James Cleverly MP: written questions 2026
1515 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Countering Foreign Financial Influence and Interference in UK Politics Independent ReviewMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106141More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2026, to Question 102762, on Countering Foreign Financial Influence and Interference in UK politics independent review, how many civil servant
Answer: A team of five civil servants has been assigned to support the review. The review will not be undertaking a formal call for evidence, but individuals and organisations are able to submit evidence via the public mailbox - reviewteam@rycroftreview.independe...
Answered 23 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 15 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106140More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the business rates special category code (SCAT) the Valuation Office Agency uses for (a) coffee shops, (b) wine bars and (c) cafes is.
Answer: Information on SCAT codes is available at this link [SCat code list]
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Finance: City of Westminster and WandsworthMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106139More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much total government grant will (1) Wandsworth Borough Council and (2) Westminster City Council receive in (a) 2024-25, (b) 2025-26 and (c) 2026-27.
Answer: The provisional Settlement 2026–27 will make available almost £78 billion in Core Spending Power (CSP) for local authorities in England, a 5.7% cash-terms increase compared to 2025–26. CSP allocations for individual local authorities through the provision...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106138More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to Local authority capital expenditure and receipts in England: 2024 to 2025 final outturn, Published 6 November 2025, what proportion of the £3.0 billion of total
Answer: The Flexible Use of Capital Receipts general direction was introduced in 2016 by the previous government and remains substantively unchanged. The total value of capital receipts received by local authorities in 2024-25 was £4.3 billion, as reported on gov...
Answered 23 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Tax AllowancesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106116More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many hereditaments claimed Retail Hospitality and Leisure rate relief in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26, excluding those at the £110,000 cash cap.
Answer: The number of hereditaments receiving the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief as at 31 December 2024 can be found in Table 4 here. This is based on a snapshot taken by local authorities on or as close to the 31 December 2024. It is not possible from th...
Answered 23 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: LutonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106115More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much Luton Borough Council received in retained business rates in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26, and what are the projected figures for each of the next three years under the L
Answer: Luton Borough Council reported their retained business rates for 2024-25 to the department here in the document ‘Revenue outturn summary (RS) 2024 to 2025’, in the ‘LA Dropdown’ tab line 870. For 2025-26, their estimated retained business rates is here in...
Answered 23 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: ValuationTreasuryTabled 15 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106114More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the 2026 business rates revaluation is revenue-neutral.
Answer: The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHousing: AsylumMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106113More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 88734 on Asylum Housing, whether (a) his Department and (b) the Planning Inspectorate has issued guidance on this matter.
Answer: Neither my Department nor the Planning Inspectorate has issued any guidance to local authorities on when and how often they can issue stop notices in relation to housing asylum seekers.
Answered 23 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to the press release, Councils offered flexibility to complete reorganisation, of 18 December 2025, whether district council Returning Officers would still be obliged to
Answer: Yes.
Answered 23 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCommunity Infrastructure LevyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105228More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department given on whether local planning authorities may waive retrospective Community Infrastructure Levy charges on self-build and extensions where administ
Answer: The government has not issued official guidance to local planning authorities on matters relating to enforcement decisions on Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charges previously levied on householder developers. CIL charging authorities are ultimately ...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLand: ValuationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105227More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025 to Question 88673 on Land: Valuation, what the public interest basis is for not disclosing the Valuation Office Agency’s viability rese
Answer: My Department is still analysing the research in question. We will keep the decision to publish any suitable and relevant information under review.
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105226More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how transitional relief and Supporting Small Business Relief are calculated for hereditaments receiving 100% small business rate relief in 2025-26 and no longer being eligible for small business rate relief in 2026-
Answer: The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105225More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 24 November 2025 to Question 90719 on Local Government Finance, which local authorities have notified his Department of disposal flexibility transaction
Answer: I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 90719 answered on 24 November 2025. Government does not publish details of the plans submitted by local authorities, but authorities should, in accordance with the guidance that accompanies t...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Public RelationsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105224More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 2 January 2026 to Question 99491 on Local Government: Public Relations, whether his Department monitors local authority adherence to the Publicity Code
Answer: My letter of 19 November reminded councils in reorganisation areas that they must have regard to the Code when producing publicity relating to local government reorganisation. Concerns about specific cases should be raised with the relevant council’s Moni...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncillors: ConductMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105223More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 2 January 2026 to Question 99503 on Councillors: Conduct, whether he plans to consult on the content of the mandatory code of conduct; and whether it wi
Answer: The government response to the local government standards framework consultation published on 11 November 2025 confirmed our intention to legislate to prescribe a mandatory code of conduct. We are continuing to engage with the sector as we develop final d...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncillorsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105222More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 16 December 2025 to Question 95327 on Councillors, whether the £120 million includes the cost of mayoral offices where mayors take on the role of Police
Answer: The £120 million cost estimating the savings through a potential reduction in the number of councillors does not include the costs of mayoral officers where mayors take on the role of Police and Crime Commissioners as this was not considered a linked cost...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPlanning Permission: Fees and ChargesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105221More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether local authorities will be able to set planning fees to (a) make a profit for their general fund and (b) reduce the subsidy of planning services from the general fund.
Answer: The Planning and Infrastructure Act provides the Secretary of State with the power to delegate the setting of planning fees to local planning authorities. Fees are to be set on a cost-recovery basis and cannot be used to generate a profit for an authority...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: PublicityMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105220More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2025, to Question 88270, whether the guidance entitled Translation into Foreign Languages, published by the Department for Communities and L
Answer: The department provides published content in additional languages where appropriate and on a case-by-case basis.
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105219More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what Rateable Value thresholds, (i) inside and (ii) outside London, apply to (a) transitional relief and (b) supporting small business relief, from 2026-27, based on each small, medium and large bucket, in each of t
Answer: The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordTravellers: Caravan SitesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105218More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025, to Question 88641, on Stop Notices, and to the answer of 20 November 2025, to Question 89449, on Planning: Enforcement, if he will mak
Answer: My Department has no current plans to amend the guidance on temporary stop notices. The criteria for issuing a temporary stop notice, namely that the local planning authority thinks there has been a breach of planning control and that it is expedient for ...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordWest Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Football ClubHome OfficeTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105191More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, if she will publish the review.
Answer: HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary’s inspection report on West Midlands Police’s match assessment for the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match has been published on GOV.UK.The report has also been deposited in both House libraries and shared with the Home...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: ValuationTreasuryTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105190More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Valuation Office Agency’s budget is for developing the Automated Valuation Model for council tax in England.
Answer: The VOA is not developing an automated valuation model for council tax in England.
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: SurchargesTreasuryTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104779More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate the Valuation Office Agency has made of the proportion of dwelling stock in England to be assessed for liability for the council tax surcharge.
Answer: The Valuation Office Agency estimates fewer than 1% of properties in England are expected to be liable for the High Value Council Tax surcharge.
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordValuation Office AgencyTreasuryTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104778More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the capacity of the Valuation Office Agency to deliver (a) a council tax revaluation in Wales, (b) appeals from that revaluation, (c) backlogs for business and council
Answer: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) works closely with government partners to ensure it is adequately resourced and to develop delivery plans which align with planned consultation and legislative timelines. The VOA will receive additional funding and has re...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordWarehouses: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104777More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 2 January 2026 to Question 99156 on Retail Trade: Business Rates, how many large distribution warehouse hereditaments are liable for the higher value surcharge in 2025-26.
Answer: Statistics detailing the number of properties with a Rateable Value over £500,000 in the draft 2026 Rating List can be found on GOV.UK. They can be sorted by specific property types, such as large distribution warehouses. Information relating to your requ...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →