Oral Answers to Questions

Tony Baldry Excerpts

Thursday 10th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Stunell]

I shall not be quite so quick to do so this time. The fact is that we have tried to do our work in a measured and careful way to protect the vulnerable, as the coalition agreement set out. That is what we are about. That is what we are doing.

[Tony Baldry (Banbury) (Con)]

17. What timetable he has set for the ending of regional spatial strategies.

[The Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Greg Clark)]

As I said in my answer a few moments ago, we and, I think, many people in the country regard regional spatial strategies as undemocratic, bypassing local authorities. They are based on artificial regional boundaries and, by imposing on local people, have increased antagonism towards development. In other words, they have not worked.

[Tony Baldry]

Regional spatial strategies were a stick that was used to beat local authorities, but what will my right hon. and hon. Friends do on incentives? Do Ministers on the Treasury Bench still intend to allow those local authorities that encourage housing applications and grant planning applications for housing to retain the council tax receipts in respect of that new housing for a period, thus giving local councillors and authorities an incentive to bring forward housing schemes and new housing?