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 the press notice entitled Thousands of new homes to be built as government unlocks brownfield sites, published on 15 October 2024, how much and what proportion of the £550 million impact investments are funded by (a) direct grants from and (b) financial transactions underwritten by the government.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer to Question UIN 16497 on 5 December 2024.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December to Question 16276 on Warm Homes Plan: Insulation, whether the Warm Homes Plan will support investment in loft insulation protection.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government’s Warm Homes Plan will support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other home improvements to cut bills. We will set out full details in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the policies set out in her Department’s policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working Paper: Planning Committees, published on 9 December 2024, on local democracy.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government believe that planning committees have an integral role in providing local democratic oversight of planning decisions. It is however vital that in exercising that democratic oversight, planning committees operate as effectively as possible.

The government’s planning reform working paper on planning committees invites views on a range of proposals designed to support better decision making in the planning system. If we determine to take forward any of the proposals in question, each of which would require primary legislation through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, they would be the subject of further detailed consultation in the normal way – in particular where necessary to underpin secondary legislation following passage of the Bill.

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 policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working Paper: Planning Committees, published on 9 December 2024, which individual would decide whether or not an application was compliant with a Local Plan; and what the process would be in the event of a disagreement on that matter, when deciding whether or not to delegate to planning officers.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s planning reform working paper on planning committees invites views on three options for a national scheme of delegation. If we determine to take forward any of those options, each of which would require primary legislation through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, they would be the subject of further detailed consultation in the normal way – in particular where necessary to underpin secondary legislation following passage of the Bill.

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 her Department's policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working Paper: Planning Committees, published on 9 December 2024, whether it is her policy that Councillors would have a role in determining a reserved matters application where the outline approval was compliant with the Local Plan but a reserved matter may not be.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s planning reform working paper on planning committees invites views on three options for a national scheme of delegation. If we determine to take forward any of those options, each of which would require primary legislation through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, they would be the subject of further detailed consultation in the normal way – in particular where necessary to underpin secondary legislation following passage of the Bill.

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 her Department’s policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working Paper: Planning Committees, published on 9 December 2024, what say ward councillors would have on a planning application in their ward; where they disagreed with the decision of the planning officer; and whether they could call-in the matter to a planning committee.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s planning reform working paper on planning committees invites views on three options for a national scheme of delegation. If we determine to take forward any of those options, each of which would require primary legislation through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, they would be the subject of further detailed consultation in the normal way – in particular where necessary to underpin secondary legislation following passage of the Bill.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the impact of planning restrictions on the ability of private rented homes to meet the new Energy Performance Certificate C requirement.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government will shortly consult on implementing a minimum energy efficiency standard of Energy Performance Certificate Band C or equivalent in the private rented sector by 2030. The consultation will be accompanied by an Options Assessment, which will consider impacts arising from the policy proposals.

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