Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has has discussions on the proposed Chinese Embassy in London with representatives of the Chinese Government.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Chancellor has engaged with the Chinese Government on a number of occasions, including during her visit to China for the 2025 UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue, and has discussed a range of economic and financial issues. The Chancellor published a written ministerial statement about her visit to China on the morning of Monday 13 January (found here) and delivered an oral statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday 14 January (found here).
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has discussed the proposed Chinese Embassy in London with the Chinese Government.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Chancellor has engaged with the Chinese Government on a number of occasions, including during her visit to China for the 2025 UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue, and has discussed a range of economic and financial issues. The Chancellor published a written ministerial statement about her visit to China on the morning of Monday 13 January (found here) and delivered an oral statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday 14 January (found here).
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the maximum residency period for UK citizens in the EU from 90 days to 180 days.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
HMG officials and Ministers, including myself, regularly engage EU and EU Member State counterparts on a range of issues affecting UK nationals.
The EU allows for travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period; this is standard for third countries travelling visa-free to the EU. UK nationals planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.
Asked by: Sarah Hall (Labour (Co-op) - Warrington South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to review planning requirements for converting homes into houses in multiple occupation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local planning authorities already have planning powers to limit the concentration or proliferation of HMOs within their locality. They can remove the national permitted development right for smaller HMOs to protect the local amenity or wellbeing of an area by introducing an ‘Article 4’ direction which, once in place, requires all new HMO proposals to secure planning permission. We keep the powers to regulate HMOs under review.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to bring forward further legislative proposals on planning reform.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Any new primary legislation will be formally announced to Parliament in the usual way.
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 are the internal areas within the proposed Chinese Embassy that would be exempt from UK inspection and verification.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
All material planning considerations, including national and international law, will be taken into account in reaching a decision on this case. The full reasons for the decision will be set out in the final decision letter.
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 30 October 2025 to Question 84643 on Infrastructure: Planning Permission, if he will publish a list of planning applications that have been submitted in this Parliament but not yet had a decision by (a) name of the project, (b) local authority, (c) application date and (d) target date for a decision.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Data on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, including details such as project name, location, application date, and target decision date, is published and regularly updated on the Planning Inspectorate’s website here.
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 28 October 2025, to Question 81310, on Universal Studios: Bedfordshire, if he will make it his policy to publish all online written representations to planning applications for Special Development Orders.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Special Development Orders are a long-established part of the planning system, and each case is considered on its individual merits.
In July 2025, my Department set out how it intends to inform the public of its decision on a request for planning permission for an Entertainment Resort Complex and associated development in Bedford.
There is no statutory requirement to publish representations received in relation to Special Development Orders and the government has no plans to change this.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 the Written Statement of 23 October 2025 on Housing Delivery, HCWS991, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the new time-limited planning route on the role of (a) local authorities, (b) ward councillors, and (c) planning committees.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 23 October 2025, the Secretary of State and the Mayor of London announced a new package of support for housebuilding in London. Details can be found on gov.uk here.
A consultation on these London-specific measures will be launched in November 2025, and feedback will be welcomed from local planning authorities and local councillors.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of planning restrictions on noise levels for heat pumps on installation of those pumps.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Research found that noise complaints from air source heat pumps are rare and heat pumps are perceived as being very quiet (Air source heat pump noise emissions, planning guidance and regulations - GOV.UK).
In 2025 the Government amended the Permitted Development Right for air source heat pumps in England, to give households greater flexibility to install an air source heat pump without needing to submit a planning application, while retaining the sound limit. Subsequently, some installers have reported significant reductions in installations requiring planning applications.
The Government continues to explore how to streamline the planning process for low carbon heating.