Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Kit Malthouse and John Bercow
Kit Malthouse (North West Hampshire) (Con)
One of the key planks of the Government’s policy on delivering affordable housing is neighbourhood planning, so the Minister will be pleased to hear that in Oakley, in my constituency, the neighbourhood plan went to a referendum last Thursday and received 95% approval. Given that, does he agree that it is an outrage that just seven days before the referendum, the planning inspector allowed an appeal in that village that largely renders the plan pointless after two years of work? What is he going to do about the Planning Inspectorate effectively bulldozing Government policy in my constituency?
Mr Speaker
Specifically in relation to affordable homes, a matter upon which I feel sure the Minister is tempted to dilate.
Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill [Lords]
Debate between Kit Malthouse and John Bercow(9 years, 1 month ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Kit Malthouse
As a former councillor and, indeed, ward colleague of my right hon. Friend, may I express my violent enthusiasm for the Bill? So enthusiastic are councils across the country that I am sure my right hon. Friend will be carried shoulder high into the next Local Government Association conference that he attends. [Laughter.] Does he agree, however, that many of the worries he will hear expressed here today, and in other places, stand in the way of what could be a golden age for municipal and county government? Does he agree that one of the critical things we must all realise is that councillors are not second-class politicians, that they can be trusted to make large and significant decisions about their areas and communities, and that too often in the House we look down our nose a little at councillors and feel that we should retain a little too much power because they cannot be trusted?
Mr Speaker
Order. The jocularity of the hon. Gentleman’s intervention was equalled only by its length. May I gently say to Members that interventions must be brief? We do need to make some progress. The Secretary of State is always generous in giving way, but Members should not abuse that.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Kit Malthouse and John Bercow(9 years, 4 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Mr Speaker
The hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr Sheerman) is supposed to be a statesman in the House—[Interruption.] Order. He should be setting an example. It is not a two-way debate. He blurted out his question and he must listen to the answer.
Kit Malthouse (North West Hampshire) (Con)
11. What steps his Department is taking to support people who want to start their own business.
Points of Order
Debate between Kit Malthouse and John Bercow
Mr Speaker
The record shows that the Prime Minister has regularly come to the House to update it on his policies in respect of the European Union. It is not for me specifically to facilitate such an occasion. However, I say two things to the right hon. Gentleman. First, the Prime Minister is here weekly at Prime Minister’s questions, and that might be a suitable opportunity for people from a range of parties to question him on that matter if they so wish. Secondly, if the right hon. Gentleman is keen to have a debate on foreign affairs or a debate specifically on Britain’s relations with the European Union and feels that he could grace us with his presence on the occasion of business questions, I promise that my eyesight will not fail me. I will see the right hon. Gentleman and feel my usual insatiable desire to hear him.
Kit Malthouse
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I, too, am new to this House and it struck me, at my desk this morning, that I may have erred. Earlier this month, I participated in an Opposition debate on housing. I did not, and should have, drawn the attention of the House to the fact that I have a modest investment in a specialist housing provider in the north of England. I apologise to you and to the House for this oversight, and I am grateful to you for the chance to correct it.
Mr Speaker
The hon. Gentleman has corrected the record. Each Member is responsible for what he or she says by way of declaration, but in general terms—I thank the hon. Gentleman for putting the record straight and for his courtesy—it is probably better, particularly in the climate of our times, to err on the side of over-declaration rather than under-declaration. I thank him for what he has said, and the House will do so.