Written questions by Stephenson.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance entitled New national flood and coastal erosion risk information, published on 25 March 2025, if she will hold discussions with the Planning Inspectorate to ensure that new houses are not built on functional floodplains.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 is clear that new housing and most other forms of development should not be permitted in functional flood plains.National planning policy and guidance expect flood risk assessments to consider all sources of flooding, and to take the most up-to-date information into account, which includes the Environment Agency's NaFRA2 data.It is for individual decision-makers, including local planning authorities and the Planning Inspectorate, to apply this policy and guidance. Support in doing so is available from various sources, including recent webinars hosted by the Town and Country Planning Association. Additional guidance on interpreting the updated NaFRA2 data is also available through the Environment Agency and sector partners to assist local planning authorities.The New Towns Programme aims to create environmentally resilient places that support the Government’s net-zero agenda through sustainable design, nature enhancement, low-carbon infrastructure, and responsible development, including flood risk mitigation.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of how long housing delivery of 300,000 per year would need to be sustained to result in a reduction in the ratio of wages to house prices to 1997 levels.

As the hon. Member is aware, the government has not set interim annual targets in respect of its ambitious Plan for Change milestone of delivering 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. As such, we do not have an annual housing target of 300,000 homes. Due to the reduced levels of housing supply that we inherited from the previous government, we have been clear that rates of housebuilding will have to increase significantly in the later years of the Parliament.House prices are influenced by a variety of economic factors, including but not limited to, the supply of new homes. For more information on the factors that influence house prices, I refer the hon. Member to the publication “Analysis of the Determinants of House Price Changes” (2018) which can be found here.The effects of housing undersupply can be seen in affordability and rent pressures. Boosting the supply of homes of all tenures therefore must be at the heart of any strategy to improve housing affordability.Through the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024, the government implemented a new standard method for assessing housing needs to increase supply and better direct new homes to the areas where they are currently least affordable and therefore most needed.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance entitled New national flood and coastal erosion risk information, published on 25 March 2025, whether her Department plans to have discussions with local authorities on avoiding development in areas of functional floodplain.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 is clear that new housing and most other forms of development should not be permitted in functional flood plains.National planning policy and guidance expect flood risk assessments to consider all sources of flooding, and to take the most up-to-date information into account, which includes the Environment Agency's NaFRA2 data.It is for individual decision-makers, including local planning authorities and the Planning Inspectorate, to apply this policy and guidance. Support in doing so is available from various sources, including recent webinars hosted by the Town and Country Planning Association. Additional guidance on interpreting the updated NaFRA2 data is also available through the Environment Agency and sector partners to assist local planning authorities.The New Towns Programme aims to create environmentally resilient places that support the Government’s net-zero agenda through sustainable design, nature enhancement, low-carbon infrastructure, and responsible development, including flood risk mitigation.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of trends in the level of land banking by developers.

My Department does not routinely collect data from private developers on their land holdings or contracts over land.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records, published on 19 April 2025, if she will issue guidance to local authorities on the expected quality checks they will need to put in place to ensure that data is transcribed accurately.

The ‘Extract’ tool is currently being tested. When the tool is launched the department will provide guidance alongside it to support local authorities in verifying and producing accurate data. The tool has also been designed to include a human verification element in the process of extracting data, which will enable local authorities to identify if any of the data is inaccurate and amend the results.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on the UK’s target to protect at least 30 per cent of its land and sea for nature by 2030.

The Departmernt published an Impact Assessment (IA) for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on 6 May 2025. It can be found here. The IA received a ‘Green’ rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC), indicating that it is ‘fit for purpose’.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the planning system in Bedfordshire to manage planning applications for (a) accommodation, (b) hospitality and leisure and (c) other development types resulting from the proposed Universal theme park in Bedfordshire.

On 9 April 2025, the Prime Minister announced that a multi-billion-pound investment in a major new Universal theme park and resort in Bedford had been agreed between Universal Studios, the UK Government, and Bedford Borough Council. The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has agreed, in principle, to consider any proposal. Given the proposals remain subject to a planning decision, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Ministers cannot comment on any proposal, as to do so could prejudice the position of the Deputy Prime Minister. Should the Department receive such a request, it will carry out a proper and impartial consideration of the planning merits of the proposed development.

Communities and Local Government, whether councils can account for costs of planning appeals when calculating the level of planning fees in the context of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill contains a measure which would allow local planning authorities to set their own planning fees. The process for setting these fees will be set out in regulations. We will also publish guidance on the costs that may be considered when calculating planning fees.

Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department has provided to (a) Bedford Borough and (b) Central Bedfordshire Councils to tackle rough sleeping in each financial year since 2022-23.

