Written questions by Simmonds.

Whether the Government has a residual financial interest in the Royal Mint site near the Tower of London.

The Royal Mint site near the Tower of London was sold by the Crown Estate in 2010 and, as such, there is no residual financial interest to the Exchequer from The Crown Estate.HM Treasury has not made specific representations to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the proposed Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint site in London. Information relating to HMT agencies is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has produced guidance on whether social media companies intentionally adjusting network algorithms to favour specific political (a) candidates and (b) parties constitutes a donation in kind for the purposes of election finance requirements.

The Electoral Commission has not published specific guidance on network algorithms used by social media companies.Delibaretely adjusting an algorithm to favour specific candidates or parties may constitute a donation in kind, if this has been agreed with the candidate or party in question.If the candidate or party is unaware of the adjustment, it is unlikely to be a donation as donations require acceptance from the recipient.Intentially adjusting an algorithm may constitute regulated non-party campaigning by the social media company, but this would depend on the nature of the platform and the adjustment made.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the Electoral Commission's timetable is for the publication of third party data for the 2024 general election.

The Commission has recently published a range of data, including on the experiences of voters and candidates, from the 2024 general election as part of its statutory duty to report on elections.It also publishes spending and donations data from parties, campaigners and candidates. It will publish returns received from political parties and register non-party campaigners in two stages, with returns under £250,000 published shortly and those over £250,000 published later in the year.This will provide transparency to voters about the money spent and received by non-party campaigners at the general election.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Electoral Commission has issued on political donations (a) from impermissible foreign donors and (b) funnelling money to avoid political donation restrictions.

The Commission provides guidance and support for parties and campaigners to ensure they understand and comply with donation laws.Its guidance sets out the requirements and checks necessary when accepting donations. Parties and campaigners are responsible for carrying out checks on donations they receive to ensure they are from permissible sources, and for properly and accurately reporting them.The guidance makes clear that the law requires political parties to report unlawful donations and return them to the donor. It also explains that parties must not knowingly or recklessly make a false declaration about the true origin of the donation.As well as issuing guidance, the Commission carries out permissibility checks on a sample of donations. It has the powers to sanction parties that accept impermissable foreign donations or do not comply with the political finance laws.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 14949 on Property: Valuation, who recommended the use of Gaussian Markov Random Fields in the Automated Valuation Model.

The approach has been endorsed in reviews by both the Centre for Appraisal Research and Technology and the International Association of Assessing Officers.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has produced guidance on foreign donors channelling funds through UK-registered corporate bodies.

The Commission provides guidance and support for parties and campaigners on the donation laws, including the permissibility of donations given to UK-registered companies. The Commission has highlighted that the limitations of the current law mean it is possible for money from foreign sources to enter the UK electoral system, through donations from UK companies.Since 2013, the Commission has called for the laws around company donations to be strengthened. It has recommended changes to ensure parties and campagners cannot accept money from companies that have not made enough money in the UK to fund the amount of their donation or loan. It also recommends a duty on campaigners to carry out enhanced know-your-donor checks and improved transparency over the political donations made to unincorporated associations.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has produced guidance on how non-monetary donations in kind should be reported.

The Electoral Commission provides guidance on notional spending, which outlines the reporting requirements for services or goods provided for free or at a discount.The Elections Act 2022 changed the legal test for when a candidate must record notional spending. The Commission supports parties and campaigners to understand and comply with the updated law and how it should be applied in practice to their campaigns. It produced a statutory Code of Practice on controlled spending for non-party campaigners, which include the changes introduced to notional spending.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what discussions the Electoral Commission has had with the Government on reforms to regulation on political donations.

Since 2013, the Electoral Commission has recommended changes to strengthen the political finance regime, including changes that would improve the transparency and controls on donations. It has regular discussions with the Government on these proposals and will use its expertise and experince regulating the political finance regime to ensure any changes are workable and evidence based.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024, to Question 17827 on Private Education: Business Rates, what estimate she has made of (a) how many independent schools will lose their 80 per cent charitable rate relief and (b) the average annual business rates bill for independent schools in 2025-26.

As set out in the Government’s impact note, using Department for Education data the Government has identified 2,444 private schools in England, of which 1,139 are charities. Private schools that are wholly concerned with the training or welfare of disabled people will be exempt from business rates under existing provision. Private schools that are wholly or mainly concerned with providing education for pupils with an EHCP will also retain their charitable rate relief. Taken together, the Government expects the number of private schools that will lose business rates charitable relief to be 1,040. Government analysis also shows the average increase in business rates per pupil to be £308 in the financial year 2025-26. This note can be found here: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/59-01/0129/ImpactNote.pdf

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18555 on Asylum: Hotels, in what type of tenure and accommodation will the asylum seekers now be housed; how the accommodation will be procured; and what the budget is for the forthcoming year.

