Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government contributes to the European Programme for Integration and Migration.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

To determine whether the Home Office contributes funding to the European Programme for Integration and Migration would require extensive searches across a number of Home Office business areas and financial records.The information could therefore be obtained only at disproportionate cost, as the cost of identifying, locating, retrieving and extracting the relevant information is estimated to exceed the disproportionate cost threshold of £850.

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 30 June 2026 to Question 11664 on Prayer: Public Places, whether he has issued guidance on whether silent prayer is permissible in a safe access zone by an abortion clinic.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has not issued any guidance on whether silent prayer is permissible in a safe access zone by an abortion clinic. I refer the Honourable Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 96563 and UIN 97804.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has published guidance on the offence stated under Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023, which is available in Annex A of Offences during Protests, Demonstrations or Campaigns | The Crown Prosecution Service. Further information is available at Abortion service protection zones in place in England and Wales - GOV.UK. Arrest and charging decisions will always remain a matter for the operationally independent police and CPS. They make decisions about how to respond to specific incidents based on their professional judgement and the circumstances at hand.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 31 March 2026, to Question 122681, on Radicalism, if she will list the key partners who are being consulted.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)

The review of the engagement standards and the accompanying guidance is ongoing. We do not routinely comment on ongoing policy development. The refreshed standards and accompanying guidance will be available on gov.uk.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2026, to Question 6854, on Home Office: Public Consultation, and with reference to the answer of 17 March 2026, to Question 118753, on Muslim Council of Britain, whether the Home Office as a government department (a) substantively reads and (b) gives any weight to, written representations sent into Home Office consultations from the Muslim Council of Britain, given the Home Office policy of non-engagement with the MCB.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)

The Government continues to have a policy of non-engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain. This includes written representations.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2026, to Question 7457, on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group, and to Question 8184, on Home Office: Greenpeace, for what reason the Government has stated (a) it does not engage with MEND, CAGE, the Muslim Association of Britain or the Muslim Council of Britain, but (b) does not comment on non-engagement policies with specific individuals or groups.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)

Although the Government has a policy of not commenting about groups or individuals, there are cases where it is in the public interest to do so. The Government has previously made the decision to not engage with organisations that have taken positions that contradict our fundamental values and have not explicitly retracted these positions.

The Government is committed to engaging with a broad range of leaders and organisations across many different communities and civil society groups. Engagement with communities can strengthen our democracy, our policymaking and our society.

As highlighted in the Government's social cohesion action plan, Protecting What Matters, the Home Office is updating and embedding the 2024 engagement principles to assist public bodies to not confer legitimacy, funding or influence on extremist groups.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what statistics are collated from local authorities on the number of licensed premises under the Licensing Act 2003.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes biennial statistics on alcohol licensing in England and Wales, based on data collected from local authorities under the Licensing Act 2003.

These statistics include information on the number of personal and premises licenses on issue, and the number of club premises certificates. They also include information on other licensing activity, such as cumulative impact areas, late night levies, premises licence reviews, 24-hour alcohol licenses, temporary event notices and licenses revoked in relation to spiking concerns.

The latest available data is for the year ending 31 March 2024 and can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/alcohol-and-late-night-refreshment-licensing-england-and-wales-statistics

Data for the year ending 31 March 2026 will be published between October and November 2026.

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 the Prime Minister's article entitled High streets have lost their buzz - local people must be ones to get it back, published in the Daily Mirror of 10 August 2026, through what mechanisms will regulatory restrictions on vaping shops entail the opening of (a) butchers, (b) bakers and (c) bookshops.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

To give communities and councils greater control over the future of their high streets, we will consult on new planning rules so that most shops changing use to vape shops and adult gaming centres will need to submit a planning application before opening. The consultation on the change will be published in the Autumn.

Whilst the introduction of a licensing for tobacco and vaping retailers using powers in the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 will strengthen enforcement, these changes will give councils greater powers to prevent clustering or new shops opening in inappropriate locations, such as near schools.

A clearer definition of a vape shop, combined with planning controls, will help local planning authorities identify and monitor premises whose primary purpose is the sale of vapes. Evidence on likely impacts and whether other premises should also be restricted will be gathered through consultation and considered before final policy decisions are made.

We will also review business rates reliefs for businesses that do not make a positive contribution to local communities. Further detail will be set out at the Budget, following careful consideration of the impact of different policy options and definitions on different types of businesses.

These measures are initial steps towards a wider High Streets Strategy, to be published later this year.

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 is taking to address increases in the average rate of council tax across (a) Band D and (b) other Bands for those not on local council tax support.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

It is for individual councils to decide their level of council tax, taking into consideration a range of local factors, including the impact on taxpayers. We expect local authorities to support vulnerable taxpayers in all bands from council tax increases where possible, including by providing a local council tax support scheme.

The Government has set a core referendum principle of 3% and a 2% adult social care precept for 2026-27. Where referendum principles are in place, councils seeking to set an increase above this threshold must have it approved by voters.

The Government remains committed to ensuring the council tax system is fair for taxpayers and local authorities, and will continue to keep the system under review.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of (i) Local Government Pension Schemes, and (ii) asset pools which have adopted investment policies which divest in (a) firms from Israel or which trade with Israel and (b) firms which are involved in Trident renewal.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department published statutory guidance on Investment Strategy Statements on 29th June 2026 which can be found here. As this set out, LGPS pools are responsible for implementing the investment strategies which their partner administering authorities have set, and strategies should not set exclusions for investments in individual countries, investment styles or companies. Government does not collect data regarding the number of funds or pools with specific responsible investment approaches.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether there is a special category code which the HMRC Valuation Office uses to categorise places of worship for business rate liability or whether places of worship are exempt from the valuation process; and what processes are used for valuing places of worship which are not certified under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

Places of Public Religious Worship are not valued for business rates. For Places of Public Religious Worship without a certificate, the Valuation Office consider the tests for Religious Exemption as outlined in the Valuation Office Rating Manual, here.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2026, to Question 10763, on Council tax: valuation, if she will place in the Library a copy of HMRC Valuation Office’s guidance on (a) site visits, and (b) requests for information, for council tax valuations.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

HMRC’s Valuation Office does not publish guidance on inspections or requests for information for Council Tax purposes. Each property is considered on a case-by-case basis to determine its Council Tax band. Additional information may be sought from the taxpayer in line with section 27 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. An inspection may be carried out, though this is not usually required.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the answer of 17 September 2024, to Question 5223, on Council Tax: Wales, whether an external firm has been commissioned to assist on council tax automated valuation model or computer assisted mass appraisal development.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The only external contractor which worked on the development of the automated valuation model is referenced in the reply to UIN 5223.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate has the HMRC Valuation Office made of the estimated (a) number and (b) proportion of council tax appeals that will be (i) submitted and (ii) accepted, on the new council tax valuation list in Wales, following the council tax revaluation in Wales.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

An estimate of the number of appeals following the Council Tax revaluation in Wales was published in the Welsh Government’s Explanatory Memorandum of the Local Government Finance (Wales) Act 2024. It can be found on page 88 of the document on their website, here.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of people qualify for the single person council tax discount in (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27; and what estimate she has made of the aggregate value of the discount in of those years in England.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department collects data on the number of dwellings entitled to a single person discount but does not collect data on the number or proportion of people who qualify for the discount. The latest available data shows that, as of 6 October 2025, 8.5 million dwellings were entitled to a single person discount. The data is available here: Local authority Council Taxbase in England 2025 (revised) - GOV.UK. Equivalent data for 2026 is not yet available and will be published in November 2026.

