Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Morris and Damian Hinds

Monday 24th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[David Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale) (Con)]

5. What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of good school places in England.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds)]

I join colleagues from across the House in congratulating you on your decade, Mr Speaker. On the subject of nice round numbers, we are on track to create 1 million new places in schools this decade, primarily through building free schools and encouraging existing high-performing schools to expand.

[David Morris]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that continual investment in schools in Morecambe and Lunesdale has directly resulted in improvements in education standards?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Morris and Damian Hinds

Monday 13th November 2017 Commons Chamber

[David Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale) (Con)]

14. What estimate he has made of the number of claimants applying for universal credit advance payments.

[The Minister for Employment (Damian Hinds)]

The answer is about half. We are working to further improve awareness and access to this support.

[David Morris]

I am keen to ensure that advance payments are made to my constituents in need, which is why I see the jobcentre and the citizens advice bureau, one after the other, every month. Does the Minister agree that the Labour party should start acting responsibly and join me in encouraging constituents to apply for this additional help, and tone down the political rhetoric, which could deter vulnerable people from applying in the first place?

[Damian Hinds]

I do. My hon. Friend knows, and the Labour party should acknowledge, that no one need go without money while they wait for their first regular payment. Labour should not try to put people off accessing the support that is there for them.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Morris and Damian Hinds

Tuesday 7th June 2016 Commons Chamber

[The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Damian Hinds)]

In fact, spending on disability benefits is going up, not down. There are many more personal independence payments claimants getting the highest rate than there were under disability living allowance; 200,000 more people are getting carers allowance; 22,000 more people are getting help through Motability, and we have a firm commitment to work towards halving the disability employment gap, which is so important for driving up incomes. The gap has remained stubbornly wide, but the most recent quarter showed a small decrease.

[David Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale) (Con)]

In 1945 there was a dream of a link road from what is now the M6 to Heysham port, through which 10% of our GDP comes in. That link road will soon be opening. Does my right hon. Friend the Chancellor agree that part of the long-term economic plan is to show that this area of Lancashire will be regenerated? More to the point, would he, diary permitting, like to open the road?