Alison McGovern MP: speeches 2026

226 published records · newest first.

Speeches

19 Jan 2026 · Local Elections: Cancellation · Hansard source
More
I thank my hon. Friend for his question. Coming from an area with a unitary council and a combined authority that is taking steps to improve public transport and other things, I appreciate fully the points he makes and I will pass them on to the Minister for Devolution, my hon. Friend the Member for Peckham (Miatta Fahnbulleh).
19 Jan 2026 · Local Elections: Cancellation · Hansard source
More
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for making those points, which I will certainly relay to the Secretary of State so that he can take them under advisement. We wrote to notify the Electoral Commission, and we are grateful for its ongoing engagement. We will certainly have regard to all views and representations made, including those of the Electoral Commission, but this is fundamentally about local councils and their capacity, and that is why we have asked for representations from them. The right hon. Gentleman asked about the Gould principle. That principle is underpinned by the need for certainty, so if there are technical changes, those responsible for the delivery of elections have time to adapt, but this is not about technical changes. We are listening to councils’ views about their capacity in the context of local government reorganisation. Finally, the right hon. Gentleman asked when the Secretary of State will make decisions. We have moved quickly to get these representations from councils, and the Secretary of State will make a decision as soon as he possibly can.
19 Jan 2026 · Local Elections: Cancellation · Hansard source
More
We are in regular contact with local authorities. The Department and the Secretary of State will have heard what the hon. Gentleman has said, and we will make sure that those views are fed in.
19 Jan 2026 · Local Elections: Cancellation · Hansard source
More
Elections will be happening up and down this country in May. We are committed to democracy and it is very important that people have their say.
19 Jan 2026 · Local Elections: Cancellation · Hansard source
More
No, you’re fine. The Secretary of State will take into account those representations and others, and make a decision without any undue delay.
19 Jan 2026 · Local Elections: Cancellation · Hansard source
More
Let me thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I do not agree with him on the substantive point he makes, but I have heard his views and will pass them on to the Secretary of State.
12 Jan 2026 · Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-27: Greater Manchester · Hansard source
More
The Government are making good on long-overdue promises to fundamentally update the way that we fund local authorities. We are re-aligning funding with need and deprivation through the first multi-year local government finance settlement in a decade. The provisional 2026-27 settlement will make available almost £78 billion in core spending power for local authorities in England. For Greater Manchester authorities, it makes available up to £3.92 billion in core spending power in 2026-27, an increase of 16.4% compared to 2024-25, which is a real-terms increase.
12 Jan 2026 · Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-27: Greater Manchester · Hansard source
More
As I have said in this Chamber a number of times, we can provide substantial increases to councils, as we need to, and it is very important that we do in places like Manchester, but unless we have a more preventive approach—for example, unless we stop children being taken into care, or stop councils facing really big challenges—councils will still face spiking costs. I look forward to working with my hon. Friend and colleagues across Greater Manchester on making that work.
12 Jan 2026 · Local Elections: Basildon and Thurrock · Hansard source
More
We have invited views from Thurrock, Basildon and other councils undergoing local government reorganisation about their capacity to deliver local government reorganisation alongside elections. This is a locally-led approach. Councils are best placed to judge their capacity, and we will consider their representations carefully.
12 Jan 2026 · Local Elections: Basildon and Thurrock · Hansard source
More
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question and for raising those points on behalf of his residents. We will consider the representations that have been made, alongside precedent and the legal requirements in this area, and we will take very seriously the points he raises on behalf of his constituents.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I thank the hon. Member for his input. We have set out the process that we will undertake. We will judge the proposals from Devon against the published criteria.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I thank the right hon. Lady for raising that on behalf of her constituents. The impact of fly-tipping is clearly a worry to us all. She raises the seriousness of the issue, which I and the Secretary of State also recognise.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I would like to give personal thanks to my hon. Friend for his comments on this issue. In the homelessness strategy, we noted that this problem is extraordinarily challenging and important, and I want to take action on it. I thank him for the work that he has done on behalf of Hartlepool residents. We will continue to work together to sort this problem out.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
The hon. Gentleman and I were both in this House for the entire period of austerity, which landed at the door of town halls more than almost anywhere else, so if he wants to look for someone to blame for the parlous state of council finances, I would recommend a mirror.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I have heard what the hon. Member has said, and will take it as a contribution to the consultation that we are having. She mentions the needs of children; she will have heard me say to colleagues that we have to change the way that we work on this issue. I will happily work with her to ensure that we cut the costs and get better outcomes for our kids.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I am working closely with my Department for Work and Pensions colleagues, and we know that there are many problems with affordability in the private rented sector. Ministers have mentioned some of the actions we are taking today, but we will be working with the DWP to do more.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his input on the reorganisation. As I mentioned moments ago, we have set out the process that we will undertake. We will consult fully and judge each proposal against the criteria that we have set out.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising the needs of Birmingham residents. They should come first, and everybody deserves a good bin service. We want all parties to come to the table and deal with this as swiftly as humanly possible.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I have heard what the hon. Gentleman has said, and we will take it under advisement as part of the reorganisation process. We want to get on with it so that councils can stabilise their organisation and their finances and get on with delivering for the public.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I have already met the hon. Lady and I would be very happy to meet her again.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I congratulate the hon. Lady for laying out to the House what sounds like a complicated situation for her constituents. We will take what she says under advisement, as part of the process. I am always happy to make myself available to meet Members of this House.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I thank my hon. Friend for raising that really important issue. One of the reasons why I and the Safeguarding Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Yardley (Jess Phillips), worked closely together on both the homelessness strategy and the violence against women and girls strategy was to ensure that that area of policy joined up—16% of homelessness is caused by domestic abuse. That is why we will not stop until those families leaving refuge have a decent place to be—including the furniture they need—to make a house a home.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I thank the hon. Member so much for raising that case on the Floor of the House in the way he did. It shows all the different reasons why people can find themselves without a roof over their head. The local authority should be in the lead in supporting them, but if he wants to contact me with further details, I will ensure that the local authority has the support it needs.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I am proud to say that this settlement reconnects council funding with deprivation, and I have already explained the detail of that to the House. We will ensure that all councils are heard during this consultation period, and I look forward to working with my hon. Friend as one of my good friends and colleagues from our city region, which is of course the best one in the country, as you know, Mr Speaker.
12 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
More
I thank my hon. Friend for her comments on the fair funding review and the recovery grant, which was needed due to the significant damage done to council finances by 14 years of Tory misrule. I have already met scores of colleagues to discuss council funding, and I will meet scores more over the next couple of days. I look forward to talking with my hon. Friend about the proposal she mentions.

Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →