Jim Cunningham
Main Page: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)(7 years, 9 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Gavin Barwell
Thank you, Mr Speaker. All I can say is, “Thank goodness for that!”
On housing supply, we are measuring the total size of the housing stock, and local authorities are being asked to plan for not only the necessary number of homes but, as was clear in the discussion we had earlier, the right mix of homes for the changing demography of their area.
Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)
Why is the Minister abolishing the requirement for Parliament to approve the local government finance settlement through the Local Government Finance Bill? Is it because the Government have inflicted so much damage to local government services through cuts that they want to hide that and not be accountable to Parliament?
Sajid Javid
The hon. Gentleman is referring to some of the measures in the Local Government Finance Bill. When we move to 100% business rates retention, all local councils will be fully funded, so there will be no legal requirement for an annual settlement because no money will be forthcoming directly from central Government.