Oral Answers to Questions

Hilary Benn Excerpts

Monday 31st October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

I know my hon. Friend has a considerable interest in council housing and has been a substantial champion of it. Yes, indeed, that reform is part of the coalition agreement, and, although it has taken some while to negotiate, once it is delivered we will be able to distribute debt throughout the country and place authorities in a much better and stronger position. I know that it enjoys support across the House.

[Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) (Lab)]

May I associate myself with the Secretary of State’s words about Simon Milton?

As a direct result of a decision taken by the Secretary of State, the most deprived 10% of single-tier councils will see their spending power reduced by almost four times as much as the least deprived 10%. So far, he has failed to justify that choice of his. Will he now explain to the House why he thinks that it is fair?

[Mr Pickles]

I welcome the right hon. Gentleman to his new post. I hope that he will be extremely comfortable, and we will do our best to increase his comfort as the months go on.

The answer is very straightforward. The previous Government made a number of decisions to attack the most deprived areas by removing measures such as the working neighbourhoods fund. They left no provision, so it was up to us to put in some provision to help the most needy. In addition, we have ensured that under those schemes the most needy authorities receive more than the least needy authorities.

[Hilary Benn]

I thank the Secretary of State for his kind words, but an answer to the question would have been even nicer, so let me try another one.

In the Secretary of State’s speech to the Conservative party conference this year, he promised new safeguards for playing fields. In fact, he is scrapping Labour’s planning policy guidance in a way that

“significantly weakens the current protection on sports facilities”—

not my words, but those of Sport England. Why is he doing that, and will he now revise his national planning policy framework to put that protection back in?

[Mr Pickles]

I know the right hon. Gentleman is new to the job, but he is very distinguished and should at least have done his homework. He knows perfectly well that that is certainly not the case. We are having very constructive discussions with Sport England about planning policy, and those protections will be there.