Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the publication Updating labelling guidance for no and low-alcohol alternatives, published on 28 September 2023, and pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025, to Question 41063, on Low Alcohol Drinks: Labelling and Marketing, whether the Government intends to publish a response to the 2023 consultation.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, the Government has committed to exploring whether to raise the upper alcohol limit for drinks labelled as alcohol-free to 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) from 0.05% ABV, as set out in the current labelling guidance for no and low (NoLo) alcohol drink alternatives.

Department officials are progressing work to take forward this commitment, and we will update stakeholders in due course. The consultation referred to was undertaken by the previous administration. A decision on publishing a response will be made as part of determining the delivery timescales of the NoLo commitments in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the written statement of 4 December 2025, HCWS1128, on Devolution Priority Programme, whether the Government consulted the Electoral Commission on the cancellation of the 2026 mayoral elections.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Electoral Commission was not consulted by the Government regarding the timing of mayoral elections in 2026.

The Commission’s view is that scheduled elections should only be postponed in exceptional circumstances. Voters must have a say on those that represent them at local government, and county council elections are still scheduled to take place in these areas in May 2026.

The Commission will work with the Government to better understand its plans for the polls so that it can support voters, campaigners and administrators to prepare.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to assist landowners in coordinating and accessing relevant grants and schemes for the long-term moorland restoration required following the Fylingdales Moor fire.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Farming Advice Service (FAS) helps farmers navigate the range of grants and schemes to support increased productivity and managing land to benefit the environment and rural areas. Specifically, actions to support moorland restoration sit within the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Natural England and Forestry Commission are providing pre-application advice and supporting customers with applications for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier. Where there has been an impact on an existing agreement, then we would advise agreement holders to contact the RPA or Natural England in the first instance.

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 economic impact of the Fylingdales Moor fire on businesses that were (a) evacuated and (b) made inaccessible due to road closures; and what financial support will be made available to them.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Flood Recovery Framework is unique to flooding and only activated in exceptional circumstances. No assessment has been made of the merits of establishing a similar scheme for wildfire incidents. There are a range of potential support mechanisms from across Government for local areas following significant emergency response incidents that are being explored.

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 merits of establishing a financial recovery framework for major wildfire incidents, equivalent to the Flood Recovery Framework, to provide (a) grants for affected businesses and (b) business rate relief.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Flood Recovery Framework is unique to flooding and only activated in exceptional circumstances. No assessment has been made of the merits of establishing a similar scheme for wildfire incidents. There are a range of potential support mechanisms from across Government for local areas following significant emergency response incidents that are being explored.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025, to Question 76604, on Water Charges: Social Tariffs, whether individual households can opt-out of water companies’ charging trials, or otherwise refuse consent to participate.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Companies can design their charges to provide benefits and incentives in a range of ways. Ofwat regulates charging trials by requiring companies to set fair charges for all customers, and ensure all trials are consistent with good practice principles.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025, to Question 76604, on Water Charges: Social Tariffs, what is the estimated cost to other customers, (a) in aggregate and (b) cross-subsidy per non-qualifying average household, of the price of social tariffs in each year of the 2025-30 period, (1) across England and (2) across each water company, according information held by (i) his department and (ii) Ofwat.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Companies decide, in consultation with their customers and organisations representing customers, which household customers fund social tariffs and how much they pay.

Several companies have committed to using funds from their own investors, shareholders or parent companies for their social tariffs and other financial support schemes (United Utilities, Dŵr Cymru, Yorkshire Water and SES Water).

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Government action to protect children from abusive parents, published on 22 October 2025, how he plans to enact the repeal of the presumption of parental involvement from the Children Act 1989; and what his planned timetable is for that repeal.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government will repeal the presumption of parental involvement when Parliamentary time allows. Doing so requires amendments to the Children Act 1989 which will be taken forward once an appropriate legislative vehicle is identified. This remains a Ministerial priority, and we will announce further plans for implementation in due course.

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 on 19 November 2025, HCWS1071, on Local Government Reorganisation, what is the timetable for the statutory consultation on other two-tier areas not listed in the statement, other than Surrey.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Following the statutory invitations issued on 5 February 2025 to two-tier authorities and neighbouring small unitary authorities to develop proposals for unitary local government, the Government received final proposals from the remaining 14 invitation areas on 28 November 2025. I expect to launch statutory consultations on these proposals in the new year.

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 24 October 2025 to Question 77559 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Aviation, what was the topic of the training course.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The topic of the course was risk management.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to amend electoral law to prevent British councillors standing for election in overseas countries.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 95058 on 4 December 2025 for councillors in England. Local government is devolved, and it is for devolved national governments to govern their own local government members.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Q260 of the oral evidence given by her Department's Permanent Secretary to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 3 November 2025, HC385, if he will publish Lord Mandelson’s form.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As explained in the response to Question 91401 on 25 November, it has not been the policy under any government to publish the employment forms relating to individual members of staff.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Information Commissioner decision notice of 29 October 2025, Ref IC-362303-N0J6, para 27, whether Lord Alli was on the list provided.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Yes. The UK’s constitutional arrangements require an immediate transition of power the day after a general election. A list of individuals is provided to the Cabinet Secretary’s Office by political parties, so that the incoming Prime Minister has the ability to begin work immediately.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to Cabinet Office Publication of Special Adviser Interests 2024-2025, published on 17 July 2025, what matters Varun Chandra is recused from.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

There is an established system in place for the declaration and management of special advisers' interests. As has been the case under successive administrations, interests deemed relevant for publication for special advisers in No10 and the Cabinet Office are published on an annual basis by the Cabinet Office.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2025, to Question 85501, on 11 Downing Street: Flats, to the answer of 21 October 2025, to Question 73315, on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, and to the answer of 20 November 2025, to Question 91457, on Written Questions: Government Responses, whether information on itemised spending on the Downing Streets flats has been released by the Cabinet Office under the Freedom of Information Act.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

As was the case under successive administrations, an itemised list is not routinely published. Total expenditure from the Prime Minister’s allowance on their official residence is disclosed in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on future VCT fundraising by reducing upfront VCT Income Tax relief from 30% to 20% from April 2026; and when her Department will publish that impact assessment.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At Budget, the government announced a comprehensive package of entrepreneurship tax measures designed to provide substantially enhanced support for scaling businesses across the UK. This includes doubling the maximum amount that a company can raise through the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and the Venture Capital Trust (VCT) scheme. These increases will lead to around £100 million per year of extra investment into the most successful scaling companies, supporting their further growth and development.

The Government recognises that there may be other ways we could support companies to scale in the UK. We have therefore launched a Call for Evidence on tax policy support for investment in high-growth UK companies to gather views and evidence from founders, entrepreneurs, scaling companies and investors. This will assess the impact, accessibility, and generosity of existing schemes, and explore potential policy options to go-further.

A Tax Information and Impact Note published at Budget outlines the policy rationale and impacts of these measures. It can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/enterprise-investment-scheme-eis-and-venture-capital-trusts-vct-changes/venture-capital-trusts-enterprise-investment-scheme-investment-limit-increase-and-restructure

The Policy Costings document contains further information on the costing methodology. This can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/692872fd2a37784b16ecf676/Budget_2025-Policy_Costings.pdf

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the letter from the Permanent Secretary to the hon. Member for Thirsk & Malton, dated 24 November 2025, on what dates Tim Allan met Tom Baldwin since Mr Allan's appointment, and whether Government business was discussed.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Special Adviser Code of Conduct sets out the categories of meetings, gifts and hospitality that are declared publicly. Any relevant meetings within this category will be published via this process in the normal way.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the letter from the Permanent Secretary to the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton, dated 24 November 2025, whether the measures allow Tim Allan to potentially benefit from a rise in the value of his shares in Strand Partners.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Before his appointment as a special adviser, Mr Allan sought and received advice on his interests. He has followed every element of the advice received.

Mr Allan has formally waived his rights as a shareholder over any matter requiring consent or approval of investors, as well as rights to receive shareholder information. He has also waived his rights to receive any dividend, and will not receive any share options. He agreed not to increase his shareholdings in Strand Partners during his time as a special adviser. Mr Allan has recused himself from engagement with Strand Partners in relation to the firm’s business, and from involvement in any procurement relating to Strand Partners during his period of employment. He retains an investment in the company.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Further to the DEFRA 2024-25 annual report and accounts, HC 1388, 12 November 2025, p.140, what was the title of the staff member who received the exit package of £300,000 to £350,000; what was the public body; on what date it was approved by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury; and what was the business case for the level of the exit payment.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The exit package relates to Flood Re.

