David Simmonds MP: written questions
1010 published records · newest first.
Written questions
EdarothMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17452More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2026, to Question 11653, on Edaroth, which officials and special advisers accompanied the Minister of State on his visit to the Edaroth factory o
Answer: I was accompanied on the visit in question by one of my Private Secretaries as well as members of my Department’s visits team.The visit to Edaroth’s Bradford facility took place at the company’s invitation.During the visit, a general discussion took place...
Answered 21 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordRecreation Spaces: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17451More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2026, to Question 11655, on Recreation Spaces: Planning Permission, if he will publish the engagement request to stakeholders.
Answer: The Department will survey a wide range of stakeholders and publish findings in spring 2027. We do not intend to publish an engagement request.
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17450More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2026 to Question 12687 on Council Tax: Greater London, whether a public sector equality duty assessment has been undertaken in relation to decis
Answer: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 117748 on 11 March 2026.
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: ExpenditureMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17449More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to MHCLG: spending over £25,000, April 2026, published on 30 June 2026, what the reason was for the receipt from the Greater London Authority, Ref: 3700024963.
Answer: The funding in question was returned to MHCLG by the Greater London Authority under the Local Authority Housing Fund. Returned funding is reallocated to local authorities in England to deliver council owned accommodation.
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial and Affordable Homes ProgrammeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17448More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the profile is of Homes England grant allocations under the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 10163 on 24 June 2026.
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordHousing: Air ConditioningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17447More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on local authorities asking householders to remove air conditioning units as a condition of the (a) extension and (b) re-development of the
Answer: My Department does not hold any such information.
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPrayer: Public PlacesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17446More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2026 to Question 11664 on Prayer: Public Places, whether he has issued guidance on whether silent prayer is permissible in a safe access zone by
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has not issued any guidance on whether silent prayer is permissible in a safe access zone by an abortion clinic. I refer the Honourable Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 96563 and UIN 97...
Answered 1 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordHoliday Accommodation: Greater LondonDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17445More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2026 to Question 11673 on Holiday Accommodation: Greater London, in what locations the short-term letting registration user testing scheme is taking place; and h
Answer: The Department of Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for the delivery of the short-term let registration scheme. The register is national and will be accessed online. The department has carried out multiple rounds of testing with potential users acro...
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordHousing: Greater ManchesterMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17444More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2026 to Question 10162 on Housing: Greater Manchester, if he will publish the Facility Agreement.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 68785 on 24 July 2025.
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates and Council Tax: ArrearsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17443More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to Collection rates for Council Tax and non-domestic rates in England, 2025 to 2026, published on 24 June 2026, what analysis he has undertaken into the reasons for the (
Answer: Collection rates for both council tax and business rates remain high. Collection rates in England were at 95.6% for council tax and 96.8% for business rates in the 2025-2026 financial year. Small fluctuations in collection rates for council tax and busine...
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordGlobal CounselMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17442More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the meeting on the housing market between the Minister for Housing and Planning and Global Counsel on 19 January 2026 in his Department's publication, MHCLG: mi
Answer: Global Counsel were not representing a commercial client during the meeting in question. I met with Marley Miller, a former civil servant at MHCLG who now works on housing policy at Global Counsel. The topic of discussion was social and affordable housing...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordIndependent Review Into Civil Unrest in LeicesterMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17441More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2026 to Question 11417 on Independent Review into Civil Unrest in Leicester, what is the timetable for establishing the membership of the adviso
Answer: The Advisory Board, including membership, is currently under development. Advice to Ministers will follow in due course.
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordTravellers: Caravan SitesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17440More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Count of Traveller Caravans, January 2026: England, published 2 July 2026, what assessment has been made of the reasons for the increase in caravans on unau
Answer: My Department does not systematically collect or hold information on the precise reasons for increases in figures of each site type, although some information may be provided by local planning authorities in order to assist with quality assuring the relev...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationSpeaker's Committee on the Electoral CommissionTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17439More
Question: To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to the answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 102392 on Local Government: Reorganisation, what guidance has been given
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have set out that the interim electoral arrangements - which will be used at the first elections to the new unitary authorities established under local government reorganisation - can be cr...
