theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year. \p Stephanie Peacock: From April 1st 2024, to March 31st 2025, a total of 135 agreements were executed. Out of these, 131 contracts were awarded to British companies, which equates to approximately 97% of contracts.
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Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department plans to take to support (a) landscapes, (b) nature and (c) parks to contribute to the achievement of Environmental Improvement Plan targets through the National Lottery Heritage Fund. \p Chris Bryant: Saving natural heritage and protecting the environment are key elements of two of the Heritage Fund's four investment principles included in their current ten-year strategy.

Since 1994, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded over £2.2billion of National Lottery and other funding to 5,100 land, nature and biodiversity projects across the UK. The Heritage Fund is the largest investor in landscape conservation and nature recovery.

Of the ten goals cited within the Environmental Improvement Plan for England, the Heritage Fund is helping to support Goal 1 - thriving plants and wildlife, Goal 2 – clean air, Goal 3 – clean water, Goal 7 – mitigating and adapting to climate change, and Goal 10 – enhanced beauty, heritage and engagement with the natural environment.
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Adam Thompson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her Department's policy is on investment in skills in the grassroots performing arts. \p Chris Bryant: This government is making a substantial investment in skills across the economy, with over £1 billion of additional funding by 2028-29, on top of the phase 1 settlement for 2025-26. This protects opportunity, delivers the workforce needed for the Plan for Change, and fuels future growth.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan sets out how we will develop high quality, responsive, inclusive and targeted education, skills and training for the Creative Industries, which will benefit grassroots performing arts. This includes delivering a refreshed UK-wide £9 million creative careers service to raise awareness of creative careers and ensuring that we continue to consider the needs of smaller employers when developing our growth and skills offer. The Plan recognises the UK’s significant strengths in educational infrastructure for performing arts, including our world-leading institutions, and commits to working with DfE, Skills England and industry to support increased access to quality specialist creative education provision across England.

On the 2nd June, the government also announced that £132.5 million of dormant assets funding will be allocated to increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.

The Department for Education will launch the National Centre for Arts and Music Education in September 2026 to expand arts access for young people, enhance teacher training, and strengthen school-arts partnerships. In addition, in 2024/25, Arts Council England awarded £14.2 million to 1,220 creative practitioners through its Developing Your Creative Practice programme, and a further £28 million to 1,119 practitioners via National Lottery Project Grants.
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Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the planned obsolescence of (a) video games and (b) other consumer digital products. \p Chris Bryant: The Government is aware of concerns relating to the continued access to video games, including licensed, online-only video games, and we appreciate the frustrations of players of some games that have been discontinued. The Government has responded to a recent petition on this issue.

There are no plans to amend existing consumer law on disabling video games. Those selling games must comply with existing requirements in consumer law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) and Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA), giving clear advice to consumers. Video game sellers must not omit or hide material information, or provide it in an unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely manner.
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James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) implementation of guidance entitled Loot boxes in video games: update on improvements to industry-led protections, published on 18 July 2023. \p Chris Bryant: The Government is committed to ensuring that video games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone and that, where they contain loot boxes, guidance is followed so that appropriate protections are in place for players of all ages.

Following the implementation period of the industry-led protections, DCMS commissioned independent academic research into their effectiveness. The research is in its final stages and a report will be published in due course.
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Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help increase the use of the Cornish language on (a) transport routes and (b) signage within Cornwall. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department has no current plans to authorise the use of Cornish language signs on trunk roads at entry points into Cornwall or on traffic signs within Cornwall.

Even if local authorities believe they have an exceptional need to translate English traffic signs into other languages, there is no provision for this in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD).
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to introduce a separate mandatory driving test for tractor and trailer combinations over a certain weight threshold. \p Lilian Greenwood: There are no current plans to introduce a separate test for agricultural tractor and trailer combinations over a certain weight threshold.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support the development of the second-hand electric vehicle market. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government recognises the importance of the used vehicle market to our country’s transition to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) and closely monitors its growth. We are confident that consumer interest will continue to increase as more used ZEV models approach price parity with their petrol and diesel equivalents.

