28/11/2016 House of Commons

Good and welcome BBC Parliament's live coverage of the Commons. In an

hour, the Labour backbencher Alistair McGuffin will be asking an

urgent question about the situation in Aleppo. A Foreign Office minister

will reply for the government. After that, MPs will discuss the Digital

economy Bill, which covers the controversial area of sharing

personal data. Christina Cooper will be here with the best in both Houses

of Parliament later tonight. First, questions to the communities

minister and his team. Order, order. Questions to the

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Question

number one, Mr Speaker. The government has guaranteed

support for projects which have signed agreements for EU funding.

There is applies even when these projects continue beyond EU exit. A

key aim of European funding for community groups is to promote

skills employment. Last weeks Autumn Statement appeared to have no

long-term strategy for investment in skills and employment. Given how

important it is for the UK to compete globally posed Brexit does

the Secretary of State agree that this should yet again that the

government simply has no plan for Brexit? I completely disagree. One

thing that I have noted is that in her own constituency we see a 49%

fall in and employment since 2010. What we did see in the Autumn

Statement is further measures to keep the strengthen our economy,

including the announcement of regional allocations of the local

growth fund which will go on to generate growth and jobs. Will he

confirm that for every ?2 we give to the European Union we only get ?1

back so that under our own scheme we could be more generous potentially

than the EU is at the moment and we could give to community groups in

line with national priorities rather than EU priorities? As usual, my

honourable friend makes a good point. Once we have left the EU will

be able to design schemes for local growth and support through funding

that meet all of national priorities and provide value for money for

British taxpayers that would lead to jobs and growth. The government

announced that it would be making an application to the EU Solidarity

fund to provide extra support for flood hit communities across the UK.

Given that we have had the vote to leave the EU, can they asked the

Minister for an update on the process of this application is the

still dealing with the consequences of Islamic flooding will be

reassured that they will get this money? I am happy to say that we

have made an application. It is now being considered by the EU

Commission and we hope to update the house as soon as we can. Would he

agree with me that there is no such thing as EU money, it is taxpayers

money? And that when business rates are kept locally by local

authorities thanks to this government, local community groups

will be able to benefit from that funding? That is a very important

reminder from my honourable friend. It is all our money at the end of

the day and it reminds us that we didn't use it locally as we wish

when we leave the EU. His connection that he is made to business rates is

the right one. Number two please, Mr Speaker. 100,900 planning permission

for a granted in the quarter to June 2,000 and 16. This is a 6% increase

from last year. However people cannot live or work on planning

permission so developers need to move ahead to build. What measures

can be brought forward to give to developers who are sitting on land

with planning permission to actually get give to developers who are

sitting on land with planning permission to actually get to get

building two or three bedroom properties, affordable to actually

get to get building two or three bedroom properties, affordable to my

constituents? My honourable friend raises an important point. We are

clear that sites with planning permission should move ahead without

delay and we are taking steps to speed up development through the

neighbourhood planning Bill and the ?3 billion home-builders fund. The

National planning policy framework expects councils to plan for a mix

of housing to meet local needs. Planning permissions mean absolutely

nothing if homes are not actually built, so can the Secretary of State

confirmed that figures released last week showed that just over 141,000

homes were built in the year to September 2016? 20% lower than the

hundred and 76,000 homes which were built at the peak under Labour in

2017 -- 2007. It is true that under the previous Labour government that

housing starts fell to the lowest level since the 1920s. When you look

at housing supply numbers for the latest years that they are available

they are actually up 9%. Does he understand the anger and

disappointment felt throughout Sutton Coldfield at his decision

last week to back Labour's wholly unnecessary plans to build on

Sutton's green belt? Does he realise this is a breach of the Conservative

Party's manifesto and his own words from just a few weeks ago? Does he

not understand that we will seek to oppose his decision by all legal

means and amend future legislation in this House to give the protection

that he has shown himself unable to provide? My right honourable friend

has been passionate and committed campaigner on this issue and I

respect that tremendously. The reason the government placed a hold

on the Birmingham local plant was precisely because the government

values to green belt. It is very, very special. Where you have a local

community that has come forward with a robust plan, that has looked at

the alternatives, prioritised Brownfield sites and with the

independent planning Inspectorate has said that it meets all the rules

and regulations, than the government has no valid reason to stand on its

way. Where on earth does the Communities Secretary get his

figures from? I have got his own department's official figures here.

A fewer permissions last year than I the peak year under Labour. The

Communities Secretary is right, people cannot live in planning

permissions. What people need are decent, affordable homes.

Under-Secretary of State tell the house how many new affordable homes

were built in this country last year? Unlike the honourable

gentleman I get my figures from the Office for National Statistics and

they show that in the year 2015 up to 2016, it was an increase of 11%,

the highest for eight years. The honourable gentleman was the Housing

Minister I believe that housing fell to its lowest level since the 1920s.

We have given more money to affordable homes than any other

parliament previously and seen an increase of 304,000 since 2010.

Again, these figures are just not accurate. Even with the money that

has been announced, the government's investment in affordable homes are

still out on behalf of the level of Labour's last year. The number of

affordable homes built last year was the lowest for 24 years. That is

despite 750 separate announcement on affordable housing since 2010. Let

me say to the Communities Secretary, this is a disaster for families

struggling to cope with housing costs, so when will we after six

years of failure see a serious plan to help people on ordinary incomes

that housing to rent and buy, and when will we see from the government

at proper plan to fix the housing crisis? What was a disaster was a

decline of 410,000 units, social housing units, during the 13 years

of Labour government. Since then they are actually up by more than

60,000. If he doesn't agree with me perhaps he can agree with his former

colleague, neither Mayor of London but said that the money allocated in

last week's Autumn Statement to affordable housing, this is the

largest sum of money ever secured by City Hall for affordable housing.

To create more opportunities for small and medium-size

house-builders, does the Minister agree that we need to allocate more

small sites and local plans? Yes, Mr Speaker, I do agree with my

honourable friend. He will be pleased to note that the new

accelerated construction fund will also make sure that these kinds of

allocations are more forthcoming and also the ?3 million home-builders

fund will provide more support to small and medium-sized builders.

Number three, Mr Speaker, please. This government is committed to

neighbourhood planning which enables communities to shape the development

and growth of the local area in a positive manner. The neighbourhood

planning Bill will further strengthen and future proof the

process while ensuring communities have the support they need. While

agreed local plans are critical to good local planning and housing, how

does the Secretary of State" was too kind who failed to deliver an agreed

and well supported local plan by early 2017, and those councils who

failed to support local neighbourhood plans, and therefore

the right mix of local housing? We expect authorities to have a plan

in place and keep the plaid up-to-date. We have put the

requirement beyond doubt by legislating in the neighbourhood

planning Bill. In my honourable friend's local council, easily, it

has not taken the issue seriously and let down residents. She is right

to stand up for constituents and her council should follow her example.

Is the Secretary of State aware that as part of the neighbourhood plan in

my constituency a selective licensing system was introduced for

private landlords that reduced all types of anti-social behaviour by

between 20-45%? Will he look at how these schemes can be extended and

will he also look at how the planning process can be modified to

allow councils to make quicker decisions about houses in multiple

occupation that can often be linked to anti-social behaviour? The right

honourable lady makes a good point. We should always be looking at what

more can be done to combat anti-social behaviour. She raises an

excellent example. I will take a closer look at this and see if we

can extend that. Number four, Mr Speaker. The government is committed

to supporting high streets where cutting business rates and

developing digital high pilots in Gloucestershire. In the run-up to

Christmas, with his background in retail, I hope we can support the

local high street and support small business Saturday this weekend. A

Chamber of Commerce is starting a programme to help businesses and use

of social media to promote the high street. What is the government doing

to support initiatives such as those demonstrated in Chipping Sodbury? He

makes an important point. Last week I chaired my first Future

high-streets Forum. We heard about digital pilots in Gloucester,

Cheltenham and Stroud. This is an important tool where we can attract

people back to the high street and we will work further through the

forum on these digital roll-outs. Many small towns in my constituency,

such as Flint, have to impose car parking charges because of the

financial situation yet large out-of-town retail developments like

Cheshire Oaks over the border in England have free parking. As he had

a chance to look at how he can help support small businesses on town

centre parking? I am happy to welcome him to North Lincolnshire

Council, where and when we took control from the Labour Party,

scrapped charges and introduced free parking which had a wonderful effect

and I would delight in seeing him to discuss that further. When it comes

to supporting high streets, will the minister joined me in welcoming

small business Saturday this weekend because it plays an important part

in helping smaller independent retailers? Particularly when it

comes to Barnstaple, will he join me in congratulating North Devon

council who have just announced some free parking in the run-up to

Christmas? I am more than happy to congratulate them on their free

parking. In my area it has made a huge difference to bringing people

back to the town centre. I hope members will support Small Bicester

Saturday across the country. At the recent summit in Edinburgh there

were many things on display including apps that allowed people

to put entire towns including high streets and small traders online.

