theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance he has issued to (a) NHS England and (b) NHS Trusts to validate their waiting list data. \p Karin Smyth: No estimate has been made of the return on investment on the validation sprint.

Waiting list validation is a well-established component for effective management of waiting lists, with detailed guidance available for Trusts, including safeguards to ensure patients are not incorrectly removed from waiting lists.

The Department publishes the Referral to Treatment Rules Suite and NHS England has published two key guidance documents to support the recording and reporting patient pathways, including a set of FAQs. NHS England published an updated version of the guidance documents in February 2025. The guidance states there “must be agreement from a clinician before any patient is returned to the referrer.” Any patient removed should receive a letter that would also be sent to their GP.

Operational Planning Guidance 2025/26 set the requirement for trusts to validate patients on a referral to treatment (RTT) waiting list after 12 weeks and then every 12 weeks in line with good practice and published guidance, maximising the use of digital tools for both patient contact and data quality.

Effective waiting list validation ensures trusts have an accurate understanding of the true size of their waiting list, which in turn helps them to reduce missed or cancelled appointments, make the most effective use of clinicians’ time and reduce overall waiting times.

The Department does not hold data centrally on the number of incomplete pathways removed as a result of data validation on a monthly basis. As part of the validation sprint over the period from week ending 13 April 2025 to week ending 22 June 2025, waiting list management information across all acute providers estimates there were around 250,000 additional removals from waiting lists compared to the same period last year.

Routinely validated, accurate waiting lists are a necessary part of delivering on our commitment to return to the NHS Constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, and to help to improve experience for patients, so that clinical time can be focused on the patients who need it.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) wider reform one and (b) other proposed changes to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 on the ecology of bathing waters; and what steps she is taking to help (i) support anglers, (ii) protect aquatic habitats and (iii) encourage payments by water companies for environmental improvements. \p Emma Hardy: Bathing waters are a vital public amenity. This Government is committed to improving the quality of our coastal waters, rivers and lakes for the benefit of the environment and everyone who uses it.

We have begun policy development and research to determine how best to implement both the wider reforms detailed in the Government’s consultation response published in March 2025. As part of the policy development, we are currently scoping appropriate studies to take into account any potential environmental, societal and access impacts of these reforms. We are keen to work closely with stakeholders as we develop our policy, including groups who represent anglers and other water users.

Additionally, PR24 WINEP will be the most ambitious programme yet, with a total expenditure commitment of £22 billion secured under the scheme to fund ‘targeted interventions’ which will lead to improvements in water infrastructure to secure habitats, biodiversity and water quality, including bathing waters.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is considering legislative options to permanently ban all uses of neonicotinoid pesticides. \p Emma Hardy: As set out in December’s neonicotinoid policy statement, Defra will identify and assess legislative options to prevent future use of three neonicotinoid pesticides (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) that are not authorised due to the threat they pose to pollinators.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how applications for emergency authorisation of banned neonicotinoids will be assessed under the new guidance; and whether an independent scientific advisory committee will be involved in the decision-making process. \p Emma Hardy: The new guidance applies to emergency authorisation applications for all pesticides, not just neonicotinoids. When considering applications, the possible adverse effects of the pesticide are weighed against the potential benefits of its use. Applicants must provide clear evidence on the benefits of pesticide use and the potential risks to people, animals and the environment if authorisation is granted.

The guidance states that the decision-maker may seek independent advice on scientific aspects of applications for emergency authorisation. A key source of advice is the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides, which provides independent scientific advice on the regulation of pesticides.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the updated guidance for emergency authorisations of pesticides will apply retrospectively to applications submitted in 2024. \p Emma Hardy: The updated guidance for emergency authorisations of pesticides was published on 11 September 2025. It does not apply retrospectively to applications submitted prior to that date, including any submitted in 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities and coastal agencies in ensuring public safety during periods of increased jellyfish activity along the coast of Fylde constituency. \p Emma Hardy: Responsibility for safety on the beach sits with the local authority or beach owner.

In conjunction with other services HM Coastguard provides safety advice and guidance about the coastal environment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many enforcement actions have been taken against water companies for breaches of drinking water quality standards in each of the last three years. \p Emma Hardy: The Government is committed to ensuring that drinking water supplies remain safe and reliable. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) regulates the industry and takes enforcement action where they or the companies identify a risk of failing to meet their obligations under the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016, to mitigate against future breaches.

