Contributions
965 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDLocal Audit Backstop: 27 February 2026When this Government took office in July 2024, one of our top priorities was to fix the broken local audit system it inherited, which was failing both local bodies and taxpayers…26 Mar 2026HANSARDLocal Government ReorganisationI thank my hon. Friend for making his way through the alphabet soup of devolution. I will make sure that the Minister for devolution hears his points. She will have read his…26 Mar 2026HANSARDLocal Government ReorganisationNobody could accuse the right hon. Gentleman of not saying what he really thinks about the proposals; I am glad that he had the opportunity to do that. He asked about proposals…26 Mar 2026HANSARDLocal Government ReorganisationI thank the right hon. Gentleman for tabling the urgent question and you, Mr Speaker, for the— [ Interruption. ] I am always happy to be at the Dispatch Box; I do not know what…26 Mar 2026HANSARDLocal Government ReorganisationAs I have said to other Members, local authority debt is a serious concern for the Government. We will work through the issues that the hon. Gentleman mentions in the transition…26 Mar 2026HANSARDLocal Government ReorganisationThere were a couple of questions there. I have met the hon. Gentleman before and, in compliance with the process we are undergoing with reorganisation, I will happily meet him…26 Mar 2026HANSARD Proposed Visitor LevyAs ever, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Efford. I am grateful to the right hon. Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds) for securing today’s debate on the…25 Mar 2026HANSARD Proposed Visitor LevyI will give way to the hon. Gentleman if he first allows me to give a little shout-out to my local mayor, Steve Rotheram. The Centre for Cities recently found that over the past…25 Mar 2026HANSARD Proposed Visitor LevyIf mayors are not talking to their local Members of Parliament, they are missing an opportunity and an important part of their role. I will certainly take what my hon. Friend says…25 Mar 2026HANSARD Proposed Visitor LevyI thank the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for his intervention, because it gives me the opportunity to respond to a point that a number of Members raised. We have just concluded…25 Mar 2026HANSARDLocal Government Best Value: Nottingham, Croydon, Warrington and WokingThis Government are committed to taking the action necessary to fix the foundations of local government. Today, I am updating the House on the steps we are taking to support four…24 Mar 2026HANSARDDraft Non-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention and Levy and Safety Net: Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Non-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention and Levy and Safety Net: Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026. It is a…16 Mar 2026HANSARDDraft Non-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention and Levy and Safety Net: Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. The Department conducts significant work with local authorities to understand their costs, precisely so that we can make the…16 Mar 2026HANSARDDraft Non-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention and Levy and Safety Net: Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026I thank the hon. Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner for his speech. As ever, he made considered points and asked very reasonable questions.16 Mar 2026HANSARDDraft Non-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention and Levy and Safety Net: Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026I thank the hon. Gentleman for his diligence in making sure the Committee is absolutely clear on what he was referring to. I will write to him and circulate that response to the…16 Mar 2026HANSARDRough Sleeping: Families with ChildrenI was just going to respond to the shadow Minister. The interministerial group will meet quite soon, and we have been preparing for that. Our expert group of advisers met me…11 Mar 2026HANSARDRough Sleeping: Families with ChildrenThe interministerial group will meet regularly. There are interconnections between homelessness and violence against women and girls, because the third biggest cause of…11 Mar 2026HANSARDRough Sleeping: Families with ChildrenI am not quite sure that I caught all the details of the case that the hon. Member raised, but if he sends me them I will happily respond to him. He will know that we do not want…11 Mar 2026HANSARDRough Sleeping: Families with ChildrenI was going to come on to that. I will certainly commit to providing an update. It is beyond my procedural knowledge exactly what we are allowed to publish from ministerial…11 Mar 2026HANSARDRough Sleeping: Families with ChildrenI thank my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool Wavertree (Paula Barker) for securing the debate. She has been dedicated to tackling homelessness for many years, including in her…11 Mar 2026