David Simmonds MP: written questions
457 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Council TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69682More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral contribution of the Prime Minister during the oral question on council tax of 9 July 2025, Official Report, Column 939, what the evidential basis for t
Answer: The government is not responsible for council tax levels, which are decided by local authorities, taking account of their local circumstances. The government does set referendum principles on these increases. Referendum principles strike a balance between...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Greater London AuthorityMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69681More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's transparency data entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, April 2025, published on 30 May 2025, what the research commissioned from the Greater
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60469 on 20 June 2025.
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMayors and Police and Crime Commissioners: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69680More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department had with relevant stakeholders on the inclusion of measures on supplementary vote in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has engaged with a wide range of local government stakeholders during the development of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. On the measure regarding the supplementary vote, we h...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial ServicesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69679More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether strategic authorities will have responsibilities for social care provision.
Answer: Local Authorities will retain responsibility for social care provision. Strategic authorities will gain a new duty in relation to health improvement and inequalities through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, but this will not alter th...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOxford Growth Commission: Public AppointmentsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69678More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2025 to Question 64085 on Oxford Growth Commission: Public Appointments, if she will publish the letter.
Answer: The Department does not routinely publish information on the remuneration of direct ministerial appointments as they are not regulated public appointments. The Chair of the Oxford Growth Commission wrote to the previous shadow Secretary of State sharing d...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69677More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether unitary local government restructuring changes will take place at the same time.
Answer: Government has set an ambitious timetable for local government reorganisation, with three deadlines for submitting proposals for unitary local government set out in the invitation letters.Surrey: Proposals received on 9 May 202569677 a. Expect elections t...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAnti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working GroupMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69676More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2025 to Question 65809 on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Working Group, what the (a) grade and (b) title is of the senior civil servant providi
Answer: The Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Working Group has not met with any of the mentioned groups. The Working Group launched a Call for Evidence to build on the extensive consultation they’ve already undertaken which closed on Sunday 20 July. It was open to...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPrivate Rented Housing: RentsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69675More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2025 to Question 66191 on Private Rented Housing: Rents, whether she has made an assessment of the reasons for those increases.
Answer: The factors affecting changes in rents are complex and difficult to disentangle. They include house prices, supply and demand, taxation policy, interest rates and the movement of tenants into homeownership or social rented housing. It is not possible to a...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAnti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working GroupMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69674More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia has had meetings with (a) MEND, (b) CAGE, (c) MCB and (d) Palestine Action; and whether that group plans to accept wr
Answer: The Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Working Group has not met with any of the mentioned groups. The Working Group launched a Call for Evidence to build on the extensive consultation they’ve already undertaken which closed on Sunday 20 July. It was open to...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Remote WorkingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69673More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the (a) expected and (b) average office attendance rate is in each of her Department's offices outside London.
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government expects staff to work towards attending the office or other premises for official business for 60% of their working time. Some of our offices cannot currently accommodate this level of attendance a...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncillors' InterestsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 18 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69064More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance entitled Openness and transparency on personal interests: guidance for councillors, published on 21 March 2013, what requirements councillors have
Answer: The ‘openness and transparency on personal interests: guidance for councillors’ is clear that a councillor’s disclosable pecuniary interests must be declared to their local authority. This is in line with requirements set out in regulations under the Loca...
Answered 24 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67520More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of planning applications that have been granted by each local authority in each of the last 12 months.
Answer: The number of planning applications granted per quarter is published in the Department’s quarterly planning applications statistical release which can be found on gov.uk here.The number of planning applications granted by each local planning authority in ...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67519More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of dwellings with planning permission granted where construction has not begun in each London borough.
Answer: My Department does not collect data on the number of dwellings with planning consent that have not yet started construction. On 25 May, the government published a Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out (which can be found on gov.uk here) inv...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: PalestiniansForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66669More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with President Abbas on progress towards a two-state solution.
Answer: The UK's commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering. The Prime Minister spoke to President Abbas on 29 July to condemn the suffering in Gaza, reiterate that Hamas must play no role in Gaza, and outline the UK's commitment to recognising the State of...
Answered 4 Aug 2025
Original Parliament recordWater ChargesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65899More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 57661 on Water Charges, what estimate he has made of the average household water bill in each year from 2025 to 2030.
Answer: The price controls set by Ofwat under Price Review 2024 came into effect on 1st April 2025. The average customer bill will increase by 36% over the next five years. These bill rises equate to around £3 additional per month on average, before inflation, ov...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65428More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 58771 on Local Government: Elections, whether she has made an estimate of the number of councils which will be subject to the t
Answer: Seven councils could have their elections replaced with elections to new unitary councils in May 2026. Surrey is the only area whose ambitious timetable is such that we will need Parliamentary approval by March 2026 to allow for elections to the new unita...
Answered 14 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing Laws: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65427More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled Government calls last orders on red tape choking pubs, clubs and restaurants in major boost to the British night out, published on 4
Answer: In April, the government announced that it would work with the Greater London Authority to review strategic licensing powers and explore a pilot scheme, providing the Mayor of London with new powers over strategic licensing. My officials are working close...
Answered 15 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public and Commercial Services UnionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65425More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will publish a response to the press release by PCS entitled PCS members at MHCLG escalate industrial action, published on 26 June 2025.
Answer: The department will not be publishing a direct response to the PCS communication published for their members. We continue to hope for a resolution and remain open to further discussions on the matters raised.
Answered 15 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCroydon Council: Cost EffectivenessMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65424More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 12 June 2025 on Local Government Best Value, HCWS697, what discussions her Department has had with hon. Members from Croydon on the bes
Answer: I hold regular meetings with honourable members in accordance with my Ministerial responsibilities.
Answered 15 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAffordable HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65423More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the new affordable housing programme will include (a) bringing empty homes back into use, (b) the acquisition of existing built properties and (c) traveller pitches.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July (HCWS771).
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRights of WayMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65422More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued recent guidance to local authorities on public right of access to privately-owned public spaces that are owned by (a) private companies and (b)
Answer: My Department has not issued guidance in relation to this matter.
Answered 25 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAllotments: Land UseMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65421More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether allotments are classified as (a) greenfield or (b) brownfield land for planning purposes.
Answer: The National Planning Policy Framework defines previously developed land (brownfield land) as land which is, or was, occupied by a permanent structure and any associated fixed surface infrastructure. However, the definition explicitly excludes land in bui...
Answered 14 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCroydon Council: Cost EffectivenessMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65420More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 12 June 2025 on Local Government Best Value, HCWS697, what discussions her Department has had with (a) councillors and (b) political as
Answer: All details of ministerial meetings with external bodies are published on gov.uk.
Answered 15 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HousingHome OfficeTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65419More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding her Department plans to provide to local authorities to (a) house and (b) build housing for (i) asylum seekers and (ii) refugees in each financial year to 2029-30.
Answer: The Home Office publishes information on asylum expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HousingHome OfficeTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question 59362 on Asylum: Housing, whether local authorities have a veto on the use of specific properties for asylum accommodation.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 23 June to Question 59362.
Answered 15 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
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