Written questions by Hollinrake.

What estimate he has made of the average cost of determining a market rent application; and what the projected annual cost is following implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

It is not currently possible to identify the cost of determining a market rent application. This is one of several types of case heard by the Residential Property Tribunal and currently costs are not apportioned to individual case types. We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure the Property Tribunal is able to accommodate the impact of the Renters’ Reform Act.

What the average time taken to determine a market rent application from receipt to decision is in the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).

HM Courts & Tribunals Service does not hold specific information for applications for market rent determination. Published data is available on receipts, disposals and open caseload for residential property within Tribunals Statistics Quarterly, which will include applications for market rent determination. This information in available in column AS in tables S_2, S_3 and S_4:Main_Tables_Q2_2025_26.ods.

Whether the Government will publish data on market rent determinations, tribunal volumes, decision times and outcomes following implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Currently HM Courts and Tribunals Services (HMCTS) publish quarterly data on the Residential Property Chamber.HMCTS is reviewing the data captured, drawn and published from the supporting systems for the Tribunal as part of preparations for the Renters’ Rights Act.

How many applications for market rent determination were received by the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) in each of the last 12 months.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service does not hold specific information for applications for market rent determination. Published data is available on receipts, disposals and open caseload for residential property within Tribunals Statistics Quarterly, which will include applications for market rent determination. This information in available in column AS in tables S_2, S_3 and S_4:Main_Tables_Q2_2025_26.ods.

How many additional (a) judges and (b) valuers have been recruited in advance of the implementation of the rent review provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Judges, salaried regional surveyors (valuers), and fee paid valuers assigned to the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) Property Chamber can hear any case type in the Chamber, including rent determinations. The number of judges in post as of 1 April 2025 assigned to the Property Chamber is published in the 2025 Judicial Diversity Statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/diversity-of-the-judiciary-2025-statistics. 2 regional surveyors and 77 valuers in post as of 1 April 2025 are assigned to the Property Chamber as their primary appointment. We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to assess the impact of the Renters’ Rights Act on the Chamber, including on judicial capacity. Recruitment was completed in 2025 for salaried and fee-paid judges of the FTT, including for the Property Chamber, and further recruitment in 2026 is planned. The independent Judicial Appointments Commission publishes data on the outcomes of these exercises once recruitment is completed: https://judicialappointments.gov.uk/completed-exercises/.

How many (a) judges and (b) specialist valuers are assigned to residential rent determination cases in the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).

Judges, salaried regional surveyors (valuers), and fee paid valuers assigned to the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) Property Chamber can hear any case type in the Chamber, including rent determinations. The number of judges in post as of 1 April 2025 assigned to the Property Chamber is published in the 2025 Judicial Diversity Statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/diversity-of-the-judiciary-2025-statistics. 2 regional surveyors and 77 valuers in post as of 1 April 2025 are assigned to the Property Chamber as their primary appointment. We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to assess the impact of the Renters’ Rights Act on the Chamber, including on judicial capacity. Recruitment was completed in 2025 for salaried and fee-paid judges of the FTT, including for the Property Chamber, and further recruitment in 2026 is planned. The independent Judicial Appointments Commission publishes data on the outcomes of these exercises once recruitment is completed: https://judicialappointments.gov.uk/completed-exercises/.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, at what monetary thresholds do exit payments to departing Ambassadors or Heads of Mission need to be approved by (a) the Accounting Officer and Permanent Secretary of FCDO and (b) the Chief Secretary to the Treasury; and whether they need to be published by name of the civil servant in departmental accounts.

The guidance governing the approval of such payments is publicly available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-sector-exit-payments-guidance-on-special-severance-payments.

With reference to the Cabinet Office publication, Public Appointments made by or of interest to the Prime Minister, of 30 October 2025, what does the inclusion of a regulated public appointment in that list entail for the process of that appointment; and whether the No10 Public Appointments Unit is consulted by the sponsor department on the (a) panel members, (b) longlist, (c) shortlist and (d) proposed final appointment by the sponsor department.

This Government is continuing to ensure the highest standards in the public appointments process. The process for public appointments is set out on gov.uk, including a transparent list of appointments that by their nature may be of interest to the Prime Minister’s Office.

With reference to the transparency data, Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP official charity receptions, July to September 2025, updated on 19 December 2025, what was the cost to the public purpose of each of the listed official receptions.

As under previous administrations, details of official receptions are published in quarterly transparency returns on gov.uk.

Whether his Department has negotiated a signed data sharing agreement with the Labour Party in relation to the operation of the Number 10 Political Office.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 31 March 2025, Official Report, PQ 39119.

Pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2025 to Question 97796, what the estimated financial value was of the Downing Street property in the 2022-23 valuation.

A professional revaluation of the Downing Street estate was last carried out under the previous government. The estimated value is included in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23.

With reference to his Department's register of board members' interests, 2025 to 2026, published on 5 September 2025, what business A.M.Strategy undertakes.

The Rt. Hon. Alan Milburn has declared A.M. Strategy Ltd in the Department’s register of interests. This is the business through which he has provided advisory services for several years.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2025, to Question 91404, on Embassies: Royal Mint, if he will publish the Note Verbale dated 4 May 2018 relating to the consent to the People's Republic of China for Royal Mint Court; and whether that Note Verbale was conditional on the Embassy obtaining the necessary planning and listed building permission.

The Government does not routinely publish Notes Verbales outside of legal proceedings, or comment on their contents, as they are regarded by international custom as private diplomatic correspondence and presumed confidential.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there was a cost to the public purse for external legal advice relating to the departure of Lord Mandelson as (a) Ambassador and (b) from the Civil Service.

The Government has established processes to seek external legal advice in line with normal practice. The Government does not routinely comment on specific legal advice that it may or may not have received.

Pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2025, to Question 92610, on Special Advisers, what were the topics of the presentations.

This was an internal meeting, and the topics of discussion are not a matter of public record.

Pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2025, to Question 96790, on Tim Allan, how Tom Baldwin is classified in the published list of external meetings.

The Special Adviser Code of Conduct sets out the categories of meetings, gifts and hospitality that are declared publicly. Any relevant meetings within this category will be published via this process in the normal way.

Pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2025, to Question 92614, on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, if he will publish the Government Property Agency letter of June 2025.

Communications between officials and third parties are not published as their disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs. The release of individual names would also be a breach of data protection under the General Data Protection Regulations.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of aligning shotgun and firearm licensing systems on (a) public safety and (b) police licensing resource capacity.

The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. We intend to publish this consultation shortly.We will carefully consider all of the views put forward during the consultation once it is completed, before deciding whether and what changes are necessary in the interests of public safety. We will also provide an impact assessment in relation to any changes that we intend to bring forward after the consultation including, as appropriate, impact on the police, the rural economy, sports, wildlife management and crop protection, in the normal way.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of aligning shotgun and firearm licensing systems on (a) the rural economy, (b) legitimate sporting shooting and (c) essential wildlife management and crop protection.

The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. We intend to publish this consultation shortly.We will carefully consider all of the views put forward during the consultation once it is completed, before deciding whether and what changes are necessary in the interests of public safety. We will also provide an impact assessment in relation to any changes that we intend to bring forward after the consultation including, as appropriate, impact on the police, the rural economy, sports, wildlife management and crop protection, in the normal way.

On what dates his Department has received Freedom of Information requests relating to the Downing Street flats since 4 July 2024; what information was requested; and what the substantive decision was in each case.

Requests made under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act (2000) are handled on a case by case basis. The relevant records are not structured in such a way that would provide an answer without incurring a disproportionate cost.