Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2026 to Question 20437 on Local Government: Video Recordings, whether any guidance has been given to local authorities on charging for casual filming which does not involve obstructing a highway or require a road closure.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has not published guidance to local authorities on charging for filming on public highways, including casual filming which does not obstruct the highway or require a road closure. Decisions on the management of filming activity on local highways are a matter for the relevant local highway authority.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether banning indoor vaping inside pubs is Government policy.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is currently considering responses to the consultation conducted earlier this year on extending smoke-free places and introducing vape-free and heated tobacco-free spaces and will set out the next steps in due course. A copy of the consultation document can be found at the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/smoke-free-heated-tobacco-free-and-vape-free-places-in-england

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate has the HMRC Valuation Office made of the number of houses valued between £1.5 million and £2.million which have (a) 1, (b) 2 or (c) 3 bedrooms.

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

The HMRC Valuation Office does not hold the information requested.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on innovative water tariffs.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government supports water companies trialling regulated innovative charging approaches to assess their impact on affordability, fairness and water efficiency. Ofwat regulates trials through charging rules and consumer safeguards, with vulnerable customers protected or appropriately excluded.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Electoral Commission has provided to political parties on whether volunteering by (a) trade union officials and (b) facility time employees, during the hours of contracted work, constitutes a donation in kind.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission publishes guidance for political parties on notional spending which outlines the rules around staff costs and volunteer time.

Directly employed staff are excluded from party campaign spending. However, if an employer seconds a member of staff to a party’s campaign, their gross salary and any additional allowances count as a donation, and notional spending if it is in a regulated period. Volunteer time does not count as spending or a donation.

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 28 August 2026 to Question 18746 on Peatlands: Controlled burning, if she will publish the response from the National Fire Chiefs Council to the consultation on the 2025 burning regulations.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

NFCC submitted a formal response to the consultation on the 2025 burning regulations alongside a range of organisations and this was considered as part of the development of the regulations. NFCC have published their consultation response and this can be found here: NFCC Heather and Grass Burning in England Consultation Response

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 3 September 2026 to Questions 19860 and 20860 on Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, whether the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme regulates foreign financial influence on UK political parties from the United States of America.

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

The Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) is a transparency scheme established under Part 4 of the National Security Act 2023. It requires the registration of arrangements under which any foreign power directs a person to carry out political influence activities in the UK, including the provision of money, goods or services intended to influence UK political matters.

The provision of foreign funding alone does not require registration under the political tier. However, where an individual or organisation is provided funding by a foreign power and is directed to use that funding to carry out political influence activities, that individual or organisation would be required to register.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to (a) commence and (b) revise legislation on private investigation businesses.

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

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is a Home Office Arm’s Length Body established by the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA) as the regulator of the private security industry. The SIA does not currently regulate Private Investigators. As such, neither the Home Office nor the Security Industry Authority have published advice or guidance on the use of private investigators.

The Home Office will continue to consider whether there is a case for further regulation under the Private Security Industry Act, taking care to ensure that any approach is proportionate and does not unduly restrict legitimate activity.

Private Investigators must adhere to the law, like any member of public, and any offences they commit should be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (i) advice and (ii) guidance has been produced by the (a) Home Office and (b) Security Industry Authority on the use of private investigators.

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

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is a Home Office Arm’s Length Body established by the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA) as the regulator of the private security industry. The SIA does not currently regulate Private Investigators. As such, neither the Home Office nor the Security Industry Authority have published advice or guidance on the use of private investigators.

The Home Office will continue to consider whether there is a case for further regulation under the Private Security Industry Act, taking care to ensure that any approach is proportionate and does not unduly restrict legitimate activity.

Private Investigators must adhere to the law, like any member of public, and any offences they commit should be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with Ofwat on Ofwat's document entitled Statutory consultation on changing our Wholesale Charging Rules and Charges Scheme Rules to promote greater water efficiency, published on 18 June 2026, including the proposal on allowing differences in charging based on incentives to promote water efficiency and the associated environmental and wider societal benefits; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of those proposals.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Ofwat is responsible for setting charging rules. Government expects Ofwat to have regard to their Strategic Policy Statement when setting charges and officials engage with Ofwat throughout the consultation process.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 3 September 2026 to Question 26060 on George Cottrell, if she will publish the information on the number of George Cottrell passports under the legitimate interest legal basis in Article 6(1)(f) of UK GDPR.

