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Simon Hoare
CON✓ Current MP
🏛️ North Dorset
📅 2015–2026
1,340 speeches on Hansard record
✅ Votes attended: 86.94% (#147 of 649 MPs)
🟢 Rebelled against party: 0.00%
📝 Topics: Terrorism: Northern Ireland, Cash Dispensing: Fees and Charges, Libya: IRA
🤝 Member of 11 All-Party Parliamentary Groups
Written Answers
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has has made of the levels of repairs to churches which will not proceed as a result of VAT changes.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the increase in funding for places of worship is expected to be used to cover VAT costs.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the net cost of benefit of (a) removing the VAT exemption on places of worship repairs and (b) increasing the Listed Places of Worship Grant scheme.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of places of worship liable for VAT on repairs in comparison to the number who will receive a grant to cover this additional cost from the listed Places of Worship fund.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help tackle loneliness in rural areas.
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Department for Education
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students are required to pay for transport to attend (a) sixth form and (b) college; and what the average cost is per student.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department can provide to establish a technical college in north Dorset.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students require transport to mainstream schools (a) nationally and (b) in Dorset.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support she plans to make available to increase after school transport in rural areas.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of VAT changes on (a) private schools and (b) demand on the state sector in North Dorset constituency.
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Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how and when the Government is proposing to respond to the CMA report on vets.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what mental health support the Government provides to farmers.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage more young people into farming.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the number of farms that will be affected by changes made to agricultural property relief and Inheritance Tax at the Autumn Budget 2024 in (a) North Dorset constituency, (b) Dorset and (c) the…
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Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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The majority of the funding provided through the Local Government Finance Settlement is not ringfenced, in recognition of local authorities being best placed to understand local priorities. This includes funding for libraries.The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024-25 makes available…
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In February 2024 the Government issued the Council with a Best Value Notice, as well as providing Exceptional Financial Support of £220 million for the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25, subject to conditions.The department continues to support and engage regularly with Bradford Council as…
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This information is not collected centrally by the Government.
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DLUHC is a Disability Leader at Level 3 and we have ongoing work to detail and monitor our progress regarding Disability Confidence, this includes improving accessibility of recruitment, providing learning & development opportunities for disabled staff and building a more inclusive workplace…
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The Government Car service (GCS) provides vehicles to a number of Government departments. Due to logistical and operational reasons the type of vehicles deployed at each department can vary on a daily or weekly basis. The GCS fleet currently has 122 vehicles, 58 (48%) of which are vehicles made in…
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Faith is a vital part of peoples’ identities and of their communities. It guides the moral outlook of many, inspiring great numbers of people to public service. This Government recognises the huge contribution of people of faith to public life, and supports the work of faith groups across the…
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DLUHC is a minor tenant in the majority of its offices, and as such does not directly procure food and drink for the canteens and restaurants in our offices. However, all food provided in our catering outlets is produced to UK standards and is local and in season, where possible. Food is sourced…
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I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 24793 answered on 13 May 2024.
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I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 14836 on 27 February 2024.At the elections on 2 May, the Government centrally funded a national ‘sweep’ by Royal Mail of their mail centres to ensure that completed postal ballot packs were pulled out at mail centres on the evening of…
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I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 24794 on 13 May 2024.
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The Electoral Commission is the independent electoral regulator and will be providing their analysis of the running of the May polls 2024. This will include the reporting of the number of individuals turned away from polling stations. We anticipate publication of their interim report in early July.
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In the last two years the Flood Recovery Framework has been activated twice – following Storm Babet in October 2023 and Storm Henk in January 2024. The decision to accept or reject applications for flood recovery funding is made by local authorities who are responsible for administrating all…
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This Government is committed to ensuring the good record of transparency, probity, scrutiny, and accountability is maintained across councils in this country.Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 requires that a councillor must not participate in a discussion or vote on a matter where they have a…
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The Local Audit Qualification was launched by the Chartered Institute of Public Accountancy. The department does not hold the requested information.
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I refer the Hon Member to https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/supporting-our-veterans-a-consultation. Further policy will be set out in due course.
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Under section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 local authorities have the power to dispose of surplus land in any manner they wish. The only requirement is for them to obtain Secretary of State consent should they wish to dispose of the land (otherwise than by a short tenancy) at lower than…
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The deadline for councils in England to publish audited accounts for financial year 2023/24 has not yet passed.
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I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Impact Assessment on the Representation of the People (Overseas Electors etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2023: The Representation of the People (Overseas Electors etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2023.The department has not made any projections of levels of registrations…
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The Government does not collect data on the different collection methods used by councils, or the revenues collected by them. The Government does however publish data on the overall amounts of council tax and business rates collected and the total arrears for each financial year. This data is…
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The Government attaches great importance to our country’s history and traditions and encourages recognition of our historic counties, often marked by local celebrations on county days. I write to local leaders to encourage and support these celebrations throughout the year. This year, there…
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Further to the answer I gave to Question UIN 902484 on 25 April 2024, when the voter identification policy was being developed and the legislation being written, the Veteran Card – as distinct from the Armed Forces ID card - was a new development. It was not widely distributed, and the…
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A British citizen with dual nationality can register to vote and qualify to stand in UK parliamentary, local and police and crime commissioners (PCC) elections as a British citizen, as long as they meet the other qualifying requirements, such as age and residency.The online Register to Vote service…
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The Government reviewed the list of accepted identification as part of the wider evaluation of the impact and implementation of voter identification at the May 2023 local elections in England. We concluded that, at this time, there are no suitable additions to be made to this list. This review…
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In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
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Details of measures the department is taking to prevent fraud and error are set out in the department’s annual accounts.
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A review of the Flood Recovery Framework is currently under way with stakeholders.
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The Electoral Commission, as the independent electoral regulator, holds responsibility for issuance of guidance on electoral registration, voting and second homes.This can be found at:…
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Local authorities are required to put in place and administer council tax reduction schemes for low-income households. Support for working age people is designed by authorities and support for people of pension age must follow criterial prescribed in regulations by the Secretary of State in the…
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My department has published a ‘Plain English Guide to Council Tax’ setting out the discounts and support available in the council tax system. This guide is available at:…
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The Government is determined to uncover fraud in the public sector and is proud of its record.As part of this, the Government established the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA). In 22/23 the PSFA set a target of delivering £180 million of savings to the taxpayer. In fact the PSFA far…
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Political advertising is a fundamental part of any democratic system and is an established way for political parties and campaigners to connect with the public and have their message heard.The ban on paid political advertising on television and radio (introduced in the Communications Act 2003)…
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The data requested is not held centrally.
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The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024-25 makes available up to £64.7 billion, an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £4.5 billion or 7.5% in cash terms on 2023-24. This above-inflation increase demonstrates how the Government stands behind councils up and down the…
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The entitlement of resident Commonwealth citizens to vote reflects our close historical ties with Commonwealth countries. The right to reside, whether under refugee status or any other status, does not confer the right to participate in democratic processes in the UK.Accordingly, the Government has…
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The department does not hold the data required to answer this question. Information on the number of hereditaments eligible for business rates relief is available here.
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The allocation of Lieutenancies to counties was set out in the 1997 Lieutenancies Act and there are currently no plans to amend it.The Government attaches great importance to the history and traditions of this country and recognises that the tapestry of our historic counties is one of the bonds…
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The legislation does not provide for proxy voting status to be taken into account when determining whether a single person discount should be applied to a council tax bill. The 25% single person discount applies where there is only one liable adult living in a property. Individual councils are…
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Precept levels are decided by individual town and parish councils and the Government has been clear that proposed increases should be well evidenced and justified. The Government expects the sector to take all available steps to mitigate the need for council tax increases and will take into account…
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The department has made no such assessment.
