David Simmonds MP: written questions
363 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Asylum: HousingHome OfficeTabled 11 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59086More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, how much funding her Department plans to provide to local authorities to help support the closure of all asylum hotels in this Pa
Answer: The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders and consider a range of options to fulfil its legal obligations and deliver its commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, and to end the use of hotels by the end of Parlia...
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HousingHome OfficeTabled 11 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59085More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, whether her Department has received representations from local authorities on the potential impact of closing all asylum hotels i
Answer: The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders and consider a range of options to fulfil its legal obligations and deliver its commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, and to end the use of hotels by the end of Parlia...
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HousingHome OfficeTabled 11 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59084More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of closing all asylum hotels in this Parliament on local au
Answer: The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders and consider a range of options to fulfil its legal obligations and deliver its commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, and to end the use of hotels by the end of Parlia...
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMarriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) (Amendment) Regulations 2022Ministry of JusticeTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58283More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has made an assessment of the impact of The Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 on faith groups.
Answer: The Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) (Amendment) Regulations 2022, introduced by the previous Government, made permanent the temporary provisions allowing civil marriage and civil partnership ceremonies to take place outdoors in the gr...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCorporate Hospitality and Official GiftsCabinet OfficeTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58282More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Register of Ministers’ Gifts and Hospitality includes gifts that have been (a) returned and (b) reimbursed to the original donor.
Answer: The Register of Ministers’ Gifts and Hospitality is a declaration of hospitality received and gifts given and received in a ministerial capacity, in line with ministers’ obligations under the Ministerial Code. The Cabinet Office publishes guidance setting...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordStreet Trading: LicensingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58059More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has provided guidance to (a) elected representatives, (b) political parties and (c) community groups on obtaining a (i) street trading and (ii) highways li
Answer: The provision and administration of street trading and highways licences are the responsibility of Local Authorities under either the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 or the London Local Authorities Act 1990, depending on their locatio...
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Pension SchemeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58058More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of previous local government restructuring on costs from pension strain in the Local Government Pension Scheme.
Answer: We have made no such assessment. As I stated in my answer to UIN 52862, local government reorganisation will have impacts on the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). We expect councils to work with relevant administering authorities on any implications...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: PayMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58057More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) her Department and (b) local government improvement bodies financed through departmental funding centrally (i) collate and (ii) monitor the practice or frequency of l
Answer: Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces. While it is not government policy to support a four-day working week in local authorities, the government will not be micromanaging them on this and does n...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordLand: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58056More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 28 May 2025 to Question 53568 on Land: Greater London, what the planning status is of Metropolitan Open Land designated by the Mayor of London in the Lo
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 53920 on 6 June 2025.
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58055More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to articles 35 and 40 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015, whether (a) the Chinese government and (b) its agen
Answer: All Inquiry documents for this case are publicly available on Tower Hamlets website here.
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFast FoodDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 6 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58054More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the official statistics entitled Wider Determinants of Health: statistical commentary on the location of fast food outlets, February 2025, published on 10 February 2025, whether (
Answer: Fast food is considered to be food that is energy dense and available quickly, usually via a counter service, for consumption on or off the premise. Neither the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities nor its predecessor, Public Health England, have...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Greater LondonHome OfficeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57417More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the reduction in hotel accommodation for asylum seekers around Heathrow Airport on neighbouring local authorities.
Answer: The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders and consider a range of options to fulfil its legal obligations and deliver upon the commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, and to end the use of hotels over time.Curre...
Answered 12 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Greater LondonHome OfficeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57416More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has received recent representations from London boroughs on the provision of additional funding to house asylum seekers following the reduction in hotel accommodation for asylum seekers ar
Answer: The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders and consider a range of options to fulfil its legal obligations and deliver upon the commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, and to end the use of hotels over time.Curre...
Answered 12 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordTell MAMA: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54412More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is funding the Tell MAMA service in Q1 and Q2 of 2025-26.
Answer: We thank Tell MAMA for their many years of work in monitoring anti-Muslim hatred and supporting victims. We offered Tell MAMA funding for Q1 and Q2 of 2025-26 – and are disappointed that they have declined this offer.
