Local Authority round-up 13/11/20

Brexit

UK Internal Market Bill completes committee stage in House of Lords

The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill 2019-21 completed the committee stage in the House of Lords. The Bill seeks to prevent the emergence of regulatory divergence and barriers to trade within the UK domestic market when the powers to regulate trade between the four UK nations that are currently exercised at an EU level flow back to the UK Government and the devolved administrations on 1 January 2021. The Lords voted to remove clauses 42 and 44 in Part 5 of the Bill as these clauses would respectively allow the Government to break international law in relation to the Northern Ireland Protocol to the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement and to override parts of the Withdrawal Agreement relating to Northern Ireland. Previously during the second reading stage, the Lords had voted to put on record their regret that Part 5 would undermine the rule of law and damage the UK’s reputation. The report stage of the Bill is due to commence on 18 November 2020 and the Government has pledged to reintroduce the clauses removed by the Lords when the bill returns to the Commons.

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Trade talks continue

Last weekend Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke on the phone to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and both agreed some progress had been made in recent weeks but Ms von der Leyen said “large differences” remained over the question of access to British fishing waters from 2021 and regulations on workers’ rights, environmental protection, and state aid designed to maintain a “level-playing field.” Trade talks resumed again in London this week however those differences still remain. Talks are expected to continue next week and Boris Johnson said reaching an agreement would be “very difficult”, but that it was “doable” and the coming days were “crucial” however he said he is prepared to move forward without a deal.

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Immigration Act receives Royal Assent

The Immigration Act received Royal Assent this week and has been signed into law. This means free movement will end at 11pm on 31 December 2020 and the UK will be able to decide who comes into the country which will be done via a new points-based immigration system. Those wanting to come into the UK to work will need to apply for permission in advance. They will be awarded points for a job offer at the appropriate skill level, if they speak English, and for meeting the appropriate salary threshold. Visas will be awarded to those who gain enough points. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “Today marks the delivery of our promise to the British people to regain control of our borders and consider new arrivals on the basis of the skills they have to offer and the contribution they can make, not where they come from. The passing of this landmark Bill means that for the first time in decades we will have a firm and fair immigration system that will support our economy and see us build back better.”

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Agriculture Bill receives Royal Assent

The Agriculture Act received Royal Assent this week and has been signed into law. The Agriculture Act sets out how farmers and land managers in England will be rewarded in the future with public money for “public goods” such as better air and water quality, thriving wildlife, soil health, or measures to reduce flooding and tackle the effects of climate change, under the Environmental Land Management scheme. The Bill also includes measures designed to support our farmers and land managers to boost their productivity, and ultimately maximise the potential of our land to produce high quality food in a more sustainable way.

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Commercial

Councils given new funding to support vulnerable households

The Government has announced £170 million in funding under the Covid Winter Grant Scheme to support children, families and the most vulnerable over winter. The scheme will be run by councils in England who will receive the funding at the beginning of December. Councils will use the funding to help families and individuals who need it the most and can include providing food for children over the holidays. The funding will be ring-fenced, with at least 80% earmarked to support with food and bills, and will cover the period to the end of March 2021. The Government also announced that the Holiday Activities and Food programme will be expanded to cover Easter, Summer and Christmas in 2021 providing food and activities to disadvantaged children. The Healthy Start scheme, which supports pregnant women or those with children under four who have a low income and are in receipt of benefits to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, will also continue with payments increasing from £3.10 to £4.25 a week from April.

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Council chiefs call for culture funding to support people during lockdown

Council leaders have called on the Government to invest more in culture, sport and leisure activities as a new report reveals councils spend over £2 billion a year on these areas. The report from the Local Government Association (LGA) entitled “Leisure under lockdown: how culture and leisure services responded to COVID-19”, includes a series of case studies showing how people used culture, sport and leisure to connect and take care of each other during the first lockdown. It argues that these sectors have played a vital role in supporting people’s physical and mental wellbeing and it urges the Government to provide over-stretched councils with the funds they need to continue supporting them. Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, chair of the LGA Culture, Tourism and Sport Board said “Spending on culture and leisure is not a luxury: it is a commitment to the wellbeing of our residents and the economic future of our local places. We hope this report will go some way to illustrating the impact of this commitment.”

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Regulatory

Councils to receive rapid COVID-19 tests

More than half a million rapid COVID-19 tests will be sent to public health authorities this week as part of Government plans to roll-out mass testing for coronavirus. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that 67 more areas in England will be included following the successful launch of a mass testing programme in Liverpool. 600,000 tests are expected to be sent out in order to test as many people as possible, whether or not they have symptoms, in order to fight the virus. After the initial 600,000 batch this will then be followed up with a weekly allocation of lateral flow antigen tests. Mr Hancock said the “new, rapid” technology means “we can detect this virus quicker than ever before, even in people who don’t have symptoms” and said “Mass testing is a vital tool to help us control this virus and get life more normal.” Councils will have the flexibility and freedom to decide where and how they use these tests.

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Planning and housing

Housing Infrastructure Fund Forward Funding tops £1.8 billion

The Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund Forward Funding has passed £1.8 billion since its launch in 2017. The fund provides Government money for councils to unlock land for new homes by building roads, bridges and sustainable travel links such as new cycling and walking routes. Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, said “We are delivering the well-designed, quality homes the country needs and unlocking home ownership for local people. But in order to build more homes, we need to provide the infrastructure and public services to match. “This investment through our Housing Infrastructure Fund will help to build homes where we need them the most while also supporting existing communities by ensuring they get the new roads, schools and other public services that are needed.”

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Upcoming webinars

Brexit webinar: Data protection

On 18th November 2020 at 12pm, we will have the third in our series of Brexit webinars. Data protection specialist Phil Tompkins will discuss the implications of Brexit for personal data exports with Damien Charlton.

Click here for more information and to register.

If you have any questions about the issues raised in this update, please do not hesitate to get in touch.