Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill [Lords]

Crucial to devolution is who controls the money. We are currently negotiating the new Scottish se...

I will. The idea that business rates raised locally can be retained by local government, rather t...

My right hon. Friend talks about a long campaign and the trend towards devolution, as shown not l...

I understand the comments of my hon. Friend, who has been a clear and long-standing campaigner on...

Further to that intervention, will the Secretary of State confirm for the record that hon. Member...

I can certainly give that commitment. Hon. Members will have seen that the programme motion has t...

I congratulate the Secretary of State on bringing forward this Bill and on the hard work he has d...

I will indeed, and I would like to reciprocate the hon. Gentleman’s compliment. Both in his role ...

Let me take the right hon. Gentleman back to the subject raised by the right hon. Member for Woki...

I think the hon. Gentleman is being a bit churlish. Part of the mayor’s campaign was to have 100%...

The right hon. Gentleman is aware of the feeling of many Members about the Sunday trading liberal...

I would say two things to the hon. Gentleman. First, the consultation has not yet been responded ...

Let me make some progress; I will of course take further interventions a little later.

The ...

I know that the Secretary of State is fully committed to the Bill. He referred to it not imposing...

The Bill does not include the ability to impose any particular form, whether it be a combined aut...

Does the Secretary of State agree that any proposal for devolution needs to be ambitious and bold...

I commend my hon. Friend’s ingenuity in seeking to elicit an endorsement of that particular propo...

Further to the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham North (Mr Allen), the model...

The hon. Gentleman makes an excellent point. It is important that both back-bench councillors and...

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Let me finish answering the question from the hon. Member for Bury South (Mr Lewis).

Having...

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I give way to the newly right hon. Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Ms Stuart).

I agree with the Secretary of State’s notion that the devolution process will be asymmetric, so t...

The right hon. Lady reflects exactly why we need a bespoke approach rather than a single template...

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I give way to the hon. Gentleman. I must make some progress, but of course I will give way to Mem...

In the north-east of England, it seems that you are imposing a mayor on the leaders, and the feel...

Order. I am not imposing anything. The hon. Gentleman must not attribute to me what he is accusin...

You are on the other side of the game, aren’t you?

I am on the side of adherence to the rules, a concept that I am sure the hon. Gentleman, in his b...

If the hon. Gentleman studies the Bill, he will see that there is no ability for me to impose a m...

I am grateful to the Secretary of State. I wonder whether I can draw him out a little more. In th...

I am glad that my right hon. Friend has made that point, because it illustrates something that I ...

I am going to make some progress, but after I have done so, I will of course give way to Members ...

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I shall give way first to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Andrew Gwynne), who has been pa...

May I return the Secretary of State to the issue of identity? People will obviously not identify ...

Yes, I do. I think that the arrangements we require should have the potential to be equally trans...

I am grateful to the Secretary of State.

Yesterday, after nearly two decades of leadership ...

I will do that with all my heart. Sir Albert Bore has given distinguished and devoted service for...

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right to talk about proud cities, but I know that he will not ...

I will indeed. The Enterprise M3 LEP has been particularly successful in attracting high-tech bus...

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I will give way to my hon. Friend and then to the hon. Lady, but after that I must make some prog...

As a former councillor and, indeed, ward colleague of my right hon. Friend, may I express my viol...

Order. The jocularity of the hon. Gentleman’s intervention was equalled only by its length. May I...

In view of the proposed violence of my hon. Friend’s enthusiasm, I am glad that he is sitting ove...

I hope the Secretary of State will not regret giving way, because I am going to intrude on the so...

I am grateful for the hon. Lady’s intervention. All I would say is that the proposals on health d...

I am going to make some more progress and then take further interventions later—I think I have be...

The point is that we need good devolution and devolution that works. Let me take the Secretary of...

The right hon. Lady is absolutely right about that. Far from fragmenting health services, one of ...

I am going to make some progress. I have spoken for half an hour and a lot of Members want to spe...

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I want to make some progress and I will perhaps give way a little later.

During the last Pa...

I want to contribute later, but I wish to say something about the principle of devolvement. The T...

I am fully occupied with the Bill before us, and I am sure my colleagues will debate the hon. Gen...

I warmly welcome this Bill, and I hope to speak today in support of it and further devolution for...

That goes to the point about double devolution made by the hon. Member for Nottingham North. My h...

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I am going to make some progress, but I will give way to the Chairman of the Select Committee and...

I will not demur in any way from what the Secretary of State has just said. I congratulate him on...

That is a very good question, and I am sure we shall have other opportunities to discuss it. Devo...

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I will give way to my former colleague.

I warmly congratulate my right hon. Friend on the Bill. On the point about further powers that mi...

That is probably for another occasion, but of course these things need to be discussed and debate...

I am grateful to the Secretary of State. He will know that the biggest challenge facing health ca...

My hon. Friend has great experience in matters medical. This needs to be done by agreement. There...

Let me make some progress. I will not give way. I want to let other Members contribute, including...

I will not give way to colleagues who have intervened before. I give way to my hon. Friend the Me...

I am extremely grateful. My right hon. Friend rightly talks of engaging people throughout the cou...

I entirely agree. There is a debate to be had about the voting age. That should be considered on ...

I warmly support the Bill, which my right hon. Friend and others have long championed. I refer to...

My hon. Friend has great expertise in these matters and he will know that the London arrangements...

I beg to move,

That this House declines to give a Second Reading to the Cities and Local Go...

Can the hon. Gentleman explain how we can have both a comprehensive solution and only do it botto...

It is easy: we will launch, hopefully with other parties, a constitutional convention that will t...

I will take two or three interventions and will then move on, because we have to give Back Benche...

Can I take it from what the hon. Gentleman has said that under no circumstances will any future L...

We will engage in a national debate from the bottom up, using the constitutional convention, whic...

May I take my hon. Friend back to an issue that was raised with the Secretary of State: Sunday tr...

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Order. Before the shadow Minister continues, may I say that interventions must be very short? Mem...

I do give that commitment to my right hon. Friend the Member for Enfield North (Joan Ryan).

I will also try to make some progress before giving way again, because I have only got to the sec...

Perhaps some cross-party consensus could break out here, because I feel sure that if we had had a...

I agree, and my hon. Friend makes the point I am making.

I have received strong representat...

Will my hon. Friend confirm that it is my party’s position that we massively believe in the trans...

Of course; I said at the beginning of my speech that we are a pro-devolution party, but we want a...

Is the hon. Gentleman aware of the provisions relating to elected mayors in clause 3? Subsection ...

Every one of the leaders I have spoken to—they have been negotiating with the Treasury, by the wa...

Charming as the Secretary of State might be, he nevertheless gave wind to the prejudice that lurk...

We would look carefully at any amendment that was presented to us. The point I want to make is th...

I have a lot of sympathy with the points that my hon. Friend is making about the imposition of el...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say that local government leaders should not be directed by...

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In giving way to the hon. Gentleman, I invite him to tell us whether he supports the cuts that ha...

My question is quite simple. At what point is the hon. Gentleman going to start referring to the ...

I notice that the hon. Gentleman did not answer my question.

The Bill ought to include refe...

My hon. Friend is making an important point about local government finance. Certainly, the two co...

That emphasises my point. As much as the Bill may offer a form of devolution, the truth is that w...

The hon. Gentleman should be aware of the recent Cornwall deal, which deals with the very heart o...

As everybody in local government knows, the truth is that the Treasury deals with the big cities....

It is noteworthy that national organisations, such as the British Medical Association and the Nuf...

My hon. Friend makes an important point. That is why we need a comprehensive settlement to the co...

I am grateful for the opportunity to make a brief contribution so early in this important debate....

It is good that a consensus is being built across Greater Manchester. The hon. Gentleman is right...

I agree with the hon. Lady. It would be regrettable if, in seeking to devolve power, we ended up ...

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point about how one might unpick the constitutional arrange...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. These matters will need to be made clearer during the passag...

I do not intend to spend a great deal of time speaking on the Bill, as clearly it affects only En...

Londoners are broadly comfortable with the originally established system of devolution in London,...

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point on the ability to control housing policy. While the SNP is ...

I am delighted to speak in this important debate, as aside from the economy, devolution is one of...

During the debates on the European Union Referendum Bill, much was said about the voting age and ...

I am not making a comment as to the merits of the case. I am merely suggesting that if it is to b...

I have over the years had disagreements with the Secretary of State about the pace of change of d...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the Government already seem to have conceded that point in rel...

