Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Michael Tomlinson

Tuesday 21st May 2019 Commons Chamber

[Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (Con)]

Ten days ago, I met heads and chairs of governors from across my constituency at Corfe Hill School. Will the Chief Secretary to the Treasury meet me to discuss their specific concerns about schools funding, and the need for additional funding for our schools in Poole and in Dorset as a whole?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I would be delighted to meet my hon. Friend. We are looking at schools funding, alongside other funding, as part of the spending review. It is a public priority, and we are taking it very seriously.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Michael Tomlinson

Tuesday 16th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (Con)]

12. What progress is being made on creating jobs and reducing unemployment.

[The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Elizabeth Truss)]

The unemployment rate is now the lowest since 1975, and 3 million more people are in jobs than in 2010. What that means is that they have the ability to use their talents to support their families and to get on in life.

--- Later in debate ---

[Elizabeth Truss]

My hon. Friend has done a fantastic job of championing the Isle of Wight since 2010, and we have seen a 55% reduction in unemployment on the Island. There are many issues that we need to address to ensure that the economy on the Island is competitive and dynamic. The Isle of Wight ferry is a vital service, and we need to ensure that the Competition and Markets Authority has the tools to deal with that. I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend to talk about what more we can do to boost the Isle of Wight.

[Michael Tomlinson]

I am the chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for youth employment, and each month we track the jobs figures. Will my right hon. Friend update the House on the impact of this very welcome job creation on poverty levels and welfare dependency since 2010?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I congratulate my hon. Friend on his work. Since 2010, we have seen a 40% reduction in youth unemployment. Let us compare that with what happened under the Labour Government when, during an economic boom, youth unemployment rose and those young people were left on the scrapheap rather than joining apprenticeships and getting the training opportunities that they have under this Government.

Public Sector Pay Cap

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Michael Tomlinson

Wednesday 5th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

That is one of the factors that the pay review bodies consider, along with issues such as recruitment and retention and ensuring that the pay settlement is affordable. They have the responsibility of speaking to people like my hon. Friend’s wife who work in the public services, hearing what they have to say, and making a determination. There are different issues in different public services, and I think it wrong to suggest that there is a “one size fits all” solution.

[Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (Con)]

The shadow Chancellor mentioned inequality. In fact, income inequality has fallen since 2010, and now the top 1% will pay 27% of all income tax, a higher proportion than was ever paid under Labour. Does that not show that the Labour party tries to talk tough when it comes to inequality, but it is left to the Conservatives to deliver?

[Elizabeth Truss]

The shadow Chancellor does not like facts to get in the way of his rants.

Prison Safety and Reform

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Michael Tomlinson

Thursday 3rd November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for welcoming elements of the White Paper, in contrast to some of the other comments from the Opposition. We face immediate issues in our prison system, and increasing staffing is part of the solution to that, as is having a much clearer purpose to the prison system. As the number of first-time offenders goes down, we need to address the rump of reoffending in order to address the problems of crime in society. That is why I am focusing on that. We have enough staff in our plans to be able to deliver safe prisons that reform offenders, and we also have a building programme creating 10,000 new spaces so we are able to house those offenders.

[Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (Con)]

I warmly welcome the statement. Unless there is the necessary discipline and a reduction in overcrowding and reliance on drugs in our prisons there simply will not be the rehabilitation the Secretary of State wants. May I urge her to continue down this path to ensure we help to reduce reoffending as well?

[Elizabeth Truss]

My hon. Friend is right: being on drugs is one of the major causal links to reoffending. That is why we will test prisoners for drugs on both entry and exit, to see how effective the regime in prisons is at getting offenders off drugs.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Michael Tomlinson

Thursday 17th March 2016 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

We want management of entire catchments to reduce the flow going into our towns and cities, and to ensure that more farmland is protected. That is part of our 25-year environment plan that we are currently developing. The important thing to acknowledge is that the schemes we announced yesterday in the Budget will be looked at on a catchment basis. We are looking not just at Leeds, but at the entire Aire catchment.

[Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (Con)]

T4. A number of farmers in my constituency have suffered from delays in the basic payment scheme, with all the worry and financial anxiety that that has caused. What guarantee can the Minister give that this will not happen again?