Speeches by Perteghella.

“I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion. Clause, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 72 Interpretation”

“I know they are already doing it, but making it statutory ensures that it actually happens and can be scrutinised—that is why we want to do that.”

“It is a pleasure to serve under you in the Chair, Mrs Hobhouse. I thank the petitioners for bringing this important issue before Parliament. Having a baby should never be what pushes a family into financial hardship. But for too many new parents, statutory maternity and paternity pay simply do not meet the basic cost o…”

“I was a PhD student when I had my first child, so I understand the challenges that students face. All forms of parental leave and pay, including for adoptive, foster and self-employed parents, should be available from day one. Statutory maternity and shared parental pay should be doubled and paternity leave increased. …”

“Sorry, Chair. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the resulting democratic deficit sets a dangerous precedent?”

“I beg to move amendment 34, in schedule 27, page 265, line 41, after “economic,” insert “, environmental,”. This amendment would require environmental interests to be considered as a criterion for establishing a local authority’s area as land of community value.”

“Okay. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”

“Would the Minister consider looking at extending that five years to give a bit more time to the community to—”

“Amendments 349 to 351 concern the rules around assets of community value. The designation of a building such as a pub, community shop or village hall, or even a piece of land like a community orchard, as an asset of community value allows local people to protect the places that play an important role in their community…”

“I beg to move amendment 373, in schedule 27, page 266, line 5, at end insert— “(c) it is land of on which there are buildings of historical significance.” This amendment would expand the criteria for a local authority classifying land as of community value to include land on which there are buildings of historical sign…”

“I beg to move amendment 349, in schedule 27, page 265, leave out lines 1 to 8. This amendment would remove the provision for assets of community value to be removed from the list of assets of community value after five years.”

“I will speak to new clause 7. I commend the Government for their decision to do away with the first-past-the-post system for mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections. As has been said, the decision to move mayoral elections to first past the post was a complete disaster, and this improvement will ensure bett…”

“In the light of the Minister’s assurances, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”

“I thank the Minister for her reassurance, but would she put what she has said about the protection of town and parish councils in writing to us?”

“I will not press the amendments to a vote, although my hon. Friends might table them again on Report, but I will press new clause 51 to a vote later on. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”

“I will address these amendments as two separate groups. Amendments 14 and 15 are simple and, in combination, would ensure that the definition of a “neighbourhood area”, which is important in this clause, is decided by the effective local authority and not by the Secretary of State. In these amendments we are again tryi…”

“I beg to move amendment 14, in clause 58, page 60, line 11, at end insert— “(1A) It is a duty of a local authority to specify the description of a neighbourhood area that will apply within the local authority’s area for the purposes of subsection (1).” This amendment assigns the power to define “neighbourhood area” to …”

“Amendments 250 and 251 would protect the right of local residents to be properly informed about decisions that affect them by retaining the statutory requirement for public notices to be published in printed local newspapers. Amendment 251 would ensure that the newspaper in which notices are printed is truly local, rel…”

“I beg to move amendment 250, in schedule 25, page 254, leave out lines 3 to 12. This amendment retains the statutory requirement for public notices to be published in printed local newspapers.”

“I want to support the hon. Lady. The national Government should not force structures of local governance on local councils. We saw written evidence from Councillor Martin Smith, the leader of the Liberal Democrats in Sheffield city council, showing how the committee system has made the governance of the city council mo…”