Paul Holmes MP: written questions 2026
195 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Buildings: SafetyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Sept 2026Awaiting answerUIN 30075More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government whether, whether Viva Midco Limited (parent company of Avant Homes) remains a member of the Responsible Actors Scheme.
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15750More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 4 June 2026 to Question HL325 on Local Government: Elections, if he will make it his policy to bring the other new combined authority mayoral elections
Answer: There are currently no plans to bring forward the mayoral elections in Greater Essex, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, or Sussex and Brighton.As previously stated, the government remains committed to the indicative timetable for local govern...
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPolitical Parties: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15749More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 21 April 2026 to Question 124762 on Political Parties: Finance, whether the new Section 54A requirement will be in addition to a requirement for a
Answer: Under our amendment to the Representation of the People Bill, an overseas elector will be required to provide a declaration for their donation to be permissible. A declaration from an overseas elector must include the individual’s full name and address; w...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15748More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 113737 on Council Tax: City of Westminster and Wandsworth, what is the level of core spending power in cash terms in each
Answer: Council tax levels are decided by councils. The government does not intend to set council tax referendum principles for six local authorities (Westminster, Windsor and Maidenhead, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, City of London, and Wandswo...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15747More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the the term limits for the positions unitary authorities elected in May 2027.
Answer: If the Secretary of State decides to implement a proposal for unitary local government, secondary legislation, which will be subject to Parliamentary approval, will be required to abolish existing councils, establish new structures and make transitional a...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordCandidates: EqualityWomen and EqualitiesTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15746More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, further to the answer of 15 June 2026, to Question HL475, on Candidates: Equality, whether data is collected from political parties on the regulatory cost of such a provision; what elections will it apply to;
Answer: I refer the Hon member to the answer given to PQ HL475. Office for Equality and Opportunity officials are currently exploring when and how to commence the provision under Section 106.
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15745More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his department holds an estimate on the average unit cost of a local government by-election.
Answer: The funding of costs necessarily incurred for the delivery of local government by-elections is a matter for local authorities. The Government does not hold information on the average unit cost of a local government by-election.
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPolitical Parties: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15744More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether under the proposed Know You Donor regime for political donations, donations to local accounting units may be aggregated with parallel donations to other local accounting
Answer: The proposed Know Your Donor regime requires aggregation of relevant donations and benefits from the same donor when determining whether the £11,180 threshold for a risk assessment has been reached. Once that threshold is met, a risk assessment is require...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordVistry Group: Affordable HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15743More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 20 April 2026 to Question 124681 on Vistry Group: Affordable Housing, if he will publish the Vistry grant agreement with Homes England.
Answer: In relation to Homes England’s 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme, Vistry has successfully delivered against the milestones in their delivery plan. The delivery plan is not published and there are no plans currently to publish this. The Department and Hom...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPolitical Parties: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15742More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has had discussions with the House of Commons (a) Standards Committee, (b) Registrar and (c) Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards on proposed reforms o
Answer: The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders on the political finance measures contained in the Representation of the People Bill, including the Electoral Commission, the National Crime Agency, political parties and parliamentary colleagues. M...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15741More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to approve new unitary council structures where new unitary council wards cross and split existing (a) district wards, (b) unitary wards and (c) county divisions
Answer: The Secretary of State's consideration of local government reorganisation proposals is based on information provided by councils, representations received through the statutory consultation process, and official advice and analysis drawing on published so...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPolling Stations: Pilot SchemesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15740More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2026 to Question 8094 on Polling Stations: Pilot schemes, who discussions are taking place with; and whether they include (a) councillors and (b
Answer: At this stage, discussions are primarily internal. The Government will engage with other relevant stakeholders as appropriate as future piloting proposals are developed further.
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPolitical Parties: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15739More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether new corporate donation rules will apply to Representation of the People Act candidate donations.
Answer: The Government has tabled an amendment in the House of Commons at Report stage of the Representation of the People Bill to ensure that the new corporate donation rules introduced will also apply to donations made to candidates under the Representation of ...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordVistry Group: Affordable HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15738More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 20 April 2026 to Question 124681 on Vistry Group: Affordable Housing, if he will publish the Homes England Vistry delivery plan.
Answer: In relation to Homes England’s 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme, Vistry has successfully delivered against the milestones in their delivery plan. The delivery plan is not published and there are no plans currently to publish this. The Department and Hom...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordElections: Pilot SchemesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15737More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2026 to Question 8252 on Election Pilot schemes, for what reason the applications were withdrawn; how much was spent on cancelled voting pilots;
Answer: A number of local authorities withdrew their applications to participate in flexible voting pilots for the May 2026 elections following the planned postponement of their polls, which meant pilots could no longer be delivered as intended, despite the elect...
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPolitical Parties: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15736More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2026 to Question 8263 on Political Parties: Finance, how the ban on cryptocurrency donation will be enforced for donations made before the legis
Answer: As announced by the Secretary of State on 25 March 2026, any donations in crypto assets accepted on or after 25 March will not be permitted. Following commencement of these provisions in the Bill, recipients will have 30 days to return or forfeit these do...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordVistry Group: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14988More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what was the total amount of central government funding given to the Vistry Group in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.
Answer: In relation to Homes England’s 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme, Vistry has successfully delivered against the milestones in their delivery plan. The delivery plan is not published and there are no plans currently to publish this. The Department and Hom...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordHousing: Air ConditioningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14987More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether standalone air conditioning units have permitted development rights in dwellings.
Answer: There are no permitted development rights for standalone air conditioning units. However, in certain circumstances, planning permission is not required where it would not materially affect the external appearance of the building. Part P of the Building Re...
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordElections: CostsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14986More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of (a) the Makerfield Parliamentary by-election and (b) Parliamentary by-elections in general; and what information his Departme
Answer: The estimated costs of parliamentary by-elections, including the Makerfield parliamentary by-election, are set out in the relevant schedule of The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers’ Charges) Order 2024. Local elections, including the costs of ma...
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAnti-Muslim HostilityMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14985More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department has made on the appointment of the Special Representative for Anti-Muslim Hostility; whether it will be a regulated public appointment, a special adv
Answer: The Terms of Reference and appointment process for the Special Representative on anti-Muslim hostility will be published in due course.
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordRegeneration: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14984More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Pubs, shops and local assets protected with communities in charge, of 16 June 2026, what is the allocation of funding in
Answer: The newly announced Pride in Place Community Right to Buy Fund, backed by £61 million, will empower local people to take control of valued local assets and is additional to our wider investment in communities including the £5.8 billion Pride in Place Prog...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordInterreg EuropeCabinet OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14983More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2026 to Question HL478, on Interreg Europe, whether HM Government intends to discuss joining or contributing to EU Interreg in relation to Great Britain.
Answer: We recognise the value of the UK associating to EU programmes. Each EU programme is different and association to these programmes are made on a case by case basis, in line with the national interest.
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Trade UnionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14982More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, With reference to Deposited Paper, DEP2026-0371, committed on 19 May 2026, on Civil Service facility time framework and guidance, and with reference to the DCLG guidance, Taxpaye
Answer: The 2013 DCLG guidance ‘Taxpayer funding of trade unions’ has been superseded by the Local Government Transparency Code 2015 and the Employment Rights Act 2025. The Transparency Code requires local authorities to annually publish certain information regar...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14981More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2026 to Question 9592 on Local Government: Elections, what is the total sum that has now been paid from HM Government to the claimant, including
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 9592 on 23 June 2026. The government agreed to meet the claimant’s reasonable legal costs, in line with standard practice where proceedings are settled. Those costs have now been agreed and paid ...
Answered 7 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordVistry Group: Affordable HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14980More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2026 to Question 9578 on Vistry Group: Affordable Housing, whether Vistry Group is meeting its delivery targets according to information held by
Answer: In relation to Homes England’s 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme, Vistry has successfully delivered against the milestones in their delivery plan. The delivery plan is not published and there are no plans currently to publish this. The Department and Hom...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
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