Speeches by Pennycook.

“I am reluctant to sit here and pluck a number out of the air. I would like to get to at least 40% on all those sites. It is not that we can discount viability entirely, but again that comes back to looking at the funding we have available, particularly in this Parliament, in the spending review, those grant funding pot…”

“As I have said, it was precisely because the Department did not feel that it had all the necessary information to make a decision that we sought that further information via a reference-back letter to parties. As I continue to say, all material considerations will be taken into account when a decision is made.”

“We have reviewed transnational repression through the defending democracy taskforce; we take it incredibly seriously, and I note the hon. Gentleman’s concerns. I am here on behalf of my Department as the Housing and Planning Minister to make clear what the process is for making a decision on this embassy application.”

“I note the hon. Gentleman’s concerns, and I appreciate his frustration, but this is ultimately a planning case on which a decision is being made. As I have said repeatedly to hon. Members, all material considerations will be taken into account when reaching a decision on this case.”

“I do not think I could have been any clearer: all national security considerations will be taken into account when making a decision on this case.”

“What I would say to the hon. Gentleman, as I have said to other hon. Members, is that all national security considerations will be taken into account. He can be reassured of that fact.”

“I am afraid to say to the hon. Gentleman that I cannot provide a running commentary on a live case. All material considerations will be taken into account when making a decision.”

“The commitment remains spades in the ground on at least three sites in this Parliament, hopefully more. As Cathy said, we are talking about large-scale new communities, in many cases tens of thousands of new homes. This is not something we can rush out in 12 months. The average time to set up a development corporation …”

“I simply do not accept that characterisation of the Government’s approach to China. We have to take a consistent and pragmatic approach, but we recognise that China poses a series of threats. As I have said, no decision has yet been made on this case, and all material planning considerations will be taken into account …”

“I think there are two things to say in response to that, Mr Dillon. First, in terms of the contribution that the new towns programme will make to our wider house-building targets, this allows me to touch on the issue of LHN and how we expect the new towns to interact with that. We have been very clear that our starting…”

“I am not going to comment on specific considerations that will be taken into account. I have been very clear that we will continue to develop a consistent and pragmatic approach to the People’s Republic of China on economic engagement, and we will not compromise our national security. We have been very clear that China…”

“I simply note that all the points the hon. Gentleman has made could apply to the existing seven diplomatic premises in the UK. When it comes to this site, as I have said, a decision will be made on or before 20 January, and all material considerations will be taken into account. We remain steadfast in our support for t…”

“I note the right hon. Gentleman’s concerns, and the Security Minister and other Ministers will have heard them too. However, the case is specifically a planning decision to be made in accordance with the propriety rules and other considerations that Planning Ministers have to take into account as part of the quasi-judi…”

“I recognise my hon. Friend’s frustration and anger on behalf of his constituent. We will not tolerate transnational repression of the kind that he is concerned about. Specifically, the counterfactual here is not that the Chinese do not have an embassy; they have seven diplomatic premises in the UK already. Again, I com…”

“Not looking at using the SDO process to bring forward new towns. The SDO process has its place. Cathy could expand on this. It may look quick and efficient from the outside. It is incredibly resource intensive for the Department to essentially become the planning authority. It was warranted in this case and I agree we …”

“I appreciate why the hon. Gentleman is tempting me on this matter, but as I have made very clear, it would be completely inappropriate for me to comment from this Dispatch Box on national security considerations in respect of this live case. On his specific question of whether China has been given a commitment that per…”

“I recognise the hon. Gentleman’s long-standing and passionate advocacy for people across the world to be able to practise their faith freely. In relation to the planning applications that are in front of us, all the relevant inquiry information was submitted as part of the independent public inquiry. At the point at wh…”

“We are going to do it properly and in a way that does not allow the programme to be challenged and undermined.”

“Mr Curtis, you are more than welcome to come back in once I have finished my answer. We are building that evidence base and we will then come forward in the coming weeks with an SEA report and a consultation on the sites we propose to adopt alongside that. They will be the sites that the Government have chosen to adopt…”

“I fully appreciate that some people are not happy with the fact that we have not taken the building regulations route. We did that for very good reason, and I am convinced that is a far slower route than what we have done. We have strengthened national policy expectations around swift bricks in particular, and we are v…”