Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many households in Lincolnshire were successful in applications from the Disabled Facilities Grant in each of the last three years.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The total Disabled Facilities Grant allocation to Local Housing Authorities in Lincolnshire for the last three years is shown below.
Disabled Facilities Grant Allocation | |||
| 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | 2025-2026 |
Lincolnshire | £7,585,253 | £8,656,686 | £9,265,453 |
This information is publicly available on the website of Foundations, the National Body for Disabled Facilities Grants and Home Improvement Agencies here: Disabled Facilities Grant Annual Allocations.
It is for local authorities to decide how to spend their allocation and deliver adaptations to eligible disabled and older people. Government does not hold data on how many households have received Disabled Facilities Grant funding.
This Government recognises how important home adaptations are in enabling disabled people to live as independently as possible in a safe and suitable environment. This is why we boosted Disabled Facilities Grant funding to £711 million for each of 2024-25 and 2025-26, with a further £50 million in year top up this year, bringing total funding for 2025-26 to £761 million.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, 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.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
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.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has issued guidance on whether the second homes premium should be levied on empty dwellings that are undergoing repairs or major refurbishment.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Councils have the power to apply a council tax premium on dwellings which are no one’s sole or main residence and substantially furnished (second homes) and dwellings which have been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for 1 or more years (long-term empty homes).
The government has published guidance on the implementation of council tax premiums. This is available on gov.uk here. Where a dwelling requires or is undergoing major repairs it may be excepted from the long-term empty homes premium for up to 12 months.
Councils have the power to provide their own local exceptions or provide discretionary discounts where they consider this appropriate. The government encourages councils to make use of their local expertise to consider where a premium should not be charged.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of above-inflation council tax increases in each year of the multi-year finance settlement on family disposable incomes.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Council tax levels are decided by local authorities. For the vast majority of councils, the government intends to maintain a core 3% referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept for each year of the multi-year settlement. Councils are required to put in place council tax support schemes to support those on low incomes.
Referendum principles must be determined by the Secretary of State annually and approved by the House of Commons. This will be done each year as part of the annual local government finance settlement in the usual way.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of postal voting fraud in elections since the 2024 general election.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Data on allegations and outcomes of electoral fraud is collected by police forces across the UK and provided to the Electoral Commission. The Electoral Commission then publishes this information annually on its website. The Government continues to work closely with the Electoral Commission, the police and other partners to safeguard the integrity of elections and maintain public confidence in the democratic process.
Postal voting is now a major part of our elections, with over a quarter of votes at the 2024 General Election cast by post. As part of the Electoral Commission’s review of that election, 89% of postal voters stated they were satisfied with the process of voting.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has had discussions with local authorities on representations by the Muslim Council of Britain to place polling stations in mosques.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The selection of polling station locations is a matter for the independent Returning Officer. The independent Electoral Commission is responsible for providing guidance to Returning Officers, including on polling station selection. The Electoral Commission is also responsible for setting standards and monitoring the performance of Returning Officers.
The Secretary of State has not had discussions with local authorities regarding representations by the Muslim Council of Britain on the placement of polling stations.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what is the most recent estimate of the number of qualified Commonwealth citizens on the UK Parliamentary electoral roll in (a) England and (b) the United Kingdom.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
While there are no official statistics specifically on qualifying Commonwealth citizens currently living in the UK who are registered to vote, Electoral Commission figures estimate that 66% of this group may be registered to vote (as at 2023). Further information on the Electoral Commission can be found on the Electoral Commission’s website.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his proposed changes to voter identification requirements, whether Bank Cards would need to have a (a) photograph and (b) full name to be accepted as identification.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 116475 answered on 9 March 2026.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on taking safety action where land is ownerless due to escheat and poses a risk to highways or public safety.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authorities have powers provided by section 78 of the Building Act 1984 to take emergency measures when dealing with dangerous structures. If a structure, or part of it, appears dangerous and requires immediate action to remove the danger, the local authority may take steps as necessary for that purpose.
While the Ministry does not issue guidance in relation to ownerless land and highways, the Law Commission in its 14th Programme of Law Reform will look to address the problems that may arise when land ceases to have an owner and transfers to the Crown. The project will carry out a review of bona vacantia and escheat with the aim of clarifying the law.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what is the planned implementation date for the lowering of the voting age to 16.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government was elected on a manifesto commitment to extend the right to vote to 16- and 17-year-olds in all UK elections. To deliver this commitment, the Representation of the People Bill was introduced Parliament on 12 February 2026 and received its Second Reading in the House of Commons on 2 March 2026.
Extending the franchise to 16- and 17-year-olds represents a significant change to the electoral franchise and requires careful planning to implement effectively. Subject to Parliamentary passage of the Bill, the government intends for the franchise change to be in place in good time ahead of the next UK Parliamentary General Election.