This information is published annually as part of the DWI’s Chief Inspector’s Report.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 38374 on Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill, what assessment her Department made of the potential impact of the divestment policy adopted by Cumberland Council in August 2025 on integration and community cohesion. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: MHCLG does not conduct assessments of individual council divestment policies. The Cabinet Office has published guidance to public authorities prohibiting procurement boycotts against Israeli firms and firms which trade with Israel.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 21 July 2025, HCWS872, on Combating Hatred Against Muslims Fund, how many bids to provide an anti-Muslim hatred monitoring and victim support service through the Combating Hate Against Muslims fund were received by his Department. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government received 34 applications to the Combating Hatred Against Muslim Fund.

All applicants were required to submit a detailed business plan as well as provide answers to questions related to 16 criteria. More information on the 16 criteria which applications were assessed against can be found on the fund’s prospectus - Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund: prospectus - GOV.UK.

Due diligence checks were undertaken into all high scoring applicants. Financial checks were undertaken using the Spotlight due diligence tool. This uses risk indicators, developed by national security and fraud experts to inform decisions about whether to award a grant or contract, and onward monitoring, providing real time information from a range of government and commercial data sources in order to risk assess grant applicants including any linked directors, companies and beneficial owners.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many days the Union Flag was flown on her Department's main buildings in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 to date. \p Jo Stevens: The Union Flag was flown on the Department's main building (a) 366 days in 2024 and (b) 259 days to date in 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the barriers faced by small businesses in using the tribunal system to recover late payments. \p Blair McDougall: We have not made an assessment of the barriers faced by small business using the courts and tribunal system to recover late payment.

DBT has launched a consultation on late payment which includes proposals to provide the Small Business Commissioner with powers to arbitrate disputes between small and large businesses with the intention of reducing financial and procedural burdens to resolve payment disputes. A final impact assessment will be published before these proposed measures are taken forward in primary legislation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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Mrs Sureena Brackenridge:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that new business identity verification rules prevent the creation of businesses at people's addresses without their consent. \p Blair McDougall: The purpose of identity verification is to understand who is setting up, running, owning and controlling companies in the UK.

Identity verification will enhance the wider powers already available to query or reject inaccurate or suspicious information and addresses. These powers have enabled the Registrar to act more swiftly and decisively to the misuse of addresses. For example, up to 31 July 2025, Companies House has struck off 88,900 companies for failing to have an appropriate registered office address.

Companies House is continually iterating and developing their processes and systems, to proactively block the unauthorised use of addresses by companies.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-18)

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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the April 2025 deadline for backdated voluntary National Insurance Contributions, how many requests for callbacks were logged by his Department before 6 April 2025; how many callbacks have so far been made and completed through all stages; how many people have made National Insurance top-ups under this concessionary arrangement; and when he expects the callback process to be complete. \p Torsten Bell: In total, DWP received c528,000 call-back requests from customers ahead of the voluntary National Insurance Contributions (VNICS) deadline of 5 April 2025. The Department has taken a two-stage approach to actioning these requests.

Stage 1 was to gather personal information such as National Insurance numbers and to filter out any duplicate requests. All stage 1 call-backs have been completed.

Stage 2 is the review of any gaps in the customer National Insurance record and to assess the impact this may have on a customer’s State Pension. All Stage 2 call-backs for customers over State Pension age, residing in the UK have been completed, with under 5,000 call-backs outstanding for customers over SP age residing abroad. There are c119,500 under State Pension (GB and abroad) Stage 2 call-back outstanding. We expect all Stage 2 call-backs to be complete by end March 2026.

DWP does not hold data on how many of the customers went on to pay VNICS under this arrangement.

Background:

DWP have prioritised Stage 2 for those over or near to their State Pension age. The Department received 56,262 stage 2 call-back requests for customers over State Pension age and living in Great Britain – all these call-backs have been completed.

In addition, DWP received 23,961 stage 2 call-back requests for customers over State Pension age, living abroad. DWP have cleared 19,184 of these with 4,777 call-backs left to complete. DWP expect to clear this set of call-back requests before the end of December 2025.

