Written questions by Simmonds.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23346 on Property Development: Air Pollution, how many new developments and dwellings currently undertake air quality assessments; and when such are assessments required.

All developments subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment are required to undertake air quality assessments. Air quality assessments may also be required for developments where national assessment indicates that relevant limit values for air pollutants have been exceeded or are near the limit, or where the need for emissions reductions has been identified. The information regarding how many new developments and dwellings currently undertake air quality assessments is not collated centrally.

Food and Rural Affairs, how local authorities are charged for the costs of residual waste disposal through (a) incineration and (b) landfill.

For too long the nation has seen recycling rates stagnate and relied on burning or burying waste. The Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy, a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives. Key to this commitment is the reduction of residual waste. Charges for waste disposal are usually expressed as a pound per tonne cost and paid monthly in arrears depending on the tonnage managed under the contractual relationship. The overall cost of waste disposal will depend on a number of variables, associated with their contracts. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap) publishes an annual gate fees report UK Gate Fees report 2023-24 | WRAP. The disposal of waste in landfill is also subject to the Landfill Tax. Landfill Tax rates - GOV.UK

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 22329 on Noise: Pollution Control, what guidance her Department has issued on noise complaints about established use, including long-standing (a) chiming clocks and (b) church bells.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 22329 on 17 January 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 January 2025 to Question 19349 on Nature Conservation: EU law, what amendments to assimilated EU law are being considered.

Future plans for the reporting period 24 June to 23 December 2025 will be included in the fourth Assimilated Law Parliamentary Report. Past reports can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/retained-eu-law-reul-parliamentary-report.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2025 to Question 21148 on Air Pollution, which local authorities his Department is discussing Clean Air Zones with.

The Government has agreed local plans with all areas in the NO2 programme except for Stoke-on-Trent/Newcastle-under-Lyme. Seven Clean Air Zones have been implemented by local authorities under the previous Government where local plans had evidenced them to achieve legal NO2 levels in the shortest possible time. Government engages with these local authorities on a range of issues, including the operation of their Clean Air Zones, Local authorities with established Clean Air Zones are:BathBirminghamBradfordBristolPortsmouthSheffieldTyneside (Newcastle/Gateshead)

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 24220 on Local Government: Elections, whether she plans to bring forward other secondary legislation relating to local government restructuring before the local elections in May 2025.

As set out in my Statement on 5 February 2025 (HCWS418), I will make secondary legislation to postpone elections to nine local authorities from May 2025 to 2026. No further secondary legislation is planned before May 2025.Where elections have been postponed, all by-elections to county and district councils will take place as normal. Where a vacancy would have been filled at an election which is postponed, it will, instead, be filled at a by-election.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has received representations from the Great Britain-China Centre on the new proposed Chinese Embassy in London.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not received representations from Great Britain-China Centre regarding the Chinese Embassy's planning application. It is not for the FCDO to receive "representations" on this matter. Any representations should have been provided to Tower Hamlets Council or, post call-in, to the planning inspectorate.

Whether her Department plans to review the air traffic movement cap at Heathrow.

Any proposal for change to the existing planning cap on air traffic movements at Heathrow airport would need to form part of a relevant planning application.There is currently no live Development Consent Order application from Heathrow Airport.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of expanding Heathrow Airport on the economy.

There is currently no live Development Consent Order application from Heathrow Airport.The Government would carefully consider any planning application in line with the relevant planning processes.

What recent estimate she has made of the number of people impacted by increased noise pollution from proposed expansion at Heathrow.

There is currently no live Development Consent Order from Heathrow Airport.The Government would carefully consider any application for expansion at Heathrow Airport in line with the relevant planning processes.

Whether she plans to review the policy paper entitled Airports National Policy Statement, published on 5 June 2018.

As required by the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State will review the Airports National Policy Statement when she considers it appropriate to do so.

Whether she plans to provide additional funding to improve public transport networks to Heathrow Airport.

