Derek Thomas debates involving HM Treasury during the 2015-2017 Parliament

Oral Answers to Questions

Derek Thomas Excerpts
Tuesday 18th April 2017

(7 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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The Chancellor of the Exchequer was asked—
Derek Thomas Portrait Derek Thomas (St Ives) (Con)
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1. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on school budgets in (a) England and (b) the St Ives constituency.

David Gauke Portrait The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Mr David Gauke)
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The Government are protecting the core schools budget in real terms, reaching almost £41 billion this year. The Department for Education has consulted on a national funding formula to address the current postcode lottery in schools funding. The consultation lasted for 14 weeks, and received over 25,000 responses. The Government are considering the responses carefully, and will publish a response in the summer. For the St Ives constituency, the proposals would mean an increase in schools funding of 0.4%.

Derek Thomas Portrait Derek Thomas
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The majority of schools in my constituency are rated good or outstanding, due to the hard work and determination of teaching staff and their heads. However, Government funding for schools has not kept up with costs, which, according to the House of Commons Library, increased by 3.4% in 2016-17 and will increase by 8.7% by 2020. What message can I take back to my schools, which tell me they cannot maintain those standards if school funding does not keep up with these increased costs?

David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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The Government do recognise that schools, like other organisations, face additional costs, such as salary increases. That is why the Department for Education is supporting schools to become more efficient, including with over £1 billion of savings from better procurement by 2019-20. It is also worth pointing out that, by protecting the total schools budget in real terms, as pupil numbers increase, so will the amount of money in our schools.

Oral Answers to Questions

Derek Thomas Excerpts
Tuesday 17th January 2017

(7 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Hammond of Runnymede Portrait Mr Hammond
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The Office for Budget Responsibility set out its projections under different scenarios at the autumn statement. It is the OBR that makes the forecasts. It will, of course, produce a revised set of forecasts that will be published on 8 March—Budget day.

Derek Thomas Portrait Derek Thomas (St Ives) (Con)
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T4. Businesses, including restaurants and guest houses in my constituency, curtail their business to keep within the VAT threshold, but that has a negative impact on economic activity and jobs in west Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Will the Chancellor consider increasing the VAT threshold as soon as the opportunity arises?

Jane Ellison Portrait The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Jane Ellison)
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I thank my hon. Friend for that point, which I am happy to discuss. It is worth putting on record that VAT is projected to raise £138 billion for the public finances this year. We have one of the highest thresholds in the EU, but I am always happy to listen to colleagues. I know that the concerns of the tourism industry are to the fore in the minds of many colleagues.

Oral Answers to Questions

Derek Thomas Excerpts
Thursday 9th June 2016

(8 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Whittingdale Portrait Mr Whittingdale
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I entirely agree with the hon. Lady that the future of Channel 4 is an important matter. Whether or not the discussion with the Cabinet Office Minister, which took place on 3 September, constituted the beginning of an examination, when actually a decision was not taken to begin that examination until about four weeks later, does not seem to be a centrally important matter in the future of Channel 4. We did decide that it was sensible to carry out an examination. That examination is still under way. We have still not yet reached decisions about the best way forward for Channel 4, but I look forward to having that discussion with Channel 4 in the very near future.

Derek Thomas Portrait Derek Thomas (St Ives) (Con)
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T3. There is a great aspiration in Cornwall to have a sports stadium. The Minister will know of this aspiration. What financial or other support can his Department give to deliver the stadium for Cornwall?

John Whittingdale Portrait Mr Whittingdale
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I am grateful to my hon. Friend and I pay tribute to his efforts particularly to bring about the stadium for Cornwall, which the Government are committed to. As he knows, I have already held two meetings with interested parties in Cornwall, which he was able to come to. I understand that good progress is being made, and that a draft planning application is now going before the council. I hope that that will lead to progress, and that we will see commencement of work on a stadium in the near future.

Oral Answers to Questions

Derek Thomas Excerpts
Wednesday 9th December 2015

(8 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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George Osborne Portrait Mr Osborne
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The right hon. Gentleman speaks for everyone in this House. The Metropolitan police do a brilliant job, and they have fantastic relations with British Muslims. British Muslims have made a massive contribution to our country. Donald Trump’s comments fly in the face of the founding principles of the United States, which have proved such an inspiration to so many people over the past 200 years. The best way to defeat such nonsense is to engage in robust, democratic debate and make it very clear that his views are not welcome.

Derek Thomas Portrait Derek Thomas (St Ives) (Con)
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Cornwall Hospice Care, which has one hospice on the border of my constituency, is well appreciated and respected by my constituents, but it cannot run to capacity because it receives only 11% of its funding from the NHS. Will the Chancellor work with me and my other colleagues in Cornwall to see what more money can be put into our hospices, and Cornwall Hospice Care?

George Osborne Portrait Mr Osborne
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I know that my hon. Friend is a strong champion of his community and of the hospice he mentions. We have taken steps to help the hospice movement, not least by removing the VAT it paid in the previous Parliament. We want to get the right balance. It is good that our hospices are funded in part by local charities and supported so strongly by the local community, but they also need the backing of the NHS. Of course, as we have a strong economy, we are now putting that money into the NHS so that it can help the hospice movement.