Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether listed property owners will benefit from the Warm Homes Plan; and, if so, how.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Warm Homes Plan will invest £15 billion; the biggest ever public investment in home upgrades. We will help millions of households benefit from solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation to cut bills, reaching up to five million homes by 2030 through direct support for those on low-incomes and in fuel poverty, grants and innovative low-interest finance available to all. The recent Electrification of Heat Demonstration project has shown that heat pumps can work effectively in UK homes from all historic periods.
A new Warm Homes Agency will be operational from 2027, providing consumers with information and advice on the schemes available to them, including owners of listed properties.
Historic England advocates taking a whole-building approach to retrofit of historic homes, and has produced a range of technical advice and guidance, including an advice note on energy efficiency, retrofit and Net Zero: https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/technical-advice/energy-efficiency-and-historic-buildings/
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December to Question 97661 on Business Rates: Tax Allowances, what proportion of the ratepayers who will see their bills reduced are listed as a hereditament that has been assessed as qualifying for the retail, hospitality and leisure multiplier from 2026/27.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic.
To support with bill increases, the Government has introduced a generous support package worth £4.3 billion over the next 3 years, including support to help ratepayers to transition to their new bill.
As a result, over half of all ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.
More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto.
The Government is doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties in England. The Government is paying for this tax cut through higher rates on the top one per cent of most expensive properties, including distribution warehouses used by online giants.
The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many properties or other assets belonging to persons affiliated with ISIS have been seized or frozen under UK Government sanctions since March 2011.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), part of HM Treasury published in its 2024-2025 Annual Review that £19.3 million in assets across multiple sanctions regimes have been reported as frozen as of September 2024. This is an aggregated total of all entities and individuals listed on the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets under non specified regimes including the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida regime. OFSI does not hold a comparable figure for 2011.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) properties and (b) other assets belonging to family members of Bashar al-Assad have been (i) seized and (ii) frozen under UK Government sanctions since March 2011.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), part of HM Treasury published in its 2024-2025 Annual Review that £383 million in assets relating to the Syrian sanctions regime have been reported as frozen as of September 2024. This is an aggregated total of all entities and individuals listed on the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets. OFSI does not hold a comparable figure for 2011.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, page 139, who determines the level of the Prime Minister’s annual allowance for redecoration and modernisation within the Downing Street estate, and what process governs any revisions to that amount.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The annual allowance has been in place for over 25 years, and has been unchanged since its introduction.
The Downing Street complex is a working building, as well as containing two Ministerial residences. As has always been the case, refurbishments and maintenance are made periodically. The Government is legally required to maintain the Downing Street buildings to the high standards appropriate to its Grade 1 and 2 listed status in consultation with Historic England. The listed status, as well as security and other relevant factors, significantly add to the cost of maintenance and repairs, compared to normal properties.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the number of leasehold flats containing combustible material with higher insurance costs that will be classified as permanently impaired under the Basel 3.1 requirements; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
We understand the question relates to regulatory requirements for property valuations under Basel 3.1.
There are several changes in the Prudential Regulation Authority’s (PRA) implementation of the Basel 3.1 standards that are relevant to mortgage valuation. Banks using the standardised approach to credit risk will have to update the valuation of mortgaged properties under specific circumstances such as if five years have passed since the valuation was last updated, when a borrower refinances their mortgage at the end of a fixed period, if modifications have been made to the property that unequivocally increase its value, or an event occurs that results in a likely permanent reduction in the property’s value (‘permanent impairment’).
The PRA does not expect the changes to have a material impact on current industry practice for determining property valuations, including for properties with cladding, as the changes primarily relate to when a valuation for a given property is updated as opposed to how the valuation itself is determined.
The government does not hold data on the number of properties, including for properties with cladding, that will be required to be re-valued under the different circumstances listed above
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce the level of value added tax applied to repairs and renovations on churches, historic buildings and residential homes.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
To stimulate the construction of new homes, the Government currently maintains a zero rate of VAT on new-build residential buildings. Additionally, residential renovations are subject to a reduced rate of VAT of five per cent if they meet certain conditions. These include conversions of buildings from one residential use to another, conversions from commercial to residential use, and the renovation of properties that have been empty for two or more years.
To preserve heritage, restorative work carried out on listed buildings previously benefited from a zero rate of VAT. However, this relief was abolished in 2012, as it was primarily used to carry out extension work unnecessary for heritage purposes. Withdrawing this relief simplified VAT rules and also removed the scope for error when categorising construction work as either alteration or repair.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport also administer a Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. This provides grants towards VAT paid on repairs and maintenance to the nation's listed places of worship.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a national support scheme for the insurance of (a) thatched and (b) listed residential properties to help homeowners (i) manage increases in insurance costs and (ii) preserve heritage buildings.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government acknowledges that homeowners can face challenges in managing increased insurance costs and preserving heritage buildings, such as thatched properties.
The Department has not made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a national support scheme for the insurance of thatched and listed residential properties. However, Historic England, the government's statutory advisors on the historic environment, commissioned analysis from industry experts to understand the causes behind these increases. The research revealed that fewer companies are offering insurance for highly listed (Grade I and II*) buildings, leading to reduced competition. The report found that the increased cost of materials and labour, which influence rebuild valuations, amongst other factors. These impacts are largely dictated by market forces and the Government is not considering intervention at this stage.
A range of policies and programmes the Government offers centrally and through its Arms Length Bodies, including repair and restoration grants, skills initiatives, and streamlining and simplifying the planning system, are designed to reduce the costs of works to listed buildings.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to Annex 7 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Impact assessment, published in May 2025, how many (a) consents, (b) permissions and (c) permits will be required to place an electric vehicle charge point on (i) a public highway and (ii) private land.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Whether a chargepoint requires planning permission, a Section 50 licence, or a permit depends on factors such as size, location, and context.
In general, home, workplace, and smaller low-powered installations in off-street parking areas qualify as permitted development and do not require a planning application. However, permission may still be needed for certain existing properties particularly where issues like height, siting, or proximity to listed buildings arise and for larger rapid charging hubs that include electrical cabinets.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill introduces a measure to replace Section 50s with permits which would make it more efficient and cost-effective for chargepoint operators to install infrastructure. Additionally, to streamline development we have expanded permitted development rights and have launched a call for evidence to explore further improvements.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an estimate of the potential impact of the classification of ancillary spaces as separate dwellings for council tax purposes on costs for owners of listed buildings.
Answered by Jim McMahon
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is the organisation responsible for determining the council tax band of all domestic properties. In doing this they will make an assessment of whether a property consists of one dwelling or multiple dwellings. They will make this decision based on legislation and case law. The government does not have any plans to change this approach.
Where part of a property is liable as a separate dwelling, it will be liable for the standard rate of council tax for that band set by local authorities in the area. The council tax system does contain a number of discounts and exemptions to reflect different types of annexes. The government’s guidance on how annexes are treated for council tax purposes can be found here.