Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Soames of Fletching Excerpts

Monday 23rd July 2018 Commons Chamber

[James Brokenshire]

The right to buy has been a powerful and important initiative in ensuring that people have places that they can call their home. We will set out an approach in the new NPPF that will reduce delays from the use of viability assessments to negotiate developer contributions by front-loading that. The Government are taking steps to speed up home delivery, which is something the hon. Gentleman should welcome.

[Sir Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the number of council houses, and indeed any other houses, being built would be greatly improved if the Government insisted on a far higher standard of design and layout? Will he therefore favour, in planning applications for council houses and all other houses, developers who insist in those plans on the highest possible standards for the design and layout of those houses?

[Mr Speaker]

A Chartwell standard, perhaps.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

I think the right hon. Member for Mid Sussex enjoyed the reference to cocktails.

[Sir Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex) (Con)]

I did, Sir.

[Mr Speaker]

And that is demonstrably apparent.