Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (London)
Liberal Democrat MP for Sutton and Cheam
Thank you, Mr Mundell. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship. I thank the hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (Mr French) for securing this debate. It is extremely timely, because it is less than a fortnight since I was last in this Chamber debating housing policy—it seems that I am the Liberal Democrats’ housing spokesperson for London. Contrary to what some in the Government...
I thank my hon. Friend for providing that example of the impact on a specific project, which shows how difficult this will be for our councils. The announced measures will quietly reduce the requirement for affordable homes from 35% to 20%, forcibly slash the community infrastructure levy money, and barely scratch the surface of the bigger and more profound structural barriers to getting...
I thank the hon. Member for his intervention, but I will move on swiftly. In my experience in Sutton we subscribe to the “yify”—“yes, if”—approach that I have spoken about a number of times. We do not need to water down community buy-in. We might need to make it faster and more efficient, but throwing out the baby with the bathwater will only lead to the wrong housing being built...
Skipping ahead, I invite the Minister to tell us why anyone who cares about solving the housing crisis and protecting local councils in London should vote Labour at the local elections in May, particularly when the only party consistently standing up for those hit hardest by the housing crisis, and for our cash-strapped local councils, is the London Liberal Democrats.
May I echo the words of the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) of how proud I am to wear the marigold alongside my poppy? Last year, Sadiq Khan was elected London mayor with a promise to keep a police station front counter open in all 32 London boroughs 24 hours a day. Labour has just broken that promise to Londoners as only two will remain. This year, the Met police has 1,419 fewer...
May I echo the words of the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) of how proud I am to wear the marigold alongside my poppy? Last year, Sadiq Khan was elected London mayor with a promise to keep a police station front counter open in all 32 London boroughs 24 hours a day. Labour has just broken that promise to Londoners as only two will remain. This year, the Met police has 1,419 fewer...
It is a pleasure as always to serve under you, Sir Desmond. I congratulate the hon. Members for Northampton South (Mike Reader) and for Milton Keynes North (Chris Curtis) on securing this important debate. Eight years ago, London watched on in helpless horror as Grenfell Tower burned. Some 72 lives were lost, families were decimated and a community was changed forever. The tragedy was...
I have mentioned that the naming of Heathrow as critical national priority infrastructure is vital to ending the disruption to power and systems we have seen over the summer, so I encourage the Government to go forward with that. On the plans for transport to and from the airport and associated road schemes, can the Secretary of State confirm that the costs of the southern and western rail...
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the practice of state grammar schools charging fees for familiarisation tests ahead of 11-plus entrance exams.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that children from lower-income backgrounds are not disadvantaged in access to grammar school places.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take legislative steps to ensure that food outlets must display their Food Standards Agency food hygiene rating.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that egg production in the UK comes from cage-free systems.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that women have confidence that they will be believed when reporting (a) assault, (b) abuse and (c) rape to the Metropolitan Police.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure equitable access to Mounjaro for people with bile acid malabsorption.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support the (a) development and (b) expansion of women’s health hubs across the country.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Metropolitan Police leaders on the use of metrics to assess the efficacy of cultural reform programmes introduced following the Casey Review.
