Contributions
286 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)For such an important Bill, I do not think that we should wait four years—my community will be left behind by then. I do not want to wait for the ballot box; I want to give the…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)That goes back to what my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole was saying. We should not rely on the kindness of mayors to care about the whole of their…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 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)I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment , by leave, withdrawn .21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Seventh sitting)On country parks and forestry, charities that plant forests are providing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 (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)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)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 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)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 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsI declare that I used to work as a university lecturer before being elected. One of my constituents has already paid nearly £500 for their French visa, just to be able to…20 Oct 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsT1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.20 Oct 2025HANSARDPost-16 Education and Skills StrategyThe Government say that they want to simplify the post-16 system, but the reality is that funding for further education remains chronically low. Will the Secretary of State look…20 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Fifth sitting)I do not think we are seeing that at the moment. We are not seeing it with metro mayors or combined authorities, so that is why we would like to see a mandatory duty to convene.…16 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Sixth sitting)My constituents are also quite confused about which public service to call. We have to explain, “If it is about parking restrictions, you have to call the county council; if it is…16 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Sixth sitting)I beg to move amendment 58, in schedule 12, page 162, leave out sub-paragraph (5). This amendment would remove provision for the Secretary of State to have the power to approve a…16 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Sixth sitting)The amendment would require mayors to ensure that planning approvals are consistent with the strategic spatial energy plan and the land use framework for their area. I want to…16 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Fifth sitting)It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stuart. New clause 42 would make it a legal duty for mayors to hold regular meetings with local councils in their area; with…16 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Fifth sitting)These councils need to have a voice at the table of decision makers. The hon. Member has also been a parish councillor, if I remember properly from our last debate, so he knows…16 Oct 2025