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The department responded to Witham Industrial Watch Ltd to confirm receipt of their letter dated 29 January 2024.
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The Returning Officer for Brighton and Hove City Council is responsible for the conduct of elections to the local council, including the arrangements for the issue and receipt of postal votes. The Government recognises the important role that effective mail deliveries have in the overall running of…
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Individual Electoral Registration (IER), introduced in 2014, brought registering to vote into the 21st century by making it possible to register to vote online in as little as three minutes. It also ensured that every individual had control and ownership over the process.The UK Government has no…
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I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 13601 on 22 February 2024.I can confirm that – as set out in that answer - I met with the Chief Executive of Royal Mail last month.
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The information requested is not held centrally.
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The cultural significance of York City Walls is recognised nationally through the designation of many sections as Listed Buildings or Scheduled Monuments, yet their maintenance remains the responsibility of their owners.The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024-25 makes available up to…
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The department does not collect this information centrally.
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On 24 January the Government announced that having listened to authorities who continue to face sustained increases in their internal drainage board (IDB) special levies, we would again provide £3 million outside of the 24/25 Local Government Finance Settlement to support those experiencing…
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Through the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024-25, we are providing over £1.5 billion in additional grant for social care compared to 2023-24. This is part of an above-inflation increase in Core Spending Power for local government from 2023-24 of up to £4.5 billion, or 7.5% in…
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Such information is not centrally recorded or collated in the form requested. More generally, I would refer the Hon Member to the long-standing policies on legal expenditure, as set out recently by Cabinet Office Ministers on 12 March 2004, Official Report, PQ 17709 and 12 March 2024, Official…
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It is vital that councillors feel able to raise concerns about intimidation and abuse, and that those in leadership positions in councils take these seriously and deal with them appropriately.The Local Government Association’s work on Civility in Public Life includes resources to support good…
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Postal voting is well established and popular with many electors, who find it a convenient way to vote. However, we need to be vigilant in ensuring that the processes are not exploited by those who would seek to deprive others of their democratic rights.We have recently brought in a number of…
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In reference to your question, the Fraud Landscape Report figures were reported to the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) as part of established reporting cycles.The Government defines error as losses arising from unintentional events, processing errors and official Government errors - such…
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The department does not hold the information requested.
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I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 14293 on 26 February 2024.
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I refer the Hon member to the answer given to Question UIN 14293 on 26 February 2024.
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I refer the Hon Member to paragraph 2.13 of the Ministerial Code which states: “The fact that the Law Officers have advised or have not advised and the content of their advice must not be disclosed outside Government without their authority”.
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Criminal record checks are made prior to appointment and we require individuals to inform the department of criminal convictions after appointment as set out in the staff handbook. The information is not collected centrally.
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I refer the Rt Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 17349 on 11 March 2024.
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The Government regularly holds meetings with a range of relevant elections community stakeholders on preparations for upcoming elections – as we do ahead of all elections.
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It is a matter for statutorily independent Returning Officers to undertake the necessary preparations for the conduct of UK parliamentary elections. The Consolidated Fund will provide the necessary funding once the date of the election is known, and the relevant Charges Order has been made.
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Data on the number of Voter Authority Certificate (VAC) applications received is publicly available on the performance dashboard: https://voter-authority-certificate.service.gov.uk/performance.
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The Government publishes on GOV.UK details of the cost of overseas Ministerial travel, including costs of travel, and on other costs (vias, accommodation, meals).But as has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular detail on Ministers’ travel at…
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The Government is proud of its record in proactively seeking to find and prevent more fraud and error in the system. We have established the dedicated Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA). In its first year it delivered £311 million in audited counter fraud benefits.The PSFA produces a Fraud…
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There is published guidance available here: Using non-corporate communication channels (e.g. WhatsApp, private email, SMS) for government business.
