Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill [Lords]

In the summer 2015 Budget, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor reaffirmed the Government’s commit...

It is excellent news that there will be more road and rail capacity between the northern cities, ...

We can boost rail capacity through a mixture of new lines and work to the existing network, along...

Like the Minister, I welcome the unpausing of the electrification of the trans-Pennine route, whi...

My hon. Friend is a vigorous campaigner for rail in the north of England, especially in his const...

The Minister talks about the importance of trans-Pennine links, which currently are pretty awful....

I caution the hon. Gentleman: the length of new clauses and amendments is not necessarily related...

Will the Minister explain again? What role will the body play in looking at a road tunnel under t...

I am coming to that later, so perhaps I will address the hon. Gentleman’s points then.

My right hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (John Redwood) talked about trains and railways. Wi...

I am not the maritime Minister, so I am not in the best position to comment, but we are seeing hu...

What my hon. Friend is saying makes sense, with transport being used an economic growth driver. C...

It would useful if the Minister could veer off the A303, which I am not aware is part of this Bil...

The A303 is not part of the Bill, but the A303, the A30 and the A358 are critical schemes in the ...

The section of the new clause that is headed “102M General powers” is drawn incredibly widely. Ca...

The new bodies are intended to create a link between Whitehall and Westminster and the constituen...

Will the Minister give us a little more detail about how the powers of the Secretary of State for...

The Secretary of State will still be in charge of the national network. He will still be the fina...

I am still not sure what role an STB will play. Will it be just an advisory body? Will it be just...

STBs’ responsibilities will start with the development of plans for their areas, as the hon. Gent...

It is welcome to hear the consensus for devolution from all parts of the House this afternoon, an...

The hon. Gentleman listed three or four ways of getting around, but did not mention ferries. Wher...

I am happy to add in any mode of transport that I inadvertently excluded from my list, and I am g...

rose—

Has my hon. Friend thought of another mode of transport that I missed?

No. My hon. Friend mentioned buses. Does he share my surprise that we are discussing this Bill wh...

I thank my hon. Friend for making that point. I hope that the Government will hear it while they ...

If the STB in a given area were to promote a road improvement that covered two different council ...

That is a matter for the Government, but my view is that this should all be done through co-opera...

Mrs Main, I understand that it is in order to talk about the other clauses remaining to the House...

I am reliably informed that new clause 29 is in the next group.

In which case I sit corrected.

Does the Minister wish to come back in at this point?

indicated dissent.

Question put and agreed to.

New clause 34 accordingly read a Secon...

I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

With this it will be convenient to discuss the following:

New clause 29—The Local Governmen...

I understand that it is appropriate briefly to mention the issue of Sunday trading when talking a...

I suggest to the hon. Gentleman that the provision is not there and that we cannot debate what is...

Absolutely, Mrs Main, although the Minister was courteous enough to respond to a point on this is...

I am responsible for LEPs, and I recognise that there are some great LEPs and others that can be ...

I am not going to name individual LEPs at this stage in the debate. If the Minister talks to LEPs...

I commend the hon. Member for Croydon North (Mr Reed) on the sentiments of his speech, if not ent...

My hon. Friend is talking specifically about London, but as the devolution deal goes through, wil...

My hon. Friend makes an entirely fair point, and I recognise his long experience in local governm...

May I associate myself with the very welcome proposals being made by my fellow co-chair of the al...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his support for the new clause. It is not intended to be ...

I want to talk about the very broad amendments that I have tabled. New clause 29 and new schedule...

I will say a few words about new clause 30. The Bill includes plenty of references to elected may...

I wish to raise two issues that the Government and the Committee will have to deal with at some p...

As I understand it, the Local Government Association estimates that the Housing and Planning Bill...

Order. I think the hon. Gentleman was trying to make a fair point about devolution and taking bac...

I will try to get back on to the straight and narrow, Mrs Main.

My point is that we need a ...

New clause 31 stands in my name and that of my hon. Friend the Member for Totnes (Dr Wollaston). ...

I am interested to hear my hon. Friend’s speech. One of the main problems in my constituency is p...

My hon. Friend makes a good point, and I hope he will support me in calling on the Government to ...

Might not one slight problem be the potential incentive to do it the other way around, meaning th...

My hon. Friend makes a good point, but the sad reality is that in all our communities we have an ...

Those of us with long local government experience never expected any Government to deliver devolu...

That is all very well, but in the case of a large rural county such as Lincolnshire, it would be ...

I see the logic of that, but my hon. Friend will know that in greater Lincolnshire the authoritie...

High commissioner.

Yes, high commissioner for Lincolnshire.

When I was reading the amendments, I was struck by...

We have had an interesting and wide-ranging discussion on this group of amendments. I have listen...

I agree with the Minister that this has been a good, interesting and productive debate. He says h...

I beg to move amendment 16, page 19, line 8, after “of” insert “, or made under,”

This amen...

With this it will be convenient to discuss clause 22 stand part.

Schedule 4 stand part.

Knowing as I do that hon. Members are familiar with the content and scope of the amendments and t...