Today marks two years since the terror attack on the Finsbury Park mosque. It was a truly cowardly and depraved attack that was intended to divide us. Instead, London remains united, and it is London’s diverse communities that make London the world’s greatest capital city.

In recent days and weeks we have seen flooding across the country, which has been particularly severe in Lincolnshire. I know that the whole House will want to join me in paying tribute to the work of the emergency services, our military, the Environment Agency and all those who have been working on the ground to support the communities affected. The Government stand ready to respond and offer all assistance where required.

This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall have further such meetings later today.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) intends to undertake a public consultation on legal protections measures for personnel deployed on operations overseas, including a statutory presumption against prosecution of current or former personnel for alleged offences committed in the course of duty abroad more than 10 years previously. Prosecutions in such circumstances would not be considered to be in the public interest, except in “exceptional circumstances”. The presumption measure would not apply to historical alleged offences in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Defence will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Secretary on the proposals for addressing Northern Ireland legacy issues. The MOD provides veterans, including those who served in Northern Ireland, who are subject to investigation and potential prosecution with legal, welfare and pastoral support.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) intends to undertake a public consultation on legal protections measures for personnel deployed on operations overseas, including a statutory presumption against prosecution of current or former personnel for alleged offences committed in the course of duty abroad more than 10 years previously. Prosecutions in such circumstances would not be considered to be in the public interest, except in “exceptional circumstances”. The presumption measure would not apply to historical alleged offences in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Defence will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Secretary on the proposals for addressing Northern Ireland legacy issues. The MOD provides veterans, including those who served in Northern Ireland, who are subject to investigation and potential prosecution with legal, welfare and pastoral support.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) intends to undertake a public consultation on legal protections measures for personnel deployed on operations overseas, including a statutory presumption against prosecution of current or former personnel for alleged offences committed in the course of duty abroad more than 10 years previously. Prosecutions in such circumstances would not be considered to be in the public interest, except in “exceptional circumstances”. The presumption measure would not apply to historical alleged offences in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Defence will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Secretary on the proposals for addressing Northern Ireland legacy issues. The MOD provides veterans, including those who served in Northern Ireland, who are subject to investigation and potential prosecution with legal, welfare and pastoral support.

Within the Army's Personnel Services Group (APSG), the Operational Legacy team coordinates welfare and pastoral support to Army veterans and serving personnel who are subject to historical investigations. APSG has drawn together all stakeholders (Including those in the Ministry of Defence, the appropriate Regimental Headquarters and Associations, the Confederation of Service Charities and 'ABF - The Soldiers' Charity') to ensure coherent pastoral support to veterans, under the primacy of the MOD's Veterans UK. This is incorporated into the recently announced UK-Wide Veterans' Strategy and is supported by £10 million of funding overall. I am confident that this demonstrates that the Department has a clear strategy and is meeting its obligations to veterans subject to historical investigations, whilst also protecting the Army's reputation for future generations of soldiers.

It is a very high priority for Defence to ensure that all personnel involved in Northern Ireland Legacy matters are offered, free, appropriate legal and pastoral support, taking account of individual circumstances, including health and wellbeing. For both inquests and criminal investigations, we contact every veteran as soon as we have been made aware of their potential involvement. This contact will signpost points of contact within the Ministry itself, (including the MOD's 'Veterans UK'); the Army, including the Army Personnel Services Group and Regimental Associations or equivalent organisations and relevant charities and third sector bodies. In addition, MOD officials are in frequent contact with veterans' organisations and other interested bodies and make every effort to publicise this support through appropriate channels, to ensure that the wider veterans' community has a channel through which they can contact the Department if appropriate. We also have appropriate points of contact so that those of whom we are not initially aware, can initiate contact with the right people.

Everyone deserves a decent and safe place to live. We have seen clear improvements in decency in recent years. As at 1 April 2018, 4 per cent of local authority owned dwellings were non-decent across England. Over 516,000 local authority homes have been bought up to the Decent Homes Standard since 2010.

The Department publishes data on the proportion of local authority owned non-decent homes in each local authority area at the Local Authority Housing Statistics (LAHS) section F question 17, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/local-authority-housing-statistics-data-returns-for-2017-to-2018.

The attached spreadsheet sets out which local authorities in England collect recycling (a) weekly and (b) more than once a week.

Budget 2018 announced Our Plan for the High Street, which will provide £1.5bn to support high streets as they adapt to meet the changing needs of shoppers.

The Plan includes a £675m Future High Streets Fund, planning reform, a High Streets Taskforce and support for community assets.

It also includes one third off small retailers’ business rates bills for two years from April. [This is worth almost £900m to businesses.]

The table below sets out the New Homes Bonus allocations to Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council in each year since 2011. In December 2018, Government announced the provisional New Homes Bonus allocations for 2019/20 due to be paid over the next four years. Consideration about the overall quantum of funding available to the local government sector will be a matter for the next spending review but Government remains fully committed to incentivising housing growth and will consult widely with local authorities on how best to reward delivery most effectively.

Table: Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council New Homes Bonus allocations

The table below sets out the New Homes Bonus allocations to Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council in each year since 2011. In December 2018, Government announced the provisional New Homes Bonus allocations for 2019/20 due to be paid over the next four years. Consideration about the overall quantum of funding available to the local government sector will be a matter for the next spending review but Government remains fully committed to incentivising housing growth and will consult widely with local authorities on how best to reward delivery most effectively.

Table: Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council New Homes Bonus allocations

The New Homes Bonus is un-ringfenced so authorities can choose how to allocate funding to meet local priorities, for example on frontline services or keeping council tax down, as we recognise that local authorities are in the best position to make decisions about local priorities. The Government does not monitor how local authorities utilise New Homes Bonus funding but it is expected that local authorities engage with their local communities to decide how the money is spent, so residents feel the direct benefits of growth.

The New Homes Bonus is un-ringfenced so authorities can choose how to allocate funding to meet local priorities, for example on frontline services or keeping council tax down, as we recognise that local authorities are in the best position to make decisions about local priorities. The Government does not monitor how local authorities utilise New Homes Bonus funding but it is expected that local authorities engage with their local communities to decide how the money is spent, so residents feel the direct benefits of growth.

The New Homes Bonus is un-ringfenced so authorities can choose how to allocate funding to meet local priorities, for example on frontline services or keeping council tax down, as we recognise that local authorities are in the best position to make decisions about local priorities. The Government does not monitor how local authorities utilise New Homes Bonus funding but it is expected that local authorities engage with their local communities to decide how the money is spent, so residents feel the direct benefits of growth.

The New Homes Bonus is un-ringfenced so authorities can choose how to allocate funding to meet local priorities, for example on frontline services or keeping council tax down, as we recognise that local authorities are in the best position to make decisions about local priorities. The Government does not monitor how local authorities utilise New Homes Bonus funding but it is expected that local authorities engage with their local communities to decide how the money is spent, so residents feel the direct benefits of growth.

The New Homes Bonus is un-ringfenced so authorities can choose how to allocate funding to meet local priorities, for example on frontline services or keeping council tax down, as we recognise that local authorities are in the best position to make decisions about local priorities. The Government does not monitor how local authorities utilise New Homes Bonus funding but it is expected that local authorities engage with their local communities to decide how the money is spent, so residents feel the direct benefits of growth.