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To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of proposed planning reforms on green space accessibility in lower-income socio-economic areas.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of proposed planning reforms on green space accessibility in lower-income socio-economic areas.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published in December 2024, 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, and can deliver wider benefits for nature and support efforts to address climate change. Additionally, plans should make sufficient provision for green infrastructure, which is defined as a multifunctional network of green and blue spaces.
Planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities (including quantitative or qualitative deficits or surpluses) and opportunities for new provision. Information gained from the assessments should be used to determine what open space, sport and recreational provision is needed, which plans should then seek to accommodate.
The NPPF is also clear that open space should not be built on unless there is clear evidence it is no longer required, or equivalent or better provision is secured in a suitable location, or development of the site is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the benefits of which clearly outweigh the loss of the current or former use.
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on a new NPPF. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, includes proposals to give substantial weight to development proposals that provide new or improved community facilities such as facilities for play, sport and informal recreation, and proposes safeguards against the loss of existing open space.
The draft NPPF also includes a new requirement for local plans to set standards for green infrastructure drawing on Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework. The Green Infrastructure Framework includes a standard on accessible greenspace which sets criteria on size, proximity and quality.
Additionally, our proposed policy clearly sets out that development proposals should make sure that green infrastructure is located and designed to minimise risk of future failure, and that appropriate measures are in place for any necessary long-term management.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
This briefing provides statistics and forecasts for household debt, guidance on how to interpret debt statistics and analysis on how debt effects the economy.
This briefing provides statistics and forecasts for household debt, guidance on how to interpret debt statistics and analysis on how debt effects the economy.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the benefit-in-kind tax treatment of used company vehicles on employees on lower incomes; and whether she has assessed whether calculating benefit-in-kind liabilities using the original P11D list price represents an effective approach to...
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the benefit-in-kind tax treatment of used company vehicles on employees on lower incomes; and whether she has assessed whether calculating benefit-in-kind liabilities using the original P11D list price represents an effective approach to...
The Government is committed to supporting motorists to transition to electric vehicles. This is why at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced new Company Car Tax rates for the years 2028-29 and 2029-30, which maintain generous incentives to support EV take-up. The Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) published alongside Budget set out the expected economic, equalities and other impacts, and highlighted that overall, the measure was expected to encourage the take-up of zero emission vehicles.
In addition, at Budget 2025, the Government announced a significant expansion of incentives to drive EV uptake, including extending the Electric Car Grant and lifting the Vehicle Excise Duty Expensive Car Supplement threshold for EVs, which will support the whole EV market.
The Government needs to balance these incentives against responsible management of public finances to ensure we have sufficient revenue to fund essential public services. A company car is a valuable benefit and therefore needs to be taxed appropriately. The Government considers P11D list prices the fairest and most practical way to calculate benefit-in-kind liabilities for company cars and has no plans to move away from this approach. However, the Government will keep the second-hand EV market under review and continue to monitor developments closely.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate legal aid funding for low-income defendants.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate legal aid funding for low-income defendants.
In England and Wales, legal aid for defendants appearing at the magistrates’ court and Crown Court is means tested. The income thresholds are different in each court.
All defendants at the Crown Court are eligible for legal aid provided their annual disposable income is less than £37,500, although some may have to pay contributions. Convicted defendants may be required to pay contributions on their capital assets above £30k. The magistrates’ court test only considers income, with no contributions payable.
Defendants in receipt of specified welfare benefits may be ‘passported’ through the means test at both courts. This includes all defendants in receipt of Universal Credit and Guaranteed State Pension Credit who are deemed eligible for legal aid. All youth defendants under 18 years old are also passported through the means test.
There is also a hardship review mechanism in both courts for those defendants who do not pass the legal aid means assessment but face higher than usual household expenditure or higher than usual private defence costs.
The court duty solicitor scheme at the magistrates’ court may provide non-means tested legal representation to a defendant at their first hearing if they have been charged with an imprisonable offence.
The Government is currently considering the implications of the reforms being introduced by the Courts and Tribunals Bill in relation to criminal legal aid eligibility.
This Government has also taken steps to strengthen the criminal legal aid system overall, helping to maintain high-quality legal representation for low-income defendants. In December 2025, we announced additional funding of up to £34 million a year for criminal legal aid advocates.
This is in addition to the significant uplifts to criminal legal aid solicitor fees this Government has already implemented – which will be worth around an additional £116 million per year once in steady state.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking with the Department for Work and Pensions, to increase funding for music tuition for children from low-income families to match increases in the cost of lesson tuition at school music schools.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking with the Department for Work and Pensions, to increase funding for music tuition for children from low-income families to match increases in the cost of lesson tuition at school music schools.
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
This government is committed to ensuring that high-quality music education is not the preserve of the privileged few.
In the 2026/27 academic year, we will continue to invest £76 million revenue grant funding annually for the Music Hubs network, alongside continuing to invest £25 million capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology. The network provides services to schools, including group tuition, one-to-one tuition and instrument loans.
In the 2026/27 academic year, we are increasing means-tested bursary funding by £1.3 million to £37.8m for the Music and Dance Scheme to support around 2,100 high achieving young musicians and dancers to access to specialist performing arts education such as Chetham’s School of Music.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to assess the fairness of calculating company car benefit-in-kind tax on used electric vehicles using the vehicle's original P11D list price rather than its current market value, in the context of significant depreciation in used electric...
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to assess the fairness of calculating company car benefit-in-kind tax on used electric vehicles using the vehicle's original P11D list price rather than its current market value, in the context of significant depreciation in used electric...