What plans to the government in the UK have in this regard? We are

working through the future high-street 's Forum on the issue of

Connecticut people better to the high street through digital media

and social media. I would point to the example in York that won the

great British high-street award, and used winnings to develop a lap with

Newcastle University to do that. A lot of work is going on in this

regard. The crack cocaine of gambling have led to an explosion of

betting shops on the high-street. What will the government do about it

and what is in the neighbourhood planning Bill to tackle the

explosion in betting shops nobody wants? I welcome his comments. It is

important on the high-street we have a mixture of outlets. I know there

are concerns in many town centres about this. It is for local councils

to make appropriate use of powers available and I will look into the

issue further and discuss further if required. The bid referred to

alternative uses in the town centre. Does he agree a great example is

provided by rugby council in their development with World rugby in

creating a hall of fame that opened this month? In the most appropriate

place, being the birthplace of the game of rugby? There could be no

better place for such a venue and I congratulate rugby on the

development of this. It is true we need to bring a space in town

centres into a mix of different use to attract people back to the towns

to support the retail offer there. It is a remarkable facility if it is

in the high-street. It has to be acknowledged. Mr Michael Gove.

Number five, please, sir. The government is investing over ?25

billion over the spending review period. Our home-builders fund will

help small builders and programme will see more homes built faster and

we announced a further 1.4 billion the affordable homes programme in

the Autumn Statement. Can I thank him for his response. He will be

aware communities welcome development all the more if the

architecture is sympathetic to the local vernacular. If art is our

builders are involved in the development, and if the environment

is respected. In achieving that, what role do garden villages have to

play? I can tell him that garden villages, we will be supporting a

number of them, those committed to well-designed communities, that will

stand out as examples of good development. We will ensure they are

real and important benefits secured with quality, design, cutting edge

technology, local employment opportunities, Greece space and

fantastic public transport. Will he give more information about the

statement last week. The extra money for additional affordable homes to

rent, will that be additional affordable homes to rent that has

been lacking from the government programme? Will the relaxation of

restrictions on government grants mean that the whole of the ?8

billion funds can be bit forward packages involving affordable homes

to rent and will he an indication of 106 agreements, continuing to allow

priority to be given to affordable homes to rent. There are a number of

questions from the chairman of the Select Committee. I will answer most

of his questions and then we have a number of opportunities is to speak

-- opportunities to speak. What was made clear by the Chancellor is the

priority the government holds that in. The ?1.4 billion announced is

additional money. We estimate it would lead to around 40,000

additional units, the types of unit whether rent or otherwise, we are

giving the flexibility to housing associations, which they asked for.

Before there was not the investment and infrastructure in constituencies

like mine in Basingstoke, which has changed under this government,

particularly with the announcement of the housing infrastructure fund.

Can he confirmed to my constituents they will see the investment we need

in roads and rail, particularly the Wessex route, which is overcrowded?

She makes an excellent point about the importance of infrastructure if

we are to unlock housing sites. She referred to the 2.3 billion

additional funding announced last week but also there was over ?1

billion new money for transport projects, that will go towards

easing congestion which is something she can make use of locally. The

Secretary of State was vague in his answer, the chair of the Senate

committee, and the intention to build homes for social rent which

should be a significant part of government intentions to help people

who cannot afford to buy homes. Will he bring forward a plan such as the

Scottish Government's plan to build socially rented houses, for England?

