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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had contact with (i) Sir Michael Fallon, the Non-Executive Chairman of Avaton and (ii) other representatives of that company in connection with the Homebase Manor Road development proposals in Richmond since 1 December 2019.

No discussions have taken place with Ministers. Details of all Ministerial meetings are published online at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/956236/Ministerial_meetings_July_to_Sept_2020.csv/preview.

Officials in the Department were contacted in 2020 and January 2021 by planning consultants for the development seeking advice on timescales for the Department’s consideration of the call-in requests.