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

As a public authority, His Majesty’s Passport Office cannot rely on legitimate interests under article 6(1)(f) of the UK GDPR to perform its tasks. I therefore refer the Honourable Member to the answer of 3 September 2026 to question 26060.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 8 July 2026 to Question 13862 on Prices, in how many regulated areas income-based pricing is used for consumer goods and services.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Department is not responsible for determining where income-based pricing is appropriate for consumer goods and services in regulated sectors.

However, regulators are able to oversee targeted social tariffs or assistance packages for low-income or vulnerable groups, for example, in broadband, water and energy.

More broadly, the Department focuses on protecting consumers through legislation such as the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 to maintain broad price transparency and curb deceptive pricing practices across all income tiers. This includes cracking down on drip pricing, misleading online countdown timers, and hidden booking fees.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 14 July 2026 to Question 17156 on Conditions of Employment, through what mechanisms his Department is gathering evidence on the right to switch off; whether external research has been commissioned; and whether there is an informal (a) consultation and (b) call for evidence.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The government recognises the risks of blurred boundaries between work and home life and is continuing to build the evidence base on the causes of work-related stress and burnout.

As part of this work, we have commissioned a survey of working adults across Great Britain. The external research will complement wider evidence gathering and engagement with external stakeholders, to establish more evidence and help inform which measures may be most appropriate to address these issues.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether rights for trade unions to access workplaces will allow trade union representatives to access workplaces (a) during strike days and (b) to influence strike ballots taking place in the workplace.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Employment Rights Act 2025’s provisions on access set out that trade union access cannot be used for the purposes of organising industrial action (70ZA(7) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992). Doing so would be considered a breach of the access agreement. However, the union could still be entitled to access a non-striking group of workers in the same workplace for any of the access purposes set out in section 70ZA (6) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, and in accordance with the terms of the access agreement.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 119943 on Journalism: Protection, what assessment her Department has been made of the potential impact of private investigators intimidating journalists on the level of press freedom.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to defending the invaluable role of a free and independent media. Harassment and intimidation of journalists is unacceptable and incompatible with a healthy and functioning democracy.

Through the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, which brings DCMS together with the Home Office, criminal justice partners, civil society and media organisations, we work to ensure journalists can carry out their work free from threats, intimidation and violence. The Committee's National Action Plan supports efforts to improve the safety of journalists operating in the UK.

The Department also engages regularly with media organisations on current threats facing journalists and developments affecting the media landscape, including allegations of intimidation. Issues shared by the industry help to inform the work of the National Committee.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 23 September 2026 to Question HL3346 on Local Government: Reorganisation, which councils has the Local Government Boundary Commission for England supported this year; and if he will provide a relevant hyperlink to the guidance referred to in that answer.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission wrote to all new authorities following reorganisation announcements to offer support and share its guidance. The Commission has also engaged with individual Councils through bilateral meetings and informal engagement at events such as the Local Government Association conference.

The Commission’s guidance to Councils and others on the reorganisation process, including the factors that should be considered when making proposals to the Secretary of State for interim warding arrangements, can be accessed on the Commission’s website, at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-05/lgbce_lgr_guidance_note_21052025_1.pdf

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many screening applications Natural England has determined under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (England) (No. 2) Regulations 2006 for land in National Parks in each of the last five years, and in how many of those cases it decided that the project was likely to have a significant effect on the environment.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

NE has received 389 applications for an EIA screening decision since 2022, of which 36 projects were determined as likely to have a significant effect on the environment.

NE does not have a database record that details which of the 389 applications had a project area wholly or partly within a National Park (or a National Landscape).

