To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what planning advice or guidance her Department and its predecessors have issued to local planning authorities on diversity and equality in planning since 1997. (254855)

The Department (then the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) published ‘Diversity and Equality in Planning: A good practice guide’ in 2005, aimed at helping planners to better understand the important role that planning can play in supporting the Government's commitment to tackling disadvantage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the Infrastructure Planning Commission will start assessing planning applications; and what the target time is for the Commission to process such applications. (255214)

Our expectation is that the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) will be ready to begin receiving applications in spring 2010. In most circumstances, cases will be decided within a year from application.