partytracker.uk — a sourced record of what Britain's political parties say and do, party by party, with every entry linked to a primary source

11,997 spoken contributions under 12 words (interjections such as “Will the hon. Member give way?”) are hidden. Show them

1. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Chris Curtis

   Immigration: Earned Settlement

   I welcome the changes announced today, and thank the Home Secretary for the way that she reached out during the consultation. In particular, when it comes to our responsibility to <span id="610" class="column-number" data-column-number="610"></span>BNO visa holders, she has listened. In the past, one of the challenges in seeking to move towards a contributory system has been that the Office for Budget Responsibility has struggled to model correctly the importance of contribution in our welfare system. It has made some changes, but that change should continue. Will the Home Secretary call on the OBR to continue to improve the way that it models the economics of migration?

   Hansard source
2. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Chris Curtis

   Budget Resolutions

   I will speak about the devolution measures announced in the Budget and the fiscal devolution pathway that has been set out. We normally hear two arguments for devolution: first, that decisions should be made closer to the people they affect rather than in Whitehall, and secondly, that investment should be spread more fairly beyond London and certain pockets of the south-east. I agree with both those arguments, but I think there is a more important argument: devolution can help us grow the economy and make the British state work better. After nearly two decades of stagnation, we desperately need to raise productivity, build infrastructure more quickly and unlock growth across the country. I believe that devolution can be one of the best ways of doing that, but it needs to come with fiscal devolution. Some 95% of tax revenue in Britain is raised by central Government, rather than at a regional or local level. Meanwhile, France raises three times as much at a sub-national level, and in Germany it is much higher still. The Centre for Cities has found that there is a strong relationship between fiscal devolution and wages across devolved economies. Correlation is not always causation, but there are obvious economic reasons why that relationship exists. Today, when councils approve new housing, attract employers or build infrastructure, they take the political risk and bear many of the up-front costs, but much of the additional tax revenue goes straight to the Treasury and eventually gets redistributed elsewhere. Even when councils retain that money, it can disappear at the next funding reset, as we saw earlier this year. Local leaders bear the cost of growth, while the Treasury collects the proceeds. That is why I welcome the Chancellor’s commitment to increase business rates retention, giving mayors a share of business rates growth from next year, and to give mayors a share of income tax receipts from 2028. If we want local leaders to take difficult decisions in favour of growth, their communities need to share in the rewards. Stable future revenues can also allow local areas to borrow against future growth to pay for the infrastructure needed today, and it is good to see the Government looking at how that can happen through bodies such as the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation. I hope that is something we can look at in Milton Keynes in the future.<span id="660" class="column-number" data-column-number="660"></span> I want to finish by saying that although many areas across the country will benefit from the proceeds of the Government’s announcements on devolution, I am disappointed that it was announced this week that my local area will not be one of them. That is despite the hard work and determination of many MPs across this Chamber to get devolution across Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes. Indeed, the Government came forward with a package of nearly £1 billion to get this over the line. It was unfortunately vetoed by one local government leader in Central Bedfordshire, who decided to put politics ahead of the people he was elected to represent. He has let the local area down, and I hope the Government will continue to work with all local leaders in the area to see if they can find a solution.

   Hansard source
3. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Fookes

   Pride in Place: Wales

   <Question HRSContentId="{6890E5CB-FFC0-4E42-AC47-71146B4E843F}">7. <QuestionText HRSContentId="{A599DD23-4590-458F-9CC7-A2648FBA4780}">What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Pride in Place programme on Wales.</QuestionText> </Question>

   Hansard source
4. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Fookes

   Pride in Place: Wales

   I thank the Minister for his answer and for the funding in Monmouthshire. Construction is beginning at Caldicot skate park, and I am delighted that it is just one of the projects that Monmouthshire county council is delivering. It has been made possible by Pride in Place funding from this Labour Government, and we are also going to see new public toilets with Changing Places facilities in Abergavenny and Usk, improvements to Monmouth bus station, and communal gardens at Thornwell in Chepstow. I want to see all Monmouthshire towns thrive, as I am sure the Minister does, and I really hope that this is only the beginning. When will Pride in Place funding be made available to Monmouthshire?

