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 oral contribution of the Minister of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in response to the question from Hon. Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner during the Urgent Question on Community Engagement Principles and Extremism Definition of 21 January 2025, Official Report, Column 967, what the Government’s policy is on engaging with (a) people who and (b) organisations which publicly condone criminal activity.

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

The government does not knowingly engage with any individual or group that condones criminal activity.

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 English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether additional resources will be provided to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

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

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is independent of Government and accountable to Parliament through the Speakers Committee. The Commission is resourced via that committee on estimates approved by Parliament.

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 Council Tax (Demand Notices and Prescribed Classes of Dwellings) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, for what reason the Government is changing the requirements for councils to display information related to the amount of council tax used to fund adult social care services.

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

Since 2016-17 councils with responsibility for adult social care services have been given additional flexibility to increase their council tax without a referendum, provided this revenue is spent exclusively on these services. This flexibility is known as the adult social care precept.

From 2025-26 the council tax charge of social care authorities must be displayed as a single line on council tax bills. This will simplify bills and provide greater clarity on the total annual increases set by these councils.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made changes to the level of funding to local authorities for asylum seekers since July 2024.

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

The Home Office has a statutory obligation to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.

In recent years, the Home Office has had various grants through which we provide funds to support local authorities, with responsibilities for housing asylum seekers.

Grant 7 was launched in April 2024 to facilitate local authority support of increased dispersal accommodation (DA) accommodation. A £3500 payment was allocated for the net growth of occupancy in each quarter for Home Office Supported Asylum Seeker accommodation within the geographical bounds of the local authority under the following categories; DA, overflow dispersal accommodation (ODA) and initial accommodation (IA).

Grant 6 was launched in April 2024 to acknowledge the contribution of Local Authorities to supporting asylum seekers. A payment of £750 was made for each occupied bedspace as of 01 April 2024 and a subsequent payment was allocated for the net growth of occupancy in each quarter for Home Office Supported Asylum Seeker accommodation within the geographical bounds of the local authority under the following categories; DA, ODA and IA and contingency accommodation (CA).

All local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales who support asylum seekers are eligible for payment. Similar arrangements are in place for Northern Ireland.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department issues guidance on the frequency of household rubbish and recycling collections.

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

Through Simpler Recycling, all householders will receive a comprehensive and consistent set of waste and recycling services. This will enable householders to recycle as much waste as possible and to frequently dispose of bad-smelling food waste, which will be collected from all households at least weekly.

Defra recognises that as recycling services are expanded and improved, local authorities may want to review residual waste services to ensure they are providing best value for money in line with local need. The Government’s priority is ensuring that households’ needs are met, and we expect local authorities to continue to provide services to a reasonable standard, as they do now.

Building on existing and new legal duties, Defra has published guidance to ensure that local authorities consider certain factors when they review services, to ensure that reasonable standards are maintained.

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 December 2024 to Question 18957 on Devolution: East of England, for what reason planning powers are being transferred to a regional level.

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

The government does not intend to transfer planning powers to a regional level. The English Devolution White Paper, Power and Partnership: Foundations for Growth, published in December 2024, confirmed our commitment to implement strategic planning at a sub-regional level through the production of Spatial Development Strategies (SDSs).

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to answer Question 16192 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Corporate Hospitality and Official Gifts, published on 26 November 2024.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 16192 on 6 February 2025.

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 5 February 2025, HCWS418, on English Devolution and Local Government, what additional funding will be provided to councils in the Devolution Priority Programme; and whether these councils will be required to have a mayoral combined authority.

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

The Devolution Priority Programme aims to see a new wave of mayors elected in May 2026 across new mayoral combined authorities. Areas on the Programme will receive the full backing of government, this will include a long-term Mayoral Investment Fund. Funding will be confirmed at the forthcoming Spending Review.

This government believes that the benefits of devolution are best achieved where there is a mayor in place, to provide strong local leadership and accountability, and the English Devolution White Paper sets out a framework for future devolution agreements, moving away from negotiated deals to a consistent devolution offer.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government has received representations from local authorities to write off the Public Works Loan Board debts of Woking Borough Council.

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

Previous Secretaries of State used statutory powers to intervene in a small number of councils failing their Best Value Duty partly associated with high levels of unsustainable debt, including Woking. We continue to work with Best Value Commissioners in these councils to support the councils’ financial recovery.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to publish the final local government finance settlement for financial year 2025-26.

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

The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26 was published on the 3rd of February, 2025. The Local Government Finance Settlement and supporting documents are available here.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025, to Question 21677 on Offences against Children, what funding is being made available to support council-led local inquiries.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

In January, the Home Secretary announced to Parliament a raft of measures and an investment of £10 million that will allow us to protect more victims and survivors and drive change at a local level.

This includes appointing Baroness Louise Casey to oversee an audit to improve our understanding of the scale, nature and drivers of group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse at a national and local level, and to make recommendations on what additional action is needed to improve our response.

We will provide stronger support for local areas which are interested in undertaking work to better understand local grooming gang issues and improve their own local responses going forward. £5 million has been made available to support this work.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how the proposed lower multiplier for hospitality, leisure and retail from 2026-27 will interact with small business rate relief; and what estimate she has made of the impact of the lower multiplier on the cost of small business rate relief.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government is committed to retaining Small Business Rate Relief, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation.

Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all.

There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000.

Business rates bills are calculated by applying the relevant multiplier before reliefs are applied.

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 13 January 2025, to Question 21618, on MHCLG: Staff, how many desks are currently assigned in each of those offices.

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

Please find a table below of how many desks MHCLG have in each of their offices:-

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 6 January 2025 to Question 20571 on Mayors, who will determine the (a) allowance and (b) salaries of Commissioners; whether they will receive local government pensions; whether they must be Councillors; and whether they will be politically restricted.

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

As announced in the English Devolution White Paper the Government will give Mayors the ability to appoint and remunerate ‘Commissioners’. They will be able to support in the delivery of key functions, complementing the existing portfolio system by providing additional capacity and expertise. Additional detail will be introduced as part of the English Devolution Bill.

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 December 2024 to Question 18960 on Council of the Nations and Regions: National Identity, what definition of (a) regions and (b) nations her Department uses within the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024.

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

The United Kingdom comprises four constituent nations. The English Devolution White paper sets out how powers will be devolved within England, to regions whose boundaries are to be agreed with local stakeholders.

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 Policy paper entitled A review of the increased Right to Buy discounts introduced in 2012, published by her Department on 30 October 2024, if she will publish the unpublished documentation for that Review.

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

The government does not intend to publish any other documentation in relation to the review of Right to Buy discounts.

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 22 January 2025 to Question 24225 on Conditions of Employment: Departmental Responsibilities, whether her Department has plans to recruit individuals to advise on (a) employment law and (b) industrial relations.

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

Strengthening employment rights is a key priority across Government. The Deputy Prime Minister is the Chair of the Future of Work Cabinet Committee, which is responsible for considering and taking decisions on matters related to the Make Work Pay package of reforms to the Employment Law framework. The department, alongside the Department for Business and Trade, and other Government departments will ensure the Deputy Prime Minister has the necessary support to carry out that role.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding is being made available to local authorities across government to support councils with the cost of (a) asylum seekers and (b) their children in 2024-25.

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

The Home Office has had various grants through which we provide funds to support local authorities housing asylum seekers.

• Grant 7 was launched in April 2024 to facilitate local authority support of increased dispersal accommodation (DA) accommodation. The £3500 payment will be made for the net growth of occupancy in each quarter for Home Office Supported Asylum Seeker accommodation within the geographical bounds of the local authority under the following categories; DA, overflow dispersal accommodation (ODA) and initial accommodation (IA).

• Grant 6 was launched in April 2024 to acknowledge the contribution of Local Authorities to supporting asylum seekers. A payment of £750 was made for each occupied bedspaces as of 01 April 2024 and a subsequent payment will be made for the net growth of occupancy in each quarter for Home Office Supported Asylum Seeker accommodation within the geographical bounds of the local authority under the following categories; DA, ODA and IA and contingency accommodation (CA).

