Prescott's Persecutory Phobias

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3rd March 2006 | 10:43

#61 (permalink)

robin

Joined: Aug 2003

Posts: 1,579

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From: Not a million miles from EGTF

Just out of interest, is there a Civil Service complaints mechanism that can be used, or an Ombudsman where issues of maladministration can be raised and investigated?

3rd March 2006 | 13:10

#62 (permalink)

UL730

Cut & Paste Intellectual

Joined: Jul 2003

Aviation Qualifications: PPL

Posts: 117

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From: Durham

Wrote to my MP - (strong Labour seat - North East UK). Specifically referred to the existing PPG 3 section that defined “Previously Developed” land with two example exclusions, hospital grounds and an airfield. Helpfully pointed out that in PPS 3, the definition has been revised and the airfield exclusion has been omitted. Thereafter some sensible objections and rationale…..

Received a reply with some parsimonious waffle about low cost airlines damaging the environment, T5 encroaching on those poor souls living around Heathrow, noise pollution at Durham Tees Valley and thanks for your interest.

What planet do these people come from?

I thought - yeah – you can definitely count on my vote next time we all hang around the polling booth in a state of reflective indecision.

Good to see the “oversight” has now been remedied and that all the Cabinet can get back to serious issues – like “who’s breached the ministerial code this week”

3rd March 2006 | 13:38

#63 (permalink)

robin

Joined: Aug 2003

Posts: 1,579

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From: Not a million miles from EGTF

The problem is that some MPs have interests different to normal people. They are either share-holders or directors of development companies or activists for an interest group - you just can't tell.

when you look at the ex-aviation minister, who resigned cos she found transport a boring job - she wanted to get involved with anti-poverty stuff. So guess how important she thought aviation was?

3rd March 2006 | 14:53

#64 (permalink)

kevmusic

Joined: Mar 2006

Posts: 779

Likes: 1

From: Kent UK

My MP added his voice to the side for proposed closure of Rochester airport. Should I even bother......?

Kev

4th March 2006 | 08:02

#65 (permalink)

dwshimoda

Joined: Jun 2003

Posts: 564

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From: Over Mache Grande?

Quote:

Surely there is an argument to be made, in the case of the historic wartime airfields where many of our pilots lived, worked and died, that redevelopment of this land would really be quite an offensive act - I mean, no one would consider sticking a Tesco's on to of the site of the Battle of Naseby....would they?

Tesco would!

On a serious note, got a reply from my MP today, Mark Lancaster, which looks like it may be a standard reply, as it sounds like HelenD's response - loads of waffle about housing being undoubtedly needed, etc.

He does make a some valid points, but interestingly he has hand written a PS which says:

"PS This issue was raised in the house today"

The letter is dated 2nd March - anyone heard what was said in the House?

DW

4th March 2006 | 08:08

#66 (permalink)

HiFranc

Joined: Feb 2006

Posts: 37

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From: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwshimoda

[...]
He does make a some valid points, but interestingly he has hand written a PS which says:
"PS This issue was raised in the house today"
The letter is dated 2nd March - anyone heard what was said in the House?
DW

It'd be in Hansard (just about to look up the on-line version).

4th March 2006 | 08:26

#67 (permalink)

dwshimoda

Joined: Jun 2003

Posts: 564

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From: Over Mache Grande?

HiFranc - great bit of info - never knew that was available. Had a trawl and found this:

Quote:

"Mr. Henry Bellingham (North-West Norfolk) (Con): I do not know how much the Leader of the House knows about planning, but it appears that Her Majesty's Government are changing the planning status of airfields by characterising them as brownfield sites. Of course, we need more affordable housing in the countryside but surely such a far-reaching change should be properly consulted upon.

Mr. Hoon: I am sure that a far-reaching change would be consulted upon. Obviously, it is important that the appropriate planning rules should be applied to specific circumstances. I have no doubt that that will happen and I assure the hon. Gentleman that there is no significant change in Government policy on that."

So well done to Henry Bellingham, but it does seem to have been brushed aside rather quickly and easily.

If you follow this link: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/ and type "airfields" into the search field, it does show that the issue has been raised quite a lot.