Business of the House
Debate between Helen Morgan and Alan Campbell(1 week ago)
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Sir Alan Campbell
The Government were clear in their manifesto that housing need in England cannot be met without planning for growth on a larger than local scale, and that it will be necessary to introduce effective new mechanisms for cross-boundary strategic planning. None the less, I will raise my hon. Friend’s point with the relevant Minister and ensure that he gets a reply and, if appropriate, a meeting.
Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)
The western side of my constituency is blighted by the dangerous A483, which runs from Welshpool in Wales through to Oswestry in my constituency. The residents of Llanymynech, Pant and Llynclys are particularly badly affected by safety issues. Everyone knows that the right solution is a bypass, but National Highways has come up with a solution to make the Llynclys crossroads much safer and to improve safety through Pant and Llanymynech, so that schoolchildren are not risking their lives every day by crossing the road to catch the bus. Can the Leader of the House tell me when we might see the road investment strategy 3 announced—when that statement might come before MPs—so that constituents in the western part of my constituency can start to feel hope that, for the first time in 40 years, somebody is doing something about the death trap that is the A483?
Business of the House
Debate between Helen Morgan and Alan Campbell(3 months, 1 week ago)
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Sir Alan Campbell
I would be delighted to do so. Let me say a big thank you to Gerry and, indeed, everyone else involved with the Redditch Royal British Legion fundraising campaign. Let me also extend that to all the volunteers across our country who do such a fantastic job, particularly at this time of year but throughout the rest of the year, too.
Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)
My constituents are no strangers to flooding, whether that is from the Rivers Severn and Vyrnwy in villages such as Melverley or from surface water or inadequate infrastructure in Gobowen and Hadnall. The Environment Agency says that another 1,600 properties in my constituency will be vulnerable to surface water flooding by 2050, and the Planning and Infrastructure Bill fails to address flooding or climate change at all. Given that the Government voted down my amendments and those of my Lib Dem colleagues to the Bill, which were intended to tackle this problem, can we have a debate or a statement from the relevant Minister on how the UK will build flood resilience?
Sir Alan Campbell
This is a concern across many constituencies. I am sorry to hear of what is happening in the hon. Lady’s constituency. I invite her to seek a debate, because many Members will share her concern, and she can then put those questions directly to Ministers.
Business of the House
Debate between Helen Morgan and Alan Campbell(3 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Sir Alan Campbell
I thank colleagues at the Department for Business and Trade for their excellent work and thank the businesses for taking part, because they are the key to growing our economy. I also place on the record my thanks to my hon. Friend and our other trade envoys for their excellent work.
Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)
Sixteen years of Conservative mismanagement of Shropshire council combined with successive Governments’ failures to understand the needs of rural local authorities have left Shropshire council with a dire financial emergency and in need of exceptional financial support. The situation is critical. Can the Leader of the House assist me in arranging a meeting with the relevant Secretary of State and MPs for Shropshire so that we can press the Secretary of State to ensure that Shropshire receives that support?
Business of the House
Debate between Helen Morgan and Alan Campbell(4 months, 1 week ago)
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Sir Alan Campbell
I absolutely join my hon. Friend in congratulating Wednesfield in Bloom and everyone involved in its success. It is a great example of the immense contribution that community groups and volunteers make to our local communities. As I usually say at this point, Mr Speaker, volunteers and community groups are the golden thread that runs through our communities and holds them together, and I wish them well.
Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)
A number of constituents have come to see me about adaptations made to their home under the ECO4 scheme, where an installer has received a grant from the Government—from the taxpayer—to hopefully improve the energy efficiency of their home, but what the homeowner has actually experienced is significant disruption and energy bills that have gone up. The payment to the installer from the taxpayer is based on estimates of the household’s energy use before and after—there are no facts involved. Can we have a statement from the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on whether these schemes represent value for money for the taxpayer and the homeowner, and whether they can be made more efficient in the future?
Sir Alan Campbell
The hon. Lady raises an important question in two parts. First, are these homes getting the improvement that we want them to have under our ambitious plans? Secondly, is the taxpayer getting good value for money? I will draw this matter to the attention of Ministers and ensure that she gets a full response.