Flood Re is a company limited by guarantee. It does not receive any grant funding from the Government. As such, no Government funding has been spent on exit packages at Flood Re.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 September 2025 to Question 74947 on Senior Civil Servants: Pay, when he plans to publish a high earner list.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Departments and their partner organisations are currently collecting the data for the next ‘high earner’ list. It will be published when the data set is complete and the personal information being released about individuals has been fully quality assured. As set out in my previous answer, salary information for the Senior Civil Service is already in the public domain.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who is responsible for paying the council tax surcharge on Chequers.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Chequers is owned by The Chequers Trust, and therefore payment of Council Tax is not a matter for the government.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of a pub vaping ban on the viability of local pubs which are designated as local community assets.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We plan to consult on making most indoor settings, that are subject to existing smoke-free legislation, vape-free. This would include inside pubs and other hospitality venues. Many businesses and enclosed public places, including pubs, already have voluntary schemes in place to prohibit vape usage inside their premises.

An impact assessment will be prepared and published in advance of secondary legislation, which will consider the economic impacts of the proposed regulations.

It is useful to note that the tobacco industry opposed previous indoor smoke-free legislation arguing that it would be disastrous for the hospitality industry. However, a year after implementing smoke-free places, 40% of businesses reported that the ban had a positive impact on their business, compared to only 3% reporting a negative impact. Office for National Statistics survey data shows that 69% of respondents visited pubs about as often as before, while 17% visited more often than before smoking restrictions.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85200 on Admiralty House: Valuation, whether a valuation has been undertaken in relation to Downing Street, including the two Downing Street flats.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Downing Street estate is held on the department’s fixed asset register for their service potential and are valued in line with their existing use value (EUV) as defined in the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Red Book.

Each property is revalued on a rotational basis on a five-year cycle commencing at the point of acquisition. A revaluation for the property as a whole was carried out in the 2022 to 2023 financial year. The flats are not valued individually.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the answer of 13 November 2025, to Question 86773, on Ministers: Council Tax, whether Ministers who occupy a Ministerial residence as a second home are given a permanent key to the property in order for the council tax to be paid for by the Cabinet Office.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government does not disclose the security arrangements at official residences.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Further to the written statement of 4 December 2025, HCWS1128, on Devolution Priority Programme, whether the (a) Electoral Commission or (b) Labour Party were (1) consulted or (2) informed of the decision to cancel the scheduled mayoral elections in May 2026.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government has announced that it is minded to hold the inaugural mayoral elections for Sussex and Brighton, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, and Greater Essex in May 2028, with areas completing the local government reorganisation process before Mayors take office. This decision has been taken because devolution is strongest when it is built on strong foundations. The Government intends to establish Mayoral Strategic Authorities via secondary legislation for all the Devolution Priority Programme areas as soon as possible, subject to the councils’ consent.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Further to the written statement of 4 December 2025, HCWS1128, on Devolution Priority Programme, what is the criteria that he will use to determine whether local council elections scheduled for 2026 are (a) held as currently scheduled, (b) postponed or (c) cancelled.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Our starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification otherwise.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the answer of 28 October 2025 to Question HL10808 on Official Residences, for what reason the Defence Secretary was allocated use of Flat 2 of Admiralty House.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Government has a number of official residences that are allocated to ministers to support them to discharge their duties, or on the grounds of security.

Admiralty House has been used as an official residence under successive administrations.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the answer of 28 October 2025 to Question HL10808 on Official Residences, whether his Department paid council tax on the Ministerial residence in Admiralty House between 9 September and 4 November 2024.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Government paid council tax on the Ministerial residence in Admiralty House between 9 September and 4 November 2024. In line with longstanding precedent, where a minister occupies an official residence as a second home, the responsibility for payment of council tax falls to the Government.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85494 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, whether the Government Property Agency informed Westminster City Council that Admiralty House was occupied as a second home before 8 April 2025.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Before the Second Home premium was introduced in Westminster, the Cabinet Office was aware that the former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) was occupying Admiralty House (AH) as a second home and that council tax would therefore be payable by Government. In line with long standing precedent under successive administrations, as the property was a second residence the Government was responsible for paying the Council Tax on Admiralty House, not the former DPM. The full amount of tax has been paid.

