Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the percentage of designated Green Belt in each constituency to be re-classified Grey Belt under the changes proposed to the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In our consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, it was suggested that grey belt land be defined as Green Belt land which makes a limited contribution to the Green Belt’s purposes, as set out in paragraph 143 of the current NPPF.
The government is proposing that assessments of what land is identified as grey belt be undertaken by local planning authorities themselves, informed by relevant guidance. As such, the Department is unable to provide the estimate requested.
Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the decision to stop implementation of the Higher Education (Free Speech) Act 2023, whether she received representations that informed that decision (a) on the potential impact of that Act on universities' (i) operations and (ii) revenues in non-democratic states and (b) from academics or academic groups on matters relating to academic freedoms; and if she will publish the (A) minutes of meetings and (B) written representations received relating to that matter.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The decision to pause the implementation of the Higher Education (Free Speech) Act 2023 took account of views from across the higher education (HE) sector, including universities and academics, who felt that the Act is disproportionate, burdensome and damaging to the welfare of students and that it would expose HE providers to costly legal action, and that the fear of sanction could push providers to overlook the safety and wellbeing of minority groups.
The government does not routinely publish details of meetings and correspondence that inform policy making, as this risks undermining the ability of Ministers to hear free-spoken views.
Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of violent disorder cases were heard by (a) district judges and (b) lay magistrates in August.
Answered by Heidi Alexander - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.