Live Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Questions House of Commons

other arrangements and the dates when the ten minute rule motions can

be made and presentation bills introduced is published in the order

paper. Questions to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and

Industrial Strategy. Kirsty Blackman. Question one, Mr Speaker.

Minister, Richard Harrington. My department is in regular contact

with the oil and gas industry, as honourable ladies and gentlemen may

be aware, my predecessor, he met with them readily, in London and

Aberdeen. On the 23rd of March, the oil and gas authority awarded

licences for blocks to enable exploration in frontier areas, the

first to focus on these areas in two decades. I look forward to

continuing this relationship which is important for jobs and the wider

economy. In my first week in this post, at a reception at Imperial

College, I met several companies and trade bodies in this field. I thank

the Minister. I warmly welcome him to his place. In 2016, the

Chancellor announced action would be taken to improve the tax regime for

late life asset transfers. In 2017, he renounced the same policy in the

budget. Now an expert panel was to be set up. Could the Minister let me

know how many times the panel has met so far and when we expect the

outcome is to be made public, as it says there will be on the website? I

thank her for her question. We have worked together in previous posts

and I look forward on my visit to Aberdeen, hopefully the honourable

lady will be able to visit with me. As far as the late life assets are

concerned, we realised how important it is, getting it right, not just

for jobs, but for generating further investment. The panel of experts is

considering this. We look forward to hearing a wide range of views and we

will report at the autumn budget. When it comes to sources of UK gas,

the minister will be aware, the state of Qatar has become

increasingly important for the UK not least through impulse of

liquefied gas through my constituency. What steps is the

minister taking to ensure the current diplomatic crisis does not

lead to any disruption of energy the UK --?

lead to any disruption of energy the UK This is being monitored very

carefully, the situation, by the Government, and we do not believe it

will make any difference whatsoever to liquid gas supplies. If I could

welcome the Minister to his place? The North Sea, the kind of action

described by my honourable friend is vital especially to help long

returning optimism. The Scottish Government has invested ?5 million

to explore the commissioning opportunities that could grow new

jobs. When will we get action from the UK Government and when will we

see a robust and comprehensive future energy strategy from the UK

Government? As the honourable gentleman will be aware, the

Government has been involved very actively in funding seismic surveys

and 3-D visualisation is at Herriot Watt University. I am looking

forward to the next licensing round and dealing with the strategy he

mentioned. I should mention, if I may, the development which the

Government supported which the first barrels of oil were produced last

week and we look forward to 50,000 barrels per day at peak. The fact is

the UK Government has been slow to realise the potential of

decommissioning, pulled fighting from -- funding and failed to

adequately address the drop in renewable energy investment and it

has plunged public funds into risky and poor value nuclear power

projects. When will the Government wake up and take our energy

opportunities seriously bastion much I am afraid I must completely

disagree with the honourable gentleman's view. -- energy

opportunities seriously? The significant opportunities we are

currently considering options for the delivery of a port and yard and

we will continue to engage closely with stakeholders. Question number

two, Mr Speaker. Thank you. Since the referendum, I have held

discussions with businesses, workers and local leaders across the UK and

investors around the world. These will continue over the coming

months, including my weekly meetings with the directors general of the

five main business organisations. The Government is creating a new EU

exit business advisory group to ensure business is not only heard

but influential throughout the negotiations. I thank the Secretary

of State. My particular interest is in the life science sector worth

some 30 billion to the economy and has nearly half a million jobs. Many

in my constituency. As one of the leading research and science

sectors, could the Minister Tadhg Furlong -- could the Minister tell

me we will have vital support as we leave the EU? We want in our

negotiations to make sure we can continue the successful conclusion

meat collaborations -- successful collaborations making a further

investment in the future of research and the House may be interested to

know I can announce today the Government has committed to

underwrite the UK's fair share for the joint European costs of nuclear

research, a leading nuclear fusion facility in Oxfordshire, supporting

1300 jobs. It is funded through a contract between the European

Commission and the UK atomic energy authority and in making this

commitment, the Government hopes to provide certainty and reassurance

needed so that we can have a mutually beneficial extension of

this contract. Given all those five business organisations he refers to

have come out against the Prime Minister's extreme damaging Brexit,

what is he doing to ensure the Prime Minister not only here is what they

are saying but listens to it? He will know that the business

organisations, the five of them, have put forward a very sensible set

of principles to govern both the transition and the shape of the

final agreement. They seem very sensible suggestions. And part of

the point of engaging with business, as I do very rigorously and

frequently, is to make sure that voice is heard. One of the important

principle is that the business organisations have stressed is the

essential nature of having contractual and legal certainty for

those entering into legal obligations so they know they will

continue to be enforceable once we leave the EU. Will he therefore make

sure particular regard is had to do need for transition periods to be

based upon the reality of business practice, rather than arbitrary

considerations? He makes an excellent point and if he has the

continued privilege to chair the committee on matters pertaining to

justice, I am sure the committee will give some help in this. Thank

you. Many businesses are particularly concerned about

additional checks on imports and exports in trade if we leave the

customs union. Can the Secretary of State give any reassurance at all

the businesses that there will not be additional checks if and when we

leave the customs union? I have always been clear and the Government

has been clear that we want to have not only no tariffs but

bureaucratic impediments. That is bureaucratic impediments. That is

one of the objectives that of the business organisations have set out.

