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To help local authorities finalise their local plans, my hon. Friend and his ministerial colleagues have made significant
changes to the planning rules. As a result, Wiltshire has cut its house building by 9,000, North Somerset has reduced its house building plans by 29%, and Three Rivers and others are doing likewise, to ensure that local plans better reflect their communities. Does my hon. Friend expect all local authorities to consider whether the new rules apply in their communities?
To help local authorities finalise their local plans, my hon. Friend and his ministerial colleagues have made significant
changes to the planning rules. As a result, Wiltshire has cut its house building by 9,000, North Somerset has reduced its house building plans by 29%, and Three Rivers and others are doing likewise, to ensure that local plans better reflect their communities. Does my hon. Friend expect all local authorities to consider whether the new rules apply in their communities?
It is vital for local councils to follow what is in the national planning policy framework. We know that where local plans are in place councils build more houses, but, most important, they build more houses in the right places, so that communities can be confident that they are being built where they are needed.
What progress her Department has made on ensuring that more schools achieve good and outstanding ratings by Ofsted.
What progress her Department has made on ensuring that more schools achieve good and outstanding ratings by Ofsted.
Under the last Labour Government, only 68% of schools were rated good or outstanding, letting down a generation of children. Thanks to this Conservative Government, that number now stands at nearly 90%. In the last year alone, 214,000 more children now attend good or outstanding schools, and I am delighted that this now includes the Lord Derby Academy in Knowsley, which
I visited last week. Our plan to give every child a world-class education is working. Labour has no plan. Remember that it has twice stood on a manifesto to abolish Ofsted. It is clear that every time Labour gets into power, children’s education suffers.
Nine out of 10 of the schools in my constituency are good or outstanding, reflecting this Government’s commitment to high standards and the incredible hard work of the staff and the school leadership, but special schools have struggled to achieve the same in my constituency. How is my right hon. Friend helping them to get to where we want them to be, where they can all be good or outstanding?
Nine out of 10 of the schools in my constituency are good or outstanding, reflecting this Government’s commitment to high standards and the incredible hard work of the staff and the school leadership, but special schools have struggled to achieve the same in my constituency. How is my right hon. Friend helping them to get to where we want them to be, where they can all be good or outstanding?
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right that Basingstoke’s schools have been transformed over the past decade, up from just 52% rated good or outstanding under Labour. We have recently brought in two of our strongest specialist multi-academy trusts to drive improvement in special schools. Solent Academies Trust is now responsible for Dove House School, and Chiltern Way Academy Trust will shortly be taking over three local underperforming special and alternative provision schools, two of which will receive significant capital investment from the Department to support the education of vulnerable children.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 6 March.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 6 March.
Q7
.
Dame Maria Miller (Basingstoke) (Con):
It is against the law to silence victims of crime, but that is exactly what the Post Office did through the use of non-disclosure agreements, and this is just the most recent case of NDAs covering up mismanagement, misconduct and even crimes at work. Will my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister consider banning their use in all severance agreements once and for all?
Q7
.
Dame Maria Miller (Basingstoke) (Con):
It is against the law to silence victims of crime, but that is exactly what the Post Office did through the use of non-disclosure agreements, and this is just the most recent case of NDAs covering up mismanagement, misconduct and even crimes at work. Will my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister consider banning their use in all severance agreements once and for all?
My right hon. Friend is right to raise an important point. The ability to speak out about things is key to unlocking justice. While NDAs can have a place—and my right hon. Friend is right to say that they should not be used to stop victims of crime in particular getting the justice they deserve—I can tell her that the Ministry of Justice is carefully considering how best to address this issue, including the use of legislation, and I know that my right hon. and learned Friend the Justice Secretary will keep the House updated on further progress.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 17 January.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 17 January.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to paragraph 61 of the National Planning Policy Framework, published on 19 December 2023, how his Department defines exceptional circumstance in relation to housebuilding numbers.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to paragraph 61 of the National Planning Policy Framework, published on 19 December 2023, how his Department defines exceptional circumstance in relation to housebuilding numbers.
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out an expectation that the standard method will be used by local authorities to assess local housing needs, while recognising there may be exceptional circumstances that justify the use of an alternative approach.
The Framework does not set out an exhaustive list of what may or may not constitute an exceptional circumstance, but it does explain that this can include issues relating to the particular demographic characteristics of an area. It is for the local authority to determine if there are exceptional circumstances, and to then justify the use of an alternative method when bringing its plan forward for examination.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the oral contribution of 13 December 2022 of the Minister of State, Department or Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on Consideration of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, Official Report column 957, how the revised National...
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the oral contribution of 13 December 2022 of the Minister of State, Department or Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on Consideration of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, Official Report column 957, how the revised National...
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out an expectation that the standard method will be used by local authorities to assess local housing needs, while recognising there may be exceptional circumstances that justify the use of an alternative approach.
