Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Evennett and Lord Pickles

Monday 20th June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Jones (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (Con)]

16. What plans he has to increase the powers of local authorities to tackle unauthorised development.

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles)]

The Government take the problem of unauthorised development very seriously. There are already strong powers to enable local planning authorities to take action, and the Localism Bill, which begins its Committee stage in the House of Lords today, includes provisions in clauses 108 to 111 to strengthen authorities’ powers to tackle unauthorised developments, particularly when people have deliberately tried to conceal them.

[Mr Evennett]

I thank my right hon. Friend for his response and the work he and his Department are doing in this field. Does he believe the policies in the Localism Bill to which he has just referred will speed up the planning and enforcement process to help tackle the problems caused by unauthorised developments and business operations?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Evennett and Lord Pickles

Monday 17th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

We are in the process of making the Department smaller by reducing the number of director-generals, directors and assistant directors. As time goes on, it is certainly our intention to get smaller.

[Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

T10. We heard earlier that the levels of house building in the last year of the last Labour Government were the lowest since 1924, which is a disgrace. How will the Minister reverse that trend and ensure that house building increases adequately to meet the demand, particularly for social and affordable housing?