Contributions
2,740 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNeonatal Care (Leave and Pay) BillI do apologise, Mr Deputy Speaker. Several Members referred to the matter in this debate, so I felt I needed to address it, but under your instructions I will move on. Other…20 Jan 2023HANSARDNeonatal Care (Leave and Pay) BillWe can have a good debate about this a week on Monday, but the Opposition parties seem to be arguing simultaneously that minimum service levels exist across Europe, that strikes…20 Jan 2023HANSARDSmall and Medium-sized BusinessesI do agree that we need to continue to support businesses. The £18 billion energy bill relief scheme package was very generous. We are now seeing prices moderate, which will help…17 Jan 2023HANSARDSmall and Medium-sized BusinessesThe hon. Gentleman raises a very important point. It is important to note that we have not withdrawn any money from Britishvolt, but clearly British taxpayers’ money is important…17 Jan 2023HANSARDSmall and Medium-sized BusinessesMy hon. Friend raises a very important point. My r hon. Friend the Minister for Energy and Climate and I recently had a roundtable with energy suppliers to discuss exactly that…17 Jan 2023HANSARDSmall and Medium-sized BusinessesI thank my hon. Friend for raising that point. This is a very significant problem for many businesses, particularly micro-businesses. Our prompt payment and cash flow review will…17 Jan 2023HANSARDSmall and Medium-sized BusinessesIt is absolutely right that we direct support where we can to our SME community. We have reversed the national insurance rise, saving SMEs approximately £4,200 a year on average;…17 Jan 2023HANSARDPostal ServicesThe Royal Mail is facing a difficult year—there is no doubt about it. One reason quoted in the update from the Regulatory News Service—this is a regulator-issued news bulletin, so…17 Jan 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe UK, including Wimbledon, is one of the best places in the world to start a business, as evidenced by the OECD report. My hon. Friend is right to raise the issue of access to…17 Jan 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsThat is an interesting point. We are looking at pay reporting, especially in larger companies. We want to minimise the burden of regulation on smaller companies, of course, but…17 Jan 2023HANSARDPostal ServicesOf course I will meet my hon. Friend; I have suffered closures of post offices in my constituency, so I know how difficult this is. We are committed to maintaining a network of…17 Jan 2023HANSARDPostal ServicesAs I say, we have no plans to change the universal service requirements of the postal service. This Government are proud of their credentials on foreign direct investment, and we…17 Jan 2023HANSARDPostal ServicesOfcom has a duty to ensure the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient universal postal service. Ofcom oversees Royal Mail’s contingency plans to mitigate disruption…17 Jan 2023HANSARDSmall and Medium-sized BusinessesClearly, we have to balance the interests of the taxpayer with the interests of small business. We have to make sure that the money that is being utilised for R&D is properly…17 Jan 2023HANSARDSmall and Medium-sized BusinessesMost of the businesses that we deal with pay business rates rather than council tax, but we nevertheless have to make sure that the schemes are as affordable as they can be, which…17 Jan 2023HANSARDSmall and Medium-sized BusinessesThe £18 billion energy bill relief scheme is set out clearly in legislation, so it should be applied in a uniform way by all licensed suppliers. The regulations include a robust…17 Jan 2023HANSARD Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI thank the Members on both sides of the House who have contributed to the debate. The clear objective of the Bill is to protect the lives and livelihoods of the public by…16 Jan 2023HANSARD Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI will deal with work notices later in my speech, but it is clear that it is up to employers to decide what workers are needed on certain days, and there is no discrimination…16 Jan 2023HANSARD Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI would highlight the downward pressure already placed on inflation, the changes to the money markets following the action taken by our Chancellor and Prime Minister and the…16 Jan 2023HANSARD Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI am grateful to the hon. Member for giving way. Will she point out where there are any criminal sanctions attached to the proposed legislation? As far as I can see, there are…16 Jan 2023