All local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales who support asylum seekers are eligible for payment. Similar arrangements are in place for Northern Ireland.

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 14 January 2025 to Question 22042 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Consultants, what firms have had their consultancy (a) work and (b) contracts discontinued since 5 July 2024; and what her Department's monetary target is for reduction in spending on consultancy fees in 2024-25.

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

Addressing our biggest consultancy spends, since 5 July 2024 we have: a) achieved significant reductions in expenditure ahead of re-procuring our Neighbourhood Planning contract; b) we have also chosen not to re-procure another large spending contract for the Community Ownership Fund. Concerning the future publication of the corresponding MHCLG annual consultancy spend, I refer my Hon Friend to the answer I gave to UIN 22042 on 14 January 2025. C) In line with the Government’s overall ambition, we are targeting a 50% reduction in consulting spend by the end of financial year 2025-26, and we expect to be able to demonstrate material progress towards achieving this at the end of financial year 2024-25.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which Department is responsible for policy on tackling antisemitism; and what role the Home Office plays on that issue.

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

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for addressing racial and religious hate crime, including antisemitism.

Tackling antisemitism in all parts of our society requires a cross-Government effort. The Home Office provide funding of £18 million per year for the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant which provides security measures for synagogues, Jewish educational establishments and community sites. The Department for Education is providing £7 million of funding to educate people about antisemitism and better equip schools, colleges and universities to stamp out antisemitic abuse.

The Government is absolutely committed to rooting out antisemitism wherever it manifests.

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 5 December 2024 to Question 16195 on Right to Buy Scheme, if she will publish figures for the amount of Right to Buy receipts retained by local authorities in each individual year since 2009-10.

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

The Department does not publish the amount of Right to Buy receipts retained by local authorities in each financial year.

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 16 December 2024 to Question 16935 on Affordable Housing: Construction, how many homes of each type of tenure will be delivered from the £500 million additional funding; and what the estimated average grant subsidy is per unit required under each type of affordable housing tenure.

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

The government has made clear that it expects the £500 million in new funding for the Affordable Homes Programme announced in October 2024 to deliver up to 5,000 homes.

As set out in my answer to Question UIN 16935 on 16 December 2024, the government will continue to work with Homes England and the GLA to support them to deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and home-ownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for Social Rent.

While the funding in question remains open to bidding, the matter of average grant rates per home is a commercially sensitive one.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many 16 year olds have photographic identification recognised under the Elections Act 2022.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As our manifesto made clear, the government will address the inconsistencies in the voter identification policy so that all legitimate electors are able to vote. As part of our continuing assessment and review of the policy we are in the process of researching ID ownership amongst 16 and 17 year olds ahead of the franchise change planned for this parliament. If any changes to the voter identification policy are found to be necessary or appropriate, we will bring forward proposals for them in due course.

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 oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government of 22 January 2025, Official Report, Column 867, on Community Engagement Principles and Extremism Definition, if he will (a) publish the members of the steering group, (b) publish when it has met and (c) place copies of the minutes of each meeting in the Library.

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

This information will be published in due course.

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 5 December 2024 to Question 16546 on Housing: Construction, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on affordable housing provision of reduced demand for registered providers in acquiring homes built by private sector developers as a Section 106 requirement; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of greater flexibility on affordable tenure types to help increase take-up.

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

The government recognises the ongoing challenge posed by the reduced appetite of Registered Providers of social housing to buy affordable homes delivered under Section 106 agreements.

Homes England's Section 106 Affordable Housing Clearing Service was launched in December with the aim of supporting buyers and sellers of Section 106 homes to find each other more effectively.

We are calling on all developers with uncontracted Section 106 affordable homes, as well as registered providers and local planning authorities, to engage proactively with this new service.

We will consider what further measures may be necessary to address this problem, informed by data from the new clearing service.

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 3 January 2025, to Question 20228, on Civil Society: Islam, whether her Department has a list of organisations which it does not engage with.

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

Individual policy teams are responsible for the stakeholder engagements within their portfolio. As such, there is no centralised list of organisations which the Department will not engage with.

