Oral Answers to Questions

Julian Smith Excerpts

Thursday 6th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Davey]

I am afraid that the hon. Gentleman is wrong. The methodology of the bills and prices report includes examining how often average households replace these types of goods—it is statistically robust.

[Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con)]

I thank the Government for listening on wind. Communities across north Yorkshire will be delighted by this decision. The Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Michael Fallon), is already popular in north Yorkshire, but I am sure that they would join me in wanting to give him a collective hug to thank him for this decision.

[Michael Fallon]

I am married to a girl from Yorkshire, but I think that a further hug would probably not be appropriate.

It is important that communities understand that they will now have more say against developments that are inappropriate and not properly justified. Too many communities have felt under siege from wholly inappropriate applications, and this measure will now bring them much-needed and long-awaited relief.