Flooding

Debate between Lord Pickles and Neil Carmichael

Monday 10th February 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

We are, of course, not only constantly monitoring the rise of the flood waters, but analysing what is within them, with a view to public health. I congratulate my hon. Friend on being out and about with his constituents, as I am sure everybody here will be. One thing that has become very clear through this is that people in public office, be it Members of Parliament or councillors, have taken a considerable lead, not just in pressing for resources or offering help, but in rolling their sleeves up and getting involved—they should be commended.

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

First, I wish to thank all the people in my constituency in the agencies and services who have done so much on prevention and risk-management. In order effectively to sharpen the focus on flood defence perhaps there should be a strategic review, so does the Secretary of State agree that it needs to be reinforced and informed by strong local input?

[Mr Pickles]

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend that strong local input is immensely important. Although authorities from nearby cities or from London can have a grand strategic view, local people know how the rivers and culverts flow, and are in a position to offer good advice.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Pickles and Neil Carmichael

Monday 18th March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

That is an interesting and brave request, and I will consider it.

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

Does the Secretary of State agree that neighbourhood planning is an excellent example of localism and that its empowerment of local communities, through producing statutory powers enabling them to plan, makes a great difference?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Pickles and Neil Carmichael

Monday 17th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

2. What steps he is taking to promote economic growth in rural areas through local authorities.

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

Following the rural economy growth review, the Government have committed £165 million to growth in rural communities, including £60 million in small grants to farms, forestry and micro-enterprises and £15 million to promote rural tourism. The Government have also dedicated £530 million for superfast broadband in rural areas.

[Neil Carmichael]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the retained business rate provides a great opportunity for district councils to help businesses, building on the success of Gloucestershire county council in investing money in broadband and promoting careers advice throughout the county, and does he also agree that more would be helpful?

[Mr Pickles]

I congratulate my hon. Friend. Following the agreement on broadband that was reached with the European Commission, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire have been allocated £18.1 million. My hon. Friend has made a good point: this gives councils an opportunity to receive money as a right rather than approaching the Government with a begging bowl.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Pickles and Neil Carmichael

Monday 12th March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

18. What steps he has taken to encourage local authorities to promote business and economic growth.

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

Local authorities have a key role in supporting local economic growth and promoting business in their areas. We have ensured that local places will receive the benefits of growth with the retention of business rates from April 2013. We will also pay £432 million to local authorities through the new homes bonus in 2012-13. We have also established 39 local enterprise partnerships, in which local authorities work with businesses to promote economic growth.

[Neil Carmichael]

I thank the Secretary of State for that encouraging set of policies. Does he agree that local authorities must make planning decisions connected with business development quickly, and that they should be underpinned by rigorous and timely economic analysis?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Pickles and Neil Carmichael

Monday 31st October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

T8. With reference to planning policy, what measures are the Government going to introduce to ensure that councils can encourage businesses to thrive and prosper, and encourage new ones to come to their area?

[Mr Pickles]

This is happening in relation not only to our planning policy but to the change in the way local government is financed. We have heard some discussion about the new homes bonus, and we are changing and repatriating the business rate. We are also working alongside business in the new enterprise partnerships, rather than dictating to it as the previous lot did.

Local Government Finance

Debate between Lord Pickles and Neil Carmichael

Monday 18th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

My hon. Friend absolutely sums up the case for this change. It will ensure that local authorities enjoy the benefits of growth and that they will be in a position to generate more income directly by their actions.

[Neil Carmichael (Stroud) (Con)]

Does the Secretary of State agree that linking increased yield of business rates to the activities and performance of councils really will help economic growth, particularly when localism too is thrown into the mix?

[Mr Pickles]

My hon. Friend makes an interesting point. By itself, this change to the way in which the business rate is collected and distributed would not bring about the necessary change. It is only when it is combined with the full effect of the Localism Bill, particularly the power of general competence, that its full importance can be felt.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Pickles and Neil Carmichael

Thursday 21st October 2010 Commons Chamber

[Neil Carmichael]

My question is: how will the measures that we announced yesterday help to ensure more supply and enable people to get on a waiting list that has some meaning and where there is some chance of their getting a house?

[Mr Pickles]

The reaction of those on the Labour Benches clearly demonstrates that the previous policy was indeed a pantomime. We are determined to break through the hypocrisy that exists on social housing. In order to halve the existing waiting list, we would have had to spend about £50 billion. The Labour party produced a scheme that did not work. Ours goes with the natural flow of the housing market, and I am pleased to see chief officers of housing associations welcoming it and welcoming the flexibility. We will be able to implement many of the plans that the right hon. Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) so gallantly pioneered, only to be stopped by the previous Prime Minister.