I have referred to this number of times at the despatch box, a key

point about the massive increase we have seen in England for affordable

homes, over ?8 billion this parliament with the additional

billion announced last week will stop it is leading to thousands of

affordable homes which is something Scotland can learn from. I thank him

for the answer. In terms of affordable and starter homes,

Shelter said starter homes are a nonstarter for some. Would he do

better to look to Scotland where we invest in affordable housing for

people who are just about managing? The honourable lady might be

interested to know Shelter's chief executive responded to the Autumn

Statement and welcomed it for increasing the number of affordable

homes and for providing flexibility asked for and Shelter is an

organisation we work with and listen to and will continue to do so. Given

that half the new homes will be leasehold and given the past

problems and difficulties and future possibilities of abuse, would he

please get together with the Sunday Times and Guardian and others

covering these abuses to make sure ordinary people do not find their

home cannot be sold when they come to leave it? He makes an important

point about this. We must make sure the kind of abuses he has mentioned

are stamped out and we continue to do everything and work with

stakeholders and we will see how we can do more. Question six, Mr

Speaker. We have recently consulted on increasing planning fees and will

set out our response of the forthcoming White Paper. I have been

pursuing the issue of protection of family homes. I am not against

permitted development that against rogue developers who cause untold

misery for ordinary homeowners through ruthless exploitation and

breaches of permitted development because they are better resourced

when it comes to enforcement and local authorities. When he agreed to

look again at the issue of enforcement in this area? I share

his concern that local authorities use the enforcement powers they

have. This House in the form of the planning have been given additional

powers to increase a database, banning orders, and penalties, the

powers are there and I'm happy to meet to discuss how they can be

used. One of the best ways to ensure planning departments have resources

to carry out duties is to allow them to charge the full cost of planning

applications, which the government promised a long time ago. I hope

this minister will bring it in. I thank him for his comments. We have

consulted on the issue of greater resource Inc for local authority

departments and virtually everybody I have met as minister has said

there is an issue that needs to be addressed and he will see a solution

in the housing White Paper. The minister will know that due to

government cuts, spending on planning in local authorities has

fallen by a massive ?1 billion since 2010 stop we have heard warm words

from the minister in terms of plucking the huge funding gap

particularly in relation to allowing fees to rise, but can he say what

more he plans to resource planning departments properly so they can

produce local plans plan for the new settlements and new towns and garden

cities we need to solve the housing crisis? She is quite right to say

local authority planning departments have a crucial role. That is in

tackling housing problems. I think she undersell is the records they

have achieved under this government, talking about local plans. When the

Labour Party left office 17% had local plans and today it is 72%.

With the minister bear in mind not only that there is great support for

flexibility on planning fees but that many respectable developers and

builders would value that flexibility provided his -- it is

ring-fenced and reinvested in planning authorities? Would he bear

in mind it is important in areas like London where cost pressures are

great. He makes a very important point. It

is essential that the money is spent on extra resourcing in planning

department and he's quite right to say that the local authorities

themselves and developers are pressing the case to this issue. Our

guidance is clear that word decisions on planning applications

are taken by local authorities planning inspector who be taken in

accordance with development plan unless the material considerations

that with the two being otherwise. A housing developer has recently put

in an application for a 300 homes in an area that was not in the local

framework. 95% of local residents who responded did not want to see

this site developed. I know the Minister cannot comment on specific

planning application but would he agree with me that if permissions

granted on sites that are not allocated for development, it does

to promote the confidence of the public in the planning process? I

share his determination that we have a plan and lead system in this

country. Councils must have a plan in place. I am delighted that the

Cornwall Council decided to adopt the local plan this month. Does the

Minister agree with me that the actions of the Secretary of State

last week completely undermined the timing in my constituency. It denied

percentiles people in the area voted for that plan. Neighbourhood plans

are a vital part of the development plan for an area. Or a local

authority does not have a five-year land supply in place my honourable

friend is quite right that that is an alternative consideration and one

of the things that we want to do in the White Paper is to look at how we

can change policies so is that people who work hard to produce

these plans have more confidence that they will have an effect on all

the applications before them. I must gently reminds you that you should

not leave the chamber until all the exchanges on the question that they

have been involved and have concluded. One fellow has just

popped out, it is in breach of a very long-standing convention of

this House. Kindness means I will not mention the name of the

individual on this occasion. I know my honourable friend's interest in

this question as chairman of the Parliamentary group. I am happy to

work with local authorities to help develop the community pubs. We have

supported this community buying through the ?3.6 million more than a

pub programme. I know many pubs would have welcomed the news on the

roll rate relief in the Autumn Statement but they've still face an

immense challenge with business rates. What further steps could my

friend take in conjunction with local authorities to help ease the

burden of business rates on pubs? We are permanently doubling from next

year at the level of small business rate relief. That means 600,000

small businesses will pay no business rates at all and from April

the 1st next year 17,000 pubs may be eligible for small business rate

relief, which obviously depends on the rateable value, with around

13,000 potentially a la butchered -- eligible for 100% relief, compared

to 4,000 now. Why business rates on pubs calculated using a different

method rather than on other business premises? Before the review we

agreed methodology with the industry on which the revaluation to take

place and that is the reason why that mechanism is used. Pubs in my

constituency are grateful for the raising of the thresholds for the

payment of rates, but suffer from some bizarre reassessment decisions

by the valuation office agency which cancel out the benefits. As local

authorities are not highly dependent on growing the rates revenue and

having 100% retention of that, how can it be right that business faces

uncertainty from this source? This is an independent process, it

wouldn't be appropriate for ministers to intervene. To the

businesses that are affected by the revaluation, we have provided ?3.6

billion of transitional relief. I refer back to the statistics I gave

up by the number of businesses that could not qualify for 100% relief.

We want to see all areas with an up-to-date plan in place that needs

housing needs. We will be announcing further measures, some specific to

rural areas, in the forthcoming white paper. I am keen to see more

local housing. 75% of my constituency is designated as areas

of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the district councils are in the middle

of coming up with a five-year land supply. Will the government

implement robust measures to stop opportunist developers applying to

build anywhere in our areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the

meantime? I am delighted to hear that his councils are getting the

five-year land supply in place. I can reassure him that the National

planning policy framework says the great weight should be given to

conserving landscape and areas of beauty, so the protection is the

international policy. Can the Minister in form the house about

what he will be doing to ensure that British made to ram max, in terms of

tiles and bricks, will be used for parole housing, and for that matter

all housing? It is a very good question and I am happy to meet with

the honourable lady to explore what possibilities are there. Can my

honourable confirmed that under the national planning policy framework,

unmet housing needs does not constitute an exceptional

circumstance necessary to warrant holding in the green belt? That is a

very timely question. The answer is that the national planning policy

framework does not define what the exceptional circumstances our

adventure justified changing green belt values. Rightly, that is a

matter for local communities to decide upon. Number ten, Mr Speaker.

