Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the Green Book appraisal framework for reflecting the value of transport infrastructure funding in rural areas like Cornwall.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport’s Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG) is a robust framework for assessing the cost and benefits of different transport schemes, across different parts of the UK. TAG builds on the foundations set by HM Treasury’s Green Book with specific guidance for transport schemes, but it does not deviate from the key principles set by the Green Book. The Department plans to update TAG in response to HM Treasury’s Green Book Review published last July, including supporting the development of place-based business cases.
The Department is developing an Appraisal, Modelling and Evaluation Strategy to identify updates to TAG to prioritise improvements to appraisal over the next five years, so investment decisions prioritise people and places are underpinned by high quality and accessible analysis. We listened to feedback from our extensive stakeholder engagement programme as part of this, and an emerging action is to consider developing the appraisal guidance for non-urban areas – including rural areas like Cornwall.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Green Book cost benefit analysis accounts for (a) economic and (b) connectivity issues when assessing transport infrastructure proposals in rural areas like Cornwall.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG) provides methods and advice for assessing the impacts of schemes on economic activity and connectivity. This is mainly from direct benefits to travel users from reductions in travel time, and service improvements such as increasing frequency and quality. TAG can also assess impacts for wider economic, social and environmental impacts. For example, better connectivity can lead to productivity gains to businesses taking advantage of access to new markets and opportunities, or better access to jobs for people. These methods are equally applicable to urban and non-urban areas.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many employees were deployed in utility sectors to respond to red warnings issued as a result of Storm Goretti.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Electricity Network Operator, National Grid Electricity Distribution, deployed 900 engineers and field staff each day, from Friday 9th to Tuesday 13th January, when supplies were fully restored in the impacted regions.
We are unable to confirm how many employees were deployed in other utility sectors as the department does not hold this information and is held by relevant Government Departments.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to apply the findings of the 2025 Green Book Review to help ensure that transport schemes in rural areas like Cornwall receive adequate funding.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The government is changing the Green Book and how it is used to make sure that every region is given a fair hearing when it comes to investment.
That is why a shorter, more streamlined version of the Green Book will be published soon.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will conduct an impact assessment of the fiscal impacts of providing targeted Bellwin Scheme relief to Cornwall Council, in the context of the costs incurred by the Council following Storm Goretti.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I have great sympathy for all those affected by the impacts of Storm Goretti and I would like to thank Cornwall Council for the actions it took to protect its community.
Cornwall Council has not formally registered for Bellwin assistance in respect of the costs it incurred following Storm Goretti but I would be happy to consider an application.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of permitting low-impact rooftop solar installations in conservation areas on levels of energy costs for homeowners.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
To facilitate the take up of renewable energy, nationally set permitted development rights enable the installation of solar equipment on or within the curtilage of buildings, including in conservation areas, without the need to submit a planning application.
There are no plans to undertake such assessments. We continue to keep permitted development rights under review.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding permitted development rights for rooftop solar installations in conservation areas.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
To facilitate the take up of renewable energy, nationally set permitted development rights enable the installation of solar equipment on or within the curtilage of buildings, including in conservation areas, without the need to submit a planning application.
There are no plans to undertake such assessments. We continue to keep permitted development rights under review.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will make an assessment of trends in the level of regional income disparities for people applying for UK family visas.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The MIR was raised in April 2024 from £18,600 to £29,000. This was the first time it had been increased since its introduction.
To help ensure we reach the right balance and have a solid evidence base for any further change, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) was commissioned to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules.
Conducting a full review of the financial requirements across the family routes will ensure we have a clear and consistent system. The MAC published their independent review of the financial requirements across the family routes and their report is now under review.
We will consider the recommendations made by the MAC and the Home Secretary will respond to the review in due course.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to written statement UIN HCWS1187 on Planning Reform: Next Stage, what assessment his Department has made on the impact of proposed changes to policy HC6: Retention of key community facilities and public service infrastructure on (a) pub closure rates and (b) the ability of communities to save a local pub from closure, conversion or demolition.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which includes proposed policies to safeguard against the loss of key community facilities, such as public houses. This approach reflects common practice in local plans and is intended to support the government’s wider ‘Pride in Place’ agenda.
Through the consultation we are seeking views on these proposals, including whether this safeguard should apply only to key community facilities and public service infrastructure which are the last of their type in the area concerned. The proposed approach is designed to avoid unreasonable restrictions being placed on proposals to change the use of existing premises.
The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to written statement UIN HCWS1187 on Planning Reform: Next Stage, for what reasons the proposed revised National Planning Policy Framework changes policy HC6: Retention of key community facilities and public service infrastructure so that it applies only to facilities that are the last of its type in the area concerned.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which includes proposed policies to safeguard against the loss of key community facilities, such as public houses. This approach reflects common practice in local plans and is intended to support the government’s wider ‘Pride in Place’ agenda.
Through the consultation we are seeking views on these proposals, including whether this safeguard should apply only to key community facilities and public service infrastructure which are the last of their type in the area concerned. The proposed approach is designed to avoid unreasonable restrictions being placed on proposals to change the use of existing premises.
The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.