All other stage 2 call-back requests are where the customer is under State Pension age. DWP has 119,451 remaining. DWP expect to clear this set of call-back requests before the end of March 2026.
wrans/answers2025-07-06 conversation_1
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-06)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what the Church's policy is on the flying of flags from churches. \p Marsha De Cordova: The Church of England has specific rules regarding the flying of flags from its buildings. These policies relate to exterior flagpoles, and the display and the laying up of military standards or regimental colours.

Policies and advice relating to the flying of flags or the laying up of flags can be found on the Church of England website, in the Resources section, under ‘ChurchCare’, and ‘Advice and guidance for church buildings’: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/flags-and-military-colours

The Government issues its own guidance on flying flags, which also covers churches, and the Flag Institute offers guidance on when and how flags should be flown from churches and other buildings.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-06)

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Neil O'Brien:To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what the source of the £100 million fund for healing, repair and justice as part of Project Spire is. \p Marsha De Cordova: I refer the Hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston to the written answer to his question published on 21st March 2025 (UIN 29047). Subject to Charity Commission authorisation the Church Commissioners intends to settle income from its general fund on a new charitable fund through which the Church Commissioners intends to deliver Project Spire.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-06)

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Neil O'Brien:To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, for what reason the Church Commissioners have spent £5 million on Project Spire prior to approval from the Charity Commission. \p Marsha De Cordova: The Church Commissioners has not spent that sum in connection with its response to historic links to African chattel enslavement (known by the project name Spire). Expenditure on this work to date has been limited to proportionate research into the Church Commissioners’ source of funds and consideration of its response to that history, with a view to maintaining public trust in the charity; and in connection with proper steps to explore regulatory authorisation by the Charity Commission.
wrans/answers2025-04-16 conversation_1
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the NHS Payments Scheme on access to assessment for (a) autism and (b) ADHD. \p Stephen Kinnock: The consultation on the Payment Scheme proposed requiring commissioners to set a payment limit for elective services, and all services paid for on an activity basis, based on the value of planned levels of activity. Providers would not be paid for activity above this limit.

Following consideration of consultation feedback, this proposal has not been implemented. As in previous years, providers will be paid prices for all activity delivered, subject to any activity management restrictions contractually applied by commissioners.

Activity management provisions in the Contract will be strengthened, subject to consultation, to allow commissioners to plan affordable activity levels to meet key standards and to manage provider activity in line with their plan. The provisions in the Contract would be much more collaborative than the proposed payment limit. Commissioners would be required to engage with providers to a much greater extent and undertake analysis and discussion before any limits are applied. The escalation route would also ensure that, where needed, impartial expertise will help ensure appropriate plans are put in place.

NHS England has allocated all elective funding to integrated care boards (ICBs) and there will be no additional funding available during the year. Local ICBs are responsible for planning service provision in their local area, including for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism assessments. In doing so, ICBs should take account of waiting lists, considering how local funding can be deployed to best meet the needs of their local population.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the potential impact of the energy price cap increase on unpaid carers. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run, is how we will drive down energy bills and make cold homes a thing of the past.

However, we recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we are delivering the Warm Home Discount to approximately three million eligible low-income households this winter. On 25 February 2025, we published a consultation on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring approximately 2.7 million households into the scheme, pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to approximately six million.

The Government is continuing to work with Ofgem and energy suppliers to ensure energy bills remain fair and affordable while we transition to clean power by 2030.

Local authorities have duties to support people caring for their family and friends. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers.

Ministers regularly engage with colleagues in other Government departments on a range of issues.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 36504 on Mental Health Services: Children, how many of the 8,500 additional mental health workers will be based in Bedfordshire. \p Stephen Kinnock: We are working with NHS England to consider options to deliver this commitment alongside the refresh of the Long Term Workforce Plan.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Perran Moon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS 10-year health plan for England will include dentistry services. \p Stephen Kinnock: The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts the National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. All three shifts are relevant to improving dental health in all parts of the country, and we expect dentistry services to benefit from the plan

Delivering better joint working between services, and more preventative action like supervised toothbrushing programmes will all help people improve their dental health and access the dental services they need closer to home.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of closing the Suicide Prevention Grant Fund on organisations engaged in suicide prevention activities. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Suicide Prevention Grant Fund came to an end on 31 March 2025, as planned from the outset of the grant. There are currently no plans to run another grant fund.

