Miatta Fahnbulleh

I will conclude. We are clear, despite the naysayers on the Opposition Benches, that this Bill is a fundamental step forward. It is the biggest transfer of power to our mayors, our local authorities and our communities. The driver behind the Bill is the principle that if we push power out and locate it in local people, we can drive the change that people want. I end by saying this: the Bill is a floor, not the ceiling. We are determined to continue building on the devolution journey that we have started, putting power, agency and resources in the hands of local leaders and communities, because that is how we drive local change that can drive national change. I urge the House to support the Government’s amendments to this Bill to ensure that we can unlock the potential of devolution. Question put and agreed to. New clause 43 accordingly read a Second time, and added to the Bill. New Clause 44 Licensing functions of the Mayor of London “Schedule (licensing functions of the Mayor of London) amends the Licensing Act 2003 to confer licensing functions on the Mayor of London.”—(Miatta Fahnbulleh.) This inserts new Schedule NS2 into the Bill conferring licensing functions on the Mayor of London. Brought up, read the First and Second time, and added to the Bill. New Clause 2 Council tax: CAs and CCAs to be subject to same increase as most county and unitary councils “(1) The Local Government Finance Act 1992 is amended as follows. (2) In section 52ZC, after subsection (4) insert— ‘(4A) Where, for the purposes of this section, the Secretary of State determines categories of authority for the year under consideration, one of the categories determined by the Secretary of State must include all mayoral combined authorities and CCAs (‘the CA and CCA category’). (4B) Where the Secretary of State has determined a category that includes the majority of county and unitary councils (“a county and unitary category”), a principle that must be applied to the CA and CAA category is that the means of determining whether the relevant basic amount of council tax is excessive is the same as any means set out in a principle applied to the county and unitary category (but for the purposes of the determination references to any referendum principle for county and unitary councils that specifically relates to expenditure on adult social care should be discounted).’”—(Paul Holmes.) This new clause would limit increases in the mayoral precept according to similar principles limiting council tax increases. Brought up, and read the First time. Question put, That the clause be read a Second time.