Oral Answers to Questions

Terry Jermy Excerpts

Monday 28th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Alex Norris]

I am grateful for the hon. Lady’s question, and I think of the challenges in my own constituency, where my constituents ask me questions in a similar vein. To be very clear, the Government know that the market will be able to provide considerable coverage across the country, but that there will always be communities—including her own, I suspect—where that has traditionally been a challenge, and we are committed to making sure that that gap is filled. We have the same aspiration and, as I say, we intend to meet it as soon as we possibly can.

[Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk) (Lab)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Mr Jermy, you started to bob and then you stopped, so I was not sure you had a question, but please let us hear it.

[Terry Jermy]

Many rural villages in my constituency have spent hours producing excellent neighbourhood plans, with some areas hoping to go to public referendum and adoption soon. Given that such plans help communities to shape growth, will the Minister confirm what prominence the Government will afford neighbourhood plans as part of planning reforms?

[Alex Norris]

Our commitment as a Government is to bring communities into that conversation and to make sure local leadership has that say in the service of a wider national goal.

Oral Answers to Questions

Terry Jermy Excerpts

Monday 2nd September 2024 Commons Chamber

[Angela Rayner]

The hon. Member will know that Birmingham city council will not be making decisions over asset sales lightly. I know that it is working with commissioners to ensure that its financing decisions deliver value for money and that it can avoid fire sales, and I will work constructively with the council and commissioners as that work continues.

[Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk) (Lab)]

T2. Levy funding for internal drainage boards is an increasing concern for many councils. In my constituency, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk borough council now contributes the equivalent of 43% of its council tax income to fund IDB levies. Will the Secretary of State update Members on any progress determining a more sustainable funding solution for those levies and whether the one-off grant scheme to support councils might be repeated?

[The Minister for Local Government and English Devolution (Jim McMahon)]

In the final 2024-25 local government finance settlement, a £3 million grant was announced to assist local authorities experiencing significant pressures on their internal drainage board levy. I am publishing today the allocations of funding for 15 local authorities, and I can confirm that King’s Lynn and West Norfolk will receive an allocation of £254,000 from the levy. We are also working closely with our colleagues in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to explore options going forward for future allocations.