Written questions by Cartlidge.

Communities and Local Government, whether his department has made an assessment of future local planning timetables and how they align with national housing objectives.

My Department does not hold data relating to future unpublished local plan timetables and their correlation with national housing objectives. The new plan-making system includes a new process for producing plans with clear steps that a local planning authority will need to take. This should support faster preparation of plans and more frequent updates, helping to ensure that plans delivering higher housing figures are in place more quickly.

Communities and Local Government, when he plans to announce the unitary council model to be adopted in Suffolk.

The Government remains committed to the indicative timetable published in July, with elections to new councils in May 2027. This is with the exception of Surrey, where we have already announced two new councils with elections expected in May 2026.

Communities and Local Government, whether it remains his policy to have elections for the shadow unitary authority in Suffolk in May 2027.

The Government remains committed to the indicative timetable published in July, with elections to new councils in May 2027. This is with the exception of Surrey, where we have already announced two new councils with elections expected in May 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the significance of a remoteness factor adjustment in the Fair Funding Review for rural areas.

The government published the Local government finance policy statement 2026-27 to 2028-29 and response to the Fair Funding Review 2.0 on Thursday 20 November, which set out the government's plans to introduce a fairer and evidence-led funding system. The government also published the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-2027 to 2028-2029 on Wednesday 17 December 2025. The government is committed to continuing to work closely with the sector. We have now consulted four times on our proposals for reform and we are grateful for the high-quality and constructive responses received from local authorities and sector groups. The government is committed to tackling the issues that matter to rural communities. Our updates will account for local circumstances, including the variation in cost of delivering services, such as between rural and urban areas. More detail can be found in the consultation response document here. As part of this, the government is including a remoteness adjustment within the adult social care formula, as the best evidence we have heard indicates that distance from a major market has an impact on the cost of delivering social care services. We are also including a journey times adjustment, which is within the area cost adjustment applied to all our funding formulas, which accounts for the impact on the cost of labour of the difference in travel times to provide services; and increasing the cap within the home to school transport formula from 20 miles to 50 miles, in recognition that the original distance cap would unfairly penalise authorities who have no choice but to place children further from home. The government is considering the responses received following the consultation of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026 to 2027 and will set out a position when the final Settlement is published in early February.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to reopen the Fair Funding Review following consultation responses.

The government published the Local government finance policy statement 2026-27 to 2028-29 and response to the Fair Funding Review 2.0 on Thursday 20 November, which set out the government's plans to introduce a fairer and evidence-led funding system. The government also published the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-2027 to 2028-2029 on Wednesday 17 December 2025. The government is committed to tackling the issues that matter to rural communities. Our updates will account for local circumstances, including the variation in cost of delivering services, such as between rural and urban areas. We are including a journey times adjustment, which is within the area cost adjustment applied to our funding formulas, which accounts for the impact on the cost of labour of the difference in travel times to provide services. We are also including a remoteness adjustment within the adult social care formula and increasing the cap within the home to school transport formula from 20 miles to 50 miles. In addition, we are using updated deprivation data in our assessment of need, to help ensure that deprivation in rural areas is captured more accurately. The government is considering the responses received following the consultation of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026 to 2027 and will set out a position when the final Settlement is published in early February.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the costs for rural authorities of delivering services across large and dispersed communities.

The government published the Local government finance policy statement 2026-27 to 2028-29 and response to the Fair Funding Review 2.0 on Thursday 20 November, which set out the government's plans to introduce a fairer and evidence-led funding system. The government also published the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-2027 to 2028-2029 on Wednesday 17 December 2025. The government is committed to tackling the issues that matter to rural communities. Our updates will account for local circumstances, including the variation in cost of delivering services, such as between rural and urban areas. We are including a journey times adjustment, which is within the area cost adjustment applied to our funding formulas, which accounts for the impact on the cost of labour of the difference in travel times to provide services. We are also including a remoteness adjustment within the adult social care formula and increasing the cap within the home to school transport formula from 20 miles to 50 miles. In addition, we are using updated deprivation data in our assessment of need, to help ensure that deprivation in rural areas is captured more accurately. The government is considering the responses received following the consultation of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026 to 2027 and will set out a position when the final Settlement is published in early February.

Communities and Local Government, how many hectares of English countryside have been burnt by wildfires in the last twelve months; and what the cost was of (a) fighting the fires, (b) loss of economic activity, (c) restoring the landscape and (d) NHS treatment of the effects of smoke pollution from those wildfires.

The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) has responsibility for land management and environmental policy, which includes environmental restoration. As outlined in the departments’ response to the Member’s question UIN 95122 on 14 January 2026, Defra does not hold details on how many hectares of the English countryside have been burnt by wildfires in the last twelve months.The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has made no assessment as to the total cost of wildfires in England over the last 12 months. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not made any estimates of deaths attributable to wildfire smoke in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years. While there is extensive evidence of health impacts from other countries linked to wildfires, there is relatively limited, but growing, evidence specific to the UK. The UKHSA monitors the broader impact of ambient air pollution on mortality in the UK. Departments are working closely to develop the evidence base on wildfires, including assessing the risk and impacts. In 2025 Defra commissioned a two year research project, Wildfire and Peatland: Studies to Support Delivery of the Third National Adaptation Programme. The six sub-projects will address wildfire risks to English peatlands through evidence reviews, economic analysis, risk mapping, and stakeholder engagement.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the weight given to deprivation within the proposed Foundation Formula in the Fair Funding Review; and how dispersed rural deprivation is accounted for.

The government published the Local government finance policy statement 2026-27 to 2028-29 and response to the Fair Funding Review 2.0 on Thursday 20 November, which set out the government's plans to introduce a fairer and evidence-led funding system. The government also published the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-2027 to 2028-2029 on Wednesday 17 December 2025. The government is committed to tackling the issues that matter to rural communities. Our updates will account for local circumstances, including the variation in cost of delivering services, such as between rural and urban areas. We are including a journey times adjustment, which is within the area cost adjustment applied to our funding formulas, which accounts for the impact on the cost of labour of the difference in travel times to provide services. We are also including a remoteness adjustment within the adult social care formula and increasing the cap within the home to school transport formula from 20 miles to 50 miles. In addition, we are using updated deprivation data in our assessment of need, to help ensure that deprivation in rural areas is captured more accurately. The government is considering the responses received following the consultation of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026 to 2027 and will set out a position when the final Settlement is published in early February.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December to Question 95126, on Fire and Rescue Services: Workplace Pensions, whether his Department can provide a timeline of when constituents can expect to receive an update on the firefighters’ pension aggregation issue.

The firefighters’ pension aggregation issue remains subject to litigation, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 2026. While we are not yet able to provide a definitive timeline, we will update the sector as soon as we are in a position to do so.

Communities and Local Government, when Category 1 claimants of the Firefighters pension, who moved from retained to wholetime service between April 2000 and April 2006, can expect a final decision on pension aggregation.

My department understands that the delays in addressing pension aggregation for some scheme members with both retained and wholetime service may be frustrating. The matter is currently subject to litigation, and we will provide an update on the position as soon as we are able.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to decrease levels of homelessness across the country.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 86837 on 10 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the impact of delays in resolving the firefighters’ pension aggregation issue on constituents in South Suffolk.

My department understands that the delays in addressing pension aggregation for some scheme members with both retained and wholetime service may be frustrating. The matter is currently subject to litigation, and we will provide an update on the position as soon as we are able.

Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department has made in resolving the pension aggregation issue affecting firefighters who transferred from retained to wholetime service following the 2018 legal judgment.

My department understands that the delays in addressing pension aggregation for some scheme members with both retained and wholetime service may be frustrating. The matter is currently subject to litigation, and we will provide an update on the position as soon as we are able.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to consider the outcomes of its consultation into the Gardens Trust's statutory consultee role before deciding whether it should be removed as a statutory consultee.

The government is committed to reviewing the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510), we intend to consult on removing a limited number of statutory consultees, including the Gardens Trust. We also intend to review the range and type of planning applications on which statutory consultees are required to be consulted and consider whether some types of application could be removed, or addressed by alternative means of engagement and provision of expert advice. Further details will be set out in due course.

Communities and Local Government, when she plans to commence the consultation into the proposal to remove the Garden Trusts as a statutory consultee in the planning system.

The government is committed to reviewing the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510), we intend to consult on removing a limited number of statutory consultees, including the Gardens Trust. We also intend to review the range and type of planning applications on which statutory consultees are required to be consulted and consider whether some types of application could be removed, or addressed by alternative means of engagement and provision of expert advice. Further details will be set out in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that future planning decisions that impact historic parks and gardens will be informed by expert advice.

The government is committed to reviewing the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510), we intend to consult on removing a limited number of statutory consultees, including the Gardens Trust. We also intend to review the range and type of planning applications on which statutory consultees are required to be consulted and consider whether some types of application could be removed, or addressed by alternative means of engagement and provision of expert advice. Further details will be set out in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact that the removal of the Gardens Trust as a statutory consultee in the planning system on (a) local planning authorities, (b) UK tourism, (c) climate change and (d) the sustainability of historic parks and gardens.

The government is committed to reviewing the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510), we intend to consult on removing a limited number of statutory consultees, including the Gardens Trust. We also intend to review the range and type of planning applications on which statutory consultees are required to be consulted and consider whether some types of application could be removed, or addressed by alternative means of engagement and provision of expert advice. Further details will be set out in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the merits of continuing to fund (a) Strategic Environment Assessments, (b) Habitat Regulations Assessment screening, (c) the costs of Independent Examination and (d) Neighbourhood Plan Referendums.

Following the Spending Review, my Department announced that it is unable to commission new neighbourhood planning support services for 2025 onwards. We will ensure that local planning authorities continue to be appropriately funded for their neighbourhood planning function, including funding for neighbourhood planning examinations and conducting referenda. Local planning authorities can continue to provide other forms of support to neighbourhood planning groups, including in relation to carrying out strategic environment assessments and habitats regulation assessments where they are needed.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of applying permitted development rights to small reservoirs.

Under existing nationally set permitted development rights, farmers are able to create smaller, on-farm reservoirs. Guidance on the rights in question is available on gov.uk here.The government continues to keep permitted development rights under review.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of using rural exception sites for delivering affordable housing.

The National Planning Policy Framework expects local planning authorities to support opportunities to bring forward rural exception sites to provide affordable housing to meet identified local needs. In the government response to the revised NPPF published on 12 December 2024, we committed to give further consideration to how we can better support rural affordable housing, including through rural exception sites, as part of our work to produce a set of national policies for decision making in 2025.