Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Oral Answers to Questions

Scott Mann Excerpts
Monday 30th October 2017

(7 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Sajid Javid Portrait Sajid Javid
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The right hon. Gentleman talks about what happened on housing under Labour, so let me remind him: when he was the housing Minister, house building fell to almost its lowest level for almost 100 years, and the number of social units available for rent declined by 410,000. So we will not be taking any lectures from the right hon. Gentleman.

Scott Mann Portrait Scott Mann (North Cornwall) (Con)
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T8. Will the Secretary of State look at what can be done to lift restrictive planning conditions that are holding back long-term economic growth?

Lord Sharma Portrait The Minister for Housing and Planning (Alok Sharma)
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Planning conditions should, of course, only be imposed where they are necessary and meet the other requirements of national policy. What I can say more widely is that we are making changes in the planning system: planning fees are being increased, which will ensure there is more money in the planning authorities; and we are also looking at requiring an increase in build-out rates.