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Ministers' Private OfficesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54411More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she attended her Ministerial offices in Marsham Street in person on (a) 22, (b) 23, (c) 24 and (d) 25 April 2025.
Answer: The DPM works across multiple locations each week, including 2 Marsham Street and 70 Whitehall. The details of ministerial routines are not shared for security reasons.
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMo BainesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54410More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Mo Baines disclosed membership to the (a) Chair, (b) Chief Executive and (c) her Department of any significant political activity in her application for the non-executive
Answer: Mo Baines provided a full declaration of interests to MHCLG prior to her appointment as Interim Lead Non-Executive Director. This was shared with the Department in line with the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies.
Answered 3 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning and Infrastructure Bill: Impact AssessmentsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54409More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21626 on Renters' Rights Bill, for what reason the Impact Assessment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill was not publish
Answer: The Department aims to publish Impact Assessments in a timely manner, in line with the ‘Better Regulation Framework’ guidance, which states that an Impact Assessment ‘should be published alongside relevant legislation when it is laid before Parliament.’In...
Answered 6 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRecruitment: EqualityWomen and EqualitiesTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54408More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what her Department's policy is on the Rooney Rule when drawing up shortlists for employing staff.
Answer: The Office for Equality and Opportunity (OEO) is aware of what has come to be known as the Rooney Rule, but this is a US initiative and we have not adopted a policy on it. As both employer and custodian of the policy as set out in the Equality Act 2010 (T...
Answered 6 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDomestic Visits: Cambridgeshire ConstabularyCabinet OfficeTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54407More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any external contractors were procured by (a) Downing Street and (b) the Cabinet Office in relation to the Prime Minister’s visit to Cambridgeshire Police headquarters on 10 April 2025.
Answer: The Neighbourhood Policing announcement was made by the government on 9 April. A link to the announcement made on 9 April can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-measures-to-put-neighbourhood-bobbies-back-on-beat The visit in question on...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDomestic Visits: CambridgeshireCabinet OfficeTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54406More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Downing Street (a) photographers, (b) videographers and (c) special advisers accompanied the Prime Minister on his Cambridgeshire visit of 10 April 2025.
Answer: The Neighbourhood Policing announcement was made by the government on 9 April. A link to the announcement made on 9 April can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-measures-to-put-neighbourhood-bobbies-back-on-beat The visit in question on...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCambridgeshire Constabulary: Domestic VisitsHome OfficeTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54405More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any external contractors were procured by her Department in relation to her press conference at the Cambridgeshire Police headquarters on 10 April 2025.
Answer: No.
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCambridgeshire Constabulary: Domestic VisitsHome OfficeTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54404More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 2 May 2025 to Question 47267 on Cambridgeshire Constabulary: Domestic Visits, whether special advisers in her Department wrote her speech at this event.
Answer: No.
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordWaste Disposal: BirminghamMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54046More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) Ministers, (b) officials in her Department and (c) Best Value Commissioners have had any involvement in the interlocutory injunctions in relation to the industrial ac
Answer: The response to the ongoing disruption in Birmingham’s waste services rightly continues to be led at the local level. Best Value Commissioners are not directly involved in negotiations between the Council and Unite but continue to work constructively with...
Answered 4 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordWaste Disposal: BirminghamMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54045More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to expand the remit of her Best Value Commissioners in Birmingham City Council and instruct them to suspend the council trade union facility time g
Answer: The response to the ongoing disruption in Birmingham’s waste services rightly continues to be led at the local level. Best Value Commissioners are not directly involved in negotiations between the Council and Unite but continue to work constructively with...
Answered 4 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordElectoral Register: EU NationalsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52714More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department provides to the Electoral Registration Offices on the mechanisms by which qualified EU nationals should be verified for their eligibility to join the
Answer: Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are responsible for maintaining accurate electoral registers. As part of the voter registration process, applicants must declare their nationality. EROs hold legal powers which allow them to request documentary evide...
Answered 22 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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