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Ian Roome:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 91633 on Police and Crime Commissioners: Cornwall and Devon, what assessment her Department has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) accountability of Policing and Crime Boards. \p Sarah Jones: Policing and Crime Boards will have the necessary powers and levers to maintain strong local oversight of policing. They will exercise the same core governance functions and duties as Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and will be supported by an appointed Policing and Crime Lead who will provide day-to-day oversight of the force. We have been clear that is not a return to the invisible, committee-based governance under previous police authorities.

Policing and Crime Boards will bring together the elected council leaders in the force area, maintaining democratic accountability for policing as well as the benefit of being better able to join up governance of policing with other local services. We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government and the Local Government Association on the design and implementation of these arrangements, including ensuring that there will be robust scrutiny arrangements for Policing and Crime Boards.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reforms to shotgun licensing on (a) rural hotels, (b) pubs and (c) tourism businesses reliant on shooting activity. \p Sarah Jones: The Government is committed to undertaking a public consultation on whether to strengthen the controls on shotguns, including possible closer alignment with the controls on other firearms. This was set out in the Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February this year. Once the consultation is launched, we would welcome views from all interested parties, including from those who live and work in rural communities and shotgun holders.

We will carefully consider all of the views put forward during the consultation before taking any decision on whether and what changes may be necessary in the interests of public safety. The Government will provide an assessment of the impact of any changes we bring forward, including to the business community in rural areas, at the relevant time.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to increase targeted road-safety enforcement in areas of South Basildon and East Thurrock where collisions are most frequent. \p Sarah Jones: Any form of dangerous or inconsiderate driving behaviour is a serious issue. We expect all drivers to follow the rules of the road.

The Government is committed to improving road safety and reducing collisions across the country.

The Department for Transport are developing a Road Safety Strategy, the first in a decade, which will include a broad range of proposals, including for motoring offences which we intend to publish by the end of the year.

How the police enforce road traffic legislation and investigate road traffic collisions locally are operational matters for Chief Constables, in consultation with Police and Crime Commissioners.
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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will determine West Mercia Police's requests for special grant funding for the next financial year. \p Sarah Jones: Decisions on police funding for 2026-27 will be taken shortly. Any requests for additional funding will be considered in the round and decisions communicated to Police and Crime Commissioners in due course.
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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether protections against assaults for retail workers in the Crime and Policing Bill will apply to public transport workers involved in the retail of (a) refreshments and (b) rail products and tickets. \p Sarah Jones: Assaults against retail workers will be covered by a new offence which we are introducing via the Crime and Policing Bill. Our definition of retail worker captures someone working in or about retail premises for or on behalf of the owner or occupier of the retail premises.

Our definition is intentionally narrow, and does not include hospitality or transport staff, given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Any ambiguity in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker, will likely lead the courts to take the case forward as common assault meaning specific recording attributed to a retail worker would not occur.
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Dr Danny Chambers:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many suicides were attended by police in the last five years. \p Sarah Jones: The Home Office does not collect data on the number of suicides attended by police or the number of police suicides.

Data on suicides by occupation have previously been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/adhocs/2726suicidebyoccupationinenglandandwales2023and2024provisional.

A National Action Plan for Suicide Prevention and Postvention in policing has been launched, which aims to reduce rates among the police workforce as well as enhancing data recording. The plan, which includes ensuring adequate training for the police workforce, emphasises a supportive environment that promotes mental health and combats stigma to ensure that those affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts can access appropriate and timely support.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the yearly cost to the public purse is of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s official car. \p Dan Jarvis: The Government Car Service (GCS) offers vehicles to Government Departments as a shared resource. Each Department independently determines the allocation of these vehicles to its Ministerial cadre/officials, as under previous administrations.

