Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alok Sharma and Mary Robinson

Tuesday 15th December 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mary Robinson (Cheadle) (Con)]

Whistleblowing is valuable to organisations and society. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to prepare for ISO 37002, the new international standard for whistleblowing, and can he reassure my constituents that whistleblowers in the UK will enjoy enhanced protection to the same degree as, or greater than, that provided by the forthcoming EU directive?

[Alok Sharma]

I assure my hon. Friend that the Government are committed to ensuring that whistleblowers enjoy high standards of protection under UK law. The international standard to which she refers is for employers wanting to introduce their own whistleblowing policies, which is already encouraged by our code of practice.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alok Sharma and Mary Robinson

Tuesday 21st July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mary Robinson (Cheadle) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) vaccine manufacturing and (b) UK life sciences.

[The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Alok Sharma)]

The Government are investing £93 million to set up the UK’s first dedicated Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre in Harwell. We are also investing £38 million in a rapid deployment facility, which will allow vaccine manufacturing at scale to commence from later this year.

[Alok Sharma]

I want to confirm that the Government of course continue to consider the options to ensure that we have sufficient vaccine manufacturing capacity in the UK. I will ask the vaccine taskforce to follow up on that issue with my hon. Friend.

[Mary Robinson]

For many of my constituents who work in Greater Manchester life sciences and in the Cheshire life sciences corridor, the Government’s drive to increase research and development into vaccines is really important. Recognising the importance of this to our local economy, what are the Government doing to increase and develop the strengths of life sciences in the Greater Manchester area?

[Alok Sharma]

I can confirm to my hon. Friend that, of course, the Government strongly support the growth of the life sciences sector in the north-west, which employs about 26,000 people. We have made a significant strategic investment in the Medicines Discovery Catapult at Alderley Edge to boost R&D.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alok Sharma and Mary Robinson

Tuesday 3rd March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Alok Sharma]

I certainly agree that CCUS is going to be essential to successfully tackling climate change. The hon. Gentleman talks about innovation funding for Scotland. I can tell him that £4.8 million is supporting the development of Project Acorn, which is a CCUS project based in north-east Scotland.

[Mary Robinson (Cheadle) (Con)]

For over 40 years, Jim Hall Sports has been at the heart of Bramhall village. However, the future of the shop is in doubt after Nike’s decision to terminate its supply agreements with smaller independent shops. This follows years of annual rises in the amounts that independent retailers have needed to sell to hold on to their merchandise account. It is a move that is a harbinger of the end of many independent stores in an already pressurised high street market. What discussions has my hon. Friend had with sports giants such as Nike to ensure that Jim Hall’s and other independent sports shops continue to have a future on our high streets?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alok Sharma and Mary Robinson

Monday 18th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mary Robinson]

I am grateful to the Minister for that answer. Will he say what support he is giving to people in my constituency to help them back into work?

[Alok Sharma]

I thank my hon. Friend and her parliamentary office for engaging with their local jobcentre in Stockport. I know that she has visited it and seen the one-to-one support provided. She asked for a specific example; in the past week, Stockport jobcentre has been working with claimants to prepare them for a sector-based work academy opportunity with the NHS, which will lead to 20 guaranteed interviews.

Regulation of Property Agents

Debate between Alok Sharma and Mary Robinson

1st reading: House of Commons
Wednesday 18th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Alok Sharma]

I am sorry if I was not clear, but I will meet my hon. Friend the Member for Broxbourne to discuss precisely those matters. We will of course keep this in mind.

[Mary Robinson (Cheadle) (Con)]

Sorting out service charges once and for all means sorting out the section 20 process. Will the Minister update the House on his Department’s work on that?

[Alok Sharma]

I am happy to write to my hon. Friend to set out the details on that. More broadly, she should put forward whatever thoughts she has in the call for evidence and we will of course take them very seriously.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alok Sharma and Mary Robinson

Monday 17th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mary Robinson (Cheadle) (Con)]

In my Cheadle constituency, Woodford neighbourhood forum is drawing up its local plan. However, there are concerns that the Greater Manchester spatial framework will override it. What assurances can my hon. Friend give neighbourhood forums that their plans will be given appropriate consideration?

[Alok Sharma]

As the Secretary of State reiterated, we made a commitment in the housing White Paper to protect the green belt. I cannot comment specifically on the plans my hon. Friend talks about, but I emphasise that plan makers need to consult their communities, especially in neighbourhood forums. Once a neighbourhood plan has been brought into force, it is part of the strategic development plan of an area.