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 his Department will take steps to ensure that suitable provision is made for uninsured historical liabilities that succeeding authorities may inherit following reorganisation; and if his Department will provide guidance to local authorities to support this process.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils.
These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. The provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves.
It is the responsibility of councils to manage their budgets and they should ensure funding decisions are prudent and represent value for money. The Government expects local government reorganisation deliver better value for money for taxpayers, saving money that can be reinvested in front line services.
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 his Department will provide local authorities with flexibility in applying the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 or Procurement Act 2023 during periods of local government reorganisation.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils.
These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. The provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves.
It is the responsibility of councils to manage their budgets and they should ensure funding decisions are prudent and represent value for money. The Government expects local government reorganisation deliver better value for money for taxpayers, saving money that can be reinvested in front line services.
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 Home Office and its subcontractor are paying above market rates to hire Houses in Multiple Occupation for asylum accommodation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly. This includes our accommodation sites, as the Home Office continues to identify a range of options to minimise the use of hotels and ensure better use of public money, whilst maintaining sufficient accommodation to meet demand.
The procurement process is guided by principles of sustainability and measured growth, ensuring that accommodation is not only available but also suitable for long-term use and integrated within local communities.
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 page 4 of the Autumn Budget 2025, HC1492, 26 November 2025, if he will publish the evidential basis for the claim that there would be a £250 million saving from reducing the number of councillors by 5000.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to cutting the cost of politics.
The £250 million figure was calculated based on estimated savings from the potential reduction in local councillors through Local Government Reorganisation and from the abolition of Police and Crime Commissioners
For councillors, this is based on £120 million of savings through a potential reduction in the number of councillors by 5,000. The Government estimated savings on councillor expenditure of £40 million per year from 2028/2029 when new unitarity councils are due to be established, through to the end of the fiscal forecast period in 2030/31.
Our estimates are based on the range of councillors and number of new authorities post-reorganisation based on the proposals and initial plans under discussion in local areas, the announced approach for reorganisation in Surrey, as well as the Local Government Boundary Commission 2024/25 data on councillor numbers and sampling councillor expenditure from current upper and lower tier authorities. Our estimates are rounded mid-points as the exact figures will naturally depend on decisions on which, if any, proposals for reorganisation are implemented.
The remaining £130 million is based on estimated net savings from the abolition of Police and Crime Commissioners over 5 years.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to page 122 of the OBR, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, November 2025, CP1439, 26 November 2025, what is her department’s estimated spending on asylum in 2024-25 and each year of the Spending Review.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Asylum support spend in FY 2024/25 was £4.0 billion and for 2025/26 the budget is £3.6 billion. As per the Spending Review, by FY 2028/29, we plan to reduce this by £1.1 billion, bringing the total spend down to £2.5 billion. The allocations process is ongoing to profile this expenditure and confirm budgets for each year, which will then be published in the Main Estimate.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025, to Question 89453, on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, for what reason the second homes premium was billed in July when it had been introduced in from 1 April 2025.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The issuing of council tax bills is a matter for the relevant billing authority.
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 has provided any support to the Sanctuary City and Sanctuary Council movement since July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
After reasonable checks, the Home Office does not seem to have supported either organisation mentioned.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2025, to Question 86658, on Asylum: Housing, if she will outline what specific responsibilities and powers will strategic authorities have in this regard; whether this will involve taking responsibilities from local housing authorities; and whether this will include agreeing the number of asylum seekers to be housed within the strategic authority area, and its allocation to individual councils.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is working with local authorities to develop several potential asylum accommodation models that could ‘pilot’ a more sustainable, flexible and collaborative outcome. Decisions on the provision of alternative asylum accommodation sites will be made on a site-by-site basis, and we will continue to work closely with key stakeholders and in compliance with published policy.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2025, to Question 86658, on Asylum: Housing, what specific function or role will the Greater London Authority have in relation to asylum housing.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is working with local authorities to develop several potential asylum accommodation models that could ‘pilot’ a more sustainable, flexible and collaborative outcome. Decisions on the provision of alternative asylum accommodation sites will be made on a site-by-site basis, and we will continue to work closely with key stakeholders and in compliance with published policy.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025, to Question 86426, on Asylum: Housing, If she will publish a copy of the pre-procurement documentation sent to potential suppliers of asylum accommodation for the next round of contracts.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The pre-procurement documentation for the Future Asylum Contract Transformation Project will not be published.