All 1 Debates between Jim McMahon and Max Wilkinson

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Debate between Jim McMahon and Max Wilkinson
Monday 2nd September 2024

(2 months, 2 weeks ago)

Commons Chamber
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Max Wilkinson Portrait Max Wilkinson (Cheltenham) (LD)
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Devolution is a positive thing, and we welcome it. Gloucestershire, which has my constituency of Cheltenham within it, has coterminous boundaries for the county council, a police force, a fire service, an economic development function and a health service, but there is fear that, in a devolution deal, it may be grouped with other areas to the north, or perhaps made part of an existing devolution deal to the south. Can the Secretary of State or another Minister confirm that that will not be the case?

Jim McMahon Portrait Jim McMahon
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Within the first couple of days of this Government, the Deputy Prime Minister wrote to local authority leaders, inviting them for discussions on devolution agreements. One of the founding principles is, of course, geography that makes sense—and having coterminous boundaries for public services and the rest does make sense. Without going into the specifics of individual conversations that are taking place, I advise the hon. Member to bring that point into the work on the English devolution Bill, which will make sure that all of England has a voice and a role in devolution.