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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support local authorities to complete their Local Plans.

On 19 January 2021, a Written Statement was made in the House of Commons which set out the importance of maintaining progress to get up to date local plans in place by December 2023. The Written Statement also made it clear that I would consider contacting those authorities where delays to plan-making have occurred to discuss the reasons why this has happened and actions to be undertaken. I have subsequently contacted a number of authorities where delays have occurred, and meetings are currently taking place with them in order to identify what support the Department can offer to help ensure that those areas can benefit from an up to date plan as soon as possible.