Contributions
3,765 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateMy hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I thank her for her warm words. She knows, as someone who is a huge champion of small businesses in her area, repeatedly bringing their…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateThe hon. Lady is right to say that we did not have a wage support scheme when we entered this crisis, which is why I place on record my thanks to the fantastic team of officials…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. In the face of something we have never seen before—we are all grappling with how to deal with it—it is right that we remain pragmatic and…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateMy hon. Friend regularly reminds us all about the importance of digital connectivity in rural areas such as his, and indeed mine, and he will know, as I do, that the Government…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateOur support for the self-employed remains among the most comprehensive and generous anywhere in the world, and is now approximating almost £13 billion for almost 3 million people.…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateI know that it is a difficult time for the hon. Gentleman’s constituents, and he is right that they should engage constructively. I am glad that he and his local area are doing…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateIt is exactly because we need to adopt a balanced approach that we have taken the more regional and tiered approach that we have. We never pretended there are easy choices here—it…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateMy hon. Friend is absolutely right: the best way to help businesses and protect people’s jobs is to allow businesses to trade and allow the economy to function as normally as…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateI am happy to organise for a relevant Minister to meet the hon. Lady. I hope that those companies—she is right about the difficult time they are experiencing—will have been able…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateAs ever, I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s advice and support. He is right: the business rates holiday we have put in place this year has provided over £10 billion of support to…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateWe have addressed this point before, but I am happy to repeat it. Very low-paid workers will benefit from the flexibility and responsiveness of universal credit, and that is where…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateThe hon. Lady is right to highlight the particular importance of good-quality childcare, which, as she said, enables mums to protect their employment. I am happy to look at the…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateIt is precisely because we took a generous and universal approach to eligibility for the job support scheme, with its new generosity, that supply chains of all affected industries…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateI am very grateful for my hon. Friend’s kind—I think—compliments; he knows that he is a large part of the reason why I am in this House, so he can take as much of the credit or…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateThe hon. Gentleman makes an important point about the supply chains of those who serve the hospitality industry. I draw his attention to two things. The tier 2 grant programme…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateI would not consider that providing £200 billion of total support could ever be accused of doing anything on the cheap. That money has gone to support public services like the…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateMy hon. Friend has been right to champion the situation for his local businesses. I know that they will warmly welcome this. I can give him the assurance that we will work as…22 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Economy UpdateThose are wise words from my hon. Friend. He is right to highlight the importance, in this House and elsewhere, of our adopting a constructive and collegiate approach to tackling…22 Oct 2020HANSARDJob Support SchemeOver the course of the coronavirus job retention scheme, more than 9 million jobs were protected through the furlough scheme. The job support scheme that replaces it will come…20 Oct 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend makes an excellent point. We should have an eye on our recovery and he is absolutely right that entrepreneurship can play an important part in driving that…20 Oct 2020