We already have various financial incentives to stimulate the new ZEV market and increase the supply of these vehicles feeding through to the second-hand market. Additionally, the ZEV Mandate requires manufacturers to provide a warranty of 8 years or 100,000 miles on EV batteries and provide a replacement battery if capacity falls below 70% in that period, increasing consumer confidence.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of fiscal incentives for the uptake of electric vehicles. \p Lilian Greenwood: Plug-in Vehicle Grants have been a key driver of zero emission vehicle (ZEV) uptake since they were introduced in 2011. Grants remain available for vans, trucks and wheelchair accessible vehicles. Favourable tax rates, including the lowest first year rates of Vehicle Excise Duty and preferential Benefit in Kind rates, have likewise been a key driver of ZEV adoption.

The recently announced Electric Car Grant will further encourage purchases of low cost zero emission cars by providing discounts of up to £3,750.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her statement of 8 July 2025 on Road and Rail Projects, column 815, what is the forecast annual expenditure for each of the 50 schemes in each of the next ten financial years; and what is the total estimated cost of each scheme. \p Lilian Greenwood: We are committed to providing transparency about our investment plans, to provide certainty and stability for industry and other stakeholders.

For schemes on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) and Major Road Network (MRN), £24 billion of capital funding is being provided between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve motorways and local roads. Scheme costs for the SRN schemes will be confirmed as part of the setting of the third Road Investment Strategy, planned to be published by the end of March 2026.

For MRN schemes, individual financial details cannot be provided as doing so would jeopardise procurement exercises and contract negotiations.

All rail projects referenced in the Secretary of State’s statement are fully funded from the £10.2bn allocated to enhancements over 2026/27-2029/30. We expect to provide further detail on scheme profiles in due course.

The National Infrastructure and Services Transformation Authority (NISTA) has also now published a first version of the Infrastructure Pipeline. All of the projects referred to in the Secretary of State’s statement are included in the Pipeline, although at a portfolio level. The Pipeline will be updated and improved every six months.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which rail infrastructure schemes on the Great East Main Line she will plans to implement; and which she has cancelled since July 2024. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Secretary of State updated Parliament on the 7th of July regarding those rail infrastructure schemes which will progress following completion of the Spending Review. We’re prioritising the schemes that will make the greatest difference for passengers and freight and drive economic growth as soon as possible. The previous government had announced a number of schemes that were unfunded. The new station at Beaulieu Park is due to open on the Great Eastern Main Line by the end of this year.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date she plans to bring the Greater Anglia franchise under public ownership; and when she plans to publish her (a) business plan for the management of the Greater Anglia franchise, (b) income and expenditure forecasts for the Greater Anglia franchise for each of the next five years, (c) plans for ticket pricing for each of the next five years, (d) plans for ticket office opening hours for each of the next five years, (e) the performance standards and targets for each of the next five years and (f) funding plans for (i) railway stations, (ii) tracks and signalling and (iii) rolling stock for each of the next five years. \p Simon Lightwood: Greater Anglia’s services will transfer into public ownership on 12 October 2025. A Services Agreement setting out Secretary of State requirements will be put in place for the new publicly owned operator, and this will be made available on the Department for Transport’s website in due course. The Services Agreement will require train operating companies to publish information on targets, outturn performance, and the ongoing development of the customer offer on a regular basis at stations, on their website and in other formats on request.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase train (a) affordability, (b) reliability and (c) frequency in Surrey. \p Simon Lightwood: As announced in January, Pay As You Go will be rolled out to 49 further stations in the South East, this year, including Ashtead and Leatherhead within the Epsom and Ewell constituency. This will give passengers simper, easier, and more flexible ways to travel, ensuring passengers pay the best price for the journey on the day of travel.

South Western Railway is now under public ownership, and it has been tasked with developing a detailed plan to improve performance and introduce the new Arterio fleet. This new fleet will replace the aging Class 455 fleet and improve reliability. Following the rollout of the Arterio fleet, there will be an opportunity to look at the timetable and frequency of services to Surrey.
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Mr Clive Betts:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of tram track have opened in (a) Manchester, (b) Birmingham, (c) Nottingham and (d) Sheffield in the last ten years. \p Simon Lightwood: Annual figures for light rail and tram system kilometres are published on the Gov.uk website and can be found in table LRT0203 here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/light-rail-and-tram-statistics-lrt

This data shows the annual length of light rail, tram and underground system routes open for passenger traffic in Great Britain from 1996 onwards.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the proportion of local authorities that conduct (a) in-person interviews and (b) English language testing before issuing (i) taxi and (ii) private hire vehicle licences. \p Simon Lightwood: The Policing and Crime Act 2017 enables the Secretary of State for Transport to issue statutory guidance to licensing authorities on exercising their taxi and private hire vehicle licensing functions to protect children and vulnerable adults. Statutory guidance was published in 2020 under these powers. This statutory guidance includes a recommendation that a licensing authority’s test of a driver’s English language proficiency should cover both oral and written English language skills to ensure that drivers have the ability to understand written documents, such as policies and guidance, relating to the protection of children and vulnerable adults and can identify and act on the signs of potential exploitation.

