2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 2.2 The department continues to work with local authorities and other stakeholders to identify and resolve blockers to getting up-to-date local plans in place, providing tailored support to target specific issues. In addition, a minimum of £14 million funding has been announced for this financial year to help local planning authorities get ambitious plans in place as soon as possible. To maintain oversight of plan-making, the department has asked all local authorities producing plans in the current plan-making system to review and update their plan-making timetables and send a copy of their timetable to the department by the end of 2025. 2.3 The government is committed to taking tough action to ensure up-to-date local plans are put in place and has made clear its willingness to make full use of available intervention powers. Naturally intervention action is considered on a case-by-case basis, and the use of these powers would depend on the relevant and specific local issues. The most recent intervention took place in Stockport where under section 15 of the Planning and Compulsory Act 2004, where the Secretary of State directed amendments to Stockport’s local plan timetable. 2.4 The department is in the process of procuring suppliers to support the ministerial commitment to make full use of intervention powers where necessary. 2.5 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 2.6 In February 2025, the department published the government response to the July 2023 consultation on the implementation of reforms to the plan-making system. 2.7 On 27 November, the government published more detailed information about the design of the legislation that will underpin the new plan-making system together with a series of vital new resources to help plan-makers prepare. The department also announced how it intends to roll out the changes across the country from early next year. 2.8 The new plan-making system will make it faster for local authorities to get simple, meaningful plans in place. This will provide local authorities with greater clarity about how local plans should be prepared and supported by evidence and establish a clear 30-month timeline for plans to be prepared and kept up to date. 2.9 The government will expect all local plans to follow a standardised structure in line with the permissible content defined in legislation and “core content” set out in policy. This will reduce the time taken to prepare plans, provide more consistency and make plans easier for users to navigate.