The department does not make an estimate of the aggregate value of the single person discount.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the answer of 20 April 2026, to Question 124647, on Licensing Premises: Business Rates, what special category code the HMRC Valuation Office uses for the business rates valuation of a wine bar.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

I refer the member to the answer given to Question UIN 106140 on 21 January 2026.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the proposed publication date by the HMRC Valuation Office for the draft council tax valuation list in Wales is, following the council tax revaluation.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

Section 20 of the Local Government Finance (Wales) Act 2024 states that publication of the proposed valuation list will either be no later than the 1 September before the date on which the list is to be compiled in a revaluation year, or another date set out by Welsh Ministers in an order.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the answer of 21 April 2026, to Question 126749, on Council Tax: Surcharges, what the evidential basis is for residential dwellings being liable for both taxes, including the proposed higher level for foreign owners under the new surcharge.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) applies to companies that own UK residential property worth more than £500,000. ATED is intended to tackle tax avoidance, ensuring those who 'envelope' residential properties, by owning or purchasing them through corporate structures without a commercial purpose, pay a fair share of tax.

The High Value Council Tax Surcharge (HVCTS) will apply to owners of residential properties in England worth £2 million or above. Some companies who are currently liable to pay ATED will be in scope of the HVCTS. The government sought views through consultation on a non-resident surcharge for HVCTS, a response will be published in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2026, to Question 9591, on Business Rates: Retail Trade, what the evidential basis is for the total business rate bills paid by the retail sector in 2026-27 compared to 2025-26.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The evidential basis is analysis conducted by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) using property-level rateable value data from the Valuation Office, alongside local authority returns, as published in MHCLG’s National Non-Domestic Rates statistics.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2026, to Question 6853, on Asylum: Hillingdon, for what reason her Department only publishes details of asylum grant per council in historic Cabinet Office grant data for previous years, and does not publish current year funding in the year of its allocation.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

Asylum grant funding information is published in line with the Cabinet Office's Government Grants Data and Statistics publication process. Funding data is published annually once the financial year has ended and having been validated, reconciled and quality-assured. This, rather than publishing live grant allocations, ensures accuracy and consistency.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2026, to Question 7805, on Asylum: Housing, whether any local authorities are currently contracted with the Home Office to provide asylum accommodation services.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

No local authorities are currently contracted to provide asylum accommodation services. The Home Office holds eight contracts for the provision of these services and details of them are publicly available:

CRH - Wales

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Wales - Contracts Finder

CRH - South

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract South - Contracts Finder

Serco - NW

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NW - Contracts Finder

Serco - MEE

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract MEE - Contracts Finder

Mears - NEYH

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NEYH - Contracts Finder

Mears - Scotland

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Scotland - Contracts Finder

Mears - NI

AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NI - Contracts Finder

CTM

Contract for the Provision of Asylum Accommodation and Travel Services - Contracts Finder

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2026, to Question 6860, on Asylum: Hotels, if she will publish a precise figure for the number of asylum hotels in operation in each month since July 2024, and the number of asylum seekers housed in asylum hotels in each of those months.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

The number of hotels in use has reduced from over 400 asylum hotels in summer 2023, there are now fewer than 190 currently in use and we are on track to close all by the end of this Parliament.

The Home Office publishes statistics on a quarterly basis detailing the number of supported asylum seekers accommodated including numbers accommodated in hotels. These statistics can be found in at Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK Asylum seekers in receipt of Home Office support detailed datasets, year ending March 2026. These tables also have historical data on the number of supported asylum seekers accommodated.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2027, to Question 7200, on Strategic Migration Partnerships: Finance, why the publication of the aggregate spending across all partnerships is deemed to be sensitive.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

Home Office funding is allocated individually to each Strategic Migration Partnership and varies according to local operational pressures, delivery requirements, and regional arrangements. As these agreements are bespoke and subject to individual arrangements between the Home Office and the recipient organisation, details of specific funding allocations are not routinely shared beyond the individual recipient organisations.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2026, to Question 7805, on Asylum: Housing, whether any local authorities have expressed an interest in the engagement notice.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

The procurement for the provision of Asylum Support and Accommodation Services remains ongoing. Given the commercial sensitivities surrounding an ongoing procurement campaign, no further information can be released at this stage.