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We have a tradition of robust political debate and freedom of speech in our democracy. Policy or political arguments - both online and offline - which can be rebutted by rival campaigners or the press as part of the normal course of political debate should not be regulated. It is a matter for…
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Royal Mail conducts ‘sweeps’ of all primary (and where requested, secondary) mail centres on the evening of polling day by identifying and pulling out postal vote envelopes, which are specially marked to support this process. All incoming mail collected from post-boxes goes via the…
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The requested information is not centrally held.
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In line with the practice of successive administrations, such details are published online.
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Departmental advertising expenditure exceeding £250 is regularly published on gov.uk at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dluhc-departmental-spending-over-250.
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Because this is a matter for local government and this department does not operate any public lavatories.
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As has been the case under successive administrations, the collection of council tax is a responsibility of local authorities.
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The sensitive interest provisions at Section 32 of the Localism Act 2011 currently allows councillors to request that their home addresses are not published if disclosure could lead to them, or a person connected to them, being subject to violence or intimidation. The Government encourages…
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The information requested is not held centrally.
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Details of departmental spend over £250 are published online. The department does not hold a central list of all subscriptions to (a) newspapers, (b) magazines and (c) online journals purchased over the previous three years and this information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
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The department has contributed £1,502,612.00 in Levy funds between September 2021 and August 2023.During the same period the department has spent £534,528.80.
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As part of the 2022 to 2025 roadmap for digital and data, all departments made a commitment to reduce their digital and data vacancies to under 10% of total Government Digital and Data headcount by 2025.This is to drive modernisation and digitisation in Government, improving public services for the…
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Details of departmental spend are published online.
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The Government does not hold investigation data on local authorities.
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The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities designs work and workplaces to enable staff to work effectively, safely and comfortably. Where individuals have particular needs, the Department provides suitable adjustments.
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I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 13601 on 22 February 2024.The May local elections will be held on the same day as scheduled Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, and so the Government has taken the decision to fund a ‘national’ sweep on polling day this year. This…
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The Government’s position on the franchise remains unchanged. The Government was elected on a manifesto promising to “maintain the voting age at 18 – the age at which one gains full citizenship rights”. 18 has been the well-established age of majority for, for example, jury…
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The information requested is not held centrally.
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The Government consulted last year on circumstances where properties should be excepted from the council tax premiums for second and empty homes and will publish its response to the consultation shortly.
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I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 14299 on 23 February 2024.
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The DLUHC departmental press and media team is made up of 20 core employees. Roles range from Assistant Information Officer to SCS1 Deputy Director. Salaries are in line with departmental pay bands.
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The department does not collect this data centrally.
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The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024-25 makes available up to £64.7 billion, an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £4.5 billion or 7.5% in cash terms on 2023-24.
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In 2022, the Government confirmed reforms to the funding formula would not be implemented in this spending review after hearing calls from councils for stability. The Government remains committed to improving the local government finance landscape.
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Non executive board members are not employees of DLUHC and act in an advisory capacity. Data relating to public appointments are covered by the Public Appointments Privacy Statement found here: https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/privacy.
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The department has made no such assessment.
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This information has been published on Gov.uk here.
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The Government has been clear that it does not support any attempt from a local authority in England to implement Part-Time Work for Full-Time pay and has already taken steps to deter the sector from operating so called ‘four day working week’ practices and will take further steps if…
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Earthly Energy Ltd has filed for bankruptcy as per this record at Companies House.
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Officials in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities meet regularly with the Royal Mail to discuss matters relating to elections.As part of the usual engagement ahead of the scheduled May polls I will be meeting with the Chief Executive and other representatives from Royal Mail…
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The information requested is not held centrally.
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The Electoral Commission has statutory responsibility for democratic engagement and to encourage democratic participation. The Electoral Commission is funded by Parliament, via the Speakers' Committee on the Electoral Commission.In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of…
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Figures for consultancy spend are included each year in the department's annual report.
