Jenrick no-show at Commons questions on Westferry planning row

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick (pictured) sent minister Christopher Pincher to face Labour questioning over his handling of Richard Desmond’s £1bn Westferry Printworks planning appeal. Shadow communities and local government secretary Steve Reed called on the housing minister today at the Commons to explain if Jenrick had disclosed his conversation with Desmond at a Conservative Party fundraiser last November. He also asked if he had known that approving the scheme on 14 January would prevent Desmond from facing a bill of up to £50m in CIL payments. Reed said: “This sequence of events raised grave concerns about cash for favours. If he wants to restore trust, the secretary of state must immediately publish all documents and all correspondence relating to this decision. “The public needs reassurance that the integrity of the planning process cannot be auctioned off at Conservative Party fundraisers.” Pincher said Jenrick has made clear all discussions with Desmond and his company to the department and said there were no discussions regarding the CIL arrangement. He added: “The applicant has paid for tickets to the Conservative Party event; that is apparently where the funds came from. Ministers have no knowledge of funds which are provided to political parties through donations or through payment for tickets.” The housing minister said he did not know when the payment for the event was made and noted that Desmond has made payments to other political parties. Pincher reiterated Jenrick’s previous argument that Desmond had “raised the issue of Westferry with him at that dinner”. He said: “My right honourable friend made it absolutely clear that he could not discuss planning matters, that he would not discuss that planning matter, and the issue was closed.” Clive Betts, MP for South Yorkshire and chair of the housing select committee, said he received a letter from the mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs, last night, but added that the committee has not yet considered the matter. Betts said: “Does the minister agree that matters like this are best dealt with when all the facts are in the public domain? Otherwise, judgments will be formed on the basis of suppositions and conjecture. “So would you therefore accept that if the select committee were to make a request to the secretary of state, [the department] will be willing to provide to us all relevant documentation, so as a select committee we could give proper consideration, careful consideration, to these matters based on the facts that are available?” Pincher said the department would “happily consider” the request. To send feedback, e-mail emma.rosser@egi.co.uk or tweet @EmmaARosser or @estatesgazette