Onshore Wind (Planning Policy)

Debate between Mark Spencer and Mark Prisk

Thursday 6th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Prisk]

Clearly this is a devolved matter, but if the hon. Lady is directly concerned, she needs to talk to the Scottish Government, as we are already doing.

[Mr Mark Spencer (Sherwood) (Con)]

I have tried to push the Minister on this important issue, but will he just clarify whether the current applications at judicial review are included in the change in guidance?

[Mr Prisk]

The key point is that if a determination has been made, that cannot be undone, whether that is at the local level or at the planning level, and that, I think, incorporates any other aspect where there is a decision about this. Once a decision has been published, that clearly cannot be changed by this guidance.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mark Spencer and Mark Prisk

Thursday 14th October 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Mark Spencer (Sherwood) (Con)]

T7. The Minister will be aware of the thousands of companies that in the past have supplied Departments, an example of which is F. J. Bamkin in my constituency, which used to supply socks to the Ministry of Defence. Can he say what progress his Department has made in achieving the manifesto commitment to deliver “25 per cent of government research and procurement contracts through SMEs”?

[Mr Prisk]

The key to changing the system is to ensure that we open up the contracts. That is why we have already started to publish those contracts online, so that every business, large or small, can see what is on offer. Then we need to remove the barriers that exist, which is why we are tackling things such as the repeated pre-qualifications that are necessary for the same work in neighbouring areas. Removing those barriers, opening up the contracts—that is how we are going to hit the targets.