Marcus Jones Portrait

Marcus Jones

Conservative - Former Member for Nuneaton

First elected: 6th May 2010

Left House: 30th May 2024 (Dissolution)


Marcus Jones is not a member of any APPGs
2 Former APPG memberships
Air Ambulances, Micronutrients and Health
Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
27th Oct 2022 - 5th Jul 2024
Committee of Selection
7th Nov 2022 - 30th May 2024
Minister of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
7th Jul 2022 - 7th Sep 2022
Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill
12th Jul 2022 - 7th Sep 2022
Comptroller (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)
17th Sep 2021 - 7th Jul 2022
Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)
13th Feb 2020 - 17th Sep 2021
Assistant Whip
29th Jul 2019 - 13th Feb 2020
Vice-Chair, Conservative Party
8th Jan 2018 - 6th Nov 2019
Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
31st Oct 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Communities and Local Government) (Local Government)
8th May 2015 - 8th Jan 2018
Administration Committee
3rd Dec 2012 - 30th Mar 2015
Backbench Business Committee
10th Jun 2013 - 10th Dec 2013
Backbench Business Committee
12th Jun 2012 - 25th Apr 2013


Division Voting information

Marcus Jones has voted in 2901 divisions, and 15 times against the majority of their Party.

27 Mar 2019 - EU: Withdrawal and Future Relationship Votes - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 122 Conservative No votes vs 126 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 139 Noes - 422
13 Mar 2019 - UK’s Withdrawal from the European Union - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 66 Conservative No votes vs 149 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 164 Noes - 374
27 Oct 2014 - Recall of MPs Bill - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 110 Conservative Aye votes vs 135 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 166 Noes - 340
5 Mar 2014 - Judgments - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 83 Conservative No votes vs 123 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 360 Noes - 104
5 Mar 2014 - Registration of Births, deaths and marriages etc - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 81 Conservative No votes vs 124 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 363 Noes - 100
5 Mar 2014 - Registration of births, deaths and marriages etc - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 83 Conservative No votes vs 123 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 366 Noes - 103
5 Mar 2014 - Marriage - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 81 Conservative No votes vs 126 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 367 Noes - 100
5 Mar 2014 - Marriage - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 84 Conservative No votes vs 123 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 365 Noes - 103
5 Mar 2014 - Marriage - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 79 Conservative No votes vs 126 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 368 Noes - 98
20 May 2013 - Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 48 Conservative No votes vs 139 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 391 Noes - 57
20 May 2013 - Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 56 Conservative Aye votes vs 136 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 70 Noes - 375
7 Dec 2011 - London Local Authorities Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 26 Conservative No votes vs 47 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 57 Noes - 145
24 Oct 2011 - National Referendum on the European Union - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 81 Conservative Aye votes vs 209 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 111 Noes - 483
13 Oct 2011 - Procedure Committee Reports - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 43 Conservative Aye votes vs 124 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 63 Noes - 206
13 Oct 2010 - London Local Authorities Bill [Lords] (By Order) - View Vote Context
Marcus Jones voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 17 Conservative No votes vs 227 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 293 Noes - 21
View All Marcus Jones Division Votes

All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op))
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
(140 debate interactions)
Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op))
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
(72 debate interactions)
Matthew Pennycook (Labour)
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
(69 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
HM Treasury
(149 debate contributions)
Department for Work and Pensions
(88 debate contributions)
Department for Education
(77 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Marcus Jones's debates

Latest EDMs signed by Marcus Jones

22nd January 2019
Marcus Jones signed this EDM on Tuesday 22nd January 2019

150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OFFICE OF THE PARLIAMENTARY COUNSEL

Tabled by: Margaret Beckett (Labour - Derby South)
That this House congratulates the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel on its sesquicentennial anniversary; expresses its appreciation of the members of the Office, both past and present, for their contribution to the drafting of legislation and the legislative process; and notes that the Office, now under the leadership of Elizabeth …
26 signatures
(Most recent: 6 Mar 2019)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 15
Labour: 4
Scottish National Party: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Independent: 1
Liberal Democrat: 1
22nd January 2019
Marcus Jones signed this EDM on Tuesday 22nd January 2019

CENTENARY OF THE GOVERNMENT CHIEF WHIP'S OFFICE

Tabled by: Lord McLoughlin (Conservative - Derbyshire Dales)
That this House congratulates the Office of the Government Chief Whip on reaching its centenary year; further congratulates Sir Roy Stone, Principal Private Secretary, on his knighthood in the 2019 New Year's Honours list; notes that Sir Roy is only the fourth person since 1919 to hold the position of …
35 signatures
(Most recent: 12 Feb 2019)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 27
Labour: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Liberal Democrat: 1
Independent: 1
Scottish National Party: 1
View All Marcus Jones's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Marcus Jones, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Marcus Jones has not been granted any Urgent Questions

2 Adjournment Debates led by Marcus Jones

Tuesday 28th October 2014
Friday 22nd November 2013

Marcus Jones has not introduced any legislation before Parliament


Latest 29 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
14th Oct 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many additional physical education teachers and sports specialists have been recruited by schools in Nuneaton constituency in the last 18 months.

The information is not available in the requested format.

14th Oct 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of primary schools and academies in Nuneaton constituency have received the PE and sport premium to date.

Physical Education & Sport premium allocations eligibility for academic year 2013/14 was given to all primary schools and academies with pupils in year groups 1 to 6, as well as those aged 5 in reception and aged 5-10 not following the year groups.

Allocations for academic year 2013/14, including schools and academies in Nuneaton constituency, can be found online at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/pe-and-sport-grant-2013-to-2014-allocation-breakdown

Allocations for academic year 2014 to 2015 will be announced shortly.

14th Oct 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which primary schools and academies in Nuneaton constituency with a 10 per cent proportion of pupils on free school meals receive the PE and sport premium.

Physical Education & Sport premium allocations eligibility for academic year 2013/14 was given to all primary schools and academies with pupils in year groups 1 to 6, as well as those aged 5 in reception and aged 5-10 not following the year groups.

Allocations for academic year 2013/14, including schools and academies in Nuneaton constituency, can be found online at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/pe-and-sport-grant-2013-to-2014-allocation-breakdown

Allocations for academic year 2014 to 2015 will be announced shortly.

14th Oct 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which primary schools and academies in Nuneaton constituency have received the PE and sport premium to date; and how much each such school and academy has been awarded under that premium.

Physical Education & Sport premium allocations eligibility for academic year 2013/14 was given to all primary schools and academies with pupils in year groups 1 to 6, as well as those aged 5 in reception and aged 5-10 not following the year groups.

Allocations for academic year 2013/14, including schools and academies in Nuneaton constituency, can be found online at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/pe-and-sport-grant-2013-to-2014-allocation-breakdown

Allocations for academic year 2014 to 2015 will be announced shortly.

14th Oct 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much schools in Nuneaton constituency received under the pupil premium in 2013-14; and how much such schools will receive in pupil premium in 2014-15.

Schools and academies in Nuneaton constituency have been allocated £3.181 million through the pupil premium for financial year 2013 to 2014, and £4.004 million for financial year 2014 to 2015.

This includes funding through the deprivation and service child elements of the pupil premium for financial year 2013 to 2014, and also the children adopted from care element for financial year 2014 to 2015. It excludes the looked-after children element in both years as this is not available at a parliamentary constituency level.

9th Apr 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which local authorities in England collect recycling (a) weekly and (b) more than once a week.

The attached spreadsheet sets out which local authorities in England collect recycling (a) weekly and (b) more than once a week.

11th Oct 2018
What assessment he has made of the potential effect of High Speed Two on the economies of the (a) Midlands and (b) North of England.

HS2 will transform the UK economy with construction supporting up to 30,000 new jobs, as set out in the HS2 Skills, Employment and Education Strategy, launched last month. 70 percent of construction jobs supported over the entire HS2 programme will be outside of London. It will directly link 8 of the UK’s 10 largest cities and provide a step change in the country’s railway capacity.

17th Apr 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information holds on the number of passenger (a) arrivals and (b) departures at Nuneaton railway station in each of the last five years.

Estimates of the number of passengers travelling to and from Nuneaton railway station as estimated by the Office of Rail and Road are as follows:

Year

Station entries

Station exits

Interchanges

2016/17

643,010

643,010

599,545

2015/16

618,246

618,246

423,978

2014/15

569,041

569,041

440,061

2013/14

560,276

560,276

562,930

2012/13

520,499

520,499

277,659

Source: Office of Rail and Road, Estimates of Station Usage

Station entries and exits are an estimation of the number of passenger journeys with an origin or final destination of Nuneaton respectively. The methodology applied makes an assumption that the number of station entries and exits are equal.

Journeys in which a passenger changes from one train to another at Nuneaton are included as interchanges. Passengers on trains serving Nuneaton who do not board or alight at this station are not included in these statistics.

5th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent on improvements to the railways in England and Wales in Control Period 4; and what estimate he has made of how much will be spent in Control Period 5.

