Contributions
1,006 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Local Government ReorganisationWe need to separate out that the devolution priority programme is one stream and the local government reorganisation programme is another. We are trying to bring those streams…15 Jan 2025HANSARD Local Government ReorganisationIf we decide to postpone the elections based on a credible plan that moves devolution and reorganisation along, the councillors who have their terms extended are legitimate and…15 Jan 2025HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) BillI can certainly give the certainty that we are providing in law for a permanent relief for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, and we will fund that through a very…15 Jan 2025HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) BillBefore I speak to the amendments tabled by the hon. Members for Mid Dorset and North Poole (Vikki Slade), for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (David Simmonds) and for St Albans…15 Jan 2025HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) BillI did hear the hon. Lady, and I think we all accept the principle of needing to target or get support to those important small businesses, which we can all identify in our…15 Jan 2025HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) BillAs with all tax policies, we will keep this under review, and I say that in a very general sense. We absolutely believe that the businesses that are the backbone of our high…15 Jan 2025HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) BillI do not have time for any more interventions. Private schools that benefit from the existing rates exemption for properties that are wholly used for the training or welfare of…15 Jan 2025HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) BillI beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. I take this opportunity to acknowledge all who have contributed to the Bill’s passage through this House, particularly my…15 Jan 2025HANSARD Local Government ReorganisationThe English devolution White Paper sets out how this Government plan to deliver on our manifesto pledge to transfer power out of Westminster through devolution and to fix the…15 Jan 2025HANSARDDraft Combined Authorities (Borrowing) and East Midlands Combined County Authority (Borrowing and Functions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Combined Authorities (Borrowing) and East Midlands Combined County Authority (Borrowing and Functions) (Amendment)…08 Jan 2025HANSARDDraft Combined Authorities (Borrowing) and East Midlands Combined County Authority (Borrowing and Functions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025I thank the shadow Minister and wish him a happy new year in return. His were generally positive comments, with the exception of the standard view of the Mayor of London, who is…08 Jan 2025HANSARDDraft Combined Authorities (Borrowing) and East Midlands Combined County Authority (Borrowing and Functions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025I do not want to say who has the largest number of mayors, but I do not think the shadow Minister needs me to remind him that there is only one Conservative mayor in the whole…08 Jan 2025HANSARDDraft Combined Authorities (Borrowing) and East Midlands Combined County Authority (Borrowing and Functions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025I am not sure that I entirely understood the question, but this SI is about new member councils joining an existing combined authority. Any member council can join, but its…08 Jan 2025HANSARD Provisional Local Government Finance SettlementAgain, the hon. Lady’s council will see a core spending power increase of 5%, and that is only this part of the settlement—it does not include extended producer responsibility or…18 Dec 2024HANSARD Provisional Local Government Finance SettlementMost in the sector would agree that Oflog—the Office for Local Government—had a vague remit that was an expensive way of gathering data. In the end, if it were to be developed, we…18 Dec 2024HANSARD Provisional Local Government Finance SettlementIt is important that we have a debate on local government finance based on the numbers. I have said already that, when taking into account council tax, no council will see a…18 Dec 2024HANSARD Provisional Local Government Finance SettlementEither the hon. Gentleman does not know the status of the rural services delivery grant, or he is trying to mislead the House. A large share of large rural authorities should have…18 Dec 2024HANSARD Provisional Local Government Finance SettlementI agree about the importance and significance of the statutory override—that is felt very acutely in the Department and in the sector. We are consulting now on a number of…18 Dec 2024HANSARD Provisional Local Government Finance SettlementThat is the point: the previous Government knew just how bad the situation was, but they put off the tough decisions. For example, how many times in 14 years did the previous…18 Dec 2024HANSARD Provisional Local Government Finance SettlementGiven the hon. Gentleman’s background, I am surprised that he is displaying such ignorance of council finance. The Government’s role in local government finance is to be an…18 Dec 2024