Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025, on Question 89461, on Greenpeace, what topics were discussed, on each date; and how many meetings have been held in total.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Ministerial meeting returns found on GOV.UK note these occasions and the topics.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 publication ENTITLED MHCLG register of board members’ interests 2025 to 2026, updated 21 January 2026, whether any of the individuals have declared political activity.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In line with the definition of political activity in the Governance Code on Public Appointments, none of the individuals listed in the MHCLG register of board members’ interests 2025 to 2026 has declared any political activity.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 statistics entitled Local authority Council Taxbase in England 2025 (revised), 21 January 2026, for what reason there are some exceptions where the premium is not applied to second homes even though the premium is in use by the authority.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government recognised that there were circumstances where it may not be appropriate for a premium to apply and introduced a number of mandatory exceptions to premiums. These exceptions include circumstances where the property is marketed for sale or let, has recently concluded probate or where it is undergoing major repairs for example.
The regulations underpinning the exceptions can be found here. The government’s guidance also sets out these exceptions.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 14 January 2026 to Question 103284 on Council Tax: Warwick, whether a local authority must undertake an impact assessment before introducing a second homes council tax premium.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt. Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 99200 on 22 December 2025.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 24 November 2025 to Question 85176 on England: Anniversaries, and the Answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 99500 on National Identity, whether he will have discussions with the Mayor of London on erecting a permanent statue of King Athelstan on the fourth plinth of Trafalgar Square to mark the 1,100th anniversary of the foundation of England.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government publishes details of ministers’ meetings with external organisations on a quarterly basis.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to restrict or ban the use of wood-burning stoves in homes.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have launched a public consultation on a package of measures to reduce emissions from domestic burning, including proposals to tighten emission limits for new stoves, improve labelling and strengthen enforcement. We will consider all evidence before final decisions.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 A National Plan to End Homelessness, 11 December 2025, CP1452, whether the new requirement for social housing landlords to rehouse statutory homeless households referred by the council will apply to former asylum seekers who have been given leave to remain.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Asylum seekers are not eligible for social housing or homelessness support.
If granted refugee status, they become eligible but have their needs considered on the same basis as other households owed a homelessness duty under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the urgent question of 19 January 2026 Official Report, Column 25 on Business Rates: Retail, Hospitality and Leisure, whether it is her policy that business support for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure is reduced relative to 2024-25 levels.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £1 billion per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties.
The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since the pandemic. 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: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will list the overseas conferences that Valuation Office Agency officials have attended since July 2024.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The VOA attends a small number of overseas conferences which are an important part of sharing expertise, innovation and best practice. Since July 2024 they have attended the following:
Aug 2024 IAAO Conference, Denver;
Oct 2024 COVA Conference, Dublin;
Dec 2024, International Research Symposium, IAAO, Amsterdam;
Mar 2025, IAAO GIS Valuation Technologies Conference, Columbus, Ohio;
Sep 2025 IPTI Halifax, Nova Scotia
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 104889 on Council tax: surcharge, whether the Valuation Office Agency’s internal calculations for the 1% figure are broken down by local authority.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Fewer than 1% of properties in England are expected to be above the £2 million threshold – this estimate is not broken down by local authority. The Valuation Office Agency will be conducting a valuation exercise using industry standard techniques to identify properties with a value of £2m or above, including their location.