Written questions by Kaur.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support biodiversity and nature when building houses and infrastructure.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 is clear about the importance of protecting and enhancing biodiversity where it is affected by development and includes stringent protections for nationally designated sites and irreplaceable habitats. The implementation of Local Nature Recovery Strategies and Biodiversity Net Gain are helping to highlight opportunities to improve nature in conjunction with development, and to secure tangible contributions to biodiversity enhancements. The Nature Restoration Fund, introduced by the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, will provide further benefits where development could affect protected habitats and species, by enabling strategic improvements.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of changes in the numbers of Permitted Development Rights.

The government acknowledge the concerns that exist about the quality of residential units created through permitted development rights, particularly office-to-residential conversions. We will continue to keep permitted development rights under review.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to empower (a) individuals, (b) grassroots organisations and (c) local authorities to increase (i) green spaces and (ii) biodiversity in their communities.

The Government is committed to creating better access to parks and green spaces for everyone.The MHCLG-owned Green Flag Award scheme sets the national standard for parks and green spaces that are welcoming, safe, well-maintained and promote biodiversity and community participation, promoting best practice across the sector.Planning regulations including Local Green Space Designation and Biodiversity Net Gain bolster the creation and protection of green spaces.Cross government initiatives to increase available natural space and make it more accessible includes Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework and Defra's Access for All and Farming in Protected Landscapes programmes.Local Nature Recovery Strategies, 48 locally led strategies covering all England, set priorities and map proposals for key actions to drive nature recovery and environmental improvement.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase green spaces in urban communities.

The Government is committed to creating better access to parks and green spaces for everyone.The MHCLG-owned Green Flag Award scheme sets the national standard for parks and green spaces that are welcoming, safe, well-maintained and promote biodiversity and community participation, promoting best practice across the sector.Planning regulations including Local Green Space Designation and Biodiversity Net Gain bolster the creation and protection of green spaces.Cross government initiatives to increase available natural space and make it more accessible includes Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework and Defra's Access for All and Farming in Protected Landscapes programmes.Local Nature Recovery Strategies, 48 locally led strategies covering all England, set priorities and map proposals for key actions to drive nature recovery and environmental improvement.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she has taken to increase the number of solar panels on new housing developments.

The Government’s approach to Building Regulations remains technology-neutral, to ensure housebuilders have the flexibility to choose the most appropriate and cost-effective solutions for their site. However, we appreciate the benefits of solar panels, including lower bills for households and greater security from fluctuations in electricity prices. That is why in the 2021 uplift to the Building Regulations the performance standards for new buildings were set at a level that means many new homes are already likely to be built with solar panels.We are clear that rooftop solar, where appropriate, should play an important role as part of new standards to be introduced next year for new homes and buildings. These standards will set our new homes and buildings on a path that moves away from relying on volatile fossil fuels and ensures they are fit for a net zero future. Furthermore, as part of our plans to triple solar capacity, we are consulting on extra measures in the National Planning Policy Framework that highlight the importance of solar power to our clean energy ambitions.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of setting (a) national and (b) regional targets to build social homes within the 1.5 million homes that have already been planned.

The Government has committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. Our aspiration is to ensure that, in the first full financial year of this Parliament (2025-26), the number of Social Rent homes is rising rather than falling. We will update Parliament on our progress.We have therefore asked Homes England and the Greater London Authority to maximise the number of Social Rent homes in allocating the remaining Affordable Homes Programme funding.My department published an update on targets in the 2021-26 Programme on 30 July 2024. We have also proposed a number of changes to national planning policy that are designed to support the delivery of Social Rent homes. We will bring forward details of future Government investment in social and affordable housing at the Spending Review.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of working with local authorities to (a) freeze and (b) reform the Right to Buy.

The Government is currently reviewing the increased Right to Buy discounts that were introduced in 2012, with a view to better protecting existing social housing stock. The Government will also review the Right to Buy more widely, including looking at eligibility criteria and protections for newly-built social housing and will launch a public consultation in the autumn.