Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Greg Clark

Monday 31st October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss (South West Norfolk) (Con)]

7. What recent assessment he has made of the level of protection afforded to high-value agricultural land in his proposed planning reforms.

[The Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Greg Clark)]

The draft national planning policy framework contains strong protections to safeguard high-value agricultural land and recognises the importance of food production. We are now carefully considering the responses to the consultation.

[Elizabeth Truss]

Food and farming are vital to tourism and exports in Norfolk, and its produce is very high quality, as the Secretary of State found out when he visited the Norfolk food festival in Parliament earlier this month. Does the Minister agree that the planning framework should take into account the long-term value of agriculture, as once farmland is lost it is very hard to get back?

[Greg Clark]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right—and when I was talking to the Secretary of State earlier, he extolled the virtues of the pies available at the Norfolk food festival. We must take into account the long-term value of food security as well as the short and medium-term economic benefits of food production.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Greg Clark

Monday 17th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[The Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Greg Clark)]

I have good news for the hon. Gentleman. The Localism Bill, which we will debate this afternoon, will give the power to local communities such as his own not to have to be dragged through the appeals system in the way that he has described, but to say once and for all how they want their communities to look and feel. I look forward to welcoming him into the Lobby this evening.

[Elizabeth Truss (South West Norfolk) (Con)]

T6. Does the Secretary of State agree that the final decision on major infrastructure projects should be a political one, and not one made by an unelected quango? Given that Britain is 33rd in the world in terms of infrastructure, according to the World Economic Forum, does he agree that he should make it a priority to discuss this matter with other Cabinet members?

[Greg Clark]

We will do more than discuss it; we are going to act on this. It is important that we have a fast-track process for infrastructure investment, but it is also crucial that it is democratic. If people do not have confidence that those who take the decisions can be held to account, there will be no faith in the system. The Localism Bill will deliver the reforms that my hon. Friend seeks.