David Simmonds MP: written questions
363 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health and Care Research: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64595More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of levels of funding for the (a) Medical Research Council and (b) National Institute for Health and Care Research.
Answer: Funding levels for health and care research have recently been set as part of the 2025 Spending Review. The Department will receive £9.8 billion for research and development over the period of 2025/26 to 2029/30. This funding will support research and dev...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBrain: TumoursDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64594More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with (a) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and (b) the National institute for Health and Care Excellence on access to innovative treatment for pati
Answer: The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with brain tumours, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments. As such, officials meet regularly with the Medicines and Healthcare products ...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBrain: TumoursDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64593More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the national cancer plan will consider (a) astrocytoma and (b) other types of brain tumours.
Answer: The National Cancer Plan is to be published this year and will include further details on how outcomes will be improved for all cancer patients, including those with astrocytoma and other brain tumours.The plan will include further details on speeding up ...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBrain: TumoursDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64592More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the amount of funding available for research into (a) low grade glioma and (b) astrocytoma.
Answer: Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.6 billion per year in health research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR spent £133 million on cancer research in 2023/24, reflec...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBrain: TumoursDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64591More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase levels of life expectancy for people with (a) low grade glioma and (b) astrocytoma.
Answer: The National Cancer Plan is to be published this year and will include further details on how outcomes will be improved for all cancer patients, including those with astrocytoma and other brain tumours.The plan will include further details on speeding up ...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63655More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Letter to Chief Planning Officers of 24 May 2007, entitled Sensitive Information in applications for planning Permission and Listed Building Consent, whethe
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58055 on 16 June 2025.
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63654More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answers of 10 and 17 June 2025 to Questions 54888 and 57271 on Planning Permission, and Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, if the designated Planning Minister
Answer: An independent Inspector held a public inquiry between 11 and 28 February which heard a range of evidence for and against the proposals in question. The Inspector’s Report is now before the Department for consideration. Ministers are able to issue a direc...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 18 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60935More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, CP 1336, whether the £39 billion for a new 10-year Affordable Homes Programme is (a) in cash terms and (b)
Answer: As under the existing Affordable Homes Programme, registered providers will need to bid for the grant funding announced at the Spending Review. The government will confirm further details, including the timing and process for bids to the new fund, in due ...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: Tax YieldsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 18 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60934More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the core spending power budget line in table B.2 of HM Treasury's document entitled, Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, what is the estimated tota
Answer: Projected overall local government Core Spending Power within Resource Departmental Expenditure Limits is set out at table B.2 of the Spending Review document. This includes estimated funding from council tax. However, this remains subject to final decisi...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Finance: DisadvantagedMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 18 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60933More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 4.39 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, if she will set out the methodology used to select the 350 de
Answer: The government has announced communities funding for up to 350 places, including the 75 places named in the Plan for Neighbourhoods in March 2025 and the 25 trailblazer neighbourhoods that will receive up to £20 million over the next decade. We will share...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRoad Traffic Control: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60138More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 4.15 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, if she will list the congestion improvement measures her Department will fund; and whether th
Answer: Section 16 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 places a Network Management Duty on all traffic authorities in England to manage their road networks as efficiently as possible for the benefit of all traffic (including pedestrians), with a view to reducing c...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax and Police: FinanceTreasuryTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60137More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, what is the estimated increase in (a) council tax revenue raised in cash terms for and (b) the increase in the avera
Answer: As set out in the Spending Review 2025 document, published 11 June 2025, police core spending power includes projected spending from additional income, including estimated funding from the police council tax precept. The final police precept level and cor...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60136More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to table B.3 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, whether her Department's average annual real growth in capital exp
Answer: The calculations showing MHCLG’s average annual real growth in capital expenditure during 2025-26 to 2029-30 in table B.3 of the HM Treasury’s Spending Review 2025 publication includes the funding allocated to the Affordable Housing Programme.
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Shared Prosperity FundMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60135More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 4.39 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, what her planned timetable is for completing the transition f
Answer: UKSPF was committed for a further transition year in 2025-26. From 2026-27, the government is providing targeted, long-term local growth funding to support growth across the UK, completing the transition from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This includes e...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60134More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 4.19 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, what her Department's target is for the (a) total number and
Answer: The new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme that was announced at the Spending Review will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent. We will confirm ...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: ContractsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60133More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 2.59 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025: departmental efficiency delivery plans, published on 11 June 2025, what assessment she h
Answer: The department is committed to improving efficiency by reducing reliance on external suppliers and consultants, having already achieved a 50% reduction in consultancy use since 2023/24. Consultants are only engaged for time-limited, specific needs where i...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60132More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on the Affordable Housing Programme funding the purchase by social housing providers of affordable homes already obligated by developers under Section 106 duri
Answer: The Affordable Homes Programme supports the delivery of social and affordable homes additional to those that developers have committed to delivering through Section 106 agreement. We have no plans to change these arrangements.
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordUrban Areas: RegenerationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60131More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Government announces 25 trailblazer neighbourhoods to receive long-term investment - details, published on 11 June 2025,
Answer: We have announced 25 trailblazer areas that will benefit from funding. These 25 areas were selected through a robust metric-based methodology which assessed the most in need communities across the UK, further details will be published in due course.
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGreater London Authority: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60130More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, CP1336, of 11 June 2025, Table 5.17, what the assumed increase is in the Greater London Authority precept over the spending review per
Answer: Projected overall local government spending from additional income is set out at table 5.17 of the Spending Review document. This includes estimated funding from council tax. However, this remains subject to final decisions on the referendum principles se...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60129More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, CP1336, of 11 June 2025, Table 5.17, what the average annual (a) cash and (b) real terms increase is in the central government grant t
Answer: This Spending Review provides over £5 billion of new grant funding over the next three years for local services that communities rely on. This includes £3.4 billion of new grant funding which will be delivered through the Local Government Finance Settleme...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60128More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, CP1336, of 11 June 2025, how much (a) capital and (b) revenue funding is being allocated to the Affordable Housing Programme, in each
Answer: The Spending Review 2025 policy paper (which can be found on gov.uk here) makes clear that spending on the Social and Affordable Homes Programme will reach £4 billion per year in 2029-30 and rise in line with inflation subsequently.Government does not usu...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic ExpenditureTreasuryTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59487More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the allocation of funds from the Growt
Answer: The Growth Mission Fund will invest £240 million of capital from 2026/27 to 2029/30 in projects that enable local job creation and the economic regeneration of local communities. Further detail on this fund and the criteria that will be applied for projec...
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRegeneration: FinanceTreasuryTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59485More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, what is the required evidential base behind funding from the Growth Mission Fund.
Answer: The government is establishing a Growth Mission Fund to directly support local economic growth. This fund will invest £240 million of capital from 2026/27 to 2029/30 in projects that enable local job creation and the economic regeneration of local communi...
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HousingHome OfficeTabled 11 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59088More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, what financial support her Department will provide to local authorities to mitigate the impact of closing asylum hotels.
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 its commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, and to end the use of hotels by the end of t...
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HousingHome OfficeTabled 11 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59087More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, whether she has had recent discussions with the Home Secretary on the closure of all asylum hotels in this Parliament.
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 record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →