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 plans to bring forward legislative proposals to reverse the interpretation of Environmental Impact Assessment law on carbon emissions created by the Supreme Court ruling of R (on the application of Finch on behalf of the Weald Action Group) (Appellant) v Surrey County Council and others (Respondents) UKSC/2022/0064.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government will continue to support the appropriate application of the judgment in the case of R (on the application of Finch on behalf of the Weald Action Group) (Appellant) v Surrey County Council and others (Respondents).
Consideration of the judgment and wider case law will form part of the development of Environmental Outcomes Reports to provide clarity as to the nature of assessment required for different types of development.
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 letter from the Secretary of State to the Leader of HM Opposition, dated 21 March 2026, how much and what proportion of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme is currently funded in the Spending Review.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60128 on 4 July 2025.
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 assessment he has made of the potential impact of the change to the Housing Ombudsman Service's level of fees on the financial burden on local authorities; and what steps he will take to encourage the Housing Ombudsman Service to consult in a more timely fashion with local authorities on potential changes to annual fees in the next financial year.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Following consultation, the Housing Ombudsman published its 2026-27 Business Plan on 15 April. Both the final Business Plan and a consultation response summary can be found on the Housing Ombudsman’s website here.
Fees will be increased to £9.64 per home in 2026-27 to deal with ongoing increases in demand.
The Business Plan also makes clear that in 2026-27 the Housing Ombudsman will undertake a discovery exercise on alternative fee models that recognise positive complaint handling to potentially replace the per home charge and will work with my Department to support an earlier consultation.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure asylum seekers are securely dispersed from short-term holding facilities when those facilities reach capacity.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has a statutory obligation to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute by providing appropriate support which usually includes accommodation.
Accommodation Plans consider a range of suitability factors for dispersal in each Local Authority covering market availability, viability, social factors and other supported cohorts.
Full dispersal remains a key priority which aims to achieve a fairer and more equitable accommodation spread of asylum seekers across the UK. We remain committed to housing asylum seekers in cost-effective and suitable accommodation in communities, achieving the best value for money for the taxpayer.
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 governance guidance to local authorities on whether a sitting Chairman or civic Mayor can preside over, and participate in, a Full Council debate and vote, where there is a motion for the annual Full Council to re-appoint that Chairman or civic Mayor for another year, including any guidance on the application of the case law of R v Owens (1858) to modern day Annual Council selection meetings.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authority governance arrangements are a matter for councils themselves, operating within the statutory framework set by the Local Government Act 1972.
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 his Department has made of the number of Commonwealth citizens resident in the United Kingdom with an immigration status allowing them to be a qualifying Commonwealth elector.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There are no official statistics on the number of qualifying Commonwealth citizens living in the UK who are eligible to register to vote, either in England or across the United Kingdom.
The Office for National Statistics publishes population estimates by nationality. These statistics suggest there are over one million Commonwealth nationals living in the UK. However, these figures cannot be used as an estimate to those eligible to register to vote, as it does not account for individuals’ immigration status or other eligibility criteria.
As set out in the answer to Question UIN 120063 of 18 March 2026, the Electoral Commission has previously estimated that around 66% of qualifying Commonwealth citizens may be registered to vote (as at 2023). The Commission’s estimate is based on their survey data and provides an indication of the proportion registered; however no corresponding estimate exists for the total number eligible to register.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the answer of 6 March 2026 to Question HL14718 on Public Bodies: Human Rights, whether an (a) equality impact, (b) human rights, (c) regulatory impact and (d) environmental principles assessment has been produced for amending police powers on unauthorised traveller encampments.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government takes all necessary steps to ensure that legislation is developed in line with its statutory obligations and established processes, including the need to act compatibly with human rights.
In response to the declaration of incompatibility made by the High Court in May 2024, the Government brought forward an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill to reduce the no‑return period from twelve months to three months, addressing the incompatibility identified by the Court while retaining appropriate enforcement powers in relation to unauthorised encampments.
The human rights implications of the amendment were considered as part of the usual Bill process, including through the published European Convention on Human Rights memorandum for the Crime and Policing Bill.
The Government will consider equality impacts and other statutory duties in line with its usual processes.
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 25 March 2026 to Question 119316 Strategic Migration Partnerships: Finance, what the nature of the sensitivity is.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office have Grant Agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in place with Strategic Migration Partnerships in 12 regions/nations in the UK. Strategic Migration Partnerships provide leadership and coordination on migration for Asylum and Resettlement. Each Strategic Migration Partnership is awarded funding to carry out delivery of the outcomes under Asylum and Resettlement workstreams set out in the Grant and MOU. Funding is allocated individually to each SMP, and the details of each funding allocation is not shared amongst SMPs other than the recipient due to the agreement being made between the Home Office and recipient and varies in allocation amount.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Valuation Office Agency news story entitled VOA integration with HMRC, of 12 March 2026, whether Valuation Office branding will be retained by HMRC.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
From 1 April 2026, the Valuation Office Agency no longer exists as an executive agency, and now operates as a group within HMRC.
The Valuation Office name has been retained, and it has been integrated into HMRC’s branding for customer communications.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the successful appeal rate against valuations for the new council tax surcharge.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC Valuation Office is developing its approach to the High Value Council Tax Surcharge. The Government recognises the importance of the right to appeal and will consult on the details of this in 2026.