Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Foster of Bath and John Bercow

Monday 17th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Foster]

My right hon. Friend first raised this issue on the Floor of the House in 1988, and I am sure that, 24 years later, he is delighted that the coalition is listening to him. He is absolutely right: we have to make better use of affordable housing. That is why we have consulted on the issue and why we are going to build more affordable housing.

[Mr Speaker]

I suppose that the right hon. Member for Bermondsey and Old Southwark (Simon Hughes) deserves credit for consistency. I cannot think of many things that I was saying in 1988 that I am still saying today, but there you go.

[Mr Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith) (Lab)]

Nor can I, Mr Speaker—I am trying to think of something, but I cannot.

My local council thinks that £40,000 should be the cut-off figure and that that will solve the housing crisis. However, it has just responded to a freedom of information request from me by stating that, in the past five years, it has let just under 8,000 properties and that only nine of those can be identified as for people on incomes of more than £40,000. Is this not just a smokescreen to cover up the fact that council properties are being sold off when they become empty, knocked down and not replaced, and that measures such as the Growth and Infrastructure Bill are actually reducing the availability of affordable accommodation? This is a piece of nonsense and propaganda.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Foster of Bath and John Bercow

Thursday 28th April 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The Secretary of State must resume his seat. The general point has been explicitly made. Question time must not be abused and I know that the Secretary of State, who takes Parliament seriously, will not try that with me.

[Mr Don Foster (Bath) (LD)]

11. What discussions he has had with the BBC Trust on the contribution of the BBC to the provision of high speed broadband.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Foster of Bath and John Bercow

Monday 29th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Don Foster (Bath) (LD)]

Further to that answer, I greatly welcome the proposal for the new school Olympics to improve competition between schools, but does the Minister recognise that for that to be successful it is important that schools receive a wide range of support, which was previously provided by the school sports partnership? Will he confirm that although the ring-fencing for the funding has gone, the money is still available in schools, and therefore will he confirm that he will continue to work with the Secretary of State for Education to ensure there continues to be a partnership into which schools—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We have got the drift of the hon. Gentleman’s question, and I am grateful to him for it.