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The Department currently occupies 22 buildings which the Government Property Agency manages on a day to day basis on its behalf. GPA responsibilities include ensuring that statutory health and safety requirements in relation to the buildings are met. GPA confirms that it has a comprehensive set of…
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In line with the practice of successive administrations, it would be inappropriate to comment during legal proceedings.
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The local government finance system operates a needs-based approach. Funding allocations in the Local Government Finance Settlement reflect local circumstances, such as the demand for services from the local population and the cost of delivering those services in that authority. Funding allocations…
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The Government annually publishes data on the collection rates of council tax, setting out the percentage of expected council tax income each billing authority collected in year. This data is available here.
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The Local Government Finance Settlement 2024-25 was published on 5 February and confirmed that the Services Grant will continue in 2024-25 and will be worth £87 million. The Services Grant has increased by £10 million from the amount consulted on in the provisional Local Government…
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The information requested is not held centrally.
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The Government has published details of Local Government Finance Settlement allocations to local authorities since 2015-16.https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65c0d9c963a23d000dc821cf/CSP_information_table_2024-25_Final_Settlement.xlsx
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As set out previously, the Government has no plans to conduct a revaluation of council tax bands.The Government remains committed to improving the local government finance landscape in the next Parliament. The Government confirmed in the Policy Statement published ahead of the provisional Local…
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Statutory notices are an important means for ensuring that the public is kept informed of decisions by their council which may affect their quality of life, local services or amenities, or their property. The Government has no current plans to legislate on changing provisions on statutory notices.
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Local government in England will see an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £4.5 billion next year, or 7.5% in cash terms, an above-inflation increase, rising from £60.2 billion in 2023-24 to up to £64.7 billion in 2024-25. Councils must manage the costs of borrowing as part of…
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None.
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As set out previously, the Government will consult the relevant authorities with the aim of finding ways to improve information sharing to facilitate enforcement of existing electoral law and report its conclusions to Parliament by the end of 2024.
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Councils are independent, democratic bodies responsible for managing their own estates. Local authorities are best placed to decide how best to use local buildings to benefit communities, and while the government has no involvement in such decisions, we would always seek to ensure that taxpayers…
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Counsel for the Secretary of State correctly drew the Select Committee’s attention to the role of the late Asa Bruno in designing the Holocaust Memorial. Mr Bruno’s evidence to the planning inquiry summarised the position as follows:“I am co-founder and Director of Ron Arad…
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Discussions with the Learned Societies are ongoing with regards to finding a viable solution that can deliver value for taxpayers and enable them to remain in their historic home at New Burlington House.
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Local authorities are independent employers and are responsible for managing their own workforces and staff vacancies. The Department does not collect this data centrally.
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Given the seriousness of allegations made in this House, it was only right that we answered the Mayor's calls to establish a review. This was a thorough review undertaken by qualified individuals, which does result in costs to the taxpayer. When this is finalised we will make it publicly available.
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It is, and always will be, an absolute priority for this Government to protect our democratic and electoral processes. The Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit (JESP) works between DLUHC and GSG in Cabinet Office to coordinate election security and preparedness activity within government…
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In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
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Having listened to councils, on 24 January the government announced additional measures for local authorities in England, worth £600 million. This includes £500 million of new funding for councils with responsibility for adults and children’s social care, distributed through the…
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The data is not held centrally.
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The duty does not require us to maintain a comprehensive list of policies within scope of the duty.
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As set out in the oral statement delivered by the Minister of State for Housing, Planning and Building Safety on 29 January 2024, the department received the independent panel's report on 23 January 2024 and the report was published 29 January 2024. A copy is available at the following link.
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As set out in the Secretary of State's Written Ministerial Statement on 24 January 2024, the final Local Government Finance Settlement will be published in full early next month, including individual local authority allocations, and the statutory reports which comprise the Settlement will be…
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On 5 December, the Secretary of State for DLUHC published his local government finance policy statement 2024-2025. This sets out the support available, via the Exceptional Financial Support framework, to councils with specific and evidenced concerns about their ability to set or maintain a balanced…
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In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.
