Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her Department's timetable is for the publication of a White Paper on Elections and Democracy; and whether she plans to consult with political parties before it is published.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We will be setting out the Government’s approach to elections and electoral reform for this Parliament in a published document before summer recess. This will include our approach to the delivery of our manifesto commitments and the outcomes of our review of electoral registration and conduct, in which we are consulting with various sector stakeholders.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 22 January 2025 on Local Government Best Value, HCWS378, whether councillors from each of the opposition parties represented on London Borough of Tower Hamlets council have been invited to (a) attend and (b) participate in meetings of the Transformation Advisory Board.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Council has been directed to work with and to the satisfaction of the Ministerial Envoys to reconfigure the Council’s existing Transformation Advisory Board into a Transformation and Assurance Board. This includes deciding which two Opposition Councillors are invited to sit on its Transformation and Assurance Board, and whether Opposition party representation on this Board should increase.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 15 January 2025 to Question 22386 on Local Government: Code of Practice, if she will make it her policy to ensure any mandatory, minimum code includes the free speech protection for councillors introduced by the London Borough of Bromley.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 22386 on 15 January 2025, which noted that the results of the ongoing consultation on a range of proposals to strengthen the local government standards regime, including views on the possible introduction of a mandatory minimum code of conduct for local authorities in England, will help to inform any policy or legislative change.
The Government would likely set out any mandatory code in regulations to allow flexibility to review and amend in future. This would also provide the opportunity for further consultation on the detail.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for the next (a) revaluation of the Local Government Pension Schemes and (b) the review of employer and employee contribution rates.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As required by Regulation 62 (1) of the LGPS Regulations 2013, a formal valuation of all Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) funds is carried out every three years. The next valuation will take place as at 31 March 2025. This will set local employer contribution rates which will come into effect for the 2026-27 financial year. Employee contribution rates are set centrally and reviewed on a regular basis.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 January 2025 to Question 22720 on Housing: Foreign Nationals, in what circumstances are (a) unaccompanied child and (b) other (i) asylum seekers and (ii) refugees allocated free housing by the Government; and in what circumstances the provision of such accommodation is provided by (A) local authorities and (B) housing associations.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authorities have a statutory duty under S20 of the Children Act 1989 to look after children in need in their area. This includes unaccompanied asylum seeking (UAS) children who either arrive in a local authority area or are transferred there under the mandated National Transfer Scheme (NTS). The NTS provides a mechanism for the statutory responsibility for an UAS child to be transferred from an entry local authority to another local authority in the UK for ongoing care and support.
The Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and subsistence support whilst their application for asylum is being considered.
Individuals granted refugee status are eligible for assistance from their local authority in finding accommodation, if homeless, as well as temporary accommodation if they have a priority need. The Homelessness Code of Guidance sets out the framework which local authorities must follow when carrying out their homelessness duties. See: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homelessness-code-of-guidance-for-local-authorities
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 20655 on Housing: Migrants, what information her Department holds on the potential impact of immigration on housing costs.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We do not routinely publish analysis on factors affecting housing costs.
The government is determined to address the dire inheritance left by its predecessor and restore order to the asylum and immigration systems, delivering lower net migration.
Boosting the supply of homes of all tenures must be at the heart of any strategy to improve housing affordability which is why the government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department issues on embodied carbon as a material consideration in the planning process when assessing planning applications for the (a) replacement of existing buildings and (b) construction of new buildings.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government provides guidance on how carbon impacts can be taken into account in the planning process through its Planning Practice Guidance on Climate Change, the National Design Guide and the National Model Design Code.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 makes clear that the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change should be considered in preparing and assessing planning applications.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 December 2024 to Question 19066 on Housing: Construction, whether she plans for housebuilding to reach above 300,000 net dwellings a year to meet shortfalls earlier in the Parliament.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has not set interim annual targets in respect of its ambitious Plan for Change milestone of delivering 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament.
However, due to the reduced levels of housing supply that we inherited, the government has been clear that rates of housebuilding will have to increase significantly in the later years of the Parliament to meet that milestone.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 21 January 2025 to Question 23351 on Regulatory of Social Housing: Translation Services and with reference to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question HL3662 on Civil Service: Translation Services, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the approach taken by the Regulator of Social Housing on translating in foreign languages.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
All registered providers of social housing are required to deliver the outcomes of the regulatory standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing.
To deliver the outcomes of the regulator’s Transparency, Influence and Accountability standard, all registered providers must ensure that communication with, and information for, tenants is clear, accessible, and appropriate to their diverse needs.
The regulator is operationally independent and has a duty to exercise its functions in a way that is proportionate and minimises interference in registered providers.
The government will continue to engage closely with the regulator to ensure it delivers against its objectives.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 30 January 2025 to Question HL4145, on Local Government: Elections, if he will make it his policy to ensure that plans for local government reorganisation to (a) replace the two-tier system of local government and (b) reorganise existing unitary councils are put out for public consultation in line with the (i) Gunning Principles and (ii) Cabinet Office’s “Consultation principles: guidance”.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out in statutory invitation issued on 5 February, we expect local leaders to engage their Members of Parliament, and to ensure there is wide engagement with local partners and stakeholders, residents, workforce and their representatives, and businesses in working up their proposals. The engagement that is undertaken should both inform the development of robust proposals and should also build a shared understanding of the improvements areas expect to deliver through reorganisation.
The views of other public sector providers will be crucial to understanding the best way to structure local government in an area. This will include the relevant Mayor, Integrated Care Board, Police (Fire) and Crime Commissioner, Fire and Rescue Authority, local Higher Education and Further Education providers, National Park Authorities, and the voluntary and third sector.
Once a proposal has been submitted it will be for the Government to decide on taking a proposal forward and to consult as required by statute.