To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


View sample alert

Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Holiday Parks: Marketing
Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of the potentially misleading marketing of homes on holiday parks as residential properties on consumers.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

We expect that the marketing of all properties accords with the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, which prohibits misleading omissions of key information about the property.

Estate agents’ compliance with the law is overseen by the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agent Team, who can issue warning or banning orders to agents who fail to comply.

Consumers should make sure they are clear about any restrictions on the property before purchasing, informed by checks on the property title carried out by their conveyancing solicitor before contracts are exchanged.


Written Question
Aerials: Highlands of Scotland
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: Lord Smith of Finsbury (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Camrose on 31 January (HL1716), what protection they have included in provision for the Shared Rural Network of telephone masts in the Highland region of Scotland for wild land and areas of natural beauty, and scientific importance and interest.

Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

4G Mobile coverage already reaches 99% of premises in the UK. The Shared Rural Network is focused on delivering connectivity not just where people live but where they work, travel and visit. In the Highlands and other areas of Scotland, whether you are a farmer wishing to utilise new technology or a visitor to one of the National Parks, digital connectivity is vital. People must be able to build lives, grow families and sustain businesses, otherwise the communities that keep a place’s culture and history alive will simply dwindle.

To minimise the impact on the environment, publicly funded masts will be shared by all four mobile network operators and existing infrastructure will be utilised wherever possible. At each potential location, an individual assessment takes account of a wide range of factors, including complying with strict planning rules for areas of natural beauty making sure we strike the right balance between connectivity and preserving the preciousness of unique landscapes.

The mobile network operators are required to work closely with local communities to ensure concerns are heard through the planning process, and local planning authorities are then responsible for approving applications.


Written Question
Aerials: Highlands of Scotland
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: Lord Smith of Finsbury (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Camrose on 31 January (HL1716), what consultation they have undertaken with Community Councils in the Highland region of Scotland in relation to the siting of proposed telephone masts under the auspices of the Shared Rural Network.

Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

4G Mobile coverage already reaches 99% of premises in the UK. The Shared Rural Network is focused on delivering connectivity not just where people live but where they work, travel and visit. In the Highlands and other areas of Scotland, whether you are a farmer wishing to utilise new technology or a visitor to one of the National Parks, digital connectivity is vital. People must be able to build lives, grow families and sustain businesses, otherwise the communities that keep a place’s culture and history alive will simply dwindle.

To minimise the impact on the environment, publicly funded masts will be shared by all four mobile network operators and existing infrastructure will be utilised wherever possible. At each potential location, an individual assessment takes account of a wide range of factors, including complying with strict planning rules for areas of natural beauty making sure we strike the right balance between connectivity and preserving the preciousness of unique landscapes.

The mobile network operators are required to work closely with local communities to ensure concerns are heard through the planning process, and local planning authorities are then responsible for approving applications.


Written Question
Aerials: Highlands of Scotland
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: Lord Smith of Finsbury (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Camrose on 31 January (HL1716), why the choice of geographical coverage for the Shared Rural Network of telephone masts includes areas in the Highland region of Scotland where coverage can reach no house or community.

Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

4G Mobile coverage already reaches 99% of premises in the UK. The Shared Rural Network is focused on delivering connectivity not just where people live but where they work, travel and visit. In the Highlands and other areas of Scotland, whether you are a farmer wishing to utilise new technology or a visitor to one of the National Parks, digital connectivity is vital. People must be able to build lives, grow families and sustain businesses, otherwise the communities that keep a place’s culture and history alive will simply dwindle.

To minimise the impact on the environment, publicly funded masts will be shared by all four mobile network operators and existing infrastructure will be utilised wherever possible. At each potential location, an individual assessment takes account of a wide range of factors, including complying with strict planning rules for areas of natural beauty making sure we strike the right balance between connectivity and preserving the preciousness of unique landscapes.

The mobile network operators are required to work closely with local communities to ensure concerns are heard through the planning process, and local planning authorities are then responsible for approving applications.


Written Question
Land: Conservation
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to protect landscapes with distinct literary heritage and value.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Much of England's culturally rich landscapes and the literary heritage they represent are found in our National Parks, The Broads and National Landscapes. These Protected Landscapes are already specifically designated and managed to conserve and enhance their natural beauty and important cultural associations, including relevant literature and the sites which inspired it, as key components of the natural beauty of the area.

Protected Landscapes are extensively protected as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework which gives ‘great weight’ to the landscape and scenic beauty of Protected Landscapes. In addition local authorities are able to formally identify areas of local landscape value in local plans and the historic literary importance of a place can already be taken into account in development decisions.


Written Question
Hill Farming: Environmental Land Management Schemes
Wednesday 28th February 2024

Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what further steps they plan to take to support and protect upland and hill farmers to offset any loss of income they face under the new environmental land management schemes.

Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Upland farmers play a vital role in managing some of our most important and iconic landscapes, which are valued and recognised by the public. In addition to farming, the management of upland landscapes can provide many environmental benefits and ecosystem services, including clean air and water, carbon sequestration and flood risk management.

Upland farmers are well placed to benefit from our Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, which are designed to maintain sustainable, productive land which delivers for both farmers and the environment.

The schemes under ELM have been designed to be as accessible and attractive to as wide a range of farmers as possible. We continue to work closely with a range of environmental and agricultural stakeholders to collaboratively design our new approaches to ensure they are fit for purpose.

Support for small farmers, including upland farmers, includes the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) Management Payment. At the recent National Farmers Union Conference, the Prime Minister announced that this payment will be doubled to a maximum of £2000 per year. At the Conference the Prime Minister also announced the biggest ever package of grants this year, to boost productivity and resilience, which will total £220 million. Upland farmers will be eligible to benefit from this, through increases to the Improving Farming Productivity scheme and the Farming Equipment and Technology fund. And the Prime Minister announced that the Government is also increasing funding for grassroots mental health support, because we know what a tough job farming is; and providing funding to support food producers by redirecting surplus food into the hands of those who need it.

This builds on support already in place for upland farmers. Upland farmers can get paid for over 130 relevant actions under Countryside Stewardship and the SFI from 2024. This will include new moorland and upland peat actions, with considerably higher payments for moorlands in good environmental condition. They can also extend their Higher Level Stewardship agreements for five years if they have one that can run alongside any Countryside Stewardship or SFI agreement they have, allowing them to get paid for more actions and take advantage of recent price increases. And they can apply for Countryside Stewardship Wildlife Offers for a range of management options that focus on providing habitats for farm wildlife.

Upland farmers in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or National Parks can apply for the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, which funds farmers to support nature recovery, mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage, or protect or improve the quality and character of the landscape or place. And upland farmers can continue to benefit from the Landscape Recovery scheme, creating the landscape scale and tailored environmental land management change we need for our targets. So far 56 successful projects have been selected for Rounds 1 and 2 of Landscape Recovery, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to funding that delivers environmental benefits in harmony with food production. Defra will open a third round of Landscape Recovery in 2024.


Written Question
Recreation Spaces: Access
Tuesday 13th February 2024

Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to increase access to green spaces.

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

National Planning Policy sets out that access to high quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical activity are important for the health and well-being of communities.

The Government is firmly committed to protecting and creating more parks and green spaces. Through the Levelling Up Parks Fund we have provided £9 million to create new or significantly refurbish existing green spaces.


Written Question
Conservation Areas and National Parks: Permitted Development Rights
Monday 12th February 2024

Asked by: Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what analysis has been carried out of the impact of proposals to extend Permitted Development Rights in National Parks and other Protected Landscapes for the conversion of barns and other rural buildings to residential use, including analysis of whether this would conflict with the statutory purposes to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area.

Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government has consulted on proposals to extend permitted development rights to support housing delivery and the agricultural sector. This includes proposals to extend permitted development rights to allow farmers to convert agricultural buildings like barns to houses in national parks and other protected landscapes. We are currently analysing responses to this consultation, which closed on 25 September 2023. This includes consideration of whether this PDR extension would conflict with the statutory purposes of protected landscapes.

National Parks and National Landscapes represent our shared heritage and support our nation’s health and wellbeing. They are also crucial to delivering our commitments to tackle climate change and restore nature. To support them in this role we introduced measures in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 placing a stronger requirement on partners to deliver on the statutory purposes of these areas.


Written Question
National Parks and Conservation Areas: Permitted Development Rights
Tuesday 30th January 2024

Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his Department's consultation on Permitted development rights, which closed on 25 September 2023, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of extending permitted development rights in (a) national parks and (b) other protected landscapes to allow the conversion of (i) barns and (ii) other rural buildings for residential use on the ability of national park authorities to support the statutory purpose of national parks to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

We are currently considering the responses received to the consultation, including from stakeholders representing National Parks and other protected areas, and will make further announcements in due course.


Written Question
Deer
Friday 26th January 2024

Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps in his Department's forthcoming national deer management strategy to help ensure the adequacy of (a) capacity to process deer carcasses if culling levels increase and (b) the supply of venison to the (i) private and (ii) public sector in the next five years.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is working with stakeholders including Grown in Britain, game dealers and shooting and conservation associations to support development of the wild venison supply chain.

This includes facilitating an industry GB Wild Venison Working Group to improve sector resilience, develop branding, traceability and promote the British Quality Wild Venison Standard and exploring opportunities for more public procurement of wild venison, with the aim of increasing overall demand for wild venison. We are also providing funding towards wild venison related projects in a number of our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, through the Farming in Protected Landscapes scheme.

The forthcoming deer management strategy will set out actions that will go further in supporting domestic wild venison.