Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 102765, on Planning: Publications, whether he intends to update any of the other Plain English guides published on gov.uk by his Department.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government will continue to keep all guidance under review to update as necessary. Any new or updated guidance will be published in the usual way on gov.uk.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his planned timeframe is for consulting on national planning policy related to decision-making, including policies on flood risk and sustainable drainage systems.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making.
The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to expand the permitted development right for floating solar installations on reservoirs in England and Wales to allow the electricity generated by the floating solar projects to be exported to third parties.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Planning is a devolved matter within the competency of the Welsh Parliament.
The government continues to keep permitted development rights in England under review.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to extend the permitted development right for floating solar installations to disused quarries and docks in England and Wales.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Planning is a devolved matter within the competency of the Welsh Parliament.
The government continues to keep permitted development rights in England under review.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to extend permitted development rights for floating solar installations to on-farm reservoirs in England and Wales.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Planning is a devolved matter within the competency of the Welsh Parliament.
The government continues to keep permitted development rights in England under review.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to publish a revised National Planning Policy for Waste before May 2026.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making.
The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2026 to Question 101827, if she will publish the estimates of future passenger demand being used to inform strategic planning across the Essex Thameside area, including an assessment of the potential impact of proposed housing growth in Basildon Borough on c2c and Greater Anglia rail services.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Network Rail is responsible for developing estimates of passenger and freight future demand, working closely and collaboratively with train operating companies, local authorities, freight operators and other relevant stakeholders.
The Eastern region planning documents, including the Essex Thameside Strategic Advice, are made available on Network Rail’s website -https://www.networkrail.co.uk/our-work/long-term-planning/
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of postponing the 2026 local elections on the progress of Thurrock council's local plan.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government followed a locally-led process and based his decisions on a careful consideration of the representations made from councils with elections scheduled in May and from other councils, interested organisations, Members of Parliament, and members of the public. The government expects local planning authorities to work towards the adoption of an up-to-date local plan as soon as possible. Local government reorganisation should not hinder this essential work.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of postponing the 2026 local elections on the progress of Basildon council's local plan.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government followed a locally-led process and based his decisions on a careful consideration of the representations made from councils with elections scheduled in May and from other councils, interested organisations, Members of Parliament, and members of the public. The government expects local planning authorities to work towards the adoption of an up-to-date local plan as soon as possible. Local government reorganisation should not hinder this essential work.
Asked by: Lord Rogan (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the government of China about the redevelopment of the UK embassy in Beijing; and whether they discussed the construction of a new Chinese embassy in London in those talks.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided on 4 April 2025 to Question HL6121, and to the subsequent statement made to the House by Baroness Anderson of Stoke‑on‑Trent on 26 January setting out the decision taken by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
We have been clear throughout that the planning decision was for the Secretary of State at MHCLG to make in an independent, quasi-judicial capacity.
While it has been clear for a number of years that we need to rebuild our own Embassy in Beijing, which is in a poor condition and not suitable for managing a diplomatic relationship with a country as consequential to UK and global interests as China, that cannot be, and has not been, factored into this planning decision by the Secretary of State at MHCLG.