Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 104671 on Local Government Finance, what information his Department holds on guidance issued by (a) his Department and (b) the Planning Advisory Service on the use of interest accrued on unspent Community Infrastructure Levy funds.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) receipts must be used for the purposes which are set out in section 216 of the Planning Act 2008 and Part 7 of the CIL Regulations.
My Department’s published guidance on the CIL includes detailed advice as to what the levy can be spent on. The guidance in question can be found on gov.uk here.
Resources published by the Planning Advisory Service are available on their website here. These include a guide to publishing an Infrastructure Funding Statement. Infrastructure Funding Statements should provide clarity and transparency for communities and developers on the infrastructure and affordable housing that is expected to be delivered through developer contributions.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the statement on X by the Minister for Housing and Planning on 31 January that the Government could not commence the "relevant enfranchisement provisions" in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 until specific flaws within the Act were rectified, what specific flaws he was referring to; what plans they have to rectify these flaws through legislation; whether the Draft Leasehold and Commonhold Bill contains those legislative proposals; and if it does not, for what reason they are not included.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 contains a small number of specific but serious flaws which would prevent certain provisions from operating as intended and that need to be rectified via primary legislation.
The Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 HLWS240 (attached) outlined two flaws regarding a loophole in the valuation scheme set out in the Act, and an omission on shared ownership lease extensions.
Primary legislation will also be needed to address the following flaws:
As set out in the WMS of 27 January 2026 HLWS1278 (attached), the government will rectify these flaws in primary legislation.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of large-scale commercial events held in public parks in London on local communities, biodiversity, and long-term access to green space; and whether he plans to increase protections for such spaces.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We have made no central assessment on the impact of large-scale commercial events held in public parks in London. Whilst we recognise that open and green spaces are an essential part of local social infrastructure and must be protected for future generations, we also recognise that responsibility for funding, managing and maintaining urban parks lies mainly with local authorities. The government is committed to supporting Local Authorities in developing best practice to manage parks and green spaces.
We are consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including policies on areas of high biodiversity value, and a new requirement for local plans to set standards for green infrastructure drawing on the Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework. The consultation on changes to the NPPF will remain open for responses until 10th March 2026.
On protections for these spaces, last year we announced our intention to review existing protections for public recreational green spaces. We will seek to examine and understand the fragmented and outdated nature of current legislative protections, assess how these protections complement those in the planning system, and consider the lack of central records on protected land.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of places of worship in current plans for large-scale greenfield housing developments.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that planning policies and decisions should plan positively for the provision and use of community facilities, such as places of worship. It is for local planning authorities to make decisions on individual development proposals, and the government does not collate information on proposals to provide new places of worship as part of these.
The government is consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, more ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making, designed to make planning policy easier to use and underpin the delivery of faster and simpler local plans. The consultation includes policies to support the provision of places of worship, including where a development proposal for housing, employment or other development would give rise to significant numbers of additional people living in, working in or visiting an area.
We are inviting views on these proposals through the consultation, which is available here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith and Chiswick)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of Critical Time Intervention programmes for local authorities on preventing homelessness amongst people leaving prison.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We recognise the importance of public sector organisations working closely together to support people during key transition points. Within the National Plan to End Homelessness, we have worked collaboratively across Government to set ambitious targets to reduce the number of people leaving institutions into homelessness, enabling local authorities and local partners to deliver better support at transition points.
This includes a commitment to a 50% reduction in the proportion of people who become homeless on their first night out of prison and are subject to probation supervision by the end of this parliament.
To deliver on this commitment, we want to ensure the right support is available as people transition out of prison. This includes continued investing in Community Accommodation Service models and embedding as standard practice local partnerships, co-location and pre-release planning.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of wheelchair accessible homes that are being built; and what action they plan to take to encourage local planning authorities to provide more housing built to wheelchair accessible M4 standards.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Data relating to the number of wheelchair accessible homes is not collected centrally, although the (attached) English Housing Survey collects occasional series on accessibility and adaptations within the home.
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 consultation includes proposals for local planning authorities to set requirements for the delivery of M4(2) and M4(3) housing that will meet or exceed their locally assessed need for these types of housing.
In relation to M4(2) requirements, the government is proposing a national minimum that ensures at least 40% of new housing over the course of the plan period is delivered to M4(2) standards. This approach is intended to ensure that necessary levels of accessible housing are provided, while providing authorities with an appropriate degree of flexibility to maximise housebuilding overall.
Through the consultation we are seeking views on these proposals, including whether 40% is the right minimum proportion or whether an alternative requirement is preferable, and on the potential impacts of our proposals on protected groups under the Public Sector Equality Duty.
The consultation can be found on gov.uk here (attached) and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 list the expert advisers who are not civil servants or special advisers that provide advice the Minister for Housing and Planning.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
MHCLG ministers are advised by civil servants employed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Details of all meetings with external stakeholders are published on a quarterly basis on gov.uk.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many new Jewish places of worship have been granted planning permission by local authorities in (a) England and (b) greater London in every year since 1997.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department does not hold the requested information.
Although quarterly planning application statistics are collected and published on gov.uk here, separate figures on places of worship that have been granted planning permission are not collected.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many new Christian places of worship have been granted planning permission by local authorities in (a) England and (b) greater London in every year since 1997.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department does not hold the requested information.
Although quarterly planning application statistics are collected and published on gov.uk here, separate figures on places of worship that have been granted planning permission are not collected.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the status and timetable is of his Department's review of the legal framework of protections for public recreational space announced by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage during the passage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Open and green spaces are an essential part of local social infrastructure and must be protected for future generations.
The review of existing protections will examine the fragmented and outdated nature of current legislative protections for public recreational green spaces; assess how these protections complement those in the planning system; and consider the lack of central records on protected land.
Further details and a timetable will be set out in due course.