Rewiring the State
Debate between Louise Haigh and Freddie van Mierlo(2Â weeks, 6Â days ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Louise Haigh
We are incredibly conscious of the historical underfunding of fire services across the country. That is why the previous Administration committed an additional ÂŁ100 million to local fire and rescue services. Future funding decisions will be for the Budget.
Freddie van Mierlo (Henley and Thame) (LD)
My summer tour took me to such wonderful villages as Forest Hill, Little Milton, Stanton St John and Warborough, and no one I met wants to be part of the new proposed Greater Oxford authority. These parishes have been pressganged into a new authority they do not want to be part of. Will the Government review the decision to split Oxfordshire into three—a messy solution—and support other solutions, such as the two-and-one local authority proposals?
Louise Haigh
The Prime Minister has been clear that we do not want to impose anything centrally on areas that do not want to combine areas. I am sure that we can facilitate a meeting or discussion in No. 10 North to ensure that we get the right authority, powers and resources for the hon. Gentleman’s area.