Contributions
1,006 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTopical QuestionsI thank my hon. Friend for the work she has done to champion fair funding across local government, particularly for York. I absolutely understand the issues. The fair funding…14 Jul 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsWe are now in a statutory process for local government reorganisation, and Devon will submit its final proposals to us by the end of November. We do not want to pre-empt those or…14 Jul 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe real issue for most councils is that the Liberal Democrats did not make hay when the sun was shining in their coalition years. Let nobody in local government forget that the…14 Jul 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe hon. Gentleman will know that it is Labour councils that are leading the charge at a local level to regenerate local communities and invest in local businesses—the evidence is…14 Jul 2025HANSARDCouncil Tax Revenue: Student AccommodationThe Government believe it is right that students are disregarded for council tax. If the only residents of a household are full-time students, the dwelling will be exempt. In the…14 Jul 2025HANSARDDeprived Areas: FundingWe are in a consultation now, so we are willing and ready to hear representations, but many people—I am not accusing the hon. Member of this—have jumped to conclusions based on…14 Jul 2025HANSARDCouncil Tax Revenue: Student AccommodationThe fair funding review will do what it says on the tin: it will make sure that, for the first time ever, all component pressures that councils face in delivering public services,…14 Jul 2025HANSARDDeprived Areas: FundingMy hon. Friend makes a very fair point. There are two aspects to this. First, we must make sure that places get the investment they need to realise their full potential. We are…14 Jul 2025HANSARDDeprived Areas: FundingI am sure that the Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham North and Kimberley has heard those diligent…14 Jul 2025HANSARDDeprived Areas: FundingWe are committed to improving how we assess need to ensure that central Government funding is distributed fairly to the places that need it most. We began at the last settlement…14 Jul 2025HANSARDCouncil Tax Revenue: Student AccommodationThe fair funding review 2.0 is out to consultation. We welcome contributions to the consultation from Members, local authorities and others. At heart, we want to fully account for…14 Jul 2025HANSARDDeprived Areas: FundingI thank the former Minister for those representations. On the point about fair funding and unpicking where money is needed, there is a lot of commonality on this issue in the…14 Jul 2025HANSARDLocal Government Best ValueI have previously stated when updating the House, this Government are committed to resetting the relationship with local and regional government, and we will take the action…09 Jul 2025HANSARD Draft Buckinghamshire Council, Surrey County Council and Warwickshire County Council (Housing and Regeneration Functions) Regulations 2025In a sense, these are legacy agreements made under the previous Government that we are keen to honour. We know that councils worked in good faith when preparing their devolution…09 Jul 2025HANSARD Draft Buckinghamshire Council, Surrey County Council and Warwickshire County Council (Housing and Regeneration Functions) Regulations 2025I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Buckinghamshire Council, Surrey County Council and Warwickshire County Council (Housing and Regeneration Functions)…09 Jul 2025HANSARD Draft Buckinghamshire Council, Surrey County Council and Warwickshire County Council (Housing and Regeneration Functions) Regulations 2025I can check that particular point about the role of district councils in authorising. It may be that we follow up with officials on that point. I would also add that areas in…09 Jul 2025HANSARD Draft Buckinghamshire Council, Surrey County Council and Warwickshire County Council (Housing and Regeneration Functions) Regulations 2025I thank the shadow Minister for his usual approach, which is to be supportive of devolution, and for his recognition that when we make a commitment to a local area, it is…09 Jul 2025HANSARD Local Government Reform: CambridgeshireI think we can agree on that, which is why the White Paper published in December said that we need to reconcile things now and have a much simpler system of regional government in…08 Jul 2025HANSARD Local Government Reform: CambridgeshireIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stuart. I congratulate the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Ben Obese-Jecty) on securing this debate on local government…08 Jul 2025HANSARDInternal Drainage Board Levy Support GrantFollowing the local government finance settlement on 3 February 2025, the Government confirmed a £5 million grant to support local authorities facing significant increases in…07 Jul 2025