Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question
To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission was consulted prior to the announcement of the cancellation of unitary elections in May 2027.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
The Commission was not consulted on the announcement of the cancellation of unitary elections in May 2027.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to make changes to the dispersal system for asylum seekers to different local authority areas.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office remains responsible for meeting its statutory obligations to accommodate asylum seekers under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Decisions on the procurement and allocation of asylum accommodation are therefore a matter for the Home Office.
The Department works closely with local authorities, Strategic Migration Partnerships and other local partners to inform decisions on asylum accommodation provision. Local authorities are consulted on proposed dispersed accommodation properties and are able to provide local information and intelligence to support decision-making.
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 discussions has the (a) Secretary of State and (b) Minister for Local Government had with (i) Birmingham City Council, (ii) the Best Value intervention team, (iii) trade unions on the bin strike in Birmingham.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
During the acute phase of the waste dispute last year, the Government took decisive action in lock step with the Council to ensure waste in the city was safely and sustainably managed. The result was to establish a regular, reliable waste collection service despite industrial action.
The ongoing waste dispute is damaging for the residents and reputation of the great city of Birmingham. It is disappointing that a resolution has not yet been achieved, but this matter remains a local issue and is between Birmingham City Council, as the employer, and Unite, representing employees. The Government is not a party to this dispute, but we continue to urge both parties to work together to bring about a sustainable solution to end the strike, in the interests of the people of Birmingham.
We take the progress made across Birmingham City Council very seriously. A successful and prospering Birmingham is a priority for this government, and the department regularly engages with the Council in line with standard practice for statutory interventions. This is alongside receiving regular updates on progress from Commissioners, including on the waste dispute.
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 ref: 5105613138 in her Department's document entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, May 2026, published on 10 August 2026, what are the terms of reference for the Multiple Disadvantage Research to be conducted by Verian Group UK Limited.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The multiple disadvantage research carried out by Verian included the preparation of a series of webinars which will share the learning generated from the evaluation of Changing Futures 1 with the sector, and internal work to support the design and delivery of the evaluation of Changing Futures 2.
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 5 August 2026 to Question HL2418, on Homelessness, what is the total amount of (a) CDEL and (b) RDEL funding in each year of the Spending Review which is currently uncommitted.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In line HM Treasury guidance, departments are expected to manage new pressures within existing budgets and therefore maintain robust contingency arrangements. Departments are required to identify around 5 percent of their allocated Departmental Expenditure Limits that could be reprioritised if unforeseen pressures arise, either through unallocated provision, contingency plans, or a combination of the two.
Consistent with this approach, MHCLG retains a degree of budget flexibility rather than committing all funding at the start of the financial year. The precise level of flexibility changes as budgets are allocated and decisions taken over the course of the financial year and the Spending Review period.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to reduce business rates on (a) butchers, (b) bakers and (c) bookshops.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Government has introduced new permanent lower multipliers for eligible Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) properties. These provide nearly £1 billion per year of support to the RHL sector and benefit over 750,000 properties, replacing temporary reliefs that were in place during and after the pandemic and providing businesses with greater certainty and stability.
Full details of eligibility for the new multipliers are set out in the relevant statutory instrument (SI), which can be found online here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/1093/contents/made with guidance to support in interpreting the SI found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/business-rates-multipliers-qualifying-retail-hospitality-or-leisure. The Government expects the vast majority of eligible retail properties to benefit from the new RHL multipliers.
The Chancellor announces decisions on tax policy at fiscal events. Any future changes to business rates, including for specific sectors or property types, would be considered as part of that process.