Over Control Period 4, the total amount spent on enhancements on the railways in England and Wales, as set out in Network Rail's delivery plan update, was £7.557 billion (2012/13 prices).

Over Control Period 5, it is estimated that £11.446 billion.

5th Jun 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department allocated to projects relating to cycling between (a) 2005 and 2010 and (b) 2010 to 2014.

During the five financial years 2005/6 to 2009/10, the Department for Transport (DfT) provided funding for cycling through Cycling England, an arm's length organisation set up in 2005; in that period, Cycling England received £105m from the DfT.

During the five financial years 2010/11 to 2014/15, the DfT allocated a final £63m to Cycling England, and has allocated direct funding of £224m for cycling projects, comprising: the £94m Cycling Cities and National Parks fund, £28.5m for Links to Schools / Linking Communities, the £35m cycle safety fund, £14.5m for Cycle Rail, £4.8m to the Highways Agency and £46.8m for Bikeability. In addition, the DfT's Local Sustainable Transport Fund is providing £540m for local authorities to prioritise sustainable transport projects, of which 28% or £151m is being allocated to cycling projects. So total investment by this government in cycling in the five financial years 2010/11 to 2014/15 is £438m.

DfT funding for the LSTF and its Cycling Ambition, Cycle-Rail, and Linking Communities funds is often used to lever matching local contributions. When these other sources are included, spend on cycling in England is equal to £5 per person a year, whilst spend in the eight cycling ambition cities is around £10 per person a year. From 2015/16, the LSTF forms part of the Local Growth Fund, a long-term funding commitment of £2bn a year.

29th Jan 2019
What fiscal steps he is taking to support the high street.

Budget 2018 announced Our Plan for the High Street, which will provide £1.5bn to support high streets as they adapt to meet the changing needs of shoppers.

The Plan includes a £675m Future High Streets Fund, planning reform, a High Streets Taskforce and support for community assets.

It also includes one third off small retailers’ business rates bills for two years from April. [This is worth almost £900m to businesses.]

17th Apr 2018
What assessment his Department has made of the effect on working people of the increase in real wages projected by the Office for Budget Responsibility.

The Government welcome the fact that the OBR forecast real wages to increase in 2018, and to continue growing in every year of this parliament.

The Government is taking action to support incomes by increasing the National Living Wage, raising the personal allowance and freezing fuel duty.

John Glen
Shadow Paymaster General
14th May 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans she has to bring forward legislative proposals to protect veterans accused of historic allegations relating to service in Northern Ireland.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) intends to undertake a public consultation on legal protections measures for personnel deployed on operations overseas, including a statutory presumption against prosecution of current or former personnel for alleged offences committed in the course of duty abroad more than 10 years previously. Prosecutions in such circumstances would not be considered to be in the public interest, except in “exceptional circumstances”. The presumption measure would not apply to historical alleged offences in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Defence will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Secretary on the proposals for addressing Northern Ireland legacy issues. The MOD provides veterans, including those who served in Northern Ireland, who are subject to investigation and potential prosecution with legal, welfare and pastoral support.

9th May 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether her Department plans to introduce new protections to safeguard veterans from prosecution in relation to historic killings.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) intends to undertake a public consultation on legal protections measures for personnel deployed on operations overseas, including a statutory presumption against prosecution of current or former personnel for alleged offences committed in the course of duty abroad more than 10 years previously. Prosecutions in such circumstances would not be considered to be in the public interest, except in “exceptional circumstances”. The presumption measure would not apply to historical alleged offences in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Defence will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Secretary on the proposals for addressing Northern Ireland legacy issues. The MOD provides veterans, including those who served in Northern Ireland, who are subject to investigation and potential prosecution with legal, welfare and pastoral support.

9th May 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if her Department will ensure that all veterans who are under investigation in relation to historic cases in Northern Ireland are made aware of her Department's welfare and pastoral support.

It is a very high priority for Defence to ensure that all personnel involved in Northern Ireland Legacy matters are offered, free, appropriate legal and pastoral support, taking account of individual circumstances, including health and wellbeing. For both inquests and criminal investigations, we contact every veteran as soon as we have been made aware of their potential involvement. This contact will signpost points of contact within the Ministry itself, (including the MOD's 'Veterans UK'); the Army, including the Army Personnel Services Group and Regimental Associations or equivalent organisations and relevant charities and third sector bodies. In addition, MOD officials are in frequent contact with veterans' organisations and other interested bodies and make every effort to publicise this support through appropriate channels, to ensure that the wider veterans' community has a channel through which they can contact the Department if appropriate. We also have appropriate points of contact so that those of whom we are not initially aware, can initiate contact with the right people.

