Monday Volume 560 18 March 2013 No. 131 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 18 March 2013 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2013 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 595 18 MARCH 2013 596 Caroline Nokes: In the immediate Romsey area there House of Commons have been several instances of retrospective planning applications involving Traveller sites. What reassurance can my right hon. Friend give my constituents that Monday 18 March 2013 planning law is a level playing field that applies equally to everyone and that local authorities will have more The House met at half-past Two o’clock robust powers to deal with the problem? Mr Pickles: My hon. Friend raises an important PRAYERS point. The Localism Act 2011 gives applicants a chance to appeal either the enforcement notice or retrospective planning. The problem with the previous regime was [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] that it was possible to appeal both and thereby prolong occupation of land where it was inappropriate. Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab): A developer in Oral Answers to Questions Lydiate in my constituency has made clear his plans to build in the green belt, despite the existing urban development plan making it clear that it is against the policies. Is not the best way to protect the green belt and COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT valuable urban green space to go back to a system with a more regional approach so that there is not this push The Secretary of State was asked— for development in the green belt? Green Belt Mr Pickles: The short answer is no. The regional approach was about handing out targets that were never 1. Mr John Baron (Basildon and Billericay) (Con): met. I have the basic old-fashioned view that his constituents What recent steps he has taken to increase the power of are in a much stronger and better position to decide local authorities to tackle unauthorised development where a development should go than I am. and protect the green belt. [148136] David Wright (Telford) (Lab): There is a real problem 13. Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Southampton North) in Telford, not just with illegal Traveller encroachment (Con): What steps he has taken to increase powers of on green space but on industrial estates, which is really local authorities to tackle unauthorised development. bad for businesses. When companies come to visit Telford, [148149] they do not want to see Traveller encampments all over our industrial estates. There is a mixed land ownership The Secretary of State for Communities and Local pattern, with some owned by the local authority, some Government (Mr Eric Pickles): We have previously made privately owned and some Homes and Communities it absolutely clear that Traveller sites are inappropriate Agency land. Will the Secretary of State meet representatives development in the green belt. We are also considering and me to see whether we can toughen the law to get responses to our recent consultation on proposals to these people moved on so that businesses can operate give councils more freedom to use temporary stop effectively in Telford? notices to take swift and effective action against unauthorised caravans in the green belt and elsewhere. Mr Pickles: It is always a pleasure to meet the hon. This builds on our earlier reforms to strengthen councils’ Gentleman. As he knows, I have a soft spot for Telford. enforcement powers, increase protection for the green I spent a lot of time during the last election trying to belt, and ensure fair play throughout planning. unseat him, without any success. The point about industrial land is a good one. Telford is clearly a key strategic Mr Baron: We are very grateful locally to the Government location and, subject to the consultations, the announcement for their help during the clearance of the illegal Dale that we may or may not be about to make will help with Farm Traveller site. I know that the Government are that process. We have issued guidance to local authorities, considering a series of further measures to tackle but if my sitting down with him and local authorities unauthorised development, which is grossly unfair on to try to work something out would help, I am happy to local communities, but may I urge the Secretary of State do so. to go further than he is considering at the moment? For example, will he consider whether illegal development Council Tax Benefit should become a criminal offence, always bearing in mind what is reasonable? 2. Julie Hilling (Bolton West) (Lab): What assessment Mr Pickles: My hon. Friend has been a doughty he has made of the effect on working families of defender of his constituents and was instrumental in changes to council tax benefit to be introduced in finding a solution to Dale Farm. Should we decide to 2013-14. [148138] give councils more freedom to use temporary stop notices, subject to consultation, they would allow an TheParliamentaryUnder-Secretaryof StateforCommunities unlimited fine, which may give people pause for thought. and Local Government (Mr Don Foster): An assessment The Government are reluctant to make it a criminal of the impact of the Government’s policy framework offence. for localising council tax support is available on the 597 Oral Answers18 MARCH 2013 Oral Answers 598 Department’s website. Local authorities are responsible Local Government Finance for the design of local schemes and the assessment of their impact. 3. Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex) (Con): What plans he has to close the funding gap between urban and Julie Hilling: In Bolton, 3,200 families will have to rural local authorities. [148139] find up to £15 a week to cover the Government’s cut in housing benefit, and they might also be affected by the 6. Andrew George (St Ives) (LD): What his policy is bedroom tax and tax credit and disability benefit cuts. on the funding gap between rural and urban local Does the Minister agree with Lord Jenkin that for my authorities; and if he will re-open the 2014-15 settlement. families in Bolton West that is a “poll tax mark 2”? [148142] Mr Foster: Council tax doubled under the previous TheParliamentaryUnder-Secretaryof StateforCommunities Labour Government and it was necessary to take action. and Local Government (Brandon Lewis): I recognise I am pleased that the hon. Lady’s local authority has the case that has been made for funding for rural developed a scheme that protects the most vulnerable authorities. In February we made some adjustments to and ensures that work pays and that, as a result, it has the financial settlement for 2013-14 and confirmed changes an additional £500,000 in the transitional grant. to sparsity top-ups. Nicholas Soames: I thank my hon. Friend for that Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con): answer, but does he agree that rural authorities are due The Government have stated that all schemes must to receive, on average, a 5.58% reduction in formula contain measures that incentivise local authorities to grant, which is more than two percentage points greater ensure that recipients either stay in work or find work. than urban authorities, which are due to receive, on Does that not show that the reforms are based on average, a 3.54% reduction? Is not that actually extremely ensuring that all those who are willing to and can work unfair and not a sensible way to encourage growth in do work? the rural economy? Mr Foster: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We Brandon Lewis: This year we changed the sparsity certainly encourage all local councils, in developing levels within the banding so that the reduction for rural their schemes, to do their utmost to protect the most areas is not as great as that for urban areas, thereby vulnerable while, as he says, ensuring that work pays. slightly narrowing the gap. I appreciate that Members who represent rural areas have made a strong case this Helen Jones (Warrington North) (Lab): Why do Ministers year for going even further, which is why we brought in keep claiming that they are freezing council tax when £9 million-odd in extra finance to help local authorities they are actually increasing it for 700,000 of the poorest servicing those rural communities with deprivation. working people in this country? Does it not say everything about the Government’s priorities that a low-paid couple Andrew George: I am grateful to the Minister for that with children will have to find between £96 and £304 a response, but surely if he will applaud Cornwall council, year, and a single working parent will have to find up to for example, for freezing its council tax this year, he £577, while they are giving a tax cut to millionaires? Is must accept that it has been persistently underfunded not the truth about this Government that, despite their despite being the poorest region of the UK. When will rhetoric, they are giving a slap in the face to hard-working Cornwall and places like it get a fair share of the people while putting out a bowl of cream for the fat available money? cats? Brandon Lewis: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely Mr Foster: May I give the hon. Lady two basic facts? right: Cornwall has frozen its council tax this year. That First, the reduction we have made in council tax benefit is good news for residents across Cornwall, and I am represents less than half of 1% of a council’s budget. pleased that the council decided to do it.