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 16 July 2026 to Question 17622 on Shops: Planning Permission and with reference to the 10 Downing Street press release entitled PM vows to save hollowed out high streets with crackdown on vape and betting shops, published on 11 August 2026, for what reason the planning restrictions on vaping shops are being introduced in addition to the licensing of vaping retailers through the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

To give communities and councils greater control over the future of their high streets, we will consult on new planning rules so that most shops changing use to vape shops and adult gaming centres will need to submit a planning application before opening. The consultation on the change will be published in the Autumn.

Whilst the introduction of a licensing for tobacco and vaping retailers using powers in the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 will strengthen enforcement, these changes will give councils greater powers to prevent clustering or new shops opening in inappropriate locations, such as near schools.

A clearer definition of a vape shop, combined with planning controls, will help local planning authorities identify and monitor premises whose primary purpose is the sale of vapes. Evidence on likely impacts and whether other premises should also be restricted will be gathered through consultation and considered before final policy decisions are made.

We will also review business rates reliefs for businesses that do not make a positive contribution to local communities. Further detail will be set out at the Budget, following careful consideration of the impact of different policy options and definitions on different types of businesses.

These measures are initial steps towards a wider High Streets Strategy, to be published later this 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 16 July 2026, to Question 17622 on Shops: Planning Permission and with reference to the 10 Downing Street press release entitled PM vows to save hollowed out high streets with crackdown on vape and betting shops, published on 11 August 2026, what evidence was used for changing the planning use class for vaping shops.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

To give communities and councils greater control over the future of their high streets, we will consult on new planning rules so that most shops changing use to vape shops and adult gaming centres will need to submit a planning application before opening. The consultation on the change will be published in the Autumn.

Whilst the introduction of a licensing for tobacco and vaping retailers using powers in the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 will strengthen enforcement, these changes will give councils greater powers to prevent clustering or new shops opening in inappropriate locations, such as near schools.

A clearer definition of a vape shop, combined with planning controls, will help local planning authorities identify and monitor premises whose primary purpose is the sale of vapes. Evidence on likely impacts and whether other premises should also be restricted will be gathered through consultation and considered before final policy decisions are made.

We will also review business rates reliefs for businesses that do not make a positive contribution to local communities. Further detail will be set out at the Budget, following careful consideration of the impact of different policy options and definitions on different types of businesses.

These measures are initial steps towards a wider High Streets Strategy, to be published later this year.

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 the No10 press release entitled PM vows to save hollowed out high streets with crackdown on vape and betting shops, 10 August 2026, whether an impact assessment has been produced in relation to the changes announced in the press release.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

To give communities and councils greater control over the future of their high streets, we will consult on new planning rules so that most shops changing use to vape shops and adult gaming centres will need to submit a planning application before opening. The consultation on the change will be published in the Autumn.

Whilst the introduction of a licensing for tobacco and vaping retailers using powers in the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 will strengthen enforcement, these changes will give councils greater powers to prevent clustering or new shops opening in inappropriate locations, such as near schools.

A clearer definition of a vape shop, combined with planning controls, will help local planning authorities identify and monitor premises whose primary purpose is the sale of vapes. Evidence on likely impacts and whether other premises should also be restricted will be gathered through consultation and considered before final policy decisions are made.

We will also review business rates reliefs for businesses that do not make a positive contribution to local communities. Further detail will be set out at the Budget, following careful consideration of the impact of different policy options and definitions on different types of businesses.

These measures are initial steps towards a wider High Streets Strategy, to be published later this 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 20 July 2026, to Question 18022, on Council Tax: City of Westminster and Wandsworth, whether her Department has assumed a 5% + £300 a year increase, across each of two years, in the six councils on Band H homes in each council.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As set out in the answer to Question UIN 113737 on 2 March 2026, to calculate their Core Spending Power, we assume City of Westminster, Wandsworth, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, City of London, and Windsor and Maidenhead increase their council tax by 5% in 2026-27. We also assume they will increase their Band D council tax by 5% plus £150 in 2027-28 and 2028-29. As Band H levels are fixed at double the rate of band D, a £150 increase on Band D would equate to a £300 increase on Band H.

