Communities and Local Government

Grant Shapps Excerpts

Thursday 27th January 2011 Ministerial Corrections

[Mr Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) (Lab)]

Since Bolsover district council has managed to hold its council tax steady for a few years, and since none of its executives get the kind of sums that have been referred to, will the Minister repay the compliment by allowing it to deal with the 108 prefabricated buildings that have been there since the end of the second world war? The council needs to replace them and pensioners need new accommodation, so will he get the show on the road?

[Official Report, 17 January 2011, Vol. 521, c. 531.]

Letter of correction from Mr Grant Shapps:

An error has been identified in the oral response given to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr Skinner) on 17 January 2011. The answer referred to an incorrect funding programme.

The full answer given was as follows:

[Grant Shapps]

The hon. Gentleman knows, because he has raised this issue with me before in the House, that the decent homes programme continues, and last week’s settlement, on top of the spending review, makes it very clear that £2.2 billion is available for decent homes—which, I understand, subsequent to our previous exchange in the House, his council is in line for.

The correct answer should have been:

[Grant Shapps]

The hon. Gentleman knows, because he has raised this issue with me before in the House, that the affordable housing programme continues, and that £4.5 billion is available for new affordable housing provision—from which, I understand, subsequent to our previous exchange in the House, his council is in line for funding.

Anti-Semitism

The following is an extract from the closing speech by the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Andrew Stunell), in the Adjournment Debate on Anti-Semitism secured by the hon. Member for Bassetlaw (John Mann) on 20 January 2011.

[Andrew Stunell]

…I know from my previous visits to the area that the security required there is a shock to all non-Jewish visitors, who expect a primary school to be a primary school, perhaps not with open access, but certainly with friendly, welcoming access rather than high fences and armed guards.

[Official Report, 20 January 2011, Vol. 521, c. 365WH.]

Letter of correction from Mr Andrew Stunell:

An error has been identified in my closing speech in the Adjournment Debate on Anti-Semitism on 20 January 2011. The revision is required to avoid the impression that there are armed guards at Jewish Faith Schools.

The correct answer should have been: