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Hello and welcome to BBC Parliament's live coverage of the | :00:08. | :00:13. | |
House of Commons. In an hour, Jeremy Corbyn will ask an urgent qtestion | :00:14. | :00:18. | |
on the UK and the EU. Diane Abbott will ask what the Government is | :00:19. | :00:23. | |
doing to support countries worst affected by the Zika virus `nd what | :00:24. | :00:28. | |
it is doing to mitigate the risks to travellers. The main business will | :00:29. | :00:31. | |
be the second reading of thd enterprise Bill which will tackle | :00:32. | :00:36. | |
the problem of small and medium-sized firms not having their | :00:37. | :00:41. | |
bills on time by larger companies, an estimated 27 billion is owed to | :00:42. | :00:46. | |
these firms. Join me for a round-up of the day in both Houses of | :00:47. | :00:49. | |
Parliament at 11 o'clock to night. In a moment we have questions, but | :00:50. | :01:01. | |
the speaker will deal briefly with the City of London Corporathon Bill. | :01:02. | :01:11. | |
Order, order. The clerk will proceed to read the title of the prhvate | :01:12. | :01:19. | |
bill set down for consideration City of London Corporation Bill open | :01:20. | :01:27. | |
spaces Bill. The question is that the bilby now read a second time. As | :01:28. | :01:32. | |
many as are of the opinion, say aye. To the contrary, no. | :01:33. | :01:38. | |
I think the ayes have it. Qtestions to the Secretary of State for | :01:39. | :01:46. | |
business, innovation and skhlls The UK automotive industry hs a | :01:47. | :01:58. | |
great success but we want to make sure it stays at the cutting edge. | :01:59. | :02:03. | |
We are committing ?1 billion to help develop the next generation | :02:04. | :02:08. | |
technologies. This woman thd UK be going to location for connected | :02:09. | :02:14. | |
vehicles and facilitate automotive. We read about his enthusiasl for | :02:15. | :02:20. | |
driverless cars. What incentive does he give her the more mature and | :02:21. | :02:24. | |
greener technology of hydrogen fuel cells? I am glad the honour`ble | :02:25. | :02:31. | |
member raised the issue of driverless cars. That is solething | :02:32. | :02:37. | |
that Britain is already leading in. Yesterday I announced 20 million | :02:38. | :02:40. | |
awards. Green energy and grdener cars also important and that is why | :02:41. | :02:45. | |
we announced more funding for research from Government. C`n | :02:46. | :02:52. | |
Secretary of State confirm that since 2013 when the Prime Mhnister | :02:53. | :02:56. | |
announced his intention to hold referendum on our EU membership | :02:57. | :03:00. | |
foreign investment in the British automotive industry and new | :03:01. | :03:03. | |
technologies has been at record levels because foreign comp`nies are | :03:04. | :03:07. | |
confident that British cars will be well made, whether we are in the EU | :03:08. | :03:16. | |
or outside? What I can confhrm to my honourable friend is not only as | :03:17. | :03:20. | |
foreign investment continued throughout British industry | :03:21. | :03:24. | |
including the car industry, the auto industry has had a record ydar. Over | :03:25. | :03:31. | |
?64 billion of turnover and 80% of those cars being exported. Doctor | :03:32. | :03:36. | |
Hunt, you are not taught to behave like that you're very expensive | :03:37. | :03:39. | |
public school! A very funny joke, Mr Speakdr. The | :03:40. | :03:57. | |
environment protection agency in America is suing a -- soon be deal | :03:58. | :04:06. | |
-- suing VW for cheating emhssions in millions of cars. What is the | :04:07. | :04:11. | |
secretary of state doing to work with manufacturers in Britahn to | :04:12. | :04:13. | |
ensure these devices aren't installed and we can look to a | :04:14. | :04:22. | |
future of greener cars. All cars should be properly tested so the | :04:23. | :04:27. | |
public are more and more people are assured that they will not die from | :04:28. | :04:32. | |
pollution? First of all, all companies should be clear. Hf they | :04:33. | :04:38. | |
engage in such cheating or bad practices, the Government whll crack | :04:39. | :04:41. | |
down hard on them and we will work with our colleagues in the Duropean | :04:42. | :04:44. | |
Commission and elsewhere to make sure all rules are implied. We are | :04:45. | :04:49. | |
introducing real emission tdsting and we are working on that `nd with | :04:50. | :04:57. | |
colleagues at the European Tnion. In the mid-90s, I stood up in this | :04:58. | :05:00. | |
Chamber and said that somed`y there will be self drive cars and they all | :05:01. | :05:11. | |
thought I was mad. I am relhably told that by 2020, autonomots drive | :05:12. | :05:16. | |
cars will be available in the United Kingdom and elsewhere and mtch of | :05:17. | :05:22. | |
this work is being undertakdn in Paddington by Nissan. When will my | :05:23. | :05:28. | |
honourable friend visit Nissan and other British manufacturers like | :05:29. | :05:30. | |
Jaguar Land Rover and Toyot`, to talk to them if he hasn't already | :05:31. | :05:36. | |
done so about autonomous drhve cars? I have had lots of thoughts about my | :05:37. | :05:41. | |
honourable friend the madness is not one of them. I agree with hhm about | :05:42. | :05:47. | |
driverless cars and this new technology. Britain is a world | :05:48. | :05:52. | |
leader in this list yesterd`y in Nuneaton, a world-class fachlity, we | :05:53. | :05:55. | |
announced 20 million funding which will fund eight projects across the | :05:56. | :06:01. | |
country including in the Midlands and also 14 feasibility studies | :06:02. | :06:05. | |
With work like this, his drdam of a driverless car to carry him wherever | :06:06. | :06:09. | |
he wants to go will come trte by 2020. | :06:10. | :06:17. | |
We have made ?50 million av`ilable to support floods recovery `cross | :06:18. | :06:23. | |
the north of England followhng Storm Desmond. We have allocated ?11 | :06:24. | :06:29. | |
million to local authorities to support 4500 businesses that were | :06:30. | :06:33. | |
impacted. Local areas have the discretion to provide grants to any | :06:34. | :06:37. | |
local businesses that have been affected. Floods impact on the | :06:38. | :06:40. | |
entire local business community which is calling for more stpport. | :06:41. | :06:45. | |
At my flood meeting in York, they called for a business recovdry | :06:46. | :06:48. | |
package including help to m`intain customer base and for to tr`de. Will | :06:49. | :06:53. | |
the Minister look into this and agree to a roundtable with flood | :06:54. | :06:58. | |
victims so Abe for packages put in place for the entire business | :06:59. | :07:00. | |
community, not just those that flooded? She is right to rahse this. | :07:01. | :07:08. | |
Many businesses have been affected and it affects the whole colmunity | :07:09. | :07:12. | |
when something like this happens. We are already looking into th`t and | :07:13. | :07:14. | |
she will know with the monex that has been made available, it can be | :07:15. | :07:20. | |
used to support businesses hncome -- in creative ways. There is ` grant | :07:21. | :07:24. | |
to help businesses affected and a further 5000 can be applied for | :07:25. | :07:31. | |
Businesses in Carlisle were affected by the floods but it is not just the | :07:32. | :07:36. | |
businesses but my constituency, the rugby club, the squash club, the | :07:37. | :07:40. | |
tennis club and the cricket club. When the Minister look at stpport | :07:41. | :07:44. | |
for these organisations as well as the businesses? My honourable friend | :07:45. | :07:50. | |
makes an important point about how such a disaster can affect the whole | :07:51. | :07:55. | |
community and it has given some excellent examples of that. Money | :07:56. | :08:02. | |
has been available for local councils and I will look into the | :08:03. | :08:11. | |
further suggestions he has lade The Association of British Insurers put | :08:12. | :08:15. | |
the average cost of flood d`mage per business at ?50,000 per property yet | :08:16. | :08:22. | |
the average pay-out under a pay and review has been just ?1666. Well | :08:23. | :08:30. | |
under the ?5,000 promised whth many businesses yet to receive a penny. | :08:31. | :08:36. | |
We heard about the damage c`used in Leeds during the last parli`ment on | :08:37. | :08:38. | |
the promises that haven't bden kept there. Will he make sure th`t the | :08:39. | :08:42. | |
Prime Minister keeps his word that money is no object when it comes to | :08:43. | :08:46. | |
support for those businesses who have been hit hard by the rdcent | :08:47. | :08:52. | |
floods? Of course the Prime Minister will keep his word and it is part of | :08:53. | :08:57. | |
that reason that the Chancellor of Lancaster met with the Association | :08:58. | :09:02. | |
of British Insurers to disctss this issue and understand the sc`le of | :09:03. | :09:08. | |
this problem. Essences have met and that will make a difference. The | :09:09. | :09:12. | |
gentleman may be interested to know that late in the enterprise Bill, we | :09:13. | :09:16. | |
will bring forward measures to make sure that all businesses ard paid by | :09:17. | :09:23. | |
insurance companies on time. -- Enterprise Bill. Many busindsses in | :09:24. | :09:31. | |
my constituency don't own their property. They would like to avail | :09:32. | :09:35. | |
themselves of the generous support available from a Government. | :09:36. | :09:41. | |
Landlords may not want to engage with that system and I know one | :09:42. | :09:46. | |
person who is not interested. I wondered what support the Government | :09:47. | :09:50. | |
can give to those businesses that would look to Government for help in | :09:51. | :09:57. | |
this way. He is right. Thosd businesses should be helped. Many | :09:58. | :10:02. | |
businesses are applying dirdctly to the council is why we have provided | :10:03. | :10:07. | |
funding. They are eligible for the 2500 and grant and can applx for a | :10:08. | :10:12. | |
further ?5,000 and will bendfit from the business rate holiday. Hn | :10:13. | :10:20. | |
particular, our start-up lo`n scheme has provided over 35,000 lo`ns with | :10:21. | :10:27. | |
over ?192 million and with the support we are putting into the | :10:28. | :10:31. | |
growth hopes, these are just two of the many things we do to encourage | :10:32. | :10:34. | |
small businesses and give them the support they need. What help can | :10:35. | :10:40. | |
people in my constituency expect from local growth helps? We all take | :10:41. | :10:48. | |
the firm view that we have created 39 growth hopes and it is a good way | :10:49. | :10:53. | |
of the official small busindsses get the support they need at a local | :10:54. | :10:56. | |
level. We also take the view that the best people who know how to | :10:57. | :11:01. | |
advise and assist businesses are businesses themselves. The lore | :11:02. | :11:04. | |
locally it is done, we think it is a much better of doing -- much better | :11:05. | :11:08. | |
way of doing things than dohng it from Whitehall. Most of the lending | :11:09. | :11:14. | |
from banks is going to meditm-sized firms but a lot of smaller firms are | :11:15. | :11:21. | |
struggling to get loans. Wh`t discussions is the minister going to | :11:22. | :11:24. | |
have a banks to ensure we gdt better lending for small businesses? We | :11:25. | :11:35. | |
describe and say that anyond that employs under 250 is a small | :11:36. | :11:38. | |
business. He makes a good point and we will meet with the banks and | :11:39. | :11:42. | |
encourage them. One of the things which is interesting is the number | :11:43. | :11:46. | |
of businesses who are looking at the alternative sources of fundhng, | :11:47. | :11:50. | |
whether it is crowdfunding, Angels and all of those. It is somdthing | :11:51. | :11:54. | |
that is growing as businessds begin to see the real benefits to them. | :11:55. | :12:00. | |
Small businesses in my constituency are very often starting up hn rural | :12:01. | :12:07. | |
areas. What steps are you t`king two Quad and eight with the Dep`rtment | :12:08. | :12:14. | |
of local Government, they do CMS, about broadband connections, | :12:15. | :12:16. | |
particularly in rural areas that allow them to market themselves | :12:17. | :12:21. | |
online? I very much agree and understand this is a big problem. | :12:22. | :12:26. | |
Not just in rural areas but the lack of superfast collectivity concerns | :12:27. | :12:31. | |
many businesses. I know that Federation of Small Businesses | :12:32. | :12:36. | |
raises it. Properly so. We have put aside ?1 billion to Aceh to the | :12:37. | :12:38. | |
programme. I agree there is more that can be done. The honourable | :12:39. | :12:44. | |
lady can be sure that this hs at the top of our priorities. We are | :12:45. | :12:48. | |
working hard to make sure every business has accessed quickly to | :12:49. | :12:56. | |
superfast broadband. What ftnding and support will be made av`ilable | :12:57. | :13:00. | |
to encourage persons with disabilities to start small business | :13:01. | :13:02. | |
enterprises and will the Minister meet with the disabled Persons APPG | :13:03. | :13:09. | |
to discuss? The short answer is yes, absolutely. I look forward to that. | :13:10. | :13:13. | |
things to do, I am happy to have things to do, I am happy to have | :13:14. | :13:17. | |
those discussions. Is the Mhnister aware that one of the biggest | :13:18. | :13:22. | |
sources of capital for small businesses is the bag of my mind | :13:23. | :13:27. | |
that? In her budget, will she seek to have the restrictions of | :13:28. | :13:34. | |
family... I am grateful to the honourable gentleman. It wotld be | :13:35. | :13:41. | |
dangerous me to make a promhse I could deliver on that but hd makes a | :13:42. | :13:46. | |
good point. We know many sm`ll businesses couldn't do what they do | :13:47. | :13:49. | |
starting up without the support not just from their parents acttally | :13:50. | :13:52. | |
other members of the family. He makes a good point and we are happy | :13:53. | :13:58. | |
to take it up. When it comes to start up businesses in Mersdyside, a | :13:59. | :14:03. | |
lot of them are either in manufacturing or using formdr | :14:04. | :14:06. | |
buildings in manufacturing sites, they are large sites. I rardly visit | :14:07. | :14:10. | |
such a start-up without thel mentioning business rates to me Can | :14:11. | :14:15. | |
I ask the Minister what representations she has madd to the | :14:16. | :14:18. | |
Treasury at head of the budget? If we are going to see relief for all | :14:19. | :14:24. | |
the start-ups working hard hn Merseyside? There is a full review | :14:25. | :14:29. | |
of business rates that has been undertaken. She can be absolutely | :14:30. | :14:32. | |
assured that myself and othdr ministers make the real casd for | :14:33. | :14:37. | |
businesses. My own views ard very much on record. I think we really do | :14:38. | :14:40. | |
need to look at investment hn plant and machinery. Everybody can be as | :14:41. | :14:46. | |
short. We do not hesitate in putting forward our strong views on behalf | :14:47. | :14:50. | |
of all businesses about bushness rates. Number four, Mr Speaker. I | :14:51. | :14:56. | |
would like to group this together with question number eight. We are | :14:57. | :15:00. | |
taking clear action to help the steel industry. We're cutting | :15:01. | :15:04. | |
electricity costs, cutting tnfair trade, introducing flexibilhty on | :15:05. | :15:08. | |
emissions regulations and rdviewing business rates. That is what the | :15:09. | :15:10. | |
steel industry has asked for and we are delivering. I thank the | :15:11. | :15:16. | |
Secretary of State for that answer. The Foreign Secretary said the other | :15:17. | :15:21. | |
week this chamber that it is through the prison of steel that Chhna's | :15:22. | :15:27. | |
claims to be treated as a m`rket economy are likely to be judged in | :15:28. | :15:31. | |
the European Union. The Minhstry of Defence has recognised the strategic | :15:32. | :15:34. | |
importance of the steel injtries three and the support it has given | :15:35. | :15:40. | |
to Sheffield. -- steel industry When is the Secretary of St`te going | :15:41. | :15:44. | |
to follow suit? In particul`r, when it is going to pull his finger out | :15:45. | :15:47. | |
and start battling for Brithsh steel? With companies such `s EDF. | :15:48. | :15:54. | |
The honourable lady may be interested to know it was the | :15:55. | :15:57. | |
Secretary of State who asked for an emergency meeting of the European | :15:58. | :16:00. | |
Council to first discuss thhs issue of unfair trade and make sure the EU | :16:01. | :16:06. | |
does make action and takes `ction in our speedy and appropriate `ction. | :16:07. | :16:12. | |
On the status of the economx status, the EU is considering this | :16:13. | :16:15. | |
themselves. When they have been forward a proposal we will carefully | :16:16. | :16:20. | |
look at it. Even if a country does have a market economy status, | :16:21. | :16:23. | |
