Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) staffing, (b) system, (c) compliance and (d) other costs of (i) implementing and (ii) administering the proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief; and if she will take steps to publish an estimate prior to the reforms taking effect in April 2026.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer to the answer given on 5 September 2025 at UIN 70546 :
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-08-29/70546
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of the firearms enquiry officers employed across police forces in England and Wales are warranted police officers.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government does not currently collect data regarding the staffing of firearms licensing departments in police forces. The level of staffing and use of warranted police officers in such departments is a matter for individual Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firearms enquiry officers are employed across police forces in England and Wales.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government does not currently collect data regarding the staffing of firearms licensing departments in police forces. The level of staffing and use of warranted police officers in such departments is a matter for individual Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of hares shot during the period when sale is prohibited under the Hares Preservation Act 1892 in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Defra holds no official statistics on the number of hares shot in England. The Act aims to protect hares by prohibiting the sale of hares in England from March to July inclusive.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to hold discussions with Vice Chancellors on the effectiveness of disciplinary procedures in tackling antisemitism at universities.
Answered by Janet Daby
Last month, my right hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, brought together Vice Chancellors and community leaders to hear testimonials from Jewish students and to discuss next steps to ensure safer, more inclusive campuses for all. This included productive discussion of how students’ confidence in the disciplinary processes could be improved, while ensuring that confidentiality requirements continue to be met.
The department remains deeply committed to working with universities, sector partners and stakeholder groups to effectively tackle the unacceptably high level of antisemitism on our campuses.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle expressions of support for (a) Hamas and (b) Hezbollah at universities.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer that I gave to the Rt Hon Member for Fareham and Waterlooville on 7 May in response to Question 48984.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Oral Statement of 19 May 2025 on National Security Act 2023: Charges, Official Report, columns 759-771, when she will take legislative steps to allow proscription of (a) the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and (b) other state threats.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government keeps the list of proscribed organisations under constant review, as we seek to protect the UK from the threats that we face. However, as a matter of longstanding policy we do not comment on whether or not an organisation is being considered for proscription.
The UK has a strong record of responding robustly to state threats, including through implementation of the National Security Act 2023, which makes the UK a harder target for those states which seek to conduct hostile acts. In March, we announced that the whole of the Iranian state - including the IRGC and MOIS - will be placed on the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme which will go live on 1 July.
As the Home Secretary set out in her Oral Statement on 19 May 2025, we are committed to taking forward Jonathan Hall KC’s recommendations in his review of State Threats legislation, including the creation of a new State Threats Proscription-like Tool. We will bring forward legislation as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to help increase prosecutions of cyclists who jump red traffic lights.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Enforcement of traffic offences of this sort is a matter for the police. Those who cycle have a duty, like all road users, to behave in a safe and responsible manner and to follow the rules set out in The Highway Code.
It is already an offence for cyclists to cycle without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with the Chair of the Independent Review of the Loan Charge on the progress of that review.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Ministers have not held discussions with the independent reviewer of the Loan Charge since the review was launched. However, the review team has confirmed that they expect to conclude in the summer, and the government will respond to their report by Autumn Budget 2025.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the planning system within the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on irreplaceable habitats.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists.
The Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) provides an alternative mechanism for development to discharge environmental obligations relating specifically to the Habitats and Species Regulations, the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and the Protection of Badgers Act.
It does not apply to irreplaceable habitats generally, for which the strong protections in the National Planning Policy Framework will continue to apply.