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Written Question
New Towns: Housing
Tuesday 11th November 2025

Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 13 October (HLWS946), whether additional homes already committed to in a local plan will count towards the ministerial commitment to get spades in the ground on at least three new towns in this Parliament.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 28 September, the government published the New Towns Taskforce report as well as its initial response.

As set out in their report, the Taskforce have prioritised sites where housing can be delivered quickly to reflect the urgent need for housing and with high quality placemaking standards. New towns are necessarily long-term projects which should continue to grow over decades to come, but government is determined to begin work as soon as possible, with spades in the ground on at least three new towns in this Parliament.

The government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.


Written Question
New Towns: Housing
Tuesday 11th November 2025

Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 13 October (HLWS946), for each identified new town, how many of the additional homes identified are already committed to in a local plan.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 28 September, the government published the New Towns Taskforce report as well as its initial response.

As set out in their report, the Taskforce have prioritised sites where housing can be delivered quickly to reflect the urgent need for housing and with high quality placemaking standards. New towns are necessarily long-term projects which should continue to grow over decades to come, but government is determined to begin work as soon as possible, with spades in the ground on at least three new towns in this Parliament.

The government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.


Written Question
New Towns
Tuesday 11th November 2025

Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 13 October (HLWS946), what evidential basis or metric will be used to determine when a new town has spades in the ground.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 28 September, the government published the New Towns Taskforce report as well as its initial response.

As set out in their report, the Taskforce have prioritised sites where housing can be delivered quickly to reflect the urgent need for housing and with high quality placemaking standards. New towns are necessarily long-term projects which should continue to grow over decades to come, but government is determined to begin work as soon as possible, with spades in the ground on at least three new towns in this Parliament.

The government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.


Written Question
Sites of Special Scientific Interest: Ebbsfleet
Tuesday 11th November 2025

Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) on 7 April (HC40908), what communications representatives of the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation have made to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on (1) the Swanscombe Peninsula Site of Special Scientific Interest designation or (2) the presence or absence of distinguished jumping spiders within land owned by the Development Corporation for development, since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, as the sponsor department, has regular discussions with Ebbsfleet Development Corporation on matters relevant to its core objectives including the impact of the Site of Special Scientific Interest.


Written Question
Demonstrations
Tuesday 21st October 2025

Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of protests being undertaken (1) within the curtilage of the private property of elected representatives' family homes, and (2) within or on top of elected representatives' family homes; and whether they consider those protests to amount to intimidation.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government has been clear: harassment and intimidation of elected representatives is never acceptable. Such behaviour undermines our democracy and discourages public engagement.

As Chair of the Defending Democracy Taskforce, the Security Minister is clear – as set out in the Defending Democracy Policing Protocol - that protesting at the homes of elected representatives is unacceptable and should be treated as harassment by the police. The Security Minister has also written to Chief Constables recently, encouraging them to use all powers available to them to tackle the harassment and intimidation of elected representatives.

Under the Taskforce’s renewed mandate, we are reviewing how to strengthen protections and close any legislative gaps, including in the context of protecting public office holders in their private homes. Measures such as the new aggravating factor proposed in the recently published Elections Strategy will provide clearer consequences for behaviour that crosses the line into abuse. The Government also welcomes the important work of the Speaker’s Conference and looks forward to its final recommendations.


Written Question
Housing: Greater London
Thursday 16th October 2025

Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many more houses will be built as a result of the Thamesmead Waterfront, Crews Hills and Chase Park new towns compared to the local housing target set for Greater London Authority in July 2024.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 28 September, the Government published the independent New Towns Taskforce’s report and the Government’s initial response.

The Government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.


Written Question
Housing: Greater Manchester
Thursday 16th October 2025

Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many more houses will be built as a result of the Manchester Victoria North new town compared to the local housing target set for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in July 2024.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 28 September, the Government published the independent New Towns Taskforce’s report and the Government’s initial response.

The Government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.


Written Question
Housing: Tempsford
Thursday 16th October 2025

Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many more houses will be built as a result of the Tempsford new town compared to the local housing target set for Central Bedfordshire Council in July 2024.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 28 September, the Government published the independent New Towns Taskforce’s report and the Government’s initial response.

The Government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.


Written Question
Housing: Leeds
Thursday 16th October 2025

Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many more houses will be built as a result of the Leeds South Bank new town compared to the local housing target set for Leeds Council in July 2024.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 28 September, the Government published the independent New Towns Taskforce’s report and the Government’s initial response.

The Government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.


Written Question
Housing: Plymouth
Thursday 16th October 2025

Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many more houses will be built as a result of the Plymouth new town compared to the local housing target set for Plymouth Council in July 2024.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 28 September, the Government published the independent New Towns Taskforce’s report and the Government’s initial response.

The Government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.