The Government considers P11D list prices the fairest and most practical way to calculate benefit-in-kind liabilities for company cars and has no plans to move away from this approach. However, the Government will keep the second-hand EV market under review and continue to monitor developments closely.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Treasury has considered calculating benefit-in-kind tax on used company vehicles by reference to their market value rather than their original P11D list price.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Treasury has considered calculating benefit-in-kind tax on used company vehicles by reference to their market value rather than their original P11D list price.
The Government considers P11D list prices the fairest and most practical way to calculate benefit-in-kind liabilities for company cars and has no plans to move away from this approach. However, the Government will keep the second-hand EV market under review and continue to monitor developments closely.
This interactive dashboard shows deprivation data for constituencies and small areas in England.
This interactive dashboard shows deprivation data for constituencies and small areas in England.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of capped council tax liability order costs on low income households, and whether he is considering exemptions or reductions for those least able to pay.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of capped council tax liability order costs on low income households, and whether he is considering exemptions or reductions for those least able to pay.
The Government has published a technical consultation, targeted at local authorities and debt advice organisations, on proposed statutory steps for councils to take before formal council tax enforcement action, alongside accompanying guidance on other actions councils should consider before enforcement.
This follows the Government’s response to its public consultation on modernising council tax administration, which announced wider reforms to council tax collection and enforcement. The technical consultation seeks views from local authorities and key stakeholders on how councils should support vulnerable taxpayers before moving to formal enforcement. The consultation closes on 29 July and can be found here.
Statement on reforms to Flood Re.
Statement on reforms to Flood Re.
I welcome the opportunity to update the House on the reforms that Flood Re is announcing today, with the support of this Government. The changes will ensure that Flood Re remains fair, sustainable and focused on those who need it most, while supporting a transition to a more resilient insurance...
I welcome the opportunity to update the House on the reforms that Flood Re is announcing today, with the support of this Government. The changes will ensure that Flood Re remains fair, sustainable and focused on those who need it most, while supporting a transition to a more resilient insurance...
I thank the Minister for advance sight of her statement, and for our recent conversations about flooding in Somerset.
Flooding is a huge challenge for areas across the country. Some 6.3 million properties in England are currently located in areas that are at risk of flooding, including many in my constituency....
I thank the Minister for advance sight of her statement, and for our recent conversations about flooding in Somerset.
Flooding is a huge challenge for areas across the country. Some 6.3 million properties in England are currently located in areas that are at risk of flooding, including many in my constituency....
I thank the hon. Gentleman, and I recognise his commitment to flood protection. He referenced our meeting, at which we discussed the £50 million that we are putting into Somerset because of its particular landscape and challenges. He is right to highlight the accounts that Flood Re has produced; without...
I thank the hon. Gentleman, and I recognise his commitment to flood protection. He referenced our meeting, at which we discussed the £50 million that we are putting into Somerset because of its particular landscape and challenges. He is right to highlight the accounts that Flood Re has produced; without...
I thank the Minister for her statement. The vital importance of protecting and insuring people against flooding is highlighted by the case of my constituents who live next to Thingwall allotments, where extensive surface water flooding has blighted their lives for four years. Residents of Abbeystead Road have been forced...
I thank the Minister for her statement. The vital importance of protecting and insuring people against flooding is highlighted by the case of my constituents who live next to Thingwall allotments, where extensive surface water flooding has blighted their lives for four years. Residents of Abbeystead Road have been forced...
My hon. Friend is right to highlight how difficult it is for people to continually have to take action, especially elderly people, as well as the mental health impact of thinking they are going to have to do something to try to protect their home every time it rains. I...
My hon. Friend is right to highlight how difficult it is for people to continually have to take action, especially elderly people, as well as the mental health impact of thinking they are going to have to do something to try to protect their home every time it rains. I...
I thank the Minister for advance sight of her statement.
We Liberal Democrats support the Flood Re scheme and the protection it provides, but we are concerned that the package still risks falling short in a few ways. We agree that it cannot be right for lower-income households to subsidise the...
I thank the Minister for advance sight of her statement.
We Liberal Democrats support the Flood Re scheme and the protection it provides, but we are concerned that the package still risks falling short in a few ways. We agree that it cannot be right for lower-income households to subsidise the...
The hon. Lady is quite right to say that we need to take action on the risk of flooding. That is why this Government are putting the most money into flood protection and taking action against flooding of any Government ever. In our first year in government, we delivered 151...
The hon. Lady is quite right to say that we need to take action on the risk of flooding. That is why this Government are putting the most money into flood protection and taking action against flooding of any Government ever. In our first year in government, we delivered 151...
The 500 households in Chesterfield that were flooded during Storm Babet, almost all of which were in council tax bands A and B, will welcome the Government’s intention to make sure that this scheme remains sustainable. It is important to remember that flood victims are just that— victims. They are...
The 500 households in Chesterfield that were flooded during Storm Babet, almost all of which were in council tax bands A and B, will welcome the Government’s intention to make sure that this scheme remains sustainable. It is important to remember that flood victims are just that— victims. They are...
I know how much my hon. Friend cares about this issue. Indeed, we have visited some of the areas in his constituency that have been flooded. I remember the devastating loss in his constituency prior to the election; he was out there on the frontline, helping to lead some of...
I know how much my hon. Friend cares about this issue. Indeed, we have visited some of the areas in his constituency that have been flooded. I remember the devastating loss in his constituency prior to the election; he was out there on the frontline, helping to lead some of...