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The LGA was mentioned 23 times in Parliament this week.
PAC session on financial sustainability of local
authorities
On Wednesday our Chief Executive, Mark Lloyd, gave evidence
to the Public Accounts Committee as part of their inquiry
into the NAO’s report on the financial sustainability of local authorities.
This followed our written
evidence. During the session, Mark praised the work of councils in managing
£16 billion of central government funding reductions over this decade. He also
highlighted the over £5 billion funding gap facing the sector by 2019/20,
alongside the pre-existing pressure to stabilise the adult social care provider
market. The panel of local government representatives spoke about the
demand-led pressures facing adult social care, children’s services and
homelessness, and our evidence called for further business rates retention to
be implemented without new duties to allow councils’ funding gaps to be
plugged.
If you would like any further information, please contact Mel.
LGA gives evidence on childhood obesity
On
Tuesday Cllr Richard Kemp, a lead member on our Community Wellbeing Board, gave evidence on childhood obesity to the
Health and Social Care Committee. This followed written evidence that the LGA submitted in
April. Addressing the Committee, Cllr Kemp highlighted that tackling childhood
obesity was a priority area for local government and that councils are
increasingly take up planning powers to restrict or reduce the introduction of
further takeaways to local high streets. He also highlighted the work being
done by a number of authorities to work with takeaways to develop healthier
food options.
If you would
like any further information, please contact Nina.
MPs debate social care provision and NHS
On Thursday there was a debate on social care provision and the NHS,
tabled by Ruth George MP (Labour, High Peak). In her speech Ms George highlighted the funding cuts faced by councils, the
increase in demand for social care services, and the instability of the
provider market. Barbara Keeley MP (Labour, Worsley and Eccles South), the
Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care, quoted the LGA’s call for an
immediate injection of £1.3 billion to fill the gap facing adult social care
today. Responding to the debate, Caroline Dinenage MP (Conservative, Gosport),
acknowledged the funding pressures facing councils. She also highlighted the
reductions in delayed transfers of care attributable to social care. Ms
Dinenage reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to publishing the adult social
care Green Paper by the summer.
If you would
like any further information, please contact Nina.
Question on funding for local government children’s
services
Lord Bassam (Labour) asked
the Government whether there was sufficient funding for children’s social
care, in light of the NAO’s finding that local government funding has been cut
by 50 per cent since 2010 and the LGA’s estimate that children’s services are
facing a funding gap of around £2 billion by 2020. Responding for the
Government, Lord Young said that local authorities had done well to maintain
good quality services with reduced resources. He spoke about the increase to
the cap on council tax to 3 per cent, the additional £2 billion funding for
adult social care, and local authority reserves. He said that the Government “believe[s] that [councils] now have the
resources available to continue to provide good-quality services to children”.
In response, a number of Peers raised concerns about the impact funding
pressures are having on early help services.
If you would like any further information, please contact Charlotte.
MPs debate concessionary bus passes
Daniel Zeichner MP (Labour, Cambridge) led a debate on concessionary bus passes on Tuesday,
to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the scheme. We briefed MPs ahead of the debate, highlighting
the £200 million funding gap facing councils paying for older people’s passes.
Mr Zeichner hailed the concessionary pass as a “huge success”, and called on
the Government to provide ring-fenced funding to local authorities, whilst
referring to our figures on the funding gap. Shadow Transport Minister, Matt
Rodda MP (Labour, Reading East) also quoted our analysis.
Transport Minister, Nusrat Ghani MP (Conservative, Wealden), said funding is
available through the bus service operators grant, with £40 million going
directly to councils.
For more information, please get in touch with Tom.
Committees report on
the Government’s plans for transforming children’s mental health services
On Wednesday the Health and Social Care Committee and
Education Committees published the report
on their joint inquiry into transforming children’s and adolescent mental
health services (CAMHS). A statement
on the report was made in the House of Commons the following day. Health
and Social Care Committee Member Luciana Berger MP (Labour, Liverpool
Wavertree) stated that the Committees had jointly found that the Government’s
CAMHS Green Paper lacked ambition and represents a missed opportunity. Philip Hollobone MP (Conservative, Kettering) commended
the Committees’ work on the report and its recommendations. In particular he
welcomed the recommendation to carry out a full assessment of the transition
arrangements between children’s’ and adult services, which is a point that the LGA
raised in its contribution to the inquiry.
