John Bercow
Main Page: John Bercow (Speaker - Buckingham)
Mr Prisk
As always, the hon. Gentleman provides entertaining rhetoric, but the facts are wrong. The net addition to the housing stock, taking into account new homes and our work on empty homes, which we rarely hear about from the Labour party, is 11%. He needs to rehearse his rhetoric more often.
Mr Speaker
Order. If the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole (Annette Brooke) had been standing, I would have called her, but she was not, so perhaps I will not. If she wants to, I will.
Nick Boles
I would be concerned if that were happening, but it is not and so I am not concerned.
Sir Tony Baldry (Banbury) (Con)
I was waiting for a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr Bone)—
Mr Speaker
I normally think the hon. Gentleman is waiting behind the curve but he is ahead of the curve and we are grateful to him for that. After 30 years in the House his enthusiasm is undiminished.
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)
11. What steps he is taking to encourage development on brownfield sites.
Laura Sandys
Communities in Sandwich, Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate are keen to take up local neighbourhood planning. What would you say are the critical success factors, and what are you giving local authorities to support these communities develop exciting new planning?
Mr Speaker
Order. I am not giving local authorities anything for this purpose, but I have a feeling that the Minister will claim that he is.
Nick Boles
Indeed we are. In 2013-14, we are offering local authorities £30,000 per neighbourhood plan to help communities defray the costs of achieving their plan. The most important success factor is to involve local people, consult them throughout the process, and then remind them that an adopted neighbourhood plan will bring 25% of future revenues from the community infrastructure levy, which can be spent by the community on its priority.
Mr Speaker
Order. The hon. Lady does not get a second bite of the cherry. She has had one go. She may feel like another, but I am not sure the House will necessarily feel the same way. We are grateful to her; we will bear her in mind for another day.
Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth) (Lab)
T4. Oldham council estimates that more than 2,500 households will be affected by the bedroom tax, yet there are only 500 one-bedroom flats that families are able to move into. Knowing that, why did the Government make funding available for only 100 new affordable homes to be built last year?