To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that local planning authorities prioritise brownfield development and urban densification before considering the release of Green Belt land in Surrey Heath constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that local planning authorities prioritise brownfield development and urban densification before considering the release of Green Belt land in Surrey Heath constituency.

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, the remediation of residential buildings with unsafe cladding in England is a priority for this Government. Nine years on from the Grenfell tragedy, there is no justification for any building to remain unsafe. Helping residents to feel safe in their homes and move on from this issue is...

My Lords, the remediation of residential buildings with unsafe cladding in England is a priority for this Government. Nine years on from the Grenfell tragedy, there is no justification for any building to remain unsafe. Helping residents to feel safe in their homes and move on from this issue is...

My Lords, first, I wish to welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Blake of Leeds, to her new role. I look forward to working with her; I am sure that we will agree on some occasions, maybe more than most. Let me say right from the beginning that we Liberal Democrats...

My Lords, first, I wish to welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Blake of Leeds, to her new role. I look forward to working with her; I am sure that we will agree on some occasions, maybe more than most. Let me say right from the beginning that we Liberal Democrats...

My Lords, I also welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Blake, to her role on the Front Bench. It is great to see her. I remember the number of times that we stood on opposite sides in the LGA. We move on, and we are still in the same relative position.

I...

My Lords, I also welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Blake, to her role on the Front Bench. It is great to see her. I remember the number of times that we stood on opposite sides in the LGA. We move on, and we are still in the same relative position.

I...

I thank noble Lords for their very kind and welcoming comments. It is interesting to reflect on how long we have been working together. The noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, and I go back, I think, to the last century.

I thank noble Lords for their very kind and welcoming comments. It is interesting to reflect on how long we have been working together. The noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, and I go back, I think, to the last century.

Yes, probably.

Yes, probably.

It is a great privilege to be in this position, and I very much look forward to working with both the noble Baroness and the noble Lord. I stress “with” rather than “against”, because I think we come from a strong, shared commitment to all things local government—in particular, serving...

It is a great privilege to be in this position, and I very much look forward to working with both the noble Baroness and the noble Lord. I stress “with” rather than “against”, because I think we come from a strong, shared commitment to all things local government—in particular, serving...

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that previously developed and brownfield land is brought forward for housing before undeveloped Green Belt land is released.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that previously developed and brownfield land is brought forward for housing before undeveloped Green Belt land is released.

The Government are missing a huge opportunity by not pushing development on brownfield land over green belt. My constituents believe this, and many Members across the House acknowledge it. In fact, if the Government wanted to, they could meet their housing target by prioritising development on brownfield land first. Does...

The Government are missing a huge opportunity by not pushing development on brownfield land over green belt. My constituents believe this, and many Members across the House acknowledge it. In fact, if the Government wanted to, they could meet their housing target by prioritising development on brownfield land first. Does...

If the hon. Gentleman seeks an Adjournment or Backbench Business debate, which happens very often following comments made in these sessions, he will know that others share those concerns, and therefore he will hear not just about those concerns, but from the Minister directly.

If the hon. Gentleman seeks an Adjournment or Backbench Business debate, which happens very often following comments made in these sessions, he will know that others share those concerns, and therefore he will hear not just about those concerns, but from the Minister directly.

Lords message considered. Commons insistence on its disagreement to Lords amendments 89B and 89C, with amendment (a) proposed in lieu, agreed to. Commons insistence on its disagreement with Lords amendments 36, 90 and 155, insists on its amendments 155A to 155F and 155H, with amendment (a) proposed in lieu, agreed to. Commons insistence its disagreement to Lords amendments 85, 86, 97 to 116, 120, 121 and 123, insists on its amendments 123C to 123H and 123J to 123K, and proposes amendments (a) to (e) in lieu, agreed to.

Lords message considered. Commons insistence on its disagreement to Lords amendments 89B and 89C, with amendment (a) proposed in lieu, agreed to. Commons insistence on its disagreement with Lords amendments 36, 90 and 155, insists on its amendments 155A to 155F and 155H, with amendment (a) proposed in lieu, agreed...

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Last week, I tabled a written question to the Foreign Secretary, asking whether Jonathan Powell was subject to scrutiny vetting before or after he was appointed as the Prime Minister’s special envoy on the Chagos negotiations. I have not yet received a...

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Last week, I tabled a written question to the Foreign Secretary, asking whether Jonathan Powell was subject to scrutiny vetting before or after he was appointed as the Prime Minister’s special envoy on the Chagos negotiations. I have not yet received a...

I beg to move,

That this House insists on its disagreement with the Lords in their Amendments 89B and 89C but proposes amendment (a) in lieu of those amendments.

I beg to move,

That this House insists on its disagreement with the Lords in their Amendments 89B and 89C but proposes amendment (a) in lieu of those amendments.

I am pleased to speak once again on the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. I thank Members from across the House for their constructive engagement in getting the Bill to this point. This Bill matters because, if we are to transform our economy, drive up living standards and deliver...

I am pleased to speak once again on the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. I thank Members from across the House for their constructive engagement in getting the Bill to this point. This Bill matters because, if we are to transform our economy, drive up living standards and deliver...

I put on the record my thanks to the Minister and colleagues in her Department for the constructive spirit in which they have approached the negotiations around the Bill. It remains the official Opposition’s view that the Bill’s overall direction of travel is a centralising one: it brings into effect...

I put on the record my thanks to the Minister and colleagues in her Department for the constructive spirit in which they have approached the negotiations around the Bill. It remains the official Opposition’s view that the Bill’s overall direction of travel is a centralising one: it brings into effect...

Does my hon. Friend agree that it is vital that we continue to protect those greenfield sites, as we do in my constituency and, indeed, as Conservative councils do across the country? Does he agree that it is sad that the Reform candidate for the Mayor of London disagrees and...

Does my hon. Friend agree that it is vital that we continue to protect those greenfield sites, as we do in my constituency and, indeed, as Conservative councils do across the country? Does he agree that it is sad that the Reform candidate for the Mayor of London disagrees and...

My hon. Friend is absolutely spot on in what he says. Members across the Chamber have been surprised to hear Reform say that it wishes to tear up London’s green belt as part of the local election campaign. I am grateful to the Minister and her colleagues for recognising, in...

My hon. Friend is absolutely spot on in what he says. Members across the Chamber have been surprised to hear Reform say that it wishes to tear up London’s green belt as part of the local election campaign. I am grateful to the Minister and her colleagues for recognising, in...

I will be brief, as most of the arguments have already been well stated.

We acknowledge the Minister’s argument yesterday that this Bill represents a step forward, not the final destination, and that consistency is needed to make the system function, but it is important that, in seeking that consistency, we...

I will be brief, as most of the arguments have already been well stated.

We acknowledge the Minister’s argument yesterday that this Bill represents a step forward, not the final destination, and that consistency is needed to make the system function, but it is important that, in seeking that consistency, we...