Written questions by Hollinrake.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 64767 on Waster Charges: Social Tariff, what recent estimate Ofwat has made of the (a) average cost to households of the cross-subsidy for social tariffs and (b) potential impact of proposed changes to social tariffs on the average cost to households in each year between 2025 and 2030.

At PR24 Ofwat challenged companies to address customer concerns about the affordability of water bills in the 2025-2030 period and asked them to set out the measures that they would take and how they would fund these measures.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 64768 on Water: Prices, what estimate Ofwat has made of the average increase in water bills for homes with gardens affected by seasonal water metering.

Ofwat has not conducted a specific bill impact assessment for homes with gardens for companies trialling this method of charging. South West Water estimated that 55% of household customers would save on its seasonal saver tariff and 95% of customers would save on its summer peak tariff; South West Water has designed the trial to be revenue neutral within the trial groups. Anglian Water has estimated that 2 out of every 3 customers would be no worse off or marginally better off under its seasonal tariffs, compared with its standard charge.

How many uncovered auctions there have been for Government gilts since 4 July 2024.

From 4 July 2024 to the date of this response, there have been no uncovered auctions for gilts. The results of all gilt auctions are published on the UK Debt Management Office website.

Whether she plans to amend the (a) funding and (b) qualifying spending for Party Political Conference Security Grants.

The Party Political Conference Security Grants funding arrangements were outlined in 2016 by the Home Office for the party in power and the main opposition party. These principles have been adhered to since and the Home Office has regular engagement with parties about security planning for party conferences.The UK government’s security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, including disclosure of costs, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect future security operations.

How much was given to the Labour Party for Party Political Conference Security Grant in each year since 2019.

The Party Political Conference Security Grants funding arrangements were outlined in 2016 by the Home Office for the party in power and the main opposition party. These principles have been adhered to since and the Home Office has regular engagement with parties about security planning for party conferences.The UK government’s security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, including disclosure of costs, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect future security operations.

What guidance HMRC has issued on claiming private residence capital gains tax exemption.

HMRC has published information on capital gains tax private residence relief in their self-assessment helpsheets HS283 “Private Residence Relief” and HS281 “Capital Gains Tax, civil partners and spouses”; and their capital gains manual at page CG64200 onwards. These are available on the GOV.UK website. Relief is available in most cases without a claim needing to be made.

Communities and Local Government, whether new unitary councils will be elected (a) all-out and (b) by thirds.

Our expectation is to provide for whole council elections, consistent with the approach taken in previous unitarisations where new councils were established under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 53898 on Senior Civil Servants: Pay, whether that list will be published in 2025.

The ‘high earner’ list will be published after departments and their partner organisations have implemented the 2025/26 senior pay award and they have fully quality assured the personal data being published about individuals. Departments also publish salary information for all their Senior Civil Service (SCS) roles in quarterly organograms on data.gov.uk and for all SCS operating at Board level in their Annual Accounts.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2025 to Question 58020 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission and further to the correspondence from the MHCLG Planning Casework Unit to DP9 of 6 August 2025, for what reason the unredacted drawings were not requested from the applicant until 6 August 2025.

The Planning Inspector's Report was received by the Department on 10 June. Following careful analysis of the report, the Secretary of State referred back to parties on a number of matters, including the redacted drawings, on 6 August.

If he will publish the terms and conditions for non-executive board member appointments agreed to by Alan Milburn.

We will not be publishing personal appointment letters, which include terms and conditions of appointment, sent to Departmental non-executive board members. The terms and conditions are in line with those for other public appointments made by the Department and include the need to abide by Cabinet Office’s Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies.The role of board members, their salary, time commitment and political activity are all already in the public domain.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 July 2025 to Question 57266 on Domestic Visits: Doncaster, which events the special advisers who travelled with the Prime Minister to Doncaster took part in on 10 April 2025.

I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 28 July 2025, Official Report, PQ 57266.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Internship Scheme To Get More Working Class Students Into Civil Service, published on 1 August 2025, whether children of asylum seekers that (a) are permitted to work and (b) have a parent that is also an asylum seeker would be classified as working class for these purposes.

As we set out in August, we will be opening our Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme exclusively for undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds for 2026. We will determine eligibility based on parental occupation at age 14 in line with guidance from the Social Mobility Commission and the Office for National Statistics definition. Regardless of whether or not a person is eligible under the social mobility criteria all applicants must meet the Civil Service Nationality rules (CSNR). Under this, asylum seekers are not permitted to work unless they have been waiting for a decision on their claim for 12 months or more and the delay is through no fault of their own. If granted permission to work, they are able to take up employment in jobs included on the Shortage Occupation List (replaced by the Immigration Salary List in April 2024). We do not consider roles offered on the Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme to be included on the ‘Immigration Salary List’.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 64049 on Alcoholic Drinks, what those international conventions are.

I refer the honourable member to the answer given on 23 July to PQ UIN 68763. Thirteen of the twenty largest sovereign green bond issuers to date, including the UK, explicitly exclude the financing of alcohol-related spending in their green bond frameworks. Another issues Sharia-compliant green bonds. Five of the remaining six make no mention of alcohol in their frameworks, and France places partial restrictions on alcohol production. The UK’s approach is thus in line with international norms.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department responded to the correspondence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government of 6 August 2025 on the proposed Chinese Embassy.

On 20 August, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Home Office submitted written representations to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in response to its correspondence of 6 August.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what due diligence was undertaken for the appointment of the UK ambassador to the US.

Normal pre-employment processes, including vetting, are routinely carried out prior to all senior civil service appointments.

For what reason his Department pays council tax on Ministerial residences which are deemed to be second homes.

It has been long-standing government policy, in place for successive administrations, including for the previous government the Hon member served in, that where a minister occupies an official residence on a second home basis, the government pays the council tax.

How much council tax was paid by his Department on the Deputy Prime Minister’s flat in Admiralty House in each month since 4 July 2024.

The council tax charges levied by Westminster City Council are available online on their website at https://www.westminster.gov.uk/council-tax/council-tax-bands-and-chargesFollowing the introduction of the second homes premium, this has been paid in full in a one-off full payment in July 2025. This payment was made by the Government Property Agency on the date the Notice was received from Westminster City Council.

Whether his Department has issued guidance to special advisers on undertaking opposition research involving individual politicians.

As has been the case under successive governments, special advisers are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers at all times. No specific guidance has been issued on special advisers undertaking opposition research involving individual politicians.

Whether his Department has provided guidance on whether Ministerial meetings arranged through the Labour Infrastructure Forum should be declared in Ministerial transparency returns.

The Ministerial Code sets out principles for Ministers on meetings with external organisations. Guidance published by the Cabinet Office at the following link sets out the information departments are required to publish as part of their Ministerial transparency return: -https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministers-overseas-travel-and-meetings-publication-guidance/ministers-overseas-travel-and-meetings-publication-guidance.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2025 to Question 68481 on 10 Downing Street: ICT, whether Number 10 has its own operational Bloomberg terminal, independent from the Treasury ones.

I refer my Hon Friend to the answer of 23 July, Official Report, PQ 68481.