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Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. The Bill implements the majority of the proposals set out in ““Strong and prosperous communities””, the local government White Paper, which was published in October. Local government has a long and proud history as a driving force behind public services and the success of our towns and cities. The House will be familiar with some of local government’s great historic figures and their achievements—for example, Joseph Chamberlain, Mayor of Birmingham, who left the city, in his words ““parked, paved and improved””, or Herbert Morrison, who did much to shape the London we know. Let us not forget the more than 1.5 million men and women working in local government on whom we rely, day in, day out. We are never more aware of their service than in times of adversity, such as the current storms. I pay tribute to them. History teaches us that local government works best when there is a constructive partnership with central Government to deliver what local people want and need.