Speeches by Cocking.

“I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Just eight weeks ago, during a Select Committee evidence session, the Minister told me that “there is a lot of good work taking place in Birmingham”. The Government want to create super-councils, covering half a million people and reaching ove…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stuart. I draw hon. Members’ attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, because I am a local councillor. I also understand this issue more than most, because I live in a leasehold property. I have a number of cases across my constituency …”

“Will the Minister give way?”

“I want to make a point about solicitors’ practices and what information people get when they buy their properties. I think that a number of people go into these contracts under false pretences and do not fully understand what they are responsible for and what they may end up paying for.”

“In 2022, as I was sitting at Wormley community centre telling for the local elections, a woman said to me, “I’ve just voted Conservative because you are the only party that knows what a woman is,” so the British people really do care about this. Will the Minister be more specific on when she will issue guidance to scho…”

“But do you think those warning signs are good enough? Take peer reviews, for example. Lots of councils that have gone bankrupt or been issued section 114 notices have had really stunning peer reviews— nothing to see here; everything is really good; the council is really good—and then suddenly, within 12 months to two y…”

“It is probably a question for you all, in particular Gareth; you were speaking about the use for aid—the funding pots and what have you. How do you think the Government should give out money to local authorities? On the one hand, you can do that bidding for pots and what have you. On the other hand, for example, the UK…”

“Just on that, making bad budgetary decisions can lead to massive ramifications for a council.”

“You were talking about politicians and councillors making choices and what have you. In their Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the Government have decided to bring in mandatory planning training. I am a councillor, and local government finance is complicated. It is easy to decide what day you want the bins collected a…”

“I am Lewis Cocking, the MP for Broxbourne, and I know Owen Mapley because he was the chief executive of Hertfordshire County Council, where I am still a councillor.”

“Among councils that have faced financial distress or issued section 114 notices, do you think there have been flags within their audits that said that the council would be in financial distress before it was? This does not just happen overnight; something must have been going on in their audited accounts for the previo…”

“Councils do not go bankrupt overnight. Do you think there are enough early warning systems in place to alert people that if you keep making decisions like this, you may end up in financial difficulty?”

“16. What steps she is taking to help protect in-person banking.”

“How does the Minister plan to make it easier to establish banking hubs in communities that have lost all of their banks? I did have a meeting set up with the previous Minister, but she left Government before that meeting could take place. Will this Minister agree to meet me so that I can discuss the establishment of a …”

“My constituents in Broxbourne rightly expect new schools and health facilities, particularly GP surgeries, to be in place before any new housing development. What action is the Minister taking to force developers to deliver infrastructure first?”

“Will the Minister give way?”

“Does my hon. Friend agree that, rather than making it easier for large-scale solar and onshore wind applications, the Government should be focusing on “fabric first” and increasing the energy efficiency of our housing stock, thereby reducing energy demand rather than destroying our countryside?”

“The Minister talks about our energy security. What will increase our energy security is issuing new oil and gas licences so that we can have more home-grown energy. Why will the Minister not change his policy on that?”

“I want to follow up on one of those questions, because I got lost in your answer, Minister. Are the Government going to introduce a national oversight mechanism—yes or no?”

“So it is a no.”