theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_58
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_58

Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of early release schemes on the safety of domestic abuse survivors in Wiltshire. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: This Government inherited prisons days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe.

Eligibility under SDS40 is determined by law and we exempted a number of offences from the measure. Unlike the previous Government’s ECSL scheme, we excluded certain offences connected to domestic abuse. SDS40 offence exclusions include specified offences linked to domestic abuse irrespective of sentence length including stalking, coercive or controlling behaviour and non-fatal strangulation. Our exclusions send a very clear message about how seriously domestic abuse is taken by this Government, which was elected on a landmark pledge to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade. Tackling domestic abuse is a core part of this mission.

However, there is no one offence for domestic abuse, meaning it was not possible to exempt all domestic abusers.

To safeguard victims and their families, SDS40 was introduced with an eight-week implementation period, clear offence-based exclusions, and extensive coordination across the Criminal Justice System. Offenders released under SDS40 are subject to strict licence conditions and close supervision by probation services. Any breach of these conditions can result in immediate recall to custody. We will also recruit a further 1,300 trainee probation officers by March 2026 to ensure probation has the right resource to supervise high risk offenders and meet the growing demands of our justice system.

We have published SDS40 release data as part of the quarterly Offender Management Statistics, in line with the Lord Chancellor’s commitment to transparency: Standard Determinate Sentence (SDS40) release data - GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department plans to complete its consideration of the relevant Project Willow recommendations. \p Michael Shanks: We are working as quickly as possible to understand what we can do to support investors interested in developing projects at Grangemouth, including what policy or regulatory support is needed to enable investment. The inaugural Grangemouth Investment Taskforce, jointly chaired by the HMG and the Scottish government took place on May 21, 2025, to drive forward potential investment propositions.

The National Wealth Fund stands ready, and we encourage investors to come forward to join us in this major opportunity to secure a long-term industrial future in Grangemouth.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Andrew Bowie:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has held recent discussions with his US counterpart on whether wood pellets exported to the UK meet the UK’s sustainability criteria. \p Michael Shanks: My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero engages regularly with international counterparts on a number of issues.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Andrew Bowie:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what meetings he has had with the US Agriculture Secretary since 4 July 2024. \p Michael Shanks: My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero engages regularly with international counterparts on a number of issues.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many renewable energy projects are waiting to be connected to the National Grid. \p Michael Shanks: Data from the National Energy System Operator (NESO) shows there were 1759 renewable energy projects in the transmission queue at the end of March 2025.
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Andrew Bowie:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the sustainability of using US-produced wood pellets for energy generation in the UK. \p Michael Shanks: The government only supports the use of sustainable biomass, and generators only receive subsidies for biomass that meets our robust sustainability criteria. Domestically sourced and imported wood pellets, regardless of the country of origin, are subject to the sustainability requirements in the current subsidy arrangements for biomass generators, which include supply chain emission thresholds and land-use criteria.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Andrew Bowie:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of transatlantic shipments of wood pellets on carbon emissions. \p Michael Shanks: The government sets robust supply chain emissions thresholds as part of the sustainability criteria for large-scale biomass generation. Shipping, and all other transport, emissions are included in that requirement. As announced on 10 February, the supply chain emissions threshold for eligible large scale biomass generators is proposed to be tightened further under proposed arrangements with Drax, from 55.6 gCO2e/MJ to 36.6 gCO2e/MJ.

It is for individual generators to determine how and where to source sufficient, eligible material to meet the requirements set out by government.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Andrew Bowie:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that wood pellets from the US are not sourced from (a) environmentally important and (b) rare forests. \p Michael Shanks: Existing sustainability requirements for current subsidy arrangements include robust land-use criteria to ensure biomass is sourced from sustainably managed forests. This includes requirements around sustainable harvesting and biodiversity protection. Ofgem, as the independent energy regulator, is responsible for monitoring profiling data on land criteria and enforcing wider sustainability standards.

To further reduce the risk of wood pellets being sourced from environmentally significant areas, we will be excluding material sourced from primary and old growth forest from being eligible for subsidy under the proposed Heads of Terms with Drax announced on the 10th February.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Andrew Bowie:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made a comparative estimate of carbon emissions when using (a) US produced and (b) UK produced wood pellets. \p Michael Shanks: All biomass pellets for UK generation, regardless of country of origin, must meet supply chain emissions thresholds; these have been tightened further to 36.6 gCO2eq/MJ in the Heads of Terms agreed with Drax and announced on 10 February.

It is for generators to determine how and where to source compliant sustainable biomass pellets to meet the required volumes of generation.
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Andrew Bowie:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that energy generators accurately report sources of wood pellets from the US. \p Michael Shanks: Biomass generators are required to submit monthly sustainability data and annual audit reports from an independent verifier under existing subsidy arrangements. These data returns are scrutinised by Ofgem, and include compliance with land and GHG greenhouse gas (GHG) emission criteria, volume of biomass, fuel name, fuel type and voluntary certification scheme used. This applies to biomass sourced from the UK, US or any other nation.

At the announcement of the new Heads of Terms with Drax on 10 February, we made clear that sustainability assurance arrangements for future large-scale generation will be strengthened further. We are working closely with expert bodies including Ofgem, LCCC and SBP to enhance reporting, ensuring best practice in sustainability and land use.
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Andrew Bowie:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what agreements he has made with the US Government on the potential import of wood pellets. \p Michael Shanks: The Government does not enter into agreements with other governments on the supply of biomass for UK power generation. Rather, it sets sustainability criteria which must be met for generation to be eligible for subsidy, and it is for individual generators to determine how and where to source material to meet these requirements.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he has taken to help support decarbonisation industries in Slough. \p Sarah Jones: We are committed to supporting UK industry to decarbonise, protecting thousands of jobs in regions across the UK and enabling the country to take advantage of new opportunities that can promote growth and wealth creation. We will bring forward a clear plan for industrial decarbonisation. A renewed Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy will set the strategic direction for our approach to working with industry towards a competitive and low carbon industrial base in the UK, ensuring growth opportunities are captured in tandem with emissions reductions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with social housing providers on (a) the Decent Homes Standard and (b) the provision of furnished tenancies in social housing in relation to levels of furniture poverty. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants.

We will be consulting this year on a reformed Decent Homes Standard for the social and private rented sectors.

People in need may be able to get help for essential furniture from their local council through the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of new housing developments in Essex. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department publishes an annual release entitled ‘Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England’, which is the primary and most comprehensive measure of housing supply. This includes estimates of new homes built in each local authority, in each financial year, and can be found in Live Table 123 on gov.uk here. This is then used to inform the Housing Delivery Test, which measures this delivery against the number of homes required.

The Department also publishes a quarterly release entitled ‘Housing supply: Indicators of New Supply, England’, which includes more timely estimates of new build starts and completions in England, and in each local authority and can be found in Table 253a on gov.uk here. This dataset covers new build dwellings only and should be regarded as a leading indicator of overall housing supply.

Through the revised National Planning Policy Framework, published in December 2024, we implemented a new standard method for assessing housing needs which aligns with the governments ambition for 1.5 million new homes over this parliament, and better directs new homes to where they are most needed and least affordable.

The standard method provides a starting point for local councils to inform the preparation of their local plans. The indicative annual housing need figures for all local authorities under the new standard method can be found on gov.uk here.

Whilst the standard method is used to identify the total number of homes needed in an area, the National Planning Policy Framework is clear that it is for local authorities to identify the size, type and tenure of homes needed for different groups in the community and reflect this in planning policies.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many applications were rejected by the Building Safety Regulator in each month between October 2023 and April 2025 under regulation 44 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023. \p Alex Norris: The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. From this quarter, BSR will be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.

The table below shows:

Year / month

Rejection

Withdrawn

Total Received

2023

3

6

69

October

0

3

10

November

0

1

24

December

3

2

35

2024

175

124

1525

January

4

11

67

February

4

7

83

March

9

10

102

April

9

13

115

May

17

8

135

June

19

8

141

July

15

17

136

August

21

5

113

September

25

11

148

October

23

24

174

November

12

5

150

December

17

5

161

2025

30

11

615

January

15

5

146

February

9

3

174

March

4

1

178

April

2

2

117

Total

208

141

2209
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department holds information on the breakdown of applicants in social housing by first language. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department does not hold data on the number of applicants for social housing by first language.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to protect private landlords from repeat non-paying tenants. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Renters’ Rights Bill will introduce new protections for tenants and landlords when rent is not paid. When tenants temporarily fall into rent arrears, we will support both parties by preventing tenancies which are otherwise viable from ending. We will increase the notice period for an arrears eviction to four weeks and increase the threshold for mandatory eviction to three months’ rent arrears.

Landlords will still have access to robust grounds for possession for rent arrears, including the mandatory ground for three months arrears, and discretionary grounds which could be used for cases involving repeat non or late payment of rent that does not meet the mandatory threshold.
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Ben Coleman:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to provide additional funding to local authorities to support repairs in social housing; and what steps she is taking with local authorities to ensure the adequacy of the condition of social housing. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is committed to working with social housing providers to ensure that homes are safe, decent, warm, and free from damp and mould.

The Deputy Prime Minister made a Written Ministerial Statement on 6 February 2025 (HCWS423) confirming that the government will be bringing Awaab's Law into force for damp and mould in October 2025.

The government is also committed to consulting on a new Decent Homes Standard and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards this year.

We will set out plans at the next fiscal event to give councils and housing associations the rent stability they need to be able to borrow and invest in both new and existing homes, while also ensuring that there are appropriate protections for both existing and future social housing tenants.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Anna Sabine:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure the UK’s housing stock of bungalows is adequate to meet the needs of an ageing population. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is committed to enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market.

The updated National Planning Policy Framework asks local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in their areas, and reflect this in their Local Plan policies. This includes planning for a range of options to meet the differing needs of older people, including bungalows.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), the government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report

We will continue to consider this issue as we develop our long-term housing strategy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Ben Coleman:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of the 1.5 million homes expected to be built in this Parliament will be designated as social housing; and what criteria her Department uses to designate new housing as affordable. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government has not set an affordable housing target to date, but we are committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.

Affordable housing is defined in the National Planning Policy Framework.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of establishing mechanisms to evaluate whether codes of practice issued by sector bodies are being effectively implemented in the management of retirement housing. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department has not assessed the effectiveness of trade associations in the retirement housing sector or the merits of evaluating codes of practices in the management of retirement housing.

There are two government approved codes of practice which outline best practice for managing agents, landlords or other relevant parties for the residential leasehold sector and private retirement housing.

Where residents in leasehold properties, including retirement housing, are concerned about the management of their homes they may make a complaint against their landlord or managing agent, or seek a determination at the relevant court or tribunal. The enforcement of standards set out in these codes can be taken into account as evidence, at court or tribunal hearings. We continue to work with industry on improving best practice including on any new codes proposed by the sector.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), the government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report including developing an overarching regulatory approach to the sector to safeguard consumers and give certainty to investors: reviewing and assessing existing codes, their applicability to different sub-sectors and how large-scale monitoring programmes could be delivered to increase compliance with these codes.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Land Registry compiles data on the prices of second homes. \p Matthew Pennycook: HM Land Registry does not compile data on the prices of second homes.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on the UK’s target to protect at least 30 per cent of its land and sea for nature by 2030. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Departmernt published an Impact Assessment (IA) for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on 6 May 2025. It can be found here.

The IA received a ‘Green’ rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC), indicating that it is ‘fit for purpose’.
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure the provision of accessible social housing for disabled people in rural areas in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England. \p Matthew Pennycook: At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549).

The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.

We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.

Homes England and GLA will assess bids received in the usual way before awarding funding. Exact funding to different places and the locations of homes that will be built will depend on the bids received from local councils and housing associations.

Local authorities are responsible for their own allocation scheme for social housing within the framework of legislation. By law, people who are homeless must be given ‘reasonable preference’ (priority) and local authorities can give ‘additional preference’ (high priority) to those who have urgent housing needs.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that local planning authorities should assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including disabled people, and to reflect this in their planning policies. My Department has set out guidance for councils in preparing planning policies on housing for disabled people. This can be found on gov.uk here.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the recovered appeal decision made by HM Planning Inspectorate with reference 3346061 on her definition of the greybelt. \p Matthew Pennycook: The decision in question was made 12 May 2025 and the proposals were considered taking into account current planning policy, which includes Green Belt policy and published guidance.

Full reasons for the decision are set out in the published decision letter and Inspector’s Report.

Having issued this decision, the Secretary of State has no further jurisdiction in the matter, and it would not be appropriate to comment further.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the National Planning Policy Framework to ensure that (a) schools, (b) hospitals, (c) sewage capacity and (d) other key infrastructure are in place before housing development works are started. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 26106 on 5 February 2025.
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Sir Julian Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will establish a Green and Decent Homes Programme to bring (a) social and (b) council housing up to acceptable standards. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government intend to amend building regulations later this year as part of the introduction of future standards that will set more ambitious energy efficiency and carbon emissions requirements for new homes.

We will also consult this year on a new Decent Homes Standard for social and private rented sectors and consult on a new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard for social housing.
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Sarah Edwards:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the suitability of councils to enforce planning infringements made by their own authority. \p Matthew Pennycook: It is for local planning authorities to ensure they have appropriate systems in place to deal with investigating alleged breaches of planning control by other parts of their local authority.

Each local authority has their own code of conduct to ensure they act openly and impartially and in accordance with the rules and regulations at all times.
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Marie Goldman:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she will publish proposals on improving the affordability of ground rents. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation.
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Mr Joshua Reynolds:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of legislation that exempts the conversion of buildings to nursery use from requiring planning permission on the adequacy of the locations of nurseries. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 groups together uses which have similar land use impacts into classes, allowing flexibility to change between uses within each class without the need for an application for planning permission.

Since 2020, children’s nurseries are in the broad Class E ‘Commercial Business and Service’ class allowing a wide range of uses commonly found on high streets to move to use as a nursery without the need for a planning application, bringing new uses to the high street and providing additional nursery places including near to where people work.
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Maya Ellis:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of mandating sustainable urban drainage systems in future planning developments to tackle (a) climate challenges, (b) water availability and (c) flood resilience. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 44742 on 22 April 2025.
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Sarah Green:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that previously (a) contaminated and (b) hazardous sites are subject to site investigations prior to development. \p Matthew Pennycook: The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by remediating and mitigating despoiled, degraded, derelict, contaminated and unstable land, where appropriate.

Planning policies and decisions should ensure that a site is suitable for its proposed use taking account of ground conditions and any risks arising from land instability and contamination. This includes risks arising from natural hazards or former activities such as mining, and any proposals for mitigation including land remediation (as well as potential impacts on the natural environment arising from that remediation.

After remediation, as a minimum, land should not be capable of being determined as contaminated land under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and adequate site investigation information, prepared by a competent person, is available to inform these assessments.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, whether funds raised through the Nature Restoration Fund must be allocated to Environmental Delivery Plans (a) in the same local authority as the development or (b) within any specified geographical proximity to the development. \p Matthew Pennycook: Each Environmental Delivery Plan (EDP) will address one or more specified environmental features, which will be either a protected species, or a protected aspect of a protected site.

Under an EDP, Natural England will be required to deliver conservation measures that contribute to an overall improvement to the environmental feature(s) specified.

When delivering conservation measures through an EDP, Natural England will look to deliver these in the area where development is taking place.

The Bill allows for those circumstances where it may be appropriate to deliver conservation measures aimed at the same environmental feature but at another site outside of where the development is taking place. For example, if Natural England deem that this may deliver a better outcome for a protected species to create new habitats or enhance existing habitats further afield.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 29 April 2025 to Question 45696 on Planning Permission, what the topic was of each equality impact assessment that has been produced by her Department since 4 July 2024. \p Matthew Pennycook: The following topics of planning practice guidance have been updated or introduced since 4 July 2024:

The Secretary of State considered the Public Sector Equality Duty in issuing these updates.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to repeal any retained EU environmental regulations in the context of her proposed planning reforms. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Planning and Infrastructure Bill proposes targeted amendments to the Habitats Regulations, with Schedule 4 including changes necessary to enable the nature restoration fund to address environmental impacts from development in place of the Habitats Regulations.

The previous government secured powers to reform existing environmental assessment legislation, to create a new system of environmental outcomes reports in place of the Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment Regulations.

This government is considering how to utilise these powers as part of our wider efforts to deliver economic growth and secure better environmental outcomes.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Valuation Tribunal Service has produced guidance on the (a) council tax premium on empty homes and (b) definition of an empty dwelling. \p Jim McMahon: The government has published comprehensive guidance on the implementation of council tax premiums, including how empty homes are defined for council tax purposes. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 48979 on 7 May 2025.

The Valuation Tribunal Service has not published specific guidance on council tax premiums on empty homes but has issued a general council tax guidance manual for taxpayers.
wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_94
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_94

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to (a) allow the establishment of new precepting (i) parish, (ii) town and (iii) community councils and (b) (A) retain and (B) improve the Community Governance Review process. \p Jim McMahon: The ability to establish new parish, town and community councils is devolved to principal local authorities through the community governance review process. This remains the case. Areas considering new parish councils should think carefully about how they might be funded, to avoid putting further pressure on local authority finances and/or new burdens on the taxpayer

Decisions over whether to raise a precept, and over the level of this precept, are taken independently of central government by the parish council in question.

The government views the current process for undertaking community governance reviews as sufficient. We are in regular contact with the sector to understand what improvements would be helpful.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure transparency in the planning process for residents on new housing developments. \p Matthew Pennycook: Planning law requires local planning authorities to undertake a statutory period of publicity of no less than 21 days prior to deciding a planning application. Local planning authorities are also required to keep a planning register of live and decided applications.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_96

Sarah Green:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that contaminated land is remediated prior to new development. \p Matthew Pennycook: The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by remediating and mitigating despoiled, degraded, derelict, contaminated and unstable land, where appropriate.

Planning policies and decisions should ensure that a site is suitable for its proposed use taking account of ground conditions and any risks arising from land instability and contamination.

This includes risks arising from natural hazards or former activities such as mining, and any proposals for mitigation including land remediation (as well as potential impacts on the natural environment arising from that remediation).

After remediation, as a minimum, land should not be capable of being determined as contaminated land under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and adequate site investigation information, prepared by a competent person, is available to inform these assessments.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_97

Amanda Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with Portsmouth City Council on their voluntary position on the Devolution Priority Programme. \p Jim McMahon: Portsmouth City Council joined the Devolution Priority Programme alongside Southampton Council, Hampshire County Council and the Isle of Wight Council earlier this year. I met with local leaders across the region, including Portsmouth City Council, on 4 February to discuss their application to the programme and on 1 April as part of a visit to the area. Baroness Taylor of Stevenage also met with local leaders on 17 December. Throughout these past months, I have also been in regular communication with local leaders through correspondence and my officials meet with officers across the region regularly to support them in delivering devolution to the most ambitious timeframe.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_98

Richard Burgon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of potential additional costs to her Department of the provisions outlined in the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published in March 2025. \p Jim McMahon: This Department makes regular assessments of spending pressures; these take account of various factors including new policy.

The Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper is an open consultation led by the Department for Work and pensions which seeks views on the approaches government should consider around reform of the health and disability benefits system and employment support. The consultation closes on 30 June 2025.

As such, it is not current policy, and a full assessment will be made in the usual way at the appropriate time.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_99

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools in Clapham and Brixton Hill constituency receive adequate resources to meet the needs of (a) all pupils and (b) those with special educational needs and disabilities. \p Catherine McKinnell: Core school funding is distributed via the dedicated schools grant (DSG) to local authorities. Local authorities (Lambeth for Clapham and Brixton Hill constituency) then set their own local formulae which determine individual school allocations.

Through the DSG, Lambeth Council is receiving £241 million for mainstream schools in financial year 2025/26. This represents an increase of 1.9% per pupil compared to 2024/25 (excluding growth and falling rolls funding).

Mainstream schools in Lambeth attract £8,138 per pupil on average (excluding growth and falling rolls funding) in financial year 2025/26. From their budgets, schools are expected to meet the costs of additional support for their pupils with special educational needs, up to £6,000 per pupil per annum. Most pupils will require support costing less than that. For costs greater than that threshold, schools can access funding from the local authority’s high needs budget.

Through the DSG, Lambeth Council is receiving a high needs funding allocation of £71 million in the 2025/26 financial year. This national funding formula (NFF) allocation is a 7% increase per head of their 2 to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.

Funding for the 2026/27 financial year and beyond has not yet been determined and is subject to the multi-year spending review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Bobby Dean:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will participate in the 2029 PISA financial literacy assessment. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department will consider participation in the 2029 PISA financial literacy assessment in mid-2026 when more information on the study and its available options is provided by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. This may include piloting the financial literacy assessment at the field trial stage to evaluate the feasibility of delivering this option, particularly the impact on securing school participation and the extent of the additional burden on schools and pupils.

Securing school and pupil participation in PISA can be challenging due to the study taking place in year 11, which is a busy GCSE year, and the increased burden of administering any additional options is an important consideration in this context.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

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Bobby Dean:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to (a) monitor and (b) evaluate (i) young people's financial literacy and (ii) financial education initiatives. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon. the Member for Carshalton and Wallington to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_102

Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help increase active travel options in rural areas. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport recently announced almost £300 million of funding to boost active travel across England. This includes £222.5 million to local authorities outside of London, including rural areas. Active Travel England (ATE) supports local authorities through officer training to enable delivery of high-quality walking and cycling schemes, as well as design workshops and design assurance reviews of schemes under development.

ATE is developing specific guidance for good practice application in rural areas and expects to publish this shortly. Officers in ATE and the Department regularly engage with colleagues in DEFRA about how best to harmonise the government’s approach to enabling sustainable and active transport in rural areas.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_103

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the average bus punctuality rates for Lincolnshire in each year since 2015. \p Simon Lightwood: The average bus punctuality rates (specifically, the percentage of non-frequent bus services running on time) for Lincolnshire are available for each year between the year ending March 2015 and the year ending March 2024 in the Department’s published Annual Bus Statistics. This data can be found in Table BUS09a: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus-statistics-data-tables#bus-reliability-and-punctuality-bus09.

More granular (daily, route-level etc.) punctuality data, including data for Lincolnshire, is provided through the Analyse Bus Open Data Service (ABODS). ABODS enables DfT, local transport authorities, and bus operators to view detailed performance metrics, including line-level, stop-level, and individual journey punctuality, as well as on-time, early, and late arrival patterns based on GPS data from buses.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_104

Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to establish an independent noise authority. \p Mike Kane: The Government is committed to a strong aviation noise policy and funds the Civil Aviation Authority to provide noise advisory functions, including provision of best practice on noise mitigation, as well as funding two major noise studies. There are no current plans to establish an independent noise authority.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_105

Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to update health costs of noise impacts in Transport Appraisal Guidance. \p Mike Kane: TAG, or Transport Analysis Guidance, provides information on the role of transport modelling and appraisal. We keep our guidance and values under review with the aim of ensuring that they are based on the best available evidence and meet the needs of decision makers.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-23)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-23 conversation_106

Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will set a minimum acceptable level of noise for Heathrow expansion proposals. \p Mike Kane: The government supports airport expansion and has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow. It expects any proposals to be brought forward by the summer and is clear that any scheme must be delivered in line with the UK’s legal, climate and environmental obligations.

Once proposals have been received the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which sets clear requirements to mitigate the impacts of expansion on the environment and affected communities, and which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow.