Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Brandon Lewis and Christopher Pincher

Monday 8th February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Brandon Lewis]

I say to the hon. Lady, as I have said before, that we will make sure that the most vulnerable in our society are protected. We are also boosting supply with £400 million-worth of funding announced in the spending review to deliver specialist affordable homes for the vulnerable, the elderly and those with disabilities. Of course, there is also our £5.3 billion investment in the better care fund, through which we are looking to integrate health and social care.

[Christopher Pincher (Tamworth) (Con)]

2. What progress his Department has made on the Help to Buy and Right to Buy schemes.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Brandon Lewis and Christopher Pincher

Monday 8th September 2014 Commons Chamber

[Brandon Lewis]

The hon. Gentleman makes an interesting point. However, affordable housing starts in 2013-14 show an increase on the previous year, with a large percentage of them being in London. I remind him of what I said a few moments ago: under this Government average rents are down in real terms year on year, not just elsewhere in England but in London. It has been clear from the suggestions by Labour Members that the idea of short-term gimmicks such as rent controls are simply something from the past.

[Christopher Pincher (Tamworth) (Con)]

3. What steps he is taking to (a) encourage development on brownfield land and (b) bring empty buildings back into use.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Brandon Lewis and Christopher Pincher

Monday 30th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Christopher Pincher (Tamworth) (Con)]

20. What steps he is taking to help local firms with their business rate bills in (a) England, (b) Tamworth and (c) Lichfield.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis)]

We have provided a £1 billion business rates package for 2014-15, including the £1,000 discount that will benefit smaller shops, pubs and restaurants, of which there are about 280 in Tamworth and 540 in Lichfield. We have also introduced a 50% discount for businesses taking on long-term empty shops, and as I said earlier, we have doubled small business rate relief for another year, helping more than 500,000 businesses.

[Christopher Pincher]

Is my hon. Friend as concerned as I am about Labour’s high street policy review, which suggests that business rates may be levied on farm land? Does he not agree that—