If you would
like any further information, please contact Nina.
MPs debate the role
of the Office for Product Safety Standards
In a debate tabled by Carolyn Harris MP (Labour, Swansea
East) on Wednesday, MPs
considered the role of the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).
In the debate it was clear that, while MPs largely welcomed the creation of the
OPSS, there were concerns about its scope, how it would engage with
stakeholders and the issue and cost of enforcement of trading standards. Ms
Harris highlighted figures from our trading standards review, which stated that
between 2010 and 2015 there have been cuts of more than 40 per cent to local
government. Responding for Government, Business Minister, Andrew Griffiths MP (Burton) stated
that the Government is committed to maintaining the highest level of consumer protection,
which is why it created the first ever national technical expertise to support
local authority trading standards teams. He stated that the OPSS will provide
additional support for local teams and support trading standards officers
across the country.
If you would
like any further information, please contact Nina.
EU (Withdrawal) Debate, Report (day 6)
The EU (Withdrawal) Bill completed
Report Stage this week. The House of Lords made further changes to the
Bill, including amendments requiring the UK to stay within the European
Economic Area and removing the fixed exit date written into the legislation.
The Bill will now move to Third Reading on Wednesday 16 May, after which it
will move back to the House of Commons for MPs to consider the changes made by
Peers.
If you would like any further information, please contact Charlotte.
Committee of the Regions
MHCLG Minister, Lord Bourne, has written to members of the House
of Lords updating them on progress towards replicating the consultative
arrangements for local government currently provided through the EU’s Committee
of the Regions, following our successful campaigning. Lord Bourne told Peers
that the Government envisages twice-yearly meetings between relevant ministers
and the LGA and the equivalent associations in Wales, Scotland and Northern
Ireland. The associations would produce written opinions on proposed
legislation and policies and the Government would publish a response, with
copies of both papers put before Parliament. We will continue to work with
officials on the details of the new arrangements.
If you would like any further information, please contact Charlotte.
PMQs
At PMQs this week, the Leaders’ exchange between Labour Leader
Jeremy Corbyn and the Prime Minister Theresa May
focused on the Government’s Customs Partnership proposals. There were
questions from backbench MPs on plastics and
recycling, the rollout of Universal Credit, investment in infrastructure, and
the impact of police funding issues on the ability to respond to crime.
For more
information please contact Nathan.
Post-Brexit
environmental framework consultation
This document seeks
to ensure that environmental protections will not be weakened as we leave the
EU and to establish a body to hold the Government to account for environment outcomes.
The consultation closes on 2 August 2018.
A revised Fire
and Rescue National Framework for England
This document summarises the Government’s response to the
public consultation on proposed revisions to the fire and rescue national
framework. You can view the revised fire and rescue
national framework that has now been published and replaces the 2012
version.
Improving the
use of planning conditions: consultation on draft regulations
This document summarises the Government’s response to the
consultation on draft regulations, setting out the circumstances when a
pre-commencement planning condition can be imposed without the written
agreement of the applicant.
Online
Consultations - Public engagement
This document sets out alternative ways to offer patients
consultations with their GP or other practice-based health professional online
via the internet.
Air pollution:
outdoor air quality and health: Topic engagement
This document is requesting information on five key areas
for quality improvement.
Rehabilitation in people with severe and
enduring mental illness: Draft scope consultation
The National
Institute for Health and Care Excellence are calling for comments on their
draft scope consultation which is expected to be published on 19 June 2020. This consultation closes on 15 May 2018.
Food advertising to children on TV: an open
call for evidence
The UK Code of
Broadcast Advertising are calling for evidence to be submitted on the impact of
food and soft drink advertising before 16 May 2018. This consultation closes on 16 May 2018.
