Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mark Harper and Stephen Williams

Monday 30th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Williams]

One such example of community cohesion is in Luton. This coming Sunday, I will be in Luton visiting a Remembering Srebrenica event and a Big Iftar event. That will celebrate the bringing together of people in Luton and I hope to see the hon. Gentleman there.

[Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean) (Con)]

11. What recent assessment he has made of the effect on local authorities of the freeze on council tax.

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

Debate between Mark Harper and Stephen Williams

Tuesday 15th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Harper]

The Government accept the argument, and accepted it in the other place, that we should have a process in which local people, particularly, can have their say. That is why we brought forward the proposal for public hearings—

[Stephen Williams (Bristol West) (LD)]

rose—

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Harper]

Let me just answer the hon. Gentleman’s point first. Then, I shall try to take points from Members according to the order in which they rose.

Having read other contributions from Professor Johnston and his colleagues in their British Academy report on the matter, I note that they made it quite clear that local inquiries resulted in little change, and that those arguments raised at local inquiries which had not already been raised in writing did not have any bearing on the result.

We listened carefully to arguments for allowing people to have their say in person, however, and we particularly wanted a process that was more accessible to the public, not just to political parties and their lawyers. Those in the other place—Cross Benchers in particular—were content with our proposals.

[Stephen Williams]

I was also at the Select Committee hearing with Professor Johnston of Bristol university to which the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central (Tristram Hunt) referred. Professor Johnston actually said that public inquires were usually games for political parties, and that some parties were able to hire expensive barristers. The public were often frustrated by political parties and their barristers, but the hearings that the Bill proposes instead are likely to give the public more say than hitherto over the process.

[Mr Harper]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, whose argument holds a great deal of water, because that is broadly what the British Academy report said about local inquiries. That report was produced by a team of academics headed up by Professor Ron Johnston, so if that is what he said at the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, it stacks up very well with what he said in writing.