Contributions
387 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD English Devolution and Community Empowerment BillI want to talk first about public engagement. Fellow members of the Bill Committee know that I am not convinced that the Bill delivers the public involvement and community…25 Nov 2025HANSARD English Devolution and Community Empowerment BillI thank my former colleague for his “Hear, hear!” Let me talk about governance systems and the committee system. My No. 1 goal in all this has been to try to keep the committee…25 Nov 2025HANSARD English Devolution and Community Empowerment BillThe Minister failed to tell us how the tourist tax would be brought forward in legislation. With the announcement coming yesterday, and after all the opportunities they had in…25 Nov 2025HANSARD English Devolution and Community Empowerment BillI, too, was pleased to sit on the Public Bill Committee, but sadly I cannot spare the time to review everyone’s performance, so I will get straight to the point. My amendments for…24 Nov 2025HANSARD English Devolution and Community Empowerment BillMay I invite the hon. Member to move new clause 29? I do not know if that is possible at this stage.24 Nov 2025HANSARD English Devolution and Community Empowerment BillWill the Minister give way?24 Nov 2025HANSARD Business of the HouseElla’s law—the Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill—will now not get its Second Reading on 21 November, despite wide cross-party support. Will the Leader of the House ensure that the…13 Nov 2025HANSARD Police ReformThe Government are creating new boards from council leaders, but abolishing, not restocking, the police and crime scrutiny panels. Does the Minister recognise that this risks…13 Nov 2025HANSARD Police ReformAs was I.13 Nov 2025HANSARDBBC LeadershipThe BBC employs thousands of tremendous journalists who are diligent, truth-seeking and impartial. It is not perfect, but we must defend this national asset. We cannot be left to…11 Nov 2025HANSARDBusiness Rates: Affordability for SMEsGrassroots music venues are a vital part of the heart, soul and economy of Brighton Pavilion. Treasury Ministers have admitted that fairer business rates valuation methods are not…04 Nov 2025HANSARDBusiness Rates: Affordability for SMEs8. What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the affordability of business rates for small and medium-sized enterprises.04 Nov 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)Putting this duty on to individual smaller councils might be burdensome, but at a strategic authority level, collecting this information would seem to be really positive. As we…28 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)I very much support the new clause, and put my name to it to demonstrate that. I want to say a few words about why the new clause is so appropriate for the Bill. It would allow…28 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)To what everyone else has said, I want to add that, while I have spent a lot of time in the Committee complaining that scrutiny is not done well, we have done a really good job of…28 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)I do not wish to move the new clause, but my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol Central (Carla Denyer) may bring it back on Report. New Clause 56 Authority involvement in local…28 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)There is confusion because I have argued that larger councils could lead to greater remoteness, certainly because the town hall may be many miles away. However, people will still…28 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)Those are all excellent points that I could have made. Allotments cross many different policy areas and areas of benefit. My experience of allotments and community food growing…28 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)I implore the Minister to go away and look at this again. The courts have confirmed that transport schemes, such as the cycleway running along the Embankment, do not count as…28 Oct 2025HANSARDEnglish Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Twelfth sitting)I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time. It is a pleasure to move the new clause in the name of the right hon. Member for Islington North (Jeremy Corbyn), who is a…28 Oct 2025