Yes, I think so. Ministers will have to explain that. I think their answer would be that Cornwall...

I am glad to have caught your eye in this very important debate, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am delighte...

I strongly welcome the Bill. It is an enabling Bill that will allow negotiations to take place be...

The hon. Gentleman has posed the most significant question in respect of elected mayors. Surely i...

Traditionally, it has been the responsibility of the Government to determine the structure of loc...

My hon. Friend is making a typically robust speech from his massive experience as a local governm...

I agree that that issue could become a road block to achieving what most people in this Chamber, ...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Blackley and Broughton (Graham Stringer), who spok...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr Prisk) and my hon. Frie...

In Wales, we suffer from referendum fatigue. Whenever significant powers are to be devolved to Wa...

There is a justification for having a referendum in London to consider the extension of powers: w...

I am enjoying very much my hon. Friend’s review of where we are on local government finance in Lo...

My hon. Friend is, as ever, ahead of me. I share his view that in time—particularly if there are ...

Thank you for calling me to speak in this very important debate, Mr Deputy Speaker. Listening to ...

As a fellow Yorkshire MP, I am listening carefully to what the hon. Gentleman says. Does he think...

I have a lot of sympathy for what the hon. Lady says. In horseracing terms, the Greater Yorkshire...

Before I came to this House in May, I had spent 18 years as a city councillor in Manchester, and ...

The citizens of Manchester were not given the option of a metro mayor; the proposal they rejected...

That is absolutely right and I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. I was just coming to th...

This is an important debate on an important piece of legislation and, like many of my colleagues,...

This is a great day. It is the beginning of what will be a very long journey. I think that we wil...

Part of that choice on localism is the level at which it is most appropriate to make decisions. F...

The movement from Whitehall to town hall is very welcome, but then we must go the extra mile. I a...

My hon. Friend is making a typically excellent speech. Is not the basic challenge of the Bill tha...

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. What we are doing now is pushing that enormous heavy ba...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Nottingham North (Mr Allen), who has been a long-t...

It is a great pleasure to follow my near neighbour, the hon. Member for Cleethorpes (Martin Vicke...

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this important debate. I welcome the further devolu...

As a former leader of a metropolitan council, I welcome devolvement and the powers it brings, in ...

My hon. Friend’s experience is very valuable in this matter. Bristol is the only core city to sup...

I take the view that local areas should have the widest ability to make their decisions, and if B...

I have been listening to the hon. Gentleman and to other Opposition Members, and I am heartened b...

I will get back to the hon. Lady as soon as the Secretary of State fills in his Labour party memb...

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this most important Second Reading debate, and it i...

The great city of Birmingham is the city of Chamberlain and the birthplace of municipal governmen...

Let me say at the outset that I believe in the principle that, as far as possible, decisions shou...

I am very pleased to be able to speak in this debate. I want to support the Bill and the principl...

I listened intently to the shadow Secretary of State’s response to the Secretary of State. He sug...

I will start by breaking the habit of a lifetime and agreeing with some of the contribution made ...

My hon. Friend is making excellent points, as did the hon. Member for Bury North (Mr Nuttall), wi...

I am glad my hon. Friend mentions Transport for Greater Manchester. One of the functions that wil...

My hon. Friend, a fellow Mancunian, is making an excellent impassioned speech about devolution. W...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We need absolute clarity from the Department of Health. I und...

I am pleased to rise in broad support of the Bill not only as a Member of Parliament for Hampshir...

Does my hon. Friend agree that freezing council tax is a good opportunity for local authorities t...

My hon. Friend knows from his distinguished service as leader of a borough council that it is abs...

As a fellow Hampshire MP, I am delighted that my hon. Friend has been able to speak. Does he agre...

My hon. Friend is a passionate champion of faster railways, and I agree that it is important not ...

I shall support the Bill on Second Reading. It follows closely some of what the Liberal Democrats...

That has not been the Government’s approach in the north-east, where combined authorities have be...

Indeed, and that is not something I would support. It should be for the combined authorities to d...

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on the Bill, and like several before me, I do so to hi...

I am very interested in the hon. Gentleman’s speech. If he is against the imposition by his Gover...

The hon. Lady anticipates a future paragraph in my speech; if she will wait with bated breath, sh...