doesn't stop the European Union from taking action. The USA and Russia | :16:24. | :16:31. | |
are examples. I have concerns about a written answer I received last | :16:32. | :16:35. | |
week from the Minister of ddfence, the Ministry of Defence does not | :16:36. | :16:37. | |
hold full record for steel procurement. In terms of qu`ntity or | :16:38. | :16:42. | |
country of origin over the past six years. White should we belidve the | :16:43. | :16:47. | |
Government's records on procurement if not keeping records question of | :16:48. | :16:51. | |
what adequate to do about it? First of all, we are the first cotntry in | :16:52. | :16:56. | |
the EU to take advantage of new procurement rules. When it comes to | :16:57. | :17:02. | |
the defence of other infrastructure as well, we should use Brithsh steel | :17:03. | :17:08. | |
whenever possible. The queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, | :17:09. | :17:11. | |
94% British steel was used. 77, 00 tonnes. I visited Crossrail last | :17:12. | :17:17. | |
week, the biggest in the structure project in Europe and almost all | :17:18. | :17:24. | |
British steel. Under the current rules, steel companies pay the | :17:25. | :17:29. | |
highest energy taxes in the whole of Europe. These taxes are then used to | :17:30. | :17:33. | |
subsidise wind farms which `re themselves made from cheap hmported | :17:34. | :17:36. | |
steel. Does the Minister agree that our policy needs to change? I do | :17:37. | :17:43. | |
agree with my honourable frhend about the importance of energy | :17:44. | :17:46. | |
costs. This is something thd steel industry has raised time and time | :17:47. | :17:50. | |
again. We did have a system that was previously announced of compensating | :17:51. | :17:54. | |
for part of the cost and we went further after we listened to the | :17:55. | :17:57. | |
industry, I agree that we ndeded to make the change and we have made a | :17:58. | :18:03. | |
change, which is Apple exemption. -- a fool exemption. In her letter to | :18:04. | :18:11. | |
me regarding procurement associated, the Minister said, there ard a few | :18:12. | :18:15. | |
companies globally that havd the capacity to make the ultra large | :18:16. | :18:19. | |
forgings required for nucle`r power plants. It is widely understood and | :18:20. | :18:22. | |
accepted in the nuclear indtstry that the UK does not have this | :18:23. | :18:27. | |
capacity. Given that Sheffidld has said they do in fact have this | :18:28. | :18:32. | |
capacity and have supplied such forgings elsewhere in the world to | :18:33. | :18:36. | |
nuclear plants, what evidence did the Minister use? What eviddnce was | :18:37. | :18:42. | |
used to make this statement? Does he think it was appropriate description | :18:43. | :18:45. | |
as the rationale behind such a sweeping statement that dislisses | :18:46. | :18:52. | |
world-class British steel? H have to say, I don't think the honotrable | :18:53. | :18:55. | |
gentleman is up-to-date on his information. He was to speak to | :18:56. | :19:00. | |
forge masters himself, I'm sure as the chairman of the select committee | :19:01. | :19:03. | |
they would be more than happy to speak to him, they would ad`mantly | :19:04. | :19:07. | |
have challenges meeting all orders for different types of steel. The | :19:08. | :19:12. | |
important point that we agrde on is that whenever possible, when ever | :19:13. | :19:15. | |
the steel can be supplied bx British companies, that is what we should | :19:16. | :19:20. | |
use. Last year we became aw`re of Tata steel's intentions to lock or | :19:21. | :19:26. | |
two of their sites in Scotl`nd, with our loss of hundreds of jobs. These | :19:27. | :19:33. | |
sites have history. Further job losses have recently been announced. | :19:34. | :19:40. | |
Every opportunity, I and my SNP colleagues have pressed the | :19:41. | :19:45. | |
Government to press a coherdnt strategy for industrial plans. Can I | :19:46. | :19:48. | |
ask the Secretary of State once more to bring forward the strategy for | :19:49. | :19:51. | |
our manufacturing sector before Parliament? The honourable lady will | :19:52. | :19:58. | |
know that we work with many industries. We have industrx | :19:59. | :20:06. | |
councils that I attend. We have strategies including, for example, | :20:07. | :20:09. | |
the metal strategy which I `m sure she is aware of. She will also be | :20:10. | :20:12. | |
aware of the action taken cttting energy costs, flexibility of EU | :20:13. | :20:18. | |
emissions regulations, Germ`n guidance, looking at business rates, | :20:19. | :20:22. | |
this is all action that will help the British steel industry. If the | :20:23. | :20:28. | |
Minister is right about forge masters, why were they so ftrious | :20:29. | :20:33. | |
with his words about this and why did they make it clear they could | :20:34. | :20:39. | |
supply 80% of the components necessary? Shouldn't she apologised | :20:40. | :20:44. | |
to the House or can you do ht on her behalf? What explains that `nswer | :20:45. | :20:48. | |
she gave to Parliament? Ignorance or lack of faith in UK steel? The | :20:49. | :20:54. | |
honourable gentleman, I am happy to tell him, she has nothing to | :20:55. | :21:01. | |
apologise about. She was accurate in her statement. Like his honourable | :21:02. | :21:04. | |
colleague, I would encouragd him to speak to forge masters himsdlf. It | :21:05. | :21:09. | |
is important that whenever we can use that dish steel protest | :21:10. | :21:14. | |
purposes, we should. Number five, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, overall funding | :21:15. | :21:23. | |
for adult learners will increase by 30% in real terms by 2020. @s a | :21:24. | :21:27. | |
result, we expect to see many more adults taking advantage of the | :21:28. | :21:31. | |
opportunities presented by apprenticeship and further dducation | :21:32. | :21:36. | |
courses. I have received a number of representations for local colleges | :21:37. | :21:40. | |
in Coventry worried about their future because of budget cuts. What | :21:41. | :21:44. | |
assurances can we give them that funding will be maintained? I'm | :21:45. | :21:51. | |
delighted to be able to reassure the honourable gentleman that, while | :21:52. | :21:55. | |
indeed there were some concdrns that were expressed to us in a ddbate in | :21:56. | :21:58. | |
this house about the possible threat of such cuts, in the spending review | :21:59. | :22:04. | |
the Chancellor did not cut funding for adult learners. In fact, he has | :22:05. | :22:09. | |
increased it. By the end of this Parliament, it will be 30% higher in | :22:10. | :22:14. | |
real terms and at its highest level in cash terms ever in our hhstory. | :22:15. | :22:20. | |
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Does the Minister agree we have to c`refully | :22:21. | :22:24. | |
understand local needs, indtstry needs, tourism in my own | :22:25. | :22:28. | |
constituency, to ensure adult learners have the best opportunities | :22:29. | :22:31. | |
they have to get the skills for employment in need? I do. I have an | :22:32. | :22:36. | |
excellent meeting with my honourable friend and the leaders of hhs local | :22:37. | :22:39. | |
college and it is very exciting and their plans. We do very much want to | :22:40. | :22:44. | |
make a move towards greater local involvement in the commissioning of | :22:45. | :22:48. | |
adult skills provision locally. So that local industries can bd | :22:49. | :22:53. | |
supported. Is the Minister planning any particular response to the | :22:54. | :23:01. | |
Government commissioned fordsight report of 2014 on lifelong learning | :23:02. | :23:11. | |
and continuous training? If so, when are we likely to see that rdsponse? | :23:12. | :23:18. | |
All of our policies are a rdsponse to that report and many othdr | :23:19. | :23:22. | |
reports that have rightly highlighted the need for continuing | :23:23. | :23:26. | |
investment in adult education through people's long and | :23:27. | :23:28. | |
ever-changing working lives. One of the most significant measurds we are | :23:29. | :23:34. | |
taking the introduction of `n apprenticeship levy, two dotble the | :23:35. | :23:38. | |
apprenticeships available, apprenticeships available to adults | :23:39. | :23:42. | |
in their 40s and 50s, not jtst for young people. The figures that the | :23:43. | :23:50. | |
Minister has referred to, the 3 % increase he referred to, de`ls and | :23:51. | :23:53. | |
covers quite a lot of apprenticeships but the poshtion for | :23:54. | :23:57. | |
non-apprenticeships in highdr education and further education is | :23:58. | :24:00. | |
not looking good. He has not been able to get the detail of those | :24:01. | :24:04. | |
estimates in the next four xears. But in the last four years, adult | :24:05. | :24:11. | |
learners in part-time higher education are down 42%, the equality | :24:12. | :24:14. | |
impact assessment shows scr`pping maintenance grants will imp`ct badly | :24:15. | :24:19. | |
on them. His own research shows that adult learners are often get | :24:20. | :24:24. | |
adverts, which might own experience confirms. We welcome part-thme | :24:25. | :24:29. | |
student loans for 2019 but why has nothing concrete been done to | :24:30. | :24:34. | |
address the decline meanwhile? Can I add the Universities Ministdr | :24:35. | :24:37. | |
through his honourable friend, the higher education green paper is | :24:38. | :24:41. | |
currently a blank canvas on adult learners needs. Please make it good | :24:42. | :24:45. | |
by addressing them and the dconomic benefits they will bring. It was a | :24:46. | :24:53. | |
strange question from the honourable gentleman because he had to admit | :24:54. | :24:56. | |
there were a lot of things he welcomed in order to try and sneak | :24:57. | :25:01. | |
in a question. I thought it was puzzling he seemed to dismiss our | :25:02. | :25:04. | |
investment in apprenticeships as if it doesn't provide opportunhties for | :25:05. | :25:09. | |
adult learners. The truth is, apprenticeships provide the best | :25:10. | :25:12. | |
opportunities for adult learners, better than any alternative, and we | :25:13. | :25:16. | |
are also extending the posshbility of student finance to part-time | :25:17. | :25:19. | |
learners and I hope he would welcome that. Number six, Mr Speaker. With | :25:20. | :25:27. | |
permission, I will answer ntmber six and 11 together. Record numbers of | :25:28. | :25:36. | |
students secured places at STEM courses this year. There is no | :25:37. | :25:40. | |
longer any capital on peopld wishing to study STEM subjects. The number | :25:41. | :25:51. | |
is up 70% since 2010. Thank you Will my right honourable frhend join | :25:52. | :25:54. | |
me in celibate and the work and role of the science and discoverx sectors | :25:55. | :25:59. | |
play in inspiring young scidntists and engineers. Can you tell how is | :26:00. | :26:03. | |
what plans he has to improvd their reach, raise awareness of their | :26:04. | :26:06. | |
existence and supports their important work? Yes, I can. Our | :26:07. | :26:12. | |
science sectors do a fantastic job engaging with over 20 million people | :26:13. | :26:15. | |
each year. This compliment the work we are doing to boost STEM hn | :26:16. | :26:20. | |
schools. Last week I was delighted to announce a ?50 million inspiring | :26:21. | :26:24. | |
science capital fund in partnership with the Wellcome trust. It will | :26:25. | :26:30. | |
allow science centres to make.. It will reach all sorts of people who | :26:31. | :26:37. | |
think science is not for thdm. Many small businesses in my constituency | :26:38. | :26:41. | |
need STEM graduates. Can I `sk the minister what the Government is | :26:42. | :26:46. | |
doing to try and connect STDM graduates with small businesses and | :26:47. | :26:48. | |
to try and encourage them to start their own businesses as well? The | :26:49. | :26:54. | |
Government's productivity plan set out its agenda for even gre`ter | :26:55. | :26:58. | |
collaboration between universities and business. We are supporting a | :26:59. | :27:01. | |
degree of apprenticeships, the first of which which were in STEM | :27:02. | :27:07. | |
occupations. Small businessds are essential to this agenda. It was | :27:08. | :27:11. | |
reported in 2015 by 60% of workplaces for students on STEM | :27:12. | :27:16. | |
courses were in small busindsses. Mr Speaker, not just content whth | :27:17. | :27:21. | |
having support people in terms of social could secure the, including | :27:22. | :27:24. | |
those disabled people in work, the Government has moved on to on to cut | :27:25. | :27:29. | |
to disabled students. In thhs case, the disabled student allowances | :27:30. | :27:32. | |
What is the estimate of the number in terms of the reduction of | :27:33. | :27:36. | |
disabled students in STEM stbjects and the impact on the disabhlity | :27:37. | :27:42. | |
employment gap? Disabled sttdents allowance has continued to dxist and | :27:43. | :27:45. | |
they are available to all students who need them. Universities must | :27:46. | :27:49. | |
step up to their obligations in terms of the equalities act and make | :27:50. | :27:53. | |
their learning environments fit for all sorts of disabled students and | :27:54. | :27:57. | |
that will continue to be replaced. Pig the case. | :27:58. | :28:03. | |
They propose that they should pay an annual charge of ?5,000 for every | :28:04. | :28:10. | |
student brought in from outside Europe. There is a 40,000 annual | :28:11. | :28:17. | |
shortfall of stand -- STEM skilled workers. What effect will this have | :28:18. | :28:23. | |
on the science community and high-tech businesses? We ard | :28:24. | :28:26. | |
considering the recommendathons and will be coming forward shortly with | :28:27. | :28:30. | |
our response to them. I would like to point out that throughout Tier | :28:31. | :28:36. | |
one exceptional talent fees, we are providing opportunities to | :28:37. | :28:40. | |
scientists to work in the UK and contribute to our economy. Hn | :28:41. | :28:48. | |
October of last year, my right honourable friend the Chief | :28:49. | :28:50. | |
Secretary to the Treasury sdt up a group with Scottish Finance | :28:51. | :28:54. | |
ministers to plan the implelentation of the apprenticeship levy. I am | :28:55. | :28:57. | |
going to Edinburgh on Thursday to reach with Roseanna Cunningham and | :28:58. | :29:02. | |
other people from the Adminhstration 's. It would apply to busindsses | :29:03. | :29:07. | |
across the UK including in Scotland. Can I ask the minister if hd can | :29:08. | :29:12. | |
clarify the means by which Scotland's share of funds r`ised | :29:13. | :29:18. | |
will be calculated? This is a matter for the Treasury but she will be | :29:19. | :29:24. | |
aware that there is a systel that will ensure that Scotland and the | :29:25. | :29:27. | |
other devolved administrations will receive the share of the tax raised | :29:28. | :29:32. | |
across the UK to support apprenticeships but any othdr policy | :29:33. | :29:35. | |
that the Government in Scotland once. The Minister has underlined | :29:36. | :29:41. | |
the advantages of apprenticdships for older people but it is striking | :29:42. | :29:43. | |
that the number of younger people taking up apprenticeships w`s less | :29:44. | :29:48. | |
last year that it had been three years previously. What is hd doing | :29:49. | :29:52. | |
to draw the attention of yotng people to apprenticeships? The | :29:53. | :29:57. | |
honourable gentleman is right that apprenticeships offer a fantastic | :29:58. | :30:00. | |
opportunity to young people. I don't think we should be hung upon the | :30:01. | :30:03. | |
question of whether people `re doing and a pension 16 or 17 or at 18 or | :30:04. | :30:10. | |
19 and 20. We want them to do an apprenticeship when it is bdst for | :30:11. | :30:13. | |
them in terms of the impact on our skills and future earnings but best | :30:14. | :30:15. | |
for their employer. Apprenthceships are jobs and not all employdrs feel | :30:16. | :30:21. | |
comfortable taking on a 16-xear old into some jobs. We want to lake sure | :30:22. | :30:26. | |
those young people get an education college that enables them to make | :30:27. | :30:28. | |
the best of an apprenticeshhp whenever they do it. The old party | :30:29. | :30:34. | |
group on the visiting econoly is taking evidence into the whole area | :30:35. | :30:37. | |
of apprenticeships in the c`tering industry. We have discovered that | :30:38. | :30:42. | |
there is a dearth of apprenticeships in that area. How will the | :30:43. | :30:46. | |
apprenticeship levy assist the recruitment of chefs and others | :30:47. | :30:54. | |
within the catering industrx to applying for apprenticeships and | :30:55. | :30:58. | |
training? The large employers in the catering industry will be p`ying the | :30:59. | :31:01. | |
levy and will therefore havd a director must incentive to spend the | :31:02. | :31:05. | |
money that is in their digital account on apprenticeships. There | :31:06. | :31:11. | |
are issues in that industry with seasonal work where it is not | :31:12. | :31:16. | |
possible for an employer to commit to a full 12 months to an | :31:17. | :31:21. | |
apprentice. We are looking hnto the policy of polishing a rap and ship | :31:22. | :31:25. | |
that could last 12 months after 15 or 16 months in order for it to be | :31:26. | :31:31. | |
accessible for seasonal indtstries. I asked the Secretary of St`te on | :31:32. | :31:39. | |
the effects of oil and gas on the apprenticeship levy. I'm gr`teful | :31:40. | :31:45. | |
the Minister will meet with myself and representatives in but can I ask | :31:46. | :31:50. | |
what research and what meethngs he has had with industry bodies about | :31:51. | :31:55. | |
this and will he commit to ` date to produce that information? I am | :31:56. | :32:01. | |
constantly having meetings with all sorts of business groups large and | :32:02. | :32:05. | |
small and I know there have been representatives from various major | :32:06. | :32:08. | |
oil and gas companies in those meetings. I'm happy to meet with her | :32:09. | :32:13. | |
and the industry and to carry on meeting with any industry to | :32:14. | :32:15. | |
reassure them that the apprenticeship levy is an | :32:16. | :32:25. | |
opportunity, not a threat. H was delighted to help launch thd | :32:26. | :32:28. | |
Midlands engine prospectus hn December setting out a programme of | :32:29. | :32:33. | |
action to deliver a plan whhch AMs to add an extra ?34 billion to the | :32:34. | :32:43. | |
Midlands economy by 2030. Excellent universities, a history of | :32:44. | :32:45. | |
manufacturing and some world-class businesses make the Midlands a great | :32:46. | :32:50. | |
place to set up a business. With those -- will they -- they still | :32:51. | :32:55. | |
need to export more. What is he doing to help businesses such as my | :32:56. | :33:03. | |
constituency to help them do better business abroad? UK DTI havd | :33:04. | :33:11. | |
provided support for many btsinesses including companies like yotrs which | :33:12. | :33:16. | |
have given support to help them export to India, Russia, Japan and | :33:17. | :33:23. | |
other places. My noble friend has introduced a statement which talks | :33:24. | :33:26. | |
about the new Government approach to exports and he may be interdsted to | :33:27. | :33:31. | |
know that later this year I will lead the first ever Midlands | :33:32. | :33:38. | |
business trade delegation overseas. A key driver of any age and will be | :33:39. | :33:42. | |
good win engineering in my constituency. This is a world-class | :33:43. | :33:47. | |
steel foundry business hit hard by the Government's massive | :33:48. | :33:52. | |
incompetence over steel polhcy. They are very keen that a swift decision | :33:53. | :33:58. | |
is made on the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon. Can we have news on that | :33:59. | :34:03. | |
decision and something approaching an industrial policy? He can have | :34:04. | :34:13. | |
news but not today. This is the decision that we need to do is - | :34:14. | :34:18. | |
consider carefully. When it comes to major infrastructure, there is over | :34:19. | :34:21. | |
?90 billion of infrastructure that is planned in the Government's in | :34:22. | :34:25. | |
the structure plan and we g`y gas and we are getting ahead with it. | :34:26. | :34:30. | |
One of the key drivers of rdgional growth in the Midlands has been the | :34:31. | :34:35. | |
success of new small businesses They rely on getting access to | :34:36. | :34:38. | |
telecommunications as swiftly as possible. Does my right honourable | :34:39. | :34:44. | |
friend share my concern on the total impact of Midlands growth and the | :34:45. | :34:47. | |
length of time that some businesses have to wait for telecoms sdrvices | :34:48. | :34:52. | |
to connect them? Will he get them to speed up their act? I agree with my | :34:53. | :34:58. | |
honourable friend. I have mdt many businesses from my constitudncy that | :34:59. | :35:02. | |
have experienced the same problem. It is something both the business | :35:03. | :35:08. | |
department and others have had discussions with Beatty and others. | :35:09. | :35:11. | |
While there is improvement, a lot more needs to be done. -- BDT. - | :35:12. | :35:32. | |
Tim. -- BT. We have to do everything we can to help that industrx. There | :35:33. | :35:38. | |
is the crisis where there h`s been dropped -- job losses. We hope to | :35:39. | :35:44. | |
protect some of those jobs. We are talking to a number of comp`nies in | :35:45. | :35:48. | |
the supply chain to see what we can do with skills training to lake sure | :35:49. | :35:53. | |
those skills are transferable. I can assure the House that the Mhdlands | :35:54. | :35:57. | |
engine is firing on all sen`tors. It does need fuel in the tank. -- | :35:58. | :36:01. | |
firing on all cylinders. When he talks of venture capital, he | :36:02. | :36:17. | |
talks about the importance of making sure we attract more investlent | :36:18. | :36:21. | |
across the nation but also hn the Midlands. He will be interested to | :36:22. | :36:28. | |
know that the GBA of the Midlands region has increased by 15%, ?2 | :36:29. | :36:32. | |
billion. The number of jobs have increased by 300,000. The qtestion | :36:33. | :36:39. | |
about the creation of the Mhdlands engine, thousands of search engines | :36:40. | :36:44. | |
are being built outside my constituency in Wolverhampton by | :36:45. | :36:48. | |
Jaguar Land Rover. The levy is very welcome that there are still kinks | :36:49. | :36:52. | |
to be worked out. Can he sax more about how the Government will be | :36:53. | :36:56. | |
encouraging proper apprenticeships in manufacturing industries? In the | :36:57. | :37:06. | |
West Midlands. Of course, in the West Midlands. There will bd new | :37:07. | :37:08. | |
investment in apprenticeships because of the levy. Companhes like | :37:09. | :37:13. | |
Jaguar Land Rover have welcomed this new initiative and intend to take it | :37:14. | :37:21. | |
forward with a great deal of gusto. In terms of standards, we are having | :37:22. | :37:26. | |
a new board which will be ldd by the industry and it is important in | :37:27. | :37:30. | |
making sure that everyone t`kes part and we get the right outcomd in | :37:31. | :37:35. | |
terms of the skills. The East Midlands has also been accolmodated, | :37:36. | :37:43. | |
as colleagues will have nothced As the Chancellor has made cle`r, the | :37:44. | :37:47. | |
Government continues to turn around the decline of manufacturing and the | :37:48. | :37:51. | |
last Labour Government. That is why in the Autumn Statement and in his | :37:52. | :37:56. | |
speech today, we are setting out our commitment to Manufacturing. ?3 0 | :37:57. | :37:59. | |
million for the high-value manufacturing catapult centre. 300 | :38:00. | :38:04. | |
million programme and seven centres around the UK. We have doubled | :38:05. | :38:09. | |
capital allowances and we h`ve put ?1 billion into aerospace and | :38:10. | :38:13. | |
automotive advanced centres including a range of measurds for | :38:14. | :38:16. | |
small businesses. That would be way the all-party group said Brhtish | :38:17. | :38:23. | |
manufacturing is currently seeing a resurgence along with a | :38:24. | :38:30. | |
reinvigorated change on polhcy. That report was made before the last | :38:31. | :38:36. | |
budget. We are astonished at the way in which the Secretary of State has | :38:37. | :38:40. | |
waved the white flag at the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In that | :38:41. | :38:46. | |
sneaking out the abolition of the business service, sneaking out the | :38:47. | :38:50. | |
abolition of the manufacturhng advice service, sneaking up the | :38:51. | :38:54. | |
growth accelerator programmd. Where is the industrial policy of this | :38:55. | :38:58. | |
country and what happened to the march of the makers? The march of | :38:59. | :39:03. | |
the makers is working and that is why we are leading the fastdst | :39:04. | :39:08. | |
economy in Europe. It is whx unemployment in the honourable | :39:09. | :39:12. | |
member's constituency is down 6 % and youth unemployment is down 0%. | :39:13. | :39:17. | |
We continue to small businesses ?2.5 billion to the bank and 50 0 | :39:18. | :39:24. | |
loans as we have doubled thd small business rate relief. 5000 | :39:25. | :39:28. | |
businesses will pay no rates at all. That is why this Government is | :39:29. | :39:32. | |
growing fastest and that's comes after 13 years in which | :39:33. | :39:34. | |
manufacturing under a Labour Government got to a historic low. | :39:35. | :39:40. | |
There are many barriers including energy cost and regular changes | :39:41. | :39:45. | |
which stop manufacturing businesses starting up. What discussions has he | :39:46. | :39:49. | |
had with the Chancellor reg`rding his policy of introducing four times | :39:50. | :39:57. | |
a year, information to be rdturned by businesses to HMRC about taxes? | :39:58. | :40:02. | |
Does he believe and share mx concern that this is to increase thd costs | :40:03. | :40:07. | |
of business, put extra work on the businesses and avert them from the | :40:08. | :40:13. | |
job of manufacturing things? I can assure the honourable member that | :40:14. | :40:19. | |
the Chancellor and the Business Secretary and this ministerhal team | :40:20. | :40:24. | |
take regulation and reducing regulation very seriously. The | :40:25. | :40:29. | |
Chancellor is giving a speech to the Federation of Small Businesses | :40:30. | :40:32. | |
today. I would point out th`t the track record honours for thd | :40:33. | :40:36. | |
Government is incredibly strong We have increased small business rate | :40:37. | :40:41. | |
relief taken 10 billion of red tape off small businesses and we are | :40:42. | :40:45. | |
raising the rates of small businesses. That is why since 2 15, | :40:46. | :40:54. | |
we have a record, 5.4 million new businesses. That is 25% mord | :40:55. | :40:57. | |
businesses created since we came to power. We are giving employdes the | :40:58. | :41:05. | |
opportunity to design high-puality apprenticeships that meet their | :41:06. | :41:09. | |
needs and more than 1300 employers are already involved. We ard | :41:10. | :41:12. | |
establishing the employer ldd Institute for print ships to prove | :41:13. | :41:16. | |
-- to improve standards and safeguard quality. Businessds have | :41:17. | :41:23. | |
welcomed the apprenticeship levy but many have concerns about how it will | :41:24. | :41:29. | |
be lamented. Does my honour`ble friend think it will look at pilot | :41:30. | :41:33. | |
schemes to ensure when it is rolled out, it is rolled out smoothly and | :41:34. | :41:38. | |
efficiently? I want to thank my honourable friend for organhsing one | :41:39. | :41:44. | |
of the most interesting meetings of the all-party Parliamentary group on | :41:45. | :41:48. | |
the subject. I am doing manx meetings of that kind both privately | :41:49. | :41:52. | |
and like that one publicly to discuss the implementation of the | :41:53. | :41:57. | |
levy. We will be publishing later in the spring the details of how the | :41:58. | :42:01. | |
levy will work and there ard questions and we are talking to | :42:02. | :42:05. | |
businesses about them. It is timely for me to accommodate on thhs | :42:06. | :42:11. | |
question. What my right honourable friend welcomed the 2580 | :42:12. | :42:14. | |
apprenticeships that have bden started my constituency since 2 15? | :42:15. | :42:22. | |
Will he join me in welcoming the honourable member for | :42:23. | :42:26. | |
Stratford-upon-Avon 100 campaign, encouraging MPs to go out there and | :42:27. | :42:28. | |
get them to take on apprenthceships? I do welcome that and all the work | :42:29. | :42:38. | |
of my honourable friend for Stratford is marvellous but this is | :42:39. | :42:41. | |
a particularly marvellous aspect of his work. To all members on all | :42:42. | :42:47. | |
sides of the House, it is a simple scheme to encourage employers in | :42:48. | :42:51. | |
your constituency to create 100 apprenticeships in 100 days. I would | :42:52. | :42:54. | |
urge all members of all parties to take it up and we will do everything | :42:55. | :42:58. | |
we can to help. We will accommodate you on this question as well. Thank | :42:59. | :43:05. | |
you. The six Cornish MPs ard also leading on this and my honotrable | :43:06. | :43:10. | |
friend will be launching thd 10 and 100 campaign in Cornwall. C`n I | :43:11. | :43:12. | |
thank my honourable friend for doing that? Can I ask the Minister to | :43:13. | :43:17. | |
pledge his support to college campaigning for apprenticeships I | :43:18. | :43:24. | |
certainly will and I look forward to visiting Cornwall during National | :43:25. | :43:27. | |
apprenticeship week to celebrate that. In his constituency, there | :43:28. | :43:32. | |
were 82.5% more apprenticeship starts in 2014-15 down in 2009- 0. | :43:33. | :43:42. | |
I'm sure you can double it. In my constituency, I am working with UCAS | :43:43. | :43:46. | |
to launch a apprenticeship pilot. This portal will make it easy for | :43:47. | :43:51. | |
local S M Es to take on a school lever and end the divide between | :43:52. | :43:56. | |
those leaving university and looking for an apprenticeship. Will my right | :43:57. | :44:00. | |
honourable friend support md in backing the aspirations of North | :44:01. | :44:05. | |
Yorkshire's young people? M`ny of the best policies are poliches | :44:06. | :44:09. | |
designed by backbench members and piloted in their constituencies and | :44:10. | :44:12. | |
I want to salute my honourable friend, so soon after arrivhng in | :44:13. | :44:17. | |
this place, for creating thhs scheme. We will watch it carefully | :44:18. | :44:20. | |
and look to see whether we can roll it out across the country. The | :44:21. | :44:23. | |
honourable gentleman feels `ll warm glow. Number 16. Thank you very | :44:24. | :44:35. | |
much. Officials met the TUC and GMB trade union in August and I am in | :44:36. | :44:41. | |
favour of devolving down to local authorities the powers that if they | :44:42. | :44:46. | |
wish and if it suits in thehr local area to extend Sunday trading laws. | :44:47. | :44:49. | |
Perhaps it is coming we will hear more about later on from thd | :44:50. | :44:52. | |
Secretary of State in the Enterprise Bill. In the ad reduction to the | :44:53. | :44:57. | |
Enterprise Bill. I take it from that we can expect an announcement on | :44:58. | :45:02. | |
Sunday trading very soon. Whth small traders worried their only `dvantage | :45:03. | :45:08. | |
of the supermarkets is their ability to have convenience store Stnday | :45:09. | :45:13. | |
hours and over 91% of shop floor workers saying they don't w`nt to | :45:14. | :45:16. | |
work longer hours on a Sund`y, who is going to benefit from ch`nging | :45:17. | :45:22. | |
the hours? Could I just say, what has been interesting in the | :45:23. | :45:26. | |
consultation, is the large number of local authorities welcoming the | :45:27. | :45:29. | |
ability for them to have powers to see what would suit at their area. | :45:30. | :45:34. | |
If a local authority took the view that an extension of Sunday trading | :45:35. | :45:38. | |
hours was not right for thel, for whatever reason, they wouldn't have | :45:39. | :45:43. | |
to do it and that is the be`uty of this policy. It's devolves the | :45:44. | :45:45. | |
powers down to local authorhties though they decide what is best for | :45:46. | :45:49. | |
them and their areas. I can assure the honourable lady, there `re a | :45:50. | :45:53. | |
number of Labour councils who welcome such a devolution down | :45:54. | :46:01. | |
powers. Given that the Sund`y trading laws were relaxed in the | :46:02. | :46:05. | |
run-up to the Olympics and given that the sky has not fallen in in | :46:06. | :46:11. | |
Scotland where there are no restrictions, will be crack on and | :46:12. | :46:15. | |
relax the Sunday trading laws as quickly as possible? I have made my | :46:16. | :46:21. | |
position clear. Can I just say, what is the ideal is, it is not `bout | :46:22. | :46:24. | |
Government imposing this on anybody, it is about giving the power to the | :46:25. | :46:29. | |
local authorities to decide what is best in the area for all thdir | :46:30. | :46:34. | |
shops, of whatever size and, of course, for their shoppers `nd | :46:35. | :46:37. | |
consumers. If they don't want to do it it won't be mandatory. They have | :46:38. | :46:40. | |
the choice, we take the view that they know best. Topical number one. | :46:41. | :46:49. | |
Britain's height manufacturhng continues to lead the world. 20 5 | :46:50. | :46:54. | |
was the most successful year ever for our in aircraft industrx. Jaguar | :46:55. | :46:59. | |
Land Rover is no Britain's biggest car maker. It is produced bx the | :47:00. | :47:03. | |
hundred thousand cars last xear three times as many as 2009. | :47:04. | :47:10. | |
Manufacturing output grew once again in January. Britain's high-dnd | :47:11. | :47:13. | |
factory are working harder, more Britons are working ever th`n | :47:14. | :47:20. | |
before. This Government's long-term economic plan is working. Wd are | :47:21. | :47:23. | |
hearing that Lord Heseltine had a big plan for the steelworks plant on | :47:24. | :47:31. | |
Deeside. What is it? I think it is absolutely right that we look at all | :47:32. | :47:35. | |
options to generate more employment in the side. That is exactlx what | :47:36. | :47:40. | |
Lord Heseltine has been working on, working with businesses and business | :47:41. | :47:43. | |
leaders. I am sure he would welcome that. In his own constituency and | :47:44. | :47:47. | |
noticed he has seen a sharp fall under this Government of | :47:48. | :47:52. | |
unemployment, over 40% in the last five years and it is those kinds of | :47:53. | :47:57. | |
policies that will continue. Despite progress that has been made, many | :47:58. | :48:04. | |
small businesses, particularly rural small businesses, are struggling | :48:05. | :48:09. | |
because of birds broadband speeds. Does my right honourable frhend | :48:10. | :48:12. | |
think the time has come for Ofcom to consider splitting BT and open | :48:13. | :48:18. | |
bridge or if it feels that ht can't do that, to repair the mattdr to | :48:19. | :48:24. | |
competition. ? Mr Speaker, lany individuals sheer my honour`ble | :48:25. | :48:31. | |
friend's frustrations. The concerns he has made about BT's percdived | :48:32. | :48:35. | |
lack of investment and a perceived conflict of interest. I takd these | :48:36. | :48:41. | |
issues very seriously. It is right that independent regulators look at | :48:42. | :48:43. | |
this issue. Let me assure mx honourable friend that I have | :48:44. | :48:48. | |
discussed this directly with Ofcom, ahead of Ofcom, I look carefully at | :48:49. | :48:52. | |
their review and what findings they come up with and if we need to take | :48:53. | :48:59. | |
action we well. Does the Business Secretary believed that the Google | :49:00. | :49:08. | |
tax deal, is fair and proportionate? I think it was a very important | :49:09. | :49:13. | |
deal. Not least because it leads to a change in behaviour. It sdnt a | :49:14. | :49:17. | |
message that if you don't p`y your taxes properly and according to the | :49:18. | :49:23. | |
rules, action will be taken. I'm not sure whether we thought it was there | :49:24. | :49:29. | |
and proportionate from that answer. At the weekend you said it wasn t a | :49:30. | :49:34. | |
glorious moment. The Chancellor has hailed it as a success. Which is it? | :49:35. | :49:40. | |
It cannot be both. Doesn't he understand how unfair this cosy | :49:41. | :49:43. | |
sweetheart deal with the colpany which seems to regard a ring if | :49:44. | :49:48. | |
their share of taxes as a voluntary activity is to the millions of | :49:49. | :49:51. | |
Britain's small businesses who are now expected to do their tax returns | :49:52. | :49:56. | |
quarterly and have no opportunity to meet ministers 24 times and | :49:57. | :50:00. | |
negotiate their own private tax rate? When her party were l`st in | :50:01. | :50:08. | |
office, some companies were getting away regularly with 0% tax rates. | :50:09. | :50:14. | |
They took no action whatsoever. Since the change in Governmdnt in | :50:15. | :50:19. | |
2010, we have closed 40 of Labour's tax loopholes which in themselves | :50:20. | :50:23. | |
have helped generate an addhtional ?12 billion in taxation. I know the | :50:24. | :50:31. | |
Secretary of State and his department are working hard to | :50:32. | :50:34. | |
support our steel industry but can I ask what specific steps thex have | :50:35. | :50:39. | |
taken to ensure the sitting ability of Tata steel plant? Can I pay | :50:40. | :50:48. | |
tribute to the great work and at the honourable gentleman is doing in | :50:49. | :50:51. | |
helping to support those workers in his constituency that have been | :50:52. | :50:55. | |
affected bilaterally's unfortunate announcement of redundancies at Port | :50:56. | :51:00. | |
Talbot? Mr Speaker, as my honourable friend the Secretary of State has | :51:01. | :51:02. | |
already outlined, we have ddlivered on boar of the five asks of the | :51:03. | :51:06. | |
steel industry and we continue to work with Tata. When the consultants | :51:07. | :51:10. | |
have finished their work at Port Talbot, Carter will come to us and | :51:11. | :51:13. | |
we would finish the discusshon and we will make sure steel continues at | :51:14. | :51:21. | |
Scunthorpe and Port Talbot. The Government has set a target of | :51:22. | :51:31. | |
troubling exporter by 2020. And the Secretary of State if they had | :51:32. | :51:33. | |
laying a decision on the UK's airport capacity supports this game? | :51:34. | :51:39. | |
! Tripling. It is right that we make a decision on aviation capacity in | :51:40. | :51:46. | |
the south-east. The Governmdnt was right to appoint an independent | :51:47. | :51:49. | |
panel to look at this. They have come back with their findings and it | :51:50. | :51:52. | |
is right and we look carefully at those. We made a statement recently | :51:53. | :51:56. | |
on that. When a decision is made, no doubt it will be one of the | :51:57. | :51:59. | |
contributing factors that whll help us meet that target. Question number | :52:00. | :52:08. | |
seven, Mr Speaker. Your momdnt had arrived! You caught me off guard | :52:09. | :52:15. | |
there. I apologise. Sorry to the front bench as well. The backbone of | :52:16. | :52:22. | |
the Northwest economy is buhlt around FMEs. To the Secretary of | :52:23. | :52:26. | |
State outlined what help his department is giving to help small | :52:27. | :52:32. | |
businesses across the Northwest my honourable friend is absolutely | :52:33. | :52:39. | |
right about talking of SMEs the lifeblood of the economy and the | :52:40. | :52:42. | |
growth they produce. The nulber of measures we have taken, including | :52:43. | :52:46. | |
cuts in taxation, cut and regulation, it on today I whll be | :52:47. | :52:49. | |
opening the second reading of the Enterprise Bill and we will announce | :52:50. | :52:56. | |
a number of new measures. The welcome new procurement guidelines | :52:57. | :53:03. | |
for steel are worthless unldss the impact on procurement practhce. What | :53:04. | :53:06. | |
will the Government do to ensure proper delivery of this and all | :53:07. | :53:11. | |
Government departments and contractors follow these guhdelines? | :53:12. | :53:14. | |
How will the Government assdss its impact? The honourable gentleman | :53:15. | :53:19. | |
makes a very good point. He will know that British Network R`il, of | :53:20. | :53:28. | |
its tracks, 98% I made in hhs constituency. He can be asstred we | :53:29. | :53:32. | |
will make sure there is real delivery on those changes in | :53:33. | :53:36. | |
procurement. Could I pay trhbute to the councils of Corby, Sheffield, | :53:37. | :53:41. | |
Cardiff, Rotherham and his `ll in North Lincolnshire, all havd signed | :53:42. | :53:46. | |
up to the acceptance and agreement that when it comes to their own | :53:47. | :53:49. | |
procurement, they will make sure they use sustainable and brhlliant | :53:50. | :53:57. | |
British steel. Over 4000 people started an apprenticeship shnce 2010 | :53:58. | :54:02. | |
in Iran, great news for people who want to learn a new skill and | :54:03. | :54:12. | |
productivity. -- their hand. .. Encouraging people from Fairham If | :54:13. | :54:22. | |
I would, I would spend everx day at an apprenticeship there in ` | :54:23. | :54:28. | |
constituency of one of my honourable friends. I was in Carlisle last week | :54:29. | :54:33. | |
at a fantastic skill show and I encourage everyone in Fairh`m to | :54:34. | :54:41. | |
attend the honourable lady's. The crucial industrial opportunhty for | :54:42. | :54:47. | |
the Northern Powerhouse is available. Opportunities to redeploy | :54:48. | :54:52. | |
skills should be seized with both hands before being lost to the | :54:53. | :54:57. | |
region altogether. Port Talbot. . Fabrication. Does the Minister agree | :54:58. | :55:03. | |
that when the British steel industry identifies a new market arotnd which | :55:04. | :55:06. | |
they can bend a recovery, it is time they sat up and listened? Wd have | :55:07. | :55:13. | |
been listening. There were five asks made, we have delivered on four The | :55:14. | :55:17. | |
fifth is the subject of revhew. I hope we can see a delivery of that | :55:18. | :55:21. | |
in due course. We are doing everything we can to ensure steel | :55:22. | :55:24. | |
continues to be produced in Scunthorpe and at Port Talbot. I | :55:25. | :55:31. | |
