Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
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 10 January 2025 to Question 20982 on Civil Servants: Recruitment, what the (a) job title, (b) unit or division and (c) grade is of each Civil Service job not advertised externally; and for what reason her Department is not advertising all jobs externally.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Further to Answer of 10 January 2025 to Question 20982, see table below detailing (a) job title, (b) unit and (c) grade of jobs not advertised externally for the period 4th July to 31st December 2024.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is moving towards an external by default approach to recruitment. In the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles 2018 there are exemptions to this approach for roles which require a niche skills set or experience which can only be found in the Civil Service. In addition, there are exemptions for short term/temporary roles for projects or areas with tight timescales, whereby current Civil Servants can join the department quickly on loan or fixed term agreements with the correct clearances.
Departmental group | Grade breakdown | Job title | Grade |
Corporate Group | 3x Grade 6 5x Grade 7 6x SEO | Careers and Development Lead | Grade 7 |
Physical Security Lead | SEO | ||
Workforce Team | Grade 6 | ||
Statistician | Grade 7 | ||
Ministerial Team Security Advisers | SEO | ||
Head of Programme Delivery | Grade 6 | ||
Deputy Head of Profession | Grade 7 | ||
Product Manager | SEO | ||
Assistant Departmental Records Officer | SEO | ||
Senior Product Manager | Grade 7 | ||
Private Secretary & Business Manager | SEO | ||
Live Services Manager | SEO | ||
Subject Matter Expert | Grade 7 | ||
Local Government and Public Services | 1x HEO | Communications Officer | HEO |
Local Growth, Communities and Devolution | 6x Grade 6 5x Grade 7 5x SEO 3x HEO | Delivery Manager | SEO |
Head of Unit | Grade 6 | ||
Head of Unit | Grade 6 | ||
Policy Lead | Grade 7 | ||
Head of Policy | Grade 7 | ||
Business Support Officer | HEO | ||
Head of Office | Grade 7 | ||
Programme Manager | Grade 6 | ||
Programme Management Office Manager | Grade 7 | ||
Senior Policy Advisor | SEO | ||
Risk and Issue Manager | SEO | ||
Strategy Policy Advisor | HEO | ||
Policy lead | Grade 6 | ||
Fund Evaluator | SEO | ||
Head of Elections Data | Grade 6 | ||
Policy & Funding Analysis | Grade 6 | ||
Policy Advisor | SEO | ||
Senior Strategy Advisor | Grade 7 | ||
Policy Advisor | HEO | ||
Regeneration, Housing and Planning | 4x Grade 6 7x Grade 7 4x SEO 1x HEO | Policy Team Lead | Grade 7 |
Head of Strategy | Grade 6 | ||
Senior Policy Advisor | Grade 7 | ||
Senior Policy and Strategy Advisors | Grade 7 | ||
Head of Housing Insights & Strategic Policy | Grade 6 | ||
Social Housing Directorate SEOs | SEO | ||
Property Technology Strategy Advisor | Grade 7 | ||
Policy Advisor | SEO | ||
Policy Officer | HEO | ||
Policy Advisor | SEO | ||
Senior Policy Advisor | Grade 7 | ||
Private Secretary | Grade 7 | ||
Head of Programme Management Office | Grade 6 | ||
Project Manager | SEO | ||
Head of Evaluation & Insight | Grade 7 | ||
Head of Economic Analysis | Grade 6 | ||
Senior Policy Adviser | SEO | ||
Safer and Greener Buildings | 1x Grade 6 3x SEO 1x HEO | Construction Products Policy Adviser | SEO |
Community Relationship Manager | SEO | ||
Policy Advisor | HEO | ||
Policy and Briefing Advisor | SEO | ||
Lead Technical Architect | Grade 6 | ||
Strategy and Communications | 1x Grade 6 1x Grade 7 1x HEO | Head of Data Science | Grade 6 |
Videographer | HEO | ||
Senior Private Secretary/Head of Office | Grade 7 |
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that critical cavity nesting bird habitat is mandated in new developments in line with nature recovery targets.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 22080 on 15 January 2025.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
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 20827 on Religious Freedom, what steps the Government is taking to protect freedom of speech in relation to the expression of lawful statements which may be critical of organised religion.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This is a tolerant multi-faith country in which all faiths contribute towards creating a richer society. There are no blasphemy laws in this country and there are no plans to introduce blasphemy laws. This Government will always recognise British citizens’ unchanging right to freedom of speech and expression.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many times the Communities and Recovery Steering Group has met; on what dates; in which locations; and whether minutes are taken.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Communities and Recovery Steering Group meets regularly and, as is standard practice, minutes are taken.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
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 policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working Paper: Development and Nature Recovery, published on 15 December 2024, whether Biodiversity Net Gain expenditure can be scored against mitigation measures.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The proposals set out in the Development and Nature Recovery Planning Reform Working Paper would not be expected to have a direct impact on the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). They would, however, complement the implementation of BNG in securing better outcomes for nature. BNG incentivises nature positive choices on development sites, with a developing private marketplace for off-site biodiversity units which the government continues to support. Our proposals for a Nature Recovery Fund would apply specifically to protected habitats and species. As we continue to develop this new model, we will consider any opportunities which it may offer to support the ongoing implementation of BNG.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
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 take steps to promote the English language other than through (a) schemes for people from Ukraine and Hong Kong and (b) English for Speakers of Other Languages training.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authorities signpost new arrivals to English language provision as needed. Government also signposts to English language provision and resources for new arrivals in published guidance.
For Afghan arrivals, the Home Office provides local authorities with £850 for English language provision for adults requiring this support.
In addition to specific English language schemes, Government also provides tariff funding to local authorities to support Ukrainian and Afghan arrivals to integrate into their local communities, which includes supporting them to access English language training where needed. This includes integration tariff funding of up to £20,520 per person, over three years, for each Afghan household they move into settled accommodation in their area. For Ukrainian arrivals, local authorities continue to receive a tariff of £5,900 per Homes for Ukraine arrival in their area to support guests to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
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 draft Local Government Finance Settlement published on 18 December 2024, HCWS342, what her Department's estimated increase in council tax receipts is in 2025-26 compared to 2024-25; and what proportion of the increase in core spending power will be funded through higher council tax receipts.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26 makes available £69 billion for local government, which is a 3.5% real terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power on 2024-25. An estimated 55% of the increase to CSP is a result of increased council tax income.
Further information on Core Spending Power, including council tax, is available at Core Spending Power table: provisional local government finance settlement 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
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 page 64 of the Devolution White Paper (CP 1218), published on 16 December 2024, whether Spatial Development Strategies will (a) include targets and (b) propose sites for authorised traveller pitches by local planning authority.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The English Devolution White Paper, Power and Partnership: Foundations for Growth, sets out that Spatial Development Strategies will guide development for the local planning authorities in any given area, and that local plans will need to be in general conformity with them. Spatial Development Strategies will identify the infrastructure that is needed and strategic locations for development. Further detail will be set out in legislation in due course.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
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 16948 on Planning Permission, what previous guidance has been provided by (a) her Department and (b) the Planning Inspectorate on whether representations made advocating a planning call-in or planning recovery must be publicly disclosed.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
No guidance exists which requires that representations advocating a planning call-in or planning recovery be published.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
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 page 4 of her Department's College of Experts recruitment pack, published in December 2024, whether strengthening and consolidating employment rights is a formal Ministerial responsibility of her Department.
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 Deputy Prime Minister is working closely with the Department for Business and Trade, and other government departments, to deliver the Employment Rights Bill. There has been no change to formal departmental responsibilities.