DfT expects airports, including Heathrow, to work closely with local stakeholders and Government to develop and update their masterplans and surface access strategies every five years. Improvements to surface access to airports are generally funded by the airports themselves.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15199 on Council Tax: Wales, if he will list each individual value significant code that is utilised in the Automated Valuation Model.

The subsidised housing indicator is the only value significant code used in the Automated Valuation Model, as detailed in the response to UIN 16941.

Whether the Government has a residual financial interest in the Royal Mint site near the Tower of London.

The Royal Mint site near the Tower of London was sold by the Crown Estate in 2010 and, as such, there is no residual financial interest to the Exchequer from The Crown Estate.HM Treasury has not made specific representations to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the proposed Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint site in London. Information relating to HMT agencies is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Electoral Commission has issued on political donations (a) from impermissible foreign donors and (b) funnelling money to avoid political donation restrictions.

The Commission provides guidance and support for parties and campaigners to ensure they understand and comply with donation laws.Its guidance sets out the requirements and checks necessary when accepting donations. Parties and campaigners are responsible for carrying out checks on donations they receive to ensure they are from permissible sources, and for properly and accurately reporting them.The guidance makes clear that the law requires political parties to report unlawful donations and return them to the donor. It also explains that parties must not knowingly or recklessly make a false declaration about the true origin of the donation.As well as issuing guidance, the Commission carries out permissibility checks on a sample of donations. It has the powers to sanction parties that accept impermissable foreign donations or do not comply with the political finance laws.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the Electoral Commission's timetable is for the publication of third party data for the 2024 general election.

The Commission has recently published a range of data, including on the experiences of voters and candidates, from the 2024 general election as part of its statutory duty to report on elections.It also publishes spending and donations data from parties, campaigners and candidates. It will publish returns received from political parties and register non-party campaigners in two stages, with returns under £250,000 published shortly and those over £250,000 published later in the year.This will provide transparency to voters about the money spent and received by non-party campaigners at the general election.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what discussions the Electoral Commission has had with the Government on reforms to regulation on political donations.

Since 2013, the Electoral Commission has recommended changes to strengthen the political finance regime, including changes that would improve the transparency and controls on donations. It has regular discussions with the Government on these proposals and will use its expertise and experince regulating the political finance regime to ensure any changes are workable and evidence based.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has produced guidance on how non-monetary donations in kind should be reported.

The Electoral Commission provides guidance on notional spending, which outlines the reporting requirements for services or goods provided for free or at a discount.The Elections Act 2022 changed the legal test for when a candidate must record notional spending. The Commission supports parties and campaigners to understand and comply with the updated law and how it should be applied in practice to their campaigns. It produced a statutory Code of Practice on controlled spending for non-party campaigners, which include the changes introduced to notional spending.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has produced guidance on whether social media companies intentionally adjusting network algorithms to favour specific political (a) candidates and (b) parties constitutes a donation in kind for the purposes of election finance requirements.

The Electoral Commission has not published specific guidance on network algorithms used by social media companies.Delibaretely adjusting an algorithm to favour specific candidates or parties may constitute a donation in kind, if this has been agreed with the candidate or party in question.If the candidate or party is unaware of the adjustment, it is unlikely to be a donation as donations require acceptance from the recipient.Intentially adjusting an algorithm may constitute regulated non-party campaigning by the social media company, but this would depend on the nature of the platform and the adjustment made.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has produced guidance on foreign donors channelling funds through UK-registered corporate bodies.

The Commission provides guidance and support for parties and campaigners on the donation laws, including the permissibility of donations given to UK-registered companies. The Commission has highlighted that the limitations of the current law mean it is possible for money from foreign sources to enter the UK electoral system, through donations from UK companies.Since 2013, the Commission has called for the laws around company donations to be strengthened. It has recommended changes to ensure parties and campagners cannot accept money from companies that have not made enough money in the UK to fund the amount of their donation or loan. It also recommends a duty on campaigners to carry out enhanced know-your-donor checks and improved transparency over the political donations made to unincorporated associations.