Every parliamentary written question tabled by David Simmonds this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 61–80 of 428 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Communities and Local Government, if he will list each Strategic Migration Partnerships Grant Payment made in 2025-26by recipient and amount.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is one of a number of Departments who fund Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs). These grant agreements are bespoke and agreed between the Department and each recipient organisation, dep...
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 27 May 2026, to Question 2007, on Hospitality Industries: Pedestrian Areas, what are the proposed changes on pavement licences that the Government inten
The Government brought forward licensing easements for the World Cup by extending pubs opening hours until 1am for England or Scotland matches in the knockout stages that kick off between 5pm to 9pm and until 2am for kick-offs between 9pm to 10pm. The Sec...
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 27 May 2026, to Question 2007, on Hospitality Industries: Pedestrian Areas, whether the Government plans to introduce national easements in this regard
The Government brought forward licensing easements for the World Cup by extending pubs opening hours until 1am for England or Scotland matches in the knockout stages that kick off between 5pm to 9pm and until 2am for kick-offs between 9pm to 10pm. The Sec...
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the publication entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, March 2026", on 26 May 2026, for what reason funding for flexible voting pilots was given to (a) Plymouth
Funding provided to Plymouth City Council, Stevenage Borough Council and Tamworth Borough Council relates to costs incurred in preparation for a flexible voting pilot activity prior to the withdrawal of their applications. The amounts provided reflect the...
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 29 May 2026 to Question 2008 on Waste Disposal: Birmingham, what discussions he has had with the Best Value Commissioners on the status of the bin colle
My department continues to engage with Commissioners in line with standard practice for statutory interventions. The industrial dispute in the Council’s waste service is a local issue that requires a local solution. We therefore continue to urge the Counc...
Communities and Local Government, whether the cap on overseas donations over £100,000 will apply to donations from Ireland to Northern Ireland.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 6035 on 10 June 2026, which sets out the position on the interaction between the overseas electors cap and donations relating to Northern Ireland.
Communities and Local Government, what (a) guidance and (b) advice his Department has given to local authorities on whether employees of (i) district and (ii) county councils can serve as a councillor of a shadow
The position is set out in the relevant standard disqualification provisions that are contained in existing legislation, including the Local Government Act 1972. The Electoral Commission provides guidance on disqualifications and working for a council, av...
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2026 to Question 442 on Local Government Finance: West Surrey, what are the (a) amounts, (b) length of borrowing and (c) prevailing interest rate
Government does not publish individual local authority loans and interest rates , however, data on loans issued from the Public Works Loan Board is published as Historical Data. Further, authorities are required to report their financial position in their...
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2026, to Question 199, whether the National Crime Agency will be adopting the anti-Muslim hostility definition.
The government encourages the adoption of the definition across the public, private and third sectors, and them to consider how this definition applies in their contexts. The government will refer to the definition when developing and revising relevant po...
Communities and Local Government, whether (a) planning applications for traveller sites and (b) retrospective planning permission for unauthorised sites will be a matter for a Planning Committee.
Between 26 March and 23 April 2026, the government consulted on the draft Regulations and guidance underpinning the government’s planning committee reforms from the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here.We are ...
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the speech of Baroness Taylor of Stevenage of 13 April 2026, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 121, for what reason the review is now an internal review;
The Government’s commitment has consistently been to review existing statutory protections rather than to conduct a consultation. The review will involve gathering evidence from a wide range of sources and stakeholders in a targeted and proportionate way.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the statutory guidance entitled Appointing mayoral commissioners and setting/reporting allowances, 16 April 2026, paragraph 75, who determines whether a Commiss
The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act provides Overview and Scrutiny Committees in Mayoral Combined Authorities and Mayoral Combined County Authorities (known as Local Scrutiny Committees) with the power to impose a civil penalty on a perso...
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Surrey County Council paper, "Implementation Programme Update Report, Annex 3 – Draft Illustrative Financial Baseline", of April 2026, what assessment has h
Multi-year allocations for all councils, including those which have been invited to undergo reorganisation, were set out in the final Local Government Finance Settlement. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced r...
Communities and Local Government, how the proposed ban on crypto-donations and overseas donations over £100,000 will apply to hon. Members.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 124668 on 20 April 2026.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's Council tax information letter 3/2026 published on 15 April 2026, whether a new burdens payment will be made to local authorities further to th
The government, in its response to the council tax administration consultation, committed to conduct a New Burdens assessment to ensure changes are appropriately funded. The published response can be found here.
Communities and Local Government, whether the new unitary councils will be required to give 12 months notice to apply the second homes or empty homes council tax premium in their unitary council area, if (a) some
Restructured councils must make a determination to introduce the second homes premium at least 12 months before the financial year in which it will be charged in a predecessor area for the first time. The government has recently made The Local Government ...
Communities and Local Government, whether guidance has been given to the London Assembly on whether Assembly Members in council tax arrears may vote on the setting of the Greater London Authority’s council tax pr
No specific government guidance has been issued to the London Assembly in relation to whether Assembly Members in council tax arrears may vote on council tax requirements arising from the Mayor of London’s annual budget proposals.
Communities and Local Government, whether the Ministerial Envoys to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have reviewed the council's 2025-26 expenditure and procurement of the Mosque Engagement Programme.
Ministerial Envoys do not take, or assess the impact of, individual funding and regulatory decisions by the authority; the responsibility for which remains with the Council. As part of the statutory intervention in Tower Hamlets, the Envoys are supporting...
Communities and Local Government, further to the press release, Red tape slashed to revamp high streets with new cafes and bars, of 26 July 2025, whether (a) combined authority mayors and (b) the Greater London A
Through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, the Government has conferred new licensing functions on the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority. This is to enable a more coherent, city-wide approach to licensing decisions a...
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has published any guidance on the operation of Section 9I of the Localism Act 2011.
Section 9I is a provision of the Local Government Act 2000. The Department has not published specific guidance on this provision.