Results 1-20 of 1,392 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Barbara Follett

[Robert Key in the Chair] — Affordable Housing (Rural Areas) (3 Nov 2009)

Barbara Follett: It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr. Key. I congratulate the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Tim Farron) on securing the debate and on giving us an opportunity to air this vitally important subject once again in this Chamber. He obviously belongs to the William Cowper school of thought; like the poet, he believes that man made the town, but God made the country,...

[Robert Key in the Chair] — Affordable Housing (Rural Areas) (3 Nov 2009)

Barbara Follett: Much as I hate to contradict the hon. Gentleman, I believe that it is the fact that the county of Hertfordshire is taking us to court over the RSS that is delaying homes being built. Also, I fear that the instruction that the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) has given to Conservative councils—there are many more such councils than Labour or Liberal Democrat ones—to take the...

[Robert Key in the Chair] — Affordable Housing (Rural Areas) (3 Nov 2009)

Barbara Follett: There are two ways of looking at control: as a dead hand or as an enabling hand. I see it as enabling—one just has to know how to work the system well. I would like to make progress, because a vast number of questions were raised, and I am not sure that I shall manage to answer them. I know that the latest statistics from the Commission for Rural Communities show that, on average, house...

[Robert Key in the Chair] — Affordable Housing (Rural Areas) (3 Nov 2009)

Barbara Follett: I am sorry, but I have to make progress. Throughout the recent downturn, we have taken steps to secure housing growth and to support the construction industry. Measures such as the 2009 Budget stimulus package, the housing pledge and the local authority home building programme—yes, indeed, it has started again—commit the Government to invest a further £1.5 billion to build...

Opposition Day — [20th Allotted Day]: Local Spending Reports (28 Oct 2009) has video

Barbara Follett: This has been a very important debate on a subject that, I believe, goes to the very heart of democracy and participation in our country. The quality of the contributions has been high, which I hope has made up for the rather disappointing quantity. I was both disappointed and surprised, however, by the tone of some contributions. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made a very real...

Opposition Day — [20th Allotted Day]: Local Spending Reports (28 Oct 2009) has video

Barbara Follett: Those are good things to look at, but beware the yah-boo politics—you are at it again.

Opposition Day — [20th Allotted Day]: Local Spending Reports (28 Oct 2009) has video

Barbara Follett: I apologise, Madam Deputy Speaker, for losing my temper. The yah-boo politics were very obvious in the impassioned contribution from, and constant heckling by, the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Julia Goldsworthy). I admire her conviction and enthusiasm, and I enjoyed meeting her to discuss this subject recently. However, I did not admire her approach today. In fact, by the end of...

Opposition Day — [20th Allotted Day]: Local Spending Reports (28 Oct 2009) has video

Barbara Follett: Yes, but it is not yah-boo. My hon. Friend's well-balanced speech poured oil on troubled waters while simultaneously spurring the Government on to greater efforts. The hon. Member for Henley (John Howell) made a thoughtful contribution, and I especially liked what he said about the silo mentality of government at all levels. He is completely right, and his remark about the role of...

Opposition Day — [20th Allotted Day]: Local Spending Reports (28 Oct 2009) has video

Barbara Follett: The hon. Gentleman may certainly look forward to us looking at them. We need to move away from the old ways of doing things, and the hon. Gentleman's call for the transformation of the relationship between local and central Government was a good one. In response to the direct questions from the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne, we will—as I said earlier—produce a report in...

Opposition Day — [20th Allotted Day]: Local Spending Reports (28 Oct 2009) has video

Barbara Follett: That is something that has to be decided by the House. Because I had left that out, I was going to come to it at the end of my speech. I heard what the hon. Lady said. The hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Hurd) gave a clear summary of the progress of the Act and described my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud as the auntie of the Act. I am not sure that everyone would agree. The hon....

Opposition Day — [20th Allotted Day]: Local Spending Reports (28 Oct 2009) has video

Barbara Follett: I apologise for that omission. I have been told that it is in the Library. I also apologise, like my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State did, for the fact that we did not extend the normal courtesies and give it to the Front-Bench team. I shall personally ensure that it never happens again. As the hon. Lady said, the information needs to be disaggregated, but, as someone who has spent...

Oral Answers to Questions — Communities and Local Government: Business Rates (27 Oct 2009) has video

Barbara Follett: As regular revaluations of the business rate system are required by statute, no impact assessment for 2010 is necessary. However, an impact assessment of the proposed 2010-11 transitional relief scheme, which caps revaluation increases at 5 per cent. for small properties and 12.5 per cent. for larger ones, was published on 8 July.

Oral Answers to Questions — Communities and Local Government: Business Rates (27 Oct 2009) has video

Barbara Follett: I share the hon. Gentleman's concern about small businesses. I am glad to say, particularly when I know that his constituency has many empty shops as retailers have been badly affected by the recession, that retailers will be largely unaffected. They should see a reduction in business rates of 1 per cent., while in industry and manufacturing we will see a fall of 3 per cent. in business rates.

Oral Answers to Questions — Communities and Local Government: Business Rates (27 Oct 2009) has video

Barbara Follett: I can assure the hon. Lady that we are very concerned and actively watching the situation with small businesses, and that much of what is coming from the press and the Opposition at the moment is exaggerated. For example, the hon. Lady says that businesses in Westminster are facing rate rises of 10 per cent., but our calculations show that, with inflation and relief, none will face more than...