Speeches by Nokes.

“I call the shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.”

“I call the Chair of the Business and Trade Committee.”

“I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.”

“Order. After the next speaker, the time limit on speeches will be reduced to four minutes.”

“Order. It would be helpful if the remaining Members could keep their questions very short, so that I can get you all in.”

“Order. This is a very well-subscribed debate, so there will be an immediate time limit of five minutes for Back-Bench contributions. That, of course, does not apply to the mover of the debate, but I hope he bears that comment in mind.”

“We now come to the motions relating to local government finance, which will be debated together.”

“The hon. Gentleman knows full well that that was not a point of order. It is at the Minister’s discretion whether she wishes to take an intervention. I am sure she is coming to her closing remarks.”

“I call the shadow Minister.”

“I call the Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee.”

“I think the hon. Member has already had long enough.”

“Order. We simply cannot have interventions like this. They need to be spontaneous; they should not be read out from pre-prepared scripts.”

“With this it will be convenient to discuss the following motion on council tax increases: That the Referendums Relating to Council Tax Increases (Principles) (England) Report 2025–26 (HC 624), which was laid before this House on 3 February, be approved.”

“I thank the hon. Member for clarifying that. He will be aware that comments made in this House are not the responsibility of the Chair, but he has put his point on the record, and I am sure that the official Opposition Front-Bench team will have heard it.”

“I thank the hon. Member for giving notice of his point of order, which perhaps went further than I had expected. In this House we need to be very careful with language. I am sure that he was not accusing the Leader of the Opposition of deliberately saying something that was untrue.”

“Order. They are not my Benches.”

“I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.”

“Order. I know that Members will find it unusual that Mr Speaker has left the Chair during questions. It is because he is going to attend the memorial service for Lord Hoyle, so I am sure that the whole House wants to send our best wishes to him.”

“I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.”

“I call the shadow Secretary of State.”