Growth and Infrastructure Bill

John Bercow Excerpts

Monday 5th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

Of course I will give way to the very distinguished gentleman. [Interruption.] Or were there two distinguished Members standing together?

[Mr Speaker]

On this occasion, I believe the Secretary of State is referring to a former Minister of State—with no disrespect to the hon. Member for Northampton South (Mr Binley), whose distinction is universally known.

[Mr Raynsford]

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for giving way, and hope this will not cause him any difficulty with his colleague. How will “nationally significant developments” be defined? What definitions will be used to decide whether developments are nationally significant and thus fall within the remit?

--- Later in debate ---

[Tristram Hunt]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The Minister of State is not giving way. He gives every indication at this stage of wishing to plough on, and that is his entitlement.

[Michael Fallon]

Of course we will listen in Committee to the debate on each clause, but the Labour party is going to have to be a lot more persuasive than it has been this afternoon.