Contributions
1,131 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Local Government Financerose—08 Feb 2023HANSARD Local Government FinanceMr Deputy Speaker, if I struggle to speak during this debate it is not because I am speechless at the generosity of the Minister’s settlement this year; I just happen to have…08 Feb 2023HANSARD Local Government FinanceI thank the Minister for his apology. My right hon. Friend the Member for North Durham (Mr Jones) asked a pertinent question about the story in the FT yesterday, and he did not…08 Feb 2023HANSARD Local Government Financerose —08 Feb 2023HANSARD Local Government FinanceI am just reading the figures and I think the right hon. Gentleman is wrong. About 60% of local government funding as a whole comes from council tax, so it is raised locally.08 Feb 2023HANSARD Local Government FinanceMy hon. Friend makes a very good point. Many of us can slip into speaking just about adult social care. We recognise the challenges of an elderly population. People growing older…08 Feb 2023HANSARD Local Government FinanceThe right hon. Member is absolutely right; it is about being able to plan ahead. Councils need certainty about what is coming to them. That point ties into a related issue: the…08 Feb 2023HANSARD Local Government FinanceMy hon. Friend is right. Apart from a housing revenue account with limited headroom, councils are facing pressures to build new homes and pressures to make existing homes more…08 Feb 2023HANSARDEnvironmental Improvement Plan 2023I want to declare an interest: I am a trustee of the small charity, Fields in Trust, that works with some local authorities in trying to achieve the target of no household being…01 Feb 2023HANSARDHillsborough Families Report: National Police ResponseAs someone who was present at Hillsborough on that terrible day and who was the leader of the council, I echo comments made by Conservative Members—first, about the incredibly…01 Feb 2023HANSARD Building SafetyI welcome the progress made so far. In a couple of weeks’ time, the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee will be looking further at the omissions that probably still…30 Jan 2023HANSARDElectric Vehicle Charging InfrastructureI do not know whether the Minister has been on a long journey in an electric car, but you can often travel for dozens of miles—perhaps more than 100—without finding a rapid…19 Jan 2023HANSARD Levelling-up Fund Round 2Thank you, Mr Speaker. Why do we not stop the pretence that this has anything whatever to do with levelling up? Councils have to spend a lot of time bidding for one of about 300…19 Jan 2023HANSARDElectric Vehicle Charging InfrastructureNot just at Christmas.19 Jan 2023HANSARDHousehold Energy BillsMay I ask the Secretary of State about two groups who have not had much support so far? One group is households on a communal heating scheme who get their heating bills from their…17 Jan 2023HANSARDSupported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) BillI beg to move amendment 1, in clause 3, page 4, line 8, at end insert— “(5) The Secretary of State may by regulations confer powers on local housing authorities to enforce the…11 Jan 2023HANSARDSupported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) BillMay I finish the conversation?11 Jan 2023HANSARDSupported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) BillI confirm that I will not press my amendment to a vote, given the Minister’s assurances. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn . Clauses 10…11 Jan 2023HANSARDSupported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) BillI echo the comments of the hon. Member for Harrow East, my honourable Select Committee friend. We worked together closely on the Bill, as did the whole Select Committee; our…11 Jan 2023HANSARDSupported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) BillIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Efford. I will not refer to your abject failure at the weekend to defeat Sheffield United in the cup. That would be very…11 Jan 2023