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 estimate he has made of the potential annual revenue from the proposed overnight visitor levy; and whether an Impact Assessment has been produced.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has announced powers for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region, to drive economic growth including through support for the local visitor economy.
The Visitor Levy Consultation, running until 18 February 2026, sets out the details of the proposals for this power. This consultation will ensure the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce a levy that will be devolved to local leaders.
The impacts of the levy will largely be determined by local decisions. Mayors will decide whether to introduce a levy and, if so, consult with businesses and their communities on specific proposals including the rate at which the levy is set – which will determine the revenue raised. Rates vary across the world, for example from 2% in Turkey to 12.5% in Amsterdam. Mayors will also be required to produce an Impact Assessment.
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 10 November 2025 to Question 83467 on Councillors: Disclosure and Barring Service, what steps would be taken if a councillor has a criminal record.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Where a councillor has been convicted of criminal offences and receives a jail sentence (whether suspended or not) of three months or more, they are disqualified from either standing for or holding office as a local authority member for a period of five years.
The Local Government (Disqualification) Act 2022 introduced a further disqualification of registered sex offenders who may not receive a custodial sentence.
Councillors must declare anything that might disqualify them from standing for or holding local office, not doing so is a criminal offence.
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 21 October 2025 to Question 74185 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, whether the Government Property Agency intends to claim back the over-paid second homes council tax premium.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
No overpayment has been made. Westminster City Council has determined that a premium is due regardless of the change in occupancy.
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 to local authorities on the (a) civil and (b) criminal penalties for avoidance of paying the second homes council tax premium.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Councils have a range of powers available to them to recover any type of unpaid council tax, including council tax premiums. The government has recently consulted on modernising and improving the administration of council tax which seeks views on how council tax is collected and enforced. The government will publish its response to the consultation 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, what plans he has to allow unitary councils to expand their size into current two-tier areas.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to ending two-tier local government in England in this Parliament.
On 5 February 2025, the Government invited two-tier authorities and their neighbouring small unitary authorities to develop proposals for unitary local government. Final proposals from councils must specify the area for any new unitary council(s). If a boundary change is part of any final proposal, then it should be clear on the boundary proposed. Boundary changes are possible, but existing district areas should be considered the building blocks for proposals. More complex boundary changes will only be considered where there is a strong justification. Decisions on the most appropriate option for each area will be judgements in the round, having regard to the statutory guidance and the available evidence.
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has paused all electoral reviews in areas that have been invited to submit proposals for local government reorganisation. My Department is liaising closely with the Commission so that they are involved at the appropriate time to ensure fair electoral arrangements across the area of any new unitary local authority.