Written Answers — Communities and Local Government: Housing: Planning Permission (21 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: Planning decisions need to be made by people who are democratically accountable and through genuine involvement of local people. That is why we intend to abolish the existing regional strategies outside London using powers contained in the Localism Act. Local plans will be examined by an independent inspector to assess whether they are sound. That will include whether they are justified and...

Written Answers — Communities and Local Government: Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (20 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: The Government are considering the scope of the regulations under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 following the consultation exercise conducted last year. We are aiming to make the regulations shortly. A summary of responses will be published in due course.

Written Answers — Communities and Local Government: Planning Permission (20 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: holding answer 9 February 2012 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond Park (Zac Goldsmith) on 14 November 2011, Official Report, columns 661-2W.

Written Answers — Communities and Local Government: Mayors: Referendum (20 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: holding answer 6 February 2012 My Department's impact assessment, ‘Localism Bill: creating executive mayors in the 12 largest English cities’, published in January 2011, showed that the total cost of holding mayoral referendums in England's largest cities is:   £ Birmingham 322,000 Bradford 140,000 Bristol 475,000 Coventry 98,000 Leeds 238,000 ...

Written Answers — Communities and Local Government: Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (20 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: holding answer 9 February 2012 The Government are considering the scope of the regulations under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 following the consultation exercise conducted last year. We are aiming to make the regulations shortly. A summary of responses will be published in due course.

Written Ministerial Statements — Communities and Local Government: Local Democracy (9 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: Following parliamentary approval, I have now made orders under section 9N of the Local Government Act 2000, which come into force today, and which require mayoral referendums to be held on 3 May 2012 in Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham, Sheffield and Wakefield. In their coalition agreement the Government committed to creating...

Written Ministerial Statements — Communities and Local Government: Unlocking Growth in Cities (7 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: On 8 December the Government launched “Unlocking Growth in Cities”, which set out the terms for a programme of city deals-binding agreements that enable cities to negotiate the devolution of the specific powers, resources and responsibilities required to meet locally-determined economic and social objectives. We have been clear that we are determined to work flexibly to...

Written Answers — Communities and Local Government: Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (6 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Mike Weatherley) on 17 January 2012, Official Report, column 632W.

Written Answers — Communities and Local Government: Community Development: Planning Permission (6 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: The Government have committed to providing up to £50 million until March 2015 to support local councils in making neighbourhood planning a success. This includes funding independent examinations of neighbourhood development plans.

Oral Answers to Questions — Business, Innovation and Skills: Job Creation (Scotland) (2 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: I will, but it is fair to point out that, under the Labour Government, youth unemployment increased by 40%, so I think the hon. Gentleman is wrong to imply that that phenomenon has just established itself. He will know that the best and only way to create jobs is on the basis of a successful, stable economy. He will have seen the Institute for Fiscal Studies report yesterday that made it very...

Oral Answers to Questions — Business, Innovation and Skills: Job Creation (Scotland) (2 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: That is a matter for the Scottish Executive, but my hon. Friend will know that we are debating orders in Parliament to require referendums in the cities of England to give people the choice of whether they should have elected mayors. We would not be doing that if we did not think that elected mayors gave the kind of leadership that London has benefited from considerably through the leadership...

Oral Answers to Questions — Business, Innovation and Skills: Job Creation (Scotland) (2 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: Ministers in the Department have regular conversations with Scottish colleagues on areas of mutual interest. I have been invited to meet representatives of Scotland’s cities to discuss their contribution to the economy and I expect to do so shortly. Much of Britain’s future prosperity depends on our cities, including Dundee.

Written Answers — Communities and Local Government: Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (2 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: The Government are considering the scope of the regulations under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 following the consultation exercise conducted last year. We are aiming to make the regulations shortly. A summary of responses will be published in due course.

Written Answers — Business, Innovation and Skills: UK Competitive Advantage (2 Feb 2012)
Greg Clark: As part of the Growth Review and ongoing work within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and United Kingdom Trade and Investment the Government have examined a range of evidence on where the UK's competitive advantage lies. For example, analysis of trade data indicates the UK has a comparative advantage in a range of knowledge intensive service sectors such as finance, business...

Oral Answers to Questions — Communities and Local Government: National Planning Policy Framework (30 Jan 2012)
Greg Clark: We are committed to publishing the national planning policy framework by the end of March, having taken into account of the consultation responses, and the framework will include transitional arrangements.

Oral Answers to Questions — Communities and Local Government: National Planning Policy Framework (30 Jan 2012)
Greg Clark: I would be keen to understand that myself. We made a commitment that we would consult and listen to the responses, and the transitional arrangements were included. I gave a commitment to work closely with the Local Government Association on the transitional arrangements, and we are having those conversations.