Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Oral Answers to Questions

Annette Brooke Excerpts
Monday 25th November 2013

(10 years, 12 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Pickles Portrait Mr Pickles
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Even in difficult times, the Government have managed to increase funding to vulnerable areas. If the hon. Lady has an authority specifically in mind—[Interruption.] I do not call £3.8 billion from the health budget to deal with vulnerable people a trivial sum. I am surprised that Labour Front Benchers mock that. I know that this is a reality, but if the hon. Lady has specific authorities in mind that are increasing the threshold, given the effect that that has had on a number of authorities where things have gone terribly wrong, I will look into it for her.

Annette Brooke Portrait Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (LD)
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T7. What steps is the Minister taking to implement existing planning permissions, particularly on brownfield sites?

Nick Boles Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Nick Boles)
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I have good news for my hon. Friend. Of those units that already have planning permission, building has started on 49% of them. Now, 72% of the rest are moving towards making a start, up from 58% at the end of 2011. That means that only 23% are now on hold. We have made funds available through the Get Britain Building investment fund and the local infrastructure investment fund to help get stalled sites moving.