A car may also be provided as part of a protective security package. It is the UK Government’s longstanding policy not to comment on whether specific public figures are subject to arrangements which contribute to their security.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of section 12(1A) and 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000. \p Dan Jarvis: The UK has one of the strongest counter-terrorism frameworks in the world, but we keep this under continuous review. The Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation provides recommendations to HMG on the effective functioning of the counter-terrorism framework.

In January 2025, the Government published post-legislative scrutiny on the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, which introduced the offence in section 12(1A) and made changes to section 13 to ensure it could apply to online displays of support as well as introducing associated police seizure powers.

This explained that the section 12(1A) offence has been useful in practice in supporting charging decisions and convictions of individuals whose conduct stopped short of deliberately inviting others to support a proscribed organisation, but rather expressed their support recklessly in such a way that there was a risk of others being influenced to support the organisation, whether online or offline. It also explained that the introduction of seizure powers under section 13 has been particularly important in protest settings, as it offers the police an additional route to deal with displays of support for proscribed organisations, such as flags. However, the police can still arrest individuals under this offence if they consider it necessary to do so.

The Government takes proscription offences very seriously, including sections 12 and 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Investigations into the activities of proscribed organisations or individuals who demonstrate support for proscribed organisations are an operational matter for the police and intelligence agencies.
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2025, to Question 86767, on Counter-terrorism: expenditure, what was the policy reason for the number of local authorities receiving Prevent funding being reduced from 30 to 28. \p Dan Jarvis: The number of local authorities (LAs) that receive Home Office funding has varied over the years from 20 in 2012 to 44 areas at its peak in 2021, which was just under 25% of all single-tier and upper tier LAs in England and Wales. Irrespective of funding, the Prevent duty places a statutory responsibility on all LAs in England, Scotland and Wales to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.

Evidence suggests that the threat from radicalisation is no longer contained to a relatively small number of LAs and that it is increasingly diffuse with more complex cases. Factors such as an increase in online radicalisation has led to risk and threat no longer being contained within administrative boundaries and an LA does not need to be high threat to be high risk.

In recognition of the evolving threat and risk, Prevent has evolved its delivery model to a regional model providing increased support to all local authorities. We now have a team of region based expert Home Office Prevent Advisers; this network of Prevent Advisers (PAs) work hand-in-hand with partners across England, Scotland and Wales to offer support and raise Prevent delivery standards within local areas.

The funding model does acknowledge that there are some areas with increased threat and risk, and so We currently provide dedicated Prevent funding to 28 LAs that are assessed as managing a higher level of threat and risk, relative to other LAs, to help them go above and beyond the requirements of the Prevent duty. Determining the number of LAs that receive dedicated funding takes account of internal funding allocations for the local delivery of Prevent, and other operational considerations.

The regional model also takes into account, the recommendations of the Independent Review of Prevent (IRP), The IRP also noted that the number of funded areas should be reduced to between 15-20 local authorities.

In line with this, outside of London, we now fund 20 local authorities. However, in London it is more challenging to assess the threat and risk relative to other parts of the country because the high number of LAs - i.e 32 London Boroughs and the City of London - disaggregates the threat and risk. Our current model therefore considers Greater London as a whole and we fund eight London Boroughs on the basis that they are managing a higher threat and risk, they are performing well and are geographically placed to give us cross-Greater London coverage.
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the Preventing Radicalisation Fund funding to local authorities in 2025-26 operating on a competitive bidding basis. \p Dan Jarvis: It is vital that Prevent is well-equipped to counter the threats that we face and the ideologies that underpin them. Prevent provides funding for all local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland to address radicalisation risks through targeted projects, under the Preventing Radicalisation Initiative fund (PRI).

For 2025-26 changes were made to the management and bidding process for the PRI fund, with all projects being administered through a grant administrator and Home Office undertaking due diligence on all Civil Society Organisation providers. This ensures government funding is only provided to those approved individuals or organisations that we are confident do not support or hold extremist views.

Project delivery must focus on tackling the ideological causes of terrorism, challenging extremist ideology that can be reasonably linked to terrorism and / or providing early interventions to people who are potentially susceptible to radicalisation. Where other harms or vulnerabilities are addressed, it must be evident that the project beneficiaries are potentially susceptible to radicalisation due to significant risk factors.

In the financial year April 2025 – March 2026, the Home Office is projected to provide £1,877,378.99 in project delivery funding to a total of 30 Civil Society Organisations under the Prevent Radicalisation programme.

This year’s project provision is due to complete by 31st March 2026. Evaluation will be completed by analysts in Homeland Security Analysis and Insight during the next financial year that will reflect on how the Preventing Radicalisation Initiative fund has worked this financial year.
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding was allocated to Home Office units responsible for delivering (a) the Prevent strategy and (b) counter-extremism communications in the (i) (A) 2023-24 and (B) 2024-25 financial years and (ii) 2025-26 financial year, broken down by unit. \p Dan Jarvis: The total Prevent Budget in the 2025/26 financial year is £38,697,583.35 (of which £25,854,619.99 is allocated for Prevent Delivery Unit and £12,942,963.36 for Counter-Radicalisation and Enablers Unit).

The total Prevent expenditure in the 2024/25 financial year was £36,139,230.25 (of which £26,427,104.62 was spent on Prevent Delivery Unit and £9,712,125.63 spent on Counter-Radicalisation and Enablers Unit).

The total Prevent expenditure in the 2023/24 financial year was £34,564,419.17 (of which £27,451,332.62 was spent on Prevent Delivery Unit and £7,113,086.55 was spent on Counter-Radicalisation and Enablers Unit).

There has been no budget allocated, and no expenditure committed for counter-extremism communications for the period requested.
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether job-related exemption will be based on the job-related tests in the Schedule of the Council Tax (Prescribed Classes of Dwellings) (England) Regulations 2003 for the second homes council tax premium. \p Alison McGovern: The definition of a job-related dwelling, for the purposes of exceptions from the second homes premium, is set out in the 2003 regulations. The Government has issued guidance on council tax premiums including exceptions.
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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2025, to Question 88665, on Local Government Pension Scheme: Councillors, if he will make it his policy to amend secondary legislation to ensure that local residents are informed of any pension payments in the annual statement of payments to councillors. \p Alison McGovern: The government believes transparency in local government is the foundation of local accountability, and this extends to councillors. The consultation on pensions for mayors and councillors is still open and so no final decisions have been taken, but I will consider the Rt Hon. Member’s suggestion.
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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will re-issue Best Value intervention notices against councils operating four day working weeks on full pay. \p Alison McGovern: This Government is committed to working in partnership with local authorities and will not micromanage their day-today running. However, the Government does not support the use of part-time work for full-time pay by local authorities.

Best value notices may be considered and issued by the Government where it is deemed necessary to seek further assurance that a local authority is complying with the best value duty and taking steps to secure continuous improvement.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has undertaken a risk review of the contractual arrangements underpinning the use of agency workers in local authority waste services, and whether such arrangements create vulnerabilities in service continuity during disputes. \p Alison McGovern: Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management and organisation of their own workforces, including the decision to use agency workers to fill vacancies and the accompanying contractual arrangements.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of (a) the expected financial impact on household budgets of assuming full take-up of council tax referendum flexibilities when calculating transitional protections, (b) the number of local authorities that have requested or are expected to request additional council tax flexibility beyond the core principles in light of ongoing financial pressures, (c) the criteria his Department will apply when assessing such requests, including the treatment of authorities already above average council tax levels, and (d) the implications of these assumptions for the overall distribution of Core Spending Power over the multi-year Settlement; and if he will publish the Department’s analysis of alternative scenarios in which councils do not fully utilise the 3 per cent core limit and 2 per cent adult social care precept. \p Alison McGovern: a) Council tax is managed by local authorities, which decide what level of council tax they wish to set. The government intends to maintain a core referendum threshold of 3%, and a 2% adult social care precept and will consult on the principles in the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement. Any authority that wishes to set an increase above its threshold must seek the approval of voters in its area.

