Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
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 issue guidance to local planning authorities to help ensure consistency in how (a) draft and (b) consultative planning policies are applied to pre-application and planning applications pending their inclusion in the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 102812 on 13 January 2026.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on the draft well‑connected places policy and the proposed railway station connectivity assessment currently set out in the Government’s consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework and National Development Management Policies December 2023.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
As part of the consultation, my Department worked with the Planning Advisory Service to organise a series of in-person and online engagement events with local planning authorities.
Local authorities also had the opportunity to respond directly to the consultation.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local planning authorities on the material weight to be afforded to emerging policies within the draft National Planning Policy Framework during the interim consultation and transition period, specifically in relation to the definition of well-connected railway stations.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 102812 on 13 January 2026
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of reinstating the right to strike for prison and custody officers.
Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Ministers and officials have previously met with the POA to listen to their concerns on this issue. Prison officers work in difficult environments every day, with some of the most challenging people in society. The Government recognises that the work of prison officers is of critical importance in keeping the public safe.
Section 127 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act (1994) makes it unlawful for anyone to induce a prison officer to take (or continue to take) industrial action or to commit a breach of discipline. This applies to frontline operational prison staff from Band 3 prison officers to Band 11 governors in public sector prisons in England and Wales, and their equivalent counterparts in the private estate. Industrial action in prisons, even if only partial, would create unsustainable and significant risks to safety and security. This would in turn impact on the courts, police and public safety.
HMPPS has a comprehensive engagement and consultation framework in place with the Prison Officer’s Association (POA), as well as dispute resolution processes, which ensures they have the full opportunity to raise any issues affecting their members. This has enabled collective agreement on a range of issues. HMPPS also has the ‘Whitley’ meeting structure in place for raising and escalating matters at both national and local levels. In 2011, a collectively agreed National Disputes Resolution Procedure was introduced which provides a direct route for the POA, including an escalation route to independent conciliation and arbitration, to seek resolution on issues which may impact on the existing terms and conditions of prison officers.
We are committed to ensuring the right of everyone who works in a prison to decent conditions and a fair reward for their hard work, and we believe we can do so without the need for legislative change.
We believe the work of the Prison Service Pay Review Body provides a robust, independent compensatory mechanism. Therefore, we have no plans to review the current legislation.
We will continue to engage regularly with our recognised trade unions and welcome the constructive contribution they continue to make in ensuring that the views of staff are fully represented.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of lowering the the retirement age for prison officers.
Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
We are aware of the POA campaign for a reduced prison officer pension age.
We recognise the unique and challenging role that prison officers play in protecting the public and reducing reoffending and that pension age is an important issue for prison staff and the POA. My officials have met with the POA on this complex issue and a range of other matters that are important to the POA. It is right that we take the time to consider the issue carefully.
Prison officers are members of the Civil Service Pension scheme (CSPS), and the normal pension age (at which unreduced benefits can be taken) is linked to their state pension age. The CSPS is a defined benefit scheme; a pension for life without investment uncertainties. It has one of the lowest employee contribution rates across the public sector, which is lower than police officers and firefighters, and a significant employer contribution of 28.97% (since 1 April 2023).
Like most public sector pension schemes, those in the CSPS can seek to retire at any time after reaching Minimum Normal Pension Age, which is currently set at age 55 (increases to 57 from 2028).