Written questions by MacNae.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the legislative proposal to remove Sport England as a statutory consultee in planning decisions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the protection of playing fields.

Access to open green spaces and playing fields is crucial to the government’s ambitions to increase physical activity levels across the nation and deliver on its Health Mission. We remain committed to protecting and extending our playing field capacity. The National Planning Policy Framework ensures these interests are maintained in the planning system. Sport England plays an important role in developing local development and strategic plans, and through the publication of guidance and advice. The government is committed to reviewing the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510), we intend to consult on removing a limited number of statutory consultees, including Sports England. We also intend to review the range and type of planning applications on which statutory consultees are required to be consulted and consider whether some types of application could be removed, or addressed by alternative means of engagement and provision of expert advice. Further details will be set out in due course.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing the requirement for a national insurance number on postal vote registration forms.

The requirement to provide a National Insurance Number when applying for a postal vote acts to ensure that the person making the application is the same individual entitled to apply for the postal vote and mirrors the longstanding practice when registering to vote. There are no plans to change the requirements for an absent vote application.

Communities and Local Government, if her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing protections for buyers in the final stages of purchasing a home whereby the formal acceptance of an offer creates a legally binding contract between buyer and seller.

We recognise that the home buying and selling process in England and Wales is inefficient and costly for consumers and professionals with one in three property transactions falling through. We continue to review evidence from other jurisdictions, including on protections such as reservation agreements, as we consider next steps.