Contributions
869 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)The current devolution framework creates the basis by which effective execution of the powers that authorities have on adult skills will be driven forward. The legislative…28 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)The English devolution White Paper set out clearly our proposals to strengthen the role of strategic authorities in local skills improvement plans and highlights the intention to…28 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)I beg to move amendment 243, in clause 72, page 73, line 15, at end insert— “‘FRSA 2004’ means the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004;”. This would define the abbreviation “FRSA…28 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)I will write to my counterparts in the DFT. The commitment to create the group came in recognition of a problem. We are committed to working with local stakeholders and Members…28 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)Let me start by saying that we absolutely recognise the issue that the hon. Member for Hamble Valley and hon. Members representing the Isle of Wight have raised. That is why the…28 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)That is not where we want to be. That is not where we think we will end up. We have invited places and, to the credit of local government, everyone recognises that change is…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)They have been invited. There is a backstop power, but we do not think we will need to use it because the conversation now playing out across local government is that, yes, this…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)Let me say three things in response. First, there is already flexibility in the creation of boundaries and geographies for unitaries to ensure that they are fit for purpose and…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)I thank hon. Members for their robust contributions. I will say a few things. First, we acknowledge that any process of change or reform is difficult. The Government do not…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)It hasn’t!23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)Clause 55 introduces schedule 24 and I have already spoken in detail about it. On clause 56, we must avoid a situation in which a predecessor council—one soon to be replaced by a…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)Local government reorganisation is already possible through existing legislation and does not require a referendum. In the last 20 years, we have precedents of local government…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)It is a privilege to serve under your chairpersonship, Ms Vaz. I have a lot of sympathy for the sentiment behind the amendment, but we are already building in provisions to…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Ninth sitting)We are doing that.23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)The Government fully understand that greater devolution relies on local authority members embodying the highest standards of conduct, so we absolutely agree with the spirit of the…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)I am sympathetic to new clause 24, but there is no need for the Secretary of State to publish a report after the implementation of every single reorganisation proposal.…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)I understand hon. Members’ sentiments, but 80% of councils currently operate a leader and cabinet model. My view is that that executive model allows for greater accountability and…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)It is important to disaggregate two processes, although I appreciate the challenge because we are doing them concurrently: there is a local government reorganisation process and a…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)Clause 57 and schedule 25 will simplify and bring consistency to local authority governance arrangements. By abolishing the committee system, we will ensure that all councils…23 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Tenth sitting)On a point of clarification, it is consent to the creation of a new strategic authority, so this is the tier above.23 Oct 2025