Speeches by Cocking.

“The biggest player that does not get round the table is the national health service. It is very difficult to get it round the table in terms of the negotiation. What does it need when you are planning a new development and going through that local plan process? To plan a new doctors surgery or even get the NHS round th…”

“Even if they are, I have a number of examples in my own constituency. We have an up-to-date local plan and things will win on appeal, even though they do not meet loads of local plan policies.”

“You seem to be putting a lot of emphasis on local plans and local plan policies. Are you going to change the guidance to the planning inspectors so they do not approve development that is not local plan compliant? There are a number of examples, probably from across the country, where development comes forward, gets ap…”

“You said that there is no simple answer, but there is. You could legislate and say that you must build infrastructure first for any new housing that is built. You must build the school, GPs and roads before you build any houses. That is a simple solution. You could choose to do that.”

“When an applicant comes forward to get outline planning permission, they go through the process, set out what they are going to do with the 106 agreement, and councillors vote on that basis. They always come back when they require full planning permission, change that 106 negotiation and say, “It is not viable anymore.…”

“I am Lewis Cocking, the MP for Broxbourne.”

“rose—”

“T10. Will the Minister outline what new planning powers could be provided to local councils to ensure that my local communities in Broxbourne can say no to houses in multiple occupation—HMOs—where they are not wanted?”

“rose—”

“Can the Minister outline for the Committee, where these powers will sit, once councils have gone through devolution talks and appointed metro mayors? Will they still sit with the unitary councils, or will they go to the metro mayor? Can the Minister explain where the powers will sit when they get a new devolution agree…”

“I will try to be very quick. Deputy Prime Minister, at the moment, the system for council tax is that it is collected and spent locally. Have you had any discussions across Government about it being collected in one area and spent in another?”

“What in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill makes infrastructure—the roads, the doctors’ surgeries and schools—come first? I could not find it, so can you tell us, as Secretary of State, what in the Bill makes infrastructure on development come first?”

“That is not true.”

“You just said you were tracking it. If you are tracking it, surely you should be able to say, “Over the last 12 months, we have granted planning permission for 10,000 houses, and 4,000 have started on site.” You cannot be tracking it if you do not have those figures.”

“Deputy Prime Minister, you have said that you do what you say. Can you tell us, then, since the July election—you have now been in post for 12 months—how many planning permissions for social homes have been granted in the last 12 months, and how many of those social homes have started construction on site since you hav…”

“Lewis Cocking, Broxbourne.”

“Basically, you are saying that you are not overly helpful. You just give them loads of information and expect them to work it out for themselves. That is what you have basically just said.”

“You have misunderstood the question. If someone turns up to buy one of your properties, how much history do you give them about the service charge? You are talking about the budget moving forward.”

“Hang on, from the beginning, if someone turns up—”

“When someone wants to purchase one of your properties because they have looked around one of your estates and think it is quite nice, how many years’ service charge do you give them before they sign on the dotted line to buy one?”