Any individual or organisation can make representations on planning

applications for infrastructure projects. It is for the

decision-makers to decide what weird if any should be given to those

representations. Can I tell him that for over a year my constituents have

been battling to get rid of a 40 mile an hour speed limit on the main

motorway to the Port of Dover, a road of national strategic

importance, yet the infrastructure for this to happen is being held up

by the OMB. What measures can be taken by the Department war through

legislation to make sure a better balance is struck? I am aware of

this issue. It is clear that that legislation does require Highways

England to have regard to the purpose of an expanding area of

natural beauty to conserve and enhance the natural beauty. I will

of course be more than happy to meet with my honourable friend or pass

his concerns on to the appropriate department over this particular

issue. The Minister's colleague has just confirmed that the national

planning policy framework makes it clear that areas of natural beauty

should have a higher status protection, yet the children

conservation board, the public body set up protect the children's, had

the proposals for us the leaderboard tunnel under the children's

rejected. I have to say when it comes to projects like HS2 it

appears that there is a rule for one area of natural beauty, and another

rule for the children's area of natural beauty. What can he do to

promote the idea of having a fully bored tunnel under the children to

live up to his promise of protecting the areas of natural beauty? It is

right that these areas receive the protection that they do in the

planning process. I am more than happy to pass on her concerns with

regard to the tunnel in the children's to the Secretary of State

for Transport. Number 11, Mr Speaker. Between 2012 in 2015 newly

120,000 families on the troubled families programme saw their lives

improve. In October we published a report on the programme's costs and

potential fiscal benefits based on local authority information. The

first assessment on the cost effectiveness of the new programme

will be available next year. I am not sure if he has had a chance of

the early read the report on the scheme which found no evidence of

significant or systematic impact on the key objectives of the programme.

We'll Minister set up by the decision was taken to spend hundreds

of millions of pounds expanding the programme before they could even

know if that was money well spent? I would say to the honourable lady

that this party is absolutely focused on outcomes and not progress

-- process. Nearly 120,000 families have seen their lives improved. I am

proud that there are more children back in school, youth crime is down

and 18,000 adults involved with this programme on now back into work.

With the Minister accept that what the report shows is that although

this was purported to be designed around a payment by results model it

was no such thing and local authorities simply delivered the

number of families through the programme that the funding was there

to meet. Will the Minister say what the government intends to learn from

this failure and ensure it in the future that taxpayer money is well

spent? We are confident that a significant number of families have

benefited from this programme. I can say that the new programme will see

a more robust evaluation, particularly in terms of its cost

effectiveness. Number 13, Mr Speaker. I fully recognise the

pressures on adult social care which provided a vital service to millions

of people across the country. This is why this government is providing

extra funding for adult social care without a ?3.5 billion available

during this Parliament. Yesterday the former Health Secretary

commented on the Autumn Statement saying that it was a mistake not to

provide extra investment in the social care system which is said --

inadequately funded. Directors of social services described social

care being in real jeopardy. The Conservative leader of one

constituent save -- one constituent who said that it was in crisis. When

is this government going to whip up and provide the funds that are

actually needed to prevent the whole system from collapse? During this

Spending Review last year we consulted carefully with the sector

and spoke with the LGA and looked at what they said. They said that we

should have ?2.9 billion extra funding available for adult social

care, and we provided up to 3.5. Social care should not be a party

political matter and there are concerns on both sides of the house.

Wouldn't it be a good idea if the government worked with the

opposition to see we could agree on our way so that social care in the

future progress is satisfactorily, maybe by creating an independent

body responsible for social care, not leaving it to local government

and the NHS? I think my honourable friend makes a sensible point that

these issues are quite often important in the fact that we need

to speak to a wide group of people to make the right decisions. I would

say to my honourable friend that we are certainly interested in speaking

to anybody who wants to come up with sensible and practical solutions in

relation to this important and vital issue. The Care Quality Commission

has said that the social care system is about to topple over. The Local

Government Association says the councils can't cope with the cost

pressures and much of the funding that the Minister is talking about

is either repackage funding or funding that will kick in until late

in this decade. When will he come clean about the scale of the crisis

and lobbied the Treasury to make sure that the promised money for

2020 is prop forwards we get to grips with this care crisis? This is

not repackage money, it is new money for adult social care, up to ?3.5

billion across the spending review period. He mentioned the LGA and the

report. What I would say is that they are absolutely right that the

key to this is better integration between Health and Social Care Board

and the ?1.5 billion we are providing through the better care

fund is the best way we can continue to promote that. I am loathe to come

between sisters, especially between twins, but, Angela Eagle. Thank you,

Mr Speaker. You may cause me some trouble later this evening. In the

last six years this government has cut social care funding I nearly ?5

billion. In my own authority there is now are ?3.5 million hole in the

budget only have read through the year. This system is on its knees

and there is an 18% increase in emergency admissions to hospital as

a result of this. The Prime Minister did not have an answer to this last

Wednesday, when is the Minister responsible point to have an answer?

Well, we have enabled councils to raise additional funding through the

adult care preset what I would say to the honourable lady that this is

all about priorities in the way in which the local governments allocate

its finance and what I would say it is that she might you want to have a

word with their local council leader who has sought to spend ?270,000 on

a rock and a newspaper. Is that good value for money when they say they

need more for social care? At back on propaganda. Thank you. I'm very

grateful to follow my sister. As I always have.

LAUGHTER Liveable City Council, which covers

most of my constituency, raises ?146 million in council tax every year.

At the Liverpool. Because of the council tax base it has. They share,

it spent 100 thousand pounds in adult social care. The predecessor

got 58% of the budget that liveable City Council has two fulfil its

obligations. -- Liverpool. Are you saying that Liverpool City Council

has been a more without money coming from central dominant? --

Government. I would direct the Lady to be net again find, which takes

into account the ability for local councils to raise council tax. I

would also say that Liverpool in terms of their average spending

power than dwelling gets ?100 more and have -- than the average

national. The collection of council tax is also below average in

Liverpool. Thank you. It has been interesting listening to the

responses but it just demonstrates to me that the table sat opposite

view not except the real crisis. This denial leaves me with real

worried about the 1.2 million people who cannot even access the service.

Local authorities have had a cut between 40-80% the budgets.

Blackburn Council raises ?900,000 with a 2% preset to stand still the

needs -- recess. To stand still, they need more. They have... At are

you seriously saying that we will wait and have conversations with

people to see how we take a follows? There a crisis. It is happening now.

We are heading for winter. We are putting old people in danger. I

would like the secretary of state to find a ?2.6 billion that is needed

now. Well, I'm not sure whether the secretary of state has that money

down the back of the south of the green benches but I will say to be

honourable lady that this is an extremely important issue and we

recognise that. That is my we have given the additional preset

imbalance which will have a cumulative effect over time. I knew

now that she is looking for an extra ?2.6 billion off the cuff. I think

that is very interesting made on the fact that only general election, the

Shadow Chancellor said that local governments, if the local Labour

Party was in power, would have you find themselves. My honourable

friend is right to raise concerns. That is why we are trying to make

your property management agents and address the scheme. I am currently

working with individuals who, despite the number of complaints

about management services on a relatively newly built estate,

cannot find the management agents prepared to meet them as a group,

provided the local parish council has been discontinued with contact

with the management agents and they cannot help an AGM as they promised

in the agreement. If this is anyway familiar, Kenny say what Wayne

individuals can do to balance the palate between people who have an

over a barrel? Sadly, Mr Speaker, the situation may honourable friend

described a similar. It is something he Government is looking to address.

May honourable friend raise the issue earlier about existing legal

powers but we are exploring whether there is further way we can explore

this. Thank you. Speaking of regulation, two months ago, the

Housing Minister. A ban on fees was a bad idea. Would you agree that, if

you want a security and affordability in the housing market,

in addition signing up to that, you should sign up to Labour's other

manifestos of three yet tendencies and control of inflationary rent

increases any private sector? Mr Speaker, it certainly would be a

good thing is the longest tendencies any private sector but regulating to

force all private letters would mean new tattoo look in our own country

and around the world to see the results of such policies. -- we

would have to look. Otherwise it would make the situation worse.

Number one. Mr Speaker, I'm sure you'll have full well come the next

numbers. Staging a new high in housing numbers. There's still a lot

we have to do. That is why the Autumn Statement contained a lot of

numbers and why a white paper which is due be published in the annual

sent them access out a range of radical ambitions. We will start to

announce global growth fund ambitions and I have having

announced by Christmas. Following my recent aggression to the rear of the

house and make written parliamentary session, I would like to raise one

leg any importance of protecting ancient woodland from hostile

development -- raise the importance. But he Housing Minister agree with

me that, once you bulldoze ancient woodland, it can never come back.