   Hansard source
5. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Atkinson

   Budget Resolutions

   The Budget was great news for Derby—particularly the £2.5 billion investment with Rolls-Royce to develop the next generation of aircraft engine and keep us at the forefront of this country’s reindustrialisation—but I rise to speak about justice. Whether it is growth in every postcode, high streets being brought back to life or getting everyone in and off the streets for Christmas, none can be achieved without investment in and reform of our justice system. The Prime Minister’s first instruction on entering Downing Street was to end rough sleeping, an objective that is inspiring, ambitious and right. The near doubling of the £442 million to £874 million for those measures in the Budget showed intent, but here is where our justice system comes in: every month, 1,000 people go straight from prison to homelessness, with many rough sleeping. That figure has gone up and outpaced the increase in the number leaving prison. Being homeless doubles the risk of reoffending and makes the goal of ending rough sleeping unobtainable. That is why we need a duty for rehabilitation services to ensure that, on leaving prison, people do not go on to the streets and into worklessness.

   Hansard source
6. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Atkinson

   Budget Resolutions

   I thank the hon. Member for his contribution. I acknowledge that there are many categories of people who we want to ensure have real priority. The Government already have the ambition to halve the number of prisoners who are released into homelessness, but, if we are to end rough sleeping and break cycles of offending, that ambition is not ambitious enough. Just as it is morally offensive to us when we see someone sleeping rough in the doorway of a really high-end hotel, it should also offend us when we see the global elite and blue chip companies coming to Britain for our world-class justice while our own citizens are often left outside that justice system, getting rough justice. <span id="632" class="column-number" data-column-number="632"></span>We should be rightly proud—and the Treasury mindful—of the huge contribution that international cases make to our country’s economy. In 2024 alone, the UK legal sector contributed £42.6 billion to the economy, and the UK is the largest legal services market in Europe and second only to the US globally, but we should be using some of that revenue to improve access to early legal advice and to legal aid, and to address the dire shortage in duty solicitors for our own people. Lastly, there was positive news for our high streets, with the Budget taking many of our cafés, pubs and beauty salons completely out of business rates. The Home Secretary is putting police back on the frontline, and we have reversed the effective decriminalisation of shoplifting under the previous Government, but the justice system needs to work much faster for all of us, including on our high streets and in our town and city centres, where people need to feel safe if they are to want to be there and spend money. But as well as fast, justice needs to be fair. It is not right for people on the minimum wage to face custodial sentences—potentially going up to two years’ custody—and not qualify for legal aid, leaving them unrepresented in court.

   Hansard source
7. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Catherine Atkinson

   Budget Resolutions

   I am conscious of the number of people who want to speak in this debate, so I will continue. It is not said often enough that this country’s dogged belief in fair rules for everyone is also a secret ingredient to business success—if your assets are protected, your contracts are enforced and your disputes are decided, that is one less risk—but there must be access to justice for our smaller businesses, as well as the larger multinationals. There is more to do in our justice system. More is needed. I acknowledge that in the last spending review, the Budget for justice was increased by an average of 2.4%, but in the 2010s, justice spending was cut by 33% in real terms. Spending today is only on a par with what it was 24 years ago, in 2002, and it is lower per person than it was then. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has said that the Ministry of Justice would need an additional £3.6 billion just to equal its spending per person before austerity. Many of the challenges facing the justice system today have their roots in that period of austerity. I will be knocking on the Treasury Ministers’ door as hard as my children were knocking on our neighbours’ doors last week at Halloween. This is not trick or treat; it is common sense. It is essential that we act now to avoid a jump-scare later on.

