Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Virendra Sharma and Christopher Pincher

Monday 16th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Christopher Pincher]

I am obliged to my hon. Friend. She is a doughty campaigner for her constituents in Dover, and particularly, in this case, in Deal. She will know that the national planning policy framework makes it clear that local authorities should make provision for infrastructure, including water supply and energy, through their strategic planning authorities. As to what further we can do, our White Paper on planning reform proposes an infrastructure levy that will get that sort of infrastructure that she refers to in place at the get-go so that communities get not just the housing they need but the infrastructure to go with it.

[Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab) [V]]

Ealing Council is facing a funding shortfall of around £30 million even after efficiency savings and delaying investment. That is despite a promise from the Secretary of State that it would have everything that it needed to fight covid-19. Will the Secretary of State stick to his promise and give local authorities what they need, or will he be the one to explain why children’s centres, libraries and sports facilities have to close?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Virendra Sharma and Christopher Pincher

Tuesday 3rd September 2019 Commons Chamber

[Christopher Pincher]

As the hon. Lady should know, high agricultural tariffs hurt the poorest. That will only encourage them to do the easy thing, which is to burn land, rather than to farm it sustainably and protect the rain forest. Mercosur is a sensible free trade agreement which should be encouraged, and I trust that in the fullness of time we also will undertake a free trade deal with Brazil—more details of that, I am sure, are to come.

[Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab)]

3. What recent representations he has made to the Hong Kong Government on the political situation in Hong Kong.