Paul Holmes MP: written questions 2026

195 published records · newest first.

Written questions

Land UseMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103894More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to issue updated land use in England statistics.
Answer: My Department is working to update the land use statistics’ methodology to take advantage of new, more granular data from Ordnance Survey. Publication is expected to resume this year.
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Second Homes: Council TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103893More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the second homes council tax premium on house prices.
Answer: The use of council tax premiums is at local authorities’ discretion. The Government does not make housing market assessments based on premiums.
Answered 16 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Hospitality Industry: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103892More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the average mean Rateable Value of a hereditament on the (a) 2023 Rating List and (b) 2026 Rating List, with the Valuation Office Agency's special category code of (i) 227 Public Houses/Pub Restaurants (Inc
Answer: Relevant data can be found here: Change in rateable value of rating lists, 2026 Revaluation
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Business Rates: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103891More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 30 of her Department's publication entitled Budget 2025: Policy Costings, published in November 2025, and pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2025 to Question 88672 on Business Rates: Tax Al
Answer: The Government is introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties. The new RHL tax rates replace...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Business Rates: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103890More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 30 of her Department's publication entitled HMT Budget 2025: Policy Costings, published in November 2025, and to the Answer of 18 November 2025, to Question 88672 on Business Rates: Tax Allowa
Answer: The Government is introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties. The new RHL tax rates replace...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
InflationTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103889More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is her Department's estimate for annual CPI inflation in (a) 2025-26, (b) 2026-27, (c) 2027-28 and (d) 2028-29 financial years.
Answer: HM Treasury does not produce forecasts for the UK economy. Forecasting the economy is the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), which published its latest forecast on 26 November 2025.In their most recent Economic and F...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Council TaxTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103888More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2025 to Question 95881 on council tax, what data was provided to Office for Budget Responsibility by her Department to assist them in the calculation of the council tax receipts
Answer: The OBR forecast methodology for council tax can be found on their website, including information about the data they commission.
Answered 16 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Business Rates: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103887More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 30 of her Department's publication entitled HMT Budget 2025: Policy Costings, published in November 2025, what is the notional increase in revenue from the abolition of the 2025-26 centrally f
Answer: The Government is introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties. The new RHL tax rates replace...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Council Tax: Non-paymentTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103886More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 52 of her Department's publication entitled HMT Budget 2025: Policy Costings, published in November 2025, what is the estimated uplift in the non-payment rate of council tax.
Answer: The High Value Council Tax Surcharge (HVCTS) is a new tax and is separate to Council Tax. HVCTS costings do not assume any increase in the non-payment of Council Tax. The assumptions used to estimate the revenue raised by the HVCTS are set out in the cost...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Gardens: Council TaxTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103885More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how does the Valuation Office estimate the value of a garden when valuing a dwelling for council tax in (a) England and (b) Wales.
Answer: Gardens are not valued separately or in isolation for Council Tax. They are reflected within a property’s overall Council Tax assessment.
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Council Tax: ValuationTreasuryTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103446More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2025, to Question HL12434, on Council tax: valuation, whether each of the property attributes in Question HL12434, are or were taken into account as a material consideration by
Answer: The variables used to determine valuations for the Council Tax revaluation in Wales include property attributes, locations and sales details. More detailed information on these variables can be found in the Valuation Office Agency’s model specification do...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Valuation Office Agency: Department for TransportTreasuryTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103445More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Valuation Office Agency has (a) access to the data and (b) intends to makes use of the Department for Transport’s new Connectivity Tool when undertaking (a) council tax and (b) business rate valuations i
Answer: The Valuation Office Agency do not currently use the Department for Transport connectivity tool or data as part of our valuation work on Council Tax or Business Rates in England and Wales. They currently have no plans to use this data although they regula...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Camping Sites and Holiday Accommodation: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103444More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) hotels, (b) bed and breakfasts, (c) guest houses and (d) overnight camping groups are valued for business rates in England.
Answer: Statistics detailing the number of properties categorized by their property type in the draft 2026 Rating List can be found here: Change in rateable value of rating lists, 2026 Revaluation This information is broken down by Special Category code in the do...
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Council Tax: ValuationTreasuryTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103443More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what methodology does the Valuation Office Agency use to calculate the difference in a dwelling’s sale price and its assessed council tax valuation value for leasehold properties with less than a 99 year lease.
Answer: I refer the hon member to the answer on UIN 99866, tabled on 15 December 2025. The Valuation Office Agency values all domestic properties on the same basis and in line with legislation. Council Tax valuations are based on the value a property, offered for...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Private Rented Housing: Income TaxTreasuryTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103442More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2025 to Question 99189 on Private Rented Housing: Income Tax, whether her Department has made an assessment.
Answer: The Office for Budget Responsibility engages with the Treasury on the potential impacts of policy measures as part of standard Budget processes.
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Council Tax: ValuationTreasuryTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103441More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the statutory basis for the Valuation Office Agency to publish and share the council tax valuation list, and the banding of each dwelling, on gov.uk.
Answer: Section 28(1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 provides the statutory basis for publishing and sharing the Council Tax valuation list.
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Council Tax: ReferendumsTreasuryTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103440More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HMT Budget 2025: Policy Costings, November 2025, page 95, for what reason a policy costing is listed for council tax and fire authorities but not for other types of local authority.
Answer: No policy changes were introduced prior to or at Autumn Budget for other types of council tax authority, so no additional policy costing notes were necessary.
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Landlords: Income TaxTreasuryTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103439More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HMT Budget 2025: Policy Costings, November 2025, page 44, what is the estimated effect on (a) rental prices and (b) house prices.
Answer: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility does not expect that the reform to property income tax will have a significant impact on rental prices or house prices.
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Business Rates: ValuationTreasuryTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103438More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many hereditaments are there with a Rateable Value of £500,000 or over in the 2026 Rating List, by Special Category code; and what is the average Rateable Value of a hereditament in that Special Category amongst
Answer: Statistics detailing the number of properties within a range of Rateable Values in the draft 2026 Rating List can be found here: Change in rateable value of rating lists, 2026 Revaluation
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Business Rates: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103437More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to make further changes to business rate relief in 2026-27, further to the measures introduced at Budget 2025.
Answer: The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record

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