Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by David Simmonds (Conservative) on Thursday, 11 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 15 June 2026. It was answered by Alison McGovern (Labour) on Wednesday, 22 July 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Public Works Loan Board: Barnet

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what Public Works Loan Board borrowing has been given to the London Borough of Barnet since July 2024, and on what terms and purposes.

Answer

Government does not publish individual local authority’s loans and interest rates, however, data on loans issued from the Public Works Loan Board is published at Historical Data. Further, authorities are required to report their financial position in their Annual Statement of Accounts. Local authorities also provide the government with data on their borrowing, including source of borrowing. The data can be found on gov.uk here Live tables on local government finance - GOV.UK.

Local authorities are responsible for setting their own capital strategies, as they are best placed to make local decisions that reflect the needs of their communities. In making those decisions, however, local authorities must comply with their legal duties and have regard to statutory guidance designed to ensure decisions are prudent, affordable, and sustainable. The Public Works Loan Board lending facility is a non-discretionary lender: it does not ask the purpose of a loan, as this would duplicate the decision-making structures of the individual local authorities.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
9103
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Local government finance Barnet Public Works Loan Board
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk