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 merits of repealing the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development and Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020.

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

The Government has not announced plans to remove or curtail permitted development rights. We will keep recent changes to permitted development rights under review.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, i if she will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of changes in the level of thefts of farming GPS equipment.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to reducing crime and disorder in rural areas, given the devastating impact rural crime can have on communities. Under our reforms, rural communities will be safeguarded, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing and stronger measures to prevent farm theft and fly-tipping.

The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will deliver thousands of additional neighbourhood police, police community support officers and Special Constables, across England and Wales, including in rural areas, to speed up response times and build public confidence.

Removeable GPS units are particularly vulnerable to theft and can massively disrupt day to day farming operations. The National Farmers Union (NFU) reports the UK cost of GPS theft increased by 137% to £4.2 million in 2023.

We are committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which aims to prevent the theft and re-sale of high-value equipment, particularly for use in an agricultural setting. The Act requires secondary legislation before it can come into effect. We are carefully considering the views of those who may be affected by the legislation and its regulations, to understand the potential implications and determine the scope of the legislation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the reasons for thefts of farming GPS equipment.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to reducing crime and disorder in rural areas, given the devastating impact rural crime can have on communities. Under our reforms, rural communities will be safeguarded, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing and stronger measures to prevent farm theft and fly-tipping.

The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will deliver thousands of additional neighbourhood police, police community support officers and Special Constables, across England and Wales, including in rural areas, to speed up response times and build public confidence.

Removeable GPS units are particularly vulnerable to theft and can massively disrupt day to day farming operations. The National Farmers Union (NFU) reports the UK cost of GPS theft increased by 137% to £4.2 million in 2023.

We are committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which aims to prevent the theft and re-sale of high-value equipment, particularly for use in an agricultural setting. The Act requires secondary legislation before it can come into effect. We are carefully considering the views of those who may be affected by the legislation and its regulations, to understand the potential implications and determine the scope of the legislation.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to increase foreign investment in the North West.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Growth is the government’s central economic mission and we are currently developing an Industrial Strategy which aims to drive growth across the UK through investment in key sectors and regions. We are also hosting the International Investment Summit in October, to bring together global investors and regional leaders to advance opportunities for investment and growth across the country. Additional measures to improve the business environment and increase investment into the UK will be announced at the summit.

For the North West specifically, we will support delivery of the Local Growth Plans. We will continue showcasing investment opportunities across the North West to potential investors, and provide account management services for investors already in the region to help them build and scale.

Pension credit threshold

Zoe’s Place and funding for children’s hospices

Submit Evidence (by 16 Dec 2024)

The Modernisation Committee has been set up to “consider reforms to House of Commons procedures, standards, and working practices.”