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 December 2024 to Question 18960 on Council of the Nations and Regions: National Identity, if she will make it her policy to champion (a) the English national identity and (b) pride in England as a constituent nation of the United Kingdom.

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

We want to see all of England access devolved power by establishing Strategic Authorities that can make key decisions to drive economic growth, preferably with a Mayor. This will ensure that all parts of England have the powerful voice they need in national policymaking through attending the Council of Nations and Regions and the Mayoral Council for England’s Mayors.

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 all correspondence, including electronic communications, between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and her Department on the planning application for the proposed Chinese Embassy.

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

The government does not routinely publish correspondence between departments.

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 Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question HL4145 on Local Government: Elections, for what reason her Department is using the provisions in the Local Government Act 2000 rather than the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

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

Our use of the power under the Local Government Act 2000 to postpone local council elections is consistent with precedent in areas preparing for local government re-organisation, for example: Buckinghamshire (S.I. 2018/1355), Cumbria (S.I. 2021/174), North Yorkshire (S.I. 2021/175), Northamptonshire (S.I. 2018/1324), Somerset (S.I. 2021/176) and Weymouth and Portland (S.I. 2018/256).

In contrast, the power in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 is for use in the context of a structural changes Order implementing a proposal for local government reorganisation.

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 her oral statement of 5 February 2025 entitled English Devolution and Local Government, Official Report, column 767, if she (a) plans to legislate to direct local government restructuring in areas where principal authorities do not submit a request to restructure or (b) will consent to the decision not to submit a request.

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

The English Devolution White Paper set out that “We will expect all two tier areas and smaller or failing unitaries to develop proposals for reorganisation” and “We will deliver this process as quickly as possible, including through legislation where it becomes necessary to ensure progress.”

I will set out detail on any further plans in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to her oral statement of 5 February 2025, Official Report, Column 767, if she will place a copy of the (a) legal invitation to all 21 two-tier areas and (b) associated letters (i) in the House of Commons Library and (ii) on gov.uk.

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

The letters sent on 5 February to all councils in two-tier areas and neighbouring unitaries inviting proposals for local government reorganisation have been published on gov.uk here: Local government reorganisation: invitation to local authorities in two-tier areas - GOV.UK. The letter set out timelines for areas to submit proposals to the department and in an annex the criteria against which proposals will be assessed.

The Deputy Prime Minister referred in her oral statement on 5 February 2025 to both the letter and the Written Ministerial Statement made on 5 February 2025 (HCWS418) setting out the requirements for these proposals.

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 her plans to give councils new powers to issue bye-laws, whether it is her intention that such bye-laws could regulate otherwise lawful activity on private land and property.

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

The government will work with councils to determine how and what byelaws can be made as set out in the English Devolution White Paper.

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 plans to reconvene the cross-Government working group on tackling anti-Semitism.

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

Announcements will be set out in the usual way.

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 5 February 2025 on English Devolution and Local Government, HCWS418, what her planned timetable is for the (a) establishment of shadow unitary authorities, (b) the go-live date for the new unitary authorities and (c) the legal date for the closure of the previous district and county councils in areas where the May 2025 local elections have been cancelled.

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

Legislation to postpone an election to a principal local election will be in place before the deadline for the posting of notice of that election, which is 25 working days before the scheduled date of election.

There are no plans to postpone district council elections in 2026. The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification.

Where the scheduled May 2025 elections have been postponed, all by-elections will take place as normal. Where a vacancy would have been filled at an election which is postponed, they will, instead, be filled by by-election.

Decisions on delivery of any new unitary structure, and the timetabling for this, is subject to the content of the proposals received from the area concerned. For any area in which elections are postponed, we will work with areas to move to elections to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible. We intend new unitary local government will be established or go-live in 2027 and 2028. Preceding authorities close on the same day as the establishment of new unitary local government for the area.

We intend the Devolution Priority Programme inaugural mayoral elections to be in May 2026. We will work with areas to move to elections to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible as is the usual arrangement in the process of local government reorganisation.

