David Simmonds MP: written questions 2025
375 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Heathrow Airport: Air TrafficDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25341More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to review the air traffic movement cap at Heathrow.
Answer: Any proposal for change to the existing planning cap on air traffic movements at Heathrow airport would need to form part of a relevant planning application.There is currently no live Development Consent Order application from Heathrow Airport.
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordAirports: National Policy StatementsDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25340More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to review the policy paper entitled Airports National Policy Statement, published on 5 June 2018.
Answer: As required by the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State will review the Airports National Policy Statement when she considers it appropriate to do so.
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordChina: EmbassiesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25339More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has received representations from the Great Britain-China Centre on the new proposed Chinese Embassy in London.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not received representations from Great Britain-China Centre regarding the Chinese Embassy's planning application. It is not for the FCDO to receive "representations" on this matter. An...
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordRoyal Mint: BuildingsTreasuryTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24961More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government has a residual financial interest in the Royal Mint site near the Tower of London.
Answer: The Royal Mint site near the Tower of London was sold by the Crown Estate in 2010 and, as such, there is no residual financial interest to the Exchequer from The Crown Estate.HM Treasury has not made specific representations to the Ministry for Housing, C...
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: WalesTreasuryTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24960More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15199 on Council Tax: Wales, if he will list each individual value significant code that is utilised in the Automated Valuation Model.
Answer: The subsidised housing indicator is the only value significant code used in the Automated Valuation Model, as detailed in the response to UIN 16941.
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Tax YieldsTreasuryTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24514More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15198 on Business Rates, what estimates her Department has made of business rate receipts in England in each financial year from 2024-25 onwards.
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) publish non-domestic ratings receipts data and forecasts for the financial year ahead in England. As such, projections for non-domestic rates income for 2025-26 will be published in due c...
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24513More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 14995 on Business Rates: Tax Allowances, if she will publish a breakdown of the £1.6 billion.
Answer: Autumn Budget 2024 announced the extension of Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and the freezing of the small business multiplier for 2025-26. This is a package worth over £...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordAirports: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24512More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department has taken to change to the valuation of airports for business rates in the last two years; and what representations (a) the Valuation Office Agency and (b) her Department have received on t
Answer: I refer the member to the answer given to UIN 19700.
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordProperty: ValuationTreasuryTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24511More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 14949 on Property: Valuation, who recommended the use of Gaussian Markov Random Fields in the Automated Valuation Model.
Answer: The approach has been endorsed in reviews by both the Centre for Appraisal Research and Technology and the International Association of Assessing Officers.
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24510More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 17827 on Private Education: Business Rates, what estimate she has made of the number of independent schools which receive discretionary business rate relief fro
Answer: Under the existing discretionary relief powers provided by the Local Government Finance Act 1988 local authorities are permitted to award relief of any level to any ratepayers, where they feel it reasonable to do so and it is in the interest of local coun...
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24509More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024, to Question 17827 on Private Education: Business Rates, what estimate she has made of (a) how many independent schools will lose their 80 per cent charitable rate relief a
Answer: As set out in the Government’s impact note, using Department for Education data the Government has identified 2,444 private schools in England, of which 1,139 are charities. Private schools that are wholly concerned with the training or welfare of disable...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionTreasuryTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24508More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) her Department and (b) its agencies has made representations to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the proposed Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint site in London.
Answer: The Royal Mint site near the Tower of London was sold by the Crown Estate in 2010 and, as such, there is no residual financial interest to the Exchequer from The Crown Estate.HM Treasury has not made specific representations to the Ministry for Housing, C...
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing LawsHome OfficeTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24507More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 15651 on Licensing Laws, whether she plans to reply to the alcohol easement consultation before the easement expires.
Answer: The Government is carefully considering the results of the recent consultation and will publish these shortly alongside next steps.
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24506More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answers of 19 December 2024 to Question 20231 and HL3240, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of involvement of the United
Answer: An appointed Inspector will hold a public inquiry which will hear a range of evidence for and against the proposals, after which a decision will be made by MHCLG ministers. As this case will come before ministers in MHCLG to determine, it would not be app...
