Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their ability to create new communities.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to promoting well-designed, healthy and inclusive places through flagship initiatives including the New Towns programme and Pride in Place. This includes the seven proposed new towns which government has recently consulted on, with the ambition of getting spades in the ground in at least three new towns by the end of this Parliament.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their ability to build beautifully.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to building more high-quality, well-designed, and sustainable homes and places. There is a clear framework through policy and guidance on how to achieve well-designed and beautiful places and the principles of good design are set out in national design guidance, as referenced in the National Planning Policy Framework.
We recently consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework and the updated Design and Placemaking Planning Practice Guidance, which will better support local areas to determine what good design means to them and how to deliver this locally. We are currently analysing the feedback received to both and will publish our responses in due course.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the publication of the New Towns Draft Programme on 23 March, in what year they expect construction to begin on the site of the first new town.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The identification of potential new towns has been carried out in line with the objectives set out in the draft New Towns Programme consultation. The proposed programme includes a mixture of standalone sites as well as urban extensions, all with the potential for at least 10,000 homes and for infrastructure to be in place at the outset.
The government intends to confirm final locations and adopt the New Towns Programme later this year, once the SEA has concluded and any other necessary environmental assessments are complete (including Habitats Regulations Assessment), alongside a full response to the Taskforce report. This includes responding to the Taskforce recommendations on skills and delivery.
This government is determined to get spades in the ground on at least three new towns in this Parliament and the government is prepared to progress work on a far larger range of locations if it proves possible. Collectively, schemes in these locations have the potential to provide hundreds of thousands of new homes in the decades ahead.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the publication of the New Towns Draft Programme on 23 March, when they expect their programme of new towns to be completed.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The identification of potential new towns has been carried out in line with the objectives set out in the draft New Towns Programme consultation. The proposed programme includes a mixture of standalone sites as well as urban extensions, all with the potential for at least 10,000 homes and for infrastructure to be in place at the outset.
The government intends to confirm final locations and adopt the New Towns Programme later this year, once the SEA has concluded and any other necessary environmental assessments are complete (including Habitats Regulations Assessment), alongside a full response to the Taskforce report. This includes responding to the Taskforce recommendations on skills and delivery.
This government is determined to get spades in the ground on at least three new towns in this Parliament and the government is prepared to progress work on a far larger range of locations if it proves possible. Collectively, schemes in these locations have the potential to provide hundreds of thousands of new homes in the decades ahead.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the capacity of the construction industry to deliver the New Towns Draft Programme.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The identification of potential new towns has been carried out in line with the objectives set out in the draft New Towns Programme consultation. The proposed programme includes a mixture of standalone sites as well as urban extensions, all with the potential for at least 10,000 homes and for infrastructure to be in place at the outset.
The government intends to confirm final locations and adopt the New Towns Programme later this year, once the SEA has concluded and any other necessary environmental assessments are complete (including Habitats Regulations Assessment), alongside a full response to the Taskforce report. This includes responding to the Taskforce recommendations on skills and delivery.
This government is determined to get spades in the ground on at least three new towns in this Parliament and the government is prepared to progress work on a far larger range of locations if it proves possible. Collectively, schemes in these locations have the potential to provide hundreds of thousands of new homes in the decades ahead.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the definition of a new town.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The identification of potential new towns has been carried out in line with the objectives set out in the draft New Towns Programme consultation. The proposed programme includes a mixture of standalone sites as well as urban extensions, all with the potential for at least 10,000 homes and for infrastructure to be in place at the outset.
The government intends to confirm final locations and adopt the New Towns Programme later this year, once the SEA has concluded and any other necessary environmental assessments are complete (including Habitats Regulations Assessment), alongside a full response to the Taskforce report. This includes responding to the Taskforce recommendations on skills and delivery.
This government is determined to get spades in the ground on at least three new towns in this Parliament and the government is prepared to progress work on a far larger range of locations if it proves possible. Collectively, schemes in these locations have the potential to provide hundreds of thousands of new homes in the decades ahead.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of cooperation with the government of Belgium in deterring the illegal crossing of the English Channel by migrants.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is working closely with European partners, sharing intelligence and disrupting organisers upstream to prevent further launches and deter illegal crossings of the Channel.
The Border Security Command has been designed to rapidly pivot to new threats and gang tactics as they emerge. The rise of small boat launches from the Belgian coast is evidence of smugglers adapting and the UK Government is determined to provide any necessary support to prevent Belgium becoming a viable launch location.
The UK works closely with Belgian authorities and on 12 December 2025, our respective Prime Minister’s signed a joint statement which committed to stepping up our joint action to prevent irregular migration through closer UK–Belgium cooperation, including on returns, information sharing, security technology and operations.
Minister Norris visited Belgium in March and held discussions with the Belgian Government and law enforcement agencies to tackle small boat launches. We continue to deepen our bilateral, regional and multilateral engagement to tackle root causes and strengthen law enforcement cooperation.
Law Enforcement teams have already been bolstered along the Belgium coast and along the French-Belgian border. Alongside this, the NCA has increased its overseas presence - including officers deployed across Europe and within Europol - ensuring faster intelligence flow and stronger joint operational effect.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of unchallenged sanctioned vessels travelling in either direction through the English Channel in each month so far this year.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Deterring and disrupting the Russian shadow fleet, including sanctioned vessels, is a priority for the UK.
The Government monitors UK sanctioned vessels if they transit through UK waters. However, we will not go into specifics on our assessments of the number of UK sanctioned vessels transiting UK waters, as this would compromise our ability to take enforcement action which would benefit our adversaries.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government why leaders of faith groups such as Jewish, Muslim and Roman Catholic leaders in the House of Lords are not considered as Lords Spiritual.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The presence of the Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords reflects the constitutional position of the Church of England as the established Church and the Sovereign as the Supreme Governor of the Church.
The Government believes the House of Lords benefits from having a membership with a wide and diverse range of backgrounds including faith and religion.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, they are giving to reducing the number of Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
There are no current plans to reduce the number of Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords.