Highlights

The LGA was mentioned 13 times in Parliament this week.

Statement on NHS funding

The Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt MP, made a statement on Monday updating on government plans to boost NHS funding by more than £20 billion a year by 2023. This statement included the disappointing news that the much-needed Green Paper will be delayed until the Autumn. Across the week, our spokespeople have featured prominently across the media warning of the consequences of delaying a long-term funding solution for the care and support services councils provide and promoting councils’ outstanding work in helping people to live healthy lives, which reduces pressures on our health and care services. We continue to push the need to solve the adult social care short- and long-term funding crisis, and to ensure that it is given equal parity with the NHS.

For more information, please contact Nina.

EU (Withdrawal) Bill passed by Parliament

This week the much debated EU Withdrawal Bill returned to the House of Commons for its final consideration by MPs. The Government were able to reach a compromise with MPs regarding a ‘meaningful vote’ on the final deal negotiated with the European Union. The Bill was then returned to the House of Lords where the Bill was accepted. The Bill is now awaiting Royal Assent. The final version of the Bill can be viewed here.

 For more information, please contact Nina.

‘Staircase Tax’ and empty homes Bill

The Rating (Property in Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Bill was debated at Committee Stage in the House of Lords. The Bill passed without amendment, and now progresses to Report Stage. LGA Vice-President, Lord Shipley (Liberal Democrat), asked for assurance from the Government that 100 per cent business rates retention pilot areas will not end up having to repay more money than they received from the ‘staircase tax’. The Minister, Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, replied that the Government is engaging with the LGA and others to address the issue.

For more information, please contact Tom.

Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Bill

MPs scrutinised legislation to bring forward minimum legal housing standards this week. Ahead of its committee stage, we issued a briefing in support of the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill, highlighting some of the additional resources councils need in order to improve housing standards. Several amendments tabled by the Bill’s sponsor, Karen Buck MP (Labour, Westminster North) were agreed to, and the Bill passed to Report Stage.

 For more information, please contact Tom.

Peers debate Carers Action Plan

On Thursday, Baroness Redfern led a debate on the Carers Action Plan and support for carers in the House of Lords. We briefed ahead of the debate, and it was positive that our key lines regarding funding pressures facing both adult social care and children’s services were highlighted, as well as our call for the Carers Action Plan to be used as an opportunity to identify unknown carers. Speaking in the debate, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health, Baroness Jolly, criticised the Government for omitting MHCLG from the list of departments that signed the action plan. Responding for Government, Baroness Manzoor advised that, with regard to funding, the Social Care Green Paper will build on the additional £2 billion made available to meet social care needs.

For more information, please contact Nina.

Minister gives evidence on Devolution and Exiting the European Union

On Wednesday the Minister for the Cabinet Office, David Lidington MP, gave evidence to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee’s inquiry on devolution and exiting the European Union. Cllr Kevin Bentley previously gave evidence to this inquiry on behalf of the LGA to promote councils’ key priorities. Committee Members heard from the Minister on a range of issues including the consultative process around the introduction of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill and engagement with devolved governments.

 For more information, please contact Nina.

Housing, Communities and Local Government Questions

The ministerial team at the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government fielded questions from MPs on Monday. The session was wide ranging, including exchanges on homelessness, social housing, children’s services, planning, and social care. Several MPs asked why social care had not been awarded a similar level of funding as the NHS, following the Prime Minister’s recent pledge. In response to these questions, ministers said the upcoming Social Care Green Paper would explore a ‘long-term sustainable settlement’.

For more information, please contact Tom.

Health and Social Care Questions

On Tuesday Ministers from the Department for Health and Social Care took questions from MPs on progress being made on a range of social care and health issues. This followed the Government’s recent announcement regarding the delay in the publication in the Care and Support Green Paper and further funding for the NHS. A number of MPs raised questions on social care funding, as well as funding for public health and mental health provision.

 For more information, please contact Nina.

PMQs

In Prime Minister’s Questions, the extra funding for the NHS recently announced by the Government was raised by Leader of the Opposition, Jeremy Corbyn MP. Referring to the £1.3 billion currently needed to stabilise the social care provider market, Mr Corbyn asked the Prime Minister why she is yet to provide a similar level of funding for social care and public health. Mrs May said further details would be set out ahead of the Spending Review. There were backbench questions on preventing drowning, children in care, planning and climate change.

 For more information, please contact Tom.

Statements and questions

There were a number of statements and questions this week of interest to local government. As well as the statement on Monday from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Hunt MP, on the Prime Minister’s announcement of a new long-term funding plan for the NHS, there were also written statements on the EU negotiations and the EU (Withdrawal) Bill.

 For more information, please contact Mel.

Consultations

Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, consultation on banning the use of combustible materials in the external walls of high-rise residential buildings

Closes: 14/08/2018

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, consultation on Heritage Lottery Fund Policy Directions

Closes: 27/07/2018

Looking ahead

Monday 25 June

• Education Questions, House of Commons
• Public Accounts Committee, Ofsted’s inspection of schools inquiry, witnesses include Amanda Spielman (HM Chief Inspector), Matthew Coffey (Chief Operating Officer, Ofsted), Jonathan Slater (Permanent Secretary, Department for Education), House of Commons
• Delegated Legislation Committee, Draft Digital Government (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2018 and the draft Information Sharing Code of Practice: Code of Practice for public authorities disclosing information under Chapter 1, 3 and 4 (Public Service Delivery, Debt and Fraud) of Part 5 of the Digital Economy Act 2017, House of Commons
• Motion on National Policy Statement (New Runway Capacity and Infrastructure at Airports in the South East of England), House of Commons
• Question on effectiveness of apprenticeship levy (Lord Fox, Liberal Democrat), House of Lords
• Motion to approve Digital Government (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2018; Information Sharing Code of Practice: Code of Practice for public authorities disclosing information under Chapters 1, 3 and 4 (Public Service Delivery, Debt and Fraud) of Part 5 of the Digital Economy Act 2017; Research Code of Practice and Draft Accreditation Criteria; Data Sharing Code of Practice: Code of practice for civil registration officials disclosing information under section 19AA of the Registration Service Act 1953; Statistics Statement of Principles and Draft Code of Practice on changes to data systems, House of Lords
• Joint Committee on National Security Strategy, evidence from David Lidington MP (Cabinet Office Minister) and Ciaran Martin (Chief Executive, National Cyber Security Centre), House of Lords

 Tuesday 26 June

• Environmental Audit Committee, Hand car washes inquiry, witnesses include Cllr Alan Rhodes (LGA Modern Slavery Spokesperson), House of Commons
• Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Devolution and Exiting the EU inquiry, evidence from Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London), House of Commons
• Defence Committee, Armed forces and veterans mental health inquiry, witnesses include Tobias Ellwood MP (Minister for Defence People and Veterans) and Jackie Doyle-Price MP (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Mental Health and Inequalities), House of Commons
• Debate on council tax and second homes (Derek Thomas MP, Conservative, St Ives), House of Commons
• Ten Minute Rule Motion, Food Advertising (Protection of Children from Targeting), (Kirstene Hair MP, Con, Angus), House of Commons
• Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Public Bill Committee (1st and 2nd sittings), House of Commons
• Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill, Consideration of Lords amendments, House of Commons
• Debate on youth services (Lord Storey, Liberal Democrat), House of Lords
• Question on benefits package for communities surrounding Hinkley Point C (Baroness Featherstone, Liberal Democrat), House of Lords

 Wednesday 27 June

• Cabinet Office Questions, House of Commons
  
• Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Independent review of building regulations inquiry, witnesses include Lord Porter (Chairman, Local Government Association), Adrian Dobson (Executive Director, Royal Institute of British Architects), Mark Hardingham (Chair, Protection and Business Safety Committee, National Fire Chiefs Council), Sir Ken Knight (Chair, the Independent Expert Advisory Panel), David Smith (Policy Director, Residential Landlords Association), Huw Evans (Director, Association of British Insurers), House of Commons
• Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Dangerous dogs inquiry, witnesses include councillor Anita Lower (Deputy Chair, LGA Safer and Stronger Communities Board), Deputy Chief Constable Gareth Pritchard (lead for dangerous dogs, National Police Chiefs Council) and Inspector Patrick O'Hara (Dog Training School & Status Dog Unit, Metropolitan Police Service), House of Commons
• Work and Pensions Committee, Benefit sanctions inquiry, evidence from Alok Sharma MP (Employment Minister), House of Commons
• Education Committee, Accountability hearings, evidence from Damian Hinds MP (Secretary of State for Education), House of Commons
• Public Accounts Committee, Progress review of Home Office performance, witnesses include Sir Philip Rutnam (Permanent Secretary, Home Office), House of Commons
  
• Debate on the provision of healthcare on English islands (Bob Seely MP, Conservative, Isle of Wight), House of Commons
• Question on what benefit the Government anticipate from the increased funding recently announced for grammar schools (Lord Bassam, Labour), House of Lords
• Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Bill, Report Stage, House of Lords

Thursday 28 June

• Women and Equalities Questions, House of Commons
• Debate on improving air quality, House of Commons
• Debate on support for armed forces veterans (Peter Heaton-Jones MP, Conservative, North Devon)
• Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Public Bill Committee (3rd and 4th sittings)
• Debate on role and responsibilities of Police and Crime Commissioners (Lord Armstrong, Crossbench), House of Lords
• Debate on challenges facing disabled people in the UK (Baroness Thomas, Liberal Democrat), House of Lords
• Debate on preventing and countering violent extremism (Lord Purvis, Liberal Democrat), House of Lords
• Debate on rehabilitation for stroke survivors (Lord Lingfield, Conservative), House of Lords
• Question on the impact of the Boarding School Partnership information service and how many children who would otherwise have been taken into local authority care have been given places in state boarding schools as a result (Lord Farmer, Conservative), House of Lords

 Friday 29 June

• Private Members’ Bills, House of Lords

Get in touch

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.