Building cities
Peers including the Vice-President of the Local Government Association are to debate the case for developing the growth of the UK's major cities on Thursday 19 January.
Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat), the former Leader of Liverpool City Council who tabled the debate and will speak first, said:
“People are drawn to cities both for work and for play. 80% of the UK's population live in an urban area and a successful city helps to make its surrounding areas prosperous.
“But we need to ensure that, during challenging times, our cities continue to grow and develop. If they flourish, they can help to contribute to the economic recovery of our urban areas. We must ensure that cities can build on their strengths, think imaginatively about what needs to be done to grow and develop them and have the single-minded determination to carry it through.
“I hope this debate will encourage people to realise that they have an important part to play in working together with the Government to ensure that our cities continue to be places people want to live and work in, with good transportation links and decent housing.”
Other Members scheduled to speak include:
- Lord Shipley (Liberal Democrat), Vice-President of the Local Government Association; and
- Lord Beecham (Labour), Opposition Spokesperson for Communities and Local Government.
Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat) is also expected to take part in the debate.
Baroness Wilcox (Conservative) will respond on behalf of the government.
The debate is open to media and the public. Please allow time for security screening.
The debate will also be broadcast live on Parliament TV.