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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have written to each local planning authority in England in the last 12 months to remind them that charges for pre-application advice under section 93 of the Local Government Act 2003 must relate only to cost recovery; and, if not, whether they plan to do so.

The Government has not written to each local planning authority in the last 12 months to remind them that charges for pre-application advice should not exceed cost-recovery and has no plans to do so.

Planning Practice Guidance already makes clear that local planning authorities may charge for discretionary services, including pre-application advice, under section 93 of the Local Government Act 2003, but that such charges should not exceed the cost of providing the service.