Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Peter Bone and Owen Paterson

Thursday 6th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)]

Will the Secretary of State press the European Union harder to open its markets to developing countries, especially in relation to the common agricultural policy?

[Mr Paterson]

As my hon. Friend knows, I am in favour of free trade in all products, because opening up markets gives real opportunity to our own farmers who want to export in the other direction.

Flooding

Debate between Peter Bone and Owen Paterson

Monday 26th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paterson]

My hon. Friend makes a good point. Rivers do not respect political boundaries. We are keeping in touch with all Ministries and Government agencies.

[Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)]

I thank the Secretary of State for coming to the House and informing us in such detail of what is happening and what he has been doing over the past few days. Flooding is occurring on the embankment in Wellingborough. Northamptonshire’s fire brigade and local councils are doing an excellent job. Like other Members, I ask the Secretary of State to look again at the issue of building on the floodplain, because regional spatial strategies forced councils to have residential homes in areas where they opposed them.

[Mr Paterson]

I went very close to my hon. Friend’s patch on Friday and saw the scheme that worked incredibly effectively in protecting Northampton town. The Nene was tamed. He rightly says that the huge wet area was saturated. I saw a permanent caravan site that had been badly flooded and a large number of people had been evacuated. I pay tribute to all the agencies in his area that I met: the Environment Agency, the police, the fire service and the local council. He is right that it is completely barmy to build on floodplains. I want to drill it in to everyone who is listening that the NPPF makes it very clear that that is a bad idea and that it should not happen.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Peter Bone and Owen Paterson

Wednesday 9th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paterson]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his comments on Ranger Dalzell.

Cross-border taxation is an issue that we will consider as part of the paper. We are acutely aware of the ability of consumers to move their spending rapidly either way, depending on taxation.

[Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)]

Can the Secretary of State put into context the changes in taxation? Basic rate taxpayers in Northern Ireland have had their personal allowance increase, which has taken many of them out of the tax net.

[Mr Paterson]

We regard Northern Ireland as an integral part of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland taxpayers pay their tax and receive public spending in return.