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The LGA was mentioned 8 times in Parliament this week.
Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement
In a Written Ministerial Statement the Government has announced that it will delay publication of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement until after Parliament's vote on the EU Withdrawal Agreement. The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, James Brokenshire MP, also confirmed the period of time for councils to make their response will not be shortened. We will provide a full briefing analysing the implications for councils. The EU Withdrawal Agreement was debated on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week, and we anticipate the publication of the Settlement to come soon after the meaningful vote, which is set for Tuesday 11 December.
For more information get in touch with Tom.
Digital government
Councillor Peter Fleming, Chair of the LGA’s Improvement and Innovation Board, gave evidence to the Science and Technology Committee on digital government. Appearing alongside the Office for National Statistics and Deloitte, Councillor Fleming said good local services rely on effective data sharing between central and local government. Councillor Fleming explained that councils are continually improving their use of data, and there was agreement among the witnesses that departments across Whitehall had benefited from the creation of the Government Digital Service.
For more information get in touch with Tom.
Maintained and free schools
MPs debated maintained and free schools this week with many pointing to the success of local authority schools. Mike Kane MP (Labour, Wythenshawe and Sale East) referred to local government’s record in helping to improve schools. He also highlighted LGA findings that nearly 134,000 children will miss out on a secondary school place by 2023/24. Alex Cunningham MP (Labour, Stockton North) pointed to the lack of provision for children with special educational needs. In closing the debate, Schools Minister, Nick Gibb MP, said the Government would extend the free schools and acadamies programme to areas that have not previously benefited from it.
For more information get in touch with Iredia.
Mental health and wellbeing
This week, MPs debated mental health provision and wellbeing in schools. LGA Vice-President, Layla Moran MP (Liberal Democrat, Oxford West and Abingdon) called the debate and highlighted pressures on child and adolescent mental health services, as well as the impact of cuts on local government and community provision. Schools Minister, Nick Gibb MP pointed to measures the Government had introduced to support mental health for young people, including the Green Paper on children and young people’s mental health.
For more information get in touch with Iredia.
The UK’s economic relationship with the EU
MPs on the Treasury Committee took evidence from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond MP, on the UK’s economic relationship with the EU. Mr Hammond said that the 2019 Spring Statement would be delivered between 26 February and 31 March next year. The session covered many issues including the impact of the ‘backstop’, a potential ‘Brexit dividend’, and future trade deals. Pressed on the regional impact of a ‘no-deal’ scenario, the Chancellor said regions with higher levels of exposure to EU trade would likely be those most at risk.
For more information get in touch with Tom.
PMQs
At PMQs this week, the Leader of the Opposition, Jeremy Corbyn MP, focused his questions on Universal Credit and asked the Prime Minister if she would stop its rollout ahead of Christmas. In response, the Prime Minister stated the Government had listened to issues caused by Universal Credit and had made the necessary changes to ensure that nobody has to wait for the money they may need. Backbench contributions of interest to local government were on the Mental Health Act, potholes and road repair funding, and special education needs and disability (SEND) funding.
For more information get in touch with Nathan.
Consultation on the national strategy to reduce gambling harms
This consultation seeks views on the five proposed priority areas for action over the life of the strategy.
This consultation closes on 15/02/2018
Monday 10 December
- Debate on Section 13 (1)(b) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Day 4), House of Commons
- Housing, Communities and Local Government (including Topical Questions), House of Commons
- Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Leasehold Reform, evidence from Gillian Boyle (Strategic Development Directorate, Manchester City Council), Larissa Reed (Executive Director for Neighbourhoods Communities & Housing, Brighton and Hove City Council), Amy Simmons (Head of Policy, National Housing Federation), Anthony Essien (Chief Executive, Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE), Jonathan Smithers (Former President, Law Society of England and Wales), Beth Rudolph (Director of Delivery, Conveyancing Association), House of Commons
- Question on computers provided under the Disabled Student’s Allowance, Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat), House of Lords
- Debate on the negotiated withdrawal agreement laid before the House on Monday 26 November 2018 with the title ‘Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community’ and the framework for the future relationship laid before the House on Monday 26 November 2018 with the title ‘Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom’ (Day 3), Baroness Evans of Bowes Park (Conservative), House of Lords
- Debate on the ‘Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community’ - motion to regret (Day 3), Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour), House of Lords
Tuesday 11 December
- Economic Affairs Committee, social care funding in England, evidence from Sarah Pickup (Deputy Chief Executive, Local Government Association), House of Lords
- Debate on Section 13 (1)(b) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Day 5), House of Commons
- Debate on state aid, public ownership and workers rights following Brexit, Laura Smith MP (Labour, Crewe and Nantwich), House Commons
- HM Treasury (including Topical Questions), House of Commons
- Debate on the staffing levels in the NHS, Tracy Brabin MP (Labour, Batley and Spen), House of Commons
- Public Bill Committee, Finance (No. 3) Bill, House of Commons
- Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill, Third Reading, House of Lords
- Tenant Fees Bill, Report Stage, House of Lords
- Question on work carried out within the NHS to improve access to specialist services in areas which are remote from main hospitals, Lord Beith (Liberal Democrat), House of Lords
- Question on improving the energy performance of buildings as a contribution towards reducing carbon emissions and achieving the UK’s climate change obligations, Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat), House of Lords
- Rural Economy Committee, Rural Economy, evidence from (at 10:00 am) Rt Hon Lord Henley (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), (at 10:45 am) Jake Berry MP (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Local Growth), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government), House of Lords
- Intergenerational Fairness and Provision Committee, evidence from (at 11:40 am) Kit Malthouse MP (Minister of State for Housing, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government), House of Lords
- Regenerating Seaside Towns and Communities Committee, Regenerating Seaside Towns, evidence from (at 3:20 pm) Catherine Wright (Director of Digital & Skills, Flood & Coastal Risk Management, Environment Agency), (at 4:10 pm), Adam Bryan (Managing Director, South East LEP), Jonathan Sharrock (Chief Executive, Coast to Capital LEP), House of Lords
Wednesday 12 December
- Debate on Fuel Poverty, House of Commons
- Debate on NHS reorganisation, Faisal Rashid MP (Labour, Warrington South), House of Commons
- Women and Equalities Committee, work of the Government Equalities Office, evidence from Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP (Secretary of State for International Development and Minister for Women and Equalities), Elysia McCaffrey (Deputy Head, Government Equalities Office), House of Commons
- Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, the social impact of participation in culture and sport, evidence from Edward Argar MP (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice), Steve Brine MP (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health and Primary Care), Mims Davies MP (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Sport and Civil Society), Michael Ellis MP (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Arts, Heritage and Tourism), Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP (Minister of State for School Standards), House of Commons
- Public Accounts Committee, driving value in public spending, evidence from John Manzoni (Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office), James Bowler (Director General for Public Spending, HM Treasury), House of Commons
- Question on the People’s Vote on Brexit, Lord Dykes (Crossbench), House of Lords
- Question on providing serviced plots for self- and custom- built homes in order to meet social and other housing needs, Lord Naseby (Conservative), House of Lords
- Health and Social Care (National Data Guardian) Bill, Third Reading, House of Lords
- Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Bill, Committee Stage, House of Lords
- Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (Amendment) Order 2018, House of Lords
Thursday 13 December
- Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (including Topical Questions), House of Commons
- Debate on the public health model to reduce youth violence, Theresa May (Prime Minister), House of Commons
- Debate on the protection for homebuyers, Kate Green MP (Labour, Stretford and Urmston), House of Commons
- Debate on rural post offices, Derek Thomas MP (Conservative, St Ives), House of Commons
- Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, the work of the Cabinet Secretary, evidence from Sir Mark Sedwill (Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service), John Manzoni (Chief Executive of the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary (Cabinet Office)), House of Commons
- Questions on the discussions between the BBC and Public Health England regarding a joint strategic plan on childhood obesity, Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour), House of Lords
- Question on the report by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, 'Brexit and the Health & Social Care Workforce in the UK', Baroness Wheeler (Labour), House of Lords
- Debate on the establishment of a UK-wide Constitutional Convention to address issues of democratic accountability and devolution, especially in England, Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour), House of Lords
- Debate on the challenges facing young people, Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour), House of Lords
- Debate the role of the government's 'Strategy for Disability Inclusive Development' towards meeting the UK’s commitments given at the Global Disability Summit, Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative), 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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