   Hansard source
8. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Cat Eccles

   Social Media: Ban for Under-16s

   Thank you, Sir Roger, for being so lenient in allowing me to speak this evening; it is a pleasure to serve under your chairship. I have supported calls for a ban on under-16s accessing social media—the volume of harmful content online makes unrestricted access a really serious concern—but I have become increasingly unconvinced that a full ban is the right answer. That is because when I speak to young people in my constituency, they do not tell me that they want to be excluded from online spaces; they want those spaces to be safer for them, with the harmful content removed, the bullying tackled, and stronger protections against exploitation and manipulation. In short, they want the platforms to be responsible. Calls for a ban are a response to the failure of social media companies to act. Had they consistently prioritised safety and wellbeing over engagement, we would not be having this debate today. However, the burden to act should not fall solely on children and parents; it should fall on the companies that build and profit from these platforms.<span id="286WH" class="column-number" data-column-number="286WH"></span> Ofcom is working hard to tackle online harms, but it faces an uphill struggle, and I wonder whether it has the tools to manage the task. Although age-assurance measures have a role to play, they are not foolproof and young people can often circumvent restrictions through VPNs and other workarounds. The Australian experience perfectly illustrates that; despite restrictions on access there, many Australian teenagers have continued to use social media. That suggests that a ban alone is not a complete solution, and that we must also focus on having platforms that are safer by design, and on holding the companies behind them accountable. There is also an inconsistency in our wider approach. Social media and digital platforms are increasingly used in educational settings to communicate with students, share learning resources and develop digital skills. If we recognise that these technologies have benefits in education and civic life, we should be cautious about treating them as inherently harmful in every context. For the same reason, I am not convinced that blanket age verification requirements are the answer. Measures that apply to every user can create privacy concerns and barriers to access, without addressing the underlying cause of harm. We also know that platforms frequently fail to respond when problems are identified, as other hon. Members have said. Earlier this year, a constituent contacted me after repeatedly receiving content in his Facebook feed linking to pornographic websites. My office contacted Meta on his behalf several times, but we received no response. I am sure other Members have had similar experiences—it is simply not good enough. The UK has taken important steps through the Online Safety Act 2023. However, this debate highlights the limits to any one country acting alone. These issues are not specific to the UK; social media platforms operate across borders and harmful content does not respect jurisdictions. That is why international co-operation is essential. The 2024 UK-US agreement on children’s online safety was a welcome step, but it remains too focused on changing children’s behaviour, rather than on changing the platforms themselves. In contrast, the proposed EU KIDS Act places greater emphasis on platform accountability and on requiring the companies to remove addictive features, strengthen privacy protections and demonstrate that their services are safe for young people to use. I have two questions for the Minister. First, have the Government considered whether elements of the EU KIDS Act’s “safety by design” approach could inform future UK policy? Secondly, what discussions have the Government had with international partners about establishing common standards on platform design, algorithmic transparency and child safety? As a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, I was struck by the recent comments from the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, who argued that efforts to restrict children’s access to social media should not distract us from the need to ensure that platforms meet clear legal duties and are properly held to account. I believe that is the right approach; rather than placing the responsibility on children and their families to avoid harm, we should require tech companies to create products that are safe by default.<span id="287WH" class="column-number" data-column-number="287WH"></span> We can continue to debate an under-16 social media ban, but children will not truly be safe until the platforms themselves are held responsible for the harms they create. I believe that the answer lies in international co-operation, platform accountability and safety by design, and not simply in asking young people to stay away.

   Hansard source
9. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Callum Anderson

   Topical Questions

   Does the Minister share my disappointment that, because of political game playing by the leader of Central Bedfordshire council, Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire will have to wait to enjoy the benefits of devolution? Will she set out how this Government will work to ensure that constituencies such as mine will not miss out on the investment and opportunities that it promises?

   Hansard source
10. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ben Goldsborough

    Nolan Principles

    <Question HRSContentId="{121A4453-937F-4DAF-AB35-B973C0978E16}">4. <QuestionText HRSContentId="{F6FF71A9-B450-4A82-A02D-EA8D65822179}">What steps she is taking to ensure local authorities uphold the Nolan principles.</QuestionText> </Question>

    Hansard source
11. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ben Goldsborough

    Nolan Principles

    Despite concerns, Reform rushed through the appointment of Norfolk county council’s new CEO, Dennis Bacon. Thanks to Councillor Ben Weston, we now know that Mr Bacon hosted senior Reform councillors at his luxury B&amp;B the day before job applications opened. Norfolk Reform has failed on three Nolan principles: selflessness, integrity and objectivity. Does my hon. Friend agree that a slap-up meal should not get someone a £215,000 job?

