Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) onshore oil developments in the UK on areas of significant housing growth such as the Ardingly Reservoir catchment and (b) those developments on drinking water.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Local planning authorities and the Environment Agency are responsible for assessing the impact of onshore oil and gas developments on housing and drinking water respectively.
The North Sea Transition Authority regulates exploration and development licensing for England’s onshore oil and gas resources on behalf of the Secretary of State. Licence holders require further consents and permits before any operations take place.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the performance of free schools compared with maintained schools and academies in terms of educational outcomes.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Many free schools, run by strong trusts, have contributed to raising standards and achieved strong outcomes for their pupils. However, too many children and young people are still being left behind due to their educational needs or their background.
The department is proceeding with mainstream projects that meet the needs of communities, respond to demographic and housing demand, and raise standards without undermining the viability of existing local schools and colleges. We are backing new schools that offer something unique for students who would otherwise not have access to it. For example, we will open two new maths schools, to give talented students in the North and the Midlands a fairer chance to pursue advanced mathematics.
The department has also announced that we are investing at least £3 billion to create 50,000 new specialist places. To support this investment, we are not proceeding with some mainstream free school projects.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help ensure that playing fields are not used for development in North Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) includes strong protections for existing open space, sports and recreational buildings, and land, including playing fields, setting out that they should not be built on unless they are no longer needed, equivalent or better provision is made, or the development is for alternative sports or recreational provision which offers benefits that clearly outweigh the loss of the current or former use.
The government is consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, more rules-based policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation includes updated policy on development affecting existing recreation facilities, including playing fields.
The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
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 each planning application that has been called in since 4 July 2024, including (a) planning reference number, (b) local authority, (c) the proposed development, and the result of each decision to date.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Since 4 July 2024, the Secretary of State has called in the following planning applications:
Cases called in 04/07/24 to 14/01/26
Location | LPA | LPA Ref | Call in Date | Development Description | Outcome |
Northfleet Harbourside, land surrounding Ebbsfleet Football Club, Northfleet, Kent | Gravesham Borough Council | 20221064 | 07/02/25 | Mixed-use redevelopment including new homes, commercial space and supporting infrastructure. | Inquiry closed Nov 25 – Inspector’s Report awaited |
Heath Business & Technical Park & land north of Heath Rd, Runcorn, Cheshire | Halton Borough Council | 22/00569/OUT | 19/09/25 | Mixed-use scheme including up to 545 homes and supporting community and employment facilities. | With MHCLG – target date for decision 13 Mar 2026 |
Land south of Frome Somerset | Somerset Council | 2021/1675/EOUT | 03/02/25 | Up to 1,700 homes with a local centre, employment land, greenspace and associated infrastructure. | Inquiry closed Sept 25 – Inspector's report awaited |
Land south of Sittingbourne, Kent | Swale Borough Council | 21/503914/EIOUT | 07/11/24 | Major mixed‑use development including up to 7,150 homes, employment space, schools, community facilities and major highways works. | Inquiry closed Oct 25 – Inspector's report awaited |
Beehive Centre, Coldhams Lane, Cambridge | Cambridge City Council | 23/03204/OUT | 11/02/25 | Redevelopment of the site to provide a new local centre, employment floorspace, open space and associated infrastructure | Planning permission Granted 9 Dec 25 |
Royal Mint Court, London | London Borough Tower Hamlets | PA/24/01229/A1 | 14/10/24 | Redevelopment of the site to provide a new embassy, including works to listed buildings, public realm improvements and associated infrastructure. . | Decision issued on 20 Jan 26 |
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help increase firefighter recruitment.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
While the Government is committed to ensuring fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work, is it individual fire and rescue authorities that are responsible for recruitment and decisions around deployment of resources.
The provisional 2026-27 Settlement will make available almost £1.99bn in Core Spending Power for standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities in England, a 4.4% increase compared to 2025-26. By the end of the multi-year period (2026-27 to 2028-29), we will have provided a 12.6% increase compared to 2025-26. (NB: this excludes Greater Manchester and York and North Yorkshire mayoral authorities.)
Asked by: Alison Griffiths (Conservative - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support his Department provides to local authorities responding to maritime incidents that result in environmental contamination or significant shoreline clean-up operations.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
MHCLG is not responsible for maritime or environmental clean-up operations. The Lead Government Department responsibility for these sits with the Department for Transport and the Environment Agency, which are responsible for guidance to local authorities on these issues. I would also refer the hon Lady to the Answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security gave to the Member for North West Norfolk (James Wild) on 29 April 2025 UIN 46848.
Asked by: Jonathan Brash (Labour - Hartlepool)
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 implications for its policies of trends in the level of the dispersal of homeless families from local authorities in the South East and the Midlands to the North East.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Published data shows only small numbers moving from the South East or Midlands to the North East, with most placements made within the same region.
The Code of Guidance makes clear families should be placed locally first. That’s why we are improving data, raising expectations, and working with councils to reduce poor practice.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, whether his Department considered recent local government reorganisation in Northern Ireland when deciding on local government reorganisation in England.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out in my letter to council leaders, previous governments have postponed local elections in areas contemplating and undergoing local government reorganisation to allow councils to focus their time and energy on the process. For example, between 2019-2022, the previous government postponed elections in Buckinghamshire, Cumbria, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Somerset, and Weymouth and Portland. We have not however looked to examples of local government reorganisation from the 1970s or Northern Ireland in relation to the potential postponement of local elections as we are committed to the process and indicative timetable that was published in July. This sees elections to new councils in May 2027 and those councils going live in April 2028. This is a complex process, and we will take decisions based on the evidence provided.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, whether he considered the precedent of local government reorganisation in the 1970s on cancelling elections.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out in my letter to council leaders, previous governments have postponed local elections in areas contemplating and undergoing local government reorganisation to allow councils to focus their time and energy on the process. For example, between 2019-2022, the previous government postponed elections in Buckinghamshire, Cumbria, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Somerset, and Weymouth and Portland. We have not however looked to examples of local government reorganisation from the 1970s or Northern Ireland in relation to the potential postponement of local elections as we are committed to the process and indicative timetable that was published in July. This sees elections to new councils in May 2027 and those councils going live in April 2028. This is a complex process, and we will take decisions based on the evidence provided.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, whether he considered early local elections in areas undergoing reorganisation.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out in my letter to council leaders, previous governments have postponed local elections in areas contemplating and undergoing local government reorganisation to allow councils to focus their time and energy on the process. For example, between 2019-2022, the previous government postponed elections in Buckinghamshire, Cumbria, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Somerset, and Weymouth and Portland. We have not however looked to examples of local government reorganisation from the 1970s or Northern Ireland in relation to the potential postponement of local elections as we are committed to the process and indicative timetable that was published in July. This sees elections to new councils in May 2027 and those councils going live in April 2028. This is a complex process, and we will take decisions based on the evidence provided.