Jim Dickson: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that the proceedings of local authorities are available to the public live online.
Jim Dickson: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that local authorities are subject to independent review and inspection.
Jim Dickson: As the Minister has already pointed out, and others in this Chamber have said, bus franchising has clearly delivered fantastic results where it is already in operation in Greater Manchester and London, but it will not be right for all communities. In my constituency, there are often only two buses a day connecting the outlying villages to Dartford and other population centres. Does he agree...
Jim Dickson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to restore the collapsed section of the A226 Galley Hill Road, Greenhithe.
Jim Dickson: Will the Chancellor confirm that a state pension increase will be announced at the Budget and that it will be equivalent to wage growth, inflation or 2.5%—whichever is higher?
Jim Dickson: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent progress her Department has made on planning reform.
Jim Dickson: I thank my right hon. Friend the Chancellor for her excellent statement, putting public finances and public services back on their feet. Having seen how extensive this Tory cover-up has been, with unfunded commitments in multiple Departments, does she agree that it is not just her predecessor as Chancellor, but every member of the last Cabinet who is complicit in that cover-up?
Jim Dickson: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to make my maiden speech. I welcome you to your place. I commend the brilliant speech of my hon. Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Tony Vaughan). We envy his sea views, but it is great that he and I are part of a group of 12 Kent Labour MPs—up from one before the election—and I am delighted that my speech is likely to be followed...
