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, whether she has a planned timetable for the alignment of administrative NHS boundaries with mayoral combined authority boundaries.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN HL5657 on 24 March 2025.
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, whether she has issued guidance to local authorities on making (a) licensing, (b) planning and (c) gambling decisions during local election periods.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authorities are required to consider the Recommended Code of Practice for Local Authority Publicity (‘the Code’) in coming to any decision on any communication, in whatever form, addressed to the public or a section of the public. A Code principle is that publicity be issued with care during periods of heightened sensitivity, such as in the pre-election period.
The pre-election period of heightened sensitivity does not prevent a local authority from carrying out routine business.
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 discussions the Best Value Commissioners in Birmingham City Council have had with (a) council officers and (b) the Unite trade union on bin collection industrial action.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Commissioners, who have been appointed to oversee Birmingham City Council’s improvement journey, continue to work constructively with the Council and encourage opportunities to resolve the ongoing waste dispute in a sustainable, meaningful way. There are ongoing and regular discussions. Commissioners are not directly involved in negotiations between the Council and Unite.
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 discussions she and her Ministers have had with Unite on the Birmingham bin strike.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Secretary of State engaged with Unite last week to encourage them to get back around the negotiating table with Birmingham City Council. Talks between Birmingham City Council and Unite continue.
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, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding to Birmingham City Council for pest control services.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is working closely with Birmingham and continues to monitor the disruption caused by the bin strikes and the associated public health risks to the residents of the city. The council continues to manage local service delivery and has put in place measures to deal with the accumulated street backlog which has developed, and is supported by mutual aid from neighbouring authorities. The council has also taken measures to deal with pests including setting baiting stations in key waste hotspot areas, and are considering further measures to support households. The department continues to play its part in supporting the council where necessary and cross government mechanisms have been activated to ensure a coordinated response.
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 her Department's publication entitled Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund: prospectus, published on 2 April 2025, whether (a) Tell MAMA and (b) Faith Matters will receive any funding from her Department in 2025-26; and whether they will be required to bid for this funding.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are committed to providing a comprehensive service to monitor Anti-Muslim Hatred and provide support for victims.
Applications to the Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund are now open. With cases of anti-Muslim hatred on the rise, up-to-date and detailed information on incidents and drivers of this hatred will play a fundamental part in supporting the government to combat Islamophobia and ensure Muslim communities feel safe and supported. We welcome an application from Faith Matters.
In addition to announcing the new Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund, the Government made available £500,000 for funding Tell MAMA in 2025/26 to support their work for Q1 and Q2 of 2025/26, subject to signing of a Grant Funding Agreement. This funding offer has now been rejected by Faith Matters. We are disappointed Faith Matters have chosen to decline our offer of a funding extension - but thank them for their many years of work in monitoring anti-Muslim hatred and supporting victims.
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 1 April 2025 to Question 38374 on Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the resolution of Oxford City Council of 24 March 2025 to boycott and divest from Israel on community cohesion and integration in Oxfordshire.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has consistently opposed both the BDS Movement and calls to boycott the State of Israel by public authorities including local authorities. It is not government’s business to monitor the number of debates or motions on any matter provided councils are compliant with the law.
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 1 April 2025 to Question 38374 on Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill, what estimate her Department has made of the number of local authorities which now have boycott or divestment policies against Israel.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has consistently opposed both the BDS Movement and calls to boycott the State of Israel by public authorities including local authorities. It is not government’s business to monitor the number of debates or motions on any matter provided councils are compliant with the law.
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 her Department's publication entitled Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund: prospectus, published on 2 April 2025, whether groups that disagree with the Government’s new working definition on Islamophobia will be eligible to receive funding.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has announced a new fund to provide a comprehensive service to monitor anti-Muslim hate and support victims. With cases on the rise, up-to-date and detailed information on incidents and drivers of this form of hatred will play a fundamental part in supporting the government to combat anti-Muslim hate and Islamophobia and ensure Muslim communities feel safe and supported.
Non-profit distributing incorporated organisations such as: companies limited by guarantee (including community interest companies), charitable incorporated organisations, and community benefit societies are eligible to apply for funding. Applicants will need to demonstrate their ability to understand and work with Muslim communities.
The prospectus for the fund makes clear that applicants must be aligned with government values concerning hate crime, extremism, community cohesion, and the value of inter-faith work. They must also be willing to record and monitor instances of anti-Muslim hate crime in such a way that is consistent with the government’s working definition of anti-Muslim hate or Islamophobia, should the government choose to adopt a definition in future
Further information can be found in the fund’s prospectus, published on GOV.UK.
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, whether any Muslim organisations are not eligible to submit bids to the Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has announced a new fund to provide a comprehensive service to monitor anti-Muslim hate and support victims. With cases on the rise, up-to-date and detailed information on incidents and drivers of this form of hatred will play a fundamental part in supporting the government to combat anti-Muslim hate and Islamophobia and ensure Muslim communities feel safe and supported.
Non-profit distributing incorporated organisations such as: companies limited by guarantee (including community interest companies), charitable incorporated organisations, and community benefit societies are eligible to apply for funding. Applicants will need to demonstrate their ability to understand and work with Muslim communities.
The prospectus for the fund makes clear that applicants must be aligned with government values concerning hate crime, extremism, community cohesion, and the value of inter-faith work. They must also be willing to record and monitor instances of anti-Muslim hate crime in such a way that is consistent with the government’s working definition of anti-Muslim hate or Islamophobia, should the government choose to adopt a definition in future
Further information can be found in the fund’s prospectus, published on GOV.UK.