The government will continue the existing policy that any protection available through funding floors assumes local authorities use the full council tax flexibility available to them, which will be set out through the Referendums Relating to Council Tax Increases (Principles) Report at the provisional Settlement. Assuming full take up of council tax flexibility balances allocating funding to support authorities adjust to their new allocations and targeting funding to places with higher needs.

The government expects councils to consider all levers at their disposal to manage their financial position ahead of making requests for Council Tax flexibilities, which should be a last resort and will only be granted where levels are below average.

b) The Department expects that a small number of authorities may seek additional council tax flexibility in exceptional circumstances. Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis, as has been the approach in previous years. No decisions have yet been taken on individual requests.

C) In assessing requests for additional flexibility, the government will consider evidence of significant financial difficulty and whether additional increases are critical to managing financial risk. Requests will not be granted where council tax levels are already above the national average. Taxpayers will remain at the forefront of Ministers’ considerations.

d) We will publish multi-year local authority allocations, including funding for transition and year-on-year Core Spending Power changes, at the upcoming provisional Local Government Finance Settlement later this month.
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the potential annual revenue from the proposed overnight visitor levy; and whether an Impact Assessment has been produced. \p Alison McGovern: The Government has announced powers for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region, to drive economic growth including through support for the local visitor economy.

The Visitor Levy Consultation, running until 18 February 2026, sets out the details of the proposals for this power. This consultation will ensure the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce a levy that will be devolved to local leaders.

The impacts of the levy will largely be determined by local decisions. Mayors will decide whether to introduce a levy and, if so, consult with businesses and their communities on specific proposals including the rate at which the levy is set – which will determine the revenue raised. Rates vary across the world, for example from 2% in Turkey to 12.5% in Amsterdam. Mayors will also be required to produce an Impact Assessment.
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Kim Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make it mandatory for all new housing development projects to ensure that 50% of the developed units are built for social rent, allowing the remaining 50% to be used for affordable or market-rate/luxury housing. \p Matthew Pennycook: The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that local authorities should assess the size, type, and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing (including Social Rent), and reflect this in their planning policies.

This includes setting out the proportion and type of affordable housing that should be expected of new development, including the minimum proportion of Social Rent.

Policy requirements, particularly for affordable housing, should be set at a level that takes account of affordable housing and infrastructure needs and allows for the planned types of sites and development to be deliverable, without the need for further viability assessment at the decision-making stage.
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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the written statement of 20 November 2025, on Multi-year Local Government Finance Settlement and Fair Funding Review, of 20 November 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of higher council tax referendum thresholds on council tax receipts over the Spending Review period. \p Alison McGovern: It is for individual councils to set their own level of council tax. The government intends to maintain a core 3% referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept and will consult on this at the provisional local government finance settlement. The final set of referendum principles will be subject the approval of the House of Commons, in the usual way. Estimates of council tax that may be raised will be published at the provisional local government finance settlement.
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Samantha Niblett:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department issues guidance to local planning authorities on ensuring that public consultation and plan-making processes do not appear (a) biased and (b) predetermined. \p Matthew Pennycook: The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that local development plans should be shaped by early, proportionate, and effective engagement between plan-makers and communities, local organisations, and businesses.

Regulations under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 require a minimum of two separate public consultations on a local plan. Local planning authorities, as public bodies, should conduct these consultations in an open way, without having a pre-determined view on the outcome. They are legally obliged to have regard to representations received and the Planning Inspectorate independently examines plans before they can be adopted.
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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to expedite nationally significant infrastructure projects. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government made 21 decisions on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) in the first year of this Parliament. This compares with the first year of the last Parliament in which only 15 decisions were made and represents the highest number of annual decisions made since the NSIP programme was introduced in 2011. 27 NSIP decisions have been made so far since the start of this Parliament.