    Hansard source
12. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Becky Gittins

    Budget Resolutions

    What my hon. Friend has just said, about the cumulative effect of lots of announcements making a difference, is really important. In my constituency of Clwyd East in north Wales, we pay some of the highest standing charges anywhere in the country, with people in north Wales paying a standing charge of 68p a day, in comparison to the 43p paid each day by people in London. Does she agree with me that not only is that measure welcome but, as well creating that breathing space, it is a huge step to fairness in our energy system?

    Hansard source
13. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Barry Gardiner

    Immigration: Earned Settlement

    The Home Secretary is right to set out fairness as the guiding principle for her reforms. Does she accept that contribution and integration, which will be taken into account as a means of reducing the wait time, are subjective criteria on which caseworkers might come to different conclusions, and that that would not be fair? Does she agree that the unfairness for the British people comes from the gradual erosion of the difference between settlement and citizenship, such that all the benefits come with settlement and the only thing people get with citizenship is a blue passport and the right to return to the country after two years?

    Hansard source
14. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Baggy Shanker

    Budget Resolutions

    I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, specifically as it relates to Rolls-Royce. This is a Budget that backs grafters, not just in Derby but in towns and cities across the whole country. It backs hard-working families who are struggling to make ends meet with £100 of breathing space on their energy bills. It backs the landlords behind the pubs we know and love through changes to business rates that will help them balance their books, and it backs good growth—not just in DE1 and DE2, not just in our great city of Derby, but in postcodes all over the country. At the heart of that is good growth and reindustrialisation, driving the jobs, investment and opportunities our communities need.<span id="651" class="column-number" data-column-number="651"></span> In Derby, we know a thing or two about making things. For generations, we have built, engineered and supplied the technologies that keep our country powered. We are proud of that heritage, but we know that our industrial future cannot be built on nostalgia; we need investments that match the scale of our ambition for British workers and British industry, such as the whopping £2.5 billion joint investment delivered in the Budget to keep the next generation of narrow-body aircraft engines right here on our home soil. Last week, I was proud to welcome the Prime Minister, the Chancellor, and our brilliant Business Secretary to Derby to meet the people making that possible—people such as Rolls-Royce apprentices Will, Elliot and Lucy, young people putting in the hard yards, learning their trade and building the skills that will secure not just their own futures, but the future of British manufacturing. That investment will create thousands more opportunities like theirs, be it in the design office, on the factory floor, or in our brilliant small and medium-sized businesses right across the supply chain. Reindustrialisation is not just a headline; it is about creating good, stable jobs close to home. It is about opportunities for our suppliers, services and skilled craftspeople who support our growing factories, and it is about giving local communities a share in the manufacturing success that they help to create. As we in Derby know better than most, that has not always been the case. The manufacturing success that Derby residents have helped to create has not been shared with them, but things are changing, because with £10 million of Government investment behind Team Derby, we are putting that right. We are making sure that every pound of investment works as hard as it can, and makes things better for our city and our residents. Reindustrialisation is about making sure that the people and the place benefit from that work, which is why this Budget backs our communities.

    Hansard source
15. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ashley Dalton

    Budget Resolutions

    I welcome the measures taken by the Chancellor in this Budget, which is clear-eyed about the pressures that people and businesses continue to face, but equally clear about our plan of action to support households so that they keep more of their money; to reduce costs for businesses; and to create the conditions for economic growth. People across West Lancashire are working hard to make ends meet. There is no dearth of ambition and talent in our local communities, but when conflict in the middle east drives up global energy prices, my constituents feel the effects in their household budget. The extension of the 0% VAT rate on electricity until July 2027, the removal of standing charges from household gas bills and the £2.6 billion on the energy bills breathing space scheme are all welcome steps. In West Lancashire, 37,000-plus households will benefit from the £100 payment this winter. The costs of global volatility are not only felt in the home, however. The conflict in the middle east has once again demonstrated how vulnerable motorists are to fluctuations in global fuel prices. I therefore welcome the extension of fuel duty tax cuts until July next year. I have spoken repeatedly about the need to improve public transport and rail connectivity in Skelmersdale in my constituency. We need to ensure that our communities are better connected to neighbouring towns, cities and economic opportunities. While I continue to encourage Reform-led Lancashire county council to work constructively with me to improve local transport for my constituents, I also recognise that in many parts of a rural constituency like mine, owning a car is currently a necessity. Measures to ease the pressure on motorists are particularly welcome in such rural constituencies, where the price at the pump is piling additional pressure on already overstretched families. This Budget is not only for families. Our high streets are at the heart of our communities. They bring employment opportunities, economic growth and a sense of community, <span id="653" class="column-number" data-column-number="653"></span>character and identity. As co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on theatre, I am particularly conscious of the important role that our cultural venues, and particularly touring productions, play in supporting our local economy. The economic contribution of touring theatre extends well beyond the theatre itself; every pound spent on the theatre ticket generates a further £1.40 in local spending. I look forward to seeing how the Government can further support the touring sector and creative industries, and can ensure that theatres reach audiences across the country. I welcome this Budget, which recognises the importance of our high streets and the contribution of small businesses. This is how we create jobs, strengthen our communities and deliver growth that people feel in every postcode, every day of their life.

