Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Scotland Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts
Wednesday 7th October 2020

(3 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Andrew Gwynne Portrait Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)
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What recent steps he has taken to help ensure a co-ordinated response to the covid-19 outbreak throughout the UK.

Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
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I welcome the new Minister to the Dispatch Box.

David Duguid Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (David Duguid)
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An effective response to covid-19 does indeed need to be a co-ordinated response across the UK. On 25 September, the UK Government and the three devolved Administrations published a joint statement on our collective approach to responding to covid-19. We reaffirmed our shared commitment to suppressing the virus to the lowest possible level and keeping it there while we strive to return life to as normal as possible for as many people and businesses as possible.

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Boris Johnson Portrait The Prime Minister
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There is abundant brownfield space across the whole UK, and I speak as someone who used to be the planning authority for London, and I know whereof I speak. The opportunity is there. In many cases, the restrictions are caused by cumbersome planning procedures, but they are also caused by the inability of young people to get the mortgages that they want to buy the homes that they want. That is why we are bringing forward fixed-rate mortgages for 95% of the value of a property to help young people on to the property ladder. We are going to turn generation rent into generation buy.

Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
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In order to allow the safe exit of hon. Members participating in this item of business and the safe arrival of those participating in the next, I am suspending the House for four minutes.