Written questions by Stephenson.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of social care workforce demand on levels of immigration in each of the last ten years.

In February 2022, care workers became eligible for the Health and Care Visa and were added to the Shortage Occupation List. Senior care workers were added to the list of eligible occupations for the Health and Care Visa in January 2021.Published data on entry clearance visa grants for the Caring Personal Services occupation code (613) illustrates the broad trend in international recruitment into adult social care in recent years.This shows that 37,091 Health and Care Worker visas were granted to main applicants under the Caring Personal Services category in 2022. Volumes peaked in 2023, with 107,772 grants, before falling to 9,539 in 2024. This data does not include in-country visa grants.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 3 of the New Towns Taskforce’s interim update Building new towns for the future, published in February 2025, whether sites will be considered which were not submitted as part of the Call for Evidence.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 6 of the New Towns Taskforce’s interim update Building new towns for the future, published in February 2025, what steps the New Towns Taskforce s taking to assess local support for new towns prior to making their recommendation on potential locations.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking with the Mayor of London to increase the level of construction of affordable housing in London.

On taking office in July 2024, the government acted quickly to agree changes to the Affordable Homes Programme to strengthen the delivery of affordable homes in London, including providing the GLA with flexibilities on completion deadlines and allowing the GLA to fund some intermediate rent homes.At the Spending Review the Chancellor announced £39 billion for a successor to the Affordable Homes Programme over 10 years from 2026-27 to 2035-36; a 10-year rent settlement; an intention to implement a rent convergence mechanism; and £2.5bn in low interest loans to support new development (alongside commercial lending).These measures cover the main elements of our social and affordable housing investment strategy in this Parliament. Alongside other aspects of our reform programme, including forthcoming details on future quality and safety regulation, they will give Registered Providers, including those operating in London, the clarity and certainty they need to quickly ramp up investment in existing and new stock.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the number of planners employed by (a) local authorities and (b) developers who have a Level 7 apprenticeship qualification.

The Department does not currently hold detailed data on the number of planners employed by local authorities or developers who possess a Level 7 Chartered Town Planner Apprenticeship qualification.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the number of Level 7 apprenticeships offered by local authorities.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58023 on 13 June 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 10 of the impact assessment for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, published on 6 May 2025, how her Department calculated the £1.1 billion value for planning fees reforms.

I refer the hon. Member to Annex 11 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill Impact Assessment which can be found on gov.uk here.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled AI experiments see “Humphrey” help townhalls cut costs and improve services, published on 23 May 2025, if he will publish the quality assurance data her Department receives from its trial of Minute.

Minute is currently undergoing Alpha trials across the public sector, including a discovery with 25 local authorities. After this concludes in July, we will publish a summary of the findings and set the direction for the project.

Communities and Local Government, whether the New Towns Taskforce has consulted with specialist (a) arboriculturalists and (b) ecologists on the potential impact of the proposed new town locations on biodiversity.

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. In developing proposals for new towns, the Taskforce will work with local leaders and communities to consider the different impact of new towns, including any environmental impacts.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government during the Twelfth sitting of the Public Bill Committee on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on Tuesday 20 May 2025, Official Report, column 558, what her Department's planned timeline is for consideration of measures to improve the take up of SuDS.

The government is committed to requiring sustainable drainage systems in new development and we have already taken action to support that objective by setting out updated policy in the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024. We are looking carefully at what additional steps might be taken to further improve the implementation of SuDS. A final decision will be made in the coming months.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to strengthen protections for peatland from development in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.

Safeguarding peatland plays an important role in climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as maintaining and enhancing biodiversity. The National Planning Policy Framework contains a very high level of protection against proposals which might affect peatlands. The Framework is clear that development plans should not identify proposals for new or extended sites for peat extraction, and that planning permission should not be granted for peat extraction from new or extended sites.In relation to other forms of development that could affect peatland, the Framework sets out that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats, including habitats with peat soils such as blanket bog and lowland fen, should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to map grey belt land.

It is for individual local planning authorities to assess if land is grey belt and to determine whether and how to amend Green Belt boundaries through the preparation or updating of plans. On 27 February 2025, Planning Practice Guidance was published to assist local authorities and other decision-makers, and to support a consistent approach to determining whether land is grey belt. It can be found on gov.uk here. This new guidance will support authorities in producing Local Plans, while also making sure that planning applications and development on suitable grey belt land can proceed in the short-term in areas without an up-to-date plan. The government has also provided 133 local planning authorities with £70,000 of pump priming funding each to contribute towards the costs of carrying out Green Belt reviews in their areas. Any alteration to a Green Belt boundary is reported to the Department and the details published on gov.uk in our annual Green Belt statistical release. In addition, the Department publishes statistics on land use change, including estimates of new residential addresses created in Green Belt and other categories of land.

Communities and Local Government, whether the New Towns Taskforce has consulted with specialist flooding experts on the potential impact of the proposed new town locations on flooding.

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. In developing proposals for new towns, the Taskforce will work with local leaders and communities to consider the different impact of new towns, including any environmental impacts.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a deterrent to reduce the numbers of migrants arriving in small boats.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Written Ministerial Statement (UIN HCWS406) made by the Home Secretary on 30 January 2025 on the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of National Landscape status on (a) planning and (b) development of that land.

Natural England has the statutory responsibility for identifying areas for new or extended National Landscape designations. As part of this, they undertake evidence-based assessments to consider the potential impact of any proposed changes. As set out in the National Planning Policy Framework great weight should be given to conserving and enhancing landscape and scenic beauty in National Parks, the Broads and National Landscapes which have the highest status of protection in relation to these issues. The scale and extent of development within all these designated areas should be limited, while development within their setting should be sensitively located and designed to avoid or minimise adverse impacts on the designated areas. When considering applications for development within National Landscapes, permission should be refused for major development other than in exceptional circumstances, and where it can be demonstrated that the development is in the public interest.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46979 on Railways, what steps she plans to take to ensure that Great British Railways provides a more reliable system for passengers.

GBR will have the tools and operational independence it needs to plan and run the rail system on a long-term basis to deliver for passengers and freight. Most passengers will travel on GBR trains, running on GBR tracks, and working to a GBR timetable – all run by a single directing mind focused on delivering in the interests of users and providers of railway services, and the interests of the wider public. That will mean fewer delays and a simpler experience, which will provide a more reliable service for passengers.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46979 on Railways, what steps she plans to take to ensure that Great British Railways will have a relentless focus on passengers.

GBR will have a statutory duty to run the railway in the interest of passengers. It will have the tools and operational independence it needs to plan and run the rail system on a long-term basis to meet the needs of current and future passengers.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release entitled EA steps up dry weather prep after driest spring start since 1956, published on 7 May 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed Bedford-Milton Keynes Waterway Park on managing drought in the East of England.

The Environment Agency (EA) are working closely with the Bedford-Milton Keynes Waterway Park Trust, and other stakeholders including Water Resources East, to consider the benefits and opportunities for water management in the local area and across the East of England. Ongoing discussions are considering navigation, flood risk, biodiversity, and water resources. Through these partnership discussions the EA will be looking to maximise opportunities for improving the local management of water. Whilst we have seen a dry Spring the water situation in Bedfordshire is currently assessed as ‘normal’. Environment Agency teams are closely monitoring the situation, managing water availability with licensed abstractors and are on standby to respond to reports of environmental incidents.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to expand the Chilterns National Landscape area to cover the whole of the Chilterns Character Area in Bedfordshire.

Natural England has the statutory responsibility for identifying areas for new or extended National Landscape designations. Once the designation assessment has been completed, Natural England may submit a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who may confirm, refuse or amend it after considering relevant evidence.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46979 on Railways, what steps she plans to take to ensure that Great British Railways provides a more efficient system for passengers.

GBR will have the tools and operational independence it needs to plan and run the rail system on a long-term basis to deliver for passengers and freight. Most passengers will travel on GBR trains, running on GBR tracks, and working to a GBR timetable – all run by a single directing mind focused on delivering in the interests of users and providers of railway services, and the interests of the wider public. That will mean fewer delays and a simpler experience, which will provide a more efficient system for passengers.