She knows the negotiations have just started but we are clear that is our

objective. Will my right honourable friend be asking businesses to list

the most egregious and restrictive EU directives that may be removed to

make British business more competitive and efficient? We do

have and I am sure he will be an assiduous contributor to the

scrutiny of the repeal bill, the approach is to transfer into UK law

that which was part of EU law precisely so this House can

scrutinise and consider what we should continue with. Yesterday the

Government said the EU citizens would be able to apply for what it

called settled status so they could continue to live and work in the UK.

Application processes can be very time-consuming, of course, not to

mention complicated, expensive and off-putting, especially when this

government is involved. How can the Secretary of State guarantee that

all EU nationals working in the UK will be allowed to stay, not just in

theory, but in practice to the benefit of the many businesses who

rely on EU workers? And I welcome the honourable gentleman back to his

place? I think the whole of the front bench team has been

reappointed, nice to see loyalty rewarded. What I would say the...

LAUGHTER What I would say to the honourable

gentleman is that he is absolutely right and I would have thought he

would welcome what is a very positive statement that the Prime

Minister has made, it is important in implementing that that it should

be done with no bureaucracy so people can apply with confidence.

Number three, thank you. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Unjustified,

late and nonpayment of retention payment or any amount owed is

unacceptable. These practices cost particular problems for small

businesses in the construction sector and the Government is

committed to tackling them. We will shortly be publishing research into

these issues alongside a consultation. A system of cash

retention has been wreaking havoc in the construction industry for

decades. Can she ensure is that will shimmy radical action to overhaul

the system and gadgets they widens taking so long? There is indeed far

too much abuse of the system of cash retention and it has been going on

for too long. The burden of administrative time securing

pavement and the drain on working capital ways far too heavily on a

smaller firms in the supply chain and I can assure him that we will be

taking action. Mr Speaker, if the Government had listened in 2015 to

the amendments of the Labour Party putting into the small business

bill, we would already have a solution and we told them then that

the Government would take action a few months ago with the proposals

about naming and shaming businesses that didn't publish their late

payments. We have yet another consultation, we have research from

crossflow payments through 74% of small businesses who don't believe

the Government's recent changes will make any difference. Can we have a

policy that Attlee enforces late payments rather than serious cost

rotations as we have had. I agree with the honourable gentleman that

action is needed but it is important that we take the right action. We

have undertaken a consultation. The result of this will be published

shortly. This will also be followed by a consultation on a 2011 change

to the construction act which will consider the merits of ring fencing

retentions and also the extent to which contractors are making

repayment of retention is conditional on the performance of

obligations under other completely separate contracts. Questionable

for, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I want to congratulate the

honourable gentleman on his pathfinding work in this area. I

understand he is a proud owner of an electric vehicle made in the UK and

he will therefore know that this is an exceptionally important point for

us. I'm very proud of the Government's ambition for most are

all cards to be zero emissions from 2050 and also our success in

positioning the UK is a leading destination for the manufacture of

research of these vehicles. He will be reassured that good progress is

being made with Chris readiness but the upcoming smart systems plans and

the automated and electric vehicles built assured that the roll-out of

electric vehicles is accelerated. I thank the Minister for that response

and I am glad to hear that because the impacts of electric vehicles on

the distribution network estimates that power lines could be impaired

so I would like to ask how quickly we can hear a report on this given

that the usage of such vehicles is likely to rise substantially in the

coming years. I think he is right in with policies to really accelerate

the usage of electric vehicles as is a critical thing, he will know that

off Jim has approved business plans with a local network companies that

already raked in millions of pounds of investment to ensure that the

expected demands on the grid can be met. But equally it is not just

about raw investment in cables, it is actually about changing consumer

behaviour to ensure they can charge their vehicles at a time that puts

least demands on the grid and perhaps save them money and I refer

back to our plan and also the bill that will actually enable smart

charging and help people to actually charge their vehicles at a time when

it puts least demands on the network. All sounds very exciting, I

must say! Does the Minister ever worry, when it looks like investing

?100 billion into a test to which will open at the earliest in 2033,

does and she worried that by that time we would be able to press into

your phone and a driverless vehicle powered by electricity would come to

your home and take you anywhere in the country? Isn't that ?100 billion

of wasted money? By the way, Mr Speaker, seeing you in an electric

vehicle would be a success in my new role. We can have a conversation

afterwards. He will know that I think that upgrading our rail and

road networks is one of the ways to reduce congestion on the roads right

now and also open up business opportunities and creates new

capacity, potentially to look at things like electric rail freight,

something in my view that has been severely neglected by successive

governments over many years. This is why we want to position ourselves

both as a leading manufacturer of electric vehicles and one in five

elected vehicles sold in EU is made in Britain but also as a hub for

innovation. We are putting millions of pounds into innovation studies

and research to see how these new technologies can work together to

ultimately achieve the aim of zero emissions by 2050. Electric vehicles

are a vital part of meeting our climate change commitments. Can the

Minister update us on further action to tackle climate change after the

USA's repudiation of the Paris agreement? I thank my honourable

friend for this valuable question. I was delighted on almost the first

day on the job to be sent to Luxembourg to meet with our EU

counterparts in this important area to discuss the fact that we are all

very disappointed with Mr Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the

