Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Fiona Bruce and Brandon Lewis
Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con)
T8. Will Ministers give very serious consideration to a call-in request I have made relating to a planning application for 190 properties in Goostrey? It would generate detrimental interference to the radio telescopes and world-leading scientific work at Jodrell Bank, and is therefore a concern of national significance.
Brandon Lewis
My hon. Friend will appreciate that I cannot comment on a particular planning application, but any such request will be given full consideration. I know that she has campaigned very hard with local residents to protect what they perceive as an important piece of local infrastructure. I will obviously look at all the details that come in.
National Planning Policy Framework
Debate between Fiona Bruce and Brandon LewisWestminster Hall is an alternative Chamber for MPs to hold debates, named after the adjoining Westminster Hall.
Each debate is chaired by an MP from the Panel of Chairs, rather than the Speaker or Deputy Speaker. A Government Minister will give the final speech, and no votes may be called on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Brandon Lewis
Yes. Part of the reason why I cannot comment on any particular plan is because of the quasi-judicial process, but I will make sure my officials liaise with the right hon. Gentleman.
Fiona Bruce
I sense that the Minister is about to reach his peroration. I would like to return to the issue that my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond Park (Zac Goldsmith) and I raised. The Minister of State, Department for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Mr Hayes) committed to issuing new planning guidance when we withdrew our amendment on 26 January. When the Minister said that new guidance would be issued, was that the guidance that he was referring to, and, if so, what is the time frame?
Brandon Lewis
Before I respond to that, I see that my hon. Friend the Member for Cities of London and Westminster wishes to intervene. Let me take that intervention, then I will deal with both issues together.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Fiona Bruce and Brandon Lewis(11 years, 8 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con)
2. What progress his Department has made on developing proposals to reform the Audit Commission.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis)
The Government are abolishing the Audit Commission. I am aware that in the past my hon. Friend has raised cases—and there are others—of where the auditor’s costs have been high in relation to the objections raised. That is why we have included provisions in a draft Bill to make it absolutely clear that the auditor has discretion to reject
“frivolous, repeated or vexatious objections.”
Fiona Bruce
I am sure that my residents in Swettenham will be relieved to hear the Minister’s reply. Will he confirm that, under the new approach, there will be a role to play for local district auditors in better holding council expenditure to account?
Brandon Lewis
Yes. Importantly, with local district auditors, we have clear, local accountability to ensure that scandals such as Labour-run Corby’s £47 million Cube simply do not go unnoticed by residents.