Business of the House

Chris Webb Excerpts

Thursday 31st October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

The hon. Lady will be aware that the debate on the Budget will continue today and next week. If she is asking about farming businesses and the inheritance tax changes—I think she is, tangentially— I will just repeat what I said to her colleagues earlier: this Government are committed to food security and our rural and farming communities, and that is why three quarters of those who currently receive the full relief will still get it after the changes. We are bringing about many other things that will help the farming community, including a settlement that will provide £5 billion over two years for farming and land management, which will help restore stability in the sector.

[Chris Webb (Blackpool South) (Lab)]

May I start by wishing my wife and all those celebrating today a happy Diwali?

In Blackpool, we were promised a £300 million regeneration project—the biggest regeneration scheme in over a century—but unfortunately we have heard over the last few days and weeks that that is not going to happen. It is vital that such schemes happen in Blackpool, and many businesses and individuals have come to me since asking for a state-of-the-art stadium-arena, similar to the Co-op arena in my right hon. Friend’s Manchester Central constituency. Will she allow a debate in Government time on how the Government can support local seaside towns like mine, with private business, to get the infra- structure they desperately need?

[Lucy Powell]

I am sorry to hear of the decision in my hon. Friend’s constituency, but he will know that, unfortunately, many of the commitments made by the previous Government to support projects like the one he mentioned were commitments of fiction, because there was no money whatsoever allocated to them. This Government take supporting our communities incredibly seriously. That is why we have boosted local government funding, and why we are continuing our drive to devolution.