David Simmonds MP: written questions
1010 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Local Government FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14193More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2024 to Question 11851 on Employers' Contributions: Local Government, if she will publish a breakdown of the £1.3 billion.
Answer: We have announced £1.3 billion of new grant funding in 2025/26 for local government to deliver core services, of which at least £600 million is for social care. Further details will be included in the upcoming Policy Statement and Local Government Finance...
Answered 21 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordLocal Government FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14192More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2024 to Question 11851 on Employers' Contributions: Local Government, which grants are included in the £1.3 billion of new grant funding in 2
Answer: We have announced £1.3 billion of new grant funding in 2025/26 for local government to deliver core services, of which at least £600 million is for social care. Further details will be included in the upcoming Policy Statement and Local Government Finance...
Answered 21 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCouncil TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14191More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what methodology was used to calculate the council tax requirement, excluding parish precepts, in (a) Core spending power table: final local government finance settlement 2024 to
Answer: The Government has confirmed that it will not increase council tax referendum principles above the current 3% core council tax principle and the 2% principle for the adult social care precept, in line with the OBR forecasting. This is a continuation of th...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Employers' ContributionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14190More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2024 to Question 11851 on Employers’ Contributions: Local Government, what was the evidential basis for allocating £600 million of social car
Answer: The Autumn Statement announced at least £600 million of new grant funding for social care. This funding, alongside income from unringfenced sources including council tax, can be used to address the range of pressures facing the social care sector. Further...
Answered 21 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing Associations: Employers' ContributionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14187More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increased employer National Insurance contributions, as announced in the Autumn Budget 2024, on (a) the housing associatio
Answer: Restoring stability and fixing the foundations of our economy are the best things we can do to support growth. Tax rises need to play a part to fund public services and to invest in rebuilding Britain – and this includes investment in much needed new soci...
Answered 21 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14185More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2024 to Question 11925 on Council tax: Greater London, what are the assumed council tax requirement excluding parish precepts figures for the
Answer: The Government has confirmed that it will not increase council tax referendum principles above the current 3% core council tax principle and the 2% principle for the adult social care precept, in line with the OBR forecasting. This is a continuation of th...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing: Natural GasMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14184More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her Department's policy is on gas boilers being (a) installed in new homes and (b) re-installed or replaced in existing homes.
Answer: Future standards next year will set our new homes and buildings on a path that moves away from relying on volatile fossil fuels and ensures they are fit for a net zero future. These homes will be future proofed with low carbon heating and high levels of e...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14183More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the Greater London Authority precept on Band D council tax, (a) including and (b) excluding the Transport for London element, was in each year since 2016-17; and how much wa
Answer: The average Band D council tax set by the Greater London Authority over time can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662a4c28690acb1c0ba7e617/Live_Table_-_Band_D_2024-25__revised_.ods.There is no separate council...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector Reform and Innovation FundTreasuryTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14182More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2024 to Question 11936 on Public Sector: Finance, how local authorities will bid to receive funding from the Public Sector Reform and Innovation Fund.
Answer: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 11936 on 8 November 2024.The Public Sector Reform and Innovation Fund allocates £165 million to a range of projects in 2025-26, including support for foster care, delivering apprenticeships and pl...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates and Council Tax: ValuationTreasuryTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14181More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Valuation Office Agency's NextGen Rating (NGR) programme will include (a) business rate and (b) council tax valuations.
Answer: The Valuation Office Agency’s NextGen Rating Programme includes the upgrade of its internal operational technology for business rates valuations and the reforms legislated for in the Non-Domestic Rating Act 2023. It does not cover council tax valuations.
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordValuation Office Agency: CognizantTreasuryTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14180More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish (a) the contract, (b) the agreed programme of work and (c) other side documentation for the Valuation Office Agency's agreement with Cognizant; and what the (i) value and (ii) length of that cont
Answer: Details of the contract can be found on Contracts Finder: Valuations Office Agency Programme - Valuations Cloud App - Contracts Finder. The published contract covers new services developed through the Valuation Office Agency’s (VOA) transformation program...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Tax YieldsTreasuryTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14179More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2024 to Questions 11930 and 11931 on Business Rates: Tax Yields, whether the real terms monetary value of the tax reduction from the new Retail, Hospitality and Leisure multiplie
Answer: The existing retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) relief has been repeatedly extended year-by-year as a temporary stopgap measure. The Government recognises that this creates cliff-edges and uncertainty for businesses, as well as significant fiscal pres...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordDomestic Waste: Waste DisposalDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14178More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 20 September 2024 to Question 5409 on Recycling and to Question 5225 on Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal, whether it is her policy that the minimum residual fr
Answer: Simpler Recycling will mean that people across England will be able to recycle the same materials at home, work or school, ending the confusion over what can or cannot be recycled in different parts of the country.
