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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many homes his Department plans to build on brownfield land.

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

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 84470 on 30 October 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has conducted an assessment of the potential for "Grey Belt" designations to encourage speculative planning applications on land in an area that does not have an up-to-date Local Plan.

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

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 and the Green Belt guidance updated on 27 February 2025 do not introduce a definition of large-built up area, town, historic town or village.

In the absence of an up-to-date local plan, there is a high likelihood that development will come forward on a piecemeal and speculative basis, with reduced public engagement and fewer guarantees that it will make the most of an area's potential. It is for these reasons that the government has been clear that we intend to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible with a view to achieving universal local plan coverage.

My Department does not collect data on the number of grey belt planning applications approved on appeal. The amount of land designated as Green Belt in England can be found on gov.uk here and the proportion of new homes built on Green Belt land can be found on gov.uk here.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many "Grey Belt" planning applications have been approved on appeal against the wishes of the local planning authority since the publication of the revised NPPF in December 2024.

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

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 and the Green Belt guidance updated on 27 February 2025 do not introduce a definition of large-built up area, town, historic town or village.

In the absence of an up-to-date local plan, there is a high likelihood that development will come forward on a piecemeal and speculative basis, with reduced public engagement and fewer guarantees that it will make the most of an area's potential. It is for these reasons that the government has been clear that we intend to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible with a view to achieving universal local plan coverage.

My Department does not collect data on the number of grey belt planning applications approved on appeal. The amount of land designated as Green Belt in England can be found on gov.uk here and the proportion of new homes built on Green Belt land can be found on gov.uk here.

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 Planning Practice Guidance on the Green Belt, how the Department defines (a) large built-up areas, (b) towns and (c) historic towns.

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

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 and the Green Belt guidance updated on 27 February 2025 do not introduce a definition of large-built up area, town, historic town or village.

In the absence of an up-to-date local plan, there is a high likelihood that development will come forward on a piecemeal and speculative basis, with reduced public engagement and fewer guarantees that it will make the most of an area's potential. It is for these reasons that the government has been clear that we intend to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible with a view to achieving universal local plan coverage.

My Department does not collect data on the number of grey belt planning applications approved on appeal. The amount of land designated as Green Belt in England can be found on gov.uk here and the proportion of new homes built on Green Belt land can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the impact of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 on UK cyber resilience, skills and innovation; and what impact the current framework has on the UK’s competitiveness compared with other jurisdictions.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Government recognises the major role UK cybersecurity professionals play in enhancing and protecting the UK’s resilience against cyber threats, and it is vital that we support them. I acknowledge the strong sentiment regarding Computer Misuse Act 1990 (CMA) reform.

The Government is already conducting an ongoing review of the CMA.

It is crucial that any changes brought forward are proportionate, adaptable to evolving techniques, and do not undermine law enforcement’s ability to take action against cyber criminals. Engagement, including with the cyber security industry, is underway to refine the proposal and ensure it includes strong safeguards to prevent misuse.

The Home Office is progressing work at pace and will provide an update on proposals taken forward 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, whether his Department will make it a requirement for developers of sites near rail stations to contribute to Section 106 monies to help deliver future accessibility improvements at those rail stations.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 90834 on 21 November 2025, UIN 111724 on 2 March 2026, and UIN 26106 on 5 February 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to protect local democracy when changing the referral criteria to require Local Planning Authorities to notify the Department where they intend to refuse an application for 150 homes or more.

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

The power to call in planning applications is a long-established one. Decisions on call-in are a question of jurisdiction and not a view on the merits of any given application.

The policy on call in, as set out in a Written Ministerial Statement of 26 October 2012, is unchanged.

The proposed requirement for Local Planning Authorities to refer additional applications will not mean that all such applications will be called in.

All decisions on planning applications, whether called in or not, are made in line with the development plan for an area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will provide the evidence base used to determine that 800m is the appropriate radius for station-based Green Belt release.

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

The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making.

The draft NPPF includes policies that would allow for suitable development (including housing and mixed-use) around railway stations offering high levels of connectivity, recognising these as relatively sustainable locations. It makes clear that such development should be limited to land physically well-related to the station and within reasonable walking distance of it.

Reasonable walking distance is not quantified in the consultation document itself but following the Oral Statement I made on 16 December 2025 I referenced 800 metres (approximately 10 minutes at moderate walking speed) as the government’s working assumption of how it might be defined.

The consultation seeks views on all aspects of the policy, including how reasonable walking distance should be defined. It is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help support the maintenance of highways in Hertfordshire.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is responsible for maintaining local roads in the Hertsmere constituency. The Department provided £35,671,790 in highways maintenance funding to HCC for the 2025/26 financial year and has confirmed a further £180,402,000 for the next four years (2026/27 to 2029/30) as part of the Department’s record £7.3 billion investment into local highway maintenance. This multi‑year settlement gives HCC the certainty to plan more proactive and preventative maintenance, helping to reduce potholes and improve overall road condition.

