Thursday 14th November 2024

(2 days, 16 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Matthew Pennycook Portrait Matthew Pennycook
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

I thank my hon. Friend for that point, and I will relay it to the Local Government Minister. On the general principle, we are determined to rebuild local government from the ground up. That is why we are providing multi-year funding settlements to councils and removing a number of ringfences, and are committed, as I said, to fair funding. On his general point about the Opposition, I completely agree. It reminds me of a phrase my nan used to use: “More front than Harrods,” she used to say. That is what Opposition Members have.

John Glen Portrait John Glen (Salisbury) (Con)
- View Speech - Hansard - -

Will the Minister rule out additional council tax bands being among any changes that the Government make?

Matthew Pennycook Portrait Matthew Pennycook
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

I say to the right hon. Gentleman that we are not talking about council tax bands in this urgent question; we are talking about the thresholds that remain in place. We are committed to those thresholds. As I am sure you would expect, Mr Speaker, we will set out more details about the local government finance settlement at the appropriate point next year, in the usual way.