Business of the House Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Business of the House

Greg Mulholland Excerpts
Thursday 23rd January 2014

(10 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Lansley Portrait Mr Lansley
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I confess that I do not have a publication date, but I will, of course, speak to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and if he can update the House, I am sure he will.

Greg Mulholland Portrait Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)
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May we have a debate on the housing targets used by local authorities? The housing targets used by Leeds city council are being challenged, including by Dr Rachael Unsworth at Leeds university and Wharfedale and Airedale Review Development. May we debate whether the targets are accurate before we see huge swathes of north Leeds and Wharfedale being built on?

Lord Lansley Portrait Mr Lansley
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What my hon. Friend says is interesting. I will ask my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to look at it. One of the essential things for local authorities to do, as part of the national planning policy framework, is to ensure that they meet five years’ demand for housing in their areas. So what that demand is and what the targets ought to be are important questions, but of course, they can be challenged on appeal to the inspectorate if someone thinks that a local plan is inaccurate.