Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Cabinet Office’s policy of the Government paying the council tax bill of a Minister in an official residence applies to Ministers whose primary residence is neither their constituency address nor their official residence address.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds

The Government's policy on official residences and council tax is unchanged.

Ministers are responsible for paying council tax where an official residence is their primary residence.

For government owned properties which are official residences, the Government is responsible for the payment of the council tax where a Minister resides there on a second homes basis.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether funding has been provided by the House of Commons since July 2024 in relation to the security of Hon Members from the Reform UK party.

Answered by Nick Smith

All MPs are offered security measures at their homes and offices, and security operatives for constituency surgeries.

To ensure the continued security of Members, the Commission does not comment on the take-up of security provisions by individual MPs.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Warrington North, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, whether funding has been provided by IPSA since July 2024 in relation to the security of Hon Members from the Reform UK party.

Answered by Charlotte Nichols

On 1 April 2023, lead responsibility for funding the security of Hon. Members of all parties was transferred from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to the Parliamentary Security Department (PSD).

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps are being taken to ensure the Cabinet Office pays the second homes council tax premium in time.

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

Councils in England may apply the second homes premium to Council Tax for dwellings which are substantially furnished but have no resident. Westminster City Council has applied the second homes premium to Council Tax charges for 2026/27 in respect of all such properties for which the Cabinet Office is currently responsible, and payments are being made as a matter of routine.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 27 May 2026, to Question 2108, on Undocumented Migrants: Statistics, whether ONS or UKSA undertakes any validation of the data provided by the French Government.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

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

A response to the Parliamentary Question of 8th July is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the answer of 13 November 2025, to Question 86773, on Ministers: Council Tax, whether a numeric occupation limit was previously imposed under previous Administrations.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds

There is no evidence of any such limits being imposed by previous administrations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made on the proposed geographical indication for English Whisky; and what her Department's planned timetable is for completing its work on this.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Ministers are considering all the evidence gathered during the statutory assessment process before making a decision. We aim to announce our decision on the application shortly.

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 given to local authorities on the provision of overseas electors data to political parties, the manner in which it is provided; and whether an associated domestic home address is reported with the overseas elector entry.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Electoral Commission’s guidance to Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) sets out how overseas voters should be listed on the electoral register in England, Scotland and Wales.

Overseas voters should be listed as other voters at the end of each relevant part of the register, and legislation requires these entries to be shown without an address. A separate list of the names of overseas voters must be prepared and maintained by the ERO which includes the voter’s qualifying address and their present address.

The Commission’s guidance sets out who can request a copy of the full register and list of overseas voters. Registered political parties are entitled to request this information which must only be used for electoral purposes and for the purpose of complying with requirements on the control of donations.

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 given to Electoral Registration Officers on in which local authorities overseas electors should be registered if the electors has more than one previous domestic address.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Electoral Commission’s guidance to Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) sets out the eligibility conditions for registering as an overseas voter in England, Scotland and Wales.

Applicants must apply to register as an overseas voter in respect of the address where they were last registered to vote in the UK or, if they have never been registered, the last address at which they were resident in the UK.

If an applicant was previously registered to vote in respect of more than one address simultaneously then the voter must choose which address to register in connection with.

The ERO must be satisfied that an applicant meets one of these conditions. The Commission’s guidance sets out the steps the ERO must take to process an application and verify the information provided.

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what types of political donations and political gifts to Hon Members are reported (a) by the Electoral Commission on its registers, and not in the House of Commons Register of Members' Financial Interests and (b) by the House of Commons in the Register of Members' Financial Interests and not by the Electoral Commission on its registers, where such donations are over the respective reporting thresholds.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

After their election, Hon. Members report all permissible political donations or gifts they accept to the House of Commons Register of Members’ Financial Interests (RMFI). The Commission identifies any donations it must publish from the information reported to the RMFI. Impermissible donations are reported directly to the Commission.

The Commission publishes donations to MPs only where they are made in connection with an MP’s political activities, either as an MP or as a party member, and where they exceed the relevant reporting threshold of £2,230, including aggregated donations from the same donor.

The Register of Members’ Financial Interests is broader in scope. It includes any financial interest held, or benefit received, by an MP that might reasonably be considered to influence their actions or statements as an MP.

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 the (a) Parliamentary Standards Commissioner and (b) House of Commons Registrar on whether donations or gifts to Members of Parliament that they receive in the 12 months before their first election to Parliament need to be from permissible sources.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

The Commission has not provided guidance to either the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner or the House of Commons Registrar on this matter. The requirement for Members to disclose donations or gifts received in the 12 months before they are elected is in parliamentary rules, rather than electoral law.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether funding has been provided since July 2024 in relation to the security of Hon Members from the Reform UK party.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Parliament is responsible for providing and funding a range of security measures for all Members of Parliament (MPs). There is an extensive and comprehensive range of protective security measures available. These protective security measures are kept under review to ensure MPs can carry out their duties safely.

The Home Office, Parliament and police work closely to assess risk to MPs. These risk assessments inform appropriate protective security measures to ensure the safety and security of MPs in Westminster and in their constituencies.

