David Simmonds MP: written questions
1010 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Asylum: HousingHome OfficeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96560More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025, to Question 86426, on Asylum: Housing, If she will publish a copy of the pre-procurement documentation sent to potential suppliers of asylum accommodation fo
Answer: The pre-procurement documentation for the Future Asylum Contract Transformation Project will not be published.
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHate Crime: InternetHome OfficeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96559More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2025, to Question 86656, on Hate Crime: Internet, who is the National Police Hate Crime Coordinator and in which public body are they based.
Answer: The National Police Hate Crime Coordinator is Chief Constable Mark Hobrough of Gwent Police, who serves as the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Hate Crime.
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordEspionage: ChinaHome OfficeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96558More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to the oral statement of 18 November 2025, Official Report, Column 614, on China Espionage: Government Security Response, how the proscription-type tool to disrupt proxy organisations will ope
Answer: Earlier this year, the Independent Reviewer for State Threats Legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, published a review evaluating what powers under terrorism legislation could be emulated to tackle state-based security threats to the UK. Mr Hall KC recommended i...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Dental ServicesHome OfficeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96557More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2025, to Question 85951, on Asylum: Dental Services, which organisation provides the dental care for asylum seekers.
Answer: The Home Office has a statutory obligation to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. Asylum Support provisions are reviewed regularly to ensure that we remain compliant in meeting our legal obligations. The Home Office and its contractor...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Crowborough Training CampHome OfficeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96555More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what planning permissions has the Home Office obtained, or intends to obtain, in relation to the asylum seeker accommodation being proposed at the Crowborough, East Sussex military site; and what disc
Answer: Consideration of this site is ongoing and any final decision to utilise any site for the intended purposes will be made once the relevant factors have been properly considered.We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate, and compliant with th...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCounter-terrorism: FinanceHome OfficeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96554More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2025, to Question 86767, on Counter-terrorism: expenditure, what is the methodology by which local authorities are threat-rated for the purposes of Prevent fundin
Answer: Each year the Home Office conducts an annual prioritisation exercise to understand which Local Authorities (LAs) are facing the highest threat from radicalisation to terrorism. The model is data-led and incorporates both quantitative and qualitative eleme...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCity of Sanctuary UKHome OfficeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96553More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government has provided any support to the Sanctuary City and Sanctuary Council movement since July 2024.
Answer: After reasonable checks, the Home Office does not seem to have supported either organisation mentioned.
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRadicalism: ExpenditureHome OfficeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96552More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2025, to Question 86768, on Radicalism: Expenditure, if he will list the individual sums given to each of those local authorities; and what was the methodology us
Answer: The individual sums provided to each local authority that received dedicated Home Office funds for Prevent in financial year 2024/25 was provided as part of the response to PQ 86768 of 14 November 2025.Funding for posts and dedicated projects is allocated...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPolicing and Crime BoardsHome OfficeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96551More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what will be the composition of Policing and Crime Boards following the abolition of Police and Crime Commissioners; whether they will contain independent members; how will they be politically balance
Answer: Policing and Crime Boards will bring together elected council leaders to oversee the force in their area. They are likely to include upper tier local authority council leaders as well as independent co-opted members, who will bring unique skills and exper...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordKent County Council: Best ValueMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96074More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he had had with Kent County Council on best value since May 2025.
Answer: My department monitors individual councils, including Kent, through a wide range of data and direct engagement. We continually review local authority governance, financial management, and sustainability, including through examining national data metrics, ...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordParish and Town Councils: Council TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96077More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether an assessment has been made of the potential impact of changes in parish council precepts on council tax.
Answer: Council tax levels are decided by local authorities wish to set, but increases above referendum principles set by the Secretary of State must be approved by voters. To date, no referendum principles have been set for town and parish councils. The Secretar...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCounter-terrorism: FinanceHome OfficeTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95899More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2025, to Question 86767, on Counter-terrorism: expenditure, what was the policy reason for the number of local authorities receiving Prevent funding being reduced
Answer: The number of local authorities (LAs) that receive Home Office funding has varied over the years from 20 in 2012 to 44 areas at its peak in 2021, which was just under 25% of all single-tier and upper tier LAs in England and Wales. Irrespective of funding,...
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Multiple OccupationHome OfficeTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95898More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Home Office and its subcontractor are paying above market rates to hire Houses in Multiple Occupation for asylum accommodation.
Answer: This Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly. This includes our accommodation sites, as the Home Office continues to identify a range of options to minimise the use of hotels and ensure...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: FinanceHome OfficeTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95897More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to page 122 of the OBR, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, November 2025, CP1439, 26 November 2025, what is her department’s estimated spending on asylum in 2024-25 and each year of the Spending Rev
Answer: Asylum support spend in FY 2024/25 was £4.0 billion and for 2025/26 the budget is £3.6 billion. As per the Spending Review, by FY 2028/29, we plan to reduce this by £1.1 billion, bringing the total spend down to £2.5 billion. The allocations process is on...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HillingdonHome OfficeTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95896More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much Home Office funding is being provided to the London Borough of Hillingdon in 2025-26 to assist with the costs of asylum seekers.
Answer: The Home Office does not publicly publish grant payment levels by local authority, we do however provide funding to Local Authorities under the following grant agreements Asylum, Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking children & former unaccompanied asylum-seek...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMinisters: Council TaxCabinet OfficeTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95895More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 13 November 2025, to Question 86773, on Ministers: Council tax, what policy or threshold is used to prevent the occupation of a designated secondary residence as a de facto primary resi
Answer: There is no such internal written guidance or advice.Whether a residence is an individual’s sole or main residence is ultimately a question of fact determined by the billing authority.
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncil TaxTreasuryTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95894More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Office for National Statistics holds data on the number of dwellings in each council tax band by (a) Parliamentary constituency, (b) local authority ward or division or polling district, (c) Lower layer
Answer: The Office for National Statistics does not publish this data. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) publish Council Tax statistics on gov.uk.
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDeputy Prime Minister: Admiralty HouseCabinet OfficeTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95893More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025, to Question 89453, on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, for what reason the second homes premium was billed in July when it had been introduced in from 1 April 2
Answer: The issuing of council tax bills is a matter for the relevant billing authority.
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness RatesTreasuryTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95892More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to paragraph 4.38 of the OBR, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, November 2025, CP1439, 26 November 2025, whether according to information held by HM Treasury, the 10.2 per cent increase in business rate receipts
Answer: This figure applies to the United Kingdom.
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness RatesTreasuryTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95890More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to paragraph 4.38 of the OBR, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, November 2025, CP1439, 26 November 2025, whether according to information held by HM Treasury, the 10.2 per cent increase in business rate receipts
Answer: This figure applies to the United Kingdom.
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: ValuationTreasuryTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95888More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the high value council tax surcharge will be valued by the Valuation Office Agency by the same assumptions and methodology as current council tax, other than the valuation date.
Answer: The Valuation Office Agency are developing their approach to the targeted revaluation and will set out more details in due course, following the outcome of the Government's consultation. In general, when valuing domestic properties, the VOA uses modern te...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95887More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Budget 2025, HC1492, 26 November 2025, Box 3.H, and Table 4.1, and to the HMT document, Effects of the business rates retail, hospitality and leisure multipliers and high value multiplier of 26
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 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness RatesTreasuryTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95886More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the publication of the draft Rating List of 26 November 2025, if she will publish the changes in average Rateable Values by (a) local authority and (b) region, compared to the previous Rating List, accord
Answer: Statistics on changes in the rateable value of non-domestic properties as a result of the 2026 Revaluation and publication of the draft 2026 Rating List are published here: Change in rateable value of rating lists, 2026 Revaluation
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncil TaxTreasuryTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95885More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Budget 2025, HC1492, 26 November 2025, Table 4.1, what is the evidential basis for the reduction in council tax receipts of (a) -£60 million in 2025-26, (b) -£120 million in 2026-27, and (c) -£
Answer: The measure does not reduce Council Tax receipts. Summary of the costing is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/692872fd2a37784b16ecf676/Budget_2025-Policy_Costings.pdf
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HousingHome OfficeTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95884More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to paragraph 5.29 of the OBR, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, November 2025, CP1439, 26 November 2025, if she will provide an annual breakdown of the £15.3 billion cost of asylum accommodation ov
Answer: The £15.3bn figure was cited in a NAO report from May this year, it relates to a broad estimate of spend on accommodation contracts across the period 2019 to 2029, not the next 10 years. Actual Asylum spend is published in our Annual Report and Accounts, ...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
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