The actual level of council tax remains a local decision for individual councils, taking into consideration a range of local factors including the impact on taxpayers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2026, to Question 8186, on Treasury: Mayor of Greater Manchester, if she will place in the Library copies of the correspondence from the Mayor of Greater Manchester since July 2024.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The previous Chancellor, who was the subject of this PQ, met and exchanged correspondence regularly with Mayors, including the Mayor of Greater Manchester, on a range of issues relating to local growth and devolution.

Letters to the Chancellor from the previous Mayor of Greater Manchester are private correspondence and there are no plans to place them in the House Library.

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 the HM Treasury webpage entitled Business case publications: collection, last updated 13 August 2026, whether her Department holds Government Major Projects Portfolio business cases produced since June 2025 which have not been uploaded to the website.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department currently has three Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) programmes: the Building Safety Remediation Programme, the Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP), and the National Housing Delivery Fund (NHDF). Business cases for these programmes have not yet been finalised or are currently being updated. They will be published once finalised, in line with HM Treasury guidance on the publication of GMPP business cases.

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 the HM Treasury collection, Business case publications: collection, last updated on 13 August 2026, whether her Department holds Government Major Projects Portfolio business cases produced since June 2025 which have not been uploaded to the HMT website.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department currently has three Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) programmes: the Building Safety Remediation Programme, the Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP), and the National Housing Delivery Fund (NHDF). Business cases for these programmes have not yet been finalised or are currently being updated. They will be published once finalised, in line with HM Treasury guidance on the publication of GMPP business cases.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether single adult households will be able to claim the 25% single person discount on the council tax surcharge.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Government has set out plans to introduce the High Value Council Tax Surcharge, which will increase fairness within the system.

The Government has consulted on the design of the High Value Council Tax Surcharge, including on a deferral scheme to support those who may struggle to pay, treatment of freehold and leasehold properties (including those with short leases), and a proposed list of discounts and exemptions. This consultation closed on 14 July. The Government is considering responses received and a response to the consultation will be published 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, with reference to the Impact Assessment for the Representation of the People Bill, published on 14 May 2026, whether the non-monetised costs to local authorities will be compensated under the New Burdens doctrine; and whether her Department will calculate the cost of burdens which are currently non-monetised.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities will be fully funded in line with the New Burdens doctrine, which compensates local authorities for additional net expenditure resulting from central government policy. We will keep our assessment of local authority impacts under review, and any necessary updates to the Bill's accompanying Impact Assessment will be made in the usual way.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on how many local authorities have byelaws against barbeques in public parks in operation.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

This data is not held centrally. Local authorities are responsible for making and administering byelaws in their areas, and the Department does not maintain a central record of all specific byelaws currently in force.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Valuation Office uses Acorn consumer classification (CACI) data.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The VO does not use ACORN classification data.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled Business Rates Multipliers: Qualifying Retail, Hospitality or Leisure, updated on 30 March 2026, for what policy reason (a) banking hubs and (b) cash machines on high streets are excluded from the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure multiplier.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

Banking hubs and cash machines are excluded because their primary function is the provision of financial services rather than retail, hospitality or leisure activity. Their location on a high street does not, in itself, bring them within the scope of the RHL multipliers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the answer of 10 April 2026, to Question 122709, if he will provide equivalent data, for the number of pubs with special category code 226 and 227, by local authority area, and their average Rateable Value by local authority, for the 2026 Rating List.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The HMRC Valuation Office publishes statistics on non-domestic properties, including public houses, through its non-domestic rating stock of properties collection. I refer the Member to the answer given to Question UIN122709 tabled on 23 March 2026 which provides a link to the published data available. The specific breakdown requested is not included within the published statistics.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Valuation Office Agency annual report and accounts, 2025-26, HC401, 9 July 2026, page 46, how data enhancement was undertaken to improve council tax data quality.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

