 118190, on Local Government Finance, what proportion of the £740 million of funding was comprised of unallocated MHCLG budgets for the Spending Review period; and what is the allocation over each year of SR2025.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (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 25 March 2026 to Question HL15625 on Islamophobia, if he will place a copy of the Equalities Impact Assessment on the definition of anti-Muslim hostility in the Library.
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 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether special advisers have met or corresponded with (a) Criterion Capital or (b) Asif Aziz since July 2024.
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.