Following acceptance by the Planning Inspectorate, NSIP applications are being processed on average 50 days quicker in this Parliament than in the last.

Through the relevant provisions of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, we are seeking to reduce the average time it takes reach a decision on an NSIP project from its peak of 4.2 years under the previous government.

To achieve our Plan for Change milestone of fast-tracking 150 planning decisions, we will need an average of 32 decisions per year from July 2025. While we have not achieved this in our first year, we expect the rate of decisions to continue to accelerate alongside the already seen increase in projects entering the pipeline.
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Ben Coleman:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to take steps to protect tenants who will be served a Section 21 notice prior to the provisions of the Renters' Rights Act coming into effect in May 2026. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Renters' Rights Act delivers the government's manifesto commitment to overhaul the regulation of the private rented sector, including by abolishing Section 21 'no fault' evictions. We want to see tenants benefit from these reforms as quickly as possible.

From 1 May 2026, the new tenancy system provided for by the Act will apply to all private tenancies – existing tenancies will become periodic, and any new tenancies will be governed by the new rules. We will work closely with tenants groups and the landlord and lettings sector to ensure a smooth implementation.

The government has no plans to introduce additional protections before 1 May 2026. Tenants at risk of eviction can seek advice from specialist providers such as Shelter and Citizens Advice.

£644.17 million in funding through the Homelessness Prevention Grant has been made available to local authorities in 2025/26 to support them to deliver services to prevent and respond to homelessness. This includes an uplift of £203.8 million compared to 2024 to 2025.
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Steff Aquarone:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when they will set out a timescale for their review of agricultural permitted development rights. \p Matthew Pennycook: Under existing nationally set permitted development rights, farmers are already able to undertake specific development on their farms. Guidance on the rights in question is available on gov.uk here.

The government continues to keep permitted development rights under review.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the administrative cost to local authorities of implementing the High Value Council Tax Surcharge from April 2028. \p Alison McGovern: The Government has set out, in its guidance, that it will carry out a new burdens assessment to ensure local authorities are fully funded for these costs.
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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to created a deferment scheme for council tax. \p Alison McGovern: Local councils are responsible for the administration of council tax and they have discretionary powers to agree on alternative payment plans including deferrals. The department encourages taxpayers in hardship to contact their local authority to discuss their individual circumstances. The department currently has no plans to introduce a council tax deferral scheme.

On 26 November, the Chancellor announced the introduction of a High Value Council Tax Surcharge. There will be a support scheme in place for those who cannot pay. The Government will consult on options for support or deferral.
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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the oral Answer of 24 November 2025 on East Sussex County Council: Elections, what is the Secretary of State's definition for the length of time which represents a very short term in office. \p Alison McGovern: We are clear that the starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification otherwise.

There is precedent for postponing local elections where local government reorganisation is in progress. That postponement can prevent costly and distracting elections for short-term posts in councils which will shortly be abolished is a key consideration.

The Government will work with areas to hold elections for new unitary councils as soon as possible as is the usual arrangement in the process of local government reorganisation.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Commissioners appointed to Birmingham have been granted additional powers to intervene in operational waste decisions during periods of industrial action. \p Alison McGovern: Further disruption to Birmingham’s waste service is in no one’s interest, and we remain in close contact with Commissioners and the Council as we continue to monitor the situation. Birmingham City Council and their contracted agency are independent employers, and the ongoing disputes are local issues and rightly being dealt with by the relevant employers. As such, my department has not held discussions with either Unite or the Council’s contracted agency following a ballot on industrial action among some agency refuse workers. It is for the Council to consider and manage all aspects of any dispute, including the financial impact. The government’s priority is Birmingham’s residents, and we will continue to support the council to keep streets clean during any disputes.

A statutory intervention has been in place since October 2023, with Commissioners appointed to oversee and support the Council’s improvement journey. Commissioners continue to support the Council in their operational response to the ongoing dispute, and in developing much needed transformation plans for the waste service. They are experienced local government professionals, and they have powers relating to governance, finance and recruitment as laid out under the statutory directions. These powers can be used according to their expert judgment and discretion. Commissioners provide regular progress reports to the Secretary of State, and my department engages regularly with Councils under intervention. On 1 December my department published the Commissioners’ third report, together with my response, and updated the House via a written ministerial statement.
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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what mechanisms are in place to ensure effective public and local authority oversight of freeports and their ongoing development. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The government is committed to public transparency, accountability, and oversight for all Industrial Strategy Zones (ISZs), the collective term for Freeports and Investment Zones. The ISZs Action Plan and the latest Freeports Programme Report, both published in June 2025, set out the steps being taken to deliver upon these requirements, including by holding at least one public meeting a year and publishing all meeting minutes.

To ensure elected local leaders have oversight, all ISZs in England have a local authority or Mayoral Strategic Authority acting as their accountable body, providing public transparency and accountability for the management of funding and their ongoing development. These mechanisms underpin a programme that has attracted £6.4 billion in private investment to date, unlocking regeneration and new jobs for local communities, and delivering upon the government's number one priority of economic growth.
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Charlie Maynard:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how his Department plans to assess local government reorganisation proposals; and whether those proposals will be assessed against the guidance set out in the letter sent by the former Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution to the leaders of two-tier councils in Oxfordshire on 5 February 2025. \p Alison McGovern: The Government received final proposals for the invitation area of Oxfordshire on 28 November and will launch a statutory consultation before deciding which, if any, proposal to implement. Decisions on the most appropriate option for each area, including Oxfordshire, will be judgements in the round, having regard to the statutory guidance and the available evidence.

All public bodies, including the Government and local authorities, are required to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010. This duty applies to the local government reorganisation process.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-04 conversation_235

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of local authorities that will (a) require 100 per cent income protection, (b) receive real-terms protection, and (c) fall within the 95 per cent funding floor due to being assessed as significantly above their Fair Funding Allocation; and whether he will publish (i) the assumptions used to determine the 2025–26 income baseline, including the treatment of locally retained business rates growth since 2013–14, (ii) the modelling used to calculate the cumulative impact of phasing in new allocations in thirds over the three-year Settlement, and (iii) the projected year-by-year funding changes for each authority once transitional protections, council tax flexibility assumptions, and business rates reset adjustments have been applied. \p Alison McGovern: We expect the vast majority of local authorities with social care responsibilities will see their Core Spending Power increase in real terms over the multi-year Settlement, and most other authorities will see their income increase in cash terms.

We will support local authorities to manage their updated funding positions through a package of transitional arrangements. We will introduce changes over the multi-year Settlement and protect councils’ income, including locally retained business rates growth, through a range of funding floor levels appropriate to specific groups of authorities’ circumstances.

Further details on the proposed operation of these transitional arrangements, including the detail of the income baseline, is set out in the local government finance policy statement 2026-27 to 2028-29. Plans for delivering the business rates retention reset were also published alongside the policy statement. This sets out a full method of how current business rates income will be measured for the 2025-26 income baseline.

We will publish multi-year local authority allocations, including funding for transition and year-on-year Core Spending Power changes, at the upcoming provisional Local Government Finance Settlement later this month.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-04 conversation_236

Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025, to Question 91362, on Waste Disposal: Birmingham, what proportion of the 9.8% increase in core spending power in Birmingham in 2025-26 was made up of council tax. \p Alison McGovern: Information on Core Spending Power for Birmingham Council, including how much is available from Council Tax, can be found here.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-04 conversation_237

Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to amend electoral law to prevent councillors standing for election in overseas countries. \p Alison McGovern: The Government is clear that any councillor elected by local people to serve their interests must continue to do so as their highest priority. I am considering whether a change in legislation is needed to address the rare instances where serving councillors seek election overseas. Any legislative change would be subject to securing Parliamentary time.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-04 conversation_238

David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2025 to Question 83467 on Councillors: Disclosure and Barring Service, what steps would be taken if a councillor has a criminal record. \p Alison McGovern: Where a councillor has been convicted of criminal offences and receives a jail sentence (whether suspended or not) of three months or more, they are disqualified from either standing for or holding office as a local authority member for a period of five years.

The Local Government (Disqualification) Act 2022 introduced a further disqualification of registered sex offenders who may not receive a custodial sentence.

Councillors must declare anything that might disqualify them from standing for or holding local office, not doing so is a criminal offence.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-04 conversation_239

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish an authority-level assessment of the 2026 business rates retention reset, including (a) the financial implications of increasing the Safety Net to 100 per cent of Baseline Funding Levels before tapering back to existing levels, (b) the effect of the redesigned levy rate on local authorities with differing growth profiles, (c) the modelling behind the proposed approach to tax policy changes affecting specific property cohorts, and (d) the expected timetable for consulting Mayoral Strategic Authorities on the proposed new offer granting them a direct share of business rates growth to support Local Growth Plans. \p Alison McGovern: Local authorities’ new allocations, accounting for the impact of the Reset, will be published at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement in December. The government has recently published plans for delivering the 2026 Reset: Resetting the business rates retention system from 1 April 2026.

As this sets out, raising the safety net will provide increased certainty when authorities’ budget for business rates next year. Protections will be scaled back gradually to smoothly transition back to the standard levels of protection that the system has provided since 2013-14. To ensure safety net protections are affordable, a newly designed levy will continue to be applied to business rates growth, now applying to all local authorities proportionally as new growth builds. Again, as we have set out, the outcome of the 2026 business rates revaluation will be incorporated into the remeasurement business rates each local authority expects to collect from 1 April 2026.

As confirmed in the Budget, the government will work with Mayoral Strategic Authorities to co-develop a new offer, starting in the coming months.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-04 conversation_240

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to bring long-term empty homes back into occupation in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 59458 on 20 June 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-04 conversation_241

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his Department's housing targets are as a proportion of the population in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 83200 on 3 November 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-04 conversation_242

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce youth homelessness in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Alison McGovern: The Government has increase funding for homelessness services in England by £316 million this year to a total of £1 billion. Local authorities can use this funding flexibly to meet the needs of people experiencing and at risk of homelessness in their area, including young people, according to local need.

The forthcoming cross-Government homelessness strategy will set out the actions needed across central and local government and the homelessness sector to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, including amongst young people.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-04 conversation_243

Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025, to Question 89916, on Local Government: Reorganisation, whether the existing council elections within the area described as Greater Essex, scheduled for May 2026, (a) will or (b) will not be cancelled as a consequence of the unitary restructuring proposals announced in the written statement of 19 November 2025, HCWS1071, on Local Government Reorganisation. \p Alison McGovern: There are no plans to introduce such legislation to cancel any May 2026 elections for any of the areas listed in the written statement. The only area where currently scheduled elections will be cancelled is in Surrey, where, subject to Parliamentary agreement, these will be replaced with elections to the new councils of East Surrey and West Surrey.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-04 conversation_244

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the impact of delays in resolving the firefighters’ pension aggregation issue on constituents in South Suffolk. \p Alison McGovern: My department understands that the delays in addressing pension aggregation for some scheme members with both retained and wholetime service may be frustrating. The matter is currently subject to litigation, and we will provide an update on the position as soon as we are able.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-04 conversation_245

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to decrease levels of homelessness across the country. \p Alison McGovern: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 86837 on 10 November 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-12-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-12-04 conversation_246

Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025, to Question 88278, on Travellers: Caravan Sites, if he will make it his policy to undertake research into the issue of unauthorised travellers frustrating Temporary Stop Notices by subdividing land into multiple plots. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department has no plans to undertake research into this specific issue at this time.