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 on English Devolution and Local Government of 5 February 2025, HCWS418, whether there will be (a) mayoral combined authority elections and (b) unitary elections in areas with elections being cancelled in May 2025 in (i) May 2026 and (ii) May 2027.

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

Legislation to postpone an election to a principal local election will be in place before the deadline for the posting of notice of that election, which is 25 working days before the scheduled date of election.

There are no plans to postpone district council elections in 2026. The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification.

Where the scheduled May 2025 elections have been postponed, all by-elections will take place as normal. Where a vacancy would have been filled at an election which is postponed, they will, instead, be filled by by-election.

Decisions on delivery of any new unitary structure, and the timetabling for this, is subject to the content of the proposals received from the area concerned. For any area in which elections are postponed, we will work with areas to move to elections to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible. We intend new unitary local government will be established or go-live in 2027 and 2028. Preceding authorities close on the same day as the establishment of new unitary local government for the area.

We intend the Devolution Priority Programme inaugural mayoral elections to be in May 2026. We will work with areas to move to elections to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible as is the usual arrangement in the process of local government reorganisation.

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 5 February 2025 on English Devolution and Local Government, HCWS418, whether (a) district and (b) county council by-elections will be cancelled in areas with unitary restructuring.

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

Legislation to postpone an election to a principal local election will be in place before the deadline for the posting of notice of that election, which is 25 working days before the scheduled date of election.

There are no plans to postpone district council elections in 2026. The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification.

Where the scheduled May 2025 elections have been postponed, all by-elections will take place as normal. Where a vacancy would have been filled at an election which is postponed, they will, instead, be filled by by-election.

Decisions on delivery of any new unitary structure, and the timetabling for this, is subject to the content of the proposals received from the area concerned. For any area in which elections are postponed, we will work with areas to move to elections to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible. We intend new unitary local government will be established or go-live in 2027 and 2028. Preceding authorities close on the same day as the establishment of new unitary local government for the area.

We intend the Devolution Priority Programme inaugural mayoral elections to be in May 2026. We will work with areas to move to elections to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible as is the usual arrangement in the process of local government reorganisation.

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 plans to postpone district council elections in 2026.

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

Legislation to postpone an election to a principal local election will be in place before the deadline for the posting of notice of that election, which is 25 working days before the scheduled date of election.

There are no plans to postpone district council elections in 2026. The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification.

Where the scheduled May 2025 elections have been postponed, all by-elections will take place as normal. Where a vacancy would have been filled at an election which is postponed, they will, instead, be filled by by-election.

Decisions on delivery of any new unitary structure, and the timetabling for this, is subject to the content of the proposals received from the area concerned. For any area in which elections are postponed, we will work with areas to move to elections to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible. We intend new unitary local government will be established or go-live in 2027 and 2028. Preceding authorities close on the same day as the establishment of new unitary local government for the area.

We intend the Devolution Priority Programme inaugural mayoral elections to be in May 2026. We will work with areas to move to elections to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible as is the usual arrangement in the process of local government reorganisation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the latest date is to postpone local elections due to take place on 1 May 2025.

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

Legislation to postpone an election to a principal local election will be in place before the deadline for the posting of notice of that election, which is 25 working days before the scheduled date of election.

There are no plans to postpone district council elections in 2026. The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification.

Where the scheduled May 2025 elections have been postponed, all by-elections will take place as normal. Where a vacancy would have been filled at an election which is postponed, they will, instead, be filled by by-election.

Decisions on delivery of any new unitary structure, and the timetabling for this, is subject to the content of the proposals received from the area concerned. For any area in which elections are postponed, we will work with areas to move to elections to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible. We intend new unitary local government will be established or go-live in 2027 and 2028. Preceding authorities close on the same day as the establishment of new unitary local government for the area.

We intend the Devolution Priority Programme inaugural mayoral elections to be in May 2026. We will work with areas to move to elections to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible as is the usual arrangement in the process of local government reorganisation.

Local Government

Found: The Shadow Business Secretary, Kevin Hollinrake, tabled a reasoned amendment against the bill on the