To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to protect the green belt in (a) England, (b) East of England, (c) Bedfordshire and (d) Mid Bedfordshire constituency. (317530)

We are committed to the protection of green belt throughout England. Only in exceptional circumstances may its boundaries be amended, where the tests in Planning Policy Guidance Note 2, ‘Green Belts’, are met. Disregarding the reclassification of 47,300 hectares as National Park in 2005, green belt nationally has grown by around 34,000 hectares since 1997.

In the East of England Plan 2008, Policy SS7 states that the broad extent of green belts in the region is appropriate and should be maintained. However, it identifies the need for strategic review of green belt boundaries at Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead, Harlow and Welwyn/Hatfield. These are designated key centres for development and change where significant growth allocations have been made.

In Bedfordshire the Milton Keynes/South Midlands Sub Regional Strategy 2005 required a strategic green belt review at Luton/Dunstable/Houghton Regis and at Leighton Linslade. This was required to provide room for growth around the conurbation to 2031, and is being undertaken as part of the core strategy for Luton/southern central Bedfordshire which is currently in preparation. It is not yet clear whether or not the hon. Member's constituency is likely to be directly affected. The area of individual green belts is for local planning authorities to decide.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effects on the protection of the green belt of the introduction of National Policy Statements. (317858)

The Government have no proposals to change policy for the protection of green belts. National Policy Statements incorporate green belt policy.