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Written Question
Planning: Stone
Friday 28th November 2025

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to ensure that local authorities recognise natural stone as a low-carbon material in planning guidance and local plan development.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

National design guidance, which supports the National Planning Policy Framework, states that well-designed places should be responsive to local history, culture and heritage. The guidance highlights the role of resources, including the careful selection of materials and construction techniques, to minimise any environmental impacts.

A local design code can introduce requirements on the use of materials for new development, if appropriate.

Written Question
Seismic Monitoring: Dumfries and Galloway
Tuesday 4th November 2025

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has with the Secretary of State for Defence on the Eskdalemuir Seismological Array, in the context of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Ministry of Defence, and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) have worked closely together on how best to unlock the development of up to 3 gigawatts of further onshore wind capability in the Eskdalemuir area. This would contribute up to £2 billion of investment in UK based companies.

Options to unlock this capacity – including through regulations pursuant to powers granted by the Planning and Infrastructure Bill – are subject to joint consultation due to be launched by the DESNZ and the Scottish Government.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 11 Jul 2022
North Street, Keighley: Green Space

"I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this important debate. Yet again, he is demonstrating what a feisty campaigner he is for his constituents in Keighley and Ilkley. Although my constituency is, of course, some distance from Keighley, I do know the green space, and I understand the points that …..."
John Lamont - View Speech

View all John Lamont (Con - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) contributions to the debate on: North Street, Keighley: Green Space
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 14 Mar 2022
Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme

"I welcome this important announcement. My constituents in the Scottish Borders are desperate to help. There is a slightly different system in Scotland, with the Scottish Government taking on a super sponsor position. Can the Secretary of State reassure me that his officials and the Department will work with Scottish …..."
John Lamont - View Speech

View all John Lamont (Con - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) contributions to the debate on: Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 29 Nov 2021
Oral Answers to Questions

"10. What assessment he has made of the potential effect of the community renewal fund on local communities’ preparedness for the introduction of the UK shared prosperity fund in the Scottish Borders. ..."
John Lamont - View Speech

View all John Lamont (Con - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 29 Nov 2021
Oral Answers to Questions

"I was delighted to see eight successful projects from the Scottish Borders secure funding from the community renewal fund. It is brilliant to see the United Kingdom Government delivering in all parts of this kingdom. I want to see even more successful bids from the UK shared prosperity fund, so …..."
John Lamont - View Speech

View all John Lamont (Con - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Written Question
Community Ownership Fund: Scotland
Monday 25th October 2021

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to engage with local communities in Scotland on the Community Ownership Fund.

Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)

The Community Ownership Fund is a £150 million fund over 4 years to support community groups across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to take ownership of assets which are at risk of being lost to the community.

In the lead up to launching the fund we engaged widely with stakeholders across the United Kingdom. This included webinars and joint promotion of the fund through community infrastructure, membership and networking organisations, who support local voluntary and community sector groups. The same approach to wide stakeholder engagement will be taken in future rounds of the fund.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 01 Feb 2021
Unsafe Cladding: Protecting Tenants and Leaseholders

"The hon. Member has obviously been very critical of the UK Government and full of praise, as usual, for his colleagues in the Scottish Government, but he will be aware that the press reports in Scotland are highly critical of the high-rise inventory and how the Scottish Government have managed …..."
John Lamont - View Speech

View all John Lamont (Con - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) contributions to the debate on: Unsafe Cladding: Protecting Tenants and Leaseholders
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 01 Feb 2021
Unsafe Cladding: Protecting Tenants and Leaseholders

"Happy birthday, Madam Deputy Speaker. I too welcome my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall North (Eddie Hughes) to his Front-Bench position this evening.

A few weeks after my election to this place in 2017, we witnessed the tragedy of the fire at Grenfell Tower. We of course remember those …..."
John Lamont - View Speech

View all John Lamont (Con - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) contributions to the debate on: Unsafe Cladding: Protecting Tenants and Leaseholders
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 11 Jan 2021
Oral Answers to Questions

" What steps he is taking to deliver more powers to local government bodies. ..."
John Lamont - View Speech

View all John Lamont (Con - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions