Lords motion to take note of the second report of the Built Environment Committee on New Towns: Laying the Foundations (HL 183 2024-26). Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to take note of the second report of the Built Environment Committee on New Towns: Laying the Foundations (HL 183 2024-26). Agreed to on question.

My Lords, before I begin, I say some words of thanks. First, I thank the 88 organisations and individuals who submitted written evidence, alongside the witnesses who appeared before the committee over 11 sessions. Secondly, I thank the team backstage: our excellent specialist adviser, Kelvin MacDonald; and the committee staff,...

My Lords, before I begin, I say some words of thanks. First, I thank the 88 organisations and individuals who submitted written evidence, alongside the witnesses who appeared before the committee over 11 sessions. Secondly, I thank the team backstage: our excellent specialist adviser, Kelvin MacDonald; and the committee staff,...

My Lords, this new town agenda is very exciting. It is a chance for us to create new, high-quality communities for the 21st century, where the quality of people’s lives will be boosted by their surroundings: places where people can live, work and play and, above all, be inspired. But...

My Lords, this new town agenda is very exciting. It is a chance for us to create new, high-quality communities for the 21st century, where the quality of people’s lives will be boosted by their surroundings: places where people can live, work and play and, above all, be inspired. But...

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Cameron of Dillington, and my noble friend Lord Gascoigne. I pay credit to my noble friend and the noble Lord, Lord Cameron, for the work that they did in this committee and continue to do. It is...

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Cameron of Dillington, and my noble friend Lord Gascoigne. I pay credit to my noble friend and the noble Lord, Lord Cameron, for the work that they did in this committee and continue to do. It is...

My Lords, I welcome the Select Committee report, particularly its emphasis on an infrastructure-first approach, mandatory basic design standards and capturing land values. I welcome the overall direction set out in the Government’s consultation on the draft new towns programme and policy, particularly the emphasis on high-quality place-making, environmental sustainability...

My Lords, I welcome the Select Committee report, particularly its emphasis on an infrastructure-first approach, mandatory basic design standards and capturing land values. I welcome the overall direction set out in the Government’s consultation on the draft new towns programme and policy, particularly the emphasis on high-quality place-making, environmental sustainability...

My Lords, in 2004 the Labour Government were struggling with a shortage of homes and rising housing costs, so I offered some published advice on how, for example, they could initiate the construction of a new garden city by the Thames. I provisionally called it Thames Reach—it was in the...

My Lords, in 2004 the Labour Government were struggling with a shortage of homes and rising housing costs, so I offered some published advice on how, for example, they could initiate the construction of a new garden city by the Thames. I provisionally called it Thames Reach—it was in the...

My Lords, I join others in paying tribute to my noble friend Lord Gascoigne for his report. I recognise the need for new homes, and the role that new settlements can play in that provision. The question, of course, is where those new settlements should be located, and on what...

My Lords, I join others in paying tribute to my noble friend Lord Gascoigne for his report. I recognise the need for new homes, and the role that new settlements can play in that provision. The question, of course, is where those new settlements should be located, and on what...

My Lords, this is a very welcome debate not only because it is the opportunity to discuss our first report of the Built Environment Committee, but also because it is turning into a very interesting debate in all manner of ways. I pay tribute to our excellent chairman, the noble...

My Lords, this is a very welcome debate not only because it is the opportunity to discuss our first report of the Built Environment Committee, but also because it is turning into a very interesting debate in all manner of ways. I pay tribute to our excellent chairman, the noble...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow my noble friend Lady Andrews and so many other noble Lords in this debate. I, too, pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Gascoigne, and the Built Environment Committee for making today’s debate possible. Its report is essential reading for all of...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow my noble friend Lady Andrews and so many other noble Lords in this debate. I, too, pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Gascoigne, and the Built Environment Committee for making today’s debate possible. Its report is essential reading for all of...

My Lords, I must first declare my interest as a councillor in central Bedfordshire, which is the location of two of the new towns: Tempsford and a large chunk of the extension to Milton Keynes. Following the comments of the noble Baroness, Lady Young of Old Scone, I must also...

