Non-Domestic Rating (Nursery Grounds) Bill

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention. It is not quite my place to comment on future i...

The Bill itself does not define what a “nursery ground” is, but the explanatory notes, which are ...

I thank my right hon. Friend for his question. He is right. My understanding is that other legisl...

I have been much involved with the horticultural industry, so I am quite aware of the nursery ind...

My hon. Friend is, as ever, an incredible champion for agriculture and the rural community. She i...

My hon. Friend is clearly laying out the Government’s position, but can he clarify one issue that...

I thank my hon. Friend for bringing up a helpful and important point that is worth clarifying. Un...

Is the Minister in effect saying that all the Bill does is return the law to the same state we al...

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right: that is what the Bill seeks to do. It is a limited, tar...

I have an urban area in Taunton Deane, but I speak as someone whose constituency is particularly ...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. She will know that I also represent a deeply rural constituen...

I am grateful to the Minister for his generosity in giving way. What would be the position of a b...

I am happy to tell my right hon. Friend that businesses will absolutely be able to claim back any...

Will the Minister clarify something—and if he cannot answer today, will he write to me? In additi...

The businesses will not be able to claim costs; the new “check, challenge, appeal” system allows ...

My hon. Friend is clearly setting out to answer many of the questions from across the House. Will...

I can answer my hon. Friend’s question now. The Government do not actually know, and are not in a...

The Opposition welcome the provisions in the Bill. Broadly, we welcome the Government proactively...

Chichester is home to a vibrant rural economy that is worth over £1 billion to the area and emplo...

We are always being told that debates in Parliament should be about real people, not statistics, ...

I believe that my hon. Friend’s constituency contains two villages called Bicker and Wrangle, whi...

My constituency also contains a village called Old Leake, which is in the same ward as Wrangle. “...

Does my hon. Friend agree that it is heartening that although people often think that we in Parli...

I agree with my hon. Friend, and this shows the power of my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton, ...

I am delighted to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Matt Warman), and I w...

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for her knowledge in this area; in fact, I think she was a TV sta...

Yes, and I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. One of the programmes my name was attached ...

I do not think that my hon. Friend is digressing at all. In fact, she has made a germane point in...

My hon. Friend is a man after my own heart. I do not know whether you are a gardener, Mr Deputy S...

A reluctant gardener.

A reluctant gardener? That’s okay. You can garden from your chair, or in a window box, but you ca...

It has been great to hear about the all-party parliamentary group—perhaps I should dig out the de...

Order. I could put the hon. Gentleman on to the speaking list if he would like. I will put him on...

I thank my hon. Friend and apologise to you on his behalf, Mr Deputy Speaker. However, he made a ...

First, does my hon. Friend share my disgust that not one Liberal Democrat MP is in the Chamber to...

I thank my right hon. Friend for that intervention. We began this debate on a cross-party basis, ...

Order. I do not mind if you want to pad out the debate, but I am bothered by the fact that we hav...

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. If it will be short, I shall take an intervention from my hon. Frie...

My hon. Friend was talking about the prosperity of our economy. Does she agree that the growers a...

That is a good point. Industries such as horticulture are not quick—it takes time to grow plants ...

rose—

Bob Blackman, you have one minute before the Front-Bench speeches.

6.38 pm

It is a pleasure to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton Deane (Rebecca Pow). We have dis...

I am pleased to say that this Bill has been addressed in a climate of co-operation, as has been s...

Does my hon. Friend accept that this is one piece of evidence of a Government agency, the Valuati...

I do agree with my hon. Friend on that. Indeed, this is not the first time the VOA has caused con...

I have 15 minutes in which I have the pleasure of winding

up...

The Whips are being sent like London buses!

There are Whips at the Bar of the House who when they noticed a nursery grounds Bill thought it r...

rose—

Before I commend it, I will give way to my hon. Friend.

I am very, very grateful to the Minister for giving way. I congratulate him and say that it is gr...

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. In fact, without his amendment on the Local Government Fi...

I am most grateful to the Minister for giving way. Perhaps he should have gone to Specsavers. Wil...

What I can tell my right hon. Friend—it is not the answer that he will want to hear—is that there...