To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has had recent discussions with Tamworth Borough Council on the impact of inflation on its project to regenerate the town centre.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has had recent discussions with Tamworth Borough Council on the impact of inflation on its project to regenerate the town centre.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities facing a funding shortfall as a result of increases in inflation in financial year 2023-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities facing a funding shortfall as a result of increases in inflation in financial year 2023-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) inflation and (b) trends in the level of energy costs on services delivered by local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) inflation and (b) trends in the level of energy costs on services delivered by local authorities.

In July 2023, the Government confirmed its intention (20 July 2023, Official Report, HCWS985) to proceed with uprating reserved and excepted party and candidate spending limits and donations thresholds to reflect historic inflation in the years since the respective limits were set. The intention to review these thresholds was set...

In July 2023, the Government confirmed its intention (20 July 2023, Official Report, HCWS985) to proceed with uprating reserved and excepted party and candidate spending limits and donations thresholds to reflect historic inflation in the years since the respective limits were set. The intention to review these thresholds was set...

My Honourable friend the Minister for Levelling Up (Jacob Young MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:

In July 2023, the Government confirmed its intention (20 July 2023, Official Report, HCWS985) to proceed with uprating reserved and excepted party and candidate spending limits and donations thresholds to reflect historic inflation...

My Honourable friend the Minister for Levelling Up (Jacob Young MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:

In July 2023, the Government confirmed its intention (20 July 2023, Official Report, HCWS985) to proceed with uprating reserved and excepted party and candidate spending limits and donations thresholds to reflect historic inflation...

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of recent inflation rates on the ability of funding awarded as part of the Future High Streets Fund to deliver planned public projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of recent inflation rates on the ability of funding awarded as part of the Future High Streets Fund to deliver planned public projects.

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Second reading. Agreed to on question. Programme motion on committal, proceedings in Public Bill Committee, consideration, third reading and other proceedings. Agreed to on question. Money resolution and King's recommendation signified. Agreed to on question. Ways and means resolution. Agreed to on question. Carry-over motion. Agreed to on question.

Second reading. Agreed to on question. Programme motion on committal, proceedings in Public Bill Committee, consideration, third reading and other proceedings. Agreed to on question. Money resolution and King's recommendation signified. Agreed to on question. Ways and means resolution. Agreed to on question. Carry-over motion. Agreed to on question.

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.

Before I get into the detail of what the Bill allows for and the reforms that it portends, may I say a few words of thanks? In particular, I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall North...

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.

Before I get into the detail of what the Bill allows for and the reforms that it portends, may I say a few words of thanks? In particular, I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall North...

May I add my thanks to my right hon. Friend for finally publishing a response to the Select Committee? He will recall that, as Chair of the Liaison Committee, I wrote to him last week—he responded very promptly, for which I am grateful. However, the Government’s response was published only...

May I add my thanks to my right hon. Friend for finally publishing a response to the Select Committee? He will recall that, as Chair of the Liaison Committee, I wrote to him last week—he responded very promptly, for which I am grateful. However, the Government’s response was published only...

My hon. Friend makes an important point, which gives me an opportunity to apologise to the House, on behalf of the Government, my Department and in particular myself, for the delay in responding to a number of Select Committee reports that have been put forward. The Chairman of the Select...

My hon. Friend makes an important point, which gives me an opportunity to apologise to the House, on behalf of the Government, my Department and in particular myself, for the delay in responding to a number of Select Committee reports that have been put forward. The Chairman of the Select...

The delay has cost hundreds of families in my constituency their homes. Section 21 evictions have been carried out on so many families, as the sector has moved into the Airbnb short-term let market. Will the Secretary of State apologise to those families? Will he also very quickly bring in...

The delay has cost hundreds of families in my constituency their homes. Section 21 evictions have been carried out on so many families, as the sector has moved into the Airbnb short-term let market. Will the Secretary of State apologise to those families? Will he also very quickly bring in...

As the hon. Gentleman knows, I have an enormous amount of respect for the work that he does in this area. I would draw a distinction between the

response to the Select Committee’s report and the bringing forward of legislation, but he is absolutely right to draw attention to the...

As the hon. Gentleman knows, I have an enormous amount of respect for the work that he does in this area. I would draw a distinction between the

response to the Select Committee’s report and the bringing forward of legislation, but he is absolutely right to draw attention to the...

rose—

rose—

rose—

rose—

I will not give way at this stage; I will make a wee bit of progress, then I hope to give way shortly.

I want to emphasise that a healthy private rented sector is in all our interests. Making sure that both landlords and tenants have a new deal and a...

I will not give way at this stage; I will make a wee bit of progress, then I hope to give way shortly.

I want to emphasise that a healthy private rented sector is in all our interests. Making sure that both landlords and tenants have a new deal and a...

Will the Secretary of State give way?

Will the Secretary of State give way?

Not for the moment.

The private rented sector has doubled in size since 2004, to the point where it now constitutes between 19% and 20% of the total housing stock in our country. Given the number of people in the private rented sector, it is absolutely vital that we ensure that...

Not for the moment.

The private rented sector has doubled in size since 2004, to the point where it now constitutes between 19% and 20% of the total housing stock in our country. Given the number of people in the private rented sector, it is absolutely vital that we ensure that...

I am very happy to give way to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas), then to the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), then to the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Mr Perkins) and then to the hon. Member for Enfield North (Feryal Clark).

I am very happy to give way to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas), then to the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), then to the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Mr Perkins) and then to the hon. Member for Enfield North (Feryal Clark).