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 8 November 2024 to Question 11925 on Council tax: Greater London and with reference to the Urgent Question on Council Tax of 14 November 2024, Official Report, column 907, what assumption her Department used of the (a) pound and (b) proportionate increase of the police precept in the context of the council tax receipts figure within the core spending power calculation for the 2025-26 financial year.

The Local Government Finance Policy Statement published on 28 November set out proposed referendum principles for 2025-25. This included a £14 principle for police authorities, compared to a £13 principle in 2024-25. Together with central government grant and locally retained business rates, the proposed principles provide a real-terms increase in core spending power of around 3.2% next year.