David Simmonds MP: written questions
1010 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Immigration: FamiliesHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71456More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to narrow the definition of family member in relation to immigration and asylum policy.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the Statement made to the House by the Home Secretary on 1 September 2025.
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: SecurityHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71455More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the National Protective Security Authority has provided advice on the proposed new Chinese Embassy.
Answer: The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and he will make this quasi-judicial decision independent from the rest of Government.We have been clear that national secu...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordIslamophobiaHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71454More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 July 2025 to Question 65009 on Islamophobia, whether her Department has (a) submitted evidence to and (b) had meetings with the Working Group.
Answer: The work he refers to is being overseen by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.As agreed with the Home Secretary, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing are currently conducting a review of non-crime hate inciden...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Health ServicesHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71453More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2025 to Question 35311 on Asylum: Health Services, whether any local authorities have commissioned independent health sector providers to provide health care to asyl
Answer: The Home Office does not hold this information.
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum, Migration and Integration FundHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71452More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 234 of the Home Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published in July 2025, HC1133, how much the UK (a) contributes to and (b) receives from the EU Asylum, Migration and
Answer: The United Kingdom no longer participates in the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HotelsHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71451More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 75 of the Home Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published in July 2025, HC1133, how many (a) contracted asylum hotels, (b) people residing in asylum hotels, (c) people
Answer: Since coming into office this Government is delivering on its pledge to close asylum hotels; drastically reducing taxpayer costs and giving control back to local communities. This Government is committed to ending the use of hotels to house asylum seekers...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNuisanceHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71450More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 4 July 2025 to Questions 62600 and 62603 on Nuisance, what her policy is on (a) whether nuisance begging is an offence and (b) giving powers to (i) police and (ii) local aut
Answer: On 10th June, the Government announced its intention to repeal the outdated Vagrancy Act 1824. The Government has been clear that no one should be criminalised simply for having nowhere to live. We have introduced targeted replacement measures in the Crim...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HousingHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71449More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 75 of the Home Office's annual report and accounts 2024-25, published in July 2025, HC1133, what the total cost of asylum accommodation was in 2024-25.
Answer: Wider asylum accommodation costs other than hotels are not routinely published by the Home Office.
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordShoplifting: Crime PreventionHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71448More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has provided to high street retailers on whether they may (a) share details of suspected shoplifters with other retailers and (b) post photographs of suspected shoplifters.
Answer: It is the legal responsibility of retailers to decide on a case-by-case basis if it is necessary, proportionate and lawful to share personal details of alleged shoplifters.The Information Commissioner’s Office provides guidance on data sharing, including ...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Information SharingHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71447More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 43109 on Asylum: Local Government, what data is shared with local government under cross-cohort, place-based data sharing.
Answer: The Home Office is sharing more cross-cohort, place-based data with our partners; providing SMPs and Local Authorities with a better view of the asylum, resettlement and National Transfer Scheme population in their area. We are improving the level of visi...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69687More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) private and (b) social homes started in London between 1 January and 31 March 2025.
Answer: My Department publishes a quarterly release entitled ‘Housing supply: Indicators of New Supply, England’, which includes estimates of new build starts and completions, by tenure of developer, in London. Statistics to the quarter ending March 2025 can be f...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordE-petitionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69686More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities on the electronic submission of governance petitions.
Answer: My Department has not issued guidance to local authorities on the electronic submission of governance petitions.
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69685More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether local government restructuring will split up district councils when creating new unitaries.
Answer: Government has set an ambitious timetable for local government reorganisation, with three deadlines for submitting proposals for unitary local government set out in the invitation letters.Surrey: Proposals received on 9 May 202569677 a. Expect elections t...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69684More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Summary: Planning and Infrastructure Bill, Government Amendments to Part 3 (Lords Committee Stage), published on 17 July 2025
Answer: The amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill tabled on 17 July do not constitute a substantive change to the way the Nature Restoration Fund will operate and so a formal Impact Assessment is not necessary.
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69683More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance entitled Summary: Planning and Infrastructure Bill, Government Amendments to Part 3 (Lords Committee Stage), published on 17 July 2025, in what cir
Answer: Where a developer has been granted permission relying on the payment of the Nature Restoration Levy, Natural England will be responsible for securing the necessary conservation measures to outweigh the negative effects of the development.Natural England a...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncil TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69682More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral contribution of the Prime Minister during the oral question on council tax of 9 July 2025, Official Report, Column 939, what the evidential basis for t
Answer: The government is not responsible for council tax levels, which are decided by local authorities, taking account of their local circumstances. The government does set referendum principles on these increases. Referendum principles strike a balance between...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Greater London AuthorityMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69681More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's transparency data entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, April 2025, published on 30 May 2025, what the research commissioned from the Greater
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60469 on 20 June 2025.
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMayors and Police and Crime Commissioners: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69680More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department had with relevant stakeholders on the inclusion of measures on supplementary vote in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has engaged with a wide range of local government stakeholders during the development of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. On the measure regarding the supplementary vote, we h...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial ServicesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69679More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether strategic authorities will have responsibilities for social care provision.
Answer: Local Authorities will retain responsibility for social care provision. Strategic authorities will gain a new duty in relation to health improvement and inequalities through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, but this will not alter th...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOxford Growth Commission: Public AppointmentsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69678More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2025 to Question 64085 on Oxford Growth Commission: Public Appointments, if she will publish the letter.
Answer: The Department does not routinely publish information on the remuneration of direct ministerial appointments as they are not regulated public appointments. The Chair of the Oxford Growth Commission wrote to the previous shadow Secretary of State sharing d...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69677More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether unitary local government restructuring changes will take place at the same time.
Answer: Government has set an ambitious timetable for local government reorganisation, with three deadlines for submitting proposals for unitary local government set out in the invitation letters.Surrey: Proposals received on 9 May 202569677 a. Expect elections t...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAnti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working GroupMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69676More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2025 to Question 65809 on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Working Group, what the (a) grade and (b) title is of the senior civil servant providi
Answer: The Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Working Group has not met with any of the mentioned groups. The Working Group launched a Call for Evidence to build on the extensive consultation they’ve already undertaken which closed on Sunday 20 July. It was open to...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPrivate Rented Housing: RentsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69675More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2025 to Question 66191 on Private Rented Housing: Rents, whether she has made an assessment of the reasons for those increases.
Answer: The factors affecting changes in rents are complex and difficult to disentangle. They include house prices, supply and demand, taxation policy, interest rates and the movement of tenants into homeownership or social rented housing. It is not possible to a...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAnti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working GroupMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69674More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia has had meetings with (a) MEND, (b) CAGE, (c) MCB and (d) Palestine Action; and whether that group plans to accept wr
Answer: The Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Working Group has not met with any of the mentioned groups. The Working Group launched a Call for Evidence to build on the extensive consultation they’ve already undertaken which closed on Sunday 20 July. It was open to...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Remote WorkingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69673More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the (a) expected and (b) average office attendance rate is in each of her Department's offices outside London.
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government expects staff to work towards attending the office or other premises for official business for 60% of their working time. Some of our offices cannot currently accommodate this level of attendance a...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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