This government inherited an asylum system under exceptional strain, with tens of thousands of people stuck in limbo without any prospect of having their claims processed. At their peak use under the previous government, in the autumn of 2023, more than 400 asylum hotels were being leased by the Home Office, at a cost of almost £9 million a day.We took immediate action to resolve that chaos by restarting asylum processing, establishing the new Border Security Command to tackle the people-smuggling gangs, cracking down on illegal working across the country, and increasing the return and removal of people with no right to be here.Inevitably, due to the size of the backlog we inherited, the Home Office has been forced to continue with the use of hotels for the time being. But this is not a permanent solution, and the small increase in the number in use at the end of last year was just a temporary but necessary step to manage pressures in the system, which is now in the process of being reversed.It remains our absolute commitment to end the use of hotels over time, as part of our reduction in overall asylum accommodation costs. In the interim, we are also continuing to increase our operational activity against smuggling gangs and illegal working, and we have increased returns to their highest level since 2018, with 16,400 people removed in the first six months this government was in charge

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 17827 on Private Education: Business Rates, what estimate she has made of the number of independent schools which receive discretionary business rate relief from their local authority to top up the 80% mandatory charitable rate relief; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the removal of mandatory charitable relief on funding by local authorities of discretionary rate relief for independent schools.

Under the existing discretionary relief powers provided by the Local Government Finance Act 1988 local authorities are permitted to award relief of any level to any ratepayers, where they feel it reasonable to do so and it is in the interest of local council taxpayers.Existing discretionary relief powers are provided by the Local Government Finance Act 1988 and will be unaffected by the ending of charitable rate relief for private schoolsCentral Government does not collect data on specific recipients of discretionary relief.

Whether (a) her Department and (b) its agencies has made representations to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the proposed Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint site in London.

The Royal Mint site near the Tower of London was sold by the Crown Estate in 2010 and, as such, there is no residual financial interest to the Exchequer from The Crown Estate.HM Treasury has not made specific representations to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the proposed Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint site in London. Information relating to HMT agencies is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15198 on Business Rates, what estimates her Department has made of business rate receipts in England in each financial year from 2024-25 onwards.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) publish non-domestic ratings receipts data and forecasts for the financial year ahead in England. As such, projections for non-domestic rates income for 2025-26 will be published in due course by MHCLG. For 2024-25, local authorities estimate the non-domestic rating income to be £26.3 billion: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-non-domestic-rates-collected-by-councils-in-england-forecast-2024-to-2025/national-non-domestic-rates-collected-by-councils-in-england-forecast-for-2024-to-2025

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 14995 on Business Rates: Tax Allowances, if she will publish a breakdown of the £1.6 billion.

Autumn Budget 2024 announced the extension of Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and the freezing of the small business multiplier for 2025-26. This is a package worth over £1.6 billion in 2025-26. For both business rates measures, the breakdown of costings over the scorecard period can be found on page 120 (lines 47-48) in ‘Chapter 5: Policy decisions’ of Autumn Budget 2024: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/672b9695fbd69e1861921c63/Autumn_Budget_2024_Accessible.pdf

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answers of 19 December 2024 to Question 20231 and HL3240, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of involvement of the United Front Work Department in the planning process for the called-in Chinese Embassy planning application.

An appointed Inspector will hold a public inquiry which will hear a range of evidence for and against the proposals, after which a decision will be made by MHCLG ministers. As this case will come before ministers in MHCLG to determine, it would not be appropriate to comment further. Decisions on planning applications are based on material planning considerations.

Pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 15651 on Licensing Laws, whether she plans to reply to the alcohol easement consultation before the easement expires.

The Government is carefully considering the results of the recent consultation and will publish these shortly alongside next steps.

What steps her Department has taken to change to the valuation of airports for business rates in the last two years; and what representations (a) the Valuation Office Agency and (b) her Department have received on the issue.

I refer the member to the answer given to UIN 19700.

Communities and Local Government, in what circumstances foreign nationals not eligible for social housing are eligible for Government funded (a) temporary and (b) permanent accommodation.

Eligibility for social housing and statutory homelessness assistance are both determined by immigration status. If a person’s visa means that they cannot access state benefits or local authority housing assistance, they will not be eligible for statutory homelessness assistance, and therefore unable to obtain temporary or permanent accommodation.As the eligibility rules for social housing and homelessness assistance are the same, an applicant who is not eligible for social housing will almost always also not be eligible for homelessness assistance. A small number of EU nationals with pre-settled status (PSS) may be able to access statutory homelessness assistance in a very specific set of circumstances should a ‘not eligible’ decision lead to a breach of their right to dignity under Article 1 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights which has direct effect as a result of the Court of Appeal ruling in SSWP v AT.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 4.1.6 of his Department’s policy paper entitled Local authority funding reform: objectives and principles, published on 18 December 2024, whether the average council tax will be used as the assumed council tax metric.

No. Average council tax will not be the assumed council tax metric in the proposed funding reforms. Rather, the consultation proposes the government will take into account the tax base in each authority (i.e. the number of dwellings liable for council tax and in which band those dwellings are in) as part of the process of allocating grant, and not the council tax level set by a local authority. Following this consultation, we will develop, publish and consult on a detailed plan for local authority funding reform, including the assumed council tax level, ahead of the provisional Settlement for 2026-27.

Communities and Local Government, how many council tax payers pay over 12 months.

Council tax is usually paid in 10 instalments across the year. Households have a right to request to pay their council tax in 12 monthly instalments. The government has not collected data on how many households pay their council tax across 12 instalments to date.