Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support (a) the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and (b) other local fire and rescue services to (i) manage risks from (A) wildfires, (B) flooding and (C) other major incidents, and (ii) collaborate with police and ambulance services.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) have duties under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) to prepare for emergencies, such as a wildfires, flooding, and other major incidents. Under the National Framework, FRAs are required to prepare Community Risk Management Plans, having regard to the views of other key local responders. These local plans identify and assess the full range of foreseeable fire and rescue-related risks, and make provision for prevention and protection activities, and appropriate response to incidents.
We work with the National Fire Chiefs Council, FRAs and Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) to maintain, review and develop capabilities. This includes multi- agency working and use of the Joint Emergency Services Principles (JESIP) framework, that improves co-ordination and collaboration among blue light services and with other partners.
The Government is providing funding of £17.9m in 2025/26 to FRAs who host national resilience capabilities, including Royal Berkshire FRS. These capabilities are widely used in day-to-day operations by FRSs and help to enhance both local responses, and responses to major and national scale incidents. Further, the Government provides funding of £15.1m in 2025/26 to the lead authority on national resilience (Merseyside) to assure the capabilities.
Since 2024 the Government has also funded a national resilience wildfire advisor.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to reverse the 10 per cent commission charge on the sale of park homes.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 44299 on 16 April 2025.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to improve infrastructure levy charging arrangements in local authorities to avoid people being charged incorrectly.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
A person who considers a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charge to have been incorrectly calculated can seek a formal review of the calculation by the levy charging authority. They may also seek an independent assessment of the calculation through an appeal to the Valuation Office Agency if deemed necessary following review by the authority.
There are also provisions in levy regulations enabling a person to seek an independent appeal via the Planning Inspectorate against any surcharges imposed by the levy charging authority.
Separately, a person can escalate any concerns with how their local authority has handled a particular matter, including CIL, through the authority’s official complaints process. Concerns can be subsequently further escalated, if considered necessary and appropriate, to the Local Authority Ombudsman.
The government is committed to strengthening the system of developer contributions, including CIL, and we will provide further details in due course.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support is available to individuals who have been incorrectly charged a community infrastructure levy.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
A person who considers a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charge to have been incorrectly calculated can seek a formal review of the calculation by the levy charging authority. They may also seek an independent assessment of the calculation through an appeal to the Valuation Office Agency if deemed necessary following review by the authority.
There are also provisions in levy regulations enabling a person to seek an independent appeal via the Planning Inspectorate against any surcharges imposed by the levy charging authority.
Separately, a person can escalate any concerns with how their local authority has handled a particular matter, including CIL, through the authority’s official complaints process. Concerns can be subsequently further escalated, if considered necessary and appropriate, to the Local Authority Ombudsman.
The government is committed to strengthening the system of developer contributions, including CIL, and we will provide further details in due course.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on the health of chalk streams.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 45278 on 30 April 2025.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending voting rights to unenfranchised migrant residents.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
The Government has no plans to extend voting rights to unenfranchised migrant residents. In common with most other democracies, voting rights are limited to citizens. In addition, in UK elections for which the UK Government and Parliament have responsibility (that is, not devolved elections in Scotland and Wales), Commonwealth and Irish citizens can vote in all reserved elections, while eligible EU citizens can vote in elections which use the local government register.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to update hon. Members on the progress of the implementation of the Section106 Affordable Housing Clearing Service.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government will continue to monitor the implementation of the Section 106 Affordable Housing Clearing Service that was launched in December and will update parliament in the usual manner.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of preventing planning inspectors from overturning decisions made in line with neighbourhood plans.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Appeal decisions by planning inspectors must be taken in accordance with policies in the development plan for the area, including any neighbourhood plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The revised National Planning Policy Framework, which is a material consideration, continues to make clear that where a planning application conflicts with an up-to-date development plan (including any neighbourhood plans), permission should not usually be granted. Protections from speculative development for areas with a qualifying neighbourhood plan have also been retained in the revised Framework.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her Department's timescales are for bringing forward secondary legislation in relation to the Leasehold Act 2024.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing measures to reduce the hope value of land.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The government recently brought into force regulations that provide for the removal of ‘hope value’ from the assessment of compensation in compulsory purchase cases, where there is justification in the public interest. Guidance and a fact sheet on the measures was published on 3 October 2024 and can be found here.
We have made clear our intention to further reform the compulsory purchase process and land compensation rules to enable more effective land assembly that will speed-up and lower the costs of the delivery of housing and critical infrastructure in the public interest. The reforms will be subject to consultation which will be published shortly.