Oral Answers to Questions

Kieran Mullan Excerpts

Monday 5th October 2020 Commons Chamber

[Robert Jenrick]

I work closely with the devolved Administrations on housing matters, and I am open to any representation from the Housing Minister in Scotland. As far as I am aware, we have had no representation whatsoever.

[Dr Kieran Mullan (Crewe and Nantwich) (Con)]

  In Crewe and Nantwich, we have seen recently another example of planning permission being given for a housing development without sufficient consideration of the impact on the local NHS, which really causes concern among my residents, especially as the development went against both the neighbourhood plan and the local plan. What more can we do to ensure that the impact on NHS services is more consistently taken into account in planning decisions?

[Robert Jenrick]

The decision to which my hon. Friend refers is now being challenged in court, so it would not be appropriate for me to comment while those proceedings are live. None the less, he makes an extremely important point that people across the country want to see infrastructure flowing with new housing, whether that be hospitals, GP surgeries or schools. I would highlight that, in our planning reforms, our new infrastructure levy will drive more investment in infrastructure—both social infrastructure and physical infrastructure—in the years to come.