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 Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will make an assessment of trends in the level of regional income disparities for people applying for UK family visas.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The MIR was raised in April 2024 from £18,600 to £29,000. This was the first time it had been increased since its introduction.
To help ensure we reach the right balance and have a solid evidence base for any further change, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) was commissioned to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules.
Conducting a full review of the financial requirements across the family routes will ensure we have a clear and consistent system. The MAC published their independent review of the financial requirements across the family routes and their report is now under review.
We will consider the recommendations made by the MAC and the Home Secretary will respond to the review in due course.
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 Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for the Music and Dance Scheme; and whether she plans to announce a multiple-year settlement.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the hon. Member for North Cornwall to the answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78608.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the 2026 bass catch limits on the South West’s inshore fishing fleet.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Sustainable catch limits for European Seabass are set at the UK level through UK/EU annual negotiations within the scientific advice provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). No region-specific assessments are carried out as negotiations set sustainable catch limits at a coastal state level across the stock’s natural range.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of boats that caught over 6.8t of bass in 2025.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Marine Management Organisation, who hold catch data, have confirmed three UK vessels caught over 6.8t of bass in 2025.