Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 88278 on Travellers: Caravan Sites, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of Temporary Stop Notices in preventing unauthorised development or encampments by travellers.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has no current plans to amend the guidance on temporary stop notices.
The criteria for issuing a temporary stop notice, namely that the local planning authority thinks there has been a breach of planning control and that it is expedient for it to be stopped immediately, are set out in legislation. The changes made to the National Planning Policy Framework on 12 December 2024 do not affect this.
We have not made an assessment of the effectiveness of temporary stop notices in preventing unauthorised development by travellers.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether changes to the National Planning Policy Framework on decision making in December 2024 are a material consideration when a council considers a Temporary Stop Notice on an unauthorised traveller site.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has no current plans to amend the guidance on temporary stop notices.
The criteria for issuing a temporary stop notice, namely that the local planning authority thinks there has been a breach of planning control and that it is expedient for it to be stopped immediately, are set out in legislation. The changes made to the National Planning Policy Framework on 12 December 2024 do not affect this.
We have not made an assessment of the effectiveness of temporary stop notices in preventing unauthorised development by travellers.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason the National Development Management Policies are non-statutory.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The reasons for not preceding with statutory National Development Management Policies are set out in the government’s consultation on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
The consultation is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the absence of a five-year land supply for traveller sites constitutes grounds for traveller site development in the green belt in the context of (a) a local plan and (b) an individual planning decision.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
National planning policy is clear that it is the responsibility of local planning authorities to assess the need for traveller sites in their areas and plan to meet that need, in the same way that they plan for all forms of housing.
In producing their local plan, local planning authorities should set pitch targets for traveller sites, and identify a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years' worth of sites against their locally set targets.
When considering applications, local planning authorities should consider matters such as the local need for sites and whether an up-to-date five-year supply of deliverable sites can be demonstrated. It is for local authorities to make decisions on specific development proposals and locations, taking into account all relevant circumstances.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether unmet need for traveller sites constitute grounds for traveller site development in (a) the Green Belt and (b) open countryside.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
National planning policy is clear that it is the responsibility of local planning authorities to assess the need for traveller sites in their areas and plan to meet that need, in the same way that they plan for all forms of housing.
In producing their local plan, local planning authorities should set pitch targets for traveller sites, and identify a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years' worth of sites against their locally set targets.
When considering applications, local planning authorities should consider matters such as the local need for sites and whether an up-to-date five-year supply of deliverable sites can be demonstrated. It is for local authorities to make decisions on specific development proposals and locations, taking into account all relevant circumstances.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
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 Written Statement of 11 November 2025 on Social and Affordable Housing Programme, HCWS1027, what estimate his Department has made of the level of subsidy per unit for a (a) social rent, (b) affordable rent and (c) affordable home ownership under the new scheme.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60080 on 24 June 2025.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2025 to Question 87114 on Eden Project: Morecambe, what data his Department holds on any changes made to the scale and size of the proposed Eden Project development since July 2024.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Since July 2024 the Eden Project: Morecambe team have continued design work.
An update on potential options for the development, including their size and scale, was presented to MHCLG in March 2025. These options were subject to ongoing community conversations.
In September 2025, the department launched the Local Regeneration Fund which provided certainty of funding and flexibility to Local Authorities, including Lancaster City Council as sponsors of the Eden Project Morecambe.
The Eden Project: Morecambe team submitted a planning application for their preferred option on the 15th of October 2025. The planning application proposal is currently out for consultation, ending 23rd January.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2025 to Question 87325 on Devolution: Cornwall, if he will make it his policy to rule out the creation of a single strategic authority consisting of Devon and Cornwall county councils.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government’s strong preference is for partnerships that bring more than one local authority together over a large geography to form a combined or combined county authority. By exception, the government will consider non-mayoral devolution arrangements for single local authorities. Further devolution in the South West will be announced in due course, following local conversations and ministerial decisions.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2025 to Question 83467 on Councillors: Disclosure and Barring Service, whether he intends to consult on checks for other elected representatives.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As stated previously, I am considering options on criminal record checks for local government members.
The government is not currently considering criminal record check policy for other elected representatives.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 87776 on Private Rented Housing: Energy, whether new registration and licensing fees are a material consideration in assessing an open market rent increase.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Section 14 of the Housing Act 1988 sets out the factors that must be considered or disregarded by the Tribunal when determining the open market rent for a tenancy.
As set out in my response to Question UIN 87776 on 17 November 2025, the Tribunal must look at the rent the landlord could expect to receive for the property when making a rent determination, rather than costs borne by the landlord.
While it is for the Tribunal to decide in each case, the government considers that it is unlikely that registration and licensing fees would affect the open market rent, due to their limited impact on the rent that the landlord would expect to receive if they were to let the property on the open market.