To ensure authorities maintain and repair their roads effectively, the Department has introduced a new traffic light rating system based on road condition, spending, and use of best practice. Hertfordshire received an amber rating under this system, with their individual scorecards showing amber for condition, green for spend and amber for best practice.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with local authorities. I met the Local Government Association on 10 February to discuss highways maintenance policy, and Departmental officials met HCC on 11 February to discuss their highways maintenance operations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve the condition of road networks in Hertsmere constituency.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is responsible for maintaining local roads in the Hertsmere constituency. The Department provided £35,671,790 in highways maintenance funding to HCC for the 2025/26 financial year and has confirmed a further £180,402,000 for the next four years (2026/27 to 2029/30) as part of the Department’s record £7.3 billion investment into local highway maintenance. This multi‑year settlement gives HCC the certainty to plan more proactive and preventative maintenance, helping to reduce potholes and improve overall road condition.

To ensure authorities maintain and repair their roads effectively, the Department has introduced a new traffic light rating system based on road condition, spending, and use of best practice. Hertfordshire received an amber rating under this system, with their individual scorecards showing amber for condition, green for spend and amber for best practice.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with local authorities. I met the Local Government Association on 10 February to discuss highways maintenance policy, and Departmental officials met HCC on 11 February to discuss their highways maintenance operations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with Hertfordshire County Council on improving their road maintenance rating.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is responsible for maintaining local roads in the Hertsmere constituency. The Department provided £35,671,790 in highways maintenance funding to HCC for the 2025/26 financial year and has confirmed a further £180,402,000 for the next four years (2026/27 to 2029/30) as part of the Department’s record £7.3 billion investment into local highway maintenance. This multi‑year settlement gives HCC the certainty to plan more proactive and preventative maintenance, helping to reduce potholes and improve overall road condition.

To ensure authorities maintain and repair their roads effectively, the Department has introduced a new traffic light rating system based on road condition, spending, and use of best practice. Hertfordshire received an amber rating under this system, with their individual scorecards showing amber for condition, green for spend and amber for best practice.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with local authorities. I met the Local Government Association on 10 February to discuss highways maintenance policy, and Departmental officials met HCC on 11 February to discuss their highways maintenance operations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support local highway authorities in improving their road maintenance rating.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government has confirmed a record £7.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next four years, providing longer‑term funding certainty for authorities to improve the condition of England’s roads.

Where authorities encounter challenges and received a red rating under the Department’s assessment system, targeted support will be offered through peer reviews led by sector experts to help strengthen their maintenance practices and improve outcomes.

The Department is also working with the UK Roads Leadership Group to update the Code of Practice for Well‑Managed Highway Infrastructure, helping ensure that local authorities continue to have access to current best practice guidance to support effective maintenance of their networks.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help increase pothole repairs in Hertsmere constituency.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is responsible for maintaining local roads in the Hertsmere constituency. The Department provided £35,671,790 in highways maintenance funding to HCC for the 2025/26 financial year and has confirmed a further £180,402,000 for the next four years (2026/27 to 2029/30) as part of the Department’s record £7.3 billion investment into local highway maintenance. This multi‑year settlement gives HCC the certainty to plan more proactive and preventative maintenance, helping to reduce potholes and improve overall road condition.

To ensure authorities maintain and repair their roads effectively, the Department has introduced a new traffic light rating system based on road condition, spending, and use of best practice. Hertfordshire received an amber rating under this system, with their individual scorecards showing amber for condition, green for spend and amber for best practice.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with local authorities. I met the Local Government Association on 10 February to discuss highways maintenance policy, and Departmental officials met HCC on 11 February to discuss their highways maintenance operations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure local authorities repair potholes in Hertfordshire.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is responsible for maintaining local roads in the Hertsmere constituency. The Department provided £35,671,790 in highways maintenance funding to HCC for the 2025/26 financial year and has confirmed a further £180,402,000 for the next four years (2026/27 to 2029/30) as part of the Department’s record £7.3 billion investment into local highway maintenance. This multi‑year settlement gives HCC the certainty to plan more proactive and preventative maintenance, helping to reduce potholes and improve overall road condition.

To ensure authorities maintain and repair their roads effectively, the Department has introduced a new traffic light rating system based on road condition, spending, and use of best practice. Hertfordshire received an amber rating under this system, with their individual scorecards showing amber for condition, green for spend and amber for best practice.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with local authorities. I met the Local Government Association on 10 February to discuss highways maintenance policy, and Departmental officials met HCC on 11 February to discuss their highways maintenance operations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with Hertfordshire County Council on potholes.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is responsible for maintaining local roads in the Hertsmere constituency. The Department provided £35,671,790 in highways maintenance funding to HCC for the 2025/26 financial year and has confirmed a further £180,402,000 for the next four years (2026/27 to 2029/30) as part of the Department’s record £7.3 billion investment into local highway maintenance. This multi‑year settlement gives HCC the certainty to plan more proactive and preventative maintenance, helping to reduce potholes and improve overall road condition.