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The UK-wide digital imprint regime, introduced by the Elections Act 2022, is one of the most comprehensive digital imprint regimes in the world, applying to a wide range of material. The regime represents a substantial increase in transparency of digital political advertising for members of the…
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No significant refurbishments have been made to ministerial offices in London or Wolverhampton during the last two years, but in line with the practice of successive administrations details of departmental expenditure are set out regularly.
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Further to my answer to Question UIN 9235 on 16 January 2024, The Flood Recovery Framework provides support for flooded businesses and households and operates separately from the Bellwin Scheme which, when activated, can provide support to local authorities for their eligible response costs.
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Applicants will be able to register in respect of an address that no longer exists or if the postcode has changed. The mechanisms for connecting applicants to their qualifying address will be the same regardless of whether the address still exists. In such cases the Electoral Registration Officer…
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I extend my sympathy to all those affected by the impacts of Storm Henk, flooding is a devastating experience for anyone impacted.Following flooding which took place in 2020, and considering feedback from areas impacted at that time, the framework’s eligibility criteria were reviewed and a…
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Councils are ultimately responsible for their own finances, including decisions on the timing of borrowing, and the type and length of loan to manage interest rate risks. The effect of interest rates will vary significantly between councils depending on individual circumstances and financing needs,…
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The following table has been drawn from publicly available data. Officials have taken “minded to notices” to mean seeking representations on using best value powers from the Local Government Act 1999 to issue directions to a council that the Secretary of State considers is failing its…
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The Government committed to Oflog’s independence in the Levelling Up White Paper, and Oflog has been instructed to act with a spirit of independence. Oflog is currently an Office within the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and therefore its expenditure is part of the…
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The information requested is not held centrally.
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Public Sector Audit Appointments Ltd was created in 2014, and collects data on the proportion of local authority account audit opinions issued by the deadline each year.This information is publicly available for example, 2014-15 to 2019-20 statistics are available at the following link; 2020-21 to…
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There have been no officials meetings with ministers from this department. Officials last met on 21 February 2023.
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No Freedom of Information requests relating to the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre are awaiting a response from the Department. A letter from the Information Commissioner about the Department’s handling of a previous request was received on 18 January 2024 and will receive a response…
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The Office for National publishes workforce data at the following link.
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The Flood Recovery Framework does not work on pre – determined allocations. Eligible local authorities are responsible for distributing flood recovery funding to affected households and businesses and the Government re-imburses those local authorities retrospectively, based on the certified…
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The Department working with system partners has developed proposals to tackle the exceptional circumstance of the current backlog and ensure a return to timely delivery of high-quality financial reporting and external audit in local bodies.This has been detailed work, balancing various imperatives…
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The provisional local government finance settlement for 2024-25 makes available over £64 billion, an increase in Core Spending Power of almost £4 billion or 6.5% in cash terms on 2023-24. This above-inflation increase demonstrates how the Government stands behind councils up and down the…
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No such assessment has been made of the potential merits of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
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The Government does not collect data on individual local authority assets, including investment assets. Details of these assets should be held locally by councils.
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On 20 April 2023, the Hon Member for Middlesbrough asked in Parliament about Government plans for “a full investigation” of what he described as “industrial-scale corruption” in Teesside (Official Report, HC, Volume 731, Column 384). A link to the full debate is available…
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The Government published the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024-25 on 18 December. It makes available up to £64.1 billion to local authorities in England. This is an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £3.9 billion or 6.5% in cash terms on 2023-24.We are…
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Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the coverage is of superfast broadband in (a) Dorset and (b) North Dorset constituency; and what steps he is taking to improve superfast broadband coverage in hard-to-reach areas.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the coverage is of 5G in Dorset; and what steps he is taking to improve 5G coverage in rural areas.