The Framework does not set out an exhaustive list of what may or may not constitute an exceptional circumstance, but it does explain that this can include issues relating to the particular demographic characteristics of an area. It is for the local authority to determine if there are exceptional circumstances, and to then justify the use of an alternative method when bringing its plan forward for examination.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to paragraph 61 of the National Planning Policy Framework, published on 19 December 2023, whether high historic housebuilding numbers might be considered to be an exceptional circumstance.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to paragraph 61 of the National Planning Policy Framework, published on 19 December 2023, whether high historic housebuilding numbers might be considered to be an exceptional circumstance.
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out an expectation that the standard method will be used by local authorities to assess local housing needs, while recognising there may be exceptional circumstances that justify the use of an alternative approach.
The Framework does not set out an exhaustive list of what may or may not constitute an exceptional circumstance, but it does explain that this can include issues relating to the particular demographic characteristics of an area. It is for the local authority to determine if there are exceptional circumstances, and to then justify the use of an alternative method when bringing its plan forward for examination.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to paragraph 61 of the National Planning Policy Framework, published on 19 December 2023, whether the definition of exceptional circumstance has been influenced by case law.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to paragraph 61 of the National Planning Policy Framework, published on 19 December 2023, whether the definition of exceptional circumstance has been influenced by case law.
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out an expectation that the standard method will be used by local authorities to assess local housing needs, while recognising there may be exceptional circumstances that justify the use of an alternative approach.
The Framework does not set out an exhaustive list of what may or may not constitute an exceptional circumstance, but it does explain that this can include issues relating to the particular demographic characteristics of an area. It is for the local authority to determine if there are exceptional circumstances, and to then justify the use of an alternative method when bringing its plan forward for examination.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department takes to ensure that calculated local housing need reflects the housing need of the local population.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department takes to ensure that calculated local housing need reflects the housing need of the local population.
In 2018, we introduced a standard method for assessing local housing need. The standard method uses a formula to identify the minimum number of homes expected to be planned for, in a way which addresses projected household growth, affordability and historic under-supply.
The Prime Minister knows that in Basingstoke we also need a new hospital. That is why he has given £900 million for our hospital trust to make that happen. Does he agree that
that is a once-in-a-lifetime investment and must not just modernise the NHS healthcare that is provided, but support his plan to double medical training places by 2031? We are also ready to build our hospital a bit quicker, if that helps.
The Prime Minister knows that in Basingstoke we also need a new hospital. That is why he has given £900 million for our hospital trust to make that happen. Does he agree that
that is a once-in-a-lifetime investment and must not just modernise the NHS healthcare that is provided, but support his plan to double medical training places by 2031? We are also ready to build our hospital a bit quicker, if that helps.
I am pleased that through our new hospitals programme Hampshire Hospitals NHS foundation trust will receive significant investment that will ensure that excellent care is available for my right hon. Friend and all her constituents. I think the trust started its consultation last year and the results are due at the end of March. We look forward to making sure we can deliver the project as quickly as possible, as part of the record capital investment in the NHS to deliver faster, better care to patients everywhere.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which local authority areas have built homes for more than 100,000 people in the last 30 years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which local authority areas have built homes for more than 100,000 people in the last 30 years.
The department publishes an annual release entitled ‘Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England’, which is the primary and most comprehensive measure of housing supply, with estimates of new homes delivered in each local authority, in each financial year since 2001-02, shown in Live Table 122 at the following link.
For earlier years, the department publishes a quarterly release entitled ‘Housing supply: Indicators of New Supply, England’, which includes estimates of new build completions, by local authority, in each financial year since 1980-81, shown in Live Table 253 at the following link.
Estimates of the number of houses completed by are not centrally collected by the department. However, approximately half of the data used to produce the house building statistics are supplied by the National House-Building Council. These data contain additional detail on the size and type of new homes being completed and can be used to provide annual estimates of the proportion of new build dwellings that are houses as opposed to flats. Annual estimates of the proportion of building control reported new build dwelling completions, in England that are purpose built houses, are shown in Live Table 254, at the following link.
Estimates of the number of local authority areas that have built homes for more than 100,000 people in the last 30 years are not centrally collected by the department.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many new houses were built in each local authority in each of the last 30 years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many new houses were built in each local authority in each of the last 30 years.
The department publishes an annual release entitled ‘Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England’, which is the primary and most comprehensive measure of housing supply, with estimates of new homes delivered in each local authority, in each financial year since 2001-02, shown in Live Table 122 at the following link.
For earlier years, the department publishes a quarterly release entitled ‘Housing supply: Indicators of New Supply, England’, which includes estimates of new build completions, by local authority, in each financial year since 1980-81, shown in Live Table 253 at the following link.
Estimates of the number of houses completed by are not centrally collected by the department. However, approximately half of the data used to produce the house building statistics are supplied by the National House-Building Council. These data contain additional detail on the size and type of new homes being completed and can be used to provide annual estimates of the proportion of new build dwellings that are houses as opposed to flats. Annual estimates of the proportion of building control reported new build dwelling completions, in England that are purpose built houses, are shown in Live Table 254, at the following link.
Estimates of the number of local authority areas that have built homes for more than 100,000 people in the last 30 years are not centrally collected by the department.
