Annette Brooke
Main Page: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Mr Pickles
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 (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (LD)
T7. What steps is the Minister taking to implement existing planning permissions, particularly on brownfield sites?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Nick Boles)
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.