Voluntary and community sector organisations play a valuable role in suicide prevention, including supporting the delivery of the cross-sector national suicide prevention strategy for England. We will be evaluating the impact of the fund, and the services that have been provided by the grant-funded organisations. Learning from this evaluation will help to inform the delivery of the Government’s mission to reduce the lives lost to suicide.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Sarah Owen:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to topical medication for prisoners. \p Stephen Kinnock: People in prison are entitled to the same range and quality of health services as they would receive in the community.

NHS England commissions healthcare services across the prison estate, ensuring that healthcare providers can prescribe all medications available to patients in community settings. As a result, topical medications that are prescribable on an NHS prescription are also available for individuals within the prison estate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 40282 on General Practitioners: Recruitment, what proportion of new GPs employed since July 2024 were not employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. \p Stephen Kinnock: Data on the number of recently qualified general practitioners (GPs) for which primary care networks are claiming reimbursement via the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme was published by NHS England on 7 April, and showed that 41% of all new full-time equivalent GPs since July 2024 were not employed through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Perran Moon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make a comparative assessment between trends in levels of people hospitalised due to eating disorders in (a) England and (b) other European nations in 2024. \p Stephen Kinnock: There are no plans to make a comparative assessment between trends in levels of people hospitalised due to eating disorders in England and other European nations in 2024.

NHS England has commissioned the Royal College of Psychiatrists to deliver a national all-age eating disorders audit. This aims to drive improvement in the identification and appropriate management of eating disorders and the quality and consistency of services for all ages in England. This will help ensure that services across the country are safe, effective, patient centred, timely, efficient, and equitable.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 35705 on Independent Commission into Adult Social Care, whether he plans for the recommendation of the Phase two of the independent commission to (a) have a Government response, (b) undertake a further consultation, (c) have legislation introduced and (d) be commenced in this Parliament. \p Stephen Kinnock: Chaired by Baroness Casey of Blackstock, the independent commission on adult social care will be undertaken in two phases.

Phase 1, reporting in 2026, will identify the biggest challenges in adult social care and recommend practical changes to improve people’s lives over the next decade.

Phase 2, reporting by 2028, will make longer-term recommendations for the transformation of adult social care, addressing demographic change, how services should be organised to deliver this and how best to create a fair and affordable adult social care system.

The Government will consider and respond to the commission’s recommendations, including whether there is a need for further consultation or legislation, when it reports.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Dr Beccy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the facilities available for critical adolescent mental health cases. \p Stephen Kinnock: If children and young people do need to be admitted to inpatient services for mental health treatment, they should be accommodated in an environment that is suitable for their age. In some instances, clinically urgent situations will sometimes necessitate children and young people being placed on wards that are not specialised for children and young people’s mental health services, or away from their home and family. In these situations, patient safety, the least restrictive environment, and clinical need remains paramount.

The model of provision of National Health Service funded inpatient treatment for children and young people is being re-designed to support the move to community-based provision, where children and young people are able to access appropriate support in a timely, effective, and patient-centred way, close to home and in the least restrictive environment.

This transition is being supported by the introduction of provider collaboratives to support place-based commissioning and to develop local services that meet the needs of their communities. Options may include increased day provision, and the new model will see a change to how inpatient environments are best utilised.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Harpreet Uppal:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time is (a) for a neurodevelopmental assessment, (b) to access CAMHS services and (c) for speech and language therapy services for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) children in Kirklees. \p Stephen Kinnock: The data is not held centrally in the format requested, but some relevant information covering waiting times for these services for all children and young people is available. Neurodevelopmental assessments can include, but are not limited to, assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

In the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), the Autism Waiting Time Statistics published by NHS England show that there was a total of 5,385 patients aged zero to 17 years old with an open suspected autism referral in December 2024, the latest available data. The median waiting time of patients in this ICB with an open suspected autism referral, where their first care contact was in the quarter, was 257 days in December 2024 for those aged under 10 years old, and was 239 days for those aged 10 to 17 years old. Caution should be used when interpreting these statistics since they are experimental rather than official statistics.

In respect of ADHD, there is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis for ADHD nationally or for individual organisations or geographies in England.

The latest available data for the NHS West Yorkshire ICB shows that in the period of November 2024 to January 2025, the median waiting time between referral and first contact for children and young people, those aged under 18 years old, supported through National Health Service funded mental health services, was 14 days. This data is published in the Mental Health Services Monthly Statistics, which is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mental-health-services-monthly-statistics

For speech and language therapy services in Kirklees, following an initial triage or screening, it can take between seven and 32 weeks for a full assessment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2025 to Question 39802 on Regulator of Social Housing: Translation Services, whether her Department holds information on which councils do not follow the 2013 guidance on translation into foreign languages. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Department does not collect information on which local authorities follow the guidance outlined in the Written Ministerial Statement of 12 March 2013 entitled Translation into Foreign Languages, Official Report, Column 5WS.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of commission charge of up to 10 per cent on the sale of park homes on (a) mobile home residents and (b) site owners; and whether she has made an estimate of the commission paid in England in each of the last five years. \p Matthew Pennycook: The previous government published a report in June 2022 on the impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission. It can be found on gov.uk here.

This government recognises that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home. We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Mr James Frith:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support the conversion of (a) vacant and (b) underused mills into (i) housing and (ii) commercial space in (A) Bury North constituency and (B) the North of England. \p Matthew Pennycook: The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that substantial weight should be given to the value of using suitable brownfield land within settlements for homes and other uses and promoting an effective and efficient use of land. This includes supporting opportunities to remediate derelict land and the development of under-utilised land and buildings, especially to meet housing needs.

In relation to commercial space, a permitted development right enables change of use of Class B2 General Industrial buildings to Class B8 Storage and Distribution, subject to size limit of 500 square metres of floorspace changing use. Mills are likely to fall into the Class B2 use class.

Homes England and its local authority partners are working with mill owners across Greater Manchester to bring redundant mills back into life as housing. This includes the Eckersley Mill complex in Wigan, which is the subject of joint working between the Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Homes England to bring forward a range of uses, including 800 homes. The first phase is commercial and has been part funded by Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Brownfield Housing Fund.

Although the site is not within the Bury North constituency, Homes England also acted jointly with Bury Council to dispose of East Lancs Paper Mill site for the development of around 400 new homes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to allow (a) councils, (b) Natural England and (c) development corporations to have enhanced Compulsory Purchase Powers for the mandatory purchase of residential dwellings. \p Matthew Pennycook: Local authorities and development corporations already have various powers to compulsorily acquire property for the purposes of supporting their functions. Natural England also has powers to compulsorily acquire land to establish and maintain nature reserves.

The government is reforming the compulsory purchase process and compensation rules via the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to enable more effective land assembly through public sector-led schemes. A more streamlined and efficient process will also enable authorities to make greater use of their compulsory purchase powers, with associated cost savings realised through faster acquisition decisions.
wrans/answers2025-04-16 conversation_16
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 39016 on Nature Restoration Fund, whether planning permission can be refused if a self-build developer declines to pay the voluntary levy. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 39016 on 26 March 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 38447 on Environmental Delivery Plans, whether uncompleted conservation projects will lapse at the end of the Environmental Delivery Plan period. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 38477 on 24 March 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase the level of affordable housing in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) Manchester Rusholme constituency. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 41721 on 3 April 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to impose a legal duty on large-scale housing developments to include adequate sewage capacity. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 40935 on 31 March 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-16 conversation_20

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 38367 on Fast Food: Planning Permission, what guidance her Department has issued on the necessary and sufficient features of a fast food outlet. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department has not published guidance on the specific features of a fast food outlet.

