Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Oral Answers to Questions

Greg Mulholland Excerpts
Monday 8th July 2013

(10 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Pickles Portrait Mr Pickles
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The hon. Gentleman has to face up to the fact that these are local authority schemes, there is a hardship fund in place, and we expect local authorities to deal with these matters and not to send their spokesman here to shroud-wave.

Greg Mulholland Portrait Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)
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We need more social housing and more affordable housing, but does the Secretary of State understand the anger in north Leeds at the fact that Labour-run Leeds city council is bringing forward plans to concrete over much of our green belt with hundreds, if not thousands, of new homes?

Nick Boles Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Nick Boles)
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The protections in the national planning policy framework for the green belt are very, very clear and very, very strong. Only in exceptional circumstances can development take place on the green belt, and the local authority will need to consult extensively with the local community to gain its support for any proposed change in the green belt.