Monday Volume 587 10 November 2014 No. 59 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 10 November 2014 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2014 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1161 10 NOVEMBER 2014 1162 delayed? An answer was expected in December, but it House of Commons has been delayed to January and then to the end of January. Will he tell us when he will make a decision? Monday 10 November 2014 Mr Pickles: As the hon. Gentleman knows, we do not call in many applications for consideration. Last year, The House met at half-past Two o’clock we called in only about eight. The one he has mentioned has some degree of complexity, and he will understand PRAYERS that I cannot comment about the individual application until all the facts are before me. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford and Stortford) (Con): I strongly support the Minister’s excellent work in devolving Mr Speaker: I remind the House that tomorrow, powers to our city regions. Will he assure us that our Tuesday 11 November, is Armistice day. At 11 o’clock counties and rural areas such as those in east Hertfordshire tomorrow, I regard it as appropriate that we, and staff will have the same opportunity for these new responsibilities? working for us, should join the nation in observing the two-minute silence so that we might remember those Mr Pickles: Such areas most certainly do have the who gave their lives for their country to help preserve same opportunity. The devolution of responsibilities our democratic freedoms. Instructions will be issued to and powers to cities has been an important step forward the heads of House Departments so that those members for localism. I should like to see counties, perhaps of staff who wish to observe the two-minute silence adjoining counties, and district councils coming together maydoso. with a united case, because it was that unity of purpose, which was presented to us in various deliberations, that made it easier for us to take powers out of central Government. I am sure that my hon. Friend will be at Oral Answers to Questions the forefront in encouraging his local councils to do exactly that. COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT Keith Vaz (Leicester East) (Lab): Last Thursday, I held an Adjournment debate on works that had been carried out by Sainsbury’s in Belgrave and Leicester, The Secretary of State was asked— which was efficiently answered by the Under-Secretary Localism of State for Communities and Local Government, the hon. Member for Portsmouth North (Penny Mordaunt). 1. Laura Sandys (South Thanet) (Con): What steps When will local communities be given the powers to his Department is taking to promote localism and give hold developers to account not just for planning applications powers to local communities. [905948] but when works are being executed, because great delays are being caused by this company? The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles): This Government have Mr Pickles: My hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth abolished Labour’s unelected regional assemblies and North (Penny Mordaunt), who is very junior and new devolved power down to local people. We have given to the job, has just briefed me on the situation. As the more power to councils over planning, housing, licensing right hon. Gentleman will understand, the local authority and public health. Some 70% of all local authorities’ should exercise the powers that it already has in these income is now raised locally. matters. There is not much point in calling for new powers if the existing ones are not used. Laura Sandys: Will my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State join me in congratulating Worth, a village in Mr David Nuttall (Bury North) (Con): While I agree my constituency, which has just had 92% acceptance of that the devolution of powers to local authorities can be its neighbourhood plan? Does he agree that the additional a good thing, does my right hon. Friend agree that local money that has been secured for neighbourhood planning people should always be consulted before there are any will help other towns in my constituency to deliver that changes to their system of local government? empowerment to the people on the ground? Mr Pickles: Certainly. When new things are to be Mr Pickles: I am happy to join my hon. Friend in brought in, I think that it is appropriate to have a congratulating the residents of Worth. She is absolutely consultation and, in some cases, a referendum. The right that the additional £23 million that has been most important thing about localism is that it is about announced will help and encourage many more passing powers not only to councils, but to local communities across England to start neighbourhood communities. planning and to take control of future developments in their area. Nearly 10% of the population of England is Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab): In my constituency now covered by a neighbourhood plan. we are currently campaigning against a planning application for a new drive-through McDonald’s. I hope that it will Mr Geoffrey Robinson (Coventry North West) (Lab): be rejected on the normal planning grounds of noise, Is the Secretary of State aware that localism is not much pollution and so on, but does the Minister think that help when the most important project in Coventry, the the local community should also be able to reject such Gateway project, is called in and then the decision is applications when they are very close to local schools? 1163 Oral Answers10 NOVEMBER 2014 Oral Answers 1164 Mr Pickles: Of course, it is very important in that published, including improvements on the 2006 scheme— kind of discussion to have a local plan in place, and one introduced by Labour—which introduced retirement would expect a local council to be helpful to the community, age at 60, disproportionately penalised firefighters who and to developers, by setting out clearly where particular want to retire early and offered no protections on developments should take place. I hope that the hon. fitness. We have addressed those issues in the new Lady will forgive me; obviously we will consider that scheme. fairly and openly if it comes to us, because the applicant is entitled to justice. Mr Hanson: Will the Minister explain to me why my constituents who work for Welsh local authority fire Firefighters’ Pensions services have reached agreement on a fitness test and a pension plan, through a negotiated settlement and at 2. Pat Glass (North West Durham) (Lab): What no extra cost to the taxpayer, yet my constituents who progress his Department has made on resolving the work for the Merseyside or Cheshire fire services, on the dispute over firefighters’ pensions. [905949] English side of the border, are faced with a strike because of an intransigent Minister? 11. Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab): What progress his Department has made on resolving the Penny Mordaunt: What the right hon. Gentleman dispute over firefighters’ pensions. [905959] says is not correct; Wales and Northern Ireland have made no announcements on fitness. We are currently 14. Mr David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab): When he next consulting on doing what Scotland has done through a plans to meet firefighters to discuss their pensions. regulation, which would offer firefighters those protections [905963] —we have to do that through a statutory instrument because we do not have one single fire authority for 18. Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley) (Lab): What England. In addition, we are the only nation that has set progress his Department has made on resolving the up a working group on fitness to ensure good practice dispute over firefighters’ pensions. [905969] among all our fire authorities. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Mr Ronnie Campbell: I worked down the coal mine Communities and Local Government (Penny Mordaunt): for 29 years, and I watched old men of 60 struggling After extensive consultation and numerous changes, the at the coal face. What must it be like for firemen of Government laid the final regulations before Parliament 60 trying to save lives from fire and flood? on 28 October. They provide one of the best schemes in the public sector. I regularly meet firefighters and will Penny Mordaunt: As I said earlier, it was Labour that continue to do so. introduced the retirement age at 60, but this is an issue that I—[Interruption.] IhavetosaythatItakegreat Pat Glass: We have just come through the longest offence, particularly at some of the paid-for advertising firefighters’ strike in 38 years. When will the Government that has been run in local newspapers, which has been stop their politically motivated and disingenuous behaviour incredibly patronising towards older workers. We need in this dispute and genuinely sit down with the Fire older workers to stay in the fire service because they Brigades Union to settle this, as the Governments of have great expertise. By offering protections on pensions Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are doing? and jobs for older workers and good practice for fire authorities to follow, we will ensure that in future they Penny Mordaunt: There has been extensive debate have the protections that Labour did not introduce. and consultation on these matters. I have dealt with any outstanding issues in the past few months, including Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North) those of the transition of armed forces pension schemes (Lab): In her open letter of 24 October, the Minister into the firefighters’ pension scheme and fitness protections.