9th May 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the pastoral support provided to veterans subject to historic investigations.

Within the Army's Personnel Services Group (APSG), the Operational Legacy team coordinates welfare and pastoral support to Army veterans and serving personnel who are subject to historical investigations. APSG has drawn together all stakeholders (Including those in the Ministry of Defence, the appropriate Regimental Headquarters and Associations, the Confederation of Service Charities and 'ABF - The Soldiers' Charity') to ensure coherent pastoral support to veterans, under the primacy of the MOD's Veterans UK. This is incorporated into the recently announced UK-Wide Veterans' Strategy and is supported by £10 million of funding overall. I am confident that this demonstrates that the Department has a clear strategy and is meeting its obligations to veterans subject to historical investigations, whilst also protecting the Army's reputation for future generations of soldiers.

9th May 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if her Department will introduce a statute of limitations covering potential offences committed by veterans.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) intends to undertake a public consultation on legal protections measures for personnel deployed on operations overseas, including a statutory presumption against prosecution of current or former personnel for alleged offences committed in the course of duty abroad more than 10 years previously. Prosecutions in such circumstances would not be considered to be in the public interest, except in “exceptional circumstances”. The presumption measure would not apply to historical alleged offences in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Defence will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Secretary on the proposals for addressing Northern Ireland legacy issues. The MOD provides veterans, including those who served in Northern Ireland, who are subject to investigation and potential prosecution with legal, welfare and pastoral support.

9th Apr 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what proportion of council homes meet the decent homes standard in each local authority in England.

Everyone deserves a decent and safe place to live. We have seen clear improvements in decency in recent years. As at 1 April 2018, 4 per cent of local authority owned dwellings were non-decent across England. Over 516,000 local authority homes have been bought up to the Decent Homes Standard since 2010.

The Department publishes data on the proportion of local authority owned non-decent homes in each local authority area at the Local Authority Housing Statistics (LAHS) section F question 17, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/local-authority-housing-statistics-data-returns-for-2017-to-2018.

Rishi Sunak
Leader of HM Official Opposition
7th Jan 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether new homes bonus payments secured by Nuneaton and Bedworth borough council in 2018-19 will be guaranteed for four years; and if he will make a statement.

The table below sets out the New Homes Bonus allocations to Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council in each year since 2011. In December 2018, Government announced the provisional New Homes Bonus allocations for 2019/20 due to be paid over the next four years. Consideration about the overall quantum of funding available to the local government sector will be a matter for the next spending review but Government remains fully committed to incentivising housing growth and will consult widely with local authorities on how best to reward delivery most effectively.

Table: Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council New Homes Bonus allocations

Year

Amount

Year 1 (2011-12)

167,589

Year 2 (2012-13)

591,015

Year 3 (2013-14)

891,705

Year 4 (2014-15)

1,280,232

Year 5 (2015-16)

1,470,955

Year 6 (2016-17)

2,033,352

Year 7 (2017-18)

1,857,926

Year 8 (2018-19)

1,304,546

7th Jan 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much has been allocated in new homes bonus payments to Nuneaton and Bedworth borough council in each year since 2011.

The table below sets out the New Homes Bonus allocations to Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council in each year since 2011. In December 2018, Government announced the provisional New Homes Bonus allocations for 2019/20 due to be paid over the next four years. Consideration about the overall quantum of funding available to the local government sector will be a matter for the next spending review but Government remains fully committed to incentivising housing growth and will consult widely with local authorities on how best to reward delivery most effectively.

Table: Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council New Homes Bonus allocations

Year

Amount

Year 1 (2011-12)

167,589

Year 2 (2012-13)

591,015

Year 3 (2013-14)

891,705

Year 4 (2014-15)

1,280,232

Year 5 (2015-16)

1,470,955

Year 6 (2016-17)

2,033,352

Year 7 (2017-18)

1,857,926

Year 8 (2018-19)

1,304,546

18th Dec 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether any advice and guidance has been issued to local authorities on how the New Homes Bonus can be used.

The New Homes Bonus is un-ringfenced so authorities can choose how to allocate funding to meet local priorities, for example on frontline services or keeping council tax down, as we recognise that local authorities are in the best position to make decisions about local priorities. The Government does not monitor how local authorities utilise New Homes Bonus funding but it is expected that local authorities engage with their local communities to decide how the money is spent, so residents feel the direct benefits of growth.

18th Dec 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many lower-tier local authorities use the New Homes Bonus for revenue spending.