Paris agreement, to accept is more work needs to be done by the

remaining countries to emphasise that Paris is non-negotiable

although we would like him to come back and also I was personally able

to increase the level of UK funding for the IP CC trust fund across the

board with other European friends and neighbours to ensure that any

reduction of funding from the USA can be met. Can I welcome the

honourable lady to her new position and indeed members of the front

bench, new and old to their roles? With regards to the local grids, can

we have proper local accountability, ownership of local community grids

so that we break the monopolies of the attribution companies who make

masses of money and don't always reinvest? I think the honourable

gentleman raises an incredibly valuable point about how we actually

starts to move ourselves away from generating emissions in the heating

and lighting sector. He will be pleased to know that I was able to

put more innovation funding into trials doing exactly that. Already,

as he knows, I like to do these things seriously but we are already

funding pilots to see how peer-to-peer exchange of power can

actually work and how to further include the Leeds improve community

generation and storage of energy going forward. Question five,

please. Supporting small businesses is a crucial part of our industrial

strategy. The Government is investing in the Thames Gateway

including through the local growth fund and the new lower Thames

crossing. We will continue to work with industry and local authorities

in the Thames Gateway to create the conditions for all businesses to

thrive. The lack of collectivity that exists between Kent and Essex

frustrates commerce between those two counties. The lower Thames

crossing will help with that but it is going to take some years to be

built so will the Minister use this time to work with local businesses

in that area in order to unlock the huge amount of potential, in the

existing area, that is yet to be fully realised? The lower Thames

crossing is due to be open in 2025 but in the meantime, local growth

hubs will continue to deliver support services to help businesses

in the area to grow over the period. In addition, almost half of these at

least local enterprise partnerships funding of 274 million is directly

supporting growth in north Kent and South Essex. Through improving

transport infrastructure, addressing skills needs and creating new

business spaces. Mr Speaker, the Minister will no one of the

strengths of the Thames Gateway is the closeness of connections

elsewhere in Europe but one of the worries that small and medium-sized

businesses have is whether they will be able to continue to recruit staff

from other EU countries after Brexit. What the minister

acknowledged the strength of the concerns of firms in the Thames

Gateway about that and can she offer them any reassurance about the

prospects after Brexit? Having spoken to many businesses

over the last year, I acknowledge the concerns that the honourable

gentleman refers to. Within the Thames Gateway area, but I was

reassured myself and I hope that he was by the Prime Minister's opening

start in the negotiations last week and the reassurance that she was

able to offer many hundreds of thousands of EU citizens currently

residing in the UK and working in his area. The honourable gentleman

is an SMO ball fell all but West Dunbartonshire is it their distance

from the Thames Gateway. Knowing his intellect, he may have a pertinent

inquiry and I'm fascinated to discover whether he has. Thank you,

Mr Speaker (!) businesses in the Thames Gateway, along with West

Dunbartonshire, require confidence in those who form governments and

those who support them. Will the Minister agree with me that that

confidence requires transparency and call upon every political party in

Northern Ireland is now to publish fully everything in terms of their

political donations and campaigns that they are involved in? That is

manifestly out of order! The honourable gentleman was one

interested in what he had to say to the Minister than in anything the

minister might say to him. Gareth Snell. Question number six, Mr

Speaker. I think this one is in order and I'm sure you bought the

size that. Mr Speaker, there have been significant investment in the

UK's national gaps infrastructure over the last decade. That Magna the

Leeds unnatural gas. We have highly flexible sources of natural gas

which includes production from the North Sea, six international

pipelines with Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands, three natural gas

terminals which can brings apply from anywhere in the world and a

number of gas storage facilities so we are confident that this market of

will continue to secure gas supplies but of course, I would continue to

monitor the position. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I begged the

