Nick Raynsford
Main Page: Nick Raynsford (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)Department Debates - View all Nick Raynsford's debates with the Leader of the House
(14 years, 1 month ago)
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Sir George Young
The second half of the question is easy: it should be in Backbench Business Committee time. On the first part, the House of Commons Commission has made it clear that over the period of the spending review we should reduce our costs by at least 17.5%. The House will have seen a document circulated by the Clerk of the House, outlining some possible economies—although that does not cover the IPSA budget, which comes under a separate heading.
Mr Nick Raynsford (Greenwich and Woolwich) (Lab)
The Leader of the House will be aware that yesterday in the High Court the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government was found to have acted unlawfully in revoking regional spatial strategies. Rather than come to this House to apologise for his unlawful actions, for the damage he has caused to the housing industry, for confusing local authorities and for the cost to the public purse, the Secretary of State simply slipped out a written statement, misleadingly claiming that nothing much had changed. In reality, everything has changed: regional spatial strategies are back in force and, as the judgment makes clear, they might play a decisive role in determining any planning application, as local authorities must have regard to them. Can we have an urgent debate in Government time so that the Secretary of State can account for his actions and the restored force of regional spatial strategies can be affirmed?
Sir George Young
The right hon. Gentleman will have seen the written ministerial statement, which said:
“While respecting the court’s decision, this ruling changes very little”.
It went on to say that the chief planner had written to all the local planning authorities, confirming that they should
“have regard to this material consideration in any decisions they are currently taking”.—[Official Report, 10 November 2010; Vol. 518, c. 16WS.]
The right hon. Gentleman will also know that later this month we will introduce the localism Bill, which will abolish regional strategies.