As of 1 April 2024, 81% of licensing authorities in England reported that they require the taxi drivers that they license to meet a minimum standard of proficiency for either written, oral or both written and oral English language. As of 1 April 2024, 82% of licensing authorities in England reported that they require the private hire vehicle drivers that they license to meet a minimum standard of proficiency for either written, oral or both written and oral English language. We are currently reviewing licensing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance and will hold those who do not follow it to account.

The Department does not hold any information about whether licensing authorities conduct in-person interviews for applicants for taxi or private hire vehicle driver licences.
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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act 2023 for preventing fraud. \p Feryal Clark: The Online Safety Act now requires in-scope platforms to implement effective measures to prevent illegal fraudulent user-generated content and activity. Ofcom has launched an enforcement programme to monitor compliance with the illegal content duties and a consultation to strengthen codes of practice, including proposals for automated tools to detect illegal content, including fraud. Additionally, the largest user-to-user and search services (Category 1 and 2A) must tackle paid-for fraudulent ads once the relevant codes are in force.

The Government is required to review the effectiveness of the online safety framework, two to five years after key provisions have come into force.
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Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of current digital infrastructure in supporting online (a) healthcare, (b) education and (c) banking services in rural villages. \p Chris Bryant: Digital infrastructure underpins all aspects of modern life, including access to GP, educational and banking services.

Through Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network, we are continuing to deliver improvements in broadband and mobile connectivity to areas with limited coverage, including in rural villages.

The Government remains committed to ensuring at least 99% of UK premises receive gigabit coverage by 2032. Over 88% of UK premises can already access gigabit capable broadband.

4G coverage from at least one mobile operator has now reached over 95% of the UK landmass as a result of the Shared Rural Network, while 4G is also available inside almost 100% of UK premises from one operator. Our ambition is to go further and for all populated areas to benefit from higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what financial support his Department provides for early-phase trials into (a) neuroblastoma and (b) other rare paediatric cancers. \p Feryal Clark: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology invests approximately £200 million into cancer research annually via UK Research and Innovation, particularly via Innovate UK and the Medical Research Council (MRC). In parallel, the Department of Health and Social Care funds cancer research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research and invested £133 million in 2023/24. UKRI and NIHR does not ringfence funding for specific cancer types. However, from 2020-2024 MRC committed £982,632 to research on neuroblastoma, this includes a project to develop and clinically test a new probe to diagnose and aid resection of tumours in children.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department to ensure the life sciences sector has the visa routes it needs to attract global talent to the UK. \p Feryal Clark: The Government is committed to attracting top global talent to the UK. We are working with the Home Office and the Home Secretary to deliver the Immigration White Paper, ensuring that the very highly skilled can come to the UK. The Life Sciences sector already attracts talent through routes including the Global Talent and High Potential Individual visas and the recently published Life Sciences Sector Plan sets out clear actions HMG will take to attract international Life Sciences talent.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with cancer-related charities on taking steps to help support the UK to become the leading life sciences economy in Europe by 2030. \p Feryal Clark: The Life Sciences Sector Plan (LSSP) sets out a ten-year vision for enabling world-class R&D, making the UK an outstanding place for investment in life sciences, and driving healthcare innovation in the NHS. The plan received input from over 250 organisations including clinicians, NHS leadership, industry experts and charities (including cancer-related charities). The Office for Life Sciences Cancer Healthcare Goals Programme established the UK Cancer Research Strategy Forum (UKCRSF) to bring together the UK’s major cancer research funders to ensure coordination of strategic priorities in cancer research. The UKCRSF facilitated discussions relating to the cancer commitments of the LSSP.
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of geographic differences in full fibre availability on local economic development. \p Chris Bryant: Digital infrastructure is a powerful driver of economic growth and development. In 2023, the telecoms services industry contributed around 2.5% to UK real GVA, up from 0.3% in 2010.