Monday 14 May
- Education Questions, House of Commons
- Debate on, that this House has considered
e-petition 206722 relating to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Paul Scully MP
(Conservative, Sutton and Cheam), House of Commons
- Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee,
Planning guidance on fracking, evidence from Sally Gill (Group Planning Manager,
Nottinghamshire County Council), Nicola Howarth (Minerals Planner, Peak
District National Park Authority), Andrew Mullaney (Head of Planning and
Environment, Lancashire County Council), Richard Flinton (Chief Executive,
North Yorkshire County Council), Mark Ellis-Jones (Programme Executive -
Onshore Oil & Gas Programme, Environment Agency), Tom Wheeler (Director of
Regulation, UK Oil and Gas Authority), Chris Flint (Director, Energy Division,
HSE), House of Commons
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Draft Dorset (Structural Changes) (Modification
of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007) Regulations
2018 and the Draft Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole (Structural Changes) Order
2018, House of Commons
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Adjournment debate on enforcement action by the
Environment Agency in Washington and Sunderland West, Sharon Hodgson MP
(Labour, Washington and Sunderland West), House of Commons
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Data Protection Bill, Consideration of Commons
Amendments, Lord Ashton of Hyde (Conservative), House of Lords
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Question on the importance of tourism to the
economy of the UK, Lord Lee of Trafford (Liberal Democrats), House of Lords
Tuesday 15 May
- Remaining stages of the Rating (Property in Common
Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Bill, House of Commons
- Debate on Housing and Homes, House of Commons
- Education Committee, Quality of apprenticeships and skills
training, evidence from Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, Anne Milton
MP, Sir Gerry Berragan (Chief Executive, Institute for Apprenticeships), Paul
Joyce (Deputy Director for Further Education & Skills Ofsted), Keith Smith
(Director of Apprenticeships, Education and Funding Agency), Rory Kennedy
(Director of Apprenticeships, Department for Education), House of Commons
- Home Affairs Committee, Windrush children, evidence from the
Home Secretary Sajid Javid MP, Glyn Williams (Director General for Border,
Immigration and Citizenship), House of Commons
- Question on Protecting the rights of wheelchair users to
travel on buses, Baroness Deech (Crossbench), House of Lords
Wednesday 16 May
- European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, Third Reading, House of
Lords
- Adjournment debate on funding fire safety cladding at
Heysmoor Heights in Liverpool, Louise Ellman MP (Labour, Liverpool Riverside), House of Commons
- Debate on housing and access to legal aid, Ruth Cadbury MP
(Labour, Brentford and Isleworth), House of Commons
- Debate on 70th anniversary of the NHS and public
health, Nick Smith MP (Labour, Blaenau Gwent), House of Commons
- Public Accounts Committee, converting schools into
academies, evidence from Emma Knights (Chief Executive, National Governance
Association), Les Walton (Chair, Northern Education Trust), Paul Walker (Chair,
Devon Association of Primary Heads), Jonathan Slater (Permanent Secretary),
Andrew McCully (Director General, Infrastructure and Funding, Department for
Education), House of Commons
- Draft Somerset West and Taunton (Modification of Boundary
Change Enactments) Regulations 2018 and the draft Somerset West and Taunton
(Local Government Changes) Order 2018, House of Commons
- European Scrutiny Committee, European Union withdrawal,
evidence from Karen Bradley MP (Secretary of State for Northern Ireland), Colin
Perry (Director EU Exit and Economy, House of Commons
- European Union Scrutiny Committee, European Union
Withdrawal, evidence from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen
Bradley MP, and Colin Perry (Director, EU Exit and Economy), House of Commons
- European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, Third Reading , House of
Lords
- Question on introducing a national autism and education
strategy, Lord Touhig (Labour), House of Lords
- Debate on strategies the Government have considered to
alleviate the workload demands faced by social workers, Lord Kennedy of
Southwark (Labour), House of Lords
- Question on strategies the Government have considered to
alleviate the workload demands faced by social workers, Baroness Richardson of
Calow (Crossbench), House of Lords
Thursday 17 May
- Debate on First Report of the Housing, Communities and Local
Government Committee, Effectiveness of local authority overview and scrutiny
committees, HC 369, and the Government Response, Cm 9569, Clive Betts MP
(Labour, Sheffield South East), House of Commons
- Motion on plastic bottles and coffee cups, House of Commons
- Question on steps the Department of Health and Social Care
and the NHS are taking to support the mental health of the NHS workforce in
England, Baroness Thornton (Labour), House of Lords
- European Union External Affairs Sub Committee, Brexit:
customs arrangements, House of Lords
If you have queries in relation to the items above or any other parliamentary issues, please feel free to get in touch with the Public Affairs team.
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