Every parliamentary written question tabled by Wendy Morton this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 121–140 of 227 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Communities and Local Government, how the Infrastructure Levy will operate in metropolitan boroughs; and what the projected levy income for the West Midlands is over the next five years.
The government has made clear that it does not intend to commence the Infrastructure Levy provisions from the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support high street revitalisation in places such as Aldridge and Brownhills; and what funding streams are available for local regeneration projects.
Government’s commitment to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) area involves a Devolution Deal which provides more funding, a single departmental-style budget, and new powers over transport, skills, and housing. This approach gives the mayor and local leaders more control to invest in local priorities and deliver economic growth and regeneration as set out in the recently publish West Midlands Plan for Growth. In addition, in 2024 the Government introduced High Street Rental Auctions, giving local authorities the power to bring long-vacant commercial properties back into use. Councils can auction rental rights for properties empty for at least 366 days within two years, aiming to revitalise high streets. Landlords have eight weeks to secure a tenant after notice; if unsuccessful, the property can be auctioned, with the new tenant restricted to the “high street use” set by the authority.
Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the financial resilience of metropolitan local authorities; and what steps his Department is taking to support councils implementing section 114 recovery plans.
The government is delivering a fairer system and realigning funding with need and deprivation through the first multi-year Local Government Finance Settlement in a decade. These changes will not fix the challenges facing local government overnight. Reform will take time and we recognise the potential for continued instability as we work to fix the foundations of local government, but these proposals are a fundamental step to improving the sustainability of the sector in the years to come and will allow councils to focus on service delivery and transformation. Issuing a Section 114 notice is a local decision and one that government has no formal role in. However, the government has now confirmed in the policy statement published on 20 November that there will continue to be a framework in place to support local authorities in the most difficult financial positions and remains committed to working collaboratively with them to work towards financial sustainability.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2025 to Questions 87306 and 87307, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of new planning powers in the (a) Planning and Infrastructure and (b) English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill on the role of (i) local councils and (ii) elected councillors in decision-making on individual planning applications.
Impact Assessments have been published for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to accelerate brownfield regeneration in the West Midlands; and what support is available to local authorities to bring derelict land back into use.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that substantial weight should be given to the value of using suitable brownfield land within settlements, including the development of under-utilised land and buildings to meet the need for homes and other uses. Through the revisions made to the NPPF on 12 December 2024 we broadened the definition of brownfield land, set a strengthened expectation that applications on brownfield land will be approved, and made clear that plans should promote an uplift in density in urban areas. On 22 September 2024, the government published a ‘brownfield passport’ working paper inviting views on how we might further prioritise and fast-track building on previously used urban land. This included exploring the role of national policy in setting minimum density expectations for certain types of locations, to support intensification in the right places. Utilising the feedback provided, we intend to consult this year on a new suite of national policies for decision making that will give effect to these proposals. On 18 June 2025, my Department announced £5 billion of new capital grant funding for infrastructure and land. This funding will be administered by the new National Housing Delivery Fund, through which councils will be able to secure funding for prospective projects, to contribute to the Government’s priority of delivering 1.5 million homes. Details of the funding made available to WMCA in 2025/26, via the Integrated Settlement, is available on gov.uk here. Details of the funding for 2026/27 onwards will be set out shortly.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 23 October 2025 on Housing Delivery, HCWS991, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the new time-limited planning route on the role of (a) local authorities, (b) ward councillors, and (c) planning committees.
On 23 October 2025, the Secretary of State and the Mayor of London announced a new package of support for housebuilding in London. Details can be found on gov.uk here. A consultation on these London-specific measures will be launched in November 2025, and feedback will be welcomed from local planning authorities and local councillors.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment has he made of the potential impact of requiring local authorities to make separate food waste collections by 31 March 2026 on (a) council budgets and (b) the provision of other core local authority services .
