Contributions
2,186 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionWe always work with local authorities to see what initiatives can come up. We work closely with them because it is typically the local authorities, local enterprise partnerships…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionI know Guildford very well. It is a destination for residents around Surrey and further afield. Yes, we must all work together to get the balance right so that we do not hollow…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionWet-led pubs have a particular issue where they are not offering food, and £1,000 does not go far enough in itself, but it does go alongside the other payments such as the…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionI look forward to joining the New West End Company and, I assume, my hon. Friend on Saturday to celebrate not only small business Saturday but traffic-free shopping in the west…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionSpeaking as the retail Minister, let me say that I hope the right hon. Member for Doncaster North (Edward Miliband) realises that although the Secretary of State is not here, we…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionI am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for raising some really important points. On pension schemes and support for those facing redundancy, the majority of defined pension…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. I know her constituents will be concerned about this. We are prepared to step up concentration within Jobcentre Plus. We will make sure there…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionMy right hon. Friend raises a really important point. We have wrapped our arms around the economy, but clearly it is very difficult to do things at pace to cover everybody. We…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionThere are plenty of things on which we can work together with the sector and, indeed, the whole gamut of British high street businesses, including talking about getting the rent…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionClearly, the administrators will do their work under their own purview, but I encourage them to ensure that they look at the whole issue to keep as many viable jobs going and as…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionI know that my hon. Friend works tirelessly for his constituency and local economy. It is so important that we get together to look at the high street, because many of these…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionThat is an important question, and it is exactly why we are doing fundamental business rates reform. The first stage of the consultation has ended, and we will respond in the new…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionThe Risborough basket is one of those brutally simple schemes that are from the grassroots up. It is fantastic to hear about that innovation, and I would love to see what we can…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionThe hon. Gentleman talks about me being young, which he can do many times over, but as he says, retail is largely staffed by young people and those on comparatively low pay, so…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionI know that those in the Treasury will have listened to that, and they are very aware, particularly in relation to retail and hospitality, of the cliff edge that comes when…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionEssentially, it is about creating those jobs and opportunities on the high street to ensure that we can keep retail and expand the offering on our high streets. Clearly, though,…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionI think my hon. Friend was talking about anchor stores and the effect on the high street. I know him very well, so I can predict his question. Yes, if we take out an anchor store,…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionIndeed, high streets will certainly change, but we need to get the balance right between online and bricks and mortar as well, because both have a really important past to play in…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionIt is really important that, as we extend hours for retailers to be able to open up for Christmas, we rip up and peel back on our bureaucracy as well. We must also encourage local…02 Dec 2020HANSARDArcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job RetentionIndeed. As well as being a Minister, I am clearly a constituency MP, and Debenhams is also at the heart of my high street. I will certainly continue to meet constituents affected…02 Dec 2020