Every parliamentary written question tabled by Ben Maguire this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 61–80 of 560 · this parliament
What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
The provisions in the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 are kept under review and updated through primary legislation. We are currently seeking to make updates through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, including in part II of the act, which makes provision for the employment of children in England and Wales.
Communities and Local Government, when he expects pension administrators to be given instructions to implement buy back for pre-2000 retained firefighter claimants.
The administration of the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme, including delivery of the pensions remedy for retained firefighters, is the responsibility of local fire and rescue authorities in their role as scheme managers.My department does not issue operational instructions to administrators. However, we continue to work closely with the Government Actuary’s Department and the Local Government Association to provide the support and guidance scheme managers need to implement the remedy for retained firefighters correctly. We are aware of delays in some areas and are engaging with partners to help fire and rescue authorities resolve these as swiftly as possible.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government Legal Department’s position statement, published on 8 July 2025, what assessment his Department has made of the steps required to implement pension buy back for pre-2000 retained firefighter claimants.
The administration of the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme, including delivery of the pensions remedy for retained firefighters, is the responsibility of local fire and rescue authorities in their role as scheme managers.My department does not issue operational instructions to administrators. However, we continue to work closely with the Government Actuary’s Department and the Local Government Association to provide the support and guidance scheme managers need to implement the remedy for retained firefighters correctly. We are aware of delays in some areas and are engaging with partners to help fire and rescue authorities resolve these as swiftly as possible.
What assessment his Department has made of the i) effectiveness and ii) adequacy of the consistency of voluntary community benefits guidance for onshore wind developments.
England and Scotland have established voluntary community benefits guidance for onshore wind, setting out best practice approaches with expectations that developers provide £5,000 per megawatt of capacity yearly over the project’s lifetime. The quality and value of community benefits have increased over time in Scotland, with large scale projects commonly offering this figure or more. There is limited evidence in England given the de facto ban, however this will be monitored as deployment increases.Government has sought views on the potential introduction of mandatory community benefits for low carbon energy infrastructure through our working paper, published May 2025.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impacts of making community benefit payments for onshore wind developments in England a statutory requirement.
The ‘Community benefits and shared ownership for low carbon energy infrastructure: working paper’ (published in May 2025) sought views on the level of contributions, calculation methods and the scope of technologies to help assess these impacts to ensure that any scheme delivers benefits that outweigh potential costs. We will publish a Government response shortly. Additionally, we note that community benefits provision is already well-established in the onshore wind sector on a voluntary basis, meaning many developers factor this into their existing project practices. Any decision on mandating community benefits will be informed by stakeholder feedback and follow an impact assessment.
What steps her Department is taking to apply the findings of the 2025 Green Book Review to help ensure that transport schemes in rural areas like Cornwall receive adequate funding.
The government is changing the Green Book and how it is used to make sure that every region is given a fair hearing when it comes to investment. That is why a shorter, more streamlined version of the Green Book will be published soon.
What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the Green Book appraisal framework for reflecting the value of transport infrastructure funding in rural areas like Cornwall.
The Department for Transport’s Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG) is a robust framework for assessing the cost and benefits of different transport schemes, across different parts of the UK. TAG builds on the foundations set by HM Treasury’s Green Book with specific guidance for transport schemes, but it does not deviate from the key principles set by the Green Book. The Department plans to update TAG in response to HM Treasury’s Green Book Review published last July, including supporting the development of place-based business cases. The Department is developing an Appraisal, Modelling and Evaluation Strategy to identify updates to TAG to prioritise improvements to appraisal over the next five years, so investment decisions prioritise people and places are underpinned by high quality and accessible analysis. We listened to feedback from our extensive stakeholder engagement programme as part of this, and an emerging action is to consider developing the appraisal guidance for non-urban areas – including rural areas like Cornwall.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Green Book cost benefit analysis accounts for (a) economic and (b) connectivity issues when assessing transport infrastructure proposals in rural areas like Cornwall.
The Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG) provides methods and advice for assessing the impacts of schemes on economic activity and connectivity. This is mainly from direct benefits to travel users from reductions in travel time, and service improvements such as increasing frequency and quality. TAG can also assess impacts for wider economic, social and environmental impacts. For example, better connectivity can lead to productivity gains to businesses taking advantage of access to new markets and opportunities, or better access to jobs for people. These methods are equally applicable to urban and non-urban areas.
How many employees were deployed in utility sectors to respond to red warnings issued as a result of Storm Goretti.