Of the 36 projects determined as likely to have a significant effect on the environment, NE can confirm that 2 of these included the determination that the project would have a likely significant effect on the special qualities of a protected landscape. Of these 2 projects, 1 was a restructuring project in a National Landscape and the other an uncultivated land project in a National Park.

We have been provided a breakdown by year for your assistance, as follows:

36 Projects called in for EIA out of 389 screening applications

2022 applications = 12 out of 62 screening applications

2023 applications = 4 out of 79 screening applications

2024 applications = 13 out of 92 screening applications

2025 applications = 4 out of 90 screening applications

2026 applications = 3 out of 66 screening applications

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date did the Cabinet Office receive a copy from the National Cyber Security Centre of the APCO Worldwide/Labour Together report codenamed Project Cannon.

Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As has been the policy of successive governments, the government does not comment on matters relating to the intelligence agencies.

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 September 2026 to Question 21235 on Water: Conservation, if she will provide a relevant hyperlink.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Here is the link to information as requested Charging trials - Ofwat.

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 September 2026 to Question 21233 on Water: Conservation, if she will provide a relevant hyperlink.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Here is the link to information as requested Charging trials - Ofwat.

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 September 2026 to Question 21236 on Water: Conservation, if she will provide a relevant hyperlink.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Here is the link to information as requested Charging trials - Ofwat.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the Gambling Commission has made of the level of unlicensed gambling activity, and soliciting of custom, through Tether.bet.

Answered by Vicky Foxcroft - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Gambling Commission is not able to comment on or confirm or deny whether they are investigating operators based on intelligence as doing so may prejudice any operation.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2026 to Question 9053 on Treasury: Written Questions, what oral and written representations the Bank of England has received from representatives of the Reform UK party on cryptocurrency deregulation and taxation; and on what dates the Bank of England met Reform UK on this matter.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The information requested is not held by HM Treasury. The matter falls within the operational responsibilities of the Bank of England. I have asked the Governor of the Bank of England to write to the Honourable Member directly.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 121729 on Council tax: Valuation, which datasets from within the Census geographies the HMRC Valuation Office uses for council tax modelling; and whether any other Census data is utilised.

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

The Valuation Office’s Council Tax modelling uses Census geography data comprising Output Areas (OAs), Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) and Middle Layer Super Output Areas (MSOAs). No other Census data is used within the Council Tax modelling.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the proposed new 22% tax on cash held in a Stocks and Shares ISA will apply if an individual has not used up their £12,000 Cash ISA allowance; and whether the 22% tax will apply to money market funds held in a Stocks and Shares ISA.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

From April 2027, a flat-rate charge of 22% will apply to any interest or alternative finance return paid on cash held within a Stocks and Shares ISA. This charge applies regardless of whether an individual has used their full Cash ISA allowance. The charge will be accounted for by ISA managers and savers will not be required to report ISA interest to HMRC.

Money Market Funds may continue to be held in a Stocks and Shares ISA and are not subject to the 22% charge, although anti-circumvention rules will require that such funds do not constitute the sole investment held in the account.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will direct Ofwat to (a) block trials of seasonal water metering and progressive water metering until 2030 and (b) not call on companies to conduct charging trials.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Since 2022, water companies have trialled alternative charging schemes, aimed at supporting affordability, and other sustainability goals. Water companies are able to run innovative charging trials under the existing charging framework, subject to Ofwat’s charging rules and requirements to ensure charges are fair to customers.

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 8 September 2026, to Question 21231, on Water Charges: Social Tariffs, whether OFWAT holds a consolidated table of the average cross-subsidy, and the change to the cross-subsidy, that customers not in receipt of WaterSure will be charged from 2025 to 2030.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Ofwat will shortly publish 2025-26 WaterSure bill reduction data, based on companies’ Annual Performance Report submissions. Additionally, through the PR24 business planning process, Ofwat requested information from water companies on average customer cross-subsidies for social tariffs and forecast changes, which it summarised in its report on water companies’ affordability plans.