Minister for his answer. The ceramics industry is a very energy

intensive employer in my constituency and highly reliant on a

secure supply of gas for business continuity. In light of the

announcement that the gas storage facility is to close, what

assurances can be given to the ceramics and district but the gas it

needs one not now be unaffordable runouts? As I explained in the

answer to the first question, we have a very diverse range of sources

from all of the different sources that I mentioned before and I just

myself but analysis conducted by the National Grid and others suggest

that this closure will not cause any issues and I'm willing to give the

honourable gentleman in the undertakings of my department that I

will monitor this on a weekly basis. Number seven, Mr Speaker. Mr

Speaker, with your permission, I would like to answer this along with

question 14. The industrial strategy Green paper was launched on the 23rd

of January and has been warmly received across the country. We have

received over 1900 responses to the consultation with respondents from

every part of the United Kingdom and I look forward to taking our modern

industrial strategy forward with the involvement of all members of this

House in the months ahead. In a damaging blow to business confidence

and the economy in Renfrewshire, the workforce have voted to strike over

pay offers which the company has admitted does not meet commitments

made to the workforce. The Secretary of State join me in urging a deal

which prevents industrial action recognises the work over many, many

years? Of course, we want to avoid industrial action. I am not aware of

the particular circumstances but I am happy to meet with him afterwards

and he can informally in more detail. Can I ask the Secretary of

State if he was agreeing with the Secretary of State for Defence 's

book is warning about the need to provide extra investment in those

areas that are left behind, even if that bill comes to something like

?1.5 billion? Secretary of State, could you tell us when he is going

to open talks with other honourable members about the needs of their

areas? So that we can insure, Mr Speaker, that those regions which

are left behind are not left behind and left out. Hear, hear! I'm

surprised to hear that question from the right Honourable member because

of all the people in this House, he knows, he was one of the great

proponents of a city deal and a devolution deal for Birmingham and

the West Midlands, the value of which is over ?1 billion. Looking

around the chamber, there are many members opposite that have made

precisely such a case that we should invest in areas of the country

outside national programmes. It seems to me that it is reasonable to

continue that programme. I have the opportunity to take soundings from

small businesses in rugby as a small business Expo run by the Federation

of Small Businesses on Friday and there are concerns was with the

remit of staff. These skills are often not available local

job-seekers. In those instances, what the Secretary of State

reassurance about the training of young people moving forward but also

the ability to ability to continue to recruit staff from the EU moving

forward? One of the big findings from, that has been reinforced in

the concentration on the industrial strategy is that we need to really

ramp up the level of skills and technical education and training in

this country. That is, we will respond to the consultation in the

weeks ahead but he can rest assured that that will be one of the key

pillars of it. A business park in Cannock is

already home to many leading businesses and the new developments

will see hundreds of new jobs. Does my right honourable friend agree

these developments are evidence of business covered and and shows

Cannock Chase is open for business and a great place to do business?

Having visited with my honourable friend, she is a great champion of

the businesses there and it is fair to reflect the confidence of both

manufacturers and employers and other sectors is high, as the CBI

attested to this week, high across the country, including in Cannock

Chase. We have discussed the UK's exit across government and with key

stakeholders, our objective is to ensure leaving it has no adverse

effects. Medical radioisotopes are not special nuclear material and

they are not subject to international nuclear safeguards.

Therefore, their availability should not be impacted by the UK's exit and

as the honourable member will have seen, the Queen's Speech announced

the Government's intention to... The Times yesterday estimated it would

take seven years to negotiate the equivalent terms for this treaty.

Given experts have warned that we must avoid a cliff edge withdrawal,

would the Minister agree that leaving in the current timeline is

unfeasible and that in fact it would be in the UK's best interests

Tuesday in Euratem and avoid this mess? I should obviously welcome the

honourable member to her place in the House. Our objective is clear,

we want to maintain the UK's leading role as a responsible nuclear state

with a flourishing nuclear-power industry. We will establish a regime

that ensures nothing changes in that regard as we leave Euratem. Question

number nine. My welcome him to this house and the considerable expertise

he brings with him from his former employment. Zero hours contracts

allow those people to access the labour market who cannot or do not

want to commit the standard regular work. The Government recognises the

concerns of employers breaching the rules or exploiting their position.

We want to make sure everyone is paid properly and receives the

employment rights to which they are entitled. I thank the Minister for

her kind words. Given the ease with which just yesterday ?1 billion was

found to protect only one job in Westminster...

LAUGHTER Could the Minister say what actions

the Government is taking to encourage business to offer genuine

financial and personal security to the nearly 1 million workers on zero

hours contracts? The Government believes people are entitled to be

treated fairly at work, regardless of what type of contract they have

with the company for whom they work. The Prime Minister commissioned

Matthew Taylor to undertake a review of the rights of employees and will

report on ways employment regulation needs to keep pace with changes in

the labour market very shortly. The Minister, and I welcome the fact she

said this, said that the Government was determined to ensure employees

get there employment rights, why has the Government introduced the huge

fees for access to employment tribunal 's? Will they now abolished

them? Employment tribunal 's are a matter for the Ministry of Justice.

I am in discussions with them over the review of employment tribunals I

have undertaken and we do keep a watching brief on the matters she

has raised. What does the Minister have to say to the young dustmen who

said, we have just got married, about to have a baby, paying a

fortune in rent, we would love to buy our own home but no chance

because I am on zero hours contracts? Is it not the truth that

he and millions of others like him have seen through the pretence that

somehow the Conservative Party as the party of the working class, the

false claims and phoney promises and they have simply had enough of

falling paid, squeezed living standards and security in the world

of work? Minister. I think we should have a perspective on these matters.

actually is on a zero hours contract actually is on a zero hours contract

at the moment and 70% of those, according to the most recent

research, they are content with the research, they are content

number of hours they are working. number of

But I do accept the point is the But I do accept the point is the

honourable gentleman has raised about his constituent and the

scenario Matthew Taylor has reviewed and will be reporting on very soon.

