Written questions by Dowden.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the merits of removing Appendix B from the Persons with Reduced Mobility National Technical Specification Notice.

We recently published the Accessibility National Technical Specification Notice (NTSN), replacing the Persons with Reduced Mobility NTSN following an extensive review and public consultation facilitated by the Rail Safety and Standards Board. The Accessibility NTSN updates many specifications inherited from EU law while preserving ones that did not have a clear case for change. We did not receive feedback on Appendix B during the review and public consultation or any assessment suggesting merit in its removal. However, we keep all NTSN content under regular review and will consider all feedback as part of our ongoing monitoring process.

What recent discussions his Department has had with Ofgem on Drax.

Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that wood from primary forests will not be used for the generation of energy.

We have strengthened the sustainability criteria for large-scale biomass generation from the previous government to ensure wood from primary forest is not used for energy generation. Under new arrangements as part of the Low Carbon Dispatchable Contract for Difference this includes increasing the proportion of woody biomass that must come from sustainable sources from 70% to 100% and clarifying explicitly that no subsidy will be paid for electricity generated from material sourced from primary forest and old growth areas. We are also working with Ofgem and the Low Carbon Contracts Company to ensure there is robust appropriate assurance and enforcement activity to support this.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 143 of the National Planning Policy Framework, if she will ensure that grey belt land is assessed against the five green belt purposes.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 39471 on 26 March 2025.

What recent discussion his Department has had with Ofgem on companies receiving subsidies for unsuitable biomass.

Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he last met the Israeli ambassador to the UK; and what he discussed.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Ministers regularly engage with their Israeli counterparts to continue to urge for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a full resumption of aid. I met with the Israeli ambassador to the UK on 20 May when they were summoned to the FCDO. I raised my opposition to the expansion of Israeli military activity in Gaza and condemned the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement entitled Building the Homes We Need, of 30 July 2024, HCWS48, what steps she has taken to ensure local authorities are reviewing their green-belt boundaries where they cannot meet their identified housing need.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework was published on 12 December 2024, following extensive consultation, including with local planning authorities.I otherwise refer the hon. Members to the answers given to questions UIN 26508 on 5 February 2025, UIN 29375 on 18 February 2025, UIN 40156 on 26 March 2025 and UIN 43157 on 7 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with local authorities on the revised NPPF.

MHCLG Ministers and officials engage regularly with local planning authorities to ensure the government’s priorities are understood.

Communities and Local Government, if her Department will formalise the role of representative community groups in local planning decisions.

A key objective of our planning reforms is to improve certainty and decision making in the planning system. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes provisions to that end, including a national scheme of delegation and requiring planning committee members to undertake mandatory training before they can take planning decisions. Planning law requires local planning authorities to publicise planning applications through various means, including site notices, advertisements in local newspapers, and publishing information on their website. We are exploring ways to enhance community engagement through the greater digitalisation of the planning system. This will help remove barriers to participation in the planning application process, including among those in representative community groups.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with Hertsmere Borough Council on local planning decisions.

Officials from my Department have had recent discussions with Hertsmere Borough Council regarding the fact it did not meet the required performance threshold for decision-making quality during the assessment period from April 2022 to March 2024, including appeals decisions up to December 2024. Hertsmere Borough Council were informed of the risk of designation on 27 March 2025. However, after considering the authority’s exceptional circumstances, the Department confirmed on 6 June 2025 that it would not be designated.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement entitled Building the Homes We Need, of 30 July 2024, HCWS48, what steps she has taken to ensure that development on the green belt will offer at least 50 per cent affordable homes.

Through the consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system last year, the government sought views on implementing ‘Golden Rules’ to ensure development in the Green Belt is in the public interest. As set out in the formal response to the consultation published on 12 December 2024, we noted concerns that setting a national 50% affordable housing target could lack flexibility and fail to account properly for regional variation. The government has adopted an approach which balances the need for an ambitious affordable housing target with the viability challenges that may occur in some cases. Local planning authorities will be able to set their own ‘Golden Rules’ in relation to affordable housing through their new local plans. The affordable housing requirement should: a) be set at a higher level than that which would otherwise apply to land which is not within or proposed to be released from the Green Belt; and b) require at least 50% of the housing to be affordable, unless this would make the development of these sites unviable (when tested in accordance with national planning practice guidance on viability). Prior to development plan policies for affordable housing being updated in accordance with the revised NPPF, the affordable housing contribution required to satisfy the ‘Golden Rules’ is 15 percentage points above the highest existing affordable housing requirement that would otherwise apply to the development, subject to a cap of 50%. The 50% cap does not apply to rural exception sites or community-led development exception sites, or if the local planning authority has a relevant existing policy which would apply to the development which is above 50%. We estimate that under this model, the median Green Belt local planning authority affordable housing requirement will be 50%. The government intends to update planning practice guidance on viability as part of our commitment to strengthen the system of developer contributions. Prior to new viability guidance being published, site specific viability assessment should not be used on schemes where the ‘Golden Rules’ apply.

What her Department’s timetable is for publishing the response to the call for evidence entitled Controls on the use of crossbows on public safety grounds, which closed on 9 April 2024.

The responses to the call for evidence on the controls on crossbows have been reviewed and we will publish the Government’s response to this shortly.The Home Office collects a wide range of data from police forces in England and Wales under the Annual Data Requirement (ADR). These data include information on homicides where the method of killing was by a crossbow or catapult. The Home Office reviews the data required for policy delivery and publication supplied under the ADR on an annual basis with police forces, and we will consider whether wider information on offences involving crossbows should be added to the ADR in the future.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with Hertsmere Borough Council on protecting the green belt.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework was published on 12 December 2024, following extensive consultation, including with local planning authorities.I otherwise refer the hon. Members to the answers given to questions UIN 26508 on 5 February 2025, UIN 29375 on 18 February 2025, UIN 40156 on 26 March 2025 and UIN 43157 on 7 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with local authorities on consistency in local planning decisions.

A key objective of our planning reforms is to improve certainty and decision making in the planning system. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes provisions to that end, including a national scheme of delegation and requiring planning committee members to undertake mandatory training before they can take planning decisions. Planning law requires local planning authorities to publicise planning applications through various means, including site notices, advertisements in local newspapers, and publishing information on their website. We are exploring ways to enhance community engagement through the greater digitalisation of the planning system. This will help remove barriers to participation in the planning application process, including among those in representative community groups.

Communities and Local Government, whether local plans will need to be updated following local government reorganisation.

Where reorganisation occurs, new unitary authorities are expected to promptly prepare a local development plan covering the whole of their area. Until that new plan is adopted, existing constituent local plans remain in force as part of the development plan for their area. New unitary authorities have the discretion to progress any emerging constituent local plans.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of adding wider information on offences involving crossbows in the Annual Data Requirement.

The responses to the call for evidence on the controls on crossbows have been reviewed and we will publish the Government’s response to this shortly.The Home Office collects a wide range of data from police forces in England and Wales under the Annual Data Requirement (ADR). These data include information on homicides where the method of killing was by a crossbow or catapult. The Home Office reviews the data required for policy delivery and publication supplied under the ADR on an annual basis with police forces, and we will consider whether wider information on offences involving crossbows should be added to the ADR in the future.

Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with the BBC board on impartiality in news coverage of the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport meets regularly with BBC leadership, including its Board, to discuss a range of topics.The Government believes that it is absolutely fundamental that stories about the events in Gaza are told and heard, but are done so with the utmost care, transparency and sensitivity. Under its Royal Charter and Ofcom’s wider Broadcasting Code, the BBC has a duty to provide accurate and impartial news and information. This responsibility is particularly important when it comes to coverage of highly sensitive issues, such as the conflict in Gaza. Ofcom, as the BBC’s independent regulator, is responsible for ensuring BBC coverage is impartial and accurate under the Broadcasting Code and BBC Charter.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with Hertsmere Borough Council on the application of the Golden Rules in local planning decisions.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December 2024 includes ‘Golden Rules’ for major development involving the provision of housing on land that is situated within, or released from, the Green Belt. The NPPF must be taken into account in preparing local development plans and is a material consideration in planning decisions. On 27 February 2025, my Department published updated planning practice guidance on the Green Belt which sets out how local planning authorities should apply the new ‘Golden Rule’ on green space provision, including how they should consider accessibility, quality, and alignment with Local Nature Recovery Strategies. The government has a variety of ways to assess the impacts of, and interactions between, policy changes. These include consultation processes and the publishing of a range of metrics to monitor the impacts of changes. The government monitors and publishes data on planning permissions granted, quarterly data on starts and completions, and annual statistics showing the extent of England’s Green Belt, including changes resulting from land being released from, or added to, the Green Belt. We also continuously engage with the planning sector, including local planning authorities, to understand the impact of our policy changes. This includes the implementation and effect of the Golden Rules.

Communities and Local Government, if her Department will bring in further guidance on how local authorities can uphold the Golden Rules in local planning decisions.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December 2024 includes ‘Golden Rules’ for major development involving the provision of housing on land that is situated within, or released from, the Green Belt. The NPPF must be taken into account in preparing local development plans and is a material consideration in planning decisions. On 27 February 2025, my Department published updated planning practice guidance on the Green Belt which sets out how local planning authorities should apply the new ‘Golden Rule’ on green space provision, including how they should consider accessibility, quality, and alignment with Local Nature Recovery Strategies. The government has a variety of ways to assess the impacts of, and interactions between, policy changes. These include consultation processes and the publishing of a range of metrics to monitor the impacts of changes. The government monitors and publishes data on planning permissions granted, quarterly data on starts and completions, and annual statistics showing the extent of England’s Green Belt, including changes resulting from land being released from, or added to, the Green Belt. We also continuously engage with the planning sector, including local planning authorities, to understand the impact of our policy changes. This includes the implementation and effect of the Golden Rules.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of local authorities in upholding the Golden Rules under the revised NPPF.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December 2024 includes ‘Golden Rules’ for major development involving the provision of housing on land that is situated within, or released from, the Green Belt. The NPPF must be taken into account in preparing local development plans and is a material consideration in planning decisions. On 27 February 2025, my Department published updated planning practice guidance on the Green Belt which sets out how local planning authorities should apply the new ‘Golden Rule’ on green space provision, including how they should consider accessibility, quality, and alignment with Local Nature Recovery Strategies. The government has a variety of ways to assess the impacts of, and interactions between, policy changes. These include consultation processes and the publishing of a range of metrics to monitor the impacts of changes. The government monitors and publishes data on planning permissions granted, quarterly data on starts and completions, and annual statistics showing the extent of England’s Green Belt, including changes resulting from land being released from, or added to, the Green Belt. We also continuously engage with the planning sector, including local planning authorities, to understand the impact of our policy changes. This includes the implementation and effect of the Golden Rules.