    Hansard source
16. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Antonia Bance

    Houses in Multiple Occupation

    <Question HRSContentId="{2846D08B-1552-43B5-B49B-EB6C0DBA1920}">9. <QuestionText HRSContentId="{1FC9683A-D270-4F34-AF24-27686BE40907}">What steps her Department is taking to further regulate the use of houses in multiple occupation.</QuestionText> </Question>

    Hansard source
17. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Antonia Bance

    Houses in Multiple Occupation

    I thank the Minister for his answer. Residents in Wednesbury and Tipton are absolutely sick of family homes being turned into HMOs and—now that that is getting more difficult—into supported exempt accommodation, too. I have campaigned for more controls on HMOs since the day I was elected, but supported exempt accommodation is essentially unregulated. When will this Government bring in further controls on supported exempt accommodation?

    Hansard source
18. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Fire and Search and Rescue Services

    Earlier this month, at the UK’s first wildfires summit, the Prime Minister and I announced that military aircraft will tackle wildfires that ground crews cannot reach. The RAF Chinook helicopters and other aircraft will be available to fight fires and help crews across the UK. My hon. Friend will be aware that fire and rescue services are devolved in Scotland, but Ministers and officials will work across Government, including with the Cabinet Office, and engage with the Scottish Government to strengthen our collective approach.

    Hansard source
19. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Fire and Search and Rescue Services

    Across the UK, volunteer search and rescue teams are an indispensable part of Britain’s emergency response system. I thank my hon. Friend for his campaigning on this issue. His APPG for volunteer rescue services turns frontline experience into practical policy change—most recently, with the exemption of search and rescue vehicles from vehicle excise duty. I will raise the group’s latest suggestions with ministerial colleagues.

    Hansard source
20. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Fire and Search and Rescue Services

    I am very happy to join the right hon. Member in paying tribute to Swaledale mountain rescue and its dedicated volunteers. The rescue that he references demonstrates the vital work that they do, alongside the fire and rescue service, and I thank them for everything that they do to keep us safe.

    Hansard source
21. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    High Street Regeneration: Dudley

    Alongside the Budget, we announced our new cross-Government high streets strategy to breathe new life into our town centres, backed by £210 million of new funding to reinvent our high streets with new shops, public services and community spaces. My hon. Friend is a tireless campaigner for her high streets and the traders in her constituency. I am pleased that she managed to secure £3 million for Dudley from our derelict buildings fund.

    Hansard source
22. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    High Street Regeneration: Dudley

    My hon. Friend is absolutely right to talk about the years of Conservative failure, where we saw boarded-up shops, closed pubs and places feeling in decline. We are turning the page with a £125 million fund that will be invested to bring derelict buildings, like abandoned cinemas and shopping centres, back into use for the community. We are putting power back into the hands of local communities like Dudley, so that they can have a real say over what their high street looks like.

    Hansard source
23. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Commonhold and Leasehold Reform

    The Government will introduce the commonhold and leasehold reform Bill this year, marking the beginning of the end of the feudal leasehold system. We will continue implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 as quickly as possible, and we will bring forward further legislation for the independent statutory regulation of property agents.

