Written questions by Hollinrake.

With reference to HM Government’s submission to the Procedure Committee, WRP0015, published 28 January 2026, paragraph 29, what steps is the Leader of the House taking to address the inconsistencies on the approach to written questions and the Freedom of Information Act in relation to written answers by the Cabinet Office.

It is a matter for individual departments to determine how to respond to parliamentary questions from Members.The Guide to Parliamentary Work (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work), published by my office, sets out the government's position regarding the relationship between the treatment of requests for information through parliamentary questions and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000. Paragraph 221 states that “if information would be released under FOI, it would also be released in response to a WPQ”.I have written to all Members of Cabinet and spoken with Departmental Parliamentary Clerks and Permanent Secretaries to remind departments and Ministers about the importance of providing full and helpful responses to WPQs - including their obligations to disclose information in WPQs that would be released under FOI.I continue to encourage Hon. Members to raise any specific issues they may have with myself or my office.

Pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2026 to Question 120397 on Police: Elections, whether her Department collates and holds such contact details for each police force.

The Home Office remains firmly committed to protecting elected representatives and those standing for election.The Home Office does not routinely collate or hold contact details for individual police forces. MPs can access the contact details for their relevant Operation Bridger coordinator via ParliNet.In an emergency, elected representatives or candidates are advised to call 999 and reference Operation Bridger for MPs, or Operation Ford for locally elected representatives or those standing for local election.For non‑emergency incidents, reports should be made to the police via 101 or through the online reporting system, again referencing Operation Bridger or Operation Ford as appropriate. This ensures that the relevant Bridger coordinators and/or Ford officers are able to follow up on reported incidents.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 118895 on Political Parties: Finance, what guidance the Electoral Commission has provided to Members’ Associations on how sponsorship revenue deemed to be as a commercial transaction should be treated under donation reporting requirements.

Commercial transactions may be sponsorship, if the purpose of the payment can reasonably be seen to be to help the members association meet the costs of an event, publication, or research study. For example, a payment for advertising at an event run by a members association would be sponsorship and the full amount must be treated as a donation.The Commission will publish updated guidance on sponsorship shortly.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of safeguards for members of defined benefit pension schemes where trustees recommend discretionary increases and those increases are actuarially affordable but sponsoring employers withhold consent.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether there is a memorandum of understanding between the Electoral Commission and the House of Commons on the reporting and enforcement regime for political donations for hon. Members.

The Electoral Commission has a memorandum of understanding with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, which outlines how the two reporting regimes operate in a way which reduces the administrative burden on MPs. The Commission regularly reviews how the regimes operate and makes recommendations to Parliament to ensure the systems work effectively together and minimise the administrative burden on parliamentarians.

Whether his Department plans to require pension schemes to provide clearer advance notification to members when established policies on discretionary increases are (a) changed and (b) withdrawn.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2026 to Question 119365 on Members: Dual Jobholding, whether he plans to amend the House of Commons Code of Conduct to ban hon. Members taking secondary employment through speakers’ bureaus and paid speaking engagements.

I refer the Hon. Member to the response provided to his question 119365.I look forward to working with the Committee on Standards as it continues its inquiry into MPs’ employment and outside interests.

Pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question HL15096 on Labour Together, whether (a) special advisers and (b) civil servants are required to record their engagement with Labour Together, where such engagement is not already covered by quarterly reporting transparency requirements.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation

Whether the former Deputy Prime Minister (the Rt Hon Member for Ashton-under-Lyne) will publish a tax return for the period of time that she was Deputy Prime Minister for the 2024-25 tax year.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2026 to Question 113783 on Cabinet Office: Reviews, whether Cabinet Office staff who previously worked with Labour Together recused themselves from involvement with the Cabinet Office’s review into Labour Together.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that historic communications and reasonable expectations of pension scheme members are reflected in trustee governance and decision-making.

The Pensions Regulator has published guidance on trustee duties and expects trustees, when considering discretionary benefit increases, to assess whether doing so would be in members’ interests, including any consistent history or practice of making such awards.DWP’s recent consultation, “Trust based pension schemes: Trustees and governance, building a stronger future” sought views on ensuring that trustee boards take into account the perspectives of members in their decision making. We are currently analysing responses to the consultation.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the pavement licenses on the hospitality industry for each of the last two years.

In October 2025, the Government launched a call for evidence seeking views on the recommendations from the report of the Licensing Taskforce. This shaped the development of the National Licensing Policy Framework published in November 2025. We will continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, police and residents, to take forward the recommendations made by the Taskforce including around pavement licences.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made a formal assessment of the impact of the pavement licensing regime on the hospitality industry.

In October 2025, the Government launched a call for evidence seeking views on the recommendations from the report of the Licensing Taskforce. This shaped the development of the National Licensing Policy Framework published in November 2025. We will continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, police and residents, to take forward the recommendations made by the Taskforce including around pavement licences.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent changes to the treatment of pensions within inheritance tax on the adequacy of the current timeframe for the payment of inheritance tax.

The changes to the inheritance tax treatment of pensions are consistent with the process which already exists for administering estates and paying any tax due. Personal representatives are already responsible for administering the rest of the estate, including non-discretionary pension schemes which are already in scope of inheritance tax. The Government recognises the general difficulties that some personal representatives may face in paying the inheritance tax due and already offers several payment options to help.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what guidance his Department provides on the provision of consular assistance to British nationals who also hold citizenship of the country in which they are detained or subject to legal proceedings.

Guidance on eligibility for UK consular assistance is publicly-available at GOV.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/who-the-fcdo-can-support-abroad. If the Hon Member has a specific case that he wishes me to look into, he should write to me setting out the details.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether British diplomatic posts may conduct welfare checks or monitor legal proceedings involving dual British nationals detained or charged in their other country of nationality.

Guidance on eligibility for UK consular assistance is publicly-available at GOV.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/who-the-fcdo-can-support-abroad. If the Hon Member has a specific case that he wishes me to look into, he should write to me setting out the details.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, under what circumstances the FCDO may offer consular support or make representations on behalf of dual British nationals detained or charged in their other country of nationality.

Guidance on eligibility for UK consular assistance is publicly-available at GOV.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/who-the-fcdo-can-support-abroad. If the Hon Member has a specific case that he wishes me to look into, he should write to me setting out the details.

Whether his Department is still working towards the Smokefree 2030 ambition for England.

The Government’s ambition is to deliver a smoke-free United Kingdom, and we are going even further than the smoke-free 2030 target.The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will create the first smoke-free generation which is expected to help reduce smoking rates of 14- to 30-year-olds to near zero by 2050.

When intends to publish an answer to Question 111735, tabled on 9 February 2026, on Morgan McSweeney.

A response has been issued here.

Pursuant to the answer to question 102805 on Solar Power: Land Use, what evidence underpins the decision to make Soil Resources and Management Plans advisory rather than mandatory.

The policy on encouraging rather than mandating developers to implement Soil Resources and Management Plans is set out in National Policy Statement EN-3 which was updated in 2026 and has been subject to public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny. The National Policy Statements set clear requirements that the mitigation hierarchy must be applied to environmental impacts. The requirement to produce a Soil Resources and Management Plan is frequently included in individual planning conditions enforced by local authorities. The effectiveness of planning policies and guidance are monitored to ensure mitigation and reporting requirements are still appropriate.