Written Ministerial Statements

Wednesday 10th November 2010 Written Statements

Wednesday 10 November 2010

Economic and Financial Affairs Council (11 November 2010)

Wednesday 10th November 2010 Written Statements

[The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Justine Greening)]

I plan to represent the Government at the Budget ECOFIN to be held on 11 November in Brussels.

Budget ECOFIN will prepare a conciliation meeting with the European Parliament on the EU budget for 2011, and handle the outcome of that conciliation meeting.

The Government remain committed to opposing the increases of around 6% in the 2011 EU budget, above 2010 levels, proposed by the Commission and the European Parliament. These are simply unacceptable at a time when Governments across the European Union are taking difficult decisions to reduce national deficits and ensure the sustainability of their public finances.

The Government have called for a freeze in the 2011 EU budget at 2010 levels. We voted for this when the Council adopted its position on the budget earlier this year, which proposed a 2.9% increase over 2010 levels. Six other member states also voted against Council’s position. It was nevertheless adopted by a qualified majority.

Along with 12 other member states’ Governments, the Government have made it clear that they cannot accept any increase beyond 2.9% in the 2011 EU budget compared to the 2010 budget. Those are the terms of agreement that this Government will pursue at Budget ECOFIN on 11 November.

Call-Out Order to Support Operations in Afghanistan

Wednesday 10th November 2010 Written Statements

[The Minister for the Armed Forces (Nick Harvey)]

With the expiry of the call-out order made on 11 November 2009, a new order has been made under section 54 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 to enable reservists to continue to be called out into service to support operations in Afghanistan. The new order is effective until 10 November 2011. Reservists continue to make a valuable contribution to operations in that country and some 1,280 reservists are currently called out and serving, of whom 530 are deployed in Afghanistan.

Localism Bill and Planning

Wednesday 10th November 2010 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles)]

On 6 July 2010, the coalition Government revoked all regional strategies under section 79(6) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. This action was challenged in the High Court by developer CALA Homes, and the decision today concluded that section 79 powers could not be used to revoke all regional strategies in their entirety.

While respecting the court’s decision this ruling changes very little. Later this month, the coalition Government will be introducing the localism Bill to Parliament, which will sweep away the last Government’s controversial regional strategies. It is clear that top-down targets do not build homes—they have just led to the lowest peacetime house building rates since 1924, and have fuelled resentment in the planning process that has slowed everything down.

On 27 May 2010, the Government wrote to local planning authorities and to the Planning Inspectorate informing them of the coalition Government’s intention rapidly to abolish regional strategies and setting out their expectation that the letter should be taken into account as a material planning consideration in any decisions they were currently taking. That advice still stands.

Today, the Government’s chief planner has written to all local planning authorities and the Planning Inspectorate confirming that they should have regard to this material consideration in any decisions they are currently taking.

Moreover, to illustrate the clear policy direction of the coalition Government, the proposed clause of the localism Bill that will enact our commitment to abolish regional strategies is being placed in the Library. The Bill is expected to begin its passage through Parliament before Christmas.

We are determined to return decision-making powers in housing and planning to local authorities and the communities they serve, alongside powerful incentives so that people see the benefits of building. We will very shortly provide more details about one of the most important such incentives, the new homes bonus scheme, which will come into effect from April. This means that new homes delivered now will be rewarded under the scheme.

The coalition Government remain firmly resolved to scrap the last Government’s imposition of confusing and bureaucratic red tape. This was a clear commitment made in the coalition agreement and in the general election manifestoes of both coalition parties. We intend to deliver on it.

Parliamentary Written Question (Correction)

Wednesday 10th November 2010 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Jonathan Djanogly)]

An error has been identified in the written answer given to the hon. Member for Dudley North (Ian Austin) on 19 July 2010, Official Report, columns 45-46W. The correct answer is as follows:

The number of court proceedings processed in the magistrates courts in England and Wales, England, and the West Midlands Local Criminal Justice Board area, from 2007 to 2009, is given in the table. Statistics are not available prior to 2007 on a comparable basis.

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Assembly of Western European Union (UK Delegation)

Wednesday 10th November 2010 Written Statements

[The Prime Minister (Mr David Cameron)]

The United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Assembly of Western European Union is as follows:

Robert Walter MP (Leader)

Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE (UK Delegation)

Wednesday 10th November 2010 Written Statements

[The Prime Minister (Mr David Cameron)]

The United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe is a follows:

Peter Bottomley MP (Leader)