Written questions by Coghlan.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that privacy protections do not prevent public scrutiny of political donors.

The government is strengthening the rules on political donations to increase transparency and accountability, protect against foreign or illicit influence, and maintain public confidence in our democratic system. Reportable donations are already published by the Electoral Commission for public scrutiny, and we intend, through secondary legislation, to commence existing declaration requirements for donations above the relevant threshold. This will require anyone making a political donation above £11,180 to declare any benefits linked to their donation. This will improve transparency around the true source of a donation. A political party must not accept a donation above that threshold unless the declaration is provided.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the proposed revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of encouraging low-density development within walking distance of well connected stations.

Encouraging low-density development within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations is contrary to this government’s objectives. As such, we did not include proposals to that end as part of the consultation on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that took place between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026 and we have made no specific assessment of any such policy. The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to minimum density standards within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to help ensure that developers do not remove affordable housing when sites are deemed unviable.

The government is committed to strengthening the system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to developer contributions and viability which seek to promote greater clarity on expected contributions at the plan-making stage, and reduce cases of unnecessary site-specific viability assessment by clarifying when it may be appropriate at the decision-making stage. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of mandating the maximum allowed period of time between a Gypsy Traveller Accommodation Assessment by a local authority.

Local planning authorities should use a robust evidence base to establish the accommodation needs of travellers and plan to meet this need through their local plan. Local plans must be reviewed to assess whether they need updating at least once every five years, and should then be updated as necessary. In the new plan-making system that will come into force early next year, local plans will be expected to be prepared and adopted within a 30-month timeframe and be more frequently prepared so that plans are kept up-to-date.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has considered increasing funding for planning enforcement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Questions UIN 91162 on 21 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to speed up the planning and appeals process in local authorities.

The Planning and Infrastructure Act will streamline planning processes, improve certainty for applicants, and unlock and accelerate more housing and infrastructure delivery. Its provisions include powers that allow the Secretary of State to delegate planning fee-setting to local planning authorities, enabling them to recover costs and reinvest to provide a more efficient and responsive planning service, including in respect of making timelier decisions. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced a £46 million package of investment into the planning system as a one-year settlement for 2025-2026. At the Budget on 26 November 2025, the Chancellor announced a further £48 million of investment over three years to support local planning authorities to attract, retain and develop skilled planners over a sustained period. Of this, £28.8 million has been allocated to MHCLG’s Planning Capacity and Capability Programme, equating to £9.6 million additional per year for the next three years. This allocation will supplement existing budgets. In total, the Programme now aims to deliver around 1,325 planners by the end of this Parliament, significantly exceeding our original manifesto commitment to deliver 300 new planning officers. Wider cross-government recruitment and investment in planning capacity and capability will increase this figure further to approximately 1,400 planners. The new funding will support both graduate and mid-career entry routes into planning, including by means of expanding the Pathways to Planning Graduate Scheme and establishing a Planning Careers Hub. In respect of planning appeals, the Planning Inspectorate's Strategic Plan commits to removing all casework backlogs and meeting all Ministerial targets, including those relating to planning appeals, by 2027.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to sections 103 and 104 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of creating a (a) duty to meet assessed needs and (b) failure to comply requirement on local authorities.

National planning policy is already clear that local planning authorities should use a robust evidence base to establish the accommodation needs of travellers; set pitch targets for gypsies and travellers; and identify a supply of specific, deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years' worth of sites against these targets. This includes setting clear policy consequences for local planning authorities that cannot demonstrate an up to date five-year supply of sites. The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including proposals relating to traveller sites. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has considered making planning enforcement a statutory obligation.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Questions UIN 91162 on 21 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of issuing guidance to local authorities to ensure mobile network operators are notified in advance of large-scale residential developments.

The government is committed to supporting investment in high-quality, reliable digital connectivity so that communities can benefit from faster economic growth and greater social inclusion. On 16 December, we launched a consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework including proposals relating to telecommunications. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of updating the National Planning Policy Framework to include guidance on the importance of telecommunications infrastructure in any new developments.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 99031 on 05 January 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that there is adequate infrastructure in place to support new housing developments.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 65505 on 14 July 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Gatwick airport expansion on local house prices.

MHCLG Ministers cannot comment on live planning applications due to their quasi-judicial role in the planning system.All information provided to the Secretary of State for Transport by the applicant, the Examining Authority, and any parties who chose to make written representations in relation to the application in question is available on the Planning Inspectorate website.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of further regulation of funds by (a) developers and (b) building owners for leaseholders.

The government intends to act quickly to provide homeowners with greater rights, powers, and protections over their homes by implementing the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.This includes measures designed to drive up the transparency of service charges to make them more easily challengeable if leaseholders consider them to be unreasonable.Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement published on Thursday 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's document entitled Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, published on 12 December 2024, whether the new planning reforms require private infrastructure providers to submit business plans for strategic Community Infrastructure Levies that align with local plans.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December does not require that private infrastructure providers submit business plans for strategic Community Infrastructure Levies that align with local plans.The Framework states that, to ensure faster delivery of public service infrastructure, local planning authorities should work proactively and positively with promoters, delivery partners and statutory bodies to plan for required facilities and resolve key planning issues before applications are submitted.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of encouraging Community Infrastructure Levy contributions in place of S106 Agreements under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for new developments through upcoming planning reforms.

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is not intended to make individual planning applications acceptable in planning terms.As a result, some site-specific impact mitigation may still be necessary for a development to be granted planning permission.Some of these needs may be provided for through the levy but others may not, particularly if they are very local in their impact.There is still a legitimate role for development specific planning obligations, even where the levy is charged, to enable a local planning authority to be confident that the specific consequences of a particular development can be mitigated.The government is committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, what checks and balances there will be on directly-elected Mayors when strategic authorities are implemented.

There is an existing system of accountability and scrutiny arrangements for Mayoral Combined Authorities and Mayoral Combined County Authorities to ensure that public spending is achieving value for money.The government is committed to strengthening the accountability and scrutiny arrangements that will enable central government, Mayors, and Combined Authorities to shift gear into a new mode of genuine partnership. The English Devolution White Paper set out how the government plans to go further.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing assemblies akin to the London Assembly for each Strategic Authority.

There is an existing system of accountability and scrutiny arrangements for Mayoral Combined Authorities and Mayoral Combined County Authorities to ensure that public spending is achieving value for money.The government is committed to strengthening the accountability and scrutiny arrangements that will enable central government, Mayors, and Combined Authorities to shift gear into a new mode of genuine partnership. The English Devolution White Paper set out how the government plans to go further.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that there is sufficient local representation in the new unitary authorities.

I wrote to all councils in two-tier areas and to neighbouring small unitaries on 5th February to formally invite unitary proposals, with interim plans to be provided on or before 21 March 2025. The interim plans should include a view as to the councillors’ numbers that will ensure both effective democratic representation for all parts of the area and also effective governance and decision-making arrangements which will balance the unique needs of your cities, towns, rural and coastal areas, in line with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England guidance. These letters are published at Local government reorganisation: invitation to local authorities in two-tier areas - GOV.UK

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the compatibility of recent parliamentary constituency boundary changes with proposed local government reorganisation.

Local government boundaries are not directly related to Parliamentary constituency boundaries. Local government boundary changes may be considered when undertaking a future Parliamentary constituency boundary review.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to ensure there will be no devolution islands following the reognisation of local government.

I refer my Hon Member to the answer I gave to UIN 26698 on the 3rd February 2025.