Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of name of the high value council tax surcharge on public awareness of the local authorities' role in the process of collecting revenue from this tax.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
As set out at Budget 2025, the High Value Council Tax Surcharge will be administered alongside existing Council Tax by local authorities, who will collect revenue. The Government will undertake a new burdens assessment to ensure costs to local authorities are fully funded.
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 20 January 2026 to Question 105396 on Eden Project: Morecambe, whether he has had discussions with representatives from (a) Lancaster City Council and (b) any other sponsors of the Eden Project on (i) changes to the number of domes built as part of the project and (ii) any other potential development options since July 2024.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I have had no engagement. My officials have as part of regular monitoring as per the answer given to Question UIN 120470 on 19 March 2026.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Equality Act 2010 on (a) the police and (b) local authorities ability to tackle unauthorised traveller sites.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The police and local authorities are required to act in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 and their obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights. The powers available to the police apply to anyone residing on land without consent and refusing to leave where the statutory conditions for enforcement are met, regardless of race or ethnicity, or any other protected characteristic. Enforcement powers must always be exercised fairly and in a way that respects the rights of all individuals.
The government keeps all legislation in this area under regular review to powers remain effective and proportionate. Operational decisions on the use of these powers rest with the police, working closely with local authorities.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to Answer of 10 February 2026 to Question 109627 on Music Venues and Public Houses: Business Rates, if she will publish information on pubs and live music venues relief.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
In 2026/27, all pubs and live music venues will benefit from 15% relief on their new business rates bills on top of the support announced at the Budget. Their bills will then be frozen in real terms for two years from April 2027.
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 methodology his Department uses when calculating a council taxbase in the context of the Local Government Finance Settlement.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government believes it is right to continue to calculate Core Spending Power in line with the approach used at previous Settlements. We are therefore assuming each authority’s council tax base increases in line with the average annual growth in their council tax base between 2021-22 and 2025-26.
We are rewarding local authorities for housebuilding by not making a council tax base projection in Fair Funding Allocations awarded through the Local Government Finance Settlement. Any increase in council tax income from new homes will therefore be additional across the multi-year Settlement.
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 OBR’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook, 3 March 2026, para 3.41, and Table A.5, what estimate he has made of the potential impact on policy changes on referendum thresholds on the amount of council tax to be collected in (a) 2026-27, (b) 2027-28, (c) 2028-2029, (d) 2029-2030 and (e) 2030-31 financial years.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has provided councils with longer-term certainty through the first multi-year Settlement in a decade. As part of this, we have set out our intention to maintain 3% + 2% referendum principles for the vast majority of councils in each year of the multi-year Settlement. The OBR has based its forecasts to 2030-31 on this and noted that policy changes announced since November are forecast to add £0.4 billion to council tax receipts by 2030-31.
The Government has not taken any decisions on referendum principles beyond the period of the multi-year settlement. Council tax levels are ultimately a matter for local authorities.
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, if he will take steps to help reduce family voting.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
The Electoral Commission takes allegations of electoral fraud very seriously. It is a criminal offence to attempt to pressure someone to vote in a certain way. The Commission encourages anyone who believes an offence has occurred to report it to the police.
The Commission supports the electoral community to prevent, detect and take action against electoral fraud. It supports electoral administrators and polling staff to protect the integrity of the polls, including through guidance and its polling station handbook which sets out how to protect the secrecy of voting in polling stations.
The Commission also runs its ‘Your Vote is Yours Alone’ fraud prevention and awareness campaign – in partnership with Crimestoppers – to remind voters to complete their ballot independently and in private.
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 written statement of 2 March 2026, HCWS1375, on Flexible Voting Pilots, how many and which councils applied to be pilots; and what were the criteria used to select those which were chosen.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 84647 on 29 October 2025, UIN 118656 on 16 March 2026, and UIN 116760 on 25 March 2026.
The government have worked closely with the Electoral Commission in the design of the pilots, and will continue to work with them on their evaluation.
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 written statement of 2 March 2026, HCWS1375, on Flexible Voting Pilots, how much additional central government funding will be provided to each council to assist with the pilots in 2026.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 84647 on 29 October 2025, UIN 118656 on 16 March 2026, and UIN 116760 on 25 March 2026.
The government have worked closely with the Electoral Commission in the design of the pilots, and will continue to work with them on their evaluation.
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 Written Statement of 2 March 2026 on Flexible Voting Pilots, HCWS1375, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending such measures nationwide.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 84647 on 29 October 2025, UIN 118656 on 16 March 2026, and UIN 116760 on 25 March 2026.
The government have worked closely with the Electoral Commission in the design of the pilots, and will continue to work with them on their evaluation.