Contributions
169 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Changing Places Toilets: Capital FundingIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. This is the second or third time we have been in the same debate this week, so Members are in competition with me. I…16 Jul 2026HANSARD Changing Places Toilets: Capital FundingI thank the hon. Member for her passionate advocacy. Since the fund was allocated, we have had a significant spending review through which moneys were allocated to local…16 Jul 2026HANSARD Changing Places Toilets: Capital FundingI thank the hon. Lady for making that point. My hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford and I have spent a long time in local government, so we know all too well that…16 Jul 2026HANSARD Changing Places Toilets: Capital FundingMy hon. Friend is right to highlight the important point he made earlier. I was coming on to say that of course I absolutely welcome a dialogue with him, but also with the…16 Jul 2026HANSARD Changing Places Toilets: Capital FundingThat is very generous of the right hon. Member. I again thank all Members for their contributions and provide my reassurance that MHCLG will be committed to doing everything it…16 Jul 2026HANSARD Estate RegenerationIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. May I thank the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Orpington (Gareth Bacon), for his generous words? I also thank…15 Jul 2026HANSARD Estate RegenerationYes, and I have a long way to go. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Luke Murphy) for securing this important debate and thank all Members for their contributions.…15 Jul 2026HANSARD Estate RegenerationOf course I will. The Department welcomes any engagement about that. I have to emphasise that the engagement process requires more than just a “yes or no” tick box, and the best…15 Jul 2026HANSARDCoastal Communities: Isolation and Hidden DeprivationIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I also welcome the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Broxbourne (Lewis Cocking), to his place—although neither of…14 Jul 2026HANSARDCoastal Communities: Isolation and Hidden DeprivationI will address that point later in my speech. More than 5 million residents live in 169 coastal towns across England and Wales, and they deserve a voice and a future. The…14 Jul 2026HANSARDCoastal Communities: Isolation and Hidden DeprivationThe Pride in Place plan sets clear criteria: the first tranche of funding focused on deprivation, and the second focused on deprivation and community cohesion. I am happy to…14 Jul 2026HANSARDCoastal Communities: Isolation and Hidden DeprivationI will make a little progress. Pride in Place funding is important, because £20 million, including for 50 coastal communities, is not nothing. Alongside that, the Pride in Place…14 Jul 2026HANSARDCoastal Communities: Isolation and Hidden DeprivationI am happy to give way, but I will just say that after 14 years of austerity imposed on us by Conservatives and Lib Dems, Members should reflect on the multi-year settlement that…14 Jul 2026HANSARDCoastal Communities: Isolation and Hidden DeprivationThe hon. Lady and I have worked well together on Select Committees, and she advocates for her area incredibly well. Others across the political divide will agree with her…14 Jul 2026HANSARDCoastal Communities: Isolation and Hidden DeprivationIt is as though the hon. Gentleman has read my notes; I was just about to come to that. I welcome the opportunity to address that point, which has long been debated in both…14 Jul 2026HANSARDCoastal Communities: Isolation and Hidden DeprivationI apologise but I am going to make some progress because I have very little time. Some coastal communities face the same housing crisis challenges as areas elsewhere in the…14 Jul 2026HANSARDCoastal Communities: Isolation and Hidden DeprivationI am of course very happy to pick that up separately with representatives from the devolved nations, especially in relation to health, because some of the principles obviously go…14 Jul 2026HANSARD Regeneration in ReddishI entirely agree that local government has for too long been underfunded, and we are, as a Labour Government, having to respond to 14 years of deep austerity. Having spent 10…01 Jul 2026HANSARD Regeneration in ReddishI thank my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport (Navendu Mishra) for securing this debate, and for using this opportunity to highlight so powerfully not only the brilliant things…01 Jul 2026HANSARDHigh Street Regeneration and Unlawful StorefrontsIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Vaz. I thank the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Hamble Valley (Paul Holmes), for his warm words welcoming me to my…30 Jun 2026