To ensure authorities maintain and repair their roads effectively, the Department has introduced a new traffic light rating system based on road condition, spending, and use of best practice. Hertfordshire received an amber rating under this system, with their individual scorecards showing amber for condition, green for spend and amber for best practice.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with local authorities. I met the Local Government Association on 10 February to discuss highways maintenance policy, and Departmental officials met HCC on 11 February to discuss their highways maintenance operations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on supporting pothole repairs in Hertsmere constituency.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is responsible for maintaining local roads in the Hertsmere constituency. The Department provided £35,671,790 in highways maintenance funding to HCC for the 2025/26 financial year and has confirmed a further £180,402,000 for the next four years (2026/27 to 2029/30) as part of the Department’s record £7.3 billion investment into local highway maintenance. This multi‑year settlement gives HCC the certainty to plan more proactive and preventative maintenance, helping to reduce potholes and improve overall road condition.

To ensure authorities maintain and repair their roads effectively, the Department has introduced a new traffic light rating system based on road condition, spending, and use of best practice. Hertfordshire received an amber rating under this system, with their individual scorecards showing amber for condition, green for spend and amber for best practice.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with local authorities. I met the Local Government Association on 10 February to discuss highways maintenance policy, and Departmental officials met HCC on 11 February to discuss their highways maintenance operations.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the December 2022 report by the Drax company secretary into whistleblowing activity including the transcripts of discussions with Stuart Cotten, Hillary Berger, Richard Fullilove and Tanisha Beebee.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

DESNZ has not seen and does not hold any such report relating to whistleblowers at Drax. As part of its 2023-4 investigation into Drax, Ofgem considered a broad range of documents and sources, including statements from whistleblowers. Ofgem's investigation was comprehensive and wide-ranging, and found that whilst Drax complied with the sustainability standards, it failed to report data accurately. The detail of any documents considered in this investigation is for Ofgem to comment on as the independent regulator.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the recruitment freezes on cancer and diagnostic departments.

Answered by Ashley Dalton

The Department has not made a formal assessment, but the development of the National Cancer Plan has highlighted areas where there are higher vacancy rates in some areas of the country. The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology, where possible, to address these pressures.

In addition, there were more doctors working in clinical oncology and more radiology doctors in October 2025 compared to October 2024. In 2025, NHS England provided grant funding, of £441,000, to the Royal College of Radiologists to encourage foundation and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical oncology. This work is currently ongoing to recruit priority medical specialties including clinical oncologists, medical oncologists, and clinical radiologists. NHS England increased medical training places significantly in 2021 and has sustained these, with fluctuations, since.

Through these interventions, patients will see improvements now, and these training places will secure the workforce for the future. Where there are shortages or local challenges, decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. Trusts must manage their recruitment at a local level to ensure they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.

The Department has committed to the NHS meeting all cancer waiting time standards by the end of this Parliament, ending a decade of missed targets.

This can be achieved through our aim to deliver 9.5 million additional tests by 2029 though the Government’s £2.3 billion investment in diagnostics and ensuring as many community diagnostic centres as possible are fully operational and open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the workforce capacity in cancer and diagnostic services.

Answered by Ashley Dalton

The Department has not made a formal assessment, but the development of the National Cancer Plan has highlighted areas where there are higher vacancy rates in some areas of the country. The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology, where possible, to address these pressures.

In addition, there were more doctors working in clinical oncology and more radiology doctors in October 2025 compared to October 2024. In 2025, NHS England provided grant funding, of £441,000, to the Royal College of Radiologists to encourage foundation and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical oncology. This work is currently ongoing to recruit priority medical specialties including clinical oncologists, medical oncologists, and clinical radiologists. NHS England increased medical training places significantly in 2021 and has sustained these, with fluctuations, since.

Through these interventions, patients will see improvements now, and these training places will secure the workforce for the future. Where there are shortages or local challenges, decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. Trusts must manage their recruitment at a local level to ensure they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.

The Department has committed to the NHS meeting all cancer waiting time standards by the end of this Parliament, ending a decade of missed targets.

This can be achieved through our aim to deliver 9.5 million additional tests by 2029 though the Government’s £2.3 billion investment in diagnostics and ensuring as many community diagnostic centres as possible are fully operational and open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help recruit in clinical oncology and radiology.

Answered by Ashley Dalton

The Department has not made a formal assessment, but the development of the National Cancer Plan has highlighted areas where there are higher vacancy rates in some areas of the country. The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology, where possible, to address these pressures.

In addition, there were more doctors working in clinical oncology and more radiology doctors in October 2025 compared to October 2024. In 2025, NHS England provided grant funding, of £441,000, to the Royal College of Radiologists to encourage foundation and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical oncology. This work is currently ongoing to recruit priority medical specialties including clinical oncologists, medical oncologists, and clinical radiologists. NHS England increased medical training places significantly in 2021 and has sustained these, with fluctuations, since.

Through these interventions, patients will see improvements now, and these training places will secure the workforce for the future. Where there are shortages or local challenges, decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. Trusts must manage their recruitment at a local level to ensure they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.

The Department has committed to the NHS meeting all cancer waiting time standards by the end of this Parliament, ending a decade of missed targets.

This can be achieved through our aim to deliver 9.5 million additional tests by 2029 though the Government’s £2.3 billion investment in diagnostics and ensuring as many community diagnostic centres as possible are fully operational and open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.