National Planning Policy Framework

Roberta Blackman-Woods Excerpts

Tuesday 24th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. What Totnes does today, the rest of the country will do tomorrow. We are taking the spirit of Totnes around the country and people are responding with enthusiasm.

[Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) (Lab)]

Did the Minister receive letters of congratulation from planning lawyers?

[Greg Clark]

Not especially, but I hope they will have time on their hands in future to engage in some retraining.

I am grateful for all the time and effort that many Members put into the consultation. We took it seriously, and I am glad to say that the framework has been strengthened as a result. I am determined that having had that role in the development of the framework, Parliament should continue to supervise its implementation. It will have a further opportunity to do that when the debate is continued in the days ahead. Beyond that, as well as the work of Select Committees and Question Time, I hope we will have the opportunity in the years ahead to have regular debates on planning policy in the Chamber.

The fact that over the past few months planning policy has come into the public eye and been widely debated is a good thing. I want to continue in that vein not only so that people get involved in planning locally, but so that the subject engages the whole House, as it is entitled to do.