Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 86240 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, and further to his public comments at the G20 in November 2024, if he will publish the dates on which he discussed the proposed Chinese Embassy in London with the Chinese Government since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon Member back to the answer of 5 November 2025, Official Report, PQ 86240.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question HL9585, on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, on what date was the former Minister’s residence registered with Westminster City Council as a secondary residence according to records held by the Government Property Agency.
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. 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 home's premium applied. WCC issued an invoice in July which was paid the same day.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Prime Minister will publicly state whether breaches of the Ministerial Code are deemed to be serious.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
This Government has strengthened the Ministerial Code. The Prime Minister seeks advice from the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards where the Ministerial Code may have been engaged.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether any trade unions have not provided full accounts to the Certification Officer in the last three years.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Certification Officer provides high-level information about compliance with the requirement to submit an annual return in his Annual Report to the Secretary of State each year. This report is laid before both Houses of Parliament by the Secretary of State and published on the Certification Officer's website. The Certification Officer’s report for 2024/25 was published on 7 July 2025 and is available online.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 76827 on Jeffery Epstein, which public body holds the records of Ministerial meetings and correspondence for 2009-10.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Records of HM Treasury ministerial meetings are published from May 2010 onwards. Records of HM Treasury ministerial meetings and correspondence prior to this date are held within HM Treasury’s archives.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the operational framework of the Trade Remedies Authority on steel safeguards due to expire at the end of June 2026.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Steel remains a Government priority, with plans being developed for the UK steel industry in light of the expiry of the global safeguard measure on certain steel imports next year.
The steel safeguard is a temporary measure and is set to expire in June 2026 in line with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules and cannot be extended further.
We held a Call for Evidence throughout July to gather stakeholder views on future policy options. We are currently reviewing all options and potential impacts carefully. Our long-term approach will be robust, evidence-based, and aligned with domestic and international obligations.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the expiry of the UK steel safeguard in June 2026 on the UK steel industry.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Steel remains a Government priority, with plans being developed for the UK steel industry in light of the expiry of the global safeguard measure on certain steel imports next year.
The steel safeguard is a temporary measure and is set to expire in June 2026 in line with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules and cannot be extended further.
We held a Call for Evidence throughout July to gather stakeholder views on future policy options. We are currently reviewing all options and potential impacts carefully. Our long-term approach will be robust, evidence-based, and aligned with domestic and international obligations.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will renew the steel safeguarding measures due to expire in June 2026.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Steel remains a Government priority, with plans being developed for the UK steel industry in light of the expiry of the global safeguard measure on certain steel imports next year.
The steel safeguard is a temporary measure and is set to expire in June 2026 in line with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules and cannot be extended further.
We held a Call for Evidence throughout July to gather stakeholder views on future policy options. We are currently reviewing all options and potential impacts carefully. Our long-term approach will be robust, evidence-based, and aligned with domestic and international obligations.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the press release entitled Prime Minister launches Global Clean Power Alliance as UK leads the global energy transition, published on 19 November 2024, which (a) countries and (b) international organisations have formally signed up to that alliance.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Global Clean Power Alliance (GCPA) is organised around tangible “Missions”, which bring interested partners together to overcome shared barriers to clean power deployment. Initially, we are focusing on mobilising private finance and enhancing supply chains.
Brazil, Australia, Barbados, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Morocco, Mozambique, Norway, Tanzania and the African Union are partners of the GCPA’s Finance Mission, endorsing its founding statement, with the European Commission also supporting. All are working with the UK on the Finance Mission to build investment opportunities and provide the assistance developing countries need to get clean energy finance flowing.
The UK’s Green Finance Institute and the World Bank’s ESMAP (Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme) are key delivery partners of the Finance Mission. At the time of launch several financial institutions, international organisations, philanthropies and industry representatives committed to supporting energy transitions in the Global South supported a related non-governmental statement. An update to the Finance Mission was issued on 15 November Global Clean Power Alliance: finance mission update (November 2025) - GOV.UK
Australia, Canada, Kenya, the Netherlands and Zambia, alongside the International Energy Agency and Utilities for Net Zero Alliance (facilitated by IRENA), are partners of the Supply Chains Mission, with continued inputs from Chatham House and support from the European Commission and the COP30 Presidency. All agreed to endorse its vision statement Global Clean Power Alliance: supply chains mission vision - GOV.UK
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance HMRC has produced on the (a) Stamp Duty and (b) Capital Gains Tax liability of selling a stake in a dwelling to a trust.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC has published information on Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) here: http://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax.
Guidance on the transfer of ownership of land or property in different situations has also been provided: http://www.gov.uk/guidance/sdlt-transferring-ownership-of-land-or-property.
Guidance on the application of SDLT for trusts is available in HMRC’s SDLT Manual at SDLTM31700 onwards, which includes:
· bare trustees purchasing land (including dwellings) at SDLTM31710
· trustees of a settlement purchasing land (including dwellings) at SDLTM31720
HMRC has also published information on Capital Gains Tax, including on the disposal of assets to a trust, which includes selling a stake in a property to a trust. This information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/trusts-taxes/trusts-and-capital-gains-tax. Further detailed guidance can be found in the Capital Gains Manual: https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/capital-gains-manual.