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 8 September 2026 to Question 21234 on Water Charges: Social Tariffs, whether Ofwat holds a consolidated table of the average cross-subsidy and change to cross-subsidy that non-tariff customers will be charged from 2025 to 2030 as a result of changes to social tariffs including waste water across (a) England and (b) each water company.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Ofwat will shortly publish 2025-26 WaterSure bill reduction data, based on companies’ Annual Performance Report submissions. Additionally, through the PR24 business planning process, Ofwat requested information from water companies on average customer cross-subsidies for social tariffs and forecast changes, which it summarised in its report on water companies’ affordability plans.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, in the context of the Channel 4 News report on Reform UK’s party political donations of 4 September 2026, what consideration has the Commission made of using its inspection and information powers under Schedule 19B of the Political Parties Elections and Referendum Act 2000.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Metropolitan Police has made a statement on its ongoing investigation, and the Commission is considering all relevant information and regulatory steps. It cannot comment any further while these enquiries are underway.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library a copy of the full Justice Impact Test assessment undertaken for the Representation of the People Bill.

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

Justice Impact Tests are internal government documents which are not usually published by government.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance has been given on whether the cost of food, drink and entertainment after an election, but where the invitation is made to voters before the election, is election spending.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission’s guidance for candidates and political parties outlines that activities included as election spending are those that are made use of during the regulated period.

Any event that took place after the election would not count as a regulated activity as it is not during the regulated period.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the implementation of the recommendations of the National Commission on electoral reform would require a referendum.

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

The Government will set out further details about the remit of the National Commission on Electoral Reform and about how it will carry out its work, including how people can participate, in due course. It would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of the Commission's work.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance or advice has the Electoral Commission provided on whether the provision by a third party of opinion polling for use by a political party, is a declarable donation in kind by that political party, and whether such donations should be from permissible donors.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The provision of polling is not specifically covered in the Commission’s guidance.

However, the guidance is clear that any services provided to a party other than on commercial terms will be a donation if it is worth over £500. In these circumstances a donation would need to come from a permissible source.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2026 to Question 21243, on Members’ Interest, if the Electoral Commission will make it their policy to ensure there is greater clarity and transparency on its public registers between (a) political donations and (b) sponsorship donations.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

Once live, the Commission’s new Political Finance Online system will provide more transparency and make it easier for users to identify the different types of donations, including those that are sponsorship.

In the meantime, the Commission will add explanatory notes to sponsorship donations when publishing updates to the register. This will provide important context for voters.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to the Electoral Commission publication, How different levels of donation caps could affect political parties: sensitivity analysis, of 3 July 2026, whether the Electoral Commission has undertaken or commissioned any similar analysis in relation to the potential impact of the overseas contributor cap on political donations proposed in the Representation of the People Bill.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission has not undertaken or commissioned such analysis.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to the Electoral Commission, 2026 flexible voting pilots evaluation, July 2026, what assessment has the Electoral Commission made of the potential (1) security risks and (2) ballot secrecy and integrity risks from (a) mobile voting, (b) vote anywhere and (c) telephone voting.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission set out considerations for the delivery of mobile voting and vote anywhere options in its 2023 feasibility study, including maintaining security, ballot secrecy and integrity. The Commission has not yet made a similar assessment relating to telephone voting. Its evaluation report on the 2026 flexible voting pilots highlighted that telephone voting is used successfully in Australia and recommended that it should be explored for use in the UK.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2026 to Question 20431 on Voting Rights: Young People, what assessment has the Electoral Commission made of whether May 2028 is sufficient time to make the necessary administrative changes and undertake a canvass of the expanded electorate.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

Changes to the voting age need to be implemented in a way which carefully manages the pressures on election teams and ensures newly enfranchised voters understand how to participate.

