Business of the House

Debate between Lucy Powell and Wendy Chamberlain

Thursday 9th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I certainly join my hon. Friend in congratulating the community fire safety group at Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service. The alternative provision that he highlights is crucial in helping children who might otherwise be taken out of school, or perhaps have nowhere else to go, to get the support they need so that they can flourish in life.

[Wendy Chamberlain (North East Fife) (LD)]

I share the concerns of the hon. Member for North Herefordshire (Ellie Chowns) about the closure of the community ownership fund. East Neuk community in my constituency made a 50-page application, with the support of the Development Trusts Association Scotland, but was told to wait until after the Budget. I heard the Leader of the House’s response to the hon. Member, but may we have a debate in Government time so that community assets in Scotland and other parts of the UK do not suffer?

[Lucy Powell]

I hear that more than one Member— I know there have been others this week—is interested in the future of the community ownership fund. As I said to the hon. Member for North Herefordshire (Ellie Chowns), this Government are committed to the principle of community ownership and to making it easier for communities to take ownership of assets. I hear their calls. There are oral questions to the Department coming up next week. If the answers are not satisfactorily resolved, I will certainly look at a debate.

Business of the House

Debate between Lucy Powell and Wendy Chamberlain

Thursday 25th July 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I welcome my hon. Friend to her place as the Labour MP for where we are today. She raises an important matter that should be covered by the children’s wellbeing Bill that was announced in the King’s Speech, which will look at admission and place planning, and giving local authorities a greater ability to do that than they currently have. The next Education questions are due not long after we return from the summer recess, so she might want to raise this important matter then.

[Wendy Chamberlain (North East Fife) (LD)]

I welcome the new Financial Conduct Authority rules on access to cash. One key thing that they set out is that banks should not close their branches before an assessment has taken place and new alternatives have been put in place. In Cupar, we have already seen the closure of the Bank of Scotland, and problems over the summer regarding the replenishment of the remaining cash machines. May we have a debate in Government time about the FCA rules, and how we ensure that communities that have already lost those services get the replacement assessments they are supposed to get?

[Lucy Powell]

I thank the hon. Lady for that important question. Having sat through business questions many times in the last Parliament, I know that she raised this topic consistently. The disappearance of banks from our high streets was raised with many of us during the election campaign, which is why this Government are committed to having banking hubs across the country, and to a coherent plan for town centre regeneration. I will consider her request for a debate and pass it on to the relevant Minister.