Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government written question – answered at on 21 May 2026.
David Simmonds
Opposition Whip (Commons), Shadow Minister (Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Ministerial Envoys to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have reviewed the council's 2025-26 expenditure and procurement of the Mosque Engagement Programme.
David Simmonds
Opposition Whip (Commons), Shadow Minister (Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to the High Court Consent Order in relation to Nair v London Borough of Tower Hamlets of March 2024, whether Ministerial Envoys in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have assessed the conduct of licensing councillors on that council.
Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Ministerial Envoys do not take, or assess the impact of, individual funding and regulatory decisions by the authority; the responsibility for which remains with the Council. As part of the statutory Intervention in Tower Hamlets, the Envoys are supporting the Council on their improvement journey which includes political culture.
In addition to this, as set out in the Ministerial Directions of 17 March 2026, the Envoys are conducting a ‘deep dive’ into allegations of misconduct in identified council functions, which include the allocation of resources, such as community assets and community grants, and licensing decisions. The Envoys will report their findings to the Secretary of State in due course.
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