Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Steff Aquarone and Emma Reynolds

Tuesday 8th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Emma Reynolds]

I can reassure the hon. Gentleman that we are focused on driving public sector productivity to reach the efficiency targets I talked about. We are holding each Department to account on that. As I said earlier, we are seeing great progress in the NHS, which is making a huge contribution to our productivity gains as a Government.

[Steff Aquarone (North Norfolk) (LD)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

Economic Growth

Debate between Steff Aquarone and Emma Reynolds

Monday 7th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Emma Reynolds]

As I outlined to the hon. Member for Glastonbury and Somerton (Sarah Dyke), it is right that we focus on rural communities as well as urban areas and city regions. I will convey that message to the Chancellor, but I will not be writing the Budget right now.

[Steff Aquarone (North Norfolk) (LD)]

The Government talk a lot about how they will create economic growth. There is no way for them just to legislate their way to growth; there are, however, plenty of ways to legislate against it, as small rural businesses in North Norfolk know only too well. Will the Minister tell those rural businesses what she is doing to help them grow? More importantly, what things that get in their way will she stop doing?

[Emma Reynolds]

As I said to the hon. Member for Glastonbury and Somerton (Sarah Dyke), we take the economic success of rural communities really seriously. We are improving connectivity, whether digital connectivity or local transport connectivity, to ensure that the areas are more successful, but there is obviously more to be done.

Farming Road Map and Profitability Review

Debate between Steff Aquarone and Emma Reynolds

Wednesday 24th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Steff Aquarone (North Norfolk) (LD)]

On-farm reservoirs can really help to reduce flooding and the need for water extraction, yet the Minister for Housing and Planning was rather dismissive of this during the passage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Will the Secretary of State commit to taking steps to review permitted development rights, and can she give us some timescales?

[Emma Reynolds]

We consulted on that issue—obviously, this falls under the MHCLG—in December. The Ministry is considering the responses, but I am working with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that we make it easier for farmers to establish on-farm reservoirs in order to give them more resilience.