Number 10, Mr Speaker. Ministers in the Brexit department and I are in

regular discussions with SMEs and representatives and we are arranging

at the moment a joint ministerial Round Table with SMEs to ensure

their voices are heard throughout the Brexit negotiations. And only

and I held a Round Table with small and I held a Round Table

businesses on the negotiations. Thank you. 92% of exporting small

businesses trade in the EU single market. Can the Minister tell me how

she predicts these small businesses will be affected by the loss of our

membership? And how will she ensure this sector continues to be

represented in any future negotiations? The Government is

committed to negotiating a full and open trade agreement with the EU on

our departure. As my right honourable friend, the Secretary of

State, said earlier, we are aiming for a situation where no tariffs are

applied to SMEs who export into the single market and no unnecessary

bureaucracy. Many SMEs in my constituency are part of European

and global supply chains and does the Minister understand those

businesses, as well as large businesses, need clarity and

certainty? When will the Minister and the Government be in a position

to give them certainty about the transitional arrangements we put in

place because businesses are already making investment decisions? The

point is the honourable gentleman raises are very valid, but they are

part of the ongoing negotiations and as he knows, these negotiations have

some way to go. But we are defending our position as the number one

destination for foreign direct investment and we will be ensuring

SMEs have a strong position in global supply chains into the

future. 11. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to answer this question

together with question 22. Our manifesto said we will introduce a

safeguard tariffs to extend the price protection currently in place

for some vulnerable customers to more customers. I stand by that

commitment. The lived experience of many people is that the Conservative

Party have done nothing for the past seven years to fix the energy

market. Whilst I welcome the fact they are moving and transforming

from calling and energy price cap Marxist and extremely dangerous to

actually copying it, will the Minister say if he is facing calls

to water down this policy from the big six or from his own

backbenchers? In welcoming the honourable lady to the House, she

follows a distinguished predecessor, I would perhaps invite her to

reflect on the history of her own party in this in which the former

Leader of the Opposition was the Energy Secretary and failed to do

anything whatsoever about this. I have been very clear about the

commitment we have made and we will see it through. Imitation is the

sincerest form of flattery. To misquote Caroline Aherne's question

to Debbie McGee, what first attracted you to Labour's

financially astute, socially just and politically responsible energy

price cap? What the honourable gentleman and I welcome him back,

what he describes as an energy price cap of course was launched as energy

price freeze and the problem with that was that energy prices fell so

that consumers would be paying more than they needed to. It would have

been a disastrous situation for consumers which is why the proposal

we have made in response to the Competition and Markets Authority

analysis is a much more sensible approach than what we got from the

party opposite. As we have heard, various media outlets have reported

recently senior Cabinet members were lobbying for the Conservative price

cap manifesto commitment to be dropped. The secretary's recent

letter to Ofgem was silent on the price cap element and when

questioned last week, the Prime Minister refused to confirm and

ambiguously that the price cap would be upheld. Would the Secretary of

State confirm for the avoidance of doubt that he will implement not

just stand by the promise to price cap to deliver 70 million customers

the ?100 savings his Prime Minister promised? And I welcome her back?

Very good to see her back in her place. I did not hear her name

chanted in Glastonbury, I will not do it here, but I warmly welcome her

back. I have been clear and the Queen's Speech is very clear, it

said that my government will ensure fairer markets for consumers

including bringing forward measures to tackle unfair practices in the

energy market to reduce energy bills. I am afraid it is not clear.

The secretary's recent letter to Ofgem simply asks them to advise him

of the action they intend to take to safeguard customers on the poorest

value tariffs. It was not a direction to implement a price cap.

Can he confirmed that should Ofgem not take directions to implement a

price cap or they direct a price cap that is narrower than the

Conservative manifesto commitment, he will legislate to uphold his

party's manifesto commitment, and if so, when? If the honourable lady

looks at the powers I have, the powers I have are two ask Ofgem to

move in this way, not to order them, they are independent. I would have

thought she would welcome the fact that since I think there is a strong

body of opinion across both sides of the House that the detriment that

consumers have been suffering should be put to an end, it should be put

to an end as soon as possible, rather than wait for the legislation

to pass through the House, Ofgem have the powers, and I believe they

should use them. Number 12, Mr Speaker. The importance of our

regions is a core pillar of the industrial strategy. We will build

on successful clusters of which the Humber energy history is a perfect

example. Its leading position in million engineering has been

strengthened by the opening of factories around the offshore wind

industry -- Marine engineering. New jobs have been created. It is the

industrial strategy in action. Ministers recently blocked her

private finance initiative in Hull to have the rail electrification

overweight at Hull, an important part of an infrastructure needed in

East Yorkshire. Are people here right to believe the ?1 billion that

was found for the Northern Ireland powerhouse is at the expense of the

northern powerhouse? The honourable lady knows as well as anyone in this

house is the commitment this government and I in particular have

made the devolving funds to Harlem and the Humber. They have benefited

considerably from the city deal and then the great deal -- Hull and the

Humber. It has contributed to the increased prosperity that I would

have thought she would welcome. Notwithstanding what my right

honourable friend has just outlined and despite the fact business

confidence in the region is fried, as outlined by the most recent

chambers quarterly report, there is still further initiatives that can

be taken to advance the Northern powerhouse. What further plans do

you have? He is absolutely right. One of the aspects of the progress

that has been made in the Humber is the close working relationships

established between businesses and council leaders North and south of

the Humber with the Government. I look forward to visiting the area. I

am a regular visitor. So we can have a further incident of devolution and

the funds to that area. With nearly 2500 job losses announced in New

York over the last seven months including Nestle and the closure of

two company head offices, there are clear challenges to York's economy.

Can he agree a meeting with me and his senior officials to make sure we

can address the serious challenges and ensure the industrial strategy

does reach York as well? I would be very happy to do that. Of course,

Nestle is a major employer and there is a cluster of food and drink and

agriculture businesses in and around York. That has been identified in

the industrial strategy as an area of real potential and I look forward

to working with the honourable lady to realise that.

Expanding Torbay's manufacturing sector is a key part of diversifying

for the Centre. It is the Government still planning to introduced

Institute of technology across England? The importance of upgrading

our levels of skill education is vital in all parts of the country

including in Torbay and Institute of technology are ways of ensuring that

industries can benefit from the particular skills that they need.

Having abolished the regional development agency, the party

opposite refused to invest in growth for good jobs across the country. We

are now the most on the wall economy in western Europe. And if every

region produced at the same rate per head as London, we would all be one

third richer. Instead, working people haven't had a pay right for

seven years so will the Secretary of State commits to matching the

specific proposals for investment for jobs that is laid out in

Labour's industrial strategy or does his new-found largess ends with the

shores of Ulster? Again, the honourable lady makes a

disappointing response because she knows and the leaders of Harrow

Council is no how important things like the city deal and the growth

deal have been in the north-east and looking around the country, one of

the things that she should commend is that in years past, the majority

of jobs were created in London and the Southeast. That situation has

been transformed and the north-east of England has been one of the areas

in the country that has created jobs at a more rapid rate than anywhere

else. Number 13. I would like to welcome the honourable lady to her

new job. I also have a new job and is taking on the role, I have to

say, I have been incredibly impressed with the progress that the

UK has made with its own climate emission targets and also taking

international leadership in this area. I want the car Ringrose plan

to be as ambitious, robust and clear a blueprint as it can be so we can

continue to deliver on this hugely important piece of domestic and

international policy. I am therefore taking the time to ensure that the

draft could be extended to be more ambitious and I intend to publish

that plan when Parliament sets again after the summary says. I have been

on the edge of my seat as has always been the case but I think I am right

that the Right Honourable Lady was trying to group this with numbers of

15 and 19. So, taken away with responsibilities, she neglected to

tell as this. I would like to group that with questions 15 and 19. Thank

you. Rich George. I thank the Secretary of State for words. Will

she join me in commending the work of the murders that a future

partnership in my own constituency in the Peak District by

regurgitating the large areas of beer and pizza that exist in the

Peak District -- re-turfing the large areas of their peak. But she

let us know what the new time frame for the Carbon reduction plan due in

2016 will have on industry and other partnerships relying on it? I thank

the honourable lady for her question. I am delighted to welcome

this innovative partnership launched in 2002 and making real progress in

working out how we can match or a restart carbon in the peat

environment she is now representing. My intention is to publish the clean

a growth plan when Parliament returns from its summer recess and I

look forward to cross-party discussion and hopefully consensus

in a hugely important documents both for Britain's domestic future and I

work four and leadership. The publication date is talked about is

almost a year after the original intention of the Government. Doesn't

this indicate a lack of commitment to tackling climate change and what

what she is doing to engage with other departments to say ensure they

carry out emissions impact assessments we can see a real

commitment across all of Government? And I gently say, as a proud MP of a

constituency which has Britain's leading carbon capture and storage

system, he ought to welcome the progress that successive governments

have made on this agenda. We were diverse country in the world to set

binding carbon budgets. We have overachieved in the first and second

ones and our full intention is to engage the whole of Government and

industry in delivering on the upcoming budgets. Thank you, Mr

Speaker. Again, we still don't seem to have the date published. Again,

you are talking about a date after recess, but what specific date is

that because with the Minister agree this is creating considerable

uncertainty for the business community and, indeed, could have an

effect including energy bills and potential increases? I welcome the

honourable gentleman to his new place. He will know that we are

talking about setting a trajectory of budgets from 2022 and beyond. The

projects we are making is absolutely exceptional both domestic and

internationally and I want to be clear and I know he is new in this

place but he committed his diary and check when the House returns from

the summer recess. My intention is to publish the plan when the House

returns from the summer recess. This sentencing enquiries are now

required. Earlier she spoke of peer-to-peer exchange of energies. I

have no idea what that is but given the enthusiasm that she has now

brought to that brief, I believe we all deserve a tutorial. Can it be

arranged? It would be a pleasure to educate the honourable gentleman.

Think of it at a lot of hot air being generated by one particular

point being shared around many other datapoints as part of our future.

I'm sure the honourable lady balls ministerial peers in other countries

to whom she referred earlier Gloucester felt keenly conscious of

their great privilege in meeting the honourable ladies. In relation to

carbon, I would like to plot this Government's record on tackling

carbon emissions. I believe our carbon reduction plan alongside

investment in new technologies and ratifying the Paris agreement will

make us world leaders in this field, will create as many more jobs

including, I am hopeful, in Taunton Deane with spin offs from Hinkley

point, the lowest carbon development plan in Europe. Can the Minister

give further indications on how the Government is responding to the US

withdrawal from the parish climate change agreement? I thank the

honourable lady from her question. Even those who don't think this is a

pressing international issue must surely welcome that there are now

more than 400,000 people employed in this industry, more than in the

aerospace sector and Britain has shown both in the D7 meetings and

the environment Council meetings that we absolutely are prepared to

stand shoulder to shoulder with our European and international partners

and make up any deficit caused by Mr Trump's withdrawal. Thank you, Mr

Speaker. We were promised the publication of this report in the

middle of 2016 and then in October 2016 we were promised this report

from the permanent secretary by Feghouli 2017. Then in January 2017,

we were promised the reports in the first three months of the year by

the then Secretary of State for the department. Now we hear it might be

published this autumn. But a year and a half later from the original

promise, we are now clearly in default of the climate change act

which requires that this plan should be published as soon as reasonable

after the order has been laid. It is in the Minister ashamed of this

lamentable failure to act on the legislative requirements and a

report that is important to the future of climate change activity

and will she apologised to be housed for the delay in reporting? Again, I

would have expected more from the honourable gentleman. Let me remind

him what has happens is the committees report has happened. He

will remember we had Brexit, we had a general election, we remember we

had the withdrawal of the USA from the climate, the Paris climate

change agreement. I want to take the time to make sure this report

exceeds his expectations and I will take no lessons frankly from the

front bench opposite who have consistently failed to welcome this

country's progress, progress was the right Honourable member for

Doncaster North, sadly not in his place, was intelligent enough to

kick off in 2009 and I believe in delivery not promises, unlike his

manifesto and the party opposite. Order! Topical questions. Question

one, question one. As outlined in the Queen's speeds, we will drive

the Verity across the country and in the last month we have written

importers date in that process. While we analysed the nearly 2000

responses we have received, we continue to make decisions that help

UK wide industries. We have now is ?1 billion over the next four years

of our most innovative industries like artificial intelligence,

medicine, and toddlers vehicles. We have listed investment, such as

providing the University of Edinburgh with ?29 which will

support their research in infectious diseases and also create more highly

skilled jobs and cements the UK is a world leader in science and

innovation -- ?2 million. Industries Security is vital for national

security and finally finances. The essential project in Cumbria is key

for such security but with Toshiba predicted to lose ?7 billion and a

French firm backing the project is backing out, can the Secretary of

State tell as if and when this project is going ahead and give the

assurances that industry workers and consumers desperately needs? We have

inaugurated a new era of nuclear power through the Hinkley point CE

approval. In terms of this particular investments, it is a

consortium, it is a new gen consortium. The membership passages

from time to time and they have expressed themselves in confidence

that they will be able to proceed. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I welcome the

Government's commitment to this new strategy. Can the Secretary of State

of the House with his plans on how to support new technologies. He was

a great champion of this in Las Palmas I hope he will be here.

You'll be aware that one of the great fruits of the industrial

strategy is the challenge fund that has already made funds available for

research in health care medicine, in artificial intelligence, clean

energy, driverless cars, advanced materials and in satellites and

space technology or this is exactly in line with what he and his group

have been urging on us. They had a pledge to deliver a country with

wealth and opportunity spread across every community in the United

Kingdom and I see Northern Ireland just had their share. Will the

Minister tell me how the Government's industrial strategy

will bring wealth and opportunity to places like Blackburn where the

national average wage is far less than places like Maidenhead, for

example? And how quickly can this strategy be delivered because

Blackburn has seen too many cuts from this Government and its time we

had some investment. I welcome the honourable lady to her place. She

will discover, I hope over time, that a key part of the industrial

strategy is to drive growth in all parts of the country. My department

and I personally have in every part of the country worked to get funds

out of Whitehall, into local places. It includes a Lancashire ?320

million for the funding of the growth deal there, but she will also

be aware that it is necessary to have an economy that is prospering

and the one thing that would stand in the way of that is the record

level of taxation in our peacetime history that I'm afraid the

manifesto on which she stood would have threatened the country with. We

are very short on time, we need to speed up. Our energy and emerging

technologies actors are welcome our manifesto commitment to increase are

indeed from 1.7% to 2.4% of GDP. But it was not in the Queen's speech, so

what has happened to this commitment is? Fear not, Mr Speaker, this did

not require legislation to deliver. It remains a priority for the

Government and the delivery of our industrial strategy. We want to get

to 2.4% of GDP for our art and he spends and we have a longer-term

ambition of 3% that. Research by citizens advice found that half of

people on zero-hour contracts and two thirds of people on temporary

contracts worryingly believe that they are not entitled to paid

holiday. Pericles CAV has bound employees deliberately misleading

employees about their rights. What steps are being taken to ensure

workers are aware of the rights to a fair holiday and what repercussions

will there be for companies who misleads staff and can the Minister

confirm when the Taylor review will be published? The honourable lady is

quite right to draw attention to workers who are misled and workers

who believe erroneously that they have fewer rights than they do. We

are absolutely commitment that any individual, whatever contract they

are on, they are entitled to the rights and we have increased the

power is open to it ICT enforce those rights.

Market towns are vital to the rural economy and a draw people together

across the 531 square miles of my constituency. Modern shopping habits

can mean it is difficult for businesses in market towns to

survive. What is the Government doing to support a much needed and

much loved market towns? Market towns such as the ones in her

constituency will have all of the support that we are giving to the

retail sector and high streets in order for market towns to flourish.

Thank you. The Neo have published a report that is nothing short of

damning about Hinkley Point C, describing it as Risley and

expensive. When will this government listen to the experts? -- risky.

When will it invest instead in carbon capture and storage? I do

feel that if ever you decided not to be Mr Speaker, a career as chairman

of the BBC Radio 4 programme Just A Minute. . I am trying to keep to

your one sentence rule, the Hinkley Point contract is entirely designed

so as not to get the Government involved in expensive capital

expenditure and the nuclear power produced will be an excellent part

of a mix of power for decades to come. Having access to the next

generation of skilled workers is vital for business confidence and

growth. Would the minister consider promoting the opportunities of our

ambitious apprenticeship programme through the annual business rate may

lead to increased awareness? In the Queen's Speech, significant

attention was given the commitments to roll out new institutes of

technology to that extra half ?1 billion of spending that will be

given to further education and to the delivery of our target to

deliver 3 million apprenticeship starts by 2020. High quality further

education is a priority of this country and this government going

forward. The British ceramic industry owes its current success

and future survival to the innovation and development of

breakthrough technologies. With funds potentially disappearing along

with EU membership, can I receive assurances from the Government that

domestic projects will receive support to keep us at the cutting

edge? Mr Speaker, we remain committed to ensuring the UK remains

the go to place for science, innovation and tech investment in

the years ahead. We want to be open to collaboration in research

partnerships with institutions across the EU and the world. As we

negotiate our departure from the EU. Can I ask the Secretary of State

what assessment he has made of the Government's industrial strategy on

Scotland? It has been very warmly received in Scotland and we have had

a very positive response from businesses in Scotland. In fact, I

had a very enjoyable Round Table in Aberdeen, it was described by one of

the local businesses as a breath of fresh air. I look forward to

continuing that engagement with everyone in Scotland and I am sure

my honourable friend will play a big part in this. While other countries,

including our EU partners, have over the years used public purchasing to

support industry, Britain so often has not. As Brexit approaches, what

is the Government doing to ensure government departments, local

services, emergency services, councils, other public bodies, back

British industry and British jobs by buying British first? He will know

that we have already changed the procurement guidelines so that local

value can be taken into account. We are anticipating the issue the

honourable gentleman has mentioned and it is being done. The Secretary

of State is aware I have long campaigned for parental bereavement

leave. I was delighted to see this policy not just in the Conservative

Party manifesto but also in the Labour manifesto. Would he kindly

please set out what steps the Government will take to introduce

this important benefit? I agree with my noble friend that bereaved

parents should have the opportunity to grieve away from the workplace

and we will seek to provide for that. I am willing to meet with him

to discuss further how we might make such provision. The Secretary of

State has told repeatedly today about the discussions he has had on

Brexit, which trade unions has he met and when? I meet regularly with

trade unions, I met Frances O'Grady of the TUC last week, I spoke to the

steel union yesterday, I spoke to Len McCluskey earlier, a few weeks

ago. My contacts cover both sides of the employer and trade union mix.

Earlier this year, 116 MPs signed a I wrote to the Secretary of State

urging him to implement the review for the first-ever tidal lagoon.

When will a decision be taken? This is a very... The Hendry review also

said there is very significant questions as to whether tidal

lagoons can be cost-effective. We are fully aware of government

decision is needed for anything to proceed. It is absolutely right we

take the necessary time to consider this carefully. Now the honourable

gentleman has reached at the midpoint of his parliamentary

career, I had been intending to call him if he was standing, but he

isn't. If he does, I will. Mr Dennis Skinner. I have listened to the

questions and the answers for the last hour. And I hear about the City

deals and all the rest of it. Why doesn't the minister, the secretary,

answer the specific questions about the trade unions? If he wants to

give the impression that he is on the side of working class people,

why don't they drop the Trade Union Bill and all the rest of it? I could

not have been clearer about the regular discussions I have with

trade unionists. My concern, which I hoped would be his concern, is to

make sure in all parts of the UK, we generate the jobs and growth that

can make sure all working people have a prosperous future to look

forward to. That is the purpose of this government, in contrast to the

manifesto on which he stood. He didn't give an answer! I must say,

on the strength of his 47 years experience, he knows not receiving

an answer is not an altogether novel phenomenon in the House of Commons.

Irrespective of who is in power at the time. Order. Would members

wishing to take their seats please come to the