    Hansard source
24. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Commonhold and Leasehold Reform

    We promised that we would bring that legislation forward soon, possibly in time for it to be a Christmas present—you never know, Mr Speaker. Council tax went up every year under the Conservatives. They left local governments without the funds they needed; we have funded councils on the basis of need. We support the councils; the Opposition did not.

    Hansard source
25. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Commonhold and Leasehold Reform

    The building safety crisis must be resolved. Homes must be made safe and residents must be allowed to move on with their lives. We brought forward the remediation acceleration plan, which I discussed on the Floor of the House last week, and I am happy to meet with my hon. Friend. I have met with many organisations as part of that plan: some are doing well, but most are not good enough.

    Hansard source
26. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Topical Questions

    There was nothing duff in the Budget last week. It delivers a major boost to council housing with an additional £1.5 billion for the social and affordable homes programme. This investment will take the total funding for the programme to more than £40 billion over 10 years.

    Hansard source
27. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Topical Questions

    I am hoping for an early Christmas present for the hon. Lady when we set out our leasehold Bill, and hopefully by the end of this Parliament we will be able, using secondary legislation, to get things through.

    Hansard source
28. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Topical Questions

    I am not aware of the Government spending money on that type of partisan material, but I am happy for the hon. Lady to send it to me. I think she might have written to me about this recently, and I will be happy to respond.

    Hansard source
29. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Topical Questions

    I commend the fire services across Wales, England and Scotland, given the challenges they faced. I know that aerial support was needed in Wales, and we looked at that as part of the wildfire summit that we held. We will continue to work with them and that aerial support will be available across the UK so that people can use it when they need it.

    Hansard source
30. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Topical Questions

    I commend all those who fought wildfires over the summer, and the right hon. Gentleman is right to recognise that the personal protective equipment that firefighters need is different in those circumstances. <span id="582" class="column-number" data-column-number="582"></span>That is why we have put in £45 million extra for equipment, on top of the £97 million. We are working to ensure that our firefighters have the equipment that they need, and of course we announced aerial support, too.

    Hansard source
31. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Topical Questions

    I am devastated to hear the hon. Gentleman’s description of what happened to his constituents, and I will ensure that he gets a meeting with a Minister.

    Hansard source
32. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Budget Resolutions

    This is a Budget with immediate action today and clear direction for the future. If we want to build a Britain where all people can live a good life and live it well, where everyone has control to shape their own lives for themselves, and where no one’s future is limited by where they are from, because the only ceiling is their own ambition, what we need is good growth in every postcode. However, we also know that people need a bit of breathing space right now, which is why we have announced targeted support for households this winter, and action to bring down the cost of essentials. We are a Government with a clear theory of growth: retake control, and devolve power to places. We are fundamentally shifting where and how decisions are made by transferring powers, resources and functions to mayors, strategic authorities and local authorities across England, and we are working with the devolved Administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. That shift means that local leaders with skin in the game can target spending towards the biggest issues in their communities: new housing projects, infrastructure that cuts workers’ commutes, and investment in our town centres. The fiscal devolution road map published alongside the Budget sets out a new funding model so that local leaders can rise to this challenge: by the end of the decade, local and regional government will retain 100% of the business rates income. It sets out plans for mayoral strategic authorities to receive a share of local income tax revenues from 2028, and details how the overnight visitor levy will work, as well as our plans to explore further fiscal devolution.

    Hansard source
33. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Budget Resolutions

    I know the hon. Gentleman has a private Member’s Bill on this issue, but the Budget provides an extra £1.5 billion for social housing, which I welcome. That takes the overall amount up to £40 billion in the next 10 years. We should welcome that investment. At the Budget, we also announced £285 million of good growth funding, including incubator funding for areas that are yet to have a mayor, and plans for a £1.5 billion borrowing facility for mayors from 2028. This will give them access to the capital needed to back their local priorities and deliver growth in every postcode. We have also confirmed a £150 million uplift to mayoral capacity funding in 2027-28, to give them the resources they need as their range of powers grow. To support mayors, we are publishing guidance on place-based business cases. This represents a new approach to appraisal that puts local objectives and potential at the heart of decision making. We recognise that too much of England is not covered by strategic authorities, so we remain committed to filling the gap. This is why I was delighted that we announced at the Budget that we are in the final stages of agreeing devolution deals in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay; Hertfordshire; Lancashire; Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland; Stoke and Staffordshire; Surrey; Thames Valley; Kent and Medway; Wessex; and Cornwall. These areas will join Cheshire and Warrington; Cumbria; Sussex and Brighton; Hampshire and the Solent; Greater Essex; and Norfolk and Suffolk at the forefront of the Government’s ambitious programme to expand devolution. Together, these agreements will mean that over 90% of England’s population is covered by a devolution agreement, with mayoral devolution reaching every part of the north. We will continue working with all remaining areas, including Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, where there is broad agreement but not yet local consensus.