Data enhancement involves reviewing property information held by the VO, including validating and updating property attributes and correcting missing or inaccurate records. This provides a more accurate evidence base for valuations.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to devolve decisions on the dispersal of asylum seekers to (a) local councils and (b) combined authority mayors.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office remains responsible for meeting its statutory obligations to accommodate asylum seekers under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Decisions on the procurement and allocation of asylum accommodation are therefore a matter for the Home Office.

The Department works closely with local authorities, Strategic Migration Partnerships and other local partners to inform decisions on asylum accommodation provision. Local authorities are consulted on proposed dispersed accommodation properties and are able to provide local information and intelligence to support decision-making.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what Special Category Code is given by HMRC Valuation Office to (a) betting shops, (b) fast food takeaways, (c) adult gaming centres and (d) barbers.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Valuation Office publishes a list of Special Category codes and descriptions on their website here.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which organisations have (a) had departmental Civil Servants seconded to HMRC and the Valuation Office since July 2024 and (b) seconded organisational staff to HMRC and the Valuation Office in that period.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

Since July 2024, HMRC civil servants have been seconded to the following organisations:
• Gambling Commission
• Office for Environmental Protection
• St Helena Government
• Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA)
• Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
• Nesta
• Pubs Code Adjudicator
• TaxAid
• Resolution Foundation
• Bank of England
• London School of Economics
• National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)
• GCHQ
• University College London (UCL)
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR)
• St James's Palace
• National Crime Agency (NCA)
• Falkland Islands Government
• Alexander Mann Solutions
• UK Government Investments
• Isle of Man Government
• Arts Council NI
• HMG Gibraltar
• Financial Ombudsman Service

The VOA seconded out civil servants to:
• HM Treasury
• LocatEd (then an arms-length body of the Department for Education).

During the same period, HMRC has received inward secondees from:
• the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
• Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS)
• Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP)
• Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT)
• Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

The VOA received inward secondees from:
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
• Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL)
• Department for Transport (DfT)
• HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS)
• Home Office (HO)
• Ministry of Justice (MoJ)
• Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
• Food Standards Agency (FSA)
• HM Land Registry
• Ministry of Defence (MOD)
• Legal Aid Agency
• HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS)
• HM Treasury
• LocatED

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the HMRC response to Freedom of Information Act request FOI2026/09619, of 11 June 2026.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The information requested in Freedom of Information request FOI2026/09619, the Valuation Office’s Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) for the 2026 business rates revaluation, has already been disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Disclosure under the Act is a disclosure to the public at large, rather than solely to the individual requester. Although the Valuation Office does not intend to publish the response proactively, a copy of the disclosed information can be provided to anyone who requests it, and a copy will be added to the House of Commons Library.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when Schedule a) 137 and b) 138 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 will commence.

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

Section 137 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026, which creates a new criminal offence that applies in England and Wales, of retaining a child abroad without consent, will be commenced by regulations as soon as reasonably practicable. We must ensure sufficient time to consider and manage impacts on the criminal justice system and for law enforcement to update guidance and provide appropriate training.

Section 138 of the Act, which creates a similar offence in Northern Ireland, will come into force on a day specified by order by the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what representations have been received to her department from the National Fire Chiefs Council on the nationwide UK Emergency Alert issued on 14 August 2026.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All Emergency Alerts are sent in conjunction with agencies or public bodies that are responding to emergencies. The decision to issue this alert was not taken lightly. It was made in direct cooperation with the National Fire Chiefs Council.

