Contributions
869 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)This basket of amendments seeks to correct drafting errors, including inconsistencies and inaccurate references, to ensure that the Bill functions as intended. Amendments 202 and…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I thank the hon. Lady for the intention behind the amendments. I completely understand her key points. I think there is consensus that tackling health inequalities and their…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)The clause sets out the criteria for transfer by default of police and crime commissioner functions to the mayor of a strategic authority, where the mayoralty matches the…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)The clause sets out the functions of a police and crime commissioner that a mayor will exercise where they have been transferred under the Bill. The clause also amends the…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)The schedule sets out the content of the new schedule 10A that will be inserted into the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. It provides that once the functions of a…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I beg to move amendment 209, in clause 46, page 51, line 10, leave out from “for” to end of line 14 and insert— “the whole of its area if the Secretary of State designates it as…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I want to put on record that the Government absolutely recognise the vital role the fire and rescue authorities are playing across the piece; there is a huge amount of work going…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I beg to move amendment 220, in schedule 22, page 234, line 12, at end insert— “LDEDCA 2009 1 (1) LDEDCA 2009 is amended in accordance with this paragraph. (2) In section 107D…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)The clause introduces alternative ways by which a mayor or strategic authority may exercise fire and rescue and police and crime commissioner functions introduced by the Bill. The…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)Strategic authorities have a number of responsibilities in relation to public safety, something that I know Members across the House care very much about. The Bill deepens those…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I thank hon. Members for their amendments and new clauses. Let me say a word about clause 49, and then I will speak to those. We are clear that devolution is a continuous process.…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I must tell the hon. Lady that I can barely hold them back. Our mayors are pretty independent-minded and robust, and they are very clear when they want a particular power. They…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Eighth sitting)I thank you, Dame Siobhain, and all hon. Members for the swift and substantial progress we have made on the Bill today. I am grateful for everyone’s patience and the constructive…21 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Sixth sitting)I thank the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon for her constructive and helpful amendment 252. In principle, the ability to integrate a land use framework and energy plan at the…16 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Sixth sitting)I refer the hon. Gentleman to the national planning policy framework, which tries to encourage and incentivise the use of previously developed land, and to make sure that within…16 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Sixth sitting)I agree with the hon. Lady’s broader point. There is absolutely a piece for us to think about regarding energy infrastructure. Having served as Minister for energy consumers,…16 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Sixth sitting)The Government agree that we need to streamline and simplify the planning process, making it much quicker and smoother. I will again put on the record that the previous Government…16 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Sixth sitting)I recognise the intent behind the amendment, but we cannot accept it. In any planning process, constituent authorities will be fully consulted and engaged. Ultimately, the…16 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Fifth sitting)I thank the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole for her amendment. I am not sure that, as drafted, it achieves the intended effect. The Bill already defines the meaning of…16 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Fifth sitting)For mayoral strategic authorities, it will be the full general power of competence, but for foundation strategic authorities, at the single tier level, it will be exercised in the…16 Oct 2025