Contributions
2,291 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment BillMy Lords, let me make it clear from the outset that, with Amendment 93, we are not asking for a new bureaucratic hurdle in yet another review, but a few additional report…29 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment BillMy Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Janke, for her Amendment 95A, which is modest but important. It does not seek to block devolution or slow it down unnecessarily.…29 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment BillMy Lords, we on these Benches welcome Amendment 97 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Bassam of Brighton, to whom I am grateful. Parish councils are the most local level of…29 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment BillMy Lords, as the Minister said, these are technical and consequential amendments to the levies section of the Bill. It has been a long enough day, and I have already made my…27 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment BillI am grateful to the Minister for her responses and for trying to assure me about those amendments. However, she will understand that concerns raised in the short debate between…27 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment BillI thank the Minister but we are back where we started, really, in that we would like to see the guidance before Report so that we can see whether the guidance is correct or…27 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment BillMy Lords, Amendments 63 and 64 in my name and that of the noble Lord, Lord Jamieson, both relate to Clause 11 and the proposed changes to the mayoral precept arrangements. They…27 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment BillMy Lords, Amendment 263 is in my name and that of my noble friend Lord Jamieson. If there is one theme that runs consistently through today’s debates, it is the need for…27 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill27 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill27 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment BillMy Lords, Amendment 41 in my name and that of my noble friend Lord Jamieson is a probing amendment concerning why the Government wish to give mayors a veto over the decisions of a…27 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment BillI am grateful to the Minister and to all noble Lords who have taken part in this debate. As I said, the issues raised today go to the heart of how we structure local democracy and…27 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill27 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment BillI just do not understand this. If I am a leader of a local authority and I have a specific need for a competence, I employ an official or an officer. I interview a large range of…27 Jan 2026HANSARDLocal Government ReorganisationMy Lords, we are considering today a Statement of real constitutional significance. It concerns the decision to cancel scheduled local elections, and in doing so, raises…26 Jan 2026HANSARDHolocaust Memorial DayMy Lords, first, I thank the Minister for bringing forward this take-note debate on Holocaust Memorial Day, which falls tomorrow, and for her very thought-provoking speech. It was…26 Jan 2026HANSARDLocal Government ReorganisationI too have been through this process. We are 15 months out from the next lot of elections and the new authorities, but these authorities do not yet know on what geography they are…26 Jan 2026HANSARDHolocaust Memorial BillMy Lords, we have had extensive debates on the Bill and I know there are strong views across the House on a whole range of issues relating to the delivery of the Holocaust…21 Jan 2026HANSARDLocal Elections: CancellationMy Lords, we have consistently asked the Government to share a definitive timescale for local government reorganisation and the establishment of new strategic mayoral authorities.…21 Jan 2026HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment BillMy Lords, first, before I start, I wish a belated happy birthday for yesterday to the Minister. I hear it was a big one, and I hope she enjoyed it. Secondly, I declare my…20 Jan 2026