Written questions by Pochin.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date the Prime Minister was advised by officials of the content of Alaa Abd El-Fattah’s historic social media posts.

I refer the Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's letter to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 29 December, and the statement of 5 January, Official Report, Column 111.

What estimate her Department has made of the average annual business rates bill for a public house in England in 2025 to 26, and how that compares with 2023 to 24.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down next year. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. Without this support, pubs would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. However, because of the support the Government has put in place, this has fallen to just 4%. More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties, while ensuring that warehouses used by online giants will pay more. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID.The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID. 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.

Whether her Department has considered introducing a sector specific business rates valuation approach for public houses.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down next year. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. Without this support, pubs would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. However, because of the support the Government has put in place, this has fallen to just 4%. More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties, while ensuring that warehouses used by online giants will pay more. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID.The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID. 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.

Communities and Local Government, what engagement his Department has had with Hindu community organisations on the development and adoption of an Islamophobia definition.

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable, and this Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. The Government established an independent working group to advise on a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, including on how to best understand, quantify and define prejudice, discrimination, and hate crime targeted against Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim. The Working Group have now submitted their advice to ministers for consideration.The working group have engaged widely to ensure the advice given to the Government reflects the diverse perspectives and implications for different groups. To strengthen engagement, the Working Group launched a Call for Evidence on 20 July 2025. It was open to the public, and any individual or organisation, including Hindu community groups, were able to submit advice.The Working Group operated according to its established terms of reference, which stated that any definition must be compatible with free speech and the right to criticise religions and religious practices. The Government will consider their advice in view of this.

On what statutory basis compensation was paid to Fuad Awale; and what the criteria are for such payments.

Compensation and legal costs were paid in order to comply with an order of the High Court. Failure to do so would have constituted a breach of the court order.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has assessed the compatibility of a proposed Islamophobia definition with hate crime legislation.

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable, and this Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. The Government established an independent working group to advise on a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, including on how to best understand, quantify and define prejudice, discrimination, and hate crime targeted against Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim. The Working Group have now submitted their advice to ministers for consideration.The working group have engaged widely to ensure the advice given to the Government reflects the diverse perspectives and implications for different groups. To strengthen engagement, the Working Group launched a Call for Evidence on 20 July 2025. It was open to the public, and any individual or organisation, including Hindu community groups, were able to submit advice.The Working Group operated according to its established terms of reference, which stated that any definition must be compatible with free speech and the right to criticise religions and religious practices. The Government will consider their advice in view of this.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has received representations from Hindu community groups on the potential impact of an Islamophobia definition on freedom of expression.

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable, and this Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. The Government established an independent working group to advise on a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, including on how to best understand, quantify and define prejudice, discrimination, and hate crime targeted against Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim. The Working Group have now submitted their advice to ministers for consideration.The working group have engaged widely to ensure the advice given to the Government reflects the diverse perspectives and implications for different groups. To strengthen engagement, the Working Group launched a Call for Evidence on 20 July 2025. It was open to the public, and any individual or organisation, including Hindu community groups, were able to submit advice.The Working Group operated according to its established terms of reference, which stated that any definition must be compatible with free speech and the right to criticise religions and religious practices. The Government will consider their advice in view of this.

How many public houses in England received discretionary business rates relief in 2024 to 25, and what the total value of that relief was.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down next year. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. Without this support, pubs would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. However, because of the support the Government has put in place, this has fallen to just 4%. More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties, while ensuring that warehouses used by online giants will pay more. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID.The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID. 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.

What modelling her Department has undertaken of the potential impact of the removal or reduction of business rates relief on hospitality businesses employing fewer than 50 staff.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down next year. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. Without this support, pubs would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. However, because of the support the Government has put in place, this has fallen to just 4%. More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties, while ensuring that warehouses used by online giants will pay more. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID.The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID. 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.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has conducted an equality impact assessment relating to the effect of an Islamophobia definition on religious minorities other than Muslims.

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable, and this Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. The Government established an independent working group to advise on a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, including on how to best understand, quantify and define prejudice, discrimination, and hate crime targeted against Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim. The Working Group have now submitted their advice to ministers for consideration.The working group have engaged widely to ensure the advice given to the Government reflects the diverse perspectives and implications for different groups. To strengthen engagement, the Working Group launched a Call for Evidence on 20 July 2025. It was open to the public, and any individual or organisation, including Hindu community groups, were able to submit advice.The Working Group operated according to its established terms of reference, which stated that any definition must be compatible with free speech and the right to criticise religions and religious practices. The Government will consider their advice in view of this.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of an Islamophobia definition on the ability to scrutinise religious ideology or practice.

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable, and this Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. The Government established an independent working group to advise on a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, including on how to best understand, quantify and define prejudice, discrimination, and hate crime targeted against Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim. The Working Group have now submitted their advice to ministers for consideration.The working group have engaged widely to ensure the advice given to the Government reflects the diverse perspectives and implications for different groups. To strengthen engagement, the Working Group launched a Call for Evidence on 20 July 2025. It was open to the public, and any individual or organisation, including Hindu community groups, were able to submit advice.The Working Group operated according to its established terms of reference, which stated that any definition must be compatible with free speech and the right to criticise religions and religious practices. The Government will consider their advice in view of this.

Communities and Local Government, which organisations and representative groups were consulted by his Department prior to consideration of an Islamophobia definition.

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable, and this Government is committed to tackling this wherever it manifests. The Government established an independent working group to advise on a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, including on how to best understand, quantify and define prejudice, discrimination, and hate crime targeted against Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim. The Working Group have now submitted their advice to ministers for consideration.The working group have engaged widely to ensure the advice given to the Government reflects the diverse perspectives and implications for different groups. To strengthen engagement, the Working Group launched a Call for Evidence on 20 July 2025. It was open to the public, and any individual or organisation, including Hindu community groups, were able to submit advice.The Working Group operated according to its established terms of reference, which stated that any definition must be compatible with free speech and the right to criticise religions and religious practices. The Government will consider their advice in view of this.

How many public houses have closed in England in each year since 2019, and what proportion of those closures her Department attributes primarily to business rates liabilities.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down next year. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. Without this support, pubs would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. However, because of the support the Government has put in place, this has fallen to just 4%. More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties, while ensuring that warehouses used by online giants will pay more. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID.The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID. 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.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the return to the United Kingdom of Alaa Abd el Fattah on national security.

We do not routinely comment on individual cases however the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have made clear that Ministers and officials were previously unaware of the historic posts made by Mr El-Fattah.All British citizens have a Right of Abode (ROA) in the UK which means they are entitled to live in the UK without any immigration restrictions and do not need to obtain the permission of an immigration officer to enter the UK.Deportation from the UK only applies to foreign nationals. British citizens cannot be deported from the UK.Deprivation of British citizenship is assessed individually on the basis of all available evidence.This government and successive governments before it have been clear that the exercise of this tool must be used sparingly, and only against the highest harm and most dangerous individuals.This includes those who pose a threat to the UK, including terrorists, and those who are involved in serious organised crime. The government does not propose to change the basis on which the power is used.For those who are not deprived of citizenship but may have acted in a criminal manner, we encourage independent law enforcement to use their full suite of powers.

Whether she has assessed whether Alaa Abd el Fattah meets the criteria for deportation.

We do not routinely comment on individual cases however the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have made clear that Ministers and officials were previously unaware of the historic posts made by Mr El-Fattah.All British citizens have a Right of Abode (ROA) in the UK which means they are entitled to live in the UK without any immigration restrictions and do not need to obtain the permission of an immigration officer to enter the UK.Deportation from the UK only applies to foreign nationals. British citizens cannot be deported from the UK.Deprivation of British citizenship is assessed individually on the basis of all available evidence.This government and successive governments before it have been clear that the exercise of this tool must be used sparingly, and only against the highest harm and most dangerous individuals.This includes those who pose a threat to the UK, including terrorists, and those who are involved in serious organised crime. The government does not propose to change the basis on which the power is used.For those who are not deprived of citizenship but may have acted in a criminal manner, we encourage independent law enforcement to use their full suite of powers.

Whether she has considered use of deprivation of citizenship powers in relation to Alaa Abd el Fattah.

We do not routinely comment on individual cases however the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have made clear that Ministers and officials were previously unaware of the historic posts made by Mr El-Fattah.All British citizens have a Right of Abode (ROA) in the UK which means they are entitled to live in the UK without any immigration restrictions and do not need to obtain the permission of an immigration officer to enter the UK.Deportation from the UK only applies to foreign nationals. British citizens cannot be deported from the UK.Deprivation of British citizenship is assessed individually on the basis of all available evidence.This government and successive governments before it have been clear that the exercise of this tool must be used sparingly, and only against the highest harm and most dangerous individuals.This includes those who pose a threat to the UK, including terrorists, and those who are involved in serious organised crime. The government does not propose to change the basis on which the power is used.For those who are not deprived of citizenship but may have acted in a criminal manner, we encourage independent law enforcement to use their full suite of powers.

Whether she has had discussions with the Prime Minister on legal powers to restrict the (a) activities and (b) presence in the United Kingdom of Alaa Abd el Fattah.

We do not routinely comment on individual cases however the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have made clear that Ministers and officials were previously unaware of the historic posts made by Mr El-Fattah.All British citizens have a Right of Abode (ROA) in the UK which means they are entitled to live in the UK without any immigration restrictions and do not need to obtain the permission of an immigration officer to enter the UK.Deportation from the UK only applies to foreign nationals. British citizens cannot be deported from the UK.Deprivation of British citizenship is assessed individually on the basis of all available evidence.This government and successive governments before it have been clear that the exercise of this tool must be used sparingly, and only against the highest harm and most dangerous individuals.This includes those who pose a threat to the UK, including terrorists, and those who are involved in serious organised crime. The government does not propose to change the basis on which the power is used.For those who are not deprived of citizenship but may have acted in a criminal manner, we encourage independent law enforcement to use their full suite of powers.

Whether (a) she and (b) officials in her Department reviewed social media posts referring to violence against police officers made by Alaa Abd el Fattah prior to his return to the United Kingdom.

We do not routinely comment on individual cases however the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have made clear that Ministers and officials were previously unaware of the historic posts made by Mr El-Fattah.All British citizens have a Right of Abode (ROA) in the UK which means they are entitled to live in the UK without any immigration restrictions and do not need to obtain the permission of an immigration officer to enter the UK.Deportation from the UK only applies to foreign nationals. British citizens cannot be deported from the UK.Deprivation of British citizenship is assessed individually on the basis of all available evidence.This government and successive governments before it have been clear that the exercise of this tool must be used sparingly, and only against the highest harm and most dangerous individuals.This includes those who pose a threat to the UK, including terrorists, and those who are involved in serious organised crime. The government does not propose to change the basis on which the power is used.For those who are not deprived of citizenship but may have acted in a criminal manner, we encourage independent law enforcement to use their full suite of powers.

Whether she plans to expand the asylum accommodation pilot involving new council housing beyond participating local authorities.

New council housing will not be constructed for use by asylum seekers under any circumstances. Asylum seekers are not eligible for social housing.MHCLG and HO are investing millions in a new, more sustainable accommodation model, developed in consultation with local authorities. This funding helps deliver better outcomes for communities and taxpayers.This new funding will complement ongoing Home Office reforms to the asylum accommodation estate, including pilot schemes to repurpose derelict buildings and to develop other community-led alternatives to the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers on a temporary basis. In the longer term, the ambition is that the investment leaves a lasting legacy of housing for local communities and reduces pressure on local housing markets.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of allocating newly built council housing to asylum seekers on the availability of social housing for local residents on waiting lists.

Newly built social rented homes are not being allocated to asylum seekers. Asylum seekers are not eligible for social housing.