Between 2022/23 and 2024/25, Bedford Borough Council were allocated funding to tackle rough sleeping through the Rough Sleeping Initiative, Accommodation for Ex-Offenders, Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment. Bedford Borough Council were allocated £2,929,761 in 2022/23, £2,007,058 in 2023/24 and £1,718,596 in 2024/25. In 2025/26, this Government has simplified local authorities’ access to and management of rough sleeping grants by consolidating the Rough Sleeping Initiative and Accommodation for Ex Offenders programmes into the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant. Bedford Borough Council have also been allocated Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment in 2025/26. The total funding allocation is £1,699,802. Between 2022/23 and 2024/25, Central Bedfordshire Council were allocated funding to tackle rough sleeping through the Rough Sleeping Initiative and the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme. Central Bedfordshire Council were allocated £542,406 in 2022/23, £560,600 in 2023/24 and £388,479 in 2024/25. In 2025/26 Central Bedfordshire Council have been allocated £388,479 to tackle rough sleeping through the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant and the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the total cost of employers’ National Insurance contributions in (a) London boroughs, (b) Metropolitan districts, (c) County councils, (d) Shire districts, (e) Unitary authorities, (f) the Greater London Authority, (g) fire and rescue authorities and (h) fire and rescue authorities in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in (i) 2024-25 and (ii) 2025-26.

In the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced funding to help public sector organisations cover the additional costs associated with employer National Insurance Contributions. This funding has been allocated to departments and other public sector employers, with shares based on data covering headcount, wage and salary costs The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government allocated its share of the funding based on a measure of total service expenditure. The department published details of its methodology on the government website: Updated explanatory note on the Employer National Insurance Contribution Grant 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press notice entitled Chancellor vows to go further and faster to kickstart economic growth, published on 29 January 2025, what her Department's timetable is for publishing the location of the submissions for sizeable new developments along the East-West Rail route.

The New Towns Taskforce will submit its final report this summer.

Communities and Local Government, if she will implement the powers provided under section 113 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 23874 on 22 January 2025.

Communities and Local Government, if she will publish a digital, publicly available map of Tree Protection Orders.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 35438 on 12 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what local taxes she intends for Mayors to be able to levy.

The English Devolution White Paper sets out an enhanced Devolution Framework. This will be available by default rather than by deal, to both existing and new strategic authorities, creating a consistent, systematic approach and providing Mayor’s with the power to decide what is right for their areas. This framework includes the ability for all Mayoral Strategic Authorities to introduce mayoral precepting on council tax and the ability to raise a Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy to fund strategic infrastructure once a Spatial Development Strategy is in place.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled £2 billion new investment to support biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, published on 25 March 2025, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) social and (b) affordable homes that will be built in Bedfordshire in the 2026-27 financial year.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 44049 on 22 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled Public land unlocked for the next generation of homeowners, published on 27 March 2025, whether any of the land will be in Bedfordshire.

The Secretary of State for Defence has identified a long-term opportunity to build over 100,000 homes on surplus defence land, improving opportunities for homeownership and creating jobs across the country, while Network Rail has announced the establishment of a new property company to unlock up to 40,000 homes over the next decade.There are Bedfordshire sites in both the Ministry of Defence and Network Rail pipelines, including RAF Henlow, which is due to close in 2026, and the Bedford Station redevelopment – part of the major East West Rail project – which could unlock a substantial number of new homes close to the station.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 36495 on Derelict Land: Regeneration, how this will be funded.

The £51.5 million regeneration package announced on 13 February 2025 will be funded through existing departmental budgets for brownfield remediation and regeneration.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 38447 on Environmental Delivery Plans, whether uncompleted conservation projects will lapse at the end of the Environmental Delivery Plan period.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 38477 on 24 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the number of (a) parish, (b) town and (c) community councils which will pay additional employers’ National Insurance in 2025-26.

The government recognises the important role town and parish councils have in improving the quality of life and wellbeing of their communities but has no direct role in funding parish and town councils, and therefore has not provided compensation, consistent with the approach taken by the previous government. We recognise that the increase in the rate of employers’ National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will lead to increased costs for some parish councils, which may require them to increase their precept. We recognise that decisions to increase precepts are not taken lightly by parish councils.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Employer National Insurance Contributions Grant – Explanatory Note, published on 3 February 2025, which councils were invited to submit their estimates of 2023-24 expenditure.

When determining allocations for the 2024-25 Employer National Insurance Contributions grant, government lacked the relevant, published Revenue Outturn (RO) data for a small number of councils, and we have therefore used councils’ self-submitted expenditure data for 2023-24 where there were gaps. The relevant list of councils with published RO data for 2023-24 is available here.