Does the hon. Lady share the concerns expressed in the report last year of the then Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Committee, which noted that the"““increase in two bedroom flats…needs to be balanced by an increase in family housing””?"

Does the hon. Lady share the concerns expressed in the report last year of the then Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Committee, which noted that the"““increase in two bedroom flats…needs to be balanced by an increase in family housing””?"

Will the hon. Lady give way?

Will the hon. Lady give way?

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Does the hon. Gentleman mock the aspiration of young people eventually to own their own home and to have a garden in which they can bring up children?

Does the hon. Gentleman mock the aspiration of young people eventually to own their own home and to have a garden in which they can bring up children?

The hon. Gentleman is making an excellent speech. May I confirm to him that this is not a misperception on the part of planning authorities? The House of Commons Library, which takes on objective view on such things, says clearly:"““There was enough in the guidance to justify developers appealing any...

The hon. Gentleman is making an excellent speech. May I confirm to him that this is not a misperception on the part of planning authorities? The House of Commons Library, which takes on objective view on such things, says clearly:"““There was enough in the guidance to justify developers appealing any...

If the application went to appeal, it is because the planning committee turned down the application.

If the application went to appeal, it is because the planning committee turned down the application.

I would like to make some progress, then I will happily give way. Ministers must realise that the issue is not going to go away. Whatever they do to the Bill today, we will come back again and again until the measure receives in this Chamber the support that it...

I would like to make some progress, then I will happily give way. Ministers must realise that the issue is not going to go away. Whatever they do to the Bill today, we will come back again and again until the measure receives in this Chamber the support that it...

The Minister talks about addressing points, but her predecessor said that there were no points to address and that the allegations were not to be taken seriously. It would be a helpful start if Ministers could concede that garden grabbing is happening across the country. The denial strategy does not...

The Minister talks about addressing points, but her predecessor said that there were no points to address and that the allegations were not to be taken seriously. It would be a helpful start if Ministers could concede that garden grabbing is happening across the country. The denial strategy does not...

We shall come on to talk about PPS3, but it is clear from experience throughout the country, not just from Conservative councils but from Labour and Liberal Democrat councils, that local planning committees do not feel that they have the powers to sustain an objection to developments that the whole...

We shall come on to talk about PPS3, but it is clear from experience throughout the country, not just from Conservative councils but from Labour and Liberal Democrat councils, that local planning committees do not feel that they have the powers to sustain an objection to developments that the whole...

Let me describe to the hon. Lady what happens. Of course it is an individual choice to sell a garden, but when something has consequences for other members of the community, it is a long-established principle that the community should be able to decide whether the private advantages for that...

Let me describe to the hon. Lady what happens. Of course it is an individual choice to sell a garden, but when something has consequences for other members of the community, it is a long-established principle that the community should be able to decide whether the private advantages for that...

I should like to make a bit more progress. I have taken quite a few interventions already, but I shall give way to the hon. Lady a little later. The issue of whether PPS3 provides the necessary additional protection contained in the Bill has been repeated again and again, but...

I should like to make a bit more progress. I have taken quite a few interventions already, but I shall give way to the hon. Lady a little later. The issue of whether PPS3 provides the necessary additional protection contained in the Bill has been repeated again and again, but...

The hon. Lady has entirely missed the point of the debate, which is that gardens make a fantastic contribution to the environment. Giving local authorities the ability to exercise discretion over garden-grab locations is one of the best and most practical things that we can do to help the environment....

The hon. Lady has entirely missed the point of the debate, which is that gardens make a fantastic contribution to the environment. Giving local authorities the ability to exercise discretion over garden-grab locations is one of the best and most practical things that we can do to help the environment....

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that intervention. She will also be aware that in making the valuation of PPS3 the Library has considered the changes there and advises hon. Members that"““Despite the change in the brownfield definition, it is clear that private gardens—other than allotment gardens—remain within...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that intervention. She will also be aware that in making the valuation of PPS3 the Library has considered the changes there and advises hon. Members that"““Despite the change in the brownfield definition, it is clear that private gardens—other than allotment gardens—remain within...

I am delighted to hear from the Minister on that, because I hope that she will respond in her winding-up remarks to the challenge from some of her hon. Friends to clarify—it might be useful to planning committees and inspectors in future—and to state exactly the Government’s intentions. Is it...

I am delighted to hear from the Minister on that, because I hope that she will respond in her winding-up remarks to the challenge from some of her hon. Friends to clarify—it might be useful to planning committees and inspectors in future—and to state exactly the Government’s intentions. Is it...

It is indeed the case that the definitions were introduced in the 1980s, but the Library is very clear on this matter. It says that the 1985 definitions"““did not form part of a commitment to build more on brownfield sites. They were simply a convenient statistical way of grouping the...

It is indeed the case that the definitions were introduced in the 1980s, but the Library is very clear on this matter. It says that the 1985 definitions"““did not form part of a commitment to build more on brownfield sites. They were simply a convenient statistical way of grouping the...

My hon. Friend is quite right; this is very much a localist Bill. Conservative Members trust local communities. We believe that they will make the right decisions if they are given the power to do so.

My hon. Friend is quite right; this is very much a localist Bill. Conservative Members trust local communities. We believe that they will make the right decisions if they are given the power to do so.

I will give way once more to the hon. Gentleman.

I will give way once more to the hon. Gentleman.

It is always a delight to follow the hon. Member for North-East Derbyshire (Natascha Engel). I have long maintained and long suspected that she is running a campaign to be deputy leader of the Labour party through her speeches. That has been confirmed now that she is taking an interest...

It is always a delight to follow the hon. Member for North-East Derbyshire (Natascha Engel). I have long maintained and long suspected that she is running a campaign to be deputy leader of the Labour party through her speeches. That has been confirmed now that she is taking an interest...

I am delighted to have that clarified. I thought that I heard the hon. Gentleman say that, but I am pleased that he did not. It is important that there is cross-party consensus. I was delighted that my early-day motion was co-sponsored by the hon. Member for Stockton, South (Ms...

I am delighted to have that clarified. I thought that I heard the hon. Gentleman say that, but I am pleased that he did not. It is important that there is cross-party consensus. I was delighted that my early-day motion was co-sponsored by the hon. Member for Stockton, South (Ms...