    Hansard source
34. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Budget Resolutions

    I did just say that we are working with all remaining areas. We will continue to do so where we can find local consensus, because we are the party of devolution and believe in working with local leaders. Later this year, we will publish our full plan for rewiring the state, which will outline a vision for devolution in England. The changes that we have announced are about devolution, not delegation. Where powers and functions are transferred, they will not be duplicated at the centre. This means that, over time, central Government will become smaller but more strategic.

    Hansard source
35. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Budget Resolutions

    Again, we are working with local areas to make sure that we progress as quickly as possible. We are happy to engage with local leaders as part of that programme.<span id="617" class="column-number" data-column-number="617"></span> As we move towards a local government finance settlement, we will continue working with local leaders to plan and invest for the long term. I am clear that local government is the foundation of the public services on which neighbourhoods and communities rely, which are essential to our wider ambition to rewire the state.

    Hansard source
36. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Budget Resolutions

    Our plans are about making sure that mayors work with local authorities. In fact, in my area in Greater Manchester, we have seen the combined authority have really good pulling power, with our economy doing better than other areas, so we want to see that across the whole nation. That is why the Cabinet statement on rewiring the state committed to the financial sustainability of local authorities, and this Budget is the next step towards that. The upcoming local government finance policy statement will set out our next steps alongside the rewiring the state delivery plan. Good growth is growth that we can see and feel. We need to draw a line under a decade of drift during which the public realm was seen as sideshow to politics—<em>[</em><em>Interruption.</em><em>]</em> The hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth (Dr Evans) should know about sideshows. Our high streets are where we catch up with friends for a coffee, and those businesses provide solid jobs at the heart of our communities. Those small moments of joy give us real hope, and that is why our strategy is giving hope back to the high streets. New powers, new funding and changes to the business rates system will provide much-needed relief for thousands of cafés, pubs and high street shops. We are freezing all retail, hospitality and leisure bills in real terms to protect them from above inflation increases for the next two years, and we are lifting the small business rate relief threshold for qualifying properties.

    Hansard source
37. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Budget Resolutions

    My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We are removing business rate relief for vape shops and adult gaming centres, and giving local authorities stronger tools to tackle business rates avoidance. At the Budget, we announced an extra 20% business rate cut for pubs and all but the largest live music venues. We will also introducing a general anti-avoidance rule for business rates at the earliest opportunity, and expanding what legal costs local authorities can claim when they are unsuccessful.

    Hansard source
38. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Budget Resolutions

    We have been taking forward a number of measures, such as the overnight visitor levy, and working with businesses. As devolution pushes down into local communities, I hope there will be a role for the public realm as well as for businesses and innovators and for those in the community and voluntary sector who do so much as volunteers in our local community. More broadly, we are also moving Government buildings on to high streets and improving design standards, with a whole-of-Government plan to show the public that the best days of our high streets are yet to come.

    Hansard source
39. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Angela Rayner