It is the Home Office’s long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on individual MPs’ security arrangements, as doing so could compromise the integrity and safety of individuals.  

The Home Office remains firmly committed to safeguarding all elected officials and has implemented a range of notable measures, which have enhanced protective security. This includes expanding Operation Bridger, the police support for MPs away from the Parliamentary Estate, by funding a fulltime network of police officers in forces across the UK known as Force Elected Official Advisors (FEOAs). These FEOAs provide dedicated police support to MPs, locally elected representatives and candidates across the UK.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 8 January 2026 to Question 101771 on Ministers: Official Residences, whether the council tax paid on the Chancellor’s official ministerial residence is (a) 100% or (b) 200% of the Band H rate.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

As set out in the answer to Question 101771, the Chancellor pays full council tax on the flat above 10 Downing Street as her primary residence.

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 19 June 2026 to Question 9009 on Political parties: Finance, what assessment has been made of whether such property assets of defunct or wound-down (a) political property companies and (b) political clubs could become stranded as consequence of the new proposed profit test.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Representation of the People Bill introduces new, stricter requirements for companies wishing to make donations to political parties and other regulated entities. Companies set up to hold property assets will be subject to those requirements, including being able to demonstrate sufficient profit.

The government recognises the concern that these types of companies may not be able to meet this test. We are continuing to engage with political parties and other stakeholders to consider the potential implications and practical operation of these reforms.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the interaction between the Electoral Commission’s draft guidance on sponsorship and the political finance reforms proposed by his Department; and whether an impact assessment has been undertaken of their combined impact on the finances of registered political parties.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Government is aware of the Electoral Commission’s draft guidance on sponsorship and that this might affect the permissibility of certain sponsorship arrangements at party conferences. The Government continues to engage with political parties and the Electoral Commission on this matter.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the answer of 5 November 2025, to Question 86059, on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, and further to the corrected answer of 21 October 2025, to Question 73315, if he will provide the data on the costs on (a) refurbishment and (b) fixtures and fittings for the other two flats since 4 July 2024.

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

Admiralty House comprises three flats which can be allocated to ministers as official residences, and reception and function rooms utilised by the Cabinet Office. Note only two of these are used for residential purposes.

Admiralty House Flats:

1. Toilet Macerator Replacement (10/2024)
   Total Charge = £828.05 ex VAT

2. Replacement of bed (01/2025) = £2566.22 ex VAT
   Disposal of the Old Bed (01/2025) = £249.07 ex VAT
   Total Charge = £2815.29 ex VAT

3. Replacement of bed (01/2025) = £2566.22 ex VAT

Disposal of the old bed (01/2025) = £249.07 ex VAT
Total Charge = £2815.29 ex VAT

Both beds were purchased under routine lifecycle replacement by the Government Property Agency.

4. Kitchen and Bathroom Refurbishment (03-06/2024)
   Refurbishment = £ 88,867.56 ex VAT
   Materials = £ 21,671.16 ex VAT
   Total Charge = £110,538.72 ex VAT

5. Entrance/Lift Lobby Refurbishment (03/2025)
   Total Charge = £112,168.41 ex VAT

6. Reception Room Refurbishment (07/2025)
   Total Charge = £ 32,003.89 ex VAT

7. South Back Room, Repairs and Restoration (07/2025)
   Total Charge = £75,744.46 ex VAT

8. South Main Reception Room, Internal Lobbies x2 Repairs (08/2025)
   Total Charge = £25,248.29 ex VAT

9. Internal Door Repairs, Disability Discrimination Act Compliant Handles Fitted to Bathroom and Cloakroom (08-10/2025)
   Total Charge = £73,374.62 ex VAT

10. Painting and recarpeting of Green Room Works completed 20/05/2026 - £51,353.84

11. Curtain Fire Protection Spray Coating and recarpeting Works completed 31/03/26 - £9,243.68

12. Recarpeting Works completed 31/03/26 - £12,361.59

13. Recarpeting Works completed 31/03/26 - £17,486.90

All costs include delivery, installation and supplier fees.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential merits of introducing a bespoke tenure model for Integrated Retirement Communities, including ARCO's proposals for a New Zealand-style Retirement Occupancy Lease.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales

We recognise the important role integrated retirement communities play in providing high quality, safe, and suitable homes. This provision can help people stay independent and healthy for longer and can reduce the need to draw on health and social care provision.

The Government is committed to enhancing the provision and choice for older people in the housing market. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is currently considering the responses to its recent consultation on the Government’s proposed reforms to the commonhold tenure model. This includes consideration of relevant international evidence. The Department of Health and Social Care will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as it considers its response.

Memorial plaque for Ann Widdecombe

Found: The Minister, Kevin Hollinrake, said: …it remains the case that the Government have seen no evidence

Found: Baroness Poppy Gustafsson CBE6 (until 6 September 2025) Lord Dominic Johnson of Lainston CBE7 Kevin Hollinrake

Found: salary if different (£) Pension Benefits 2 (£ to nearest £1,000) Total (£ to nearest £1,000) Kevin Hollinrake