To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 20 December 2005, Official Report, column 2832W, on permitted development rights, whether he plans to hold a consultation on the Lichfield and Partners report on the Operation of Permitted Development Rights (2003); whether the Department plans to comment formally on the report; to what purpose the report (a) has been and (b) is planned to be put; and what the cost of the Lichfield and Partners review and report was. (63037)

I have been asked to reply.

There are no plans to hold a consultation on the report by Lichfield and Partners or to comment formally on it. Changes to the operation of permitted development rights will continue to be taken forward on a topic-related basis and consulted on as such. For example, we announced on 4 July that we will draw up proposals to revise the scope of householder permitted development rights. The report will continue to inform such consideration. The cost of the report was £102,725.