James Cleverly

Since publishing the answer to the Hon Member, for Braintree’s Question 118770, the High Value Council Tax Surcharge consultation has opened for submissions. In light of this, the National Church Institutions are currently updating the “high-level assessment” made in 2025 and are preparing a formal response to the consultation.

The government wants the widest range of lived experiences perspectives to inform its work on public service reform. The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and improving public services for everyone. That is why the Race Equality Unit’s engagement will be representative of the challenges and opportunities of different groups when accessing public services.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 121726.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 121725.

The Electoral Commission has long called for reforms that ensure that only companies that make enough money in the UK can donate to political parties. It has recommended using profit as the measure that would more effectively prevent foreign money from entering the system, by providing the strongest guarantee that donations by a company can only be from money made in the UK.

In developing its recommendation, the Commission considered the potential impact on the integrity and sustainability of political party funding, as well as the impact on the ability of legitimate companies to participate in the UK's democratic processes.

Electoral law prescribes which official notices must be displayed in polling stations. This includes the ‘guidance for voters’ notice which explains that voting is secret and voters should not let anyone see how they have voted. The Commission’s guidance for electoral administrators and polling station handbook explain where and how these notices must be displayed.

The Commission reviews a range of information across all local authorities to help assess the risk of electoral fraud, including police data on allegations of electoral fraud and areas where concerns have previously been raised. This information is used to inform how and where the Commission targets additional support.

It is working closely with the electoral community, including local authorities and the police, to prevent, detect and act against electoral fraud ahead of the May 2026 elections.

Since 2018, the Commission has run a public awareness campaign “Your Vote is Yours Alone” in partnership with Crimestoppers. The campaign highlights what constitutes electoral fraud and empowers people to protect their vote and report any concerns. It targets specific areas based on a series of factors, including allegations of electoral fraud reported to the police.

The Electoral Commission's handbook states that the Returning Officer can provide written instructions in alternative languages or formats for use in the polling station depending on requirements within the community.

The Commission reviews its guidance regularly and makes updates in light of evidence from its post poll research, engagement with the electoral community and legislative change.

The Restoration and Renewal (R&R) Client Board’s recent report, Delivering restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster: the costed proposals (HC Paper 1576) sets out a recommended way forward for the R&R Programme, including the scope of the works and cost and timing estimates of different delivery options.

Design work for the R&R works was carried out to meet the requirements set out by the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act 2019 and a range of relevant UK regulations regarding building standards, health and safety, and consents. The outcome level assessment conducted by the R&R Programme Board also made specific reference to regulations and standards. A separate assessment of “the potential impact of government regulations” on the projected costs set out the R&R Client Board’s report has not been undertaken.

Officials from Parliament’s R&R Client Team have engaged recently with the Chair of the Building Safety Regulator. The R&R Delivery Authority plans engagement with the Building Safety Regulator and the Health and Safety Executive at the next stage of design.

Limited Liability Partnerships which carry on business in the UK are permissible donors. Scottish limited partnerships are not permissible company donors. Permissible company donors must be registered under the Companies Act 2006. Scottish limited partnerships are registered under the Limited Partnerships Act 1907.

The Commission has previously recommended that the law be amended to clarify that Scottish limited partnerships are permissible donors.

The Commission welcomed the certainty that all scheduled local elections will go ahead in May 2026. The Commission has contacted all affected local authorities to offer assistance and any additional support, working with them to address any immediate challenges.

Funding for the delivery of local elections is a matter for local authorities and Returning Officers, who would have made individual planning decisions regarding the funding to support the delivery of the polls.

The Commission has regular conversations with the Metropolitan Police and the Defending Democracy Taskforce about electoral security.

It has met regularly with the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Enquiries Team ahead of elections in London in May 2026. It has discussed the stationing of police officers at polling stations, including in Tower Hamlets. It will continue to engage ahead of polling day.

The Presiding Officer is responsible for the security of the polling station. The Commission provides advice to polling station staff on how and when to engage with police on security or electoral integrity matters.

Individual payments of £500 or less are not treated in law as a donation, so recipients are not required to identify the donor or check that they are a permissible source for donations.

The Commission has highlighted that there are some existing safeguards in law. Attempting to evade the restrictions on permissibility is a criminal offence, and the Commission advises parties to be vigilant to attempts to do so, such as repeated payments of £500 from the same source.

However, the Commission has raised the possibility of AI being used to facilitate split payments and conceal the source which would increase the risk from these smaller payments. The Commission is engaging with parties to seek information about their approach to these payments. It has recently published interim guidance on cryptocurrency donations, and will publish further guidance later this year.

The Commission has also published updated guidance on crowdfunding to ensure that parties understand how the law applies to donations raised through crowdfunding campaigns and can choose a platform that will support them to comply with the law.

The Commission published its evaluation of the Welsh automatic registration pilots on 15 December 2025.

The Commission’s correspondence to the Secretary of State is available on its website. In it the Commission makes clear its view that scheduled elections should go ahead as planned, and only be postponed in exceptional circumstances.

The Commission provides a range of services to Members to support them in their Parliamentary duties. It has not made a specific assessment of how these services support MPs in their representation of registered overseas electors.

It is for each individual MP to determine how best to perform their duties, including how they use services to support their representation of constituents.

The Commission’s assessment of the structural integrity, water ingress and condition of Portcullis House and its atrium is informed by surveys and ongoing inspections as part of the routine management of the Parliamentary Estate.

(a) Portcullis House – The building structure currently shows no visible signs of distress. More detailed intrusive surveys are scheduled for completion by summer recess 2026 to provide a fuller assessment. The causes of water ingress to the main roof have been identified and are being addressed through short‑term mitigation works, with longer‑term repairs proposed through the Portcullis House roofs project. The general condition of the building is continuously monitored by the Asset Management and Maintenance teams, with routine maintenance carried out as required. Additional projects are due to begin shortly to replace components, such as heating and cooling equipment, that have reached the end of their serviceable life.

(b) Atrium – Assessments to date indicate that the timber and steel structure of the atrium roof is generally in reasonable condition. A programme of detailed and intrusive surveys will be completed by the summer to review the structure and the overall condition of the glazed roof. Temporary works to reduce water ingress are planned for completion by summer recess 2026, with longer‑term repairs or replacement works to follow once scope of works and the associated funding has been approved.

Guidance on what the Equality Act 2010 means for political parties, including candidate shortlists, is provided by the Equality and Human Rights Commission here: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/guidance/equality-act-2010-guide-political-parties

The National Church Institutions of the Church of England (NCIs) have not conducted a formal assessment because the management of council tax levied on vicarages is handled at a diocesan level, and retired clergy are responsible for their own council tax on their retirement properties.

A broad, high-level assessment was conducted shortly after the Government's initial budget announcement in November 2025. It indicated that the proposed changes to council tax would mainly impact dioceses in regions with vicarages in higher property bands, especially the London Diocese. Any extra council tax payable would be borne by dioceses for housing parish clergy, archdeacons, and suffragan bishops; by cathedral chapters for housing cathedral clergy; and by the Church Commissioners for diocesan bishops' housing.

Since 2021, the Church Commissioners have routinely made formal representations to the Government on proposed reforms to leasehold and ground rents. These have included written submissions, correspondence with Ministers, participation in relevant Law Commission consultations and debates in the House of Lords.

Throughout the development of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (LAFRA), the Church Commissioners have consistently highlighted the risk that the loss of marriage value would diminish the Charity's ability to support its beneficiaries, particularly those most in need.

The Church Commissioners await the Government's consultation on deferment rates to assess the full impact of LAFRA, noting that the proposals would result in a one off transfer of value from the Charity to individual leaseholders, in some cases amounting to significant sums.

The Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules are the responsibility of the Committee on Standards. The Code and Guide are regularly reviewed by the Committee with advice provided by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, and I expect Members will have an opportunity to contribute to any such review.

The Commission has not been consulted.

The right to vote in secret is set out in UK electoral law. The Electoral Commission’s position, outlined in guidance to electoral administrators, has always been that anyone attempting to inappropriately influence how another person votes, or to steal someone else’s vote, is committing an offence.

The Electoral Commission’s guidance is clear that no other person is allowed to accompany a voter to a polling booth, unless a voter who is disabled or unable to read has requested assistance to vote. The Commission’s polling station handbook, which is available in every polling station, sets out that if polling station staff observe anyone else attempting to accompany a voter in the voting booth, they must approach them and tell them not to. If anyone does not comply with this instruction, the Presiding Officer has the power to order their removal from the polling station, either by the police or other authorised person. In all cases, a record should also be made in the polling station log.

This guidance was updated to reflect the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023 and as part of our regular programme of reviewing and improving guidance for polling station staff.

The Electoral Commission was in close contact with the Returning Officer (RO) to quickly and carefully review the concerns that have been raised and the information available in relation to the by-election.

The Commission considers the performance of ROs in their delivery of elections through the performance standards framework. The Commission will make any assessment in relation to this by-election in due course.

The Government Property Agency (GPA) is taking a systematic, data-led approach to review and update toilet provision across the government estate that it manages. This work will ensure alignment with updated building regulations, the Supreme Court Judgement of April 2025 regarding biological sex, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) updated Code of practice for services, public functions and associations.

The Council has met twice to discuss inward investment, trade, and AI. These meetings ensured we maximised the opportunity the 2024 International Investment Summit presented and identified areas for ongoing collaboration for AI adoption and data sharing. Alongside the second meeting, the Chief Digital and Chief Information Officers from across the devolved governments and Mayoral Strategic Authorities were brought together for the first time by the Government Digital Service to form collaborative partnerships. The Government is committed to ensuring the devolved governments and Mayoral Strategic Authorities in England are able to represent their interests in regular engagement, including intergovernmental forums.

Members of the House of Lords are not disqualified from serving as councillors, elected mayors of single authorities, combined authorities or combined county authorities, the Mayor of London or Police and Crime Commissioners.

His Majesty The King’s free Portrait Scheme was a voluntary programme offering a free, framed portrait of The King to any eligible public institution that requested one.

Following the conclusion of the scheme, a breakdown of the take up, including percentage take-up figures were published on gov.uk.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Rt Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 10th March is attached.

The Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) will comprise of two buildings Feethams House (open and in operation) and Brunswick St (in construction). These form part of a wider Darlington Portfolio - currently 8 buildings (excluding Brunswick St.). Of the 8 buildings, Bishopsgate House may yet form part of the DEC, but this is still undetermined.

The GPA cannot confirm how many staff are assigned to work at the Darlington Economic Campus (in effect Feethams House at this time) as this information is held by individual departments. The GPA does not monitor attendance. However we do receive data for Feethams for the purpose of reporting to Departments on building utilisation, i.e. number of people occupying a building by department. This data is captured via building Access Control Systems.

The Government’s policy of non-engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain has not changed.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Rt Hon. gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 6th March is attached.

The PFI expiry date is 2nd April 2031. It is anticipated an option will be called to allow the property to revert to His Majesty’s Government ownership from that date.