Contributions
2,184 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNational Policy Planning Framework: HousingThe noble Baroness is quite right to raise the topic of housing for older people and for those with particular needs. For example, we laid regulations to exempt all former members…06 Jan 2025HANSARDNational Policy Planning Framework: HousingI echo my noble friend’s points about Baroness Randerson’s work in Wales. He makes a valid point: a good reason for building social housing is that it saves expenditure on DWP…06 Jan 2025HANSARDNational Policy Planning Framework: HousingIt is possible for builders to change the provision if they need to, but that has to be in exceptional circumstances, because the need for social housing is so acute. The…06 Jan 2025HANSARDNational Policy Planning Framework: HousingI agree with the noble Baroness that the terms “affordable housing” and “social housing” have sometimes been conflated, with unfortunate consequences. To make clear the priority…06 Jan 2025HANSARDProvisional Local Government Finance SettlementThe noble Baroness makes a very good point. I pay tribute to my colleagues in local government, who do an amazing job of continuing to deliver some non-statutory services in spite…19 Dec 2024HANSARDEnglish DevolutionI thank my noble friend. I warmly welcome the extension of mayoral arrangements into parts of our country outside metropolitan areas. I thank my noble friend and all those in…19 Dec 2024HANSARDEnglish DevolutionI thank the noble Earl. I have already started a series of meetings with councils in local areas to understand where they are with this programme. I am happy to meet with any of…19 Dec 2024HANSARDEnglish DevolutionI am grateful to the noble Lord for his questions. This is about real devolution of powers and funding, and there are real benefits there to those who take up the offer. The…19 Dec 2024HANSARDEnglish DevolutionI thank my noble friend and she is quite right. I remember very well the regional development agencies, back in the day. Some of the departments in government already have a…19 Dec 2024HANSARDProvisional Local Government Finance SettlementI thank the noble Lord for his kind comments. I do understand that a few issues arose in recent years, but an awful lot of money seemed to be wasted during Covid that might have…19 Dec 2024HANSARDProvisional Local Government Finance SettlementI thank the noble and right reverend Lord for the important work he has done on this. I hope the Government have demonstrated in these early days, by bringing forward a new…19 Dec 2024HANSARDProvisional Local Government Finance SettlementI thank the noble Lord, Lord Porter. He has a great deal of experience in this area, as I know only too well. The funding reforms are part of a comprehensive set of reforms for…19 Dec 2024HANSARDEnglish DevolutionMy noble friend makes a good point. It is impossible to overstate the importance of having an accountable and transparent process for local government. I mentioned in my opening…19 Dec 2024HANSARDProvisional Local Government Finance SettlementI thank the noble Lord. One of the reasons why we have set up the English devolution programme is to get a more effective and efficient way of managing local government. We will…19 Dec 2024HANSARDProvisional Local Government Finance SettlementMy Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Jamieson, and the noble Baroness, Lady Pidgeon, for their questions and comments, and I really welcome this opportunity to…19 Dec 2024HANSARDEnglish DevolutionThe noble Baroness provided a wonderful role model for mayors going forward. Some of the innovations that she introduced during her time as Mayor of Watford are legendary, so I…19 Dec 2024HANSARDEnglish DevolutionI thank my noble friend for his support for the overall programme. London already has a devolution arrangement, but I am assured by colleagues that we will look at the GLA and how…19 Dec 2024HANSARDEnglish DevolutionMy Lords, I thank all noble Lords who attended the drop-in session on the White Paper yesterday. The English devolution White Paper sets out what I will not apologise for being an…19 Dec 2024HANSARDEnglish DevolutionI thank the noble Lord for that comment. It is important that we get development moving as quickly as possible. The New Towns Taskforce will make recommendations to government on…19 Dec 2024HANSARDEnglish DevolutionMy Lords, there are two absolutely key incentives to this programme of going forward with a mayor. Mayors will get new powers, devolved from Westminster, in a number of areas of…19 Dec 2024