This list outlines our engagement with UK Parliamentarians, which includes meetings with government ministers, MPs, and Peers from across the political spectrum. This work forms part of how we influence built environment policy that impacts architects. We regularly meet with individuals from Parliament to discuss issues including building safety, planning, net zero and international trade.
Meeting with Margaret Mullane MP
November 2024
In a meeting with Margaret Mullane, Labour MP for Dagenham and Rainham, the Policy and Public Affairs team highlighted the importance of raising safety standards in the built environment, including the role of second staircases. The desperate need for more social housing and the innovative model in our report, Foundations for the Future, were also discussed.
Meeting with Sarah Gibson MP
November 2024
Sarah Gibson, Liberal Democrat MP for Chippenham, met with the Policy and Public Affairs team to explore the current challenges and opportunities in architecture education and across the profession. Key discussion points included concerns around funding gaps for architectural courses, and the impact of potential funding changes for apprenticeships. RIBA’s work with the Fawcett Society study on gender inequity was also discussed, and how the research will deliver findings and actions to help improve diversity and inclusion across the profession.
Meeting with Lord Moylan
November 2024
Lord Moylan, Chair of the Built Environment Committee, met with the Policy and Public Affairs team to discuss RIBA’s recent submission of evidence to the Committee’s Grey Belt Inquiry, where we highlighted the need to involve architects in grey belt development to ensure high quality design, and, advocate for the release of grey belt land for housing and infrastructure development while upholding a “brownfield first approach”.
Meeting with David Simmonds MP
November 2024
David Simmonds, Conservative MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner and Shadow Housing Minister, met with the Policy and Public Affairs team to discuss the role that architects can play in delivering high-quality, sustainable homes and communities. We discussed the importance of increased investment into local authorities, and ensuring changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) include high quality design standards.
Meeting with Munira Wilson MP
November 2024
Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham, met the Policy and Public Affairs team to discuss our report, Foundations for the Future, and its potential to deliver more desperately needed social homes. We also highlighted the need for greater investment in architectural education and the importance of building a strong talent pipeline to support the profession and help deliver the government’s growth and infrastructure ambitions.
Meeting with Baroness Hodgson of Abinger CBE
November 2024
The Policy and Public Affairs team met with Conservative Peer, Baroness Hodgson, to discuss delivering high-quality housing and developments across the country. The need for well-resourced Local Planning Authorities (LPAs), the importance of public consultation and concerns around commercial-to-residential conversions under Permitted Development Rights (PDR) were discussed.
Meeting with Gideon Amos MP
November 2024
The Policy and Public Affairs team met with Gideon Amos, Liberal Democrat MP for Taunton and Wellington. In our discussion, we highlighted the urgent need to regulate and enforce the measurement and reduction of embodied carbon. The team also highlighted the importance of improving accessibility in built environment education, and raised our Foundations for the Future report - where we present a new model for social housing delivery to help address the housing crisis.
Meeting with Lord Jamieson
November 2024
The Policy and Public Affairs team met with Lord Jamieson, Conservative Shadow Minister for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), to set out key points from our consultation response on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). We discussed the importance of integrating architects into the design process for all buildings and spaces, strengthening local planning authorities with qualified design professionals and increasing the provision of homes for social rent alongside a mix of tenure and type.
Meeting with the office of Wendy Morton MP
November 2024
The Policy and Public Affairs team met with Wendy Morton's office to address critical issues in housing and urban development. We explored the need to embed high-quality design standards in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the importance of prioritising brownfield land, in places close to infrastructure.
Meeting with Wera Hobhouse MP
The Policy and Public Affairs team met with Wera Hobhouse, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bath. They discussed the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard, the importance of measuring and reducing operational energy and embodied carbon in the forthcoming Future Homes Standard, and the value that Post Occupancy Evaluation can bring to improving the performance of new homes.
Roundtable on the Future Homes Standard with Minister, Baroness Taylor
October 2024
Phoebe MacDonald, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, attended a roundtable with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) Minister, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, to discuss the forthcoming Future Homes Standard. The importance of setting appropriate metrics to measure the whole life carbon of homes and Post Occupancy Evaluation were discussed.
Roundtable on sustainability, chaired by Wera Hobhouse MP
October 2024
Phoebe MacDonald, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, attended a roundtable in Parliament, chaired by Wera Hobhouse MP for Bath. The roundtable discussion explored how the UK can transition to buildings that help secure net zero.
Professional and Business Services Council (PBSC) Meeting
October 2024
Adrian Dobson, Executive Director of Professional Knowledge and Standards, attended the PBSC meeting with Gareth Thomas MP, Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports at the Department for Business and Trade. The discussion focused on the recently launched Industrial Strategy, highlighting the role that key sectors like professional services and creative industries will play in reaching the Government’s growth goals. The importance of access to talent at all levels was highlighted as vital to helping delivery the Strategy.
Party Conferences 2024
We attended both the Conservative and Labour Party Conferences, engaging in key discussions on housing, sustainability and cross-industry collaboration.
Find out more about our activities at party conferences this year.
All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Fire Safety and Rescue meeting on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report
September 2024
Jane Duncan, Chair of RIBA’s Expert Advisory Group on Fire Safety, attended the APPG on Fire Safety and Rescue. Bob Blackman MP, Mary Glindon MP, and Baroness Brinton discussed how MPs could support the recommendations in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report.
Roundtable on UK-EU Trading Relationship with Department for Business and Trade (DBT) Ministers
September 2024
Chief Executive, Valerie Vaughan-Dick, attended a roundtable with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) Ministers, Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP and Gareth Thomas MP, to discuss the future of the UK-EU trading relationship. The conversation explored the importance of securing a mutual recognition agreement with the EU and strategies to increase architectural exports. The impact of immigration reforms on UK architecture firms was also discussed.
RIBA President attends Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) creative industries event
July 2024
RIBA President, Muyiwa Oki attended a creative industries reception with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP. How we can grow our creative sector and the new Government’s plans to make this happen were discussed.
RIBA hosts Creative Industries Council meeting
May 2024
At our 66 Portland Place, London, we hosted a meeting of the Creative Industries Council (CIC). The CIC brought together the Secretary of State for the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport, Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC MP; the Secretary of State at the Department for Business and Trade, Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP; and Julia Lopez, Minister for Media, Tourism, and Creative Industries.
At the meeting, Ministers, RIBA, and other key players in the creative sector discussed how industry and government can work together to overcome barriers to success for the creative industries, both at home and abroad.
Roundtable on the Future Homes Standard and Buildings Standards with Minister Swinburne
April 2024
RIBA attended a roundtable with the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) Minister, Baroness Swinburne, on Future Homes and Buildings Standards. Attended by other industry stakeholders including LETI and UKGBC, the discussion covered the importance of measuring operational energy for new homes, ensuring Post Occupancy Evaluation takes place for continuous improvement and the forthcoming consultation on measuring embodied carbon.
Workshop on future skills in the natural and built environment professions with Chief Planner, DLUHC, Joanna Averley
April 2024
Chair of the RIBA Board of Trustees, Jack Pringle, attended a workshop led by Joanna Averley, Chief Planner at DLUHC, on future skills in the natural and built environment professions. Strategies for attracting the next generation and fostering knowledge sharing were discussed.
Minister for London and Trade Policy, Greg Hands, visits RIBA headquarters
March 2024
Rt Hon Greg Hands MP, Minister for London and Minister of State for Trade Policy at the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) toured our Wide Angle View exhibition. His visit was followed by a meeting with RIBA President, Muyiwa Oki, where they discussed the impact of immigration changes on the profession, mutual recognition agreements, and our work on global knowledge sharing.
Ministerial roundtable on resource efficiency in construction with Lord Callanan
March 2024
Phoebe MacDonald, RIBA Head of Policy & Public Affairs, joined a ministerial roundtable on resource efficiency in construction chaired by Lord Callanan, the Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The role of resource efficiency in achieving net zero emissions, including the importance of measuring and reducing embodied carbon was discussed.
Member roundtable with Sir Chris Bryant MP, Labour Shadow Minister for Creative Industries and Digital
March 2024
President, Muyiwa Oki, convened at RIBA North in Liverpool for a roundtable with Labour MP, Sir Chris Bryant, Shadow Minister for Creative Industries and Digital, with 20 RIBA Members to discuss how Labour can support the creative industries. The discussion covered creating a sustainable built environment and improving the planning process, as well as challenges in recruiting talent and the impact of Brexit on the architectural profession.
RIBA Senior Policy Advisor meets Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat MP
February 2024
RIBA met with the Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson and MP for Twickenham, Munira Wilson. Issued raised included the urgent need to remediate school buildings affected by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) and measures needed to boost the number of new high-quality homes being built, including social homes.
RIBA meets Andrew Lewer MP, member of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee
February 2024
We met with Conservative MP Andrew Lewer, who sits on the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee. The vital role of SME housebuilders in addressing housing needs as well as associated challenges - such as material costs, access to finance and labour shortages were discussed. Other topics covered were the importance of planning reform, widening access to the architecture profession and accessible housing.
Ministerial roundtable on planning with Housing Minister, Lee Rowley
January 2024
RIBA joined a planning roundtable with Housing Minister, Lee Rowley MP, to discuss how we can deliver more homes through the planning system. The need for skilled expertise in local planning authorities for delivering quality, sustainable, and affordable new homes and the importance of community engagement were discussed.
Introductory call with Housing Minister, Lee Rowley
January 2024
President Muyiwa Oki spoke with Housing and Planning Minister at DLUHC, Lee Rowley about key priorities including sustainable development, building safety, and climate action. They discussed regulating embodied carbon, enhancing housing accessibility, and reforming the planning system for quality design and inclusive communities.
Stonehaven lunch with Sir Brandon Lewis MP on home delivery
January 2024
At a Stonehaven roundtable with Sir Brandon Lewis MP, President Muyiwa Oki discussed accelerating sustainable housebuilding for the upcoming general election campaign. With a focus on quality, affordability, and collaboration, discussions focused on the importance of boosting supply while creating vibrant, inclusive communities.