The alert was issued during a period where there were 43 active fires and 11 major incidents nationwide. It was sent to around 55 million mobile phones across England and Wales, providing advice on steps people could take to help prevent wildfires. It formed part of the Government's work with fire and rescue services and other partners to raise awareness of the heightened risk of wildfires.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what is the budget for automatic voter registration over the Spending Review period, and what costs have been monetised to date.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Improving Voter Registration policy has been appraised in the Impact Assessment for the Representation of the People Bill, and all monetised costs of the policy are set out in that assessment.

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 the Am I Registered service in Northern Ireland, whether her Department has assessed the potential merits of an electoral registration status check.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

We are exploring a range of options to ensure that individuals are accurately registered, including different options to reduce administrative burden for Electoral Registration Officers and simplify processes for individual electors. We will provide more information as this work develops. Currently, it is possible to check registration status by contacting your local Electoral Registration Officer.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the 10 Downing Street joint press release entitled Burnham means business: PM slashes business rates bills for pubs, clubs and live music venues, published on 23 July 2026, how many vaping shops operate in England according to figures held by (a) his Department and (b) the HMRC Valuation Office for which the latest information is available.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The HMRC Valuation Office does not hold data on the number of vaping shops operating in England.

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 ref: 5105613138 in her Department's document entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, May 2026, published on 10 August 2026, what are the terms of reference for the Multiple Disadvantage Research to be conducted by Verian Group UK Limited.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The multiple disadvantage research carried out by Verian included the preparation of a series of webinars which will share the learning generated from the evaluation of Changing Futures 1 with the sector, and internal work to support the design and delivery of the evaluation of Changing Futures 2.

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 the Answer of 5 August 2026 to Question HL2418, on Homelessness, what is the total amount of (a) CDEL and (b) RDEL funding in each year of the Spending Review which is currently uncommitted.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In line HM Treasury guidance, departments are expected to manage new pressures within existing budgets and therefore maintain robust contingency arrangements. Departments are required to identify around 5 percent of their allocated Departmental Expenditure Limits that could be reprioritised if unforeseen pressures arise, either through unallocated provision, contingency plans, or a combination of the two.

Consistent with this approach, MHCLG retains a degree of budget flexibility rather than committing all funding at the start of the financial year. The precise level of flexibility changes as budgets are allocated and decisions taken over the course of the financial year and the Spending Review period.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to reduce business rates on (a) butchers, (b) bakers and (c) bookshops.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Government has introduced new permanent lower multipliers for eligible Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) properties. These provide nearly £1 billion per year of support to the RHL sector and benefit over 750,000 properties, replacing temporary reliefs that were in place during and after the pandemic and providing businesses with greater certainty and stability.

Full details of eligibility for the new multipliers are set out in the relevant statutory instrument (SI), which can be found online here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/1093/contents/made with guidance to support in interpreting the SI found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/business-rates-multipliers-qualifying-retail-hospitality-or-leisure. The Government expects the vast majority of eligible retail properties to benefit from the new RHL multipliers.

The Chancellor announces decisions on tax policy at fiscal events. Any future changes to business rates, including for specific sectors or property types, would be considered as part of that process.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC Valuation Office values cake sheds for business rates.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Valuation Office would consider the extent and frequency of the non-domestic use, and any modifications made to the property to accommodate that use, when deciding whether a cake shed fell to be rateable.

Where the use of domestic property for a non-domestic purpose did not materially detract from the domestic use, then that use would not normally result in the property being assessed for non-domestic rates.

Further guidance can be found at Rating Manual - Domestic and Non Domestic Guidance

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the guidance, Business Rates Multipliers: Qualifying Retail, Hospitality or Leisure, of 30 March 2026, whether student union bars are eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure multiplier introduced in April 2026.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

Local Authorities determine whether a hereditament meets the legislative definition of Retail, Hospitality or Leisure (RHL) and therefore qualifies for the RHL multiplier.

