James Cleverly MP: written questions
2160 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Council TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6410More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 120057 on council tax, what information his Department provides to the Office for Budget Responsibility to inform its fo
Answer: The Department provides the Office for Budget Responsibility with a five-year forecast of council tax receipts. This includes estimates of total taxbase and England average band D council tax levels.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTake-away Food: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6409More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has undertaken any assessment of whether rules on fast food outlets in the National Planning Policy Framework are being applied by local planning authoriti
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 122204 on 1 April 2026.
Answered 12 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordFoot and Mouth Disease: ContaminationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5963More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the answer of 24 March 2026, to Question 113652, on Foot and Mouth Disease: Contamination, whether the Environment Agency has given any advice or guidance on the plan
Answer: The responsibility for the disposal of carcasses and ash during the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak rested with DEFRA (then Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food), subject to the Groundwater Regulations 1998, which were administered by the Environment ...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTower Hamlets CouncilMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5962More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 20 April 2026, to Question 124686, on Tower Hamlets Council, what steps are being taken by Tower Hamlets Ministerial Envoys to review grants given
Answer: The Envoys outlined in their second report (published on 17 March 2026), that partners had expressed that the methodology in awarding grants is not always clear, lacks transparency, and decisions are not always communicated effectively. As set out in the ...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Pension SchemeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5961More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much local authorities spent on pension strain exit payments in 2024-25.
Answer: The Government publishes annual data on local authority exit payments in England, based on returns submitted by local authorities. These data include pension-related exit costs. The published release for 2024-25 is available on gov.uk here.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordPolling Stations: Religious BuildingsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5960More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 18 March 2026, to Question 119518, on Polling Stations: Religious Buildings, why the reference to mobile polling stations was included in the pres
Answer: In August 2025, local authorities were invited to apply to pilot a range of flexible voting methods at the May 2026 elections in England, including the possible use of mobile polling stations. While mobile polling stations were not piloted in May 2026, th...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5959More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 9 February 2026 to Question 109268 on Local Government: Elections, if he will publish the Equality Impact Assessment on the decision.
Answer: An equality impact assessment has been completed in line with normal practice. There are no plans to publish the assessment.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: Second HomesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5958More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information he holds on the number of local taxpayers changing their second homes to lower Band D council tax areas in 2026.
Answer: The government does not collect data on the housing choices of individual taxpayers. The government does annually publish data on the number of dwellings assessed as second homes for council tax purposes. This includes a breakdown of the number of second ...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordUnitary CouncilsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5957More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) shadow unitary authorities and (b) newly vested unitary authorities will have the power to change their formal new name without recourse to his Department.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 2013 on 22 May 2026.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSolar Power: Building RegulationsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5956More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 20 April 2026 to Question 124800 on Solar Power: Building Regulations, whether households will be able to install plug-in solar without hiring an
Answer: Households may be able to install plug-in solar without hiring an approved electrician. If the installation involves building work then Approved Document P, the statutory guidance accompanying the Building Regulations, makes clear that electrical installa...
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncil TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5955More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the monetary amount of the council tax level is in (a) 2026-27 and (b) 2027-28 that will be used as the basis for the Fair Funding Review 2.0; and if he will list what prece
Answer: Pursuant to the answer to Question UIN 113634 on 2 March 2026, the notional council tax level for local authorities in England can be found here. The notional council tax level is set at the national average. For 2026-27 this is £2,063; for 2027-28 it wil...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordElections: Local GovernmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5954More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 25 March 2026, to Question PQ117889, on Local Government: Elections, if he will publish a copy of the local election pilot applications by Tamwort
Answer: The Government has no plans to publish expressions of interest or applications from local authorities relating to the flexible voting pilots.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTravellers: Caravan SitesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5953More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the (i) changes and (ii) further proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework since July 2024 affect (a) planning enforcement appeals and (b) retrospective
Answer: Decision makers must take account of all relevant policies in the National Planning Policy Framework in reaching decisions on all planning enforcement appeals and retrospective planning applications.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRented Housing: EvictionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5952More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 14 January 2026, to Question HL13225, on Rented Housing: Evictions, whether his Department intends to issue guidance on the definition of “knowing
Answer: The government has published guidance on enforcement measures for landlords, which can be found on gov.uk here, and for local authorities, which can be found on gov.uk here. This guidance contains information regarding the definitions of “knowingly” and “...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Rented HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5951More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what proportion of households eligible for social housing were able to access a social home, and what proportion remained on waiting lists in the last year for which figures are
Answer: My Department does not hold the information requested.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Audit Office: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5950More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what is the projected annual budget of the Local Audit Office, how will it be funded, and what is the timetable for its establishment.