As a councillor in the constituency that my hon. Friend now represents, and in his current role, ...

I must say that I have found very little enthusiasm among my constituents for the creation of ano...

I should declare an interest, as a vice-president of the Local Government Association.

I we...

Order. I call Robert Neill.

5.14 pm

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I warmly welcome the Bill, which places my right hon. Friend the...

In my experience, one of the most persistent criticisms over many years coming from people living...

On 16 July this year, an historic devolution deal for Cornwall was signed off by my right hon. Fr...

I am pleased to hear what the hon. Gentleman is announcing about Cornwall, but will he tell the H...

That was not the case, no. The powers were devolved to Cornwall Council, to the local enterprise ...

May I commend the Secretary of State for his genuine commitment to, and support of, local governm...

I am listening carefully to my hon. Friend. Does she agree that the Government are being complete...

Yes. If it is good enough for Bristol, it is good enough for Merseyside, and for any anywhere els...

Order. David Mackintosh.

5.37 pm

I am pleased to speak in this debate, because I think that the devolution proposals offer a uniqu...

Order. I am sorry to have to say that because of the large number of speakers who still want to c...

Like hon. Members across the House, I too welcome further devolution. I commend the incredibly co...

My hon. Friend will know that there are now advanced plans for an integrated care organisation in...

My hon. Friend has a considerable expertise and intelligence in that area, and I absolutely concu...

As an elected member of Dudley council, I support the Bill enthusiastically. For far too long, po...

Does my hon. Friend recognise that, as power is passed down to local councils, it is important to...

I could not agree more. In fact, it was a motion I moved in my council about a year ago. We need ...

Devolution, localism or whatever we call it is a bit like apple pie and motherhood—it is somethin...

My hon. Friend touches on a real concern because his area, like mine, has a low council tax base....

I will give one topical example. Redcar has just lost one of its major sources of local business ...

Does the hon. Gentleman disagree with his erstwhile colleague, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, w...

It might be, but let us take an example from the north-east such as Redcar. What will be the grow...

I speak not only in my role as an MP representing a constituency in a shire county, but as chairm...

I welcome the Bill, which takes much needed and well overdue steps to move power closer to the pe...

The hon. Gentleman talks about freedom from central Government, but he has to recognise that the ...

I work closely with my district council and we encourage business to locate and expand in my cons...

Not everywhere is like that.

I suggest that the hon. Gentleman be more business-facing and encourage businesses to come to his...

Does my hon. Friend recognise that any bid to devolve powers to the east midlands must give more ...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. There is a great deal of synergy between Nottinghamshire, Lei...

I just wish to make sure that it is not spelled Colvile, as I spell my name, but Coalville.

We are talking about the real coal.

I would maintain that the only viable bid that could be...

Order. I am sorry, but because of the interesting but lengthy interventions we will have to drop ...

I welcome the Second Reading of this Bill, which was successfully steered through the other place...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for calling me to speak in this important debate.

Our citi...

Having served as a Lincolnshire county councillor, I welcome the Government’s devolution proposal...

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this important debate. Before going any further, I ...

I support the Bill, as a Member representing a city that has benefited greatly from devolution. T...

I shall be extremely brief, Madam Deputy Speaker.

I welcome the Bill, I welcome devolution ...

The Chancellor and Secretary of State have grandly heralded a devolution revolution, but in fisca...

I am delighted to speak in favour of this Bill. The devolution debate has reached fever pitch in ...

This Bill will ensure that local people have a greater say in the development of their own commun...

Order. I do apologise, but we must proceed. I call Mr Richard Graham.

6.39 pm

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for calling me as tail-end Charlie in this most stimulating debate on an i...

I thank everyone who has taken part in what has been an excellent debate with many thoughtful con...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

I am sorry; time is short and I want to continue so that the Under-Secretary of State for Communi...

The Bill will empower our constituents. This is about transferring power away from Whitehall back...

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I will give way, but I do not intend to give way too often.

Briefly, does the Minister feel, on a matter of such significance, that two days on the Floor of ...

Yes, I do. We will have a very full and reasonable debate. Having listened to the contributions f...

rose—

I will give way, but for the final time.

Why, then, are the Government insisting that the north-east should have an elected mayor before g...

The Bill does not impose elected mayors on anybody. The discussions that we are having are about ...