One in 10 children in education in my constituency receives special educational needs support. Thanks to the Department for Education, we have had a new special school, the Austen Academy—that is a free school—and significant increases in budgets, but can we also ensure that teaching children with special needs is a mainstream part of teacher education? Supporting children with special educational needs every day is now a mainstream part of school.
One in 10 children in education in my constituency receives special educational needs support. Thanks to the Department for Education, we have had a new special school, the Austen Academy—that is a free school—and significant increases in budgets, but can we also ensure that teaching children with special needs is a mainstream part of teacher education? Supporting children with special educational needs every day is now a mainstream part of school.
I thank my right hon. Friend for her question. That is exactly why we are developing a new NPQ for SENCOs, which will launch in autumn 2024, and are inputting into the standards for teacher training to ensure that everybody has an understanding of how best to support children. There are now a lot of children with special educational needs, and we all need to know how to support them better.
What steps he is taking to strengthen the UK's relationship with Commonwealth countries.
What steps he is taking to strengthen the UK's relationship with Commonwealth countries.
The UK is deeply committed to the Commonwealth. We provide significant bilateral aid to Commonwealth countries, totalling over £608 million in 2022. We continue to support a range of Commonwealth initiatives, as the largest donor to many Commonwealth inter-governmental organisations. Our focus is on increasing intra-Commonwealth trade & investment, building resilience to climate change and promoting our shared values.
Strong parliamentary democracy is crucial to the Commonwealth, and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association has a central role as one of the oldest Commonwealth institutions, with you as one of our co-presidents, Mr Speaker. My right hon. Friend’s Department acknowledges that new legislation is needed to recognise the CPA as an international interparliamentary organisation, to keep it headquartered here in the UK. When does he plan to have that new legislation in place?
Strong parliamentary democracy is crucial to the Commonwealth, and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association has a central role as one of the oldest Commonwealth institutions, with you as one of our co-presidents, Mr Speaker. My right hon. Friend’s Department acknowledges that new legislation is needed to recognise the CPA as an international interparliamentary organisation, to keep it headquartered here in the UK. When does he plan to have that new legislation in place?
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right about the extraordinary contribution that the CPA makes around the world. We are very anxious to address the issue she has raised and to find a mutually acceptable solution. I hope that this can be done by legislation once parliamentary time allows, but if it is not possible to place it in the King’s Speech, she will know that there are other ways of pursuing the matter.
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2023 to Question 195825 on UN Commission on the Status of Women, what process was used to appoint the UK Youth Delegate to UN Commission on the Status of Women; how many applications were received...
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2023 to Question 195825 on UN Commission on the Status of Women, what process was used to appoint the UK Youth Delegate to UN Commission on the Status of Women; how many applications were received...
The UK Youth Delegate to the UN Commission on the Status of Women was not appointed through a selection process. The delegate was male. This was a trial appointment and we are currently evaluating the success of this initiative.
To tackle violence against women and girls, we need a criminal justice system that works. Part of that is having laws that are up to date to deal with the issues that women face today. I had the pleasure of working with my right hon. Friend the Minister on amendments to the Online Safety Bill that will make it a criminal offence to post intimate images online without consent, but he, I and others know that there are still gaps in the law when it comes to the making of those images. Will he give us an indication of when the Government intend to bring forward further legislation, not only to deal with that, but to keep online safety under constant review?
To tackle violence against women and girls, we need a criminal justice system that works. Part of that is having laws that are up to date to deal with the issues that women face today. I had the pleasure of working with my right hon. Friend the Minister on amendments to the Online Safety Bill that will make it a criminal offence to post intimate images online without consent, but he, I and others know that there are still gaps in the law when it comes to the making of those images. Will he give us an indication of when the Government intend to bring forward further legislation, not only to deal with that, but to keep online safety under constant review?
It has been a pleasure to work with my right hon. Friend on those amendments to the Online Safety Bill, which returns to the Commons today. She is right to highlight the rapidly changing environment that we are legislating for and the need therefore to keep things under constant review. Although she tempts me, I shall resist the temptation to speculate on a forthcoming King’s Speech or any future legislative announcements. What I will say, which I hope will give her some reassurance, is that we have been clear that, as soon as legislative time can be found, the Government are committed to implementing the full package of measures in the Law Commission report.
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, which Department is responsible for appointing the UK Youth Delegate to UN Commission on the Status of Women; what the process is for the appointment; and which Minister is responsible for this process.
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, which Department is responsible for appointing the UK Youth Delegate to UN Commission on the Status of Women; what the process is for the appointment; and which Minister is responsible for this process.
The Minister for Women and Equalities has overall responsibility for the Government’s participation in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), supported by ministers across government particularly those from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
For the first time, in 2023, the Government appointed a young person as a UN Women Youth Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women. This was a trial appointment and we are currently evaluating the success of this initiative.
The priority theme for CSW68 is Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective. The Government will continue to promote gender equality internationally at CSW and elsewhere in line with the priorities set out in the International women and girls strategy 2023 to 2030 published in March.