Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Monday 12th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I have no wish to be unkind to the hon. Lady, but let me put it this way: we have had a dose from Bath, and by long-standing convention, a Member is not called twice on substantive questions. If the hon. Lady seeks to catch my eye during topical questions, she may be successful. I admire her persistence, but I hope she will understand that that is the way we operate.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

She is greedy.

[Mr Speaker]

No, no. The hon. Lady is not greedy; she is just keen.

[John Mann (Bassetlaw) (Lab)]

9. How many local authorities have had their local plans signed off by his Department in the last two years.

--- Later in debate ---

[Sajid Javid]

Nothing can be harder on a parent than losing a child, and we must always look to see what can be done to provide help. Local authorities do provide help in many ways, but my hon. Friend is right to raise this matter. I, too, was concerned by the article she mentioned, and I will be happy to meet with her.

[Mr Speaker]

Patience rewarded—I call Wera Hobhouse.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Every day is a school day, particularly when it comes to parliamentary conventions.

Affordable housing and council housing are not the same. Instead of always mentioning affordable housing and council housing in the same breath, will the Minister consider amending the national planning policy framework to enable councils to specify in their strategic plans different housing types for each site allocation?

--- Later in debate ---

[Sajid Javid]

I should declare an interest, because I have been shopping at Cribbs Causeway many times and it is probably my mum’s favourite shopping complex. It is a live planning issue and we are considering it in detail. It is relatively complex, but we will try to reach a decision as quickly as possible.

[Mr Speaker]

It is very useful to learn about Ministers’ domestic habits, and we are grateful to the Secretary of State for providing further information on that score.

[Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op)]

The Conservative-run Northamptonshire County Council has recently gone bust. Was that due to a lack of Government funding or local incompetence?

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

We have three remaining questioners if each of the three agrees to ask a single-sentence question not exceeding 20 words. I call Mr Robert Courts.

[Robert Courts (Witney) (Con)]

I know that the Secretary of State is well aware of the requirement for infrastructure when new homes are built. What can he do to include broadband in that?

[Sajid Javid]

We are working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to do just that.

[Mr Speaker]

He is not a lawyer for nothing. I call Julia Lopez.

[Julia Lopez (Hornchurch and Upminster) (Con)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Following revelations in The Sunday Times about fraudulent Grenfell aid claims, what assurances can my right hon. Friend offer that financial support is going only to those directly affected by this tragedy?

--- Later in debate ---

[Sajid Javid]

Yes.

[Mr Speaker]

I suppose that two probably did not amount to more than 41 words. I think that we are done. Are we done? We are done.