Contributions
1,454 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTopical QuestionsIn response to my right hon. Friend, I can say that one of the things we have done is to introduce a national funding formula to make sure schools funding is more fair across the…05 Mar 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsWe are currently working on this with the Department of Health and Social Care.05 Mar 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend is right. We also need to ensure that we are spending money on the right things. For example, the changes this Government have made to phonics have seen our…05 Mar 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsAs the Chancellor said, the spring statement is not a fiscal event. We are increasing school funding in real terms per pupil, but of course we need to ensure that we are investing…05 Mar 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsWe were able to increase the education budget by £1.3 billion last year, which means there have been real-terms funding increases per pupil. We are already the top spenders in the…05 Mar 2019HANSARDJob CreationI would be delighted to meet the hon. Gentleman and colleagues to discuss this important issue.05 Mar 2019HANSARDNational Living Wage: Under-25sThe Low Pay Commission recommends minimum wages for the under-25s, such that they are as high as possible while maintaining young people’s employment prospects. We have seen a 45%…05 Mar 2019HANSARDNational Living Wage: Under-25sThe reality is that we have been so successful in reducing youth unemployment—which in 2010 was almost double what it is now—because we have taken a reasonable strategy with…05 Mar 2019HANSARDSocial Care FundingAt the autumn Budget 2018, we gave councils an additional £650 million, which could be spent on adult and children’s social care. Since 2017, we have given access to up to £10…05 Mar 2019HANSARDSocial Care FundingAs I pointed out, social care funding and access to it is increasing beyond inflation. In fact, we have seen improvements in many figures. For example, since March 2017, the…05 Mar 2019HANSARDJob CreationThe economy has grown every year since 2010, and there are now 3.5 million more people in work.05 Mar 2019HANSARDJob CreationMy hon. Friend is right, and this has not happened by accident; it is because of the decisions that this Government have made to cut taxes and to reform employment and welfare,…05 Mar 2019HANSARDJob CreationWe need to ensure that all businesses succeed. In the spending review, we will be ensuring that business support is just as supportive of new entrants and start-ups.05 Mar 2019HANSARDPublic Service Pension Indexation and RevaluationLegislation governing public service pensions requires them to be increased annually by the same percentage as additional pensions (state earnings related pension and state second…20 Feb 2019HANSARDPublic Service PensionsThe Government are announcing a pause to one element of the valuations of public service pensions, following a Court ruling on part of the 2015 pension reforms. The coalition…30 Jan 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsMr Speaker is right: the only way is Essex. My right hon. Friend the Member for Witham (Priti Patel) is a great champion of the fantastic county of Essex, and she will have…29 Jan 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsI congratulate my hon. Friend on his article proposing new ideas. He raises one example of some of the exciting prospects for the post-Brexit economy that will help to revive some…29 Jan 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsAs the hon. Gentleman will recognise, the recent police grant funding statement provided extra funding, both from grant and from precept, into the police, meaning funding will be…29 Jan 2019HANSARDLeaving the EU: ScotlandIt is important that we keep no deal on the table to get a better deal from the EU. I strongly encourage the hon. Gentleman to support our deal as the best way to take no deal off…29 Jan 2019HANSARDNew Hospitals: Capital FundingWe have committed £3.9 billion of capital investment by 2023 to transform and modernise NHS buildings. We are also increasing the NHS budget by 3.4% a year, while keeping taxes…29 Jan 2019