Oral Answers to Questions

Jason McCartney Excerpts

Monday 4th April 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

Let us be absolutely clear: these are Labour cuts. The Labour party was planning £14 billion-worth of cuts, all of them front-loaded. At least we changed the formula to help the most vulnerable. We find ourselves in a position where we know perfectly well that the Labour party would have inflicted even greater cuts on local government.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

2. What assessment he has made of the potential benefits to Kirklees district of the new homes bonus.

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

3. What assessment he has made of the potential benefits to Rugby of the new homes bonus.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Minister for Housing and Local Government (Grant Shapps)]

Today, I have announced the final allocations to local authorities under the new homes bonus for 2011-12. All parts of England will receive significant funding from the scheme. Kirklees will receive £1.3 million, Rugby £435,000 and Gloucester £782,000. The funding is completely un-ring-fenced and councils will be able to use it according to the wishes of their local communities.

[Jason McCartney]

I thank the Minister for that reply. Will he confirm the protection of the green belt and will he consider the suggestion from the Campaign to Protect Rural England perhaps to have an enhanced rate of new homes bonus for brownfield sites to encourage regeneration?