Written questions by Simmonds.

Communities and Local Government, what the most recent estimate is of the number of qualifying EU citizens on the local election roll in England.

The government does not hold data on the number of qualifying EU citizens on the local government electoral register in England.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) previously published estimates of the number of EU citizens eligible to vote in Local Government elections in England but has not produced equivalent estimates following changes to EU citizens’ voting rights implemented through the Elections Act 2022.

Communities and Local Government, what will happen to the Best Value interventions in Surrey when the district councils are abolished; and whether there will be any central government monitoring or intervention in the new unitary councils in relation to the legacy issues.

The current Best Value arrangements for Woking and Spelthorne Borough Councils will lapse on West Surrey’s vesting day, due in April 2027, as these councils will be abolished. Commissioners are developing robust handover plans to facilitate a smooth transition into West Surrey. We are working with Commissioners and local stakeholders to consider how the new Council can effectively manage legacy issues moving forward, and what support it will need to deliver for its residents. We are clear that Woking Borough Council’s debt cannot be managed in full locally. Further to our unprecedented commitment to repay in-principle an initial £500m of Woking Borough Council’s debt in 2026-27, we are committed to providing interim financial support to the new council until a final decision is made. It is crucial that any debt support must consider value for money for local and national taxpayers.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to revise its council tax requirement estimates for Windsor and Maidenhead in the context of the revised council tax referendum threshold for 2026-27; and whether the assumed council tax increases for each of 2027-28 and 2028-29 will continue to be based on the previous formula.

The government annually makes assumptions of council tax levels for the next financial year as a part of its estimates of Core Spending Power. In line with previous years, council tax estimates in Core Spending Power will not be adjusted to reflect higher referendum principles for authorities that have requested additional council tax flexibility above core referendum principles before the next settlement. The government will continue to keep its methodology for calculating the Core Spending Power of local government under review in future years.

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the final version of the Section 106 agreement for the Chinese Embassy planning permission.

All Inquiry documents for this case are publicly available on Tower Hamlets’ website here.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Election Strategy document, Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, July 2025, para 113, for what reason the Government now intends to repeal and not amend the Electoral Commission’s Strategy and Policy Statement; and what assessment has been made of the potential effect of the repeal of its guidance on family voting.

The Government is taking decisive action to strengthen and protect UK democracy, including strengthening the Electoral Commission’s powers and extending its remit to ensure that it can effectively enforce the political finance framework. We have listened to stakeholders and recognise how vital it is that the Commission is fearlessly independent, commands trust across the political spectrum and operates free from political influence. That is why we are bringing forward amendments to repeal the Government’s powers to designate a Strategy and Policy Statement for the Electoral Commission. This will put beyond doubt the foundational principle of the Commission’s independence and further strengthen its ability to oversee elections into the future without fear or favour. Family voting is illegal, and the Government takes any allegations extremely seriously. It is a criminal offence under the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023 to pressure someone to vote in a certain way in the polling station, and potential offences are a matter for the police. We do not consider that repealing the Strategy and Policy Statement will have any impact on enforcement of this offence.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2026 to Question 111135 on Council Tax, what is the estimated average Band D council tax in England if based on his Department's council tax requirement forecasts.

The department has not made an estimate of the average band D council tax for core spending power calculations. The department’s council tax requirement forecasts in core spending power exclude the precepts of police and crime commissioners and parish and town councils. They also exclude mayoral combined authority precepts other than where these fund fire services.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2025to Question 96897 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public Appointments, when and where he will publish this this information; and if it will include all sitting DMAs.

The Cabinet Office has created a gov.uk page for departments to publish Direct Ministerial Appointments (DMAs). In line with their guidance, MHCLG now publishes details of all new appointments and extensions, and extant appointments will be published in due course.

Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of his Department's staff are on full-time pay with compressed hours.

At 31 January 2026 there were 760 active payroll staff, 19% of total headcount, who worked full‑time hours over a compressed period, meaning they received full pay. This figure includes a range of different compressed full‑time working arrangements.

Communities and Local Government, what the required hours of working are for staff in his Department on full-pay who work a compressed four-day week.

Staff who work full-time, have the following conditioned hours per week:36 hours net – if their normal place of work is in London and if appointed before 1 June 201337 hours net – if their normal place of work is elsewhereIf they were appointed to the Civil Service within the department on or after 1 June 2013:37 hours net – in all locations (including London) Net hours do not include meal breaks. Staff working a compressed four-day week have the flexibility to agree their daily working pattern to reach the required conditioned hours per week.

Communities and Local Government, what representations has he received from (a) local authorities and (b) the LGA on the high value council tax surcharge being described as a council tax.

The Government has not yet formally consulted on the High Value Council Tax Surcharge. A consultation will be published in the coming months, to invite views and representations from the sector and other stakeholders on details relating to the Surcharge.

