English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (Second sitting)

Mike Reader Excerpts

Committee stage
Tuesday 16th September 2025 Public Bill Committees

[The Chair]

We have one minute.

[Mike Reader (Northampton South) (Lab)]

Q I will be very brief. The first programme has been in areas that were chosen on political consensus. There is a backstop in the Bill so that eventually the Government can form combined mayoral authorities. Do you think that the Bill should be more open to the Government forcing or pushing mayoral authorities where it is in the interest of the region or area? For example, in Northamptonshire, part of the Ox-Cam corridor, we have a south midlands devolution deal that fell apart because of political bickering. Should the Government step in when politics fails local people?

Tracy Brabin: I am the Mayor of West Yorkshire because there was not a one Yorkshire, so I would say that it is for local people to decide.

Donna Jones: The Government have made a commitment to have all of England in a devolved deal by 2029. If the Government want to deliver on that mandate, which they ran on in the general election, I think that they have no choice but to intervene.

Ben Houchen: I think we are now at a stage where Government need to force it.

[The Chair]

I am afraid that that brings us to the end of the time allotted. On behalf of the Committee, I thank all our witnesses for coming and answering the questions. We now move on to our next panel.

Examination of Witnesses

Andrew Goodacre and Allen Simpson gave evidence.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mike Reader]

Q In your evidence, you noted that the Bill does not go far enough to address tackling climate change, restoring nature and tackling health inequalities. We heard the same from the Healthy Air Coalition. Naturally, it says that air quality needs to be picked up. UK100 also picked up that the Bill is quite silent on this. Would it be positive of the Government to be clearer on the requirements for strategic authorities on the climate and environment, to stop it becoming a political football for climate deniers and others who want to use it for political gain?

Richard Hebditch: Can we just say yes?

Naomi Luhde-Thompson: You need duties, because then it provides a framework. All those parts of the green economy have had no stability over the last few years because they have not known which way the policy has been going. If you provide stability in terms of a framework—“This is the direction of travel: we have to mitigate and we have to adapt”—and it is stable and long-term, then you know in which direction you are going.

[The Chair]

Thank you. That brings us to the end of our time for this panel. On behalf of the Committee, I thank you both very much for your evidence.

Examination of Witness

Sacha Bedding gave evidence.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Chair]

Mike Reader, you have a few seconds left.

[Mike Reader]

Q I have already raised my points about the south midlands and particularly about devolution where it is in the interest of the country. Can we also have a conversation during this process about micromobility? We have Starship operating in Northampton. Robotics and automated delivery are not included in the provisions, but it would be great to see measures about them coming forward so that we can see growth in that area.

[The Chair]

That was a request and not a question.

We come to the end of today’s session. Minister, thank you very much; I know that it has been a hard day for you.

Ordered, That further consideration be now adjourned.—(Deirdre Costigan.)