My Lords, I must first declare my interest as a councillor in central Bedfordshire, which is the location of two of the new towns: Tempsford and a large chunk of the extension to Milton Keynes. Following the comments of the noble Baroness, Lady Young of Old Scone, I must also...

My Lords, I am grateful for this very helpful debate and to the Built Environment Committee for its extensive work behind this second report on new towns. I thank my noble friend Lord Gascoigne for his chairmanship of the committee and the insights he has provided, and all the speakers...

My Lords, I am grateful for this very helpful debate and to the Built Environment Committee for its extensive work behind this second report on new towns. I thank my noble friend Lord Gascoigne for his chairmanship of the committee and the insights he has provided, and all the speakers...

My Lords, I welcome the noble Baroness, Lady O’Neill, to her place and congratulate her on her elevation to the Front Bench. I very much look forward to working with her.

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Gascoigne, for securing this important debate and for the Built Environment Committee’s extensive work....

My Lords, I welcome the noble Baroness, Lady O’Neill, to her place and congratulate her on her elevation to the Front Bench. I very much look forward to working with her.

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Gascoigne, for securing this important debate and for the Built Environment Committee’s extensive work....

I thank the Minister. I know the hour is late, so I will not respond to all the points that have been made, but it has been a fascinating and

energising discussion from across the political divide. I am grateful to the Minister for some of the additional information that...

I thank the Minister. I know the hour is late, so I will not respond to all the points that have been made, but it has been a fascinating and

energising discussion from across the political divide. I am grateful to the Minister for some of the additional information that...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether local highway authorities are eligible for central government funding for bus stop schemes that do not incorporate floating bus stop designs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether local highway authorities are eligible for central government funding for bus stop schemes that do not incorporate floating bus stop designs.

My Honourable Friend the Minister of State for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook MP) has today made the following statement:

England remains in the grip of a housing crisis that is both acute and entrenched. The detrimental consequences of this disastrous state of affairs are now all pervasive: a generation locked...

My Honourable Friend the Minister of State for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook MP) has today made the following statement:

England remains in the grip of a housing crisis that is both acute and entrenched. The detrimental consequences of this disastrous state of affairs are now all pervasive: a generation locked...

England remains in the grip of a housing crisis that is both acute and entrenched. The detrimental consequences of this disastrous state of affairs are now all pervasive: a generation locked out of homeownership; 1.3 million people languishing on social housing waiting lists; millions of low-income households forced into unaffordable...

England remains in the grip of a housing crisis that is both acute and entrenched. The detrimental consequences of this disastrous state of affairs are now all pervasive: a generation locked out of homeownership; 1.3 million people languishing on social housing waiting lists; millions of low-income households forced into unaffordable...

My Lords, I too will miss the noble Lord, Lord Khan, on the Government Front Bench. He always managed to respond to any questions

I had with a smile. I even forgave him for living in Lancashire. We wish him well from these Benches and I hope the Minister will...

My Lords, I too will miss the noble Lord, Lord Khan, on the Government Front Bench. He always managed to respond to any questions

I had with a smile. I even forgave him for living in Lancashire. We wish him well from these Benches and I hope the Minister will...

I. Office for Place Annual Report & Accounts for 2024/25. 29p. II. Letter dated 09/07/2025 from Matthew Pennycook MP to the Deposited Papers Clerk regarding a document for deposit in the House libraries. 1p.

I. Office for Place Annual Report & Accounts for 2024/25. 29p. II. Letter dated 09/07/2025 from Matthew Pennycook MP to the Deposited Papers Clerk regarding a document for deposit in the House libraries. 1p.

Amendment 43 to clause 30, discussed with new clauses 11, 12, 13, 40, and 47, negatived on division (3 to 11). Clauses 30 to 32 agreed to. Clause 33, as amended, agreed to. Clause 34 under consideration.

Amendment 43 to clause 30, discussed with new clauses 11, 12, 13, 40, and 47, negatived on division (3 to 11). Clauses 30 to 32 agreed to. Clause 33, as amended, agreed to. Clause 34 under consideration.