Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Government meets its heat pump installation targets.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government is committed to growing the market to 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028. We are supporting installations through schemes like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, Social Housing Decarbonisation Scheme and Energy Company Obligation. From 2025, we expect the Future Homes Standard and the Clean Heat Market Mechanism to support further market growth.
The Government is supporting the supply chain, through Heat Pump Investment Accelerator Competition for manufacturers and the Heat Training Grant. We are also consulting on changes to Permitted Development Rights to make it easier for people who want a heat pump to install one.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the news release from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights entitled Attacks on the humanitarian aid distribution system, published on 22 March 2024.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
It is imperative that those doing life-saving work are properly protected. The Foreign Secretary has called on Israel to reform its deconfliction mechanism to ensure the safety of aid workers and to make progress on the UN's minimal operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals granted, as well as more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the issue of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the Gambia and what discussions they have had with the government of the Gambia in relation to proposed legislation repealing the law banning FGM.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a form of violence and a human rights violation. The UK Government, alongside our international partners, continues to have frank and open conversations with The Gambian Government, including the President and other Ministers, about the Bill to repeal the ban on FGM. On 19 March, the Foreign Secretary issued a tweet reinforcing the UK Government's position that FGM is harmful and should be illegal, and the Minister for Development and Africa spoke to the President about the repercussions of any vote in favour of FGM once again being permitted in The Gambia.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports of stabilisation and growth in the housing market, what steps they are taking to ensure that this translates into an increased housing supply, particularly in areas facing housing shortages.
Answered by Baroness Swinburne - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Housebuilding is a priority for this Government, and we are on track to meet our manifesto commitment to deliver one million homes over this Parliament. In December, the revised National Planning Policy Framework was published, making clear that a core purpose of the planning system is planning for the homes and other development that our communities need. With both the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act and the new Framework now in place, alongside the additional resources for planning departments the Government has recently announced, our planning reforms will accelerate the delivery of new homes.
We are spending billions to support housebuilding, including through our £1 billion Brownfield Infrastructure and Land Fund and our £1.5 billion Levelling Up Homebuilding Fund (LUHBF). We have scaled up the delivery of affordable housing by investing £11.5 billion through the Affordable Homes Programme, which will provide thousands of new homes for rent and sale across the country.
In February, we announced that we are consulting on a range of new measures to boost housebuilding while protecting the Green Belt, through strengthening planning support for brownfield housing development. Legislation was also laid to extend current permitted development rights to support the conversion of commercial buildings of any size into new homes, and we announced an expansion of the ENABLE Build scheme to increase availability of SME finance to the sector.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has held recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the potential impact of planning regulations on the installation of electronic vehicle charging points.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Officials in the Department for Transport and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) are exploring potential changes to planning to make it easier to install chargepoints.
In 2023, the Government introduced changes to permitted development rights (PDR), enabling chargepoint operators to install through PDR on behalf of local authorities. On 13 February 2024, DLUHC launched a consultation, seeking to make further changes to PDR. The proposed changes aim to make installations at off-street locations easier and quicker. A government response to the consultation will be issued in due course.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to reduce planning approval times for new electric vehicle charging installations.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Nationally set permitted development rights enable the installation of electric vehicle charging points (EVCPs) without the need for a planning application. We are currently consulting on changes to the rights to provide increased flexibility to individuals and organisations wishing to install EVCPs. The consultation is open until 9 April and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changes-to-various-permitted-development-rights-consultation.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of amending planning rules to make it easier to install bicycle sheds in front gardens.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
We are currently consulting on changes to the householder permitted development rights to allow bin and bike stores in front gardens without the need for a planning application.
The consultation is open until 9 April 2024 and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changes-to-various-permitted-development-rights-consultation.
Asked by: Andrew Selous (Conservative - South West Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps to ensure that cycle parking is (a) secure, (b) convenient and (c) sufficient.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
It is for local authorities to decide on appropriate cycle parking provision that would best serve the needs of their local communities. These can be funded through a range of local transport and levelling up funding programmes.
As a statutory consultee, Active Trave England makes recommendations for the provision of cycle parking in line with the standards set out in Local Transport Note 1/20 in developments it is consulted on.
Alongside this, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has opened a consultation on the relaxation of ‘permitted development’ rights. These proposals include the right for homeowners to place a bike store in their front garden without the need for planning permission.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to balance the availability of affordable housing with the need to support the tourist economy, particularly in areas reliant on short-term property rentals.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
We have announced a short-term let use class which will apply to properties that are not someone's sole or main home. Existing short-term lets will be reclassified to the new use class. Permitted development rights will allow properties to change use from a short-term let to a dwellinghouse and vice versa. Where there is an issue, the local planning authority may remove this right and require a planning application where in future a dwellinghouse seeks to become a short-term let.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what guidance her Department issues to broadband providers on working with planning authorities when installing electronic communications apparatus.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We believe that communities benefit enormously from the deployment of high quality digital infrastructure, with all the economic and social benefits it brings. We want to make sure that deployment happens efficiently, but at the same time, in ways that make sure the impact on communities and the environment is taken into account and broad support is maintained for the rollout of this critical infrastructure.
The Government is acutely aware of ongoing concerns about the installation of telegraph poles. On 20 February, the Secretary of State wrote to the Chief Executive of Ofcom regarding the 2003 Regulations, asking them how they could enforce greater infrastructure sharing.
We are actively considering a wide range of measures we can take to address these concerns, and to promote collaborative engagement between operators and communities. I will ensure that interested Members are made aware of any concrete steps my Department takes.
Telegraph poles play an important role in delivering efficient and cost effective coverage and connectivity to communities, particularly in hard to reach areas without costly and disruptive roadworks, or where existing infrastructure cannot be used.
Although permitted development rights allow telegraph poles and lines to be deployed without requiring case-by-case approval from the planning authority, these rights are still subject to certain restrictions and limitations set out in legislation. The Department issues no specific guidance on the permitted development rights for electronic communications.
However, we recognise that care must be taken when choosing where to site telegraph poles; ensuring that any potential disruption to communities is minimised.
That is why additional duties and obligations relating to telecommunications installations are included in the Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003 (“the 2003 Regulations”) which Code Operators are required to comply with, such as requirements for all operators to share apparatus where practicable, and also to use underground, rather than overground, lines where reasonably practicable, with certain exceptions.
The 2003 Regulations also require that in certain PDR cases, the operator must notify the local planning authority of its intention to deploy certain apparatus, provided that they have no pre-existing equipment in the area. The local planning authority may give written notice of conditions with which they wish the Operator to comply in respect of the installation of the apparatus.
In addition, there is a Code of Practice (The Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice 2016) in place relating to the siting of cabinet and pole installations. It provides guidance on ways operators can ensure these installations are placed appropriately, and that local authorities and communities are engaged with regarding proposed installations. For example, it sets out that where new poles are to be installed the operator should place a site notice to indicate to nearby residents the intention to install a pole, and the proposed location.
As well as the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice, the Digital Connectivity Portal provides extensive guidance for local authorities and operators to help facilitate broadband deployment, including technical information, and examples of best practice such as early engagement with communities.