    Budget Resolutions

    Noted, Madam Deputy Speaker. I really applaud what Gravesham is doing, especially for its young people. The strategy is backed by £125 million to transform derelict buildings in our high streets, £65 million for community ownership funding and £10 million to deliver high street rental auctions. Alongside this, we are cracking down on illegitimate and illegal businesses, giving councils powers to limit vape shops and adult gaming centres, and reforming licensing. The state of our town and city centres says so much about us, who we are as a country and whether we are on the right path. Getting our high streets back on track is a crucial step to giving Britain hope again. But this strategy is just one part of our plan to make people proud of their local area. Alongside it, we have confirmed plans for a new No. 10 North priority projects programme. This will unlock homes, jobs, investment and long-term economic growth, with No. 10 North working directly with new strategic authorities. The Budget will also accelerate the delivery of priority projects in West Yorkshire, the West of England and South Yorkshire. These include investment to expand the Leeds College of Building to accommodate over 2,000 new learners, crowding in around £350 million of private investment into Bristol Temple Quarter, and match-funding incubator space in the Don Valley Corridor. We will continue to support growth in London, as one of the world’s most important cities, working with the Mayor of London to bring forward improvements to the transport network and towards a global city <span id="619" class="column-number" data-column-number="619"></span>productivity plan. More widely, we have also confirmed that all 20 strategic authorities will be eligible for funding in the new co-operative development programme. This £10 billion programme is the biggest Government-backed boost to co-operatives for decades and shows how we are meeting our commitment to our sister party to double the size of the co-operative economy.<span id="vol792_col6WC" class="cross-reference" data-house-id="1" data-column-number="6WC" data-volume-number="792">[<em>Official Report</em>, 3 November 2026; Vol. 792, c. 6WC.] (Correction)</span> In the years ahead, we will continue to deliver the £5.8 billion Pride in Place programme, putting local residents in charge of change across almost 300 neighbourhoods. This month, we will see the next major milestone of the programme as we reach the deadline for phase 2 neighbourhoods to submit their 10-year plan. We will continue to work with the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, confirming at the Budget the investment in the Edinburgh-Glasgow central belt, funding for the expansion of the M-SParc science park in Anglesey and of Cardiff Parkway station, and the £7.5 million of investment to grow AI and cyber industries in Belfast. Our plans for good growth will shape the future of this country, but we also know that people need breathing space right now. Alongside radical reforms to reduce bills in the future, we have also announced a series of measures to tackle the cost of living and help make everyday life easier. We know that rising energy costs are going to be tough for a lot of households this winter. That is why we are removing VAT and standing charges from bills, freezing fuel duty and providing £100 per household for energy payments in council tax bands A to D in England. The measures are supporting up to 80% of households in England, and local authorities will get a discretionary fund of £100 million to provide further support to households most in need. On top of that, we have taken action to make groceries cheaper by cutting import duties; increased the living wage and the minimum wage; extended parental leave; and ended the carer’s allowance cliff edge. We brought in higher tax-free mileage rates and boosted support for nurses, and we are making sure that pensioners in receipt of the full state pension will not have to pay tax. Britain is a kind, caring nation where people take pride in looking out for each other. In 2026, in the world’s fifth-richest economy, everyone should have a roof over their head. That is why we will make sure that by Christmas this year everyone sleeping rough will be offered a route off the streets. Earlier this year, I announced £442 million for a new rough sleeping programme to meet that milestone. Support off the streets should not just be for Christmas, though, so we are almost doubling that figure with £432 million to keep that offer going for the next two years. That means continuing to help people off the streets, while preventing people from returning and giving them the support that they need. That is why we will make sure there is wraparound support for those people as well. The Budget makes progress towards our commitment to deliver the biggest boost in council house building since the post-war period. We have announced that we will extend the preferential borrowing rate for councils on top of the £1.5 billion that I mentioned earlier. Our message to local leaders is, “Get ambitious, and we will back you all the way.” The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s planned AI tool, Assist, will be available to all councils in England by the end of 2027. We also <span id="620" class="column-number" data-column-number="620"></span>announced the Your First Home scheme to help around 70,000 first-time buyers to get on the ladder. Good growth in every postcode is not just about fairness; it is the simple point that Britain is at its best when every area of the country can play its part. I am proud of this Government’s action, I am proud of our history, and I am proud of this Budget. I commend this statement to the House.

    Hansard source
40. 2 Nov 2026·Parliament·Labour·Andrew Cooper

    First-time Buyers

    <Question HRSContentId="{1AE5607F-BEAB-482A-A1B4-E6E4139FDBBC}">13. <QuestionText HRSContentId="{EEEF7F35-7FDC-4250-B9F2-FF5D66D4BAC8}">What steps she is taking to support first time house buyers. </QuestionText></Question>

    Hansard source