As per my answer to Question UIN 38367 on 24 March 2025, it is for local planning authorities, when receiving a planning application from any of the providers named in the question, to consider whether, given the type of food and service to be provided at the location proposed, they consider the outlet to be either a hot food takeaway or a fast food outlet.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-16 conversation_21

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 35701 on Embassies: Planning Permission, whether local authorities can enforce against planning breaches by Embassies which operate under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. \p Matthew Pennycook: Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, embassies and their staff are protected from the jurisdiction of the host country's courts. However, embassies are still expected to respect local laws and work cooperatively with local authorities to resolve any planning issues.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-16 conversation_22

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2025 to Question 39802 on Regulator of Social Housing: Translation Services, whether her Department has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of translation into foreign languages by local authorities. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department has not made an estimate of the costs in question. It is for individual local authorities to decide how best to use the resources available to them.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-16 conversation_23

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Shake up of tech and AI usage across NHS and other public services to deliver plan for change, published on 21 January 2025, what changes are being made to the requirement to publish statutory notices in local newspapers. \p Matthew Pennycook: Planning law requires local planning authorities to publicise planning applications through various means, including site notices, advertisements in local newspapers, and publishing information on their website.

The government are exploring ways to enhance community engagement in the planning system, including by leveraging digital platforms.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Gideon Amos:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much of the Affordable Homes Programme 2021 to 2026 grant funding has been spent; how many homes have been completed; and how many homes are under construction. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department published an update on targets in respect of the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme on 30 July 2024. It can be found on gov.uk here.

The GLA has shared targets for the programme in London on their website here.

Homes England set out their target for the programme outside of London in their annual report and accounts. These can be found on gov.uk here.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-16 conversation_25

Amanda Hack:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to (a) recruit more Land Registry caseworkers and (b) reduce backlogs in the Land Registry application system. \p Matthew Pennycook: HM Land Registry (HMLR) has recruited over 3,300 new staff in the last five years. It has made significant progress in reducing waiting times for applicants. The age of outstanding post-completion applications is now under 12 months across all service lines, from a peak of 20 months in February 2023.

HMLR is committed to building on this progress by further expanding its capacity and capability. Through the automation of administrative processes, its staff will be freed to focus on more complex tasks that require their expertise. HMLR is also continually enhancing its digital customer services, with innovations like pre-submission application checks, designed to support customers and improve the quality of applications. Together, these initiatives will drive down delays, reduce the number of outstanding post-completion applications, and provide an overall better experience for customers.

HMLR acknowledges that some customers may not yet feel the full impact of these improvements. If a delay to an application may cause financial, legal, or personal problems or put a property sale at risk, it can be expedited free of charge. HMLR processes nearly 1,400 expedited applications every day, with more than 95% of these processed within 10 working days.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-16 conversation_27

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the nature restoration fund levy will be subject to economic viability assessments; and whether other development levies will take in account the cost of the nature restoration fund levy in their own viability assessments. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 41863 on 4 April 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-16 conversation_28

Ben Lake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's official Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, whether the 1.3million homes to be built will be built in the UK or in England. \p Matthew Pennycook: The 1.3 million homes figure referenced represents a forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) based solely on the impact of the changes the government made to the National Planning Policy Framework on 12 December 2024. The OBR does not provide a breakdown between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The government’s Plan for Change includes an ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the guaranteed strike price for sustainable aviation fuel on the cost of (a) timber and (b) recyclable waste wood products for house building. \p Matthew Pennycook: Measures introduced by the Department for Transport to support the uptake of sustainable aviation fuel do not support the use of feedstocks which are timber or could be better deployed in the production of recyclable waste wood products for house building.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-16 conversation_30

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2025 to Question 25780 on Police, Fire and Crime Commissioners: Elections, what her planned timetable is for the alignment of the Police Force and Police and Crime Commissioner areas with mayoral combined authority areas. \p Jim McMahon: As outlined in my previous response, the timing of the transfer of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner functions to new mayors established through the Devolution Priority Programme will be determined in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-16 conversation_31

Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has had discussions with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on steps to maintain the security of domestic wood supply for future house building. \p Matthew Pennycook: The UK imports c.80% of our timber. Imports will continue to play an important role in future timber supply, but the government wants to reduce them and there is an opportunity for domestic forestry and wood processing sectors to grow and thrive as a result. The proportion of softwood-producing woodland in England has risen to 10% of those planted over the last four years. We want to increase this to at least 30% and bring more hardwoods to market through increased woodland management. The government launched a Timber in Construction Roadmap on 27 February 2025. Increasing domestic timber supply is one of the key themes and the roadmap sets out actions that government and industry has committed to.