Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Written Statement of 6 December 2022, HCWS416, on An Update on Levelling Up, whether his Department is taking steps to advise local authorities which are part-way through planning inspectorate examinations on their strategic frameworks and local plans.

Due to my quasi-judicial role in the planning process I cannot comment on a specific local plan. It is the role of the independent Inspector, appointed by the Secretary of State, to test plans against current national policies through examination. The Government is consulting on its proposed approach to updating the National Planning Policy Framework until 2 March 2023. Any subsequent updates to policies and guidance are expected to be introduced later in the Spring, taking into account the responses received. At that stage, it will be for authorities with plans already submitted for examination, together with the Inspector, to determine how to proceed.