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: ReferendumsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16623More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with metro mayors on the potential impact of a referendum on council tax thresholds on council tax precepts.
Answer: Decisions relating to referendum principles are consulted on through the annual Local Government Finance Settlement and subject to approval by the House of Commons. The Government expects mayors to set council tax precepts at a level that is affordable fo...
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordCrown Court: HarrowMinistry of JusticeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15023More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many criminal trials listed at Harrow Crown Court were recorded as ineffective in each month of a) 2023 and b) 2026.
Answer: An ineffective trial is one that does not go ahead on the scheduled trial date, so a further listing is required. This can be due to action or inaction by one or more of the prosecution, the defence, or the court. The Ministry of Justice collates and publ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDementia: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14456More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure that the forthcoming Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia includes a standardised and proactive post-diagnostic support offer for people living with dementia.
Answer: Under the 10-Year Health Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services. Those with dementia will benefit from more joined up care through co-created care plans, as by 2027, 95% of those with complex needs w...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: ValuationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 17 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10763More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what is the maximum fine that may be imposed by the courts for a householder (a) refusing access to a council tax valuation officer who has given notice as required of the exerci
Answer: A person who intentionally delays or obstructs a valuation officer in the exercise of their duty may be subject to a fine of up to £200. Where a person fails to, without a reasonable excuse, provide information requested, which they are in possession or c...
Answered 23 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordVisitor Levy: BoatsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 9105More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the overnight visitor levy will apply to canal boats which are rented out on a short-term basis.
Answer: We are empowering Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation, to drive economic growth in their region. including through support for the local visitor economy. Following the public consultation, decisions on the scope of the...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Works Loan Board: BarnetMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 9103More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what Public Works Loan Board borrowing has been given to the London Borough of Barnet since July 2024, and on what terms and purposes.
Answer: Government does not publish individual local authority’s loans and interest rates, however, data on loans issued from the Public Works Loan Board is published at Historical Data. Further, authorities are required to report their financial position in thei...
Answered 22 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordTreaties: Parliamentary ScrutinyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8786More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 28 April 2026, to Question HL16533, on Treaties: Parliamentary Scrutiny, whether any Memorandums of Understanding and other non-legally binding ag
Answer: The information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Answered 19 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: SecondmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8785More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will list the names of the organisations that have (a) had his department’s Civil Servants seconded to them since July 2024, and (b) seconded their staff to the department.
Answer: Organisations of secondments both in and out of the department that have commenced since July 2024 are included in the tables below. Secondment In from July 2024 onwards. Birmingham City CouncilBristol City CouncilEast Sussex Fire and RescueEnvironment Ag...
Answered 18 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTower Hamlets Council: AllowancesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8784More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Ministerial Envoys were consulted over the mayoral and councillor allowance increases in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
Answer: The detail of day-to-day discussions between ministerial appointees and their local authority is not routinely reported to ministers, and I am not in a position to comment on those conversations. The Envoys are continuing to work comprehensively within th...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: StaffMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8783More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many staff were recorded as entering his London departmental HQ building on Friday 29 May 2026 based on (a) pass or (b) Wifi access data.
Answer: Based on Wi-Fi access data, 295 individuals were recorded working from our 2 Marsham Street office on Friday 29 May 2026. This figure is slightly lower than typical levels, reflecting reduced attendance during the half-term period.
Answered 19 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: StaffMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8782More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many headcount staff are assigned to work in his London departmental HQ building.
Answer: At 31st May 2026 there were 2041 (1991.6FTE) payroll active employees assigned to our 2 Marsham street office in London.
Answered 18 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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