David Simmonds MP: written questions
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Written questions
Property Development: Air PollutionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29080More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23346 on Property Development: Air Pollution, how many new developments and dwellings currently undertake air quality assessments;
Answer: All developments subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment are required to undertake air quality assessments. Air quality assessments may also be required for developments where national assessment indicates that relevant limit values for air pollutan...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordProperty Development: Air PollutionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29078More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23346 on Property Development: Air Pollution, for what reason a Regulatory Impact Assessment is not required for that guidance.
Answer: Applicants are advised to consider the interim planning guidance as part of their planning application, but the interim guidance is not statutory. Therefore, it is not a regulatory provision and as such a Regulatory Impact Assessment is not currently requ...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordNoise: Pollution ControlMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29077More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 22329 on Noise: Pollution Control, what guidance her Department has issued on noise complaints about established use, includ
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 22329 on 17 January 2025.
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChina: EmbassiesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29076More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Chinese Government on the granting of planning permission for the proposed new Chinese Embassy in London; and on what dates t
Answer: The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this decision independent from the rest of Government corresponding to her quasi-judicial role. Officials...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29075More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions the Government had with the Chinese Government in 2020 on the works to the Chinese Consulate in Belfast in breach of planning controls in a conservation area
Answer: An appointed independent Planning Inspector will hold a public inquiry into the proposal for the new Chinese Embassy in London, after which the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will make a decision on planni...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: FlagsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29073More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 23888 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Flags, which flags other than the Union and Ukraine flags have be
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's flag flying policy is that any additional flags flown on the estate are considered on a case-by-case basis and must have a compelling reason for inclusion in the flag flying schedule. Since 5th July 2024,...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28033More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 24220 on Local Government: Elections, whether she plans to bring forward other secondary legislation relating to local gover
Answer: As set out in my Statement on 5 February 2025 (HCWS418), I will make secondary legislation to postpone elections to nine local authorities from May 2025 to 2026. No further secondary legislation is planned before May 2025.Where elections have been postpon...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHeathrow Airport: Public TransportDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25344More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to provide additional funding to improve public transport networks to Heathrow Airport.
Answer: DfT expects airports, including Heathrow, to work closely with local stakeholders and Government to develop and update their masterplans and surface access strategies every five years. Improvements to surface access to airports are generally funded by the...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHeathrow Airport: ConstructionDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25343More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of expanding Heathrow Airport on the economy.
Answer: There is currently no live Development Consent Order application from Heathrow Airport.The Government would carefully consider any planning application in line with the relevant planning processes.
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHeathrow Airport: NoiseDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25342More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate she has made of the number of people impacted by increased noise pollution from proposed expansion at Heathrow.
Answer: There is currently no live Development Consent Order from Heathrow Airport.The Government would carefully consider any application for expansion at Heathrow Airport in line with the relevant planning processes.
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHeathrow 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 record
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