The Commission is continuing to discuss the sequencing of steps with the UK Government, to maximise the ease for new eligible voters to get on the register

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has made an assessment of the accounts and returns of Aspire political party.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

All statements of accounts and donation and loan reports submitted by parties and to the Commission are subject to its compliance checks, including those from Aspire.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has assessed whether donation V0598868 reported on 12 February 2025 was from a permissible donor.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

Donation V0598868 was made for the purpose of paying for certain qualifying costs for an overseas visit. Such donations are permissible as long as they do not exceed a reasonable amount for the costs of the visit.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what (a) advice and (b) guidance the Electoral Commission has provided on whether a political party can continue spending money received from a political donation whilst an appeal is being made against a forfeiture order under Section 59 of PPERA to force the return of an impermissible donation.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission has not published such guidance or advice.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission was consulted before the Prime Minister’s announcement of a National Commission on electoral reform on 29 September 2026.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission was not consulted.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to the Electoral Commission publication, How different levels of donation caps could affect political parties: sensitivity analysis, of 3 July 2026, whether the Electoral Commission undertook this research (a) at the request of HM Government or (b) of its own initiative.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission undertook this research independently and of its own initiative following public debate about donation caps. It published the research to support debate during passage of the Representation of the People Bill. It was not requested by any third party.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has given any advice or guidance on whether and how Section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 applies to political finance offences committed by (a) political parties, (b) regulated donees, and (c) third party individuals and organisations linked with (a) and (b).

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission has not provided specific advice or guidance on section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission holds an electronic database of current and previous electoral rolls, including registered overseas electors.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission holds copies of the electoral registers for research and regulatory purposes.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 21 September 2026 to Question HL3154 on Political Parties: Finance, whether the Electoral Commission has been consulted by the new cross-government task and finish team.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission has not yet been consulted.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Commission has made an assessment of levels of harassment and undue pressure of voters outside polling stations in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the May 2026 local elections.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission is concerned about any harassment of voters, and works with partners including the police to assess any allegations. It sets clear expectations about campaigner behaviour outside polling station through the code of conduct for campaigners.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to the Electoral Commission publication, Report on the 2026 England mayoral and local government elections, published 14 September 2026, whether the Commission considered the Birmingham City Council analysis of breaches and attempted breaches of ballot secrecy in the May 2026 local elections.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission has reviewed the feedback from polling station staff at the May 2026 elections that was collated by Birmingham City Council. It may report on it in the future.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has issued guidance on the use of (a) Account Freezing Orders and (b) Freezing Injunctions against a political party where a political donation was found by the Electoral Commission to be impermissible and is not returned by the party.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission has not published guidance on Account Freezing Orders or Freezing Injunctions.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2026 to Question 21251 on Members’ Interests: Registration, whether the Electoral Commission has issued guidance on whether (a) donations and (b) gifts which are registrable interests received by newly elected hon. Members in the 12 months before their election must be from permissible sources.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission publishes guidance on donations to Members of Parliament. Donations over £50 that are given towards the candidate’s spending during the candidate regulated period must be from a permissible source. Controls on donations to elected office holders only apply once an individual has been elected.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the policy of his department on the introduction of a Government-backed stablecoin.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Stablecoins are predominantly a form of private money. The Government has legislated to create a new regulated activity for issuing certain stablecoins in the UK in line with its goals for delivering world-leading innovation in payments and digital assets.

Separately, HM Treasury and the Bank of England have been undertaking work to assess the case for a potential UK retail central bank digital currency, commonly referred to as a "digital pound". We intend to announce a decision on the digital pound by the end of 2026.

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 4 September 2026 to Question 20300 on Political Parties: Finance, whether her Department will consult (a) political parties and (b) the Electoral Commission on the treatment of crypto to fiat currency donations.

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

The Government recognises the risks posed by donations funded using converted crypto assets. We are considering what further protections could be put in place to guard against converted crypto assets being used to funnel impermissible funds into the political finance system. As part of this work, we are continuing to engage with the Electoral Commission and other relevant stakeholders, inducing political parties, as appropriate.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps are being taken to prevent donations being funnelled through (a) trade unions and (b) other third parties to evade the overseas contributors donations cap.

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

Under reforms brought forward by the Representation of the People Bill, recipients of political donations will be required to undertake statutory permissibility checks and, for higher-value donations, proportionate Know Your Donor due diligence to understand who is behind a donation and identify the risk of an illegitimate source of funds.

