Every parliamentary written question tabled by Blake Stephenson this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 161–180 of 311 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2025 to Question 44048 on Environmental Delivery Plans, whether measures that require permanent maintenance will be funded from the initial levy.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 44048 on 24 April 2025.
Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to give Mayors the power to allocate new towns.
I refer the hon. Member to the answers to Question UIN 35940 on 13 March 2025, Question UIN 42674 on 7 April 2025, and Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.
Communities and Local Government, if she will publish the minutes of formal discussions between Ministers and the New Towns Taskforce.
I refer the hon. Member to the answers to Question UIN 35940 on 13 March 2025, Question UIN 42674 on 7 April 2025, and Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities that have expressed interest in hosting a new town on the impact of the new town on their housing targets.
I refer the hon. Member to the answers to Question UIN 35940 on 13 March 2025, Question UIN 42674 on 7 April 2025, and Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.
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 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, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the New Towns Taskforce on the willingness of local authorities to allocate new towns through their local plans.
I refer the hon. Member to the answers to Question UIN 35940 on 13 March 2025, Question UIN 42674 on 7 April 2025, and Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the merits of publishing proposals received by the New Towns Taskforce but which are not taken forward.
I refer the hon. Member to the answers to Question UIN 35940 on 13 March 2025, Question UIN 42674 on 7 April 2025, and Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.
Communities and Local Government, over what period her Department plans to require housing supply of 370,000 houses per year.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a new Standard Method for assessing housing need that is aligned to our Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million new safe and decent homes in England by the end of this Parliament. The new Standard Method sets a local housing need for England of 370,408. Detail on how individual local planning authorities should plan to meet this updated housing need, including transitional arrangements, is set out in the Framework.
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, with reference to the guidance entitled New national flood and coastal erosion risk information, published on 25 March 2025, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies on planning and development of this data.
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, whether the New Towns Taskforce will be able to recommend sites for new towns that include land already allocated for strategic development.
I refer the hon. Member to the answers to Question UIN 35940 on 13 March 2025, Question UIN 42674 on 7 April 2025, and Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.
Communities and Local Government, whether it his Department's policy that the New Towns Taskforce will be able to allocate new towns on 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, 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.