have to say more jobs were lost under Labour administrations than | :55:32. | :55:37. | |
had been lost under conserv`tive. The proposed Tube strike thhs | :55:38. | :55:39. | |
weekend will add misery to the Monday morning commute of m`ny of my | :55:40. | :55:44. | |
constituents. It will be conducted on the basis of a mandate d`ting | :55:45. | :55:51. | |
from June 2015. Does he agrde that such destructive action shotld only | :55:52. | :55:54. | |
be undertaken on the basis of a fresh mandate from union melbers? On | :55:55. | :56:00. | |
the side of the House we ard clear, it should not be possible to cause I | :56:01. | :56:05. | |
strike, to call a strike, on the basis of an out of date mandate and | :56:06. | :56:09. | |
we are legislating to stop ht. We are clear our candidate for the | :56:10. | :56:13. | |
Mayor of London is clear, the party wants to oppose this measurd and | :56:14. | :56:17. | |
support tube strikes that whll prevent people who are paid a lot | :56:18. | :56:20. | |
less than tube drivers from getting to work over the weekend. C`n | :56:21. | :56:27. | |
ministers confirm what meethngs it has had with the bold | :56:28. | :56:30. | |
administrations, local authorities and other public bodies on this | :56:31. | :56:35. | |
proposed and trade union Bill? Can they confirm the proposals, | :56:36. | :56:40. | |
particularly in... Have no support across the public sector. Is it not | :56:41. | :56:47. | |
time to dump those proposals? No, I am sorry to see yet another party of | :56:48. | :56:51. | |
opposition standing up for illegitimate strike that catsed huge | :56:52. | :56:57. | |
disruption for people who are trying to work hard and get their kids to | :56:58. | :57:01. | |
school and get to work on thme. I am glad to see on the side of the House | :57:02. | :57:05. | |
we will be standing up for working people, not for trade union bosses. | :57:06. | :57:11. | |
Despite the Government's taxes on apprenticeships, disabled pdople | :57:12. | :57:17. | |
face difficulties. Concerns have been raised about requirement of | :57:18. | :57:20. | |
maths and English. Will my right honourable friend review concerns | :57:21. | :57:24. | |
right to them to a sure bet he is taking bidder steps that disabled | :57:25. | :57:28. | |
people are able to take part in apprenticeship opportunities? | :57:29. | :57:39. | |
This is such an important issue I have had similar meetings whth other | :57:40. | :57:45. | |
people and it is important that we get this right. Has the Secretary of | :57:46. | :57:50. | |
State looked at the report which showed a large number of Brhtain's | :57:51. | :57:56. | |
towns and cities are low skhll, low-wage economies? What is he doing | :57:57. | :58:01. | |
to make sure that there is joined up thinking across Government to make | :58:02. | :58:03. | |
sure we tackle not just the education and skills but thd | :58:04. | :58:07. | |
transport links to access those new jobs? I haven't seen that rdport and | :58:08. | :58:14. | |
now the honourable gentleman mentions it, I will be pleased to | :58:15. | :58:18. | |
take a look. He is right to identify skills as a key issue to crdate | :58:19. | :58:22. | |
those jobs and increase productivity and that is why we have introduced | :58:23. | :58:26. | |
the apprenticeship levy and setting forward plans for that. It will make | :58:27. | :58:35. | |
the difference he is looking for. Can I thank the Minister for | :58:36. | :58:41. | |
supporting the apprenticeshhp awards at the Grosvenor house last week. We | :58:42. | :58:45. | |
gave out and wants to small and large businesses and the brhlliant | :58:46. | :58:48. | |
apprenticeships. Wouldn't it be great that next year we havd awards | :58:49. | :59:01. | |
for the public sector? We could see the public sector gets really behind | :59:02. | :59:05. | |
apprenticeships. You will h`ve noticed that my honourable friend | :59:06. | :59:10. | |
has a badge with a capital @ in his lapel. I am sure we can think of | :59:11. | :59:13. | |
many things that this could stand for but in his case, it stands for | :59:14. | :59:20. | |
apprenticeship ambassador. He is a fantastic ambassador for | :59:21. | :59:22. | |
apprenticeships and in the `wards next year, I'm sure the public | :59:23. | :59:26. | |
sector will be able to show itself as supporters of apprenticeships | :59:27. | :59:35. | |
also. Does the Minister agrde that the practice of cash for incentives | :59:36. | :59:43. | |
in the construction industrx should cease? It was a great pleastre to | :59:44. | :59:49. | |
take part in last week's debate The honourable gentleman has made some | :59:50. | :59:52. | |
important points. We are having a review but it is a lengthy review | :59:53. | :59:57. | |
and he knows that I am going to undertake and do everything I can to | :59:58. | :00:01. | |
bring that forward and look at making sure we actually takd a | :00:02. | :00:05. | |
modern look at what is really an outdated practice. With the US | :00:06. | :00:13. | |
presidential elections exciting audiences-macro both sides of the | :00:14. | :00:21. | |
order -- Atlantic, this year we may be able to sign a free tradd deal | :00:22. | :00:26. | |
between the EU and India. Whll he welcomed the resumption of talks two | :00:27. | :00:30. | |
weeks ago after two years of being stalled and do everything hd can to | :00:31. | :00:37. | |
secure a deal this year? He makes an excellent point. The deal is worth | :00:38. | :00:42. | |
?10 billion to this economy and it is surprisingly see the party | :00:43. | :00:45. | |
opposite not supporting it lore loudly. When the Leader of the | :00:46. | :00:52. | |
Opposition ask whether the Shadow Chancellor still campaigns for the | :00:53. | :00:59. | |
overthrow of capitalism? Hartlepool air products, SSI Redcar and the oil | :01:00. | :01:07. | |
and gas industry job losses. Teesside has been hit very hard Can | :01:08. | :01:12. | |
I ask the Minister to meet with me to discuss the future of thd SSI | :01:13. | :01:20. | |
sites. Between 99 to 71992, the Tory party sacked 20,000 steelworkers. I | :01:21. | :01:26. | |
am more than happy to meet with the honourable gentleman and anx | :01:27. | :01:33. | |
colleagues. He will know of all the action that we have taken and are | :01:34. | :01:37. | |
taking to help the steel industry. He makes it sound that when Labour | :01:38. | :01:44. | |
were last in office, they hdlped the industry. Production halved, the | :01:45. | :01:48. | |
number of employees felt by thousands. That is Labour's record. | :01:49. | :01:54. | |
It is left to this Government to support the steel industry. We are | :01:55. | :01:59. | |
running out of time. Can he look into these workers where people s | :02:00. | :02:03. | |
jobs are at risk. One of thd main reasons for closing the offhce was | :02:04. | :02:07. | |
because the phones and comptters don't work properly. Is the Minister | :02:08. | :02:11. | |
of innovation saying the department responsible for sending people to | :02:12. | :02:14. | |
space cannot find a way to communicate properly with an office | :02:15. | :02:18. | |
150 miles up the road and whll the Minister reflect on the way this | :02:19. | :02:21. | |
farcical announcement was m`de and the lack of empathy shown for those | :02:22. | :02:30. | |
workers? No one takes these decisions lightly. There ard a | :02:31. | :02:32. | |
number of people and their families affected and we need to do | :02:33. | :02:37. | |
everything we can to help. We do have an obligation on behalf of the | :02:38. | :02:41. | |
taxpayers to make sure that we spend their money wisely and that means | :02:42. | :02:45. | |
making sure that all Governlent departments are run efficiently and | :02:46. | :02:50. | |
effectively. Even after this change in my department will have lore | :02:51. | :02:53. | |
people come the vast majority of people outside of London and that is | :02:54. | :02:59. | |
the right thing. Urgent question, Mr Jeremy Corbyn. The urgent qtestion I | :03:00. | :03:08. | |
put is to ask the Prime Minhster if he will make a statement on the | :03:09. | :03:15. | |
proposal for discussion of the United Kingdom's relationshhp with | :03:16. | :03:18. | |
the European Union to be published later today by the President of the | :03:19. | :03:20. | |
European Council, Donald Tusk. Mr Speaker, at about 11:35al, the | :03:21. | :03:39. | |
President of the European Council published a set of draft text about | :03:40. | :03:47. | |
the UK's wee negotiation. Hd has now sent | :03:48. | :03:48. |