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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has considered including child development in the planning process to encourage outdoor activities.

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

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) recognises that access to a network of high-quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical activity is important for the health and well-being of communities, including children.

The Framework is clear that local planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities, and opportunities for new provision, including places for children’s play.

In the revised NPPF published on 12 December 2024 we strengthened the strong protections already in place by adding explicit reference to safeguarding “formal play spaces”. That means that facilities can be lost only where there is clear evidence they are no longer required, where equivalent or better provision is secured in a suitable location, or where development of the site is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the benefits of which clearly outweigh the loss of the current or former use.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to publish the outcome of the consultation entitled Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England, which closed on 26 February 2025.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government response to the ‘Strengthening the Standards and Conduct Framework for Local Authorities in England’ consultation will be issued in due course. After its release, we will continue to work actively with local government on developing the detailed policies for implementation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will take steps with (a) academies and (b) schools to introduce impact statements for large housing developments within their catchment area.

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

The National Planning Policy Framework recognises the importance of ensuring a sufficient choice of early years, school and post-16 places are available to meet the needs of existing and new communities and outlines that local planning authorities should take a proactive, positive, and collaborative approach to meeting this requirement, and to development that will widen choice in education.

The Framework further states that local planning authorities should give great weight to the need to create, expand or alter early years, schools, and post-16 facilities through the preparation of plans and decisions on applications, and work with early years, school and post-16 promoters, delivery partners and statutory bodies to identify and resolve key planning issues before applications are submitted.

In view of these existing provisions, the government has no plans to introduce separate requirements for impact statements for large housing developments.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the (a) safety and (b) accessibility of road networks in rural areas in Mid Leicestershire constituency; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of development on road networks between settlements.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. To this end, my Department is developing its Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.

Local government is the main delivery agent of road safety. The responsibility to implement, fund, deliver, promote and enforce local road safety initiatives remains with the Local Authorities under the 1988 Road Traffic Act. It is for the local council to decide what measures may be appropriate in their local area to “take steps both to reduce and prevent accidents”.

Local authorities are also responsible for the management of local roads, within the rules set by Government, including setting local speed limits where the national limit would not be appropriate. Local highway authorities are bound by the Public Sector Equality Duty and it is for them to ensure they manage their roads in a way that complies with that, including assessing potential impacts of development on road networks in their area.

Local authorities are best placed to decide on delivery of road safety initiatives, because of their knowledge of the roads for which they are responsible. We aid local authorities by providing guidance and initiatives such as our flagship road safety campaign, THINK!

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Warrington North, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, if he will publish a breakdown of the number of Freedom of Information Requests received from (a) individuals and (b) organisations in (i) 2024 and (ii) 2025.

Answered by Charlotte Nichols

The number of Freedom of Information requests received by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority in 2024 was 167, and as of 8 July 2025, the number received in 2025 is 152. In 2024, ninety requests were received from organisations and forty-four from individuals, with thirty-three requests not possible to determine. In 2025, seventy-five requests have been received from organisations and forty-three from individuals, with thirty-four requests not possible to determine.

35th anniversary of the murder of Ian Gow MP

Consequences of the Equality Act 2010

Historic County Flags Day 2025

Found: _50 Helen Whately Danny Kruger Mr Peter Bedford .

Found: _51 Helen Whately Danny Kruger Mr Peter Bedford .

Found: Not called_51 Helen Whately Danny Kruger Mr Peter Bedford .

Found: Negatived on division_NC1 Mr Louie French Liz Jarvis Mr Peter Bedford Stuart Andrew Saqib Bhatti

Submit Evidence (by 29 Sep 2025)

With the disability employment gap persistently at nearly 30%, the Government has announced it will spend an additional £2.2 billion on employment support over the next four years.

Millions of children and parents are served by the Child Maintenance Service. But is it working as effectively as it could be so that the best interests of the child are being met?