Speeches by Cocking.

“How many homes that are perfectly up to normal standards and environmental standards of today do you estimate are being turned down by housing associations because you do not want to retrofit them later? I do not know many homes that are not still built with a gas boiler. Does that mean that housing associations go, “I…”

“I have one quick follow-up question, if I may, to the housing associations. How much do you all have in reserves? Please do not tell me that you do not know. You have come here to talk about finances today. You are saying that you need more money. How much do you all have in reserves? Fiona Fletcher-Smith: I will start…”

“I am Lewis Cocking, Member of Parliament for Broxbourne. I live in a shared ownership property with a housing association.”

“I draw Members’ attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Drivers in my constituency are sick to death of the endless road closures and temporary traffic lights when no works are taking place. Will the Minister demand that utility companies do everything in their power to get roads open as …”

“5. What steps she is taking to help prevent road closures when roadworks are not taking place.”

“You are reorganising the Conservative counties. What are you doing about the small London councils? Your own local council is 231,000, according to the last census. Are you saying to them, “You have to merge with the council next door, because you are not quite big enough”? Lambeth, for example, is 317,000. Are you say…”

“The devolution White Paper talks about unitarisation, and it talks about 500,000 people. What does that mean in reality? Does that mean creating super-councils of a million-plus? Does that mean creating councils of 200,000? Can you tell us your thoughts around how fixed that 500,000 is?”

“What does “slightly less” mean? Does that mean 300,000 or 350,000?”

“You will ask small Labour metropolitan councils to consider merging as well, then.”

“I draw everyone’s attention to my register of interests as a local councillor. On the seven years, you seem to be saying that local councils are not doing enough to build. What about developers? Sometimes developers do not play ball. They do not show councils that they are willing to listen, are willing to do 106 agree…”

“I draw Members’ attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, and I thank everyone who has been out helping over the past few days. Every time there is heavy rainfall or a storm, roads all across Broxbourne flood, from Stanstead Abbotts to Waltham Cross. What action will the Minister’s Departme…”

“On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. When I spoke earlier on the English devolution White Paper, I forgot to alert the House to my entry on the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a Hertfordshire county councillor. I wanted to correct the record at my earliest opportunity.”

“I place on record my thanks to my two district councils, which I wholeheartedly support: Broxbourne and East Herts. Page 17 of the White Paper states that the Government want to create unitary councils of “500,000 or more”. What does “or more” mean? Does that mean I could end up with a “super council” for Hertfordshire…”

“Nothing in this statement outlines the new powers for councils to build development infrastructure—including roads, schools and GP surgeries—before new housing. What powers will my local councils of Broxbourne and East Hertfordshire get to build development infrastructure before these massive housing targets are forced…”

“I thank the hon. Member. If he just waits for the next part of my speech, he may get the answer to his intervention. The Government’s plan will put all that at risk. Notably, Haileybury is planning to absorb as much of the financial hit as it can, rather than place the extra burden on parents. To do so, it must look at…”

“I am a Hertfordshire county councillor, and it is that authority that will have to pick up the pieces if parents cannot afford the VAT on private schools or if private schools close. A bit like in the farming debate, I have a specific example from my constituency that tears down the Government’s argument on adding VAT …”

“Q Have you asked your members that question? Edward Woodall: We talk to them all the time about such questions. Perhaps it is something we can address in our written evidence to the Committee.”

“Q In answer to the first question, you said that businesses could save approximately £1,000 or £3,000 depending on size, and then went on to say where they could use that money to make investments in their business or what have you. The businesses I speak to in Broxbourne say that they will have to put that money aside…”

“Q The first question was about whether it would put you off doing bigger stores and make you concentrate on smaller stores. Will you give us a flavour of what the Bill means for your business? Paul Gerrard: Thank you. We are very much a convenience business, so the average size of our stores is about 3,000 square feet.…”

“Q Thank you for coming in today to give evidence. You have said that the Bill is going to make smaller stores more viable, and that it will affect your bigger stores. Can you give us a flavour of what that means for your business, and whether it will put you off doing bigger stores and make you concentrate on smaller s…”