We are a few weeks into a new Parliament and many of the West Midlands’ 57 MPs have now had a chance to speak in the House of Commons for the first time. But what are they talking about, and what can the built environment sector glean from the first skirmishes of the new look Commons?
All of what follows is heavily caveated by the fact that there have been a limited number of sittings in the short time since the election, with much of the focus being on the King’s Speech.
The topics most discussed by the West Midlands MPs include Covid-19, fiscal/taxation policy and prisons. However, these debates were led by Government Ministers including the region’s own Shabana Mahmood and Pat McFadden, so it’s been good to see them represent the region at the Dispatch Box.
Relevant issues for the built environment sector raised by backbench MPs on both sides of the Chamber include housing, planning policy, flooding and public transport.
The new Green MP for North Herefordshire Ellie Chowns, North Shropshire Lib Dem Helen Morgan, Conservative Mike Wood of Kingswinford & South Staffordshire, and Aldrige-Brownhills Conservative Wendy Morton all made contributions which highlighted concern regarding the impact of development.
These concerns were not limited to opposition MPs. The new Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, Adam Jogee expressed his concern at the building of homes on a local golf course. Labour now holds a far greater proportion of suburban and rural constituencies than before the election, when almost every Labour held constituency was compact and urban. Comments on development matters in newly Labour areas such as those expressed by Adam Jogee are likely to become much more commonplace.
Those seeking to develop projects in more sensitive areas are likely to continue to see substantial opposition from communities as voiced by their parliamentarians. If the Government expects its MPs to comply without complaint to its growth agenda, then they are likely to be in for a surprise.
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