As set out at the Spending Review, £3.4 billion of new grant funding will be delivered through the Local Government Finance Settlement within financial years 2026-27 to 2028-29. This includes funding for local authorities to deliver Simpler Recycling as part of the Collection and Packaging waste reforms.
Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to bring forward further legislative proposals on planning reform.
Any new primary legislation will be formally announced to Parliament in the usual way.
Communities and Local Government, what guidance he has issued to the Planning Inspectorate on considering potential environmental impacts of decisions to designate land as grey belt.
The Planning Inspectorate has not been issued with specific guidance to support decisions as to whether any given site is considered grey belt when a decision by a local planning authority has been appealed. Nor has it been issued with specific guidance related to consideration of the potential environmental impacts of decisions to designate land as grey belt. In determining whether a site is classified as grey belt at appeal, the relevant Inspector will consider relevant legislation; national planning policy, including the National Planning Policy Framework; Planning Policy Guidance; and any relevant local development plan policies and material considerations.
Communities and Local Government, what guidance he has issued to the Planning Inspectorate on deciding whether a site is considered grey belt when a decision by a local authority has been appealed.
The Planning Inspectorate has not been issued with specific guidance to support decisions as to whether any given site is considered grey belt when a decision by a local planning authority has been appealed. Nor has it been issued with specific guidance related to consideration of the potential environmental impacts of decisions to designate land as grey belt. In determining whether a site is classified as grey belt at appeal, the relevant Inspector will consider relevant legislation; national planning policy, including the National Planning Policy Framework; Planning Policy Guidance; and any relevant local development plan policies and material considerations.
Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of updating the National Planning Policy Framework to include guidance on the importance of telecommunications infrastructure in new developments.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that advanced, high quality and reliable communications infrastructure is essential for economic growth and social well-being. It sets out that planning policies and decisions should support the expansion of electronic communications networks, including next generation mobile technology. The government intend to consult this year on a new suite of national policies for decision making and we will consider policies on telecommunications as part of that exercise.
Communities and Local Government, how many times he has met with the leader of Birmingham City Council to discuss resolving the ongoing bin strikes.
The ongoing waste dispute is a local issue and rightly being dealt with by Birmingham City Council. Secretary of State-appointed Commissioners continue to support the Council in their recovery and improvement journey and provide regular progress reports to the Secretary of State. My department engages regularly with Councils under intervention.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the judgement in C G Fry & Son Limited v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government UKSC/2024/0108 on housing delivery.
The Supreme Court judgment in question distinguished between the legal protection provided to European Sites under the Habitats Regulations and the policy protection afforded to Ramsar sites. The government has not undertaken a specific assessment of the impact of the judgment on general housing delivery. The case concerned a very limited set of circumstances and no new planning applications that have come forward since the imposition of nutrient neutrality advice in 2020 will be affected by the Supreme Court’s judgement. While this case has been progressing through the courts, the government has provided significant investment to deliver local mitigation schemes – including in Somerset – to enable development to come forward.
Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his Department's policy to (a) guarantee that green belt protections in the West Midlands will be maintained under the devolution of planning powers to the regional mayor and (b) require the consent of affected local councils for development on Green Belt land.
The new planning powers and investment flexibilities in the London Housing Delivery package announced jointly with the Mayor of London on 23 October reflect the importance of the Mayor’s role in housing delivery. Through the Planning and Infrastructure and English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bills, we are giving other Mayors these powers so they can also support housing delivery in their area. Green Belt policy will remain set out nationally in the National Planning Policy Framework.
Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to extend new planning powers and investment flexibilities being provided to the Mayor of London under the Housing Delivery package announced in Written Statement HCWS991 to (a) the Mayor of the West Midlands and (b) other Mayors; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of such powers on Green Belt protection in (i) Aldridge–Brownhills constituency and (ii) in general.
