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The LGA was mentioned 17 times in Parliament this week.
Debate on essential services
The House of Lords debated the ability of councils to deliver essential services. Many Peers referenced our briefing, which said that councils face a funding gap of over £3 billion next year, rising to £8 billion by the middle of the next decade. There were also calls for Government to explore new funding models for social care, and for an end to devolution to local areas “by consent”. You may be interested in reading a briefing note provided by the Lords library, which analyses council funding in detail.
For more information please contact Tom.
Cladding and fire safety
On Tuesday, there was an Urgent Question on tower block cladding and a debate on fire safety. During the debate, our Chairman, Lord Porter, welcomed the resources that Government committed to remedial work in the social sector and called for action to support private sector leaseholders with dangerous cladding.
For more information please contact Nina.
Suicide Prevention
Deputy Chair of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, Cllr Richard Kemp, gave evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee on suicide prevention. During the session, Cllr Kemp explained suicide prevention was a local government priority, and outlined work done on this, including that every council has suicide prevention plans in place or in development. Cllr Kemp also attended a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention where he took part in a discussion about gambling related harm.
For more information get in touch with Iredia.
SEND funding
Former Home Secretary, Lord Blunkett asked a question on funding levels for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). He stated that a rising number of SEND children and young people were struggling to access mainstream education and called on Government to use its forthcoming Spending Review to make sure these services are properly funded. In response, the Minister Lord Agnew of Oulton said that Government was committed to meeting high needs and that core schools funding would be more than £43.5 billion next year.
For more information get in touch with Iredia.
Children’s Social Care
The National Audit Office published a report on children’s social care. The report concludes that the Department for Education does not fully understand drivers in demand for children’s social care, and why there is variation between councils in children’s social care activity and costs. This followed a debate in the House of Commons last week. In the debate, Tim Loughton MP stated that services were “currently approaching crisis point” referencing the LGA estimated shortfall in children’s social care funding. Responding for the Government, Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi MP stressed that identifying and supporting vulnerable children was a top Government priority.
For more information get in touch with Iredia.
Tenant Fees Act
MPs approved the Tenant Fees Act, which will prohibit unfair letting agent fees and cap deposits in the private rented sector at six weeks. We welcome the Act's passage, and have highlighted that councils want to work with letting agents to make renting fairer and more affordable. In the House of Lords we were pleased to have amendments accepted which will ensure homeless households are helped to remain in secure accommodation. We will be producing a guide to the legislation in due course.
For more information please contact Tom.
Domestic Abuse Bill
The Government published its Draft Domestic Abuse Bill and consultation response, accompanied by a briefing outlining the economic and social costs of domestic abuse. A joint committee of both Houses of Parliament will examine the Bill before it is debated. We have urged both Parliament and Government to take a cross-departmental approach to tackling domestic abuse and will continue to highlight its importance.
For more information please contact Nina.
MHCLG Annual Report
The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee questioned the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MCHLG), Melanie Dawes, on the Department's 2018 Annual Report and Accounts. Issues including social care and adult care, homelessness and fire cladding were raised. Both MPs and Ms Dawes praised the role of the LGA, saying we help MCHLG assess council priorities.
For more information please contact Duncan.
Prime Minister's Questions
At PMQs the Prime Minister, Theresa May MP, and the Leader of the Opposition, Jeremy Corbyn MP, marked Holocaust Memorial Day and condemned antisemitism. During their exchange, Mr Corbyn pushed the Prime Minister to rule out a No Deal Brexit and asked whether she would consider a Customs Union with the European Union. In response, the Prime Minister asked Mr Corbyn to meet with her about his views on Brexit and said that to avoid No Deal, the Labour Party should vote for the Government's deal. Backbench contributions of interest to councils included fire safety regulation, council funding formula, teenage access to mental health treatment and cervical cancer smear testing.
For more information please contact Duncan.
NHS pension scheme proposed changes to scheme regulations 2019
This consultation seeks views on proposals to change NHS pension schemes regulations.
This consultation closes on 28/01/2019.
Public Health Outcomes Framework: proposed changes 2019 to 2020
This consultation seeks views on changes to the Public Health Outcomes Framework which is due to be updated in summer 2019.
This consultation closes 17/02/2019.
Depression in children and young people: identification and management
This consultation seeks views on identification and management of depression in children and young people.
This consultation closes 20/02/2019.
Monday 28 January
- Housing, Communities and Local Government (including Topical Questions), House of Commons
- Debate on the relationship between school seclusion and youth violence, Vicky Foxcroft MP, (Labour, Lewisham, Deptford), House of Commons
- Consideration of an e-petition relation to lowering the age for smear tests for cervical cancer from 25 to 18, Helen Jones MP (Labour, Warrington North), House of Commons
- Legislation Committee on draft floods and water (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit), House of Commons
- Public Accounts Committee, Auditing local government/ incorporating local government and the NHS, evidence from Jonathan Reid (Finance Director, East Sussex Healthcare NHS trust), Cllr Nick Sharman (Chair of the Audit Committee, Hackney Council), Stephen Clark (Auditor, Ernst & Young), Cllr Christopher Bloore (Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board, Worcestershire County Council), Sir Chris Wormald, (Permanent Secretary, Department of Health and Social Care), Jo Farrar, (Director General, Local Government and Public Services, MHCLG), Matthew Swindells (National Director: Operations and Information, NHS England), Ian Dalton (Chief Executive, NHS Improvement), House of Commons
- Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Independent review of building regulations, evidence from Dame Judith Hackitt (Former Chair, Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety), Kit Malthouse MP (Minister of State for Housing and Planning, MHCLG), House of Commons
- Health and Social Care Committee, Budget and NHS Long Term Plan, evidence from Matt Hancock MP (Secretary of State for Health and Social Care), Simon Stevens (NHS England, Chief Executive), Prof Ian Cumming (Chief Executive, Health Education England) Ian Dalton (Chief Executive, NHS Improvement), House of Commons
- Debate on purposes of section 13 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, Baroness Evans of Bowes Park (Conservative), House of Lords
- Question on ensuring home care workers are paid the national living wage for travelling between appointments, Lord Wills (Labour), House of Lords
- Question on reforming sexual offences legislation, Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour), House of Lords
- Offensive Weapons Bill, (Committee Stage), (Day 1), House of Lords
Tuesday 29 January
- Treasury (including Topical Questions), House of Commons
- Home Affairs Committee, Serious Violence Strategy, (Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair - Safer and Stronger Communities Board, LGA), Deputy Assistant Commissioner Duncan Ball (Lead for Gangs, National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC)), Nikki Holland (Director of Investigations, National Crime Agency), Assistant Chief Constable Jacqueline Sebire (Bedfordshire Police and NPCC Serious Violence Co-ordinator), Lucy Dacey (National Programme Manager, Disrupting Exploitation Programme, The Children's Society), Simon Ford (Director, Violence and Vulnerability Unit), Evan Jones (Head of Community Services, St Giles Trust), House of Commons
- Education Committee, Special educational needs and disabilities, evidence from Beatrice Barleon (Policy Development Manager, Mencap), Bernie White (Chair, Natspec), Caroline Archer (Employment Service Manager, Action on Disability), David Ellis (Chief Executive, National Star), Di Roberts (Chair of the Association of Colleges’ SEN Group), Janine Cherrington (Head of Service, Transition2), Linda Jordan (Senior Development Adviser (Children and Young People’s programme), National Development Team for Inclusion), Pat Brennan-Barrett (Principal, Northampton College), House of Commons
- Debate support for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and their families, Jim Shannon MP (DUP, Strangford), House of Commons
- Debate on use of 1824 Vagrancy Act, Layla Moran MP (Liberal Democrat, Oxford West and Abingdon), House of Commons
- Votes on amendments to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, House of Commons
- Question on the report by the Social Metrics Commission: 'a new measure of poverty in the UK', Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour), House of Lords
- Economic Affairs Committee, Social care funding in England, evidence from Colin Angel (Policy and Campaigns Director, United Kingdom Homecare Association), Douglas Cooper (Project Director, Competition and Markets Authority), Professor Martin Green OBE (Chief Executive, Care England), House of Lords
Wednesday 30 January
- Prime Minister's Questions, House of Commons
- Debate on European Union (Requirements Relating to Withdrawal), Sarah Wollaston MP (Conservative, Totnes), House of Commons
- Debate on supporting fathers in early parenthood, Tracey Crouch MP (Conservative, Chatham & Aylesford), House of Commons
- Debate on school funding in Gloucestershire, David Drew MP (Labour, Stroud), House of Commons
- Work and Pensions Committee, Universal Credit: Youth Obligations, evidence from Mark Gale (Policy and Campaigns Manager, Young Women’s Trust), Abigail Gill (Policy and Research Manager, Centrepoint), Denise Hatton (Chief Executive, YMCA England), Richard Rigby (Head of Policy and Public Affairs, The Prince’s Trust), Stephen Evans (Chief Executive, Learning and Work Institute), Elizabeth Taylor (Interim Chief Executive, Employment Related Services Association), Samantha Windett, (Director of Policy, Impetus - The Private Equity Foundation (PEF)), House of Commons
- Transport Committee, Health of the Bus Market, evidence from Paul Woods (Interim Chief Finance Officer, North East Combined Authority and LGA), James Carney (Finance Director, Blackpool Transport), Giles Fearnley (Managing Director, First Bus
John Godfrey, Principal Consultant, TAS Partnership), House of Commons
- Debate on concerns expressed by general practitioners that children and young people with mental health problems are unable to access NHS treatments, Baroness Tyler of Enfield (Liberal Democrat), House of Lords
- Question on proposals from the UK's screen industries for reform of the apprenticeship levy, Lord Grade of Yarmouth (Conservative), House of Lords
- Question on the report by the Defence Safety Authority: 'Fire Safety Review - defence single living accommodation', Lord Lee of Trafford (Liberal Democrat), House of Lords
- Offensive Weapons Bill, (Committee Stage), (Day 2), House of Lords
- Trade Bill, (Committee Stage), (Day 4), House of Lords
Thursday 31 January
- Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (including Topical Questions), House of Commons
- Backbench Business debate on sustainability of maintained nursery schools, House of Commons
- Debate on long-term commitment to increased provision of social housing to help reduce housing costs, homelessness and housing benefit expenditure, Lord Whitty (Labour), House of Lords
- Debate on NHS Long Term Plan, and the case for a fully funded, comprehensive and integrated health and care system which implements parity of esteem, preventative health and standards set out in the NHS Constitution, Lord Hunt of King's Heath (Labour), House of Lords
Friday 1 February
- Parliament is not sitting
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