Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how the powers, responsibility, and accountability of the Northern Ireland Planning Appeals Commission compare to similar bodies in the other countries of the UK; and what impact any difference is having on the Levelling Up agenda.

As the Noble Lord is aware, planning policy is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland and the Department for Infrastructure has responsibility for regional planning policy and legislation. The Northern Ireland Planning Appeals Commission is an independent body that deals with a wide range of land use and planning issues.

Reviewing the powers and performance of the Planning Appeals Commission is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly and that's why it is important that an Assembly Speaker is elected and the Northern Ireland Executive is reformed in order for these decisions to be made locally, where they should be.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has responsibility for planning policy in England. The other devolved administrations take responsibility for planning policy in their respective nations.