The first issue that I shall raise has already been raised by the hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey (Simon Hughes). That is no surprise, because it is the question of the closure of the emergency clinic at the Maudsley hospital. All the Members of Parliament in south London,...

The first issue that I shall raise has already been raised by the hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey (Simon Hughes). That is no surprise, because it is the question of the closure of the emergency clinic at the Maudsley hospital. All the Members of Parliament in south London,...

I have published today a consultation paper on Accounting for Leaseholders Monies which sets out proposals to amend the requirements under the 2002 Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act (the 2002 Act) for landlords to provide a regular statement of account for service charges to their tenants and for service charge...

I have published today a consultation paper on Accounting for Leaseholders Monies which sets out proposals to amend the requirements under the 2002 Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act (the 2002 Act) for landlords to provide a regular statement of account for service charges to their tenants and for service charge...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Family Intervention Project.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Family Intervention Project.

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Meg Munn) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. Following the annual review, on 26 June the Secretary of State will lay regulations to update the home loss payment thresholds in Section 30 of the Land Compensation Act 1973 (as amended). Home...

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Meg Munn) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. Following the annual review, on 26 June the Secretary of State will lay regulations to update the home loss payment thresholds in Section 30 of the Land Compensation Act 1973 (as amended). Home...

Following the annual review, on 26 June the Secretary of State will lay regulations to update the home loss payment thresholds in section 30 of the Land Compensation Act 1973 (as amended). Home loss payments are paid at a rate of 10 per cent. of the market value to owner-occupiers...

Following the annual review, on 26 June the Secretary of State will lay regulations to update the home loss payment thresholds in section 30 of the Land Compensation Act 1973 (as amended). Home loss payments are paid at a rate of 10 per cent. of the market value to owner-occupiers...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers are available to (a) local authorities, (b) the police and (c) other agencies to evict tenants causing antisocial behaviour when the landlord refuses to co-operate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers are available to (a) local authorities, (b) the police and (c) other agencies to evict tenants causing antisocial behaviour when the landlord refuses to co-operate.

Has my hon. Friend noticed the importance of proposed new subsection (1D)(b)(iv) in respect of the decision that most people have now made that electricity must be generated on a much more local basis? The measure will become much more important than it would previously have been as we begin...

Has my hon. Friend noticed the importance of proposed new subsection (1D)(b)(iv) in respect of the decision that most people have now made that electricity must be generated on a much more local basis? The measure will become much more important than it would previously have been as we begin...

My right hon. Friend makes a good point, and shows his experience as a Member of this House. Nevertheless, it is important to have paragraph (d) in the Bill. Paragraph (e) is equally important. We are blessed with a lot of monuments and archaeological areas. Many of us enjoy watching...

My right hon. Friend makes a good point, and shows his experience as a Member of this House. Nevertheless, it is important to have paragraph (d) in the Bill. Paragraph (e) is equally important. We are blessed with a lot of monuments and archaeological areas. Many of us enjoy watching...

The provision concerns not just those who become insolvent but their creditors. After the event, the bills that come in will reduce the amount of money available for distribution to those who are already hard hit.

The provision concerns not just those who become insolvent but their creditors. After the event, the bills that come in will reduce the amount of money available for distribution to those who are already hard hit.

I have tried, in my inadequate way, to explain the importance of that aspect. My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the breadth of the impact of insolvency on members of the community, including creditors.

I have tried, in my inadequate way, to explain the importance of that aspect. My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the breadth of the impact of insolvency on members of the community, including creditors.

The argument can be taken a stage further. It is already unacceptable that the state insists on being paid first, before those who may be in a much worse position. This is another example of circumstances in which the state’s grabbing comes before the needs of the individual.

The argument can be taken a stage further. It is already unacceptable that the state insists on being paid first, before those who may be in a much worse position. This is another example of circumstances in which the state’s grabbing comes before the needs of the individual.

Thank you for your guidance, Mrs. Heal. I think it important to include as much information as possible in Bills of this kind, given their complexity and major financial implications, so that people know exactly where they are.

Thank you for your guidance, Mrs. Heal. I think it important to include as much information as possible in Bills of this kind, given their complexity and major financial implications, so that people know exactly where they are.

So far my hon. Friend has taken me with him, and I am minded to support the amendment. I agree that exemptions should be made clear in the Bill. However, I am slightly puzzled by the wording of paragraph (k). Why should a company that is being wound up voluntarily...

So far my hon. Friend has taken me with him, and I am minded to support the amendment. I agree that exemptions should be made clear in the Bill. However, I am slightly puzzled by the wording of paragraph (k). Why should a company that is being wound up voluntarily...

Surely in the example given one would not need to exempt a property specifically if the ownership is unknown, because presumably no one is paying the rates.

Surely in the example given one would not need to exempt a property specifically if the ownership is unknown, because presumably no one is paying the rates.

We all know that a number of buildings are in a state of disrepair and would fall under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. It is important to exempt them, and we want that to be clear by stating it in the Bill. Sometimes local authorities or...

We all know that a number of buildings are in a state of disrepair and would fall under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. It is important to exempt them, and we want that to be clear by stating it in the Bill. Sometimes local authorities or...

I was critical of my hon. Friend for drafting paragraph (a) too narrowly, because three months is inadequate. However, I am concerned that paragraph (b) is drawn too widely. For example, an owner may be regarded as prohibited by law from occupying his property if he is serving a prison...

I was critical of my hon. Friend for drafting paragraph (a) too narrowly, because three months is inadequate. However, I am concerned that paragraph (b) is drawn too widely. For example, an owner may be regarded as prohibited by law from occupying his property if he is serving a prison...

My right hon. Friend makes an extremely good point. We have drafted the amendment on the basis of existing legislation. I am not tempted down the road that he suggests, because we want to make progress and need to speed up. However, his point is reasonable and now on the...

My right hon. Friend makes an extremely good point. We have drafted the amendment on the basis of existing legislation. I am not tempted down the road that he suggests, because we want to make progress and need to speed up. However, his point is reasonable and now on the...

What is magic about the period of three months? I envisage a situation in which a family have an unoccupied property, perhaps because a business has folded, and the family, who are not particularly wealthy, intend to put the property on the market. They might have to deal with a...

What is magic about the period of three months? I envisage a situation in which a family have an unoccupied property, perhaps because a business has folded, and the family, who are not particularly wealthy, intend to put the property on the market. They might have to deal with a...

My right hon. Friend makes a good point. Some of the legislation goes back many years. More recently, in the 1980s, the period was three months for most property, and six months for industrial property. There has been long debate about the right length of time for an exemption before...

My right hon. Friend makes a good point. Some of the legislation goes back many years. More recently, in the 1980s, the period was three months for most property, and six months for industrial property. There has been long debate about the right length of time for an exemption before...

I do not want to interrupt my hon. Friend’s flow, but will he clarify whether a particular example would be caught by his amendment? A building in the town of Craven Arms in my constituency has been unused, unoccupied and unsafe for decades. It is situated in a prominent part...

I do not want to interrupt my hon. Friend’s flow, but will he clarify whether a particular example would be caught by his amendment? A building in the town of Craven Arms in my constituency has been unused, unoccupied and unsafe for decades. It is situated in a prominent part...