Where information gives a recipient reason to doubt a donor’s declaration or the true source of funds, they must return the donation.

The Electoral Commission, alongside other enforcement agencies, will be responsible for ensuring that the law is abided by.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has received representations from the Mayor of London on the council tax surcharge.

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

The government has not identified any direct representations from the Mayor of London regarding the High Value Council Tax Surcharge. The government received a range of responses to its consultation on the surcharge, including from the Greater London Authority.

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 4 September 2026 to Question 21889 on Local Government: Reorganisation, whether the review of local government restructuring announced on 7 September will affect the timetable for the establishment of new combined authorities and county combined authorities in (a) 2027 and (b) 2028.

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

Devolution and local government reorganisation are two distinct processes. The recent announcement of a pause pending review on the Local Government Reorganisation Programme does not impact our overall ambition to achieve full devolution coverage by the end of 2028. Unitary local government can help with the smooth functioning of strategic authorities, but it is not generally a prerequisite for their establishment. We will be confirming next steps on the creation of new strategic authorities soon.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to MHCLG’s live commissioned research studies, published 30 September 2026, what are the full terms of reference to the Elections Modernisation Pilot research.

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

The Elections Modernisation Pilot research was commissioned with Verian to evaluate forms of voting being piloted at the May 2026 elections, intended to make voting in person more efficient, convenient and accessible. The evaluation covers voter experience, accessibility, operational delivery, electoral integrity and value for money, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Findings from the research will be published in due course in line with the Government Social Research Publication Protocol.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to the answer of 18 September 2026, to Question HL3257, on Tower Hamlets, whether the Best Value inspection by the Ministerial Envoys is considering the (a) awarding and (b) reduction of grants by the mayor to community organisations, including the reductions to the Half Moon Theatre in Stepney.

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

As part of the strengthened intervention package set out in the Directions on 17 March 2026, the Ministerial Envoys are undertaking thematic deep dive projects to provide assurance in relation to long-standing concerns. This includes the allocation of resources for community assets and community grants.

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 Visitor Levy Consultation Government Response of 10 September 2026, whether the consent of National Park Authorities will be required for a strategic authority to introduce an overnight visitor levy within a National Park.

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

Mayors and local leaders will be required to undertake impact assessments and carry out local consultations before implementing a levy. This could include consultation with relevant National Park Authorities. Following consultation, we expect Mayors to publish a summary of the consultation results and their response, including a final prospectus.

Mayors and local leaders will also have the option to exempt certain types of accommodation in their areas, such as tent pitches, touring caravan pitches and hostels, subject to local consultation. This approach gives leaders the tools to respond to local circumstances.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on the introduction of a visitor accommodation levy in areas designated as national parks.

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

Mayors and local leaders will be required to undertake impact assessments and carry out local consultations before implementing a levy. This could include consultation with relevant National Park Authorities. Following consultation, we expect Mayors to publish a summary of the consultation results and their response, including a final prospectus.

Mayors and local leaders will also have the option to exempt certain types of accommodation in their areas, such as tent pitches, touring caravan pitches and hostels, subject to local consultation. This approach gives leaders the tools to respond to local circumstances.

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 28 August 2026 to Questions 18015 and 18016 on Political Parties: Finance, whether it will be an offence to falsely register as a domestic elector when an individual does not genuinely living at a UK address and make a donation above the overseas electors cap.

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

Under existing electoral legislation, it is an offence to knowingly provide false information to a registration officer for any purpose connected with the registration of electors, for example in an application for registration. Therefore if a person applies to be registered at a UK address when they were not resident at that address on that date, they could be liable to be fined (unlimited in England and Wales, Level 5 in Scotland or Northern Ireland) or imprisoned for up to six months.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her Department’s policy to allow political parties and elected representatives to have a statutory right to data on the expiry dates of postal vote mandates.

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

Electoral Registration Officers are already required to notify affected electors directly when their arrangement is due to expire and provide information about how to make a fresh application. The Government has no plans to create an additional statutory entitlement to this information.

Found: 3rd Report - Interim Report: Kevin Hollinrake HC 707 Report