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Department for Transport
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what further steps she plans to take to make rural bus routes sustainable.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the removal of the £2 cap on fairs on the number of people using buses in (a) Dorset and (b) England.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish an analysis of the trends in bus usage for the full duration of the £2 bus cap.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to publish the Road Investment Strategy 3; and what funding is available via that scheme.
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Department for Work and Pensions
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he plans to take to help support pre-pensioners with long-term health conditions in the context of increases to the State Pension age.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to support people living with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions to (a) return to and (b) enter into work.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the official closing date under section 14 of the Inquiries Act 2005 was for the public inquiry entitled ICL Inquiry.
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Department of Health and Social Care
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the provision of NHS dentistry in North Dorset constituency compared to the national average.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take with Cabinet colleagues to help increase access to NHS dentistry in rural areas in (a) the next 12 months and (b) during this Parliament.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what percentage of people have an NHS dentist in (a) urban (b) suburban and (c) rural areas in the latest period for which data is available.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the official set up date under section 5 of the Inquiries Act 2005 was for the public inquiry entitled Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Inquiry.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the official closing date under section 14 of the Inquiries Act 2005 was for the public inquiry entitled Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Inquiry.
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Home Office
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of visa applications under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme are determined within eight weeks in the latest period for which data is available.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken is to determine a visa extension under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what resource has been allocated to administer the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme in financial year (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the official closing date under section 14 of the Inquiries Act 2005 was for the public inquiries entitled (a) Anthony Grainger Inquiry, (b) The Litvinenko Inquiry and (c) Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the official set up date under section 5 of the Inquiries Act 2005 was for the public inquiries entitled (a) Jermaine Baker, (b) Manchester Arena Inquiry and (c) Anthony Grainger Inquiry.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to progress proposals for a medal of recognition for police officers injured in the line of service.
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Ministry of Defence
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the official closing date under section 14 of the Inquiries Act 2005 was for the public inquiry entitled Al-Sweady Inquiry.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to respond to the report from the Park Home owners JUSTICE campaign about the rationale for 10% commission rate.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has calculated the costs to park home owners that have been spent on commission during the 12 months since the Park Home Owners JUSTICE report was submitted to Government.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what engagement with Park Home owners his Department has had during the past 12 months.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support is available to families who are hosting Ukrainian citizens who need to extend their visas under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme in financial year (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what funding will be made available to small and medium size businesses when transitional arrangements for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund end.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what funding will be made available to small and medium size businesses when transitional arrangements for the Rural England Prosperity Fund end.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the impact of the provision of council services in rural areas on the cost of those services in (a) North Dorset constituency and (b) other rural areas.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution in response to the hon. Member for North Dorset during the Oral Statement of 16 December 2024 on English Devolution,…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the additional costs of providing council services in rural areas.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to continue the Community Ownership Fund with the same terms of reference.
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Ministry of Justice
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the official closing date under section 14 of the Inquiries Act 2005 was for the public inquiries entitled (a) Inquiry into the circumstances of the Death of Bernard Lodge at Manchester Prison on 28 August 1998 and (b) Azelle Rodney Inquiry.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the official set up date under section 5 of the Inquiries Act 2005 was for the public inquiry entitled Inquiry into the circumstances of the Death of Bernard Lodge at Manchester Prison on 28 August 1998.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress she has made on changing licensing in the funeral home sector.
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Northern Ireland Office
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the official closing date under section 14 of the Inquiries Act 2005 was for the public inquiries entitled (a) Robert Hamill Inquiry and (b) Billy Wright Inquiry.
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Treasury
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff have been employed by the OBR in each year since it was established.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the OBR has cost the public purse for each year since it was established.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions on employment rates (a) nationally, (b) in Dorset and (c) in North Dorset constituency in the next 12 months.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to ensure access to banking services in areas affected by bank closures.
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