David Simmonds MP: written questions 2024

175 published records · newest first.

Written questions

National SecurityMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5674More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 3408 on National Security, what her Department's timetable is for developing proposals on (a) strengthening democracy and (
Answer: As set out in our manifesto, the Government is committed to strengthening our democracy, upholding the integrity of elections and widening participation in the democratic process.My department is currently working with key stakeholders to develop proposal...
Answered 9 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
New Towns: Disclosure of InformationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5673More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2024, to Question 3008, on New Towns: Disclosure of Information, for what reason she has not provided the information requested.
Answer: The House was not sitting on 31 July when the New Towns Taskforce was announced. The Government published a written ministerial statement on new towns on 8 October (HCWS112). It can be found here.
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Council Tax: Single PeopleMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5423More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the value of the council tax single person discount on a Band D home is in each local billing authority in England in 2024-25; how many households claim that discount in eac
Answer: The annual aggregate cost of the single person discount is dependent on decisions taken by individual local authorities who set their council tax level having taken account of their tax base. Data on the number of households receiving the single person di...
Answered 9 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Elections: Proof of IdentityMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5422More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the oral answer of 2 September 2024 from the Minister for Democracy and Local Growth, Official Report, Column 24, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals
Answer: We will bring forward legislative proposals when parliamentary time allows.Electoral policy for Northern Ireland is a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and a separate regime for voter identification exists there.
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Night-time Economy: Greater LondonDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5421More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether (a) officials, (b) Ministers and (c) special advisers in her Department have (a) met and (b) corresponded with the Mayor of London's Night Czar on the issue of London's night-time economy since
Answer: Since the General Election, officials, special advisors, or Ministers, in their Ministerial roles, have not as yet met or corresponded with the Mayor of London’s Night Czar, Amy Lamé.
Answered 7 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Pentland Communications and Sovereign StrategyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5420More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2024 to Question 2973 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Pentland Communications and Sovereign Strategy, for what rea
Answer: Details of meetings between special advisers and external organisations are published on gov.uk in line with requirements set out in guidance here.
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Housing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5419More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2024 to Question 2451 on Housing: Construction, what recent estimate she has made of the number of new homes that will be needed each year t
Answer: Immigration is one of a number of factors that impacts on housing demand and future housing supply. We will continue to monitor both and update Parliament on our commitment to build 1.5 million homes over five years.
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: CouncillorsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5418More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Ministers in her Department have met with Conservative councillors since 4 July 2024.
Answer: Government is committed to resetting the relationship between local and central government and working in partnership in the interests of working people. I have regular engagement with local councillors and details of these meetings will be published on ...
Answered 17 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Housing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5417More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information (a) her Department and (b) the Planning Inspectorate holds on which local authorities have (i) slowed and (ii) stopped house building due to nutrient neutrality
Answer: At present, advice on the need to achieve nutrient neutrality applies to areas of land within approximately sixty local planning authorities. However, the provision of such advice does not mean that housebuilding in these areas is necessarily being stoppe...
Answered 9 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Civic Dignitaries and Members: AgeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5416More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2024 to Question 2313 on Members: Age, whether she plans to lower the candidacy age to 16 for (a) Members of Parliament, (b) elected Mayors,
Answer: As per the manifesto, the Government is committed to act during this Parliament to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections, strengthening our democracy, empowering young people to participate and building an informed and empowered ele...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Housing: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5415More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Mayor of London on building new homes on land designated for strategic industrial locations.
Answer: Strategic Industrial Land is land designated in the London Plan as vital for industrial and related capacity.On 18 March 2024, the last Government directed the Mayor of London to complete a partial review of the London Plan including in relation to the us...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Local Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5414More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether it remains her Department's policy that the mayoral elections for (a) Hull & East Yorkshire and (b) Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral Combined Authorities will take place in M
Answer: On 19 September we announced that the government would proceed with the devolution agreements for Hull and East Yorkshire and Greater Lincolnshire. Legislation to implement these agreements will be laid before the House as Parliamentary time allows.
Answered 9 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Remote WorkingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5413More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 3260 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Remote Working, if she will list (a) the individual offices
Answer: MHCLG offices in Hemel Hempstead, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, and Wolverhampton do not currently have enough space for people to meet 60% attendance. Instead, people in these offices are expected to attend for 40% of their working time over a 3-mon...
Answered 9 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public ConsultationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5412More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 3001 on MHCLG: Public Consultation, if she will list the consultations issued by her Department before 24 May 2024 that are
Answer: This information relating to the previous administration cannot be provided as it is not held centrally and collating it would result in a disproportionate cost to the department.
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Waste ManagementDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5411More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2024 to Question 2316 on Equality, whether the socio-economic duty will apply to local authority decisions on the configuration of household waste
Answer: Local authorities must comply with all relevant Equalities Act duties and in England this will include the socio-economic duty in due course.
Answered 7 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Council Tax: ProbateMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5410More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of holding a consultation on the potential merits of removing the council tax exemption for homes in probate in the context
Answer: Council tax is a devolved policy issue, the devolved governments therefore take decisions on council tax policy independent of central government. The Government does not currently have any plans to reform council tax in England.
Answered 7 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 11 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5409More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to implement the policies set out in Annex A of the Government response to the consultation on Consistency in household and business recycling in England, updated on 2
Answer: This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. By default, the primary legislation requires that the recyclable waste streams are collected in separate containers, unless this is technically or economically impra...
Answered 20 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
Local Government FinanceWomen and EqualitiesTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5233More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2024 to Question 2316 on Equality, whether the socio-economic duty will apply to (a) the Government determining council tax referendum principles and (b) councils setting
Answer: The duty will require public bodies, when making strategic decisions, to actively consider how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage. Guidance will be developed that will help relevant authoritie...
Answered 18 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
Local Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5232More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will list the (a) local council and (b) council mayoral and (c) combined authority mayoral elections that will take place in May 2025.
Answer: This Government has recently announced that it will not be proceeding with the existing devolution deal with Norfolk County Council and Suffolk County Council respectively. Instead, Government will continue discussions with Norfolk and Suffolk to deliver ...
Answered 18 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
Devolution: East of EnglandMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5231More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 2991 on Devolution: East of England, whether mayoral or directly elected leader elections will take place in (a) Suffolk an
Answer: This Government has recently announced that it will not be proceeding with the existing devolution deal with Norfolk County Council and Suffolk County Council respectively. Instead, Government will continue discussions with Norfolk and Suffolk to deliver ...
Answered 18 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
Devolution: East of EnglandMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5230More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 2991 on Devolution: East of England, whether (a) mayoral and (b) directly-elected leader elections will take place in (i) S
Answer: This Government has recently announced that it will not be proceeding with the existing devolution deal with Norfolk County Council and Suffolk County Council respectively. Instead, Government will continue discussions with Norfolk and Suffolk to deliver ...
Answered 18 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
Empty Property and Second Homes: Council TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5229More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the report entitled Summary of responses and government’s response to the consultation on proposals to exempt categories of dwellings from the council tax premi
Answer: This Government intends to introduce the exceptions to council tax premiums as set out in the consultation response published on 11 March 2024.
Answered 18 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
Local Government FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5228More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2024 to Question 3748 on Private Education: Business Rates and to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 2980 on Private Education: Busi
Answer: There are currently no plans for the referenced Bill to include measures beyond those indicated in the technical note published on 29 July 2024. I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 3748 on 5 September 2024 and Question UIN 2980 on 9...
Answered 18 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
Wood-burning StovesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5227More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) banning and (b) further regulating wood burning stoves in domestic dwellings.
Answer: Domestic wood burning stoves make a significant contribution to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions nationally, with implications for the health of everyone exposed to smoke. Defra is currently considering options for action to reduce the impact of ...
Answered 18 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
Housing: GardensDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5226More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 30 August 2024 to Question 1516 on Housing: Gardens, what the timetable is for the review of the effectiveness of all available options to manage unplanned in
Answer: Defra is considering how best to take forward the review of the effectiveness of all available options to manage unplanned increases in impermeable or hard surfaces.
Answered 16 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record

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