Full details of eligibility for the new multipliers are set out in the relevant statutory instrument (SI), which can be found online here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/1093/contents/made with guidance to support in interpreting the SI found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/business-rates-multipliers-qualifying-retail-hospitality-or-leisure

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, what the estimated annual revenue is from extending VAT online marketplace liability to combat non-compliance.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Government consulted on extending VAT online marketplace liability to combat non-compliance, from 23 June to 18 August 2026

Revenue raised from extending the VAT online marketplace liability rules to domestic businesses will be reinvested into improvements to the business rates system.

The Government is considering responses to the consultation and will set out its policy response in due course. Impacts on Exchequer revenues alongside further details of the policy will be published in the usual way.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the guidance, Business Rates Multipliers: Qualifying Retail, Hospitality or Leisure, of 30 March 2026, and with reference to the No10 press release, “PM vows to save hollowed out high streets with crackdown on vape and betting shops”, 10 August 2026, whether adult gaming centres are eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure multiplier introduced in April 2026.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

Local Authorities determine whether a hereditament meets the legislative definition of Retail, Hospitality or Leisure (RHL) and therefore qualifies for the RHL multiplier. Ahead of Budget 2025, the Government laid a Statutory Instrument (SI) defining ‘qualifying RHL hereditaments’ for the purposes of the RHL multipliers. The SI can be found online here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/1093/contents/made.

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, 23 July 2026, how he plans to determine whether premises will be eligible for the relief; and whether it will be applied to (a) wine bars, (b) night clubs that do not play live music, (c) hotels with a bar open to the public, (d) pubs with hotel rooms and (e) private clubs not open to members of the public and (f) lap dancing clubs.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The scope of the 20 per cent relief will broadly follow the scope of the current 15 per cent relief and real-terms freeze in bills. However, to target support where it is most needed, the Government will not be making the additional 20 per cent available to the very largest venues. The Government will provide further details at the Budget on how this carve out will apply.

This relief will be awarded by Local Authorities, who will determine eligibility using guidance published by the Government. The guidance for the existing 15 per cent relief can be found online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pubs-and-live-music-venues-relief.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Valuation Office Agency annual report and accounts, 2025-26, HC401, 9 July 2026, page 81, if he will break down the increase in staff by business unit; and what the FTE target is for 2026-27.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Valuation Office’s headcount increase was for 9 corporate roles and 484 operational roles. The operational roles were split between the Chief Valuer Group (152) and the Valuation Operation Group (332) to support delivery across a range of areas including customer services, council tax and apprentice surveyors.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Valuation Office Agency annual report and accounts, 2025-26, HC401, 9 July 2026, pages 53 and 56, what the nature of the risk is in relation to (a) the introduction of the council tax surcharge and (b) 2029 business rates revaluation.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

As outlined in our annual report and accounts, the risks relating to Revaluation 2029 and High Value Council Tax Surcharge relate to VO delivery and ensuring we mitigate them effectively.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what was the business case for the Avant Homes payment plan agreement for its Developer Remediation Contract of January 2026; and how many other housing developers have been given payment plans agreements.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Under the Developer Remediation Contract, developers committed to fix or pay to fix over 2,600 buildings at a cost to themselves of around £4.2bn. This includes repaying taxpayers for money spent to fix any of those buildings through government schemes.

The terms of the Contract, which are publicly available, provide for any developer who signed it to request a payment plan to allow it to spread those repayments over an agreed period, with interest.

Developer eligibility is informed by due diligence undertaken by government.

To date, government has agreed a payment plan with one developer (Avant Homes).

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HMRC official statistics, Non-domestic rating: challenges and changes statistical commentary, 6 August 2026, whether there is a forecast for the total number of (a) Checks, (b) Challenges and (c) appeals in England against the 2026 rating list over the full rating cycle.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Valuation Office does not publish forecasts for the number of Checks, Challenges or Appeals that may be made against the 2026 rating list in England over the course of the rating cycle.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the answer of 26 February 2026 to Question 113649 on Council Tax: Valuation, whether there is HMRC Valuation Office guidance on physical inspections of dwellings for council tax valuations.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN19141 tabled on 15 July 2026.