Written Statements

Tuesday 22nd November 2016 Written Statements

Tuesday 22 November 2016

Improving Planning Performance

Tuesday 22nd November 2016 Written Statements

[The Minister for Housing and Planning (Gavin Barwell)]

An effective and strongly performing planning system is a crucial part of delivering on our commitment to increase housing supply. We are very clear that planning delays are bad for both applicants and local residents. They can slow down the building of new homes and also create uncertainty about the future shape of the community. Planning is a control on people making use of their land and is a quasi-judicial process, so any delay is denying them their legal rights.

We have a locally led planning system, which sets a clear statutory framework in which a local planning authority should make decisions. The existing designation regime had great success in delivering improved performance in local planning authorities. In the most recent quarter, 83% of applications for major development were decided on time, the highest figure on record. This is up from 57% in July to September 2012, when the designation regime was first announced. We are committed to ensuring this is reflected more widely across the planning decisions authorities make. Therefore we are extending the regime to further drive delivery against statutory requirements by including an authority’s performance in determining applications for non-major development. This was set out in recently laid regulations¹, which came into force on 21 October 2016.

Today we have laid before Parliament “Improving Planning Performance: Criteria for Designation (Revised 2016)”, which sets out revised criteria that the Secretary of State intends to use for designating a local planning authority as underperforming and the thresholds that authorities will be assessed against in the next designation round in the first quarter of 2017.

Speed of decision making for the purposes of the non-statutory identification scheme for on-shore oil and gas applications, as set out in the written ministerial statement of 16 September 2015, HCWS201, will be assessed by reference to the revised criteria, including the revised threshold for major development. The revised criteria will not apply to the final quarter of 2016 identification round: we will assess authorities on this basis from the first quarter of 2018 and annually thereafter.

Copies of “Improving Planning Performance: Criteria for Designation (Revised 2016)” have been placed in the Library of the House.

¹The Town and Country Planning (Section 62A Applications) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 No. 944 and The Town and Country Planning (Section 62A Applications) (Hearings) (Amendment) Rules 2016 No. 955.

[HCWS276]

Trade Foreign Affairs Council and Notification of UK Opt-in

Tuesday 22nd November 2016 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade (Dr Liam Fox)]

My noble Friend the Minister of State, Lord Price has today made the following statement:

The EU Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) took place in Brussels on 11 November 2016. I represented the UK at the meeting. A summary of the discussions follows.

Modernisation of Trade Defence Instruments (MTDI)

Over breakfast, the presidency’s latest compromise proposal was discussed, which included suggestions for how to limit use of the Lesser Duty Rule (LDR) in particular circumstances. Commissioner Malmström underlined that limitations to the LDR would be the exception and not the rule and committed to provide further evidence in support of the proposal.

Given that there were still outstanding issues to resolve, no vote took place at trade FAC. However, given the support from a significant number of member states, work will continue at working level and Coreper, where the presidency will aim to finalise a comprehensive mandate for trilogues before the December European Council.

WTO, Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA).

Malmström said the EU needed to work with others to shape the possible outcomes for the 11th WTO ministerial conference in Buenos Aires in December 2017.

Malmström reiterated that concluding TiSA was firmly in the EU’s interests. On the EGA, she said that conclusion at the 3-4 December ministerial was a real possibility. The outstanding EGA issue of bicycles was again discussed.

EU-US (TTIP)

Commissioner Malmström recapped on recent progress on TTIP. Discussions supported the need for a realistic approach and I underlined our continued support and suggested that we wait to see how the political context evolved.

EU-Japan

Recent negotiations had gone well, but further progress was needed on non-tariff measures, services and procurement.

It is difficult to know how the stalling of TPP might affect EU-Japan.

EU-Mercosur

The October round with Mercosur, the first for four years, had gone well, with Mercosur showing more flexibility on goods and engaging on a wider range of issues.

Ukraine Autonomous Trade Measures (ATMs)

Commissioner Malmström sought to reassure member states that safeguards would limit any negative impact on the EU of the proposed further ATMs, which go beyond the provisions of the EU-Ukraine free trade agreement. It was important to bear in mind the broader political context for the proposal.

Ecuador accession to the EU-Andean FTA

At the signing ceremony of the protocol for Ecuador’s accession to the Andean FTA, I signed on behalf of the UK.

The UK also opted in to the Council decisions on signing, provisional application and conclusion of the protocol of accession of Ecuador to the Andean FTA, insofar as they relate to the temporary presence of natural persons for business, otherwise known as Mode IV. The Government are committed to taking all opt-in decisions on a case-by-case basis, putting the national interest at the heart of the decision-making process.

[HCWS275]