Answer: The Government is currently in the process of determining the details of a target operating model for the Local Audit Office, which will allow a clearer determination of its annual budget. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 has prov...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Fees and ChargesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5949More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has issued guidance to local authorities on the setting of fees or charges, for profit or to increase revenue in the general fund.
Answer: Fees across the public sector, including those charged by local authorities, can only be set at the cost of delivering the service, or less. This is to ensure the public sector does not profit at the expense of consumers. As part of the Fair Funding Revie...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Bodies: Anti-Muslim HostilityMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5948More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 20 April 2026, to Question 124715, on Islamophobia, in what sectors will sector-specific guidance be provided, what is the timetable, and whether
Answer: The government encourages the adoption of the definition across the public, private and third sectors, and them to consider how this definition applies in their contexts. The government will refer to the definition when developing and revising relevant po...
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordPrivate Rented Housing: Local GovernmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5947More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of local authority staff in England who have responsibility for enforcement action in the private rented sector.
Answer: The Renters’ Rights Act contains a power for government to require private rented sector enforcement data from local authorities, including the number of full-time equivalent staff responsible for enforcement in the private rented sector. I otherwise refe...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Tax YieldsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5946More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 23 April 2026 to Question HL16235 on Business Rates, what forecast has HM Government made of the gross revenue from the Central List on business r
Answer: Estimates of Rateable Value for each property on the central list are published by the Valuation Office, which can be used to calculate estimated business rates receipts: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/the-central-rating-list. Business rates re...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness RatesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5351More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what was the cost to the department of correcting errors in the transitional arrangements for councils in business rates pools in the draft Local Government Funding Settlement fo
Answer: In response to the provisional Local Government Finance consultation, the final Settlement included an update to how pooling gains are estimated for transitional funding arrangements. This decision was the right approach in order to distribute gains more ...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRents: AppealsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5350More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 29 September 2025, to Question HL10508, on Rents: Appeals, what metrics will be used, and at what levels, to determine whether the Tribunal system
Answer: The Renters’ Rights Act contains a proportionate safeguard for use in circumstances where it has become clear that the Tribunal appears at risk of being overwhelmed by a sharp increase in challenges.The power in question is discretionary and any decision ...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSustainable Communities Act 2007Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5349More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 27 April 2026, to Question HL16193, on Sustainable Communities Act 2007, how many proposals have been submitted since July 2024.
Answer: The department has not received any proposals under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 since July 2024.
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordClergy: HousingChurch CommissionersTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5348More
Question: To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, with reference to the Answer of 20 March 2026, to Question 118770, on Church of England: Council Tax, if she will publish a copy of the high-level assessment.
Answer: Since publishing the answer to the Hon Member, for Braintree’s Question 118770, the High Value Council Tax Surcharge consultation has opened for submissions. In light of this, the National Church Institutions are currently updating the “high-level assessm...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: SurchargesTreasuryTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5347More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many HMRC and HMRC Valuation Office staff have been allocated to support the council tax surcharge valuations and appeals.
Answer: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is developing its resourcing and recruitment plans for the High Value Council Tax Surcharge (HVCTS) work.
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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