WCC were notified at the beginning of May that the former DPM was occupying AH as a second home for council tax purposes, and details were provided for WCC to issue a bill accordingly.

GPA wrote to WCC in June to confirm that the second homes premium applied. WCC issued an invoice in July which was paid the same day.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85200 on Admiralty House: Valuation, if he will place the valuation report in the Library.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The valuation report contains information that is commercially sensitive, and it is therefore not our policy to place such reports in the Library or share this information publicly.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2025 to Question 85827 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, for what reason the second homes council tax premium was billed in July 2025.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Before the Second Home premium was introduced in Westminster, the Cabinet Office were aware that the former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) was occupying Admiralty House (AH) as a second home and that council tax would therefore be payable by Government. In line with long standing precedent under successive administrations, as the property was a second residence the Government was responsible for paying the Council Tax on Admiralty House, not the former DPM. Similarly, the Cabinet Office is responsible for liaising with Westminster City Council (WCC) for matters concerning residency at Admiralty House.

WCC were notified at the beginning of May that the former DPM was occupying AH as a second home for council tax purposes, and details were provided for WCC to issue a bill accordingly.

GPA wrote to WCC in June to confirm that the second homes premium applied. WCC issued an invoice in July which was paid the same day.

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 92034, on Electoral Register: Absent Voting, whether his department has had discussions with the Parliamentary Parties Panel on this issue.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

An issue with the availability of information shared as part of the electoral register has been raised with the Government. As stated in the Answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 92034 on Absent Voting, the Government has no plans to make changes to the information which is shared as part of the electoral register.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to issue guidance to councils on protecting political free speech and freedom of association.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities are independent of central government. They must uphold their obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998 to ensure their actions are compatible with rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association. The Equality and Human Rights Commission provides guidance on these specific matters.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a copy of the model contract for Ambassadors and Heads of Mission.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office uses the Senior Civil Service template contract provided by the Cabinet Office as a basis for its contracts for Heads of Mission.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Prime Minister’s Office was consulted on the terms of the exit agreement for Lord Mandelson.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 25 November to question 91398.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many new homes his Department estimates will be delivered in each year until 2028-29.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 19066 on 20 December 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the feasibility of meeting the target of delivering 1.5 million homes in England by 2029.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 27400 on 3 February 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Building Safety Regulator will clear the Gateway Two backlog by January 2026.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In August 2025, following the June reforms to the Building Safety Regulator, the new innovation unit began to expedite all new cases for building control approvals for new buildings, whilst still assuring the delivery of safe, high-quality homes.  The innovation unit has dramatically reduced decisions times by 20 or more weeks compared with the previous peak of 38 weeks for approved new build decisions.

Applications for new buildings already in the BSR system submitted before 4 August carried on via the existing model.  BSR has reduced the number of these existing new builds every month since August 25 and has significantly driven up the rate of approval. The latest published data shows that cases in the backlog reduced from 103 on 1^st September 2025 to 63 as of the 24^th November 2025, with 9 further applications being considered as being suitable for approval with requirements.

The BSR continues to prioritise these legacy applications and expects the majority to be determined by the new year. With operational performance improving, quality applications are essential to ensure projects can progress. The BSR will continue to support industry leaders as they publish guidance for applicants but will not compromise on safety.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the correspondence from the Permanent Secretary to his Department to the Hon Member for Thirsk & Malton of 24 November 2025.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

There are no plans to publish this correspondence.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025, to Question 92612, whether Tim Allan is required to recuse himself from government policy or communications on matters relating to the clients of Strand Partners.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Before joining the government, Mr Allan sought and received advice on his interests. He has followed every element of the advice received.

As a result of that advice, he resigned his directorship with Strand and ceased any involvement in its governance or operations. Mr Allan has recused himself from engagement with Strand Partners in relation to the firm’s business, and from involvement in any procurement relating to Strand Partners during his period of employment.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many months each of the Ministerial flats in Admiralty House have been empty for.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Official residences are allocated to Ministers at the Prime Minister's discretion, to support them in their official duties. This has been the case under decades of successive governments, and it is not usual practice to publish specific dates of their occupation.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer prior to the publication of the consultation on reforms to landfill tax.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.