National Planning Policy Framework

Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts

Thursday 20th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Graham Jones (Hyndburn) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. It appears that rumours are circulating that Colonel Gaddafi has been captured. If that is true, will you ask a Secretary of State or a Minister to make a statement to the House today?

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

What I can say is that it is up to the Secretary of State to decide whether to make a statement. The point has been noted and everybody is aware of it. Has the Minister finished?

[Greg Clark]

That was more hope than expectation, Mr Deputy Speaker. I will finish shortly. I did not think anything more interesting would happen today than our discussion of the national planning policy framework, but I was clearly mistaken.

The Government have not revoked the sustainable development strategy of 2005. Members of the Environmental Audit Committee who interviewed me last week asked some questions about it and it is the subject of one of the suggestions that have been made in the consultation. Let me explain why it was not included in the draft as it stands. As I say, it has not been revoked or repealed in any way. It is simply a matter of whether a document produced in 2005 has the timelessness of the Brundtland definition.

It was necessary to update the 1999 strategy in 2005. Six years on, there are some respects in which thinking on sustainability has progressed. For example, there is the idea that the separate pillars of the economy, the environment and the social aspects of sustainability can be traded off, one against the other. Some people argue—and I think there is some merit in doing so—that that is a rather defensive position and that one should be looking for positive improvements to the environment, not simply to trade-off. That is very much the thinking in the Government’s natural environment White Paper, which talked of a net gain for nature. In response to the consultation we could listen to such representations, but let me say simply that our intention was to make sure that we are not stranded in our thinking when we might have a more progressive approach to sustainability.

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[Greg Clark]

I am not taking any more interventions, as Mr Deputy Speaker has indicated that he thinks I have spoken for long enough.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

It was the Minister himself, not me, who said that he would be brief in order to allow Back Benchers to contribute. The Minister may carry on.

[Greg Clark]

You are correct and punctilious, Mr Deputy Speaker, in holding me to my commitment.

Let me deal with another issue of concern—transitional arrangements.

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[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. May I remind Members that there is an eight-minute time limit on speeches?

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[George Hollingbery]

rose—

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. If the right hon. Gentleman wants to give way he will give way. The hon. Gentleman should sit down when he will not.