Contributions
286 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)I beg to move amendment 250, in schedule 25, page 254, leave out lines 3 to 12. This amendment retains the statutory requirement for public notices to be published in printed…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)I beg to move amendment 14, in clause 58, page 60, line 11, at end insert— “(1A) It is a duty of a local authority to specify the description of a neighbourhood area that will…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)I want to support the hon. Lady. The national Government should not force structures of local governance on local councils. We saw written evidence from Councillor Martin Smith,…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)I beg to move amendment 34, in schedule 27, page 265, line 41, after “economic,” insert “, environmental,”. This amendment would require environmental interests to be considered…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)Does the hon. Lady agree that the heart of the issue is actually choice? In this brave new world of unitary councils, local councils should have the ability to choose and shape…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)I would like to press the amendment to a vote, because it is important to mandate that the Secretary of State consider these criteria. They will have many proposals from the same…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)In my constituency, Stratford-on-Avon district council will be abolished. I worked as a district councillor there, and I know how close district councillors are to their…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)Sorry, Chair. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the resulting democratic deficit sets a dangerous precedent?23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)These amendments are interlinked. First, I would like to speak in support of the Bill’s provisions to protect assets of community value under the new sporting category. Those are…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)Amendments 40 to 42 and 249 seek to improve how the assets of community value system works in practice. Amendment 40 would require the Secretary of State to ensure that local…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I would like to speak to amendments 253 and 254. These are simple amendments, but they can make a meaningful impact and save lives. We want to add nitrogen dioxide levels and…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Seventh sitting)No, I do not accept that. We are saying that there have to be minimum standards for engagement. In fact, amendment 354, reinforced by amendment 357, would allow the Secretary of…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Seventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 352, in schedule 19, page 200, line 17, at end insert— “(d) include an overview of the views of town and parish councils in the local authority area about…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Seventh sitting)Local growth plans are rightly a key part of the devolution agenda, because the plans guide inward investment and set priorities for economic growth, as we have discussed, as well…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Seventh sitting)I am hearing a lot from the Labour Benches about there being 800 or 350 parish councils, so we cannot engage with them, but there are different ways to engage, such as online…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Seventh sitting)The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. If a district council is to be abolished, parish and town councils are asked to take on assets or sites that could be development sites, so…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Seventh sitting)On country parks and forestry, charities that plant forests are providing apprenticeships because the number of our forest rangers has declined. After hearing about the post-16…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment , by leave, withdrawn .21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I beg to move amendment 359, in schedule 19, page 200, line 17, at end insert— “(2A) In preparing a local growth plan, a mayoral combined authority must make specific reference to…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)These amendments were tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Glastonbury and Somerton (Sarah Dyke), and they focus on ensuring that rural, remote and coastal areas are properly…21 Oct 2025