Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Matthew Pennycook and Sarah Smith

Monday 13th April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Pennycook]

It is anything but a dishonest concoction. As I have said, grey-belt land is determined by local planning authorities where it does not meet the purposes of the green belt, as set out. I come back to the question of what the hon. Gentleman is saying: is he saying that our strategic and targeted approach to the green belt should be replaced by the chaotic and haphazard approach that the previous Government took, under which we saw swathes of green-belt land released across the country, often in the wrong areas? The grey belt is ensuring that the right kind of low-quality green-belt land is released where all other options have been exhausted and where need for housing needs to be met through that avenue.

[Sarah Smith (Hyndburn) (Lab)]

15. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Pride in Place funding on levels of community cohesion in Hyndburn constituency.