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 his Department's consultation entitled Planning reform: supporting the high street and increasing the delivery of new homes, published in October 2018, if he will take steps to ensure the potential expansion of permitted development rights does not lead to a loss of affordable housing to (a) rent and (b) buy.

Our recent consultation, Planning Reform: Supporting the high street and increasing delivery of new homes set out a package of proposals to simplify and speed up the planning system, make effective use of land, help high streets to adapt and diversify and deliver more homes through new permitted development rights and changes to the Use Classes Order.

We are currently considering all of the responses received to the consultation. Decisions will be taken in due course on how the consultation proposals will be taken forward in light of these.