David Simmonds MP: written questions
457 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Council Tax: ValuationTreasuryTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109630More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the total budget for the Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Valuation Operating System; and which contractors are being used to deliver the project.
Answer: Information about the Valuation Office Agency’s Valuation Operating System for Council Tax can be found on Contracts Finder.
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordHotels: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109629More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the Treasury Select Committee, Work of HM Revenue and Customs - Oral evidence, HC 416, 13 January 2026, Question 480, what number and proportion of hotels have seen their Rateable Value increase above the
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 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMusic Venues and Public Houses: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109628More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the business rate information letter, 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, whether the new relief is subject to a state aid cap for chain pubs; and whether it will apply to venues subje
Answer: From April, every pub and live music venue will get 15% off its new business rates bill on top of the support announced at Budget and then bills will be frozen in real terms for a further two years. Final costings will be confirmed at a fiscal event in th...
Answered 11 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMusic Venues and Public Houses: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109627More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the business rate information letter entitled 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, of 27 January 2026, what the cost is of the new relief in (a) 2026-27, (b) 2027-28 and (c) 2028
Answer: From April, every pub and live music venue will get 15% off its new business rates bill on top of the support announced at Budget and then bills will be frozen in real terms for a further two years. Final costings will be confirmed at a fiscal event in th...
Answered 10 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Finance: City of Westminster and WandsworthMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109626More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 106139 on Local Government Finance: City of Westminster and Wandsworth, what the change in core spending power is excluding
Answer: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 106139 on 20 January 2026. The provisional local government Settlement, published on 17 December 2025, sets out individual funding allocations for local authorities. The government consulted on th...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPersonal Care Services: FraudMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109625More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release of 24 September 2025 entitled Communities to seize control over high streets and restore pride, how his Department plans to give councils powe
Answer: The Pride in Place Strategy set out how this government will empower communities to reclaim their high streets and restore pride to their communities. This includes powers to auction off vacant premises, a new Community Right to Buy for valued assets, and...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSecond Homes: Council TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109624More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 105978 on second homes: council tax, whether he has made any assumption on changes in the adoption of (a) second and (b) emp
Answer: As part of the provisional local government finance settlement, the government has made estimates of changes to Core Spending Power between 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29. This includes estimates of council tax requirements councils will set for those years...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Finance: City of Westminster and WandsworthMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109623More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 106139 on Local Government Finance: City of Westminster and Wandsworth, what assumption his Department made on the percentag
Answer: It is for individual councils to decide their level of council tax, taking into consideration a range of local factors, including the impact on taxpayers. As has been standard practise with previous governments, the government’s estimate of core spending ...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109622More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral statement of 22 January 2026, Official Report, Col. 486, on Local government reorganisation, what is the status of the one further representation.
Answer: A summary of the decision was provided through the Written Ministerial Statement and the letter sent to council leaders, both of which are publicly available. The Government has no plans to publish the names of respondents who made representations.
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109621More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 22 January 2026, HCWS1270, on Local government reorganisation, if he will list the names of the 350 respondents.
Answer: A summary of the decision was provided through the Written Ministerial Statement and the letter sent to council leaders, both of which are publicly available. The Government has no plans to publish the names of respondents who made representations.
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: Greater ManchesterMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109620More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the core spending power figures of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026 to 2027, published on 17 December 2025, for what reason his Departme
Answer: As part of the government’s calculation of Core Spending Power we assume each authority’s council tax base increases in line with the average annual growth in their council tax base between 2021-22 and 2025-26. This is in line with the approach in previou...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCharities: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109619More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the business rates revaluation 2026, whether the base liability for charity shops' (a) transitional rate relief and (b) Supporting Small Business Relief includes the application of mandatory charit
Answer: The base liability for charity shops within the transitional relief scheme does not include the application of mandatory or discretionary charitable rate relief. However, charitable relief where applicable is awarded against the bill after Transitional Ra...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109618More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his planned timetable is for laying secondary legislation to cancel the May 2026 local elections for specific local authorities; and whether it will be by negative or affirm
Answer: The Statutory Instrument to postpone elections for specified local authorities was laid before Parliament on 5 February. The instrument will be considered by the negative resolution procedure.
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLicensed Premises: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109274More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the business rate information letter, 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, whether the new relief will be available to (a) licensed premises which have a members’ clubs premises licence
Answer: This relief will be awarded to pubs and live music venues at the discretion of Local Authorities, who will determine eligibility using guidance published by the Government and based on existing definitions.
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLicensed Premises: Business RatesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109273More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to the business rate information letter, 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, whether the reduction in business rate revenue from the new relief will a
Answer: On 27 January, the department confirmed to local authorities that they will be fully compensated for the loss of income associated with granting the pubs and live music venues relief and the government will fund the associated new burdens, including the a...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDemocracy and ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109272More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials had meetings with (i) the Venice Commission and (ii) the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe on (A) elections and (B) dem
Answer: MHCLG ministers and officials have not held any meetings with either the Venice Commission or the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe on elections or democracy since July 2024.
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPride in Place ProgrammeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109271More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department is taking steps to help prevent the misuse of Pride in Place public funds in (a) the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and (b) other local authorities.
Answer: On 25 September, the Government launched its overarching Pride in Place Strategy, committing up to £5 billion in funding and support to 339 communities. The flagship Pride in Place Programme will provide up to £20 million in flexible funding and support t...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109270More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which scheduled town or parish council elections will take place in May 2026 in localities where scheduled principal council elections will be postponed in May 2026 by district c
Answer: Parish and town council elections will be proceeding as planned, given they are outside of local government reorganisation. Information on town and parish councils elections is held by the relevant district councils.
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109269More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department undertook verification of local authorities’ representations which noted insufficient capacity because of the scheduled May 2026 elections.
Answer: Representations were received from councils with elections scheduled in May, including from councillors and political groups, and from other councils, interested organisations, Member of Parliament, and members of the public.The Secretary of State ran a l...
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109268More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish an equality impact assessment on the postponement of local elections in 2026.
Answer: An equality impact assessment has been completed in line with normal practice.
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Houses: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109267More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the new pub relief will apply to (a) business rate supplements levied by the Mayor of London and (b) business improvement district levies on business rates.
Answer: Decisions around the determination and application of local Business Rates Supplement are for relevant local authority, must ensure they follow the requirements set out in the Business Rates Supplement Act 2009 and the policies set out in their final pros...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109266More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of the local government finance settlement on councils in London on the sustainability of their existing local council tax s
Answer: Council tax support for working age households is designed by councils in consultation with their residents, taking into account the resources available to them and the needs and circumstances of their local communities. Each year, councils must consider ...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109265More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he received representations on delaying local elections from Labour (a) MPs, (b) councillors and (c) council groups that were separate from formal representations from th
Answer: Representations were received from councils with elections scheduled in May, including from councillors and political groups, and from other councils, interested organisations, Member of Parliament, and members of the public.The Secretary of State ran a l...
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordRadicalismHome OfficeTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109264More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department names organisations that are (a) regarded as extremists and (b) subject to a policy of non-engagement; and how is the Muslim Council of Britain classified.
Answer: Although The Home Office does not comment on specific groups or individual cases, I would like to reassure the Hon. Gentleman that we are committed to addressing the full range of threats that we currently face as a country and tackling anyone who spreads...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMusic Venues and Public Houses: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109263More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's correspondence entitled 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) pub and (b) live music hereditaments that will benef
Answer: The number of pubs and live music venues that will benefit from this relief will be determined, ultimately, by the relief decisions made by councils in line with the guidance published.
Answered 6 Feb 2026
Original Parliament record
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