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 pursuant to the Answer of 28 August 2026 to Question 18023, on Social Rented Housing: Eligibility, in what circumstances are immigrants who have no recourse to public funds eligible for (a) temporary accommodation and (b) homeless support from local housing authorities.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Eligibility for statutory homelessness assistance from housing authorities is determined by immigration status. In general, an applicant who is a person from abroad with a no recourse to public funds (NRPF) condition will not be eligible for assistance. Guidance on eligibility for homelessness services is set out in Chapter 7 of the Homelessness Code of Guidance Homelessness code of guidance for local authorities - Download this guidance - Guidance - GOV.UK.
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 the automatic voter registration pilots will cross constituency boundaries.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will test automated registration in a range of different locations and settings, with different characteristics and challenges.
We will develop criteria with the Electoral Commission to inform outreach to local authorities to as much as possible encourage the participation of a balanced range of areas, for example areas with different geographical, demographic and structural characteristics.
We want to ensure the pilots work effectively and we are considering the issue of constituency boundaries as part of the pilot design process.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2026 to Question 14978, on Community Development, what Sustainable Communities Act bids have been submitted since 7 July 2026.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
None.
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 the answer of 7 July 2026 to Question HL1337 on Anti-Muslim Hostility, how her Department is engaging central and local public authorities on the new definition; and whether the engagement includes police forces.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department is engaging with sectors to consider the best approaches support effective implementation of the definition of anti-Muslim hostility.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 28 August 2026 to Question 15737 on Elections: Pilot Schemes, what was the topic of the planned protest on election day that lead to Plymouth City Council withdrawing from the pilot scheme.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Participation in the flexible voting pilots is voluntary and is a matter for Returning Officers, who are responsible for the conduct and security of elections in their area.
The Government is not in a position to comment on operational or security matters considered by the Returning Officer at Plymouth City Council.
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 the High Value Council Tax Surcharge consultations, published 19 May 2026, whether any single person discount will apply to the council tax surcharge.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has consulted on the design of the High Value Council Tax Surcharge, including proposed exemptions and support arrangements and will publish its response in due course.
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, which minister in her Department is responsible for issues relating to late-night licensing.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I am the minister responsible for late-night licensing in this department. However, the Home Office is the responsible department for licensing, more broadly.
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 the risk assessments on political donations in the Representation of the People Bill will apply to bequests where the donor has died.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Bequests are expressly recognised within the political finance regime. Where a bequest constitutes a donation under the relevant regime, it is treated as a political donation and subject to the relevant donation controls. Recipients must continue to comply with the existing statutory requirements for donations, including taking the steps required by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to establish whether a donation is permissible before it can be accepted.
All recipients of political contributions above £11,180 (as a single donation or by aggregation from the same donor in the relevant reference period) including relevant donations, regulated transactions and bequests, will need to carry out a risk assessment as required by the Know Your Donor regime. The recipient remains responsible for satisfying itself that it has complied with the statutory requirements in electoral law before accepting that donation, having regard to Electoral Commission guidance where relevant.
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 the moratorium on cryptocurrencies will apply to digital tokens and memecoins.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As announced on 25 March 2026, the ban applies to all cryptoassets of any value that meet the definition set out in the Government's amendment. This includes digital tokens and memecoins where they are a cryptographically secured digital representation of value or contractual rights that uses distributed ledger technology and can be transferred, stored or traded electronically.