Oliver Dowden MP: written questions 2026
165 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Green BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111727More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Planning Practice Guidance on the Green Belt, how the Department defines (a) large built-up areas, (b) towns and (c) historic towns.
Answer: The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 and the Green Belt guidance updated on 27 February 2025 do not introduce a definition of large-built up area, town, historic town or village. In the absence of an up-to-date loca...
Answered 24 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111726More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to protect local democracy when changing the referral criteria to require Local Planning Authorities to notify the Department where they intend to refuse
Answer: The power to call in planning applications is a long-established one. Decisions on call-in are a question of jurisdiction and not a view on the merits of any given application. The policy on call in, as set out in a Written Ministerial Statement of 26 Oct...
Answered 2 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPlanning Obligations: Railway StationsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111725More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department will make it a requirement for developers of sites near rail stations to contribute to Section 106 monies to help deliver future accessibility improvements
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 90834 on 21 November 2025, UIN 111724 on 2 March 2026, and UIN 26106 on 5 February 2025.
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordGreen BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111724More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will provide the evidence base used to determine that 800m is the appropriate radius for station-based Green Belt release.
Answer: The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The draft NPPF includes policies that would allow for suitable development (includ...
Answered 2 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordGreen BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111723More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many "Grey Belt" planning applications have been approved on appeal against the wishes of the local planning authority since the publication of the revised NPPF in December 2
Answer: The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 and the Green Belt guidance updated on 27 February 2025 do not introduce a definition of large-built up area, town, historic town or village. In the absence of an up-to-date loca...
Answered 24 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordGreen BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111722More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has conducted an assessment of the potential for "Grey Belt" designations to encourage speculative planning applications on land in an area that does not h
Answer: The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 and the Green Belt guidance updated on 27 February 2025 do not introduce a definition of large-built up area, town, historic town or village. In the absence of an up-to-date loca...
Answered 24 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordBrownfield SitesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111721More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many homes his Department plans to build on brownfield land.
Answer: I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 84470 on 30 October 2025.
Answered 24 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordFreedom of ExpressionHome OfficeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111720More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to protect free speech.
Answer: Free speech is a fundamental right and a defining value of our open and diverse society. Our legislation reflects this, enabling individuals to engage in robust debate. However, freedom of speech is a qualified right. It does not extend to language that i...
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordFreedom of ExpressionHome OfficeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111719More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to promote free speech.
Answer: Free speech is a fundamental right and a defining value of our open and diverse society. Our legislation reflects this, enabling individuals to engage in robust debate. However, freedom of speech is a qualified right. It does not extend to language that i...
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordArts: Political ImpartialityDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111718More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance her Department provides to Arts Council England regarding the political neutrality of National Portfolio Organisations.
Answer: The government is committed to freedom of speech, including in the cultural sector, and the Secretary of State has expressed an unequivocal ambition that the era of the government stoking “culture wars” should be over. The government is clear that whilst ...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordArts: Political ImpartialityDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111717More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that arts organisations receiving public funding do not discriminate against events based on the political or philosophical viewpoints of the speaker
Answer: The government is committed to freedom of speech, including in the cultural sector, and the Secretary of State has expressed an unequivocal ambition that the era of the government stoking “culture wars” should be over. The government is clear that whilst ...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordFireworks: Anti-social BehaviourDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110424More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Fireworks Regulations 2004 on tackling the purchase of fireworks for anti-social use.
Answer: There has been no assessment on the impact of the fireworks regulations 2004 on tackling purchase of fireworks for anti-social use.I recognise that people hold a range of views on this issue. On 19th January, MPs debated two e-petitions relating to the sa...
Answered 11 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordFireworks: HertfordshireDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110423More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking with local councils to tackle the anti-social use of fireworks in Hertfordshire.
Answer: Local authorities and the police have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by misuse of fireworks. New Respect Orders will empower police and local councils, via court mandates, to impose stringent behavioural restrictions on individuals who repe...
Answered 11 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMarine Protected Areas: Bottom TrawlingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109568More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will prohibit bottom-towed fishing gear in all 41 Marine Protected Areas.
Answer: The consultation on the latest round of proposed fisheries byelaws, which proposes further restrictions on bottom trawling in 41 of England’s offshore Marine Protected Areas, closed on 29 September. The Marine Management Organisation is now carefully cons...
Answered 4 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordBBC: Political ImpartialityDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109161More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the BBC on the adequacy of the political impartiality in its news and current affairs output.
Answer: The Secretary of State meets regularly with the Chair of the BBC to discuss a wide range of issues.For any public service broadcaster, accountability and trust are key. It is important that the BBC continues to demonstrate how it is working diligently to ...
Answered 4 Feb 2026
Original Parliament record
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