Toby Perkins: Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. Staveley Town Council, in my Constituency, which is led by the self-styled Staveley Independents, with the support of the Liberal Democrats has effectively gone bankrupt and I am told, since November, that staff have either not been paid at all or have been paid late. If it was a Tier 1 or Tier 2 authority the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities would intervene but as it is a Parish or Town Council, I am told there is no such mechanism in place.

Have you, or Mr Speaker been notified of the intention for the Department for Levelling Up to make any statement on this matter, which is of great concern to my Constituents and if not, can you give me any advice as to how we may be able to ensure that members of staff at Staveley Town Council are paid and that services continue to provided whilst the Authority attempt to extricate itself from the current crisis it’s in?

Deputy Speaker: Well, I thank the Hon. Gentleman for that Point of Order, it’s obviously a very worrying situation for the staff of the Council. I’m not aware of any statement that’s intended to make about it. The Treasury Bench and Ministers will clearly have heard the Hon. Gentleman’s concerns. I will suggest that perhaps he either tables some questions or writes to the appropriate Minister or seeks a meeting with the appropriate Minister in order to find out whether there are any ways in which this situation can be resolved.