The Electricity Network Operator, National Grid Electricity Distribution, deployed 900 engineers and field staff each day, from Friday 9th to Tuesday 13th January, when supplies were fully restored in the impacted regions. We are unable to confirm how many employees were deployed in other utility sectors as the department does not hold this information and is held by relevant Government Departments.
Communities and Local Government, if his Department will conduct an impact assessment of the fiscal impacts of providing targeted Bellwin Scheme relief to Cornwall Council, in the context of the costs incurred by the Council following Storm Goretti.
I have great sympathy for all those affected by the impacts of Storm Goretti and I would like to thank Cornwall Council for the actions it took to protect its community. Cornwall Council has not formally registered for Bellwin assistance in respect of the costs it incurred following Storm Goretti but I would be happy to consider an application.
If her Department will make an assessment of trends in the level of regional income disparities for people applying for UK family visas.
The MIR was raised in April 2024 from £18,600 to £29,000. This was the first time it had been increased since its introduction.To help ensure we reach the right balance and have a solid evidence base for any further change, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) was commissioned to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules.Conducting a full review of the financial requirements across the family routes will ensure we have a clear and consistent system. The MAC published their independent review of the financial requirements across the family routes and their report is now under review.We will consider the recommendations made by the MAC and the Home Secretary will respond to the review in due course.
Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding permitted development rights for rooftop solar installations in conservation areas.
To facilitate the take up of renewable energy, nationally set permitted development rights enable the installation of solar equipment on or within the curtilage of buildings, including in conservation areas, without the need to submit a planning application. There are no plans to undertake such assessments. We continue to keep permitted development rights under review.
Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of permitting low-impact rooftop solar installations in conservation areas on levels of energy costs for homeowners.
To facilitate the take up of renewable energy, nationally set permitted development rights enable the installation of solar equipment on or within the curtilage of buildings, including in conservation areas, without the need to submit a planning application. There are no plans to undertake such assessments. We continue to keep permitted development rights under review.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to written statement UIN HCWS1187 on Planning Reform: Next Stage, for what reasons the proposed revised National Planning Policy Framework changes policy HC6: Retention of key community facilities and public service infrastructure so that it applies only to facilities that are the last of its type in the area concerned.
The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which includes proposed policies to safeguard against the loss of key community facilities, such as public houses. This approach reflects common practice in local plans and is intended to support the government’s wider ‘Pride in Place’ agenda. Through the consultation we are seeking views on these proposals, including whether this safeguard should apply only to key community facilities and public service infrastructure which are the last of their type in the area concerned. The proposed approach is designed to avoid unreasonable restrictions being placed on proposals to change the use of existing premises. The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of removing Sport England as a statutory consultee on planning applications involving playing fields, on community sport and recreation.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 103087 on 13 January 2026.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to written statement UIN HCWS1187 on Planning Reform: Next Stage, what assessment his Department has made on the impact of proposed changes to policy HC6: Retention of key community facilities and public service infrastructure on (a) pub closure rates and (b) the ability of communities to save a local pub from closure, conversion or demolition.
The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which includes proposed policies to safeguard against the loss of key community facilities, such as public houses. This approach reflects common practice in local plans and is intended to support the government’s wider ‘Pride in Place’ agenda. Through the consultation we are seeking views on these proposals, including whether this safeguard should apply only to key community facilities and public service infrastructure which are the last of their type in the area concerned. The proposed approach is designed to avoid unreasonable restrictions being placed on proposals to change the use of existing premises. The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local communities do not lose access to playing fields and sports facilities as a result of changes to the planning system.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 103087 on 13 January 2026.
Whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for the Music and Dance Scheme; and whether she plans to announce a multiple-year settlement.
I refer the hon. Member for North Cornwall to the answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78608.
Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Marine Management Organisation’s statutory guidance document entitled Variation issued: Thursday 01 January 2026, updated on December 29th, 2025, whether her Department has conducted an impact assessment on increasing the bass threshold for (a) rod and line fishing and (b) catch net.
No impact assessments have been produced because catch limits are agreed through UK/EU annual negotiations and limits cover all permitted gears at a coastal state level, as well as across the stock’s natural range.
If he will accept the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s compensation recommendations in full as part of his review on compensating women born in the 1950s affected by changes to the State Pension age.
As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State set out on 11 November 2025, we are retaking the decision made in December 2024 as it relates to the communications on State Pension age. The process to retake the decision is underway. We will update the House on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.