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HousingHome OfficeTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24505More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18555 on Asylum: Hotels, in what type of tenure and accommodation will the asylum seekers now be housed; how the accommodation will be procured;
Answer: This government inherited an asylum system under exceptional strain, with tens of thousands of people stuck in limbo without any prospect of having their claims processed. At their peak use under the previous government, in the autumn of 2023, more than 4...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPolitical Parties: FinanceSpeaker's Committee on the Electoral CommissionTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24504More
Question: To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what discussions the Electoral Commission has had with the Government on reforms to regulation on political donations.
Answer: Since 2013, the Electoral Commission has recommended changes to strengthen the political finance regime, including changes that would improve the transparency and controls on donations. It has regular discussions with the Government on these proposals and...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPolitical Parties: FinanceSpeaker's Committee on the Electoral CommissionTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24503More
Question: To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Electoral Commission has issued on political donations (a) from impermissible foreign donors and (b) funnelling mo
Answer: The Commission provides guidance and support for parties and campaigners to ensure they understand and comply with donation laws.Its guidance sets out the requirements and checks necessary when accepting donations. Parties and campaigners are responsible ...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Election 2024Speaker's Committee on the Electoral CommissionTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24502More
Question: To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the Electoral Commission's timetable is for the publication of third party data for the 2024 general election.
Answer: The Commission has recently published a range of data, including on the experiences of voters and candidates, from the 2024 general election as part of its statutory duty to report on elections.It also publishes spending and donations data from parties, c...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPolitical Parties: DonorsSpeaker's Committee on the Electoral CommissionTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24501More
Question: To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has produced guidance on how non-monetary donations in kind should be reported.
Answer: The Electoral Commission provides guidance on notional spending, which outlines the reporting requirements for services or goods provided for free or at a discount.The Elections Act 2022 changed the legal test for when a candidate must record notional spe...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPolitical Parties: FinanceSpeaker's Committee on the Electoral CommissionTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24500More
Question: To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has produced guidance on foreign donors channelling funds through UK-registered corporate bodies.
Answer: The Commission provides guidance and support for parties and campaigners on the donation laws, including the permissibility of donations given to UK-registered companies. The Commission has highlighted that the limitations of the current law mean it is po...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSpeaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission: Social MediaSpeaker's Committee on the Electoral CommissionTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24499More
Question: To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has produced guidance on whether social media companies intentionally adjusting network algorithms
Answer: The Electoral Commission has not published specific guidance on network algorithms used by social media companies.Delibaretely adjusting an algorithm to favour specific candidates or parties may constitute a donation in kind, if this has been agreed with ...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Ministers' Private OfficesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23920More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question 9072 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Ministers' Private Offices, if she will provide a breakdown o
Answer: Since the dissolution of the last Parliament, MHCLG has spent £13,938.05 on furniture and fittings, and a further £3,297.56 on electrical improvements in the Ministerial offices in 2 Marsham Street, the Department’s London HQWe spent no money on refurbish...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordRented Housing: AsylumMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23919More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18555 on Asylum: Hotels, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on the (a) first time buyer and (b
Answer: The government is determined to address the dire inheritance left by its predecessor and restore order to the asylum and immigration systems, delivering lower net migration.The Home Office has a set of Asylum Accommodation Plans which set out the approach...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Hubs: BirminghamMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23918More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2024 to Question 18376 on MHCLG: Birmingham, what other Government hubs operate in Birmingham; and whether she has made an assessment of the
Answer: Apart from our current location at 23 Stephenson Street, the department does not hold information on other Government hubs operating in or planned by the Government Property Agency for Birmingham. We made the decision to close our Birmingham office to con...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public ConsultationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23917More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what (a) Freedom of Information and (b) Environmental Information Regulation responses her Department has issued to consultations in the last 36 months.
Answer: It is not normal practice to release individual consultation responses because of data protection considerations. Requesters are pointed instead to the Department's published summary response when that becomes available.
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
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