Oliver Dowden MP: written questions 2025
117 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Neighbourhood PlansMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70544More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the decision to end the commissioning of new neighbourhood planning support services on Neighbourhood Plans tha
Answer: Following the Spending Review, my Department announced that it is unable to commission new neighbourhood planning support services for 2025 onwards. After more than a decade of taxpayer support, our assessment is that neighbourhood planning should now be ...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNeighbourhood Plans: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70543More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 60598 on Neighbourhood Plans, what guidance her Department has provided to local planning authorities so that they can continue
Answer: Following the Spending Review, my Department announced that it is unable to commission new neighbourhood planning support services for 2025 onwards. After more than a decade of taxpayer support, our assessment is that neighbourhood planning should now be ...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNeighbourhood PlansMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70542More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department has taken to protect localism when neighbourhood plans are being created.
Answer: Following the Spending Review, my Department announced that it is unable to commission new neighbourhood planning support services for 2025 onwards. After more than a decade of taxpayer support, our assessment is that neighbourhood planning should now be ...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNeighbourhood Plans: Advisory ServicesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70541More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to replace new neighbourhood planning support services with any other services.
Answer: Following the Spending Review, my Department announced that it is unable to commission new neighbourhood planning support services for 2025 onwards. After more than a decade of taxpayer support, our assessment is that neighbourhood planning should now be ...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNeighbourhood Plans: Advisory ServicesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70540More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of continuing to commission new neighbourhood planning support services.
Answer: Following the Spending Review, my Department announced that it is unable to commission new neighbourhood planning support services for 2025 onwards. After more than a decade of taxpayer support, our assessment is that neighbourhood planning should now be ...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGreen BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70539More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changing the Planning Practice Guidance assessment criteria of identifying grey belt land from being judged as
Answer: The government has not changed the five purposes of the Green Belt set out in paragraph 143 of the NPPF, and we do not propose to alter its general extent. The contribution Green Belt land makes to the five purposes is only one consideration in local plan...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGreen BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70538More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the consistency of Local Planning Authorities in identifying grey belt land.
Answer: The government has not changed the five purposes of the Green Belt set out in paragraph 143 of the NPPF, and we do not propose to alter its general extent. The contribution Green Belt land makes to the five purposes is only one consideration in local plan...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70537More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the consistency of Local Planning Authorities in applying the (a) NPPF and (b) Planning Practice Guidance.
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government does not directly assess the consistency of Local Planning Authorities in applying the National Planning Policy Framework and Planning Practice Guidance. However, independent Planning Inspectors ex...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGreen BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70536More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 58609 and the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 39471, for what reason only Green Belt purposes (a), (b) and (d) were include
Answer: The government has not changed the five purposes of the Green Belt set out in paragraph 143 of the NPPF, and we do not propose to alter its general extent. The contribution Green Belt land makes to the five purposes is only one consideration in local plan...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGreen BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70535More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 58609 on Green Belt: Planning, and the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 39471 on Green Belt, for what reason her Department
Answer: The government has not changed the five purposes of the Green Belt set out in paragraph 143 of the NPPF, and we do not propose to alter its general extent. The contribution Green Belt land makes to the five purposes is only one consideration in local plan...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAntisemitismMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70534More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce cases of antisemitism.
Answer: Antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society. Tackling antisemitism in all its forms is a top priority for this Government. We are working closely with HMG’s Independent Adviser on Antisemitism on the most effective methods to tackle antisemitism a...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBushey Station: AccessDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69861More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's announcement Railway stations awarded Access for All accessibility funding, published on 24 May 2024, what her planned timetable is for the completion of Access for All constr
Answer: In May 2024, the previous government identified 50 stations, including Bushey, for initial feasibility work to assess their potential for future upgrades under the Access for All programme. Network Rail has now completed this initial feasibility work. We ...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRailway Stations: AccessDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69860More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 58611 on Railways: Access, when her Department will fund Network Rail to undertake the next round of feasibility studies.
Answer: Network Rail has completed initial feasibility work for the 50 projects being considered for inclusion in the Access for All programme within the 2025 Spending Review funding period. We plan to update stakeholders in due course.
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAJM Healthcare: WheelchairsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69859More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the (a) quality and (b) provision of NHS wheelchairs by AJM Healthcare.
Answer: The safety of all patients, whether they are treated in the National Health Service or the independent sector, is a top priority for the Government.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of local wheelchair servi...
Answered 29 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordWheelchairs: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69858More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the (a) quality and (b) provision of NHS wheelchairs.
Answer: Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of local wheelchair services. It is therefore the responsibility of ICBs to review and assess the quality of the provision of their commissioned National Health Service whee...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRadicalism: Young PeopleHome OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69857More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to help prevent the radicalisation of young people.
Answer: The UK’s counter-terrorism strategy is set out in CONTEST, most recently updated in 2023. Prevent is one of four pillars of that strategy. Prevent seeks to intervene early and provide support to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRadicalism: Young PeopleDepartment for EducationTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69856More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken through the education system to educate young people on the harms of radicalisation.
Answer: All schools are under a statutory duty to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being radicalised into terrorism.Every school should actively promote the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and ...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRadicalismHome OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69855More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support she is providing to local authorities to help them prevent people from being radicalised.
Answer: All Local Authorities in England, Scotland and Wales receive dedicated support from the Home Office to deliver the Prevent duty effectively and in proportion to the level of local risk and threat. This support includes expertise from a network of region-b...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMultiple Occupation: HertsmereMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69854More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of permitted development on the number of Houses of Multiple Occupation in Hertsmere constituency.
Answer: My Department has made no such an assessment.
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMultiple OccupationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61178More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of Houses in Multiple Occupation on local communities.
Answer: Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) can play an important part in the housing market, providing relatively low-cost accommodation for rent. Local planning authorities already have powers to limit the proliferation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) ...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMultiple Occupation: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61177More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral contribution from the Leader of the House in response to a question from the Rt hon. Member for Hertsmere on 5 June 2025, Official Report, col 462, how
Answer: Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) can play an important part in the housing market, providing relatively low-cost accommodation for rent. Local planning authorities already have powers to limit the proliferation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) ...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMultiple Occupation: HertsmereMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61176More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions her Department has had with Hertsmere Borough Council on houses in multiple occupation.
Answer: Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) can play an important part in the housing market, providing relatively low-cost accommodation for rent. Local planning authorities already have powers to limit the proliferation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) ...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMultiple OccupationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61175More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in demand for houses in multiple occupation accommodation on (a) England and (b) Hertsmere.
Answer: Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) can play an important part in the housing market, providing relatively low-cost accommodation for rent. Local planning authorities already have powers to limit the proliferation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) ...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAntisemitism: UniversitiesDepartment for EducationTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of StandWithUs UK's Voice of Students 2024 Report into antisemitism on UK university campuses, published on 7 May 2025.
Answer: Antisemitism has absolutely no place in universities or wider society. Universities must be places where all students feel safe, respected and able to thrive.Earlier this month, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education brought together v...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAntisemitism: UniversitiesDepartment for EducationTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59342More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of holding a public inquiry into antisemitism on university campuses.
Answer: Antisemitism has absolutely no place in universities or wider society. Universities must be places where all students feel safe, respected and able to thrive.Earlier this month, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education brought together v...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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