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12276More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 3.16 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, where the proposed locations are of the three large housing development sites in
Answer: Information on the three housing development sites is as follows:a) Cambridgeshire: Permission for up to 1,000 new homes on land between Huntingdon Road and Histon Road, Cambridge, known as Darwin Green Phases Two and Three, was granted on 25 September 20...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11937More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data the Valuation Office Agency holds on the rateable value of (a) farms and (b) farmland.
Answer: Farms and farmland, if used by the occupier for agricultural purposes, are exempt from non-domestic rating under Schedule 5 to the Local Government Finance Act 1988. Consequently, agricultural land and buildings are not included in rating lists and no rat...
Answered 6 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector Reform and Innovation FundTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11936More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.99 of Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, which public bodies can apply for funding from the new Public Sector Reform and Innovation Fund; whether public bodies wi
Answer: The Public Sector Reform and Innovation Fund allocates £165 million to a range of projects in 2025-26, including support for foster care, delivering apprenticeships and planning reforms. In addition, the Budget allocates a further £100 million over the ne...
Answered 8 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordLocal Government FinanceTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11935More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.81 of Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, what the assumed local government core spending power in cash figures is in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26: and what the ass
Answer: Local government core spending power (CSP) is £64,786m in 2024-25, and is forecast to be £68,459m in 2025-26. These figures for CSP are estimates and subject to data changes. Final figures will be published as part of the 2025-26 Local Government Finance ...
Answered 8 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordNeighbourhood Policing: FinanceHome OfficeTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11934More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 4.20 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, how much funding will be provided to police forces to help increase the number of neighbourhood office
Answer: The Autumn Budget confirmed that the core government grant for police forces will increase. Further details and force level allocations will be set out at the provisional settlement in December.
Answered 6 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAsylum: FinanceTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11933More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.8 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, if she will publish the methodology used to forecast the delivery of savings of (a) £2.2 billion and (b) £4 billion on asylum in those years.
Answer: This government has already ended the Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership and is reforming the asylum system by streamlining capacity to process asylum seekers and returning those that do not have the right to stay in the UK. This will s...
Answered 6 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Tax YieldsTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11932More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 5.69 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, what estimate her Department has made of the yearly change in business rates receipts from private schools in each of the next five financial years
Answer: At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government reconfirmed that it will remove private schools’ eligibility for charitable rates relief under business rates in England from April 2025. This intervention will raise around £140 million per year. Business rates reten...
Answered 7 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Tax YieldsTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11931More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's discussion paper entitled Transforming Business Rates, published on 30 October 2024, what the estimated yearly decrease is in business rate receipts from the lower multiplier for R
Answer: To protect the high street, the government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties from 2026-27. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and the government intends to introduce a Large B...
Answered 6 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Tax YieldsTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11930More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's discussion paper entitled Transforming Business Rates, published on 30 October 2024, what the estimated yearly increase is in business rate receipts from the higher multiplier on h
Answer: To protect the high street, the government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties from 2026-27. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and the government intends to introduce a Large B...
Answered 6 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11929More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what obligations local authorities have to house (a) asylum seekers and (b) refugees not covered by Government funded accommodation.
Answer: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 10286 on 29 October 2024.Individuals granted refugee status are eligible for assistance from their local authority in finding accommodation, if homeless, as well as temporary accommodation if they...
Answered 8 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordRight to Buy SchemeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11928More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 5.149 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295 published on 30 October 2024, what the new Right to Buy discount rates are; and if she will make a comparative
Answer: As announced in the Autumn Budget and in accordance with our manifesto commitment, the Government reviewed the increased Right to Buy discounts introduced in 2012 and determined to reduce the maximum cash discounts to between £16,000 and £38,000. The leve...
Answered 8 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Finance: Greater Manchester and West MidlandsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11927More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 2.98 of Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, which new funding streams will be placed into the single pots for (a) Greater Manche
Answer: Delivering integrated settlements in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands will provide meaningful control over funding and improve the fragmented funding landscape for Mayoral Combined Authorities with a flexible single pot.The funds in scope, formula...
Answered 8 Nov 2024
Original Parliament record
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