Asked by: Viscount Younger of Leckie (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will provide mayoral strategic authorities with clear guidance about what constitutes a suitable investment for pension funds, in accordance with regulatory requirements, when those authorities submit proposals to investment pools.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government intends to provide guidance in due course to strategic authorities and to Local Government Pension Scheme funds and asset pools, including on working together to increase local investment.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the evidential basis is for proposals to remove the national BS 476-22 classification for fire door resistance from Approved Document B.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 2 September 2024, the Government announced the withdrawal of National Classes fire testing standards from Approved Document B, ending the dual classification system in favour of the European Standard (BS EN 13501). This change aimed to enhance fire protection by simplifying compliance routes within Approved Document B (ADB) and followed scrutiny during the Grenfell Tower Inquiry where the suitability of BS 476 was questioned.
The Government recognises the potential economic impact that could result from this change. The overall impact and associated benefits were carefully evaluated to inform the policy decision and are set out in the Impact Assessment that accompanied the policy announcement.
Market analysis and sector engagement showed limited impact on developers for the reaction to fire classification. Changes took effect on 2nd March 2025, with a six-month transition period provided for fire reaction.
We identified a larger impact on sectors involved in bespoke wooden fire doors, cavity barriers, smoke vents, and roofs due to re-testing requirements for the fire resistance classification. Concerns were also raised about testing site capacity. An extended transition period of 5 years was developed through discussions with the sector allowing manufacturers time to retest their products ahead of compliance with BS EN 13501 coming into force on 2nd September 2029.
We and the Building Safety Regulator will continue to support industry to develop new standards and testing capacity to minimise disruption to supply chains through the transitional period.
The Building Safety Regulator will keep these standards under review as part of their continuous review of Approved Document B, in line with their duty under the Building Safety Act to keep the safety and standard of buildings under review in England.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many times she has met with West Midlands Fire Service Chief Fire Officer between July 2024 and April 2025.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I am responding as the Minister now with responsibility for Fire. I can confirm that to my knowledge the Secretary of State for the Home Department did not meet with the West Midlands Fire Service Chief Fire Officer during that period. The Home Secretary decided to commission a Best value Inspection of the West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service. Any further announcements will be made on this in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of farmland is currently used by ground-mounted solar panels; and what estimate they have made of the percentage of farmland used by ground-mounted solar panels by 2050.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government places great importance upon our agricultural land and food production. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should recognise the benefits of the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land (land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) system). Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.
As of the end of September 2024, ground-mounted solar PV panels covered an estimated 21,200 hectares. This amounts to around 0.1% of the land area of the UK. The government does not hold information on the number of ground-mounted solar projects that have been permitted and built on different agricultural grades, or the number of acres of grade 1 and 2 land which has been built on since 2020.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many ground-mounted solar projects have been (1) permitted, and (2) built on grades 1 and 2 agricultural land since 2020; and what is the total acreage of those projects.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government places great importance upon our agricultural land and food production. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should recognise the benefits of the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land (land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) system). Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.
As of the end of September 2024, ground-mounted solar PV panels covered an estimated 21,200 hectares. This amounts to around 0.1% of the land area of the UK. The government does not hold information on the number of ground-mounted solar projects that have been permitted and built on different agricultural grades, or the number of acres of grade 1 and 2 land which has been built on since 2020.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 07 April 2025 to Question 43306 on Birmingham City Council: Finance, when the transparency publication referred to in that Answer will next be updated.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Commissioners’ fees and expenses up to and including March 2025 have now been published on Birmingham City Council’s website.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether additional funding has been provided to fire and rescue services for protecting (a) large-scale solar farms that are nationally significant infrastructure projects and (b) their respective battery storage infrastructure.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Decisions on how fire and rescue services’ resources are best deployed to meet their core functions based on local needs and risks are a matter for each Fire and Rescue Authority, in line with their Community Risk Management Plan. The 2025/26 Local Government Finance Settlement, published on 3 February by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, sets out funding allocations for all local authorities, including Fire and Rescue Authorities. Standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities will see an increase in core spending power of £65.5 million in 2025/26. Including the National Insurance Contribution Grant, this is an increase of 3.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25. We will continue to work closely with Fire and Rescue Services to ensure they have the resources they need to help keep their communities safe.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department collates information on individual workplace attendance in its offices outside London.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government collates information to support individual colleagues to meet the office attendance expectation.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether any civil servants in her Departmental claim both (a) diversity network and (b) trade union facility time.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
No civil servants in the department are currently claiming for both a) diversity network and b) trade union facility time.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with Tony Blair since 1 July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Deputy Prime Minister joined Tony Blair for a Q&A event in December 2024 at the Tony Blair Institute. They discussed delivering the government’s ambitious agenda on Housing and Devolution.