Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ruth Cadbury and Sajid Javid

Monday 27th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

I agree with my right hon. Friend. When it comes to planning in this country, it is a very important principle that the key decisions around allocating land for development and making decisions on planning permissions should be led by local areas.

[Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth) (Lab)]

Every area needs housing that is affordable to those on low incomes, but the building of social housing for rent is at a record low. In 2009-10, when my right hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey) was housing Minister, there were 40,000 new starts, but last year there were fewer than 1,000. Why is there next to nothing in the White Paper that will increase the amount of social rented housing, and why will the Minister not let councils borrow in order to build an adequate amount?

[Sajid Javid]

The Labour Government has form in this regard. The number of units available for social rent declined by 410,000 during their 13 years in office. Under this Government we have seen record levels of investment, including the £3.15 billion that was allocated to London alone in the last autumn statement.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ruth Cadbury and Sajid Javid

Tuesday 3rd May 2016 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise the good work of the CITB in this regard, and when the apprenticeship levy is introduced from April 2017, we can make sure that it continues to have the funding available to do the same kind of work.

[Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth) (Lab)]

12. What discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential effect on small and medium-sized enterprises of proposed changes to filing of tax returns.