Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the publication MHCLG: spending over £25,000, January 2026, published on 25 February 2026, if she will set out the purpose and specific activity relating to the transaction CFO & Corporate Coram(Thomas Coram Foundation), Ref: 5105609031, Research, for £37,075.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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 25 February 2026 to Question 78241 on MHCLG: Ministers’ Private Offices, whether there are any (a) direct ministerial appointments or (b) external paid consultants who provide advice to Ministers on housing and planning.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
MHCLG ministers are advised by civil servants employed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Given the technical nature of this work, the Department does procure some technical planning advice. All Ministerial advice from within the Department, however, is provided by civil servants
There are two Direct Ministerial Appointments as part of the Euston Housing Delivery Group and the Oxford Growth Commission where advice on housing and planning may form elements of advice to Ministers in the specific circumstances of Euston and Oxford. The Chair of the Euston Housing Delivery Group was appointed on 15 October 2024. The Chair of the Oxford Growth Commission was appointed on 12 May 2025.
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 January 2026 to Question 97134 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Departmental Responsibilities, for what reason the Secretary of State's attendance at the Labour YIMBY event on 28 October 2025 was not listed in (a) Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Ministers' Hospitality - October 2025 and (b) MHCLG: ministerial meetings, October to December 2025.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, if she can confirm current charging arrangements for local authorities to request a Diocese faculty to consider changes to the grounds maintenance provision within closed churchyards.
Answered by Marsha De Cordova
In this instance the Hon. Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner will need to consult the Diocesan Registrar or Diocesan Secretary of the Diocese of London as this is a matter for the relations and discussions between a local authority and the diocesan authorities. The contact details for the Registrar and Diocesan Secretary are available on the London Diocese website
Under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972 the maintenance of a closed churchyard may be taken over by a relevant local authority. Should the local authority assess that they require the authorisation of a faculty to undertake a particular step, they should contact the diocesan registry team and the diocesan advisory commission. Should a faculty application be required, any fees which may be chargeable are set out in statutory fees orders which are approved by the General Synod and laid before Parliament and will be available from the diocesan registry on request. The Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2015 (as amended) specify some works which don’t require a faculty in which case those fees are not payable. The Rules can be found here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1568/contents
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department engages with Greenpeace.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
There has been no recent engagements with Greenpeace.
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 his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to reverse the interpretation of Environmental Impact Assessment law on carbon emissions created by the Supreme Court ruling of R (on the application of Finch on behalf of the Weald Action Group) (Appellant) v Surrey County Council and others (Respondents) UKSC/2022/0064.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government will continue to support the appropriate application of the judgment in the case of R (on the application of Finch on behalf of the Weald Action Group) (Appellant) v Surrey County Council and others (Respondents).
Consideration of the judgment and wider case law will form part of the development of Environmental Outcomes Reports to provide clarity as to the nature of assessment required for different types of development.
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, with reference to the letter from the Secretary of State to the Leader of HM Opposition, dated 21 March 2026, how much and what proportion of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme is currently funded in the Spending Review.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60128 on 4 July 2025.
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 assessment he has made of the potential impact of the change to the Housing Ombudsman Service's level of fees on the financial burden on local authorities; and what steps he will take to encourage the Housing Ombudsman Service to consult in a more timely fashion with local authorities on potential changes to annual fees in the next financial year.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Following consultation, the Housing Ombudsman published its 2026-27 Business Plan on 15 April. Both the final Business Plan and a consultation response summary can be found on the Housing Ombudsman’s website here.
Fees will be increased to £9.64 per home in 2026-27 to deal with ongoing increases in demand.
The Business Plan also makes clear that in 2026-27 the Housing Ombudsman will undertake a discovery exercise on alternative fee models that recognise positive complaint handling to potentially replace the per home charge and will work with my Department to support an earlier consultation.
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 his Department has issued governance guidance to local authorities on whether a sitting Chairman or civic Mayor can preside over, and participate in, a Full Council debate and vote, where there is a motion for the annual Full Council to re-appoint that Chairman or civic Mayor for another year, including any guidance on the application of the case law of R v Owens (1858) to modern day Annual Council selection meetings.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authority governance arrangements are a matter for councils themselves, operating within the statutory framework set by the Local Government Act 1972.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure asylum seekers are securely dispersed from short-term holding facilities when those facilities reach capacity.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has a statutory obligation to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute by providing appropriate support which usually includes accommodation.
Accommodation Plans consider a range of suitability factors for dispersal in each Local Authority covering market availability, viability, social factors and other supported cohorts.
Full dispersal remains a key priority which aims to achieve a fairer and more equitable accommodation spread of asylum seekers across the UK. We remain committed to housing asylum seekers in cost-effective and suitable accommodation in communities, achieving the best value for money for the taxpayer.