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Written Question
Renewable Energy: Planning Permission
Friday 21st April 2023

Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the planning system on on-farm renewable energy projects.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

National planning policy is clear that local authorities should have a positive strategy in place to promote energy from renewable and low carbon sources such as solar plants.

The Government also recognises the need to preserve our most productive farmland. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that planning decisions should 'contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment' by recognising the 'benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land'. Where significant development of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, the Framework sets out that areas of poorer quality land should be used in preference to those of a higher quality.

The Government recently consulted on proposed changes to the NPPF, which includes a change relating to food security, building on what is already in the NPPF on preserving most productive farmland. Ministers and officials are currently analysing the responses received before issuing a formal response.


Written Question
Parking: Wellingborough
Thursday 7th February 2019

Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department will respond to the petition presented on 12 September 2018 on Jackson Lane Car Park.

Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union

Due to an administrative technical fault, the petition was not received by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government until late January.

A response to the petition has been published today, 7 February.


Written Question
Revenue Support Grant: Non-domestic Rates
Monday 17th July 2017

Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to replace the rate support grant with business rates.

Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)

The Government has a Manifesto commitment to continue to give local government greater control over the money they raise locally. We will collaborate closely with local government over the coming months about how we achieve this, including through revenue support grant and business rates.


Written Question
Non-domestic Rates
Wednesday 14th December 2016

Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department has made on enabling local authorities to retain 100 per cent of business rates.

Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)

We recently conducted a consultation on our approach to the implementation of 100% Business Rates Retention. There were over 450 responses from local authorities, businesses interests and other organisations. My officials are currently considering these and we will publish a summary of the responses and our proposed way forward in due course. In the meantime, we will continue close collaboration with local government in taking this work forward, including through the Business Rates Retention Steering Group, which is jointly chaired by the Local Government Association and the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The Steering Group was established to consider the mechanisms needed to set up and run the new business rates system, as well as the timetable and implementation of the reforms. It oversees the work of a set of technical working groups, each looking at particular aspects of the reforms. The Group meets on a regular basis and has done so on 7 occasions since April 2016. All papers for meetings are published here: http://www.local.gov.uk/business-rates


Written Question
Help to Buy Scheme: Shared Ownership
Wednesday 26th October 2016

Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will extend the Help to Buy scheme to shared ownership housing association tenants.

Answered by Lord Barwell

The Government has recently launched the new Help to Buy: Shared Ownership scheme which enables people to purchase an initial 25% to 75% of a new home and pay rent on the remainder with the option to purchase more later. It is open to those with a household income below £80,000 in England or £90,000 in London. The Government has no plans to combine this with Help to Buy: Equity Loan.


Written Question
Local Government
Thursday 17th December 2015

Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on creation of new unitary authorities.

Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)

The Government's policy is to work with local areas to deliver effective devolution with the governance necessary to support this. We support the move to create new unitary authorities where such a move is locally driven and enjoys local support.


Written Question
Housing: Construction
Friday 4th December 2015

Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his estimate is of the amount of New Home Bonuses to be granted to (a) East Northants Council, (b) the Borough Council of Wellingborough, (c) Northamptonshire County Council and (d) England in each of the next 10 years.

Answered by Brandon Lewis

As part of the Spending Review, the Government committed to the continuation of the New Homes Bonus. We will consult on reforms to the New Homes Bonus, including means of sharpening the incentive to reward communities for additional homes. We will also explore reducing the length of payments from six years including an option for savings of at least £800 million to be returned to local government and used to fund vital services such as adult social care. Details of both reforms will be set out shortly. There are no plans to change the basis of allocations for 2016/17. The allocations for 2016/17 will be published alongside the provisional Local Government Settlement for that year.


Written Question
Housing: Construction
Friday 4th December 2015

Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on New Home Bonuses for district and borough councils; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Brandon Lewis

As part of the Spending Review, the Government committed to the continuation of the New Homes Bonus. We will consult on reforms to the New Homes Bonus, including means of sharpening the incentive to reward communities for additional homes. We will also explore reducing the length of payments from six years including an option for savings of at least £800 million to be returned to local government and used to fund vital services such as adult social care. Details of both reforms will be set out shortly. There are no plans to change the basis of allocations for 2016/17. The allocations for 2016/17 will be published alongside the provisional Local Government Settlement for that year.


Written Question
Local Government Finance
Friday 4th December 2015

Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what changes are planned for local government funding over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)

Plans for local government funding will be set out shortly, alongside the publication of the provisional local government finance settlement for 2016-17.


Written Question
Fire and Rescue Services
Monday 23rd March 2015

Asked by: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) whole-time and (b) part-time firefighters there were in (i) Northamptonshire and (ii) England in each of the last 10 years.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

The numbers of (a) whole-time and (b) retained duty system fire fighters in (i) Northamptonshire and (ii) England, as at the end of March in each of the last 10 years, are shown in the attached tables alongside the number of fire incidents attended: