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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to the Planning Inspectorate on meeting hon. Members outside of scheduled evidence hearings regarding concerns on Local Plans affecting their constituencies undergoing examination.

The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) have their own detailed procedural guidance on the conduct of examinations - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/examining-local-plans-procedural-practice and their own code of conduct https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-conduct. These take account of the report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life. My Department has not provided separate guidance to PINS.

More generally, PINS are aware of the legitimate interest that Members of Parliament have in the progress of local plans in their areas, and the important contribution they can make in representing the interests of their constituents. Local plan Inspectors are encouraged to engage positively with local MPs in the examination process whilst adhering to the Franks principles of openness, fairness and impartiality. This includes avoiding dealing privately with one party in the absence of other parties.