David Simmonds MP: written questions 2024
175 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Domestic Waste: Waste DisposalDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5225More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to limit the number of bins into which councils require householders to separate their rubbish.
Answer: The Government is committed to delivering the Collection and Packaging Reforms to the announced timelines, including the Simpler Recycling policy in England, subject to spending review outcomes. Ministers are reviewing final policy positions relating to S...
Answered 20 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: WalesTreasuryTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5224More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) artificial intelligence and (b)machine learning were used in the automated valuation model in the Valuation Office Agency’s work for council tax revaluation in Wales.
Answer: The Automated Valuation Model (AVM) utilises supervised machine learning, where a model is trained using known transaction values. Statistical techniques are used to calculate the impact of the property’s inherent characteristics and location on the value...
Answered 18 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: WalesTreasuryTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5223More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what advice the Center for Appraisal Research and Technology provided to the Valuation Office Agency for its work on an automated valuation model for council tax revaluation in Wales.
Answer: To support the model development, VOA let a short-term advisory contract with the Centre for Appraisal Research and Technology (CART) who provided advice on:Specific statistical and modelling techniques employed by VOA to ensure appropriate use, focusing ...
Answered 17 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: WalesTreasuryTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5156More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the cost to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) of the council tax revaluation in Wales; and what payments the Welsh Government has (a) made and (b) agreed to make to the VOA to finance t
Answer: The Welsh Government have previously responded on this matter in June 2024.The answers can be viewed here:Written Question - WQ93146 - Welsh Parliament (senedd.wales)Written Question - WQ93148 - Welsh Parliament (senedd.wales) Written Question - WQ93350 ...
Answered 18 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: WalesTreasuryTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5155More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will list (a) each of the variables and (b) the source of data for each variable used in the new Automated Valuation Model for the Valuation Office Agency's council tax revaluation in Wales.
Answer: The variables used in the AVM model include property attributes, locations, and sales details. While much of this data is sourced from VOA records, the VOA supplement this with data available across Government and through the Public Sector Geospatial Agre...
Answered 18 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordValuation Office Agency: WalesTreasuryTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5154More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, If she will publish (a) the agreement and (b) the terms of reference between the Welsh Government and the Valuation Office Agency in relation to (i) the Agency's work for a council tax revaluation in Wales and (ii)
Answer: The Welsh Government have previously responded on this matter in June 2024.The answers can be viewed here:Written Question - WQ93146 - Welsh Parliament (senedd.wales)Written Question - WQ93148 - Welsh Parliament (senedd.wales) Written Question - WQ93350 ...
Answered 18 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordBereavement Support PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3832More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will (a) extend the duration of Bereavement Support Payments beyond 18 months and (b) uprate those payments in line with inflation.
Answer: Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) helps people through the immediate period following a bereavement by way of an initial lump sum followed by up to 18 monthly instalments. Where longer-term financial support is needed, benefits such as Universal Credit ha...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordSewersDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3831More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's timetable is for implementing Schedule 3 of the Flood & Water Management Act 2010; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing thresh
Answer: The Government is considering how best to implement its ambitions on sustainable drainage.
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordDevelopment Plans: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3830More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Mayor of London on the London Plan 2021.
Answer: The Deputy Prime Minister met with the Mayor of London in July to discuss housing delivery challenges in the capital and agree priority areas for partnership working.The Government will continue to work with the Mayor to increase the supply of homes withi...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordIslamophobiaMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3829More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on the use of the term Islamophobia; and whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of adopting the working definition of Islamophob
Answer: There is no place in our society for religious or racial hatred of any kind. Tackling Islamophobia is a priority for this Government, especially in light of last month’s violent disorder, where we saw mosques and Muslim communities targeted. This is deplo...
Answered 11 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordFreeportsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3828More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether it is her policy to (a) maintain existing and (b) increase the number of freeports.
Answer: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 2702 on 4 September 2024.
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordBuildings: SafetyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a building safety levy.
Answer: Yes. The Building Safety Act 2022 gives the Secretary of State powers to make regulations which charge a levy on building control applications for the purpose of meeting building safety expenditure. We will bring forward regulations to make sure that thos...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: DevolutionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3826More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding devolution powers to district council areas.
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring that every part of England can rapidly benefit from devolution, moving power out of Westminster back to those who know their areas best. The English Devolution Bill will establish an ambitious standardised framework...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPlanningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3825More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) section 106 agreements and (b) the community infrastructure levy.
Answer: The Government is committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: FlagsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3824More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to amend her Department's guidance entitled Flying flags: a plain English guide, published on 20 July 2021.
Answer: The Government has no current plans to amend the guidance in question.
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3823More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of bricks required to meet his target to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this Parliament that will be (a) manufactured in the UK and (b) imported.
Answer: In 2023, 1,626 million bricks (81%) were produced in the UK and 329 million bricks (19%) were imported, according to data from DBT’s Building Materials and Components publication and HMRC’s UK Trade Info service respectively.ONS House building data indica...
Answered 13 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordBusiness RatesTreasuryTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3822More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2024 to Question 409 on Business Rates, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of business rates on the prices charged by online retailers.
Answer: As set out in the manifesto, the government is committed to a fairer business rates system and to levelling the playing field between online giants and high streets. Currently, the retail sector accounts for approximately 21% of total value of the busines...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordNational Policy StatementsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3821More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2024 to Question 1314 on National Policy Statements, what the (a) current status, (b) planned timetable for consultation and revision and (c) ex
Answer: Of the thirteen National Policy Statements originally designated between 2011 and 2023, six, namely Energy National Policy Statements 1 to 5 and the National Networks National Policy Statement, were revised and updated in January and May 2024 respectively...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordGarages and Petrol Stations and Parking: Land UseMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3266More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued on the planning classification of a disused (a) petrol station and (b) car park as (i) brownfield and (ii) greenfield land.
Answer: The definition of previously developed land is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The definition sets out some specific exceptions, including residential gardens in built up areas. The Government’s proposed reforms to the NPPF inclu...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordAffordable HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3265More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether it is her policy to maintain the 10-unit threshold for affordable housing.
Answer: The Government are not proposing to change Paragraph 65 of the National Planning Policy Framework which makes clear that provision of affordable housing should not be sought for residential developments that are not major developments, other than in desig...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPlanning Authorities: StaffMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3264More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when the recruitment of 300 new planning officers will begin.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 1007 on 25 July 2024.
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPrivate Rented HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3263More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of her proposed regulatory changes on the private rented sector in relation to (a) the level of rents for new tenancies
Answer: An impact assessment for the regulatory changes proposed in the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Bill will be published in the usual way.
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRegional Planning and DevelopmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3262More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she will publish the consultation on the scope and content of National Development Management Policies.
Answer: A consultation on National Development Management Policies is under development and it will be launched in due course.
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: DevolutionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3261More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she will publish the new devolution framework for England.
Answer: The Secretary of State wrote to local leaders on 16 July 2024 to confirm that the government will publish a new devolution framework. The King’s Speech confirmed on 17 July that the English Devolution Bill will put the new framework into legislation. MHCL...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Remote WorkingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3260More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether civil servants in her Department are required to be in the office for at least 60% of their work time.
Answer: The department expects staff to work toward 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 and lower expectations are therefore in place...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
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