Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the automatic voter registration pilots will cross constituency boundaries.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will test automated registration in a range of different locations and settings, with different characteristics and challenges.
We will develop criteria with the Electoral Commission to inform outreach to local authorities to as much as possible encourage the participation of a balanced range of areas, for example areas with different geographical, demographic and structural characteristics.
We want to ensure the pilots work effectively and we are considering the issue of constituency boundaries as part of the pilot design process.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 7 July 2026 to Question 14978, on Community Development, what Sustainable Communities Act bids have been submitted since 7 July 2026.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
None.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the risk assessments on political donations in the Representation of the People Bill will apply to bequests where the donor has died.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Bequests are expressly recognised within the political finance regime. Where a bequest constitutes a donation under the relevant regime, it is treated as a political donation and subject to the relevant donation controls. Recipients must continue to comply with the existing statutory requirements for donations, including taking the steps required by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to establish whether a donation is permissible before it can be accepted.
All recipients of political contributions above £11,180 (as a single donation or by aggregation from the same donor in the relevant reference period) including relevant donations, regulated transactions and bequests, will need to carry out a risk assessment as required by the Know Your Donor regime. The recipient remains responsible for satisfying itself that it has complied with the statutory requirements in electoral law before accepting that donation, having regard to Electoral Commission guidance where relevant.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the moratorium on cryptocurrencies will apply to digital tokens and memecoins.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As announced on 25 March 2026, the ban applies to all cryptoassets of any value that meet the definition set out in the Government's amendment. This includes digital tokens and memecoins where they are a cryptographically secured digital representation of value or contractual rights that uses distributed ledger technology and can be transferred, stored or traded electronically.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the First Time Buyer ISA: Consultation, updated 29 June 2026, for what reason the pension saving option has been removed from the First Time Buyer ISA successor scheme which replaces the Lifetime ISA.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to making the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many people as possible and recognises that the Lifetime ISA (LISA) is not working for everyone. Its dual purpose of supporting both home ownership and retirement saving can create complexity for savers.
The Government therefore consulted on a simpler, first-time-buyer focused ISA product. The consultation closed on 18 August, and we are carefully considering the responses received.
Until the new product is offered it will remain possible to open a LISA. Existing LISA holders, including those currently using the LISA for retirement, will continue to be able to use their accounts in line with the existing rules.
Savers, including the self-employed, will continue to benefit from generous tax relief on pensions savings via workplace and self-invested pensions.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department plans to take to facilitate the transfer of armorial bearings from district and county councils to the new unitary authorities.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring ceremonial rights and privileges are maintained where local government reorganisation proposals are taken forward, and there are established mechanisms for doing so.
Many ceremonial matters can be preserved through existing general regulations, including arrangements for the transfer of aldermanic rights and privileges and historic borough status, where appropriate, from predecessor to successor councils. This is distinct from new unitary councils seeking borough status, which would require a resolution supported by not less than two thirds of members voting before a petition for a Royal Charter is submitted to the Privy Council. City status is more complex, as it is granted by Royal Prerogative, and arrangements to preserve it will depend on the circumstances of each area. The Government has committed to work with local leaders to ensure all ceremonial rights, including city status, are maintained through reorganisation.
The position on armorial bearings requires separate consideration. The Department is engaging with the College of Arms, which is considering options for arrangements following local government reorganisation. The Department will consider the College’s advice as this work progresses.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether VAT is charged by HMRC on the overnight visitor levy set by councils in (a) Wales and (b) Scotland.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Under UK VAT law, VAT is charged on the full amount paid by a customer for the goods or services they are purchasing. Therefore, where an overnight visitor levy forms part of the consideration paid for accommodation, VAT is charged on the total amount paid, including the levy.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to HMT, Treasury Minutes, CP1668, August 2026, para 7.2 (page 9), if she will list each of the significant challenges that have prevented the Government from updating official estimates of failed asylum seekers in the UK.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
Producing official estimates of the number of failed asylum seekers is dependent on completion of work to re-establish the assured statistical datasets required after the transition of asylum caseworking to the new Atlas system.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the No10 press release entitled "Burnham means business: PM slashes business rates bills for pubs, clubs and live music venues", of 23 July 2026, and the pledge to fully fund the reduction in business rates, whether there will be £100 million of increases in business rates by reducing reliefs.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Government will set out further details on funding for the additional 20 per cent business rates relief for pubs, social clubs and live music venues at the Budget. As part of that work, the Government is reviewing reliefs for businesses that do not make a positive contribution to local communities, such as vape shops. Further detail will be set out at the Budget.Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2026, to Question 22095, on Urban Areas: Planning Permission, whether the new positive contribution will apply to (a) all businesses, and all business rate reliefs, or (b) only Retail, Hospitality and Leisure businesses.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Government will set out further details on funding for the additional 20 per cent business rates relief for pubs, social clubs and live music venues at the Budget. As part of that work, the Government is reviewing reliefs for businesses that do not make a positive contribution to local communities, such as vape shops. Further detail will be set out at the Budget.