Contributions
1,122 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBusiness Growth ServiceI commend my hon. Friend on her support for the microbusinesses in her constituency. We want to get behind all those who are willing to take the risk to set up their own business.…30 Jan 2025HANSARDSupport for High Street BusinessesI recognise that there will be a lot of concern in the hon. Member’s constituency following that news yesterday. I agree that banking hubs can make a significant difference, which…30 Jan 2025HANSARDSupport for High Street BusinessesWe are continuing to work with colleagues across Government to develop a programme that will revitalise the nation’s high streets and support businesses. We will publish a small…30 Jan 2025HANSARDBusiness Growth ServiceThe hon. Gentleman has always been a great champion of small businesses in his constituency and in Northern Ireland more generally. We want the business growth service to…30 Jan 2025HANSARDHorizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals ProcessIn September 2024 the Secretary of State announced that the Government would be introducing an independent Horizon shortfall scheme appeals process. This will help ensure that all…30 Jan 2025HANSARDSupport for High Street BusinessesOne reason why the Conservatives lost the confidence of the British business community was that despite repeated promises to reform business rates, they took no steps to do so. We…30 Jan 2025HANSARDSupport for High Street BusinessesI referred to the establishment of the business growth service in answer to an earlier question. We are working with the Scottish Government to begin to think through how that…30 Jan 2025HANSARDBusiness ConfidenceAs the Chancellor of the Exchequer said only yesterday, we are driving forward planning reforms, boosting capital investment by over £100 billion over the next five years, and…30 Jan 2025HANSARDSupport for High Street BusinessesIn her speech yesterday, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor set out a series of measures that the Government want to take to boost growth across the country and benefit every…30 Jan 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsI recognise that the right hon. Gentleman’s constituents will be concerned about the Bank of Scotland’s decision. He may know that more than 9,500 bank branches closed between…30 Jan 2025HANSARDFree Trade Agreement: IndiaIf I remember rightly, the hon. Member and I were probably the two most enthusiastic Members of this House for a trade deal with India—me slightly more than him, I think. We are…30 Jan 2025HANSARDSupport for High Street BusinessesThe hon. Lady might want to check again with the business she refers to, because, in the most recent Budget, the employment allowance was raised to some £10,500, which will help…30 Jan 2025HANSARDDraft Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024I am grateful to the hon. Members for West Worcestershire and for St Albans for their questions. On the question of the prosecution of firms, as I think I alluded to in my opening…15 Jan 2025HANSARDDraft Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024. It is a pleasure to serve under…15 Jan 2025HANSARDPost Office Redress and FundingI thank my hon. Friend for his question. Specifically on what further action we can take to speed up the process, one of the reasons why we introduced a fixed-sum payment of…18 Dec 2024HANSARDPost Office Redress and FundingIf the hon. Gentleman writes to me with the details of that case, I will happily look at where it is at. The Horizon shortfall scheme has been run by the Post Office for some…18 Dec 2024HANSARDPost Office Redress and FundingThe hon. Gentleman makes a perfectly reasonable point—it is something I feel acutely. I have met a number of the sub-postmasters who used the Capture software and were treated…18 Dec 2024HANSARDPost Office Redress and FundingI have looked at this issue, which came up at the Select Committee. We write out to ask for further information in order to be able to justify the payment of more compensation,…18 Dec 2024HANSARDPost Office Redress and FundingI commend my hon. Friend for championing the cause of the family of a sub-postmaster in his constituency. He will forgive me if I do not know the exact compensation scheme that…18 Dec 2024HANSARDPost Office Redress and FundingI am sure I speak for the whole House when I say that I wish the experience that my hon. Friend has described was just an isolated example, but sadly there have been far too many…18 Dec 2024