Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Bradley Thomas and Diana Johnson(1 month, 1 week ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Bradley Thomas (Bromsgrove) (Con)
The Minister for Employment (Dame Diana Johnson)
The employment rate is 78.4% in rural areas, compared with 74.8% in urban areas, with job opportunities in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and scientific and technical sectors. Under this Government, economic inactivity among people aged 16 and over in rural areas has fallen by 0.8%, and through the new jobs and careers service we are providing more outreach in rural areas, including jobcentre vans, bringing employment support directly into rural communities.
Bradley Thomas
The picture that the Minister paints is not one that I recognise, and it is not one recognised by businesses in my constituency. Rural job opportunities have gone down, rural unemployment is up, and businesses routinely tell me that the increased cost of employment under this Government has directly contributed to their inability to continue recruiting. Does the Minister recognise that? Will she impart on the next Prime Minister the importance of a change of course?
Dame Diana Johnson
The question was about rural areas. It might be interesting and helpful for the hon. Member to reflect how under the last Government the number of jobs in agriculture—a key sector in rural areas—fell by 50,000 while under this Government it has risen by 5,000.
Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity
Debate between Bradley Thomas and Diana Johnson(1 year ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Dame Diana Johnson
As I have said a number of times, this Government are committed to closing all hotels by the end of this Parliament. Fewer hotels are open now than when we came into power last July.
Bradley Thomas (Bromsgrove) (Con)
The vast majority of British citizens are law-abiding, and they are concerned about the impact of mass migration on their communities. A deterrent would go some way towards restoring trust that the British people may have in the asylum system. When will the Government implement a deterrent to send those entering the country illegally to a safe third country?
Dame Diana Johnson
As I have just set out in great detail, we have a plan. Let me say respectfully to the hon. Gentleman that the plan that the previous Government had resulted in four volunteers, I think, going to Rwanda. A general election was called; the then Prime Minister decided to call a general election. Why did he not let the scheme operate if it was such a success? That is the real question. Why did they go to the country if they were just about to have an enormous success with Rwanda?