Geographical areas with lower levels of full fibre availability are less likely to benefit economically than areas with higher levels of full fibre availability. Government interventions, alongside the commercial market, are addressing this disparity. Evidence from the government’s Superfast programme showed that for every £1 spent on connections to premises left behind by the market, up to £4.57 was generated in economic and social benefits. Employment in the local areas benefiting from the programme also increased by 0.88%. We expect Project Gigabit to continue to drive local economic growth and development in areas which stand to benefit from the programme.

Building Digital UK also publishes independent evaluations of its programmes at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/building-digital-uk-research-portal
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of broadband limitations on the digital competitiveness of SMEs. \p Chris Bryant: Broadband connectivity is vital for businesses and plays a critical role in driving growth and productivity across the UK.

While no direct assessment has been made of the potential impact of broadband limitations on digital competitiveness, wider government analysis has shown that increased broadband speeds lead to an improvement in turnover and productivity for SMEs. That is why government continues to ensure that UK SMEs benefit from high quality digital infrastructure and is committed to ensuring at least 99% of premises receive gigabit broadband coverage by 2032, with over 88% now able to do so.
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to improve broadband resilience to support (a) cloud-based telephony and (b) payment systems used by small businesses. \p Chris Bryant: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is working to improve the resilience of broadband that will support a range of services including cloud-based telephony and digital payment systems used by small businesses. DSIT works with Ofcom, which enforces legal duties on providers to maintain secure, reliable networks. Government and industry work together through the Electronic Communications Resilience and Response Group (EC-RRG) to promote resilience within the sector, and to respond to emergencies.
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Openreach and (b) CityFibre on delays in full fibre line installations to businesses based in the Farnham and Bordon constituency. \p Chris Bryant: The Farnham and Bordon constituency is set to benefit from three live Project Gigabit contracts: the Hampshire and East & West Sussex contracts, being delivered by CityFibre, and the West and Mid Surrey contract being delivered by Openreach. These contracts are targeted at premises that are not expected to receive a gigabit-capable connection as part of a broadband supplier’s commercial rollout, and we are in regular contact with both suppliers to monitor their progress against planned delivery milestones.

Where a delay is reported as part of a supplier’s commercial rollout, we cannot intervene as we are bound by Subsidy Control regulations. However, we keep commercial plans under review and will continue to refresh our plans for reaching any remaining premises in line with the government’s ambition for nationwide gigabit coverage by 2032.
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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to (a) require broadband providers to share infrastructure and (b) ensure that (i) lamp posts and (ii) other publicly-owned infrastructure are accessible for usage in (A) 5G, (B) broadband and (C) mobile development. \p Chris Bryant: Duties and obligations relating to telecommunications installations are included in the Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003, which include requirements to share apparatus where practicable. This is supported by the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice 2016 and the recently published Telecommunications Poles Working Group Best Practice Recommendations, published by the Internet Services Providers’ Association.

The Communications (Access to Infrastructure) Regulations 2016 give operators the right to request access to another operator’s infrastructure. Furthermore, the government supports Ofcom’s Physical Infrastructure Access framework, which facilitates the sharing of Openreach’s infrastructure, such as ducts and poles.

We have encouraged the use of public sector assets for digital infrastructure, including via the £7 million Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Accelerator programme, which helped councils and industry identify publicly owned assets suitable for telecoms deployment. Our £1.3m Smart Infrastructure Pilots Programme funded six local authorities to install "smart" multi-purpose columns or lamp posts that provide wireless connectivity services and other uses, such as EV charging and WiFi.
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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will hold discussions with the Advanced Research and Innovation Agency on holding a public consultation before external trials of sun dimming take place. \p Feryal Clark: The Advanced Research and Invention Agency’s (ARIA) ‘Exploring Climate Cooling’ programme, backed by £56.8 million, has been designed to build an evidence base which will enable scientists to better understand and properly assess whether or not Earth cooling approaches could help to mitigate climate change safely.

ARIA is an independent research body, and they are conducting cautious, controlled research aimed at improving understanding of the risks and impacts of Solar Radiation Modification. This will produce important information for decisions around the world.

Whilst ARIA is not intending to hold a public consultation on the Exploring Climate Cooling programme, ARIA has put in place an independent oversight committee, made up of international experts, to support governance of outdoor experiments and communication of their findings. Projects with field trial components will be subjected to risk and impact assessment by an independent team of experts and subjected to a degree of co-design with local communities; the results of both exercises will be publicly available prior to any outdoor experiment taking place. An independent assessment will also take place on completion of any outdoor experiment, also to be made publicly available.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of AI on working hours across sectors. \p Feryal Clark: The Government is working to harness the benefits that AI can bring in terms of economic growth, productivity gains, rising living standards, and improved worker wellbeing; while mitigating the risks. The Government is planning for a range of plausible outcomes and closely monitoring the data that will help us track and prepare for these. We will continue to work closely with other government departments through the AI Opportunities Action Plan to ensure we shape AI to deliver economic prosperity for the UK.
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Carla Lockhart:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent progress his Department has made on the implementation of the UK National Quantum Strategy. \p Feryal Clark: Over the past year, we’ve taken major steps to support the quantum sector and deliver on the UK’s National Quantum Missions. This includes launching new research hubs, opening the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), and funding research projects through Innovate UK.

We are strengthening international collaboration through initiatives like NMI-Q (announced at the G7) to advance global standards in quantum technologies.

Last month, we announced £670 million in quantum computing investment as part of the Industrial Strategy—including over £500 million for the Quantum Computing Mission and 10-year funding for the NQCC.
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Mr Toby Perkins:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment has he made of the reasons for the exemption of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency from the Freedom of Information Act 2000. \p Feryal Clark: ARIA is a small body with limited administrative capacity to handle Freedom of Information Act requests. It is important that ARIA is focused on funding long-term transformational research for the benefit of the UK.

ARIA is, however, dedicated to transparency. ARIA has other statutory commitments to transparency, including requirements for it to submit an annual report and a statement of accounts, which are laid before Parliament and audited by the National Audit Office or a commercial auditor. In addition to this, ARIA regularly publishes transparency information on its website, including on its financial transactions, contracts and funding recipients.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with social media firms to help tackle algorithmically accelerated misinformation. \p Feryal Clark: The Online Safety Act (OSA) requires social media companies to tackle online misinformation and disinformation that is (a) illegal or (b) harmful to children.

These companies are required to carry out risk assessments that specifically consider how algorithms could impact online users’ exposure to illegal content, including illegal mis- and disinformation, and take steps to mitigate and effectively manage any identified risks.

Ofcom are currently consulting on a further set of targeted safety measures designed to make online services safer by design, including a new measure on moderating algorithms.
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Helena Dollimore:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of children in temporary accommodation in Hastings and Rye constituency. \p Rushanara Ali: Investing in preventative services is critical for reducing the number of households and children in temporary accommodation. The Government has made the largest-ever investment in prevention services, increasing funding for homelessness services by £233 million to a total of £1 billion for homelessness and rough sleeping in 2025/26.

The Spending Review has protected this record level of investment for the next three years, and provided £100 million, including from the Transformation Fund, to fund increased homelessness prevention activity by local authorities.
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Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward regulations for estate agents to help improve accountability for people who breach ethical standards. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN PQ 49125 on 7 May 2025
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the contribution by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government of 7 July 2025, Official Report, column 1125, which (a) representatives of the insurance sector and (b) other stakeholders her Department held discussions with prior to the introduction of the amendments. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders during the passage of the Renters’ Rights Bill, including the Association of British Insurers and the British Insurance Brokers Association.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_290

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to work with local authorities to help improve the insulation of social housing. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 is providing £1.29 billion of grant funding to improve the energy performance of social housing, including through improvements to insulation. Additional funding will be set out in the Warm Homes Plan, to be published in October.

The government is also consulting on introducing a Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard at EPC C or equivalent by 2030, with the proposed approach prioritising fabric improvements to properties, such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and double glazing. The consultation is open until 10 September 2025 and can be found on gov.uk here.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_291

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 60503 on Housing: Construction, what the cost components are of the stability of energy costs in manufacturing. \p Matthew Pennycook: Manufacturing energy costs are comprised of the wholesale price, network charges, and policy costs used to fund renewables and other initiatives including the Contracts for Difference, Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariff, Capacity Market charges, Nuclear RAB, and more. The Climate Change Levy is also applied to industrial energy bills, and there are indirect costs associated with the Emissions Trading Scheme and Carbon Price Support.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_292

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 2 July 2025 on Social and Affordable Housing Renewal, HCWS771, if she will publish the full public sector equality duty assessment undertaken in relation to reductions in Right to Buy. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government’s response to the Right to Buy consultation published on 2 July included a Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) assessment. This can be found on gov.uk here.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_293

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that local housing targets include provision for (a) infrastructure and (b) brownfield remediation. \p Matthew Pennycook: The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a new Standard Method for assessing housing needs that is aligned to our Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million new safe and decent homes in England by the end of this Parliament.

