In Parliament

I love Blackpool and I love trees, but £174,000 for six trees is £29,000 a tree. Some trees they must have in Blackpool.

I know that the Minister for Local Government, the Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, my hon.

I am grateful to the hon.

My hon. Friend makes a series of very helpful points, and she is right.

The overall health of local government matters hugely, and the financial health of local government matters hugely.

First, I thank the hon. Lady for her kind words about Max Caller.

I do not know how it is possible to sustain an argument that we are taking funding from deprived areas when one looks at the levelling-up

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for that and I had the great privilege of visiting Bath recently to look at a housing development.

Absolutely; we do ensure that every council is appropriately funded. I know—[Interruption.] I know that the hon.

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for his very thoughtful question.