Pursuant to the answer of 16 September 2025, to Question 70559, on Special Advisers: Elections, and with reference to May 2026 Elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants, published on 2 March 2026, and the new provisions in paragraphs 17 and 41, whether special advisers can provide party political support to Ministers in relation to (a) arranging visits or (b) writing speeches, using official government equipment, (1) outside office hours or (2) using paid or unpaid leave.

The guidance on conduct for civil servants in relation to the May 2026 elections makes clear that civil servants - including special advisers - should not use official resources for party political purposes. This guidance is available on gov.uk. The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers sets out the rules for special advisers in relation to local political activity. This is also available on gov.uk.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the written statement of 2 March 2026, HCWS1375, on Flexible Voting Pilots, and with reference to the list of councils with elections in the Cabinet Office purdah guidance published on 2 March 2026, when will North Hertfordshire District Council hold its next local election.

North Hertfordshire District Council elections are not listed in the Cabinet Office pre-election period guidance because they do not have scheduled elections in 2026. The government remains committed to the indicative timetable for local government reorganisation set out in July 2025, including for Hertfordshire, with elections to the new councils scheduled for May 2027. In addition, for the 2026 parish council elections, the Hertfordshire parishes of Codicote, Kimpton, Knebworth and Royston will take part in the flexible voting scheme for polls on 7 May 2026.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2025 to Question 84203 on Voting Methods, whether the Electoral Commission was consulted by the Government over the use of early voting pilots in the May 2026 local elections in England.

The Government was required to consult the Electoral Commission before making the draft orders providing for flexible voting pilot schemes at the May 2026 elections in England. The Commission has a statutory duty to independently evaluate and report on the May 2026 pilot schemes.

What steps he is taking to support defence SMEs.

We’re delivering on our Defence Industrial Strategy; we have created the Office for Small Business Growth; we are simplifying defence sector processes under commercial pathways. We aim to make the UK a top location for defence businesses, pledging an extra £2.5 billion spend by 2028 and addressing SME feedback on sector complexity.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has issued guidance to Returning Officers on whether election observers can raise points of concern on the conduct of an election when inside a polling station.

The Commission’s guidance for Returning Officers notes that they have a legal duty to have regard to the Code of Practice for observers when managing the attendance of observers at polling stations. The Code states that observers may bring irregularities, fraud or significant problems to the attention of election officials on the spot, unless this would contravene the secrecy requirements, and must do so in a non-obstructive manner.

Pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2026 to Question 110482, on Poland: Children, what steps his Department has taken to ensure enforcement of return orders in cases of international parental child abduction in Poland.

The Ministry of Justice does not play a direct role in individual international child abduction cases in Poland. Whether a return order is made in Poland in respect of a child who has been taken to Poland, or what action should be taken in Poland in relation to enforcement of a return order, are matters for Polish courts and the relevant authorities to determine.However, my officials regularly engage on international child abduction with other States, including discussions with Polish authorities on the subject of enforcement procedures. This has included a Workshop hosted by the Ministry of Justice in April 2025, together with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and other key authorities in England and Wales, to discuss international child abduction with Polish officials and enhance cooperation in this area.

Pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2026 to Question 110482 on Poland: Children, what role his Department plays in international parental child abduction cases in Poland.

The Ministry of Justice does not play a direct role in individual international child abduction cases in Poland. Whether a return order is made in Poland in respect of a child who has been taken to Poland, or what action should be taken in Poland in relation to enforcement of a return order, are matters for Polish courts and the relevant authorities to determine.However, my officials regularly engage on international child abduction with other States, including discussions with Polish authorities on the subject of enforcement procedures. This has included a Workshop hosted by the Ministry of Justice in April 2025, together with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and other key authorities in England and Wales, to discuss international child abduction with Polish officials and enhance cooperation in this area.

Pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2026, to Question 110483, on Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders, what assessment he has made of the validity of Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders from Poland when IPCA return orders are not enforced by the Polish authorities.

International parental child abduction cases involving Poland are dealt with under an international and domestic law framework which is entirely separate from the framework for reciprocal enforcement of maintenance orders. When a court is dealing with a case under a particular framework, only those matters which fall to be considered under the relevant framework are applicable.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to the Electoral Commission's report entitled Automatic registration pilots evaluation, published in December 2025, how many and what proportion of people who were automatically added were subsequently removed from the annual canvass.

Across the piloting local authorities 16,000 people were added to the registers automatically. At the time of publication of the Electoral Commission’s evaluation, data from piloting authorities showed that 83 of those electors had been removed during the annual canvass. This is less than 1% of the number registered automatically as a result of the pilots.As the annual canvass was not complete when the evaluation was finalised, the Commission recommended to the Welsh Government that they should request final data from Electoral Registration Officers to enable a final assessment of the matching accuracy.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 102773 on Local Government: Elections, whether the Parliamentary Parties Panel was consulted on the local election pilots.

The Westminster Political Parties Panel was not consulted on the local election pilots.The Commission has a statutory duty to independently evaluate the May 2026 pilot schemes and will report on the pilots by August 2026. The Commission will also support local authorities taking part in the pilots as needed.