The Standard Method for assessing housing needs provides a starting point for local planning authorities (LPAs) to inform the preparation of their local development plans.

Once an assessment has been made, LPAs should take into account land availability, environmental constraints, and other relevant matters, to determine how much of the assessed housing need can be met. It is for local authorities, in consultation with their communities, to set out the most appropriate strategy to meet their housing needs.

The NPPF makes clear that planning policies and decisions should give substantial weight to the value of using suitable brownfield land within settlements for homes and other identified needs and should support opportunities to remediate derelict and contaminated land.

Local development plans should address needs and opportunities in relation to infrastructure and identify what infrastructure is required and how it can be funded and brought forward. When preparing a Local Plan, Planning Practice Guidance recommends that local planning authorities use available evidence of infrastructure requirements to prepare an Infrastructure Funding Statement. Such Statements can be used to demonstrate the delivery of infrastructure throughout the plan-period.

The government provides financial support for essential infrastructure in areas of greatest housing demand through Land and Infrastructure funding programmes, such as the Housing Infrastructure Fund.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_294

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has considered creating a national register of trees with legal protection status. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 35438 on 12 March 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_295

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to prevent developers from leaving (a) play areas, (b) green spaces and (c) other shared communal spaces unfinished or to a substandard level. \p Matthew Pennycook: Local planning authorities (LPAs) already have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use in instances where development has not taken place in accordance with the relevant planning consent.

These enforcement powers include the power to issue a completion notice which requires a developer to complete their development if it is left uncompleted.

It is for LPAs themselves to decide how and when they use their powers depending on the circumstances of each case.

On 25 May, the government published a Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out (which can be found on gov.uk here) inviting views on further action the government should take to speed up homes being built.

On the same day, we launched a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve the transparency of build rates from new residential development, which includes proposals to implement provisions in Section 113 of the LURA on the power to decline to determine applications. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the government intends bring forward the regulations to implement these measures at the earliest practical opportunity with the new build out reporting framework coming into force from 2026.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_296

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has considered the potential merits of embedding a clear design vision within its spatial development strategies to support the delivery of high-quality development. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Planning and Infrastructure Bill allows for strategic planning authorities to include policies on design in their Spatial Development Strategies (SDS’) providing they are of strategic importance to the area.

The government intends to set out expectations on the content of SDS’ through national policy and guidance.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_297

Joe Powell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to consult on the valuation rates used to calculate the cost of enfranchisement premiums. \p Matthew Pennycook: The 2024 Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act sets the method for calculating the price of a statutory lease extension or freehold acquisition, known as the valuation process.

The Bill removes the requirement for marriage value to be paid, caps the treatment of ground rents in the valuation calculation at 0.1% of the freehold value, and allows government to prescribe the rates used to calculate the enfranchisement premium.

Valuation rates will be set by the Secretary of State in secondary legislation, and we have made clear we intend to consult before determining what the rates should be.

Last week the High Court heard challenges to some of the 2024 Act enfranchisement reforms. Leaseholders should be assured that the government is robustly defending those challenges. Following the outcome of the hearing, we will provide further update on the rates consultation.

Once the consultation goes live, we want to hear views from a broad spectrum of stakeholders before making a decision, and we invite all who have an interest to feed these in.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_298

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of infrastructure developments on agricultural land. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government places great importance upon our agricultural land.

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should recognise the benefits of the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land (land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification system).

Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_299

Mr Clive Betts:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many local plans include the build to rent sector. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department does not hold this data.

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that local authorities should assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community and reflect in planning policies.

National policy is also clear that local planning authorities should support the development of mixed tenure sites, which can include a mixture of ownership and rental tenures, including Social Rent, other rented affordable housing and build to rent.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-23 conversation_300

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled Reform of planning committees: technical consultation, published on 28 May 2025, whether the mandatory training for planning committee members will include training not listed in that consultation. \p Matthew Pennycook: The content of mandatory training for members of planning committees will be set through regulation. We will engage with the sector on details of the training and will publish further details in due course.