This has been seen in emerging local plans which are completely

inappropriate and will destroy valued local community landscape? My

honourable friend is right. Ancient woodland is irreplaceable as a

habitat. The framework is clear, planning permission should be

reviewed from developing resulting in the model of irreparable

habitats. Including ancient woodland. Unless they are very

exceptional circumstances. That a little plan, local people do not

have the certainty that they need and, once again, she has

demonstrated that Eastleigh Borough Council are letting their residence

down. Changes to the local government pension scheme recently

came into effect and were debated in statutory committee last week.

During that debate, the minister indicated that EU directive 41 does

not live to the LG BS. Yet in your letter I have here, good -- LGPS.

The good they confirm if it has been applied? -- Coogee confirm. It does

not apply. If you want to discuss the issue further, I would be happy

to do so. At the click of a malice, it seems to be able to change the

way a large sites, such as Vodafone headquarters and the weapons

Establishment are they are wiping millions of the income of a small

unitary local authority like west Berkshire. Will you look into this

matter? My honourable friend raises a very important question, where a

councils in common is impacted by successful business rate appeal, is

there a safety net, there is. I'm sure he is and where. He will be

reassured by the fact that the design of the new retention scheme,

we are certainly looking at how risks around business rate income

will be managed in the future. As north-east Lincolnshire Council is

being forced to shut down its credit union services, but the Secretary of

State agree that his department's funding cuts have been detrimental?

We have provided long-term funding of ?592 million to the bed cover

this Parliament. In addition, the two places in the area have between

hundred and 14- will be making further and ads in Shotley. -- 114 -

124. Will improve the access to housing or the access to living

standards of working families? I could not agree more. Definitive

action is required and that is exactly the action Government is

putting forward. The Autumn Statement details investment in

housing, the biggest dedicated investment in housing in a

generation. This Government expected in the 288 in real terms, capital

spending over Parliament. This is great news for ethics -- great news

for ethics and the country. -- Essex. Full to an issue of Hull's

devolution, with the Northern Power has minister agree to meet with

local MPs and councillors to discuss what has worked elsewhere in the

country and have we can take Hull followed? -- Northern Powerhouse.

Yes, I met just on Friday and we discussed devolution. She can turn

up this afternoon to the APPGG when she will see a double whammy with

the secretary of state and myself to... Yorkshire devolution. As my

honourable friend will now, bass and North East Somerset Council voted in

favour of the west of England devolution deal, which he joined the

hunting act and then on devolving powers to the region and investing

an affordable project across the area? I absolutely congratulate the

ground up approach and local leaders in the west of England and other lay

honourable friend for his work on this deal which will bring an

additional ?1 billion of investment into infrastructure as well as

devolving powers from this place into the area. The HDTV shocking

report last week from the Alzheimer's Society -- did he see.

That people with dementia feel like their own crime there are -- their

home carers do not have adequate training? I watched you not have

adequate training at all and some do not have accredited training the

dreadful consequences for dementia sufferers and their families and

carers. Will he accept that until social care is properly funded, the

situation will just get worse? Thank you. This is an important issue that

the honourable gentleman has raised. By 2020, we want all dementia carers

to have training, brokerage trading -- appropriate training. With regard

to the funding of adult social care, we have provided a package which

will provide up to ?3.5 billion of extra funding during the spending

review period. Thank you. Leeds City Council are developing a local plan

and it reports suggest it is unable to them straight have a five-year

land supply. That is endangering the land that it deems to sales. Good we

find out about only way to councils who are developing such a plan so

they don't have to have such a long-term housing supply plan? My

honourable friend is quite right to underline the importance of local

authorities having a five-year land supply and an up-to-date local plan

in place because this ensures that local communities decide where it is

appropriate for development, and what sites should be developed. I'm

looking forward to visiting the constituency shortly and I want to

discuss this in more detail. The amount of money that has been cut

from social care since 2010 dwarfs what his department will be bridging

in everyday next five years. The men may wish to deny it but there is a

crisis in our health and social care services with too many people start

in our hospitals because there's no care available for to come out. Why

did the Secretary of State failed to make adequate representation to the

Chancellor to ensure that funding was allocated in the Autumn

Statement last week? The honourable lady rightly points to a very

challenging situation and I'm sure she will welcome the additional

funding that has been provided during this Parliament, ?3.5 million

in total but the living and occasional welcomer and she wanted

it in our question is the need for more integration between the NHS and

adult social care. That is something we are seeing in places like

Manchester as we once to see it and make sure that it is in place in

every local region by 2020. Whilst welcoming the ?55 million funding to

south-east local enterprise partnership, this fall well short of

the ?229 million applied for that would have the deal of business

growth and economic development in the area. Good my honourable friend

body in a direction of any future funding that may bring us to each

able to secure this economic growth needed?

We have only announced regional allocation so it is not correct to

say at this point that the Southeast local would receive that figure.

Those final figures will be announced in coming weeks and the

initial funding allocations made changed somewhat. In Kirklees, the

might spend on social care has gone down in real terms by 15.7% since

2010, despite demand increasing with rapidly ageing society. What steps

is the government taking to help local councils with the ?1.9 billion

funding gap in adult social care of this year? I would like to welcome

the honourable lady to her place. We are taking this situation extremely

seriously. We enable councils to raise an additional amount of

funding through the adult social care presets, up to 2% on top of the

Council Tax, and in a few weeks the honourable lady will be able to see

the allocation of the better care fund, which will come into effect in

2017, to the next financial year. With ?3.15 billion allocated for

90,000 new homes in London and a doubling of the money spent to

combat rough sleeping, what action, it honourable friend take to make

sure that this money is used quickly to provide the homes that people

desperately need so that no one is forced us to draw? The affordable

housing programme will be launched tomorrow. The mayor said this is the

largest sum of money ever secured by City Hall for affordable housing. It

is just the beginning. Last but the Chancellor announced another 1.4

billion and London will get the share of that money. People living

close to recreational error feels like Eggleston airfield do not have

the same protection from noise and nuisance that people living near a

similar recreational activities that stay on the ground has. Will the

Secretary of State look into this and see what can be done about it?

The Minister will be very happy to meet to discuss those issues. If we

are to have a local plan that system, what will the Minister do to

make sure that local plans are saluted, especially by planning

inspectors? Provided local plans have a five-year land supplied, then

the expectation should be the planning applications are decided in

accordance with that local plan unless there are clear material

considerations pointing otherwise. My message to my honourable friend

will be to make sure his local authority has a local plan in place

with a five-year land supply. The housing waiting list in my

constituency has grown and has done for some time. Can the Secretary of

State now cancer early questions and tell us what proportion of the much

font of new houses will be rented and what proportion will be social

rented? What we have done with the affordable housing programme is to

give complete flexibility, so I can't give a specific answer because

it will depend on the bits that housing associations make. There was

complete flexibility in relation to tenure. The government has had a

policy of focusing on affordable rent because that allows us to

deliver far more homes. Many of my constituents are keen to see an

ambition devolution deal for the West of England. Can the Minister

update the house on this devolution deal? And I know my honourable

friend is a big fan of this deal. Devolution will support jobs in the

West of England and in many other parts of England. The next step in

that particular deal is for the government to seek the consent of

all three councils involved for the Parliamentary order. We are well

down the course of that and once again can I congratulate him for

supporting this transformative deal? The new White Paper, will address

the fact that more socially rented houses are currently being sold than

are actually being replaced? We are very proud of the right to buy a

policy which gives ordinary working people the chance to buy their

homes. I will agree with the honourable gentleman is that it is

absolutely essential that we replaced the affordable rented

accommodation that is sold and we are determined to make sure that

that happens. Will the Minister meet with me and representatives from the

Morriston Hospital to see what more can be done to bring publicly owned

land at the sudden hospital site back into use to deliver a

world-class London cancer hub? I would be very happy to meet with my

honourable friend. I know he supports our accelerated

construction programme on land which would support that. The increase in

family homelessness has meant that more and more children are in

unsuitable temporary -- temporary accommodation. When did any Minister

discuss with ministers in the Department for Education the impact

of that homelessness on children's achievement and what are they

planning to do about it? I can reassure the honourable lady and

tell that we have a ministerial working group that covers a

multitude of different issues in relation to homelessness. One of the

ministers around the table is a Minister for education. What I would

also say to her is that we are looking to change the way in which

the temporary management fee works and therefore are bachelor provide a

far better situation where local authorities are able to plan for

temporary accommodation to make sure we don't have people in it so long.

Planning over the years has not taken enough notice of local designs

and regional designs with the ministers planning authorities to

concentrate on that. There is a garden village being promoted in

Plumpton that would be a very good design. My honourable friend makes

an important point, they getting good quality design is key to

building acceptability for more housing and they had the privilege

recently to meet with him on some of his constituents about the

contribution the neighbourhood planning can make towards that goal.

The reason our countryside isn't littered with advertising hoardings

is because of the action taken by the Labour government in 1947 under

the Town and country planning act. Now lots of farmers and other

landowners are circumventing the rules by parking great big lorries

with hoardings by roads. What will the government do to stop this? We

have made sure that local authorities have the powers in place

to take in. We are determined to ensure that local authorities are

properly resourced to take that action. Further to the excellent

question from my right honourable friend from North East Bedfordshire,

it is a complex legal issues that often thwarts residents. What more

can the Minister do to share best practice and advise frustrated

residents? There are some excellent organisations that provide advice to

people dealing with these problems. There is a clear sense across the

house that there is an issue here that needs addressing and the

government will be looking to take action and I will discuss that with

them. Urgent question, Alison McGovern. Will the Minister make a

statement on the situation in Aleppo?