Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Business Liquidation: Costs to Local Authorities

Monday 10 July 2023 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Local government finance settlement for 2023-24 provides up to 59.7 billion for local authorities.
  • The Government spends approximately 8 billion on targeted long-term investment in high streets and small businesses.
  • The Minister offered to meet Cat Smith to discuss waste remediation issues.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Cat Smith Lab Lancaster and Wyre
Local Government Environment
Context

The question arises due to the concern about local authorities' ability to handle sudden financial burdens caused by businesses entering liquidation, particularly in the context of a specific incident involving a skip site in Lancaster.

Question

If he will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the capacity of local authorities to respond to unexpected costs arising from businesses entering liquidation. The cost of clean-up for a skip site on the Lune industrial estate has exceeded the value of the land, raising concerns about resident safety and environmental health.

Answer from Dehenna Davison

The local government finance settlement for 2023-24 provides up to £59.7 billion, increasing core spending power by 9.4%. The Government also spends approximately £8 billion on targeted long-term investment in high streets and small businesses.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about assessing the capacity of local authorities was not directly addressed

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Q2 Cat Smith Lab Lancaster and Wyre
Environment
Context

Residents in the Marsh area of Lancaster are worried about a skip site on the Lune industrial estate that has entered liquidation, with clean-up costs exceeding land value, raising environmental health concerns.

Question

Residents in the Marsh area of Lancaster, Lancaster City Council and I are concerned about the future of a skip site on the Lune industrial estate that has gone into liquidation. The cost of clean-up is higher than the value of the land. Will the Minister make time to meet me and Lancaster City Council to discuss what steps the council can take to ensure that residents know that the environment they are living in is healthy and safe?

Answer from Dehenna Davison

The hon. Lady is in touch with the Environment Agency about this, and there is an ongoing investigation. Although specifics cannot be commented on, I would be happy to meet her to discuss the wider issue of waste remediation. The Government have increased the Environment Agency's budget by £10 million per year and tightened laws against rogue operators.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask for a meeting was not directly confirmed, but an offer to meet about a broader topic was made

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