Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he expects pension administrators to be given instructions to implement buy back for pre-2000 retained firefighter claimants.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The administration of the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme, including delivery of the pensions remedy for retained firefighters, is the responsibility of local fire and rescue authorities in their role as scheme managers.
My department does not issue operational instructions to administrators. However, we continue to work closely with the Government Actuary’s Department and the Local Government Association to provide the support and guidance scheme managers need to implement the remedy for retained firefighters correctly. We are aware of delays in some areas and are engaging with partners to help fire and rescue authorities resolve these as swiftly as possible.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government Legal Department’s position statement, published on 8 July 2025, what assessment his Department has made of the steps required to implement pension buy back for pre-2000 retained firefighter claimants.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The administration of the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme, including delivery of the pensions remedy for retained firefighters, is the responsibility of local fire and rescue authorities in their role as scheme managers.
My department does not issue operational instructions to administrators. However, we continue to work closely with the Government Actuary’s Department and the Local Government Association to provide the support and guidance scheme managers need to implement the remedy for retained firefighters correctly. We are aware of delays in some areas and are engaging with partners to help fire and rescue authorities resolve these as swiftly as possible.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will conduct an impact assessment of the fiscal impacts of providing targeted Bellwin Scheme relief to Cornwall Council, in the context of the costs incurred by the Council following Storm Goretti.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I have great sympathy for all those affected by the impacts of Storm Goretti and I would like to thank Cornwall Council for the actions it took to protect its community.
Cornwall Council has not formally registered for Bellwin assistance in respect of the costs it incurred following Storm Goretti but I would be happy to consider an application.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of permitting low-impact rooftop solar installations in conservation areas on levels of energy costs for homeowners.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
To facilitate the take up of renewable energy, nationally set permitted development rights enable the installation of solar equipment on or within the curtilage of buildings, including in conservation areas, without the need to submit a planning application.
There are no plans to undertake such assessments. We continue to keep permitted development rights under review.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding permitted development rights for rooftop solar installations in conservation areas.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
To facilitate the take up of renewable energy, nationally set permitted development rights enable the installation of solar equipment on or within the curtilage of buildings, including in conservation areas, without the need to submit a planning application.
There are no plans to undertake such assessments. We continue to keep permitted development rights under review.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to written statement UIN HCWS1187 on Planning Reform: Next Stage, what assessment his Department has made on the impact of proposed changes to policy HC6: Retention of key community facilities and public service infrastructure on (a) pub closure rates and (b) the ability of communities to save a local pub from closure, conversion or demolition.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which includes proposed policies to safeguard against the loss of key community facilities, such as public houses. This approach reflects common practice in local plans and is intended to support the government’s wider ‘Pride in Place’ agenda.
Through the consultation we are seeking views on these proposals, including whether this safeguard should apply only to key community facilities and public service infrastructure which are the last of their type in the area concerned. The proposed approach is designed to avoid unreasonable restrictions being placed on proposals to change the use of existing premises.
The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to written statement UIN HCWS1187 on Planning Reform: Next Stage, for what reasons the proposed revised National Planning Policy Framework changes policy HC6: Retention of key community facilities and public service infrastructure so that it applies only to facilities that are the last of its type in the area concerned.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which includes proposed policies to safeguard against the loss of key community facilities, such as public houses. This approach reflects common practice in local plans and is intended to support the government’s wider ‘Pride in Place’ agenda.
Through the consultation we are seeking views on these proposals, including whether this safeguard should apply only to key community facilities and public service infrastructure which are the last of their type in the area concerned. The proposed approach is designed to avoid unreasonable restrictions being placed on proposals to change the use of existing premises.
The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of removing Sport England as a statutory consultee on planning applications involving playing fields, on community sport and recreation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 103087 on 13 January 2026.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local communities do not lose access to playing fields and sports facilities as a result of changes to the planning system.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 103087 on 13 January 2026.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will hold discussions with representatives of the legal sector in Cornwall on the consultation entitled Home buying and selling reform, published on 20 October 2025.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 6 October 2025, the government published two consultations outlining reform proposals to transform home buying and selling. They can be found on gov.uk here and here.
Officials in my Department are actively engaging with stakeholders as part of the consultation process, and they would welcome discussions with representatives of the legal sector in Cornwall.