The New Homes Bonus is un-ringfenced so authorities can choose how to allocate funding to meet local priorities, for example on frontline services or keeping council tax down, as we recognise that local authorities are in the best position to make decisions about local priorities. The Government does not monitor how local authorities utilise New Homes Bonus funding but it is expected that local authorities engage with their local communities to decide how the money is spent, so residents feel the direct benefits of growth.

18th Dec 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the New Homes Bonus can be used for day to day local government service revenue spending.

The New Homes Bonus is un-ringfenced so authorities can choose how to allocate funding to meet local priorities, for example on frontline services or keeping council tax down, as we recognise that local authorities are in the best position to make decisions about local priorities. The Government does not monitor how local authorities utilise New Homes Bonus funding but it is expected that local authorities engage with their local communities to decide how the money is spent, so residents feel the direct benefits of growth.

18th Dec 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, to which budgets of local authorities the New Homes Bonus can be allocated.

The New Homes Bonus is un-ringfenced so authorities can choose how to allocate funding to meet local priorities, for example on frontline services or keeping council tax down, as we recognise that local authorities are in the best position to make decisions about local priorities. The Government does not monitor how local authorities utilise New Homes Bonus funding but it is expected that local authorities engage with their local communities to decide how the money is spent, so residents feel the direct benefits of growth.

17th Mar 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to assist local residents to produce a local plan in areas where no such plan has been produced by the local authority.

Plan making has significantly improved under this Government. 81% of local planning authorities have at least published their plan and 63% of local planning authorities now have an adopted local plan in place (compared to 17% in 2010).

The Localism Act has strengthened the role of Local Plans, allowing local councils – in consultation with local residents – to draw up plans and determine where new development should and should not go. Paragraph 14 of the National Planning Policy Framework already provides a very strong incentive for councils to have a Local Plan in place. I am aware that the Labour Party's Lyons Review proposed that sanctions should be imposed against councils without a Local Plan and that the Secretary of State should direct the Planning Inspectorate to produce a Local Plan in place of the Council. However, I believe that proposal is excessively centralising, and would be an unpalatable re-creation of the top-down planning regime that we abolished in the Localism Act.

Drawing up a Local Plan can be challenging – it involves trade-offs and hard choices, and there is no longer Regional Planning Guidance or Regional Spatial Strategy imposed from above to hide behind and blame. But it is our preference for this to be a locally-led process.



The Government has supported local authorities in their Plan making by funding the Planning Advisory Service; the Planning Inspectorate; and senior retired Planning Inspectors to help bring forward sound Local Plans.

This Government introduced neighbourhood planning which offers an unprecedented opportunity for communities to develop plans with statutory force. Over 1,400 communities, representing around 6 million people in England, have now applied for a neighbourhood area to be designated and 59 successful referendums on neighbourhood plans have been held. The Government is committed to supporting communities throughout the process and encouraging more communities to join them. The Government recently announced a new support contract worth £22.5 million, which will begin in April 2015 and last until 2018.

17th Mar 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to provide for local authorities who do not produce a local plan to be placed in special measures.

Plan making has significantly improved under this Government. 81% of local planning authorities have at least published their plan and 63% of local planning authorities now have an adopted local plan in place (compared to 17% in 2010).

The Localism Act has strengthened the role of Local Plans, allowing local councils – in consultation with local residents – to draw up plans and determine where new development should and should not go. Paragraph 14 of the National Planning Policy Framework already provides a very strong incentive for councils to have a Local Plan in place. I am aware that the Labour Party's Lyons Review proposed that sanctions should be imposed against councils without a Local Plan and that the Secretary of State should direct the Planning Inspectorate to produce a Local Plan in place of the Council. However, I believe that proposal is excessively centralising, and would be an unpalatable re-creation of the top-down planning regime that we abolished in the Localism Act.

Drawing up a Local Plan can be challenging – it involves trade-offs and hard choices, and there is no longer Regional Planning Guidance or Regional Spatial Strategy imposed from above to hide behind and blame. But it is our preference for this to be a locally-led process.



The Government has supported local authorities in their Plan making by funding the Planning Advisory Service; the Planning Inspectorate; and senior retired Planning Inspectors to help bring forward sound Local Plans.

This Government introduced neighbourhood planning which offers an unprecedented opportunity for communities to develop plans with statutory force. Over 1,400 communities, representing around 6 million people in England, have now applied for a neighbourhood area to be designated and 59 successful referendums on neighbourhood plans have been held. The Government is committed to supporting communities throughout the process and encouraging more communities to join them. The Government recently announced a new support contract worth £22.5 million, which will begin in April 2015 and last until 2018.