Calendar Westminster News

Setting a minimum distance between wind turbines built in Lincolnshire would 'allay people's concerns' over 'inappropriate onshore wind development', one of the county's MPs has claimed.

Stephen Phillips, who represents Sleaford and North Hykeham, told MPs in the Commons there was 'considerable support' for tighter rules.

Planning Minister Nick Boles, who is also a Lincolnshire MP, said the move 'might be appropriate' for the county, but not elsewhere.

• Politics
• Westminster

Five MPs from the ITV Yorkshire region have signed up to an alliance opposed to Government plans to legislate for same-sex marriages.

They are among 58 parliamentarians who have put their names to an open letter to the Daily Telegraph warning ministers they have no mandate for the proposed change.

At the last election, none of the three main parties stood on a platform to redefine marriage. It was not contained in any of their manifestos, nor did it feature in the Coalition’s Programme for Government. These facts alone should have led to extreme caution on the part of those calling for this change to be made.

Instead the Government is ignoring the overwhelming public response against the plans. The consultation has ignored the views of 500,000 British residents in favour of anonymous submissions from anyone anywhere in the world. We believe that the Government does not have a mandate to redefine marriage.

The letter has been signed by:

• David Davis MP (Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden)
• Andrew Bingham MP (Conservative, High Peak)
• Karl McCartney MP (Conservative, Lincoln)
• Anne McIntosh MP (Conservative, Thirsk and Malton)
• Craig Whittaker MP (Conservative, Calder Valley)

• Politics
• marriage
• Westminster

It may have been an Autumn budget but there was a chill running through Westminster today as George Osborne put the squeeze on benefits, admitting the tough times are still not over for Austerity Britain.

There was good news for transport schemes in North Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, but the road ahead is bound to be far from smooth. Ben Erlam reports.

• Politics
• Westminster

A Leeds MP has welcomed a u-turn by the Government, which will see part of the A1 in North Yorkshire upgraded, but criticised the time taken to make the decision.

The last Labour government announced the planned upgrade for the North Yorkshire section of the A1 near Leeming in 2008, and George Osborne cancelled it in 2010. If he hadn't meddled with it the new improved road would have been due to open in 2014. So all he's done is waste more than two years - another piece of damaging incompetence from this hapless chancellor.

• Politics
• A1 Motorway
• Leeming

The last Labour government announced the planned upgrade for the North

Yorkshire section of the A1 near Leeming in 2008, and George Osborne

cancelled it in 2010. If he hadn't meddled with it the new improved road

would have been due to open in 2014. So all he's done is waste more than

two years - another piece of damaging incompetence from this hapless

chancellor."

• Politics
• A1 upgrade
• Westminster

The Chancellor has announced plans to improve the A1 in North Yorkshire in an effort to reduce journey times by 20%.

A stretch between Leeming and Barton is set to be upgraded from a dual carriageway to a three lane road.

The Treasury claims the £314 scheme could create up to 750 new jobs during the three year construction period and is expected to be complete by 2016/17.

• Politics
• Westminster

The Chancellor has announced that national pay arrangements in the NHS and the prison service will conitnue.

But delivering his his Autumn statement in the House of Commons this afternoon, George Osborne also said that there would be "greater freedom" for schools to set pay in line with performance.

• Politics
• Autumn Statement
• George Osborne

The Chancellor has delivered his Autumn Statement in the Commons.

George Osborne claims measures announced for the Yorkshire and the Humber region include:

• 22,000 people to be lifted out of income tax and 1.9 to pay less income tax as a result of Personal Allowance reforms.
• Cancelling the planned rise in fuel duty in January will reduce running costs for the 2.7 million motor vehicles in Yorkshire and the Humber, saving a typical motorist £40 a year.

• £104 million to build over 5,000 new homes for affordable rent.
• £18 million to return over 1500 empty homes to use in Yorkshire and the North East.
• £314 million upgrade on the A1 between Leeming and Barton.

• A160/180 at Immingham piloted as an accelerated road scheme.
• York to be in second wave of super-connected cities.
• Government will provide a grant for councils that freeze council tax in 2013-14.
• Business support measures will benefit 345,000 small and medium enterprises in Yorkshire and the Humber

• Politics
• Autumn Statement
• Chancellor George Osborne

A North Yorkshire MP has vowed to fight "with renewed vigour" for a fuel duty rebate for isolated parts of the county.

Anne McIntosh, who represents Thirsk and Malton, claims she has "a strong case" to make to both the Chancellor and the EU Commission for a rebate for areas of Ryedale and Hambleton - areas that have been hit by the highest fuel prices in the country.

The Conservative MP said: "The fact that it now costs over £70 to refuel a vehicle, with the need for 4x4 vehicles in the extreme conditions of North Yorkshire, emphasises how disadvantaged the private motorist is in rural constituencies like Thirsk, Malton and Filey."

A scheme running in Scotland and sees motorists in some of the most remote areas eligible to reclaim up to five pence per litre on petrol and diesel.

• Politics
• Anne McIntosh
• Autumn Statement