The new planning powers and investment flexibilities in the London Housing Delivery package announced jointly with the Mayor of London on 23 October reflect the importance of the Mayor’s role in housing delivery. Through the Planning and Infrastructure and English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bills, we are giving other Mayors these powers so they can also support housing delivery in their area. Green Belt policy will remain set out nationally in the National Planning Policy Framework.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of houses of multiple occupation being used to accommodate illegal migrants on (a) the wider private rented housing sector (b) rental prices, (c) the supply of family homes and (d) the (i) availability and (ii) affordability of housing in areas of high demand.
In accordance with the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and subsistence support while their applications for asylum are being considered. Accommodation is provided on a no-choice basis.Asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected are generally not provided with dispersal accommodation.The Home Office consults with local authorities across the UK before dispersal accommodation, including Houses of Multiple Occupation, is procured, ensuring the impact on communities is understood. When considering how much dispersed accommodation to procure in any given area, a range of factors are considered including the local housing availability as well as social factors such as pressures on GPs.
Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of (a) the potential impact of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) on (i) community cohesion and (ii) levels of anti-social behaviour, (b) the concentration of HMOs in specific areas and (c) whether additional planning powers should be made available to local authorities to manage those impacts.
My Department has not undertaken an assessment of the potential impact of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) on (i) community cohesion and (ii) levels of anti-social behaviour. Local planning authorities already have planning powers to limit the concentration or proliferation of HMOs within their locality. They can remove the national permitted development right for smaller HMOs to protect the local amenity or wellbeing of an area by introducing an ‘Article 4’ direction which, once in place, requires all new HMO proposals to secure planning permission. We keep the powers to regulate HMOs under review.
Communities and Local Government, if he will issue guidance to local authorities to ensure mobile network operators are notified for large-scale residential developments.
Local planning authorities already have discretion to consult with mobile network operators where it is relevant to a specific application. In addition to national planning policy and guidance, the Code of Practice for Wireless Network Development in England, published February 2022, sets out the roles and responsibilities for all relevant stakeholders, including applicants and local authorities, when planning for, consulting on and installing telecommunications infrastructure.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 66180 on Housing: Finance, whether he plans to publish a regional breakdown of Affordable Homes Programme allocations (a) outside London via Homes England and (b) by tenure type.
Homes England publish allocations data for the Affordable Homes Programme on gov.uk here. Further updates on allocations, including those with Strategic Partners, will be released in due course.
Communities and Local Government, what additional funding she plans to provide to planning departments in local authorities in 2025-26.
Supporting local planning authorities to attract, retain and develop skilled planners is crucial to ensuring they provide a proactive, efficient planning service for local communities and that new developments are well designed and facilitate local growth. The government appreciates that planning departments across the country are experiencing challenges with recruitment, retention, and skills gaps and that in many cases these issues are having a negative impact on service delivery. At the Budget last year, the Chanceller announced a £46 million package of investment into the planning system as a one-year settlement for 2025-2026. Our manifesto committed us to appointing 300 new planning officers into LPAs. We are on track to meet that commitment through two routes, namely graduate recruitment through the Pathways to Planning scheme run by the Local Government Association and mid-career recruitment through Public Practice. On 27 February 2025, the government announced funding to support salaries and complement graduate bursaries. Further information can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 27 February 2025 (HCWS480). On 25 February 2025, the draft Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) (Amendment and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2025 were agreed. These regulations increase planning fees for householder and other applications, with a view to providing much-needed additional resources for hard-pressed LPAs. More broadly, the Department’s established Planning Capacity and Capability programme is also developing a wider programme of support, working with partners across the planning sector, to ensure that LPAs have the skills and capacity they need, both now and in the future, to modernise local plans and speed up decision making, including through innovative use of digital planning data and software. Lastly, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes provisions that will allow LPAs to set planning fees or charges at a level that reflects the individual costs to the LPA to carry out the function for which it is imposed and to ensure that the income from planning fees or charges is applied towards the delivery of the planning function.