Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of not holding a public consultation specifically on the presumption of refusal for new gambling premises licences on local residents.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Gambling Impact Assessments (GIAs) have now been introduced in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, delivering on a commitment made in the 2023 gambling white paper. The gambling white paper followed a public call for evidence which received over 15,000 responses.
GIAs, formerly referred to as Cumulative Impact Assessments, will allow local authorities to create a presumption against granting new gambling premises licences in a specific area, where there is evidence that additional premises would undermine the gambling licensing objectives. The legislation requires that before publishing a GIA, licensing authorities must consult the persons mentioned in Section 349(3) of the Gambling Act 2005. This includes persons who represent the interests of those likely to be affected by the exercise of the authority’s functions, and persons who represent the interests of gambling businesses in the area.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
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 26 November 2025 to Question 92754, on Rents: Appeals, whether (a) suitable arrangements for monitoring data relating to rent increase challenges in the Residential Property Tribunal and (b) all other necessary work to prepare the justice system has been or will be completed prior to implementation of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 on 1 May 2026.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and Tribunal Service to ensure that the justice system is well prepared for the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act, including the potential impact of the Act on the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).
This includes ensuring that suitable arrangements are in place for monitoring data relating to rent increase challenges in the Residential Property Tribunal.
The justice system will be supported with appropriate funding to ensure that the courts and tribunals have the resources and capacity they need to handle the workload that implementation of the Act will generate.
All other necessary work to prepare the justice system is expected to be completed by 1 May 2026.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure that Hamas is disarmed in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have always been clear that Hamas must disarm and have no role in the future governance of Gaza, and we are continuing to support international efforts towards that goal, as part of the wider transition process set out in Phase 2 of the Gaza Peace Plan.
We encourage all parties to work towards a stable and phased security transition including demilitarisation of armed groups, deployment of a new police force under the leadership of the Palestinian National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, and the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 106177, on Rents: Appeals, whether any programmes of works detailed in that Answer are estimated not to be completed before the implementation of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 on 1 May 2026.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
All the programmes of work detailed in the answer to Question 106177 are expected to be completed by implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on 1 May 2026. This includes recruitment exercises for additional administrative staff, establishment of a centralised operational hub, updates to operational processes, availability of suitable estates capacity for hearings and enhancements to technology systems.
Recruitment of judges and members for the Property Chamber is ongoing, with further recruitment exercises planned throughout 2026.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she make an assessment of the feasibility of repurposing disused prisons or other redundant public-sector sites as dedicated asylum reception and processing centres.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Asylum Accommodation estate is kept under constant review. We are moving at pace to fulfil the Government’s commitment to close every asylum hotel by the end of this parliament. Work to facilitate this exit is ongoing, and the Asylum Accommodation Taskforce is working across Government to deliver alternative asylum accommodation.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment has been made of the potential merits of co-locating asylum casework, legal services, healthcare provision and integration support within centralised reception hubs.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Current reforms prioritise restoring order and control to the asylum system, including ending the use of hotels, enhancing fairness, and improving efficiency, rather than moving to a single end-to-end co-located reception hub model.
We are committed to ensuring that asylum reforms are considered carefully so that they support creation of a system which is both fair and sustainable. As with all significant policy changes, the impacts will be subject to assessment.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with NHS England on the provision of on-site primary healthcare services within asylum reception facilities.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has engaged with NHS England in the development of large sites established in England under the Asylum Accommodation Programme. Further engagement with health partners including the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England will be undertaken to support suitable provision for future sites.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has had discussions with his Scottish counterpart on the experience of Rent Services Scotland to inform the development of (a) an alternative body and (b) mechanism to make initial rent determinations in cases of Section 13 rent appeals.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Officials in my Department engage regularly with a range of stakeholders, including officials working in Rent Services Scotland.
Subject to a final viability assessment, the government intends to establish an alternative body or mechanism to the First-tier Tribunal to make initial rent determinations. We will confirm further details in due course.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department has made in undertaking a viability assessment for the use of (a) an alternative body and (b) a mechanism to make initial rent determinations in cases of Section 13 rent appeals.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Officials in my Department engage regularly with a range of stakeholders, including officials working in Rent Services Scotland.
Subject to a final viability assessment, the government intends to establish an alternative body or mechanism to the First-tier Tribunal to make initial rent determinations. We will confirm further details in due course.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the cumulative costs associated with the RRA on the new PRS supply.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the Question UIN 108214 on 3 February 2026.