Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Aaron Bell Excerpts
Wednesday 20th April 2022

(2 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Boris Johnson Portrait The Prime Minister
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Good point, Mr Speaker, but we are responsible for cutting taxes for everybody, which is what we are actually doing.

Aaron Bell Portrait Aaron Bell (Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Con)
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Newcastle-under-Lyme is receiving over £50 million of Government investment into our high street and the high street of Kidsgrove in the neighbouring constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (Jonathan Gullis), but it is all being overshadowed by the ongoing environmental disaster at Walleys Quarry. In January, the operator was hit with three category 1 breaches by the Environment Agency. My constituents are utterly sick of it, and it has been going on for far too long, Prime Minister. We need to see tougher enforcement and we need to see the permit taken away. What hope can he give my constituents? How can we stop the stink?

Boris Johnson Portrait The Prime Minister
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My hon. Friend has raised this issue before and I know how infuriating it is for his constituents. That is why the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has now ordered action against the site operator, and I can tell my hon. Friend that permanent capping will begin on site next month, which will improve things for thousands of residents in his constituency. If it is necessary to take further action to remove those malodorous vapours, we will do so.