Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consideration his Department has given to the role of the CQC in the process of the Supported Housing regulation: consultation.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My department has engaged with the CQC throughout the development of the reforms to address poor quality supported housing and will continue to do so. The government remains committed to implementing the measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act and published a response to the consultation on the measures in the Act on 16 April.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to WPQ 122859 answered on 31 March 2026, on Business Rates. Gyms and Leisure Centres, whether she hold discussions with the leisure centre and gym sector on the impact of business rates on the financial sustainability of the sector.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Treasury Ministers and officials have regular discussions with representatives from across the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors, including gyms and leisure centres, to understand the impact of business rates on the sector’s financial sustainability.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
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 economic impact of the overnight visitor levy on GDP generated by tourism in (a) the UK and (b) the Midlands.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The impacts of the overnight visitor levy will be determined by local decisions. It will be up to Mayors and local leaders to decide whether to implement a levy, subject to a local consultation on specific proposals.
Visitor levies are common in Europe and the rest of the world. All other G7 countries already have some form of tourism or overnight accommodation levy in place.
Evidence from other countries suggests that modest levies have a limited impact on visitor numbers, jobs, GDP, and tourism competitiveness.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
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 overnight visitor levy on the number of tourism jobs in (a) the UK and (b) the Midlands.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The impacts of the overnight visitor levy will be determined by local decisions. It will be up to Mayors and local leaders to decide whether to implement a levy, subject to a local consultation on specific proposals.
Visitor levies are common in Europe and the rest of the world. All other G7 countries already have some form of tourism or overnight accommodation levy in place.
Evidence from other countries suggests that modest levies have a limited impact on visitor numbers, jobs, GDP, and tourism competitiveness.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
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 overnight visitor levy on the UK's tourism competitiveness compared with other countries.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The impacts of the overnight visitor levy will be determined by local decisions. It will be up to Mayors and local leaders to decide whether to implement a levy, subject to a local consultation on specific proposals.
Visitor levies are common in Europe and the rest of the world. All other G7 countries already have some form of tourism or overnight accommodation levy in place.
Evidence from other countries suggests that modest levies have a limited impact on visitor numbers, jobs, GDP, and tourism competitiveness.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 116254 on Driving Tests, how many full-time equivalent driving instructors were practising in (a) Hinckley and Bosworth constituency and (b) Leicestershire in January 2026 compared to April 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not employ approved driving instructors.
The table below shows how many full-time equivalent driving examiners who conduct tests at test centres in Hinckley and Bosworth and Leicestershire in January 2026 compared to April 2025.
| April 2025 | January 2026 |
Location | Full time equivalent DEs | Full time equivalent DEs |
Leicester Cannock St | 10.86 | 13.86 |
Leicester Wigston | 12.39 | 12.50 |
Loughborough | 3.80 | 3.54 |
Hinkley | 2.62 | 3 |
The DVSA will continue to assess the recruitment needs of all test centres, including those in Leicestershire and the East Midlands and will continue to launch further recruitment campaigns to address demand.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 116254 on Driving Tests, whether he will assess the potential impact of the driving examiner group recruitment campaign in (a) Leicestershire and (b) the East Midlands.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not employ approved driving instructors.
The table below shows how many full-time equivalent driving examiners who conduct tests at test centres in Hinckley and Bosworth and Leicestershire in January 2026 compared to April 2025.
| April 2025 | January 2026 |
Location | Full time equivalent DEs | Full time equivalent DEs |
Leicester Cannock St | 10.86 | 13.86 |
Leicester Wigston | 12.39 | 12.50 |
Loughborough | 3.80 | 3.54 |
Hinkley | 2.62 | 3 |
The DVSA will continue to assess the recruitment needs of all test centres, including those in Leicestershire and the East Midlands and will continue to launch further recruitment campaigns to address demand.