Chinese Embassy Development Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Lillian Jones
Main Page: Lillian Jones (Labour - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)Department Debates - View all Lillian Jones's debates with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
(3 days, 16 hours ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
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Matthew Pennycook
The hon. Gentleman invites me, again, to consider a planning decision that has not been made, on a case that is not yet before the Department. I am clearly not going to set out from this Dispatch Box the decision-making process that planning Ministers in my Department might take to the application once it is submitted.
Lillian Jones (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab)
Given the serious concerns about national security, can the Minister confirm that his Department has consulted on this issue with UK and allied intelligent agencies, including those of the USA? Can he say whether a full national security review will be conducted before any planning decision is taken?
Matthew Pennycook
As I have made clear, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any specific national security issue. What I have been at pains to make clear is that the inspector’s report, which will come before Ministers in my Department at the point when the case comes to us, will include a wide variety of material planning matters, and in this case they are likely to include safety and national security matters.