Business of the House
Scott Arthur Excerpts(1 month ago)
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Lucy Powell
We are proud to have set a very ambitious housing target for this Parliament, but that is not to say that there will be a developer free-for-all. These will be locally developed and appropriate plans, but we do need to build the homes of the future. That is what the Government are trying to do.
Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West) (Lab)
I was going to ask a more political question, but I will accept the invitation to talk about Small Business Saturday. I invite the Leader of the House to my constituency to meet some of our small businesses. Two in particular come to mind. The first is the Bald Baker, a business started up during lockdown by a single dad. His latest creation is a pie that contains cheese, chips and doner kebab. [Laughter.] Perhaps too early, but it does fit perfectly in your hand. If that does not appeal to the Leader of the House, perhaps we could visit the nearby Platinum Barbers and she could be tempted by a haircut just like mine.
Business of the House
Scott Arthur Excerpts(1 month, 1 week ago)
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Lucy Powell
If the House will indulge me, I congratulate the 1st Neilston boys brigade on its 70th birthday, and the 121st Glasgow scout group and the 3rd Barrhead scout group on their 100th birthdays.
My hon. Friend highlights the vital role that uniformed youth organisations play in giving our young people purpose, experience, teamwork and volunteering opportunities; we all see that in our constituencies. We see their contribution every year on Remembrance Sunday, as I did recently in my constituency. I pay tribute to these groups for bringing our communities together.
Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West) (Lab)
I agree with the comments about uniformed associations, which are absolutely true. One of the defining features of recent years has been the cost of living crisis, which has had soaring energy bills at its heart. While the energy price cap has offered people some protection, a loophole means that many heat network users still face significant price hikes. This issue was featured on the BBC’s “Rip Off Britain” last week. Hannah and Lucie in my Edinburgh South West office have done excellent work supporting residents who have this problem in Harvesters Way, Wester Hailes and the Green in Longstone. The Government are committed to addressing the inequality those residents face in January 2026. That is a positive step, but many residents feel that progress is still too slow. If we have to wait a year, I am keen that we make best use of that time. Will the Leader of the House commit to a debate in Government time to help inform the development of the planned changes ahead of 2026?
Lucy Powell
My hon. Friend is right that Ofgem will be appointed the heat network regulator. Ofgem’s powers will include an ability to investigate unfair pricing and ensure that a consumer’s heat supply is maintained if their supplier goes out of business. I am sure that he will want to take the opportunity to raise this important issue at the next energy questions, in a couple of weeks’ time.