First elected: 6th May 2010
Left House: 6th November 2019 (Defeated)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Amnesty for anyone who was a minor that arrived In Britain between 1948 to 1971
Gov Responded - 23 May 2018 Debated on - 30 Apr 2018 View Emma Reynolds's petition debate contributionsWindrush Generation were invited as settlers and as British subjects. Minors also had the right to stay.We call on the government to stop all deportations, change the burden of proof and establish an amnesty for anyone who was a minor.The government should also provide compensation for loss & hurt.
These initiatives were driven by Emma Reynolds, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Emma Reynolds has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Emma Reynolds has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
Emma Reynolds has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Data on the number of businesses in Great Britain engaging in international trade in goods can be found on the ONS website in the ‘Exporters and Importers in Great Britain, 2014’ release, published on 12 November 2015.
Data on the number of businesses in Great Britain engaging in international trade in services can be found on the ONS website in the ‘Exporters and Importers in Great Britain, 2014’ release, published on 12 November 2015. This data cannot be broken down by EU/Non-EU.
Below is a breakdown of all successful foreign direct investment projects from EU countries in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 together with the estimated number of jobs created and safeguarded, as recorded by UK Trade & Investment.
Number of Inward FDI Projects originating from EU recorded by UKTI
Projects | New Jobs | Safeguarded jobs | |
2012-13 | 504 | 15,399 | 35,073 |
2013-14 | 564 | 20,432 | 22,805 |
2014-15 | 658 | 28,250 | 6,686 |
Source: UKTI FDI projects database.
Estimating the average tariffs on UK exports and imports to and from all the countries with which the EU has free trade agreements in each of the last five years would involve a disproportionate cost.
The information requested for points a, b, d, e, f, and g is set out in the financing plans in the respective programmes for these funds which can be found on gov.uk, gov.scotland and gov.wales.
The information requested for point c can be found on the European Commission and Eur-lex websites.
The cumulative impact of all concluded, on-going and potential trade negotiations currently being undertaken by the EU could boost UK GDP by over £ 20 billion in the long run.
The EU provides the biggest single market in the world. EU countries trade twice as much with each other as they would without it. The absence of tariffs contributes to this. The single market also brings benefits for consumers. For example, between 2000 and 2006, the cost of making a 10-minute call in the EU fell by an average of 74%, and roaming charges will be abolished completely in 2017. As part of our agenda for EU reform, we want to go further and faster on economic competitiveness including liberalisation of the services sector, trade, and de-regulation.
The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (“the 2018 Act”) repeals the underlying pieces of legislation providing for the holding of European Parliamentary elections.
As the UK will cease to be a member of the European Union on 29th March 2019, we will not be taking part in future European Parliamentary elections, including those scheduled to be held from 23rd to 26th May 2019.
The European Parliamentary Elections Etc. (Repeal, Revocation, Amendment and Saving Provisions) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 were made on 3rd December 2018 under powers in the 2018 Act. These Regulations make further provision as a result of the UK no longer participating in European Parliamentary elections and come into force on the day that the UK leaves the European Union. The European Parliamentary Elections Regulations 2004, as amended by the European Parliamentary (Amendment) Regulations 2009, will be revoked as a result of the provision made by the 2018 Act and by these Regulations.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
I refer my Hon. Friend to the answer to PQ123288 which was given on 1st February 2018.
Meryl Bushell is the current Crown Representative for Capita.
Information about Crown Representatives can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategic-suppliers
The Government’s priority is to ensure the continued delivery of public services, and we have contingency plans in place to ensure this happens. We routinely stress-test contracts to ensure that if one party within a contract fails to deliver, the other parties involved will step in to complete the work.
The majority of public procurement is governed by Public Contracts Regulations. These stipulate that public procurers have to award contracts through fair and open competition, in line with principles of equal treatment, transparency and non-discrimination. Suppliers have to meet certain criteria to be able to bid for public contracts, including a minimum level of financial and economic standing proven through turnover, audited accounts or other financial measures.
Given that a large number of companies issue profit warnings from time to time, it is unrealistic to terminate all business with such a company as this would further undermine chances of company recovery
Once Carillion had made the profit warnings, we took steps to ensure that greater degrees of protection were built into the small number of specific contracts that were awarded after July last year.
The list of Cabinet Committees and Implementation Task Forces, including the membership and terms of reference, are regularly published on Gov.uk. An updated list was published on 1st February 2018. The list can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-cabinet-committees-system-and-list-of-cabinet-committees
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The Europe Unit will bring together officials and policy expertise from across the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Foreign Office and BIS. It will be based in the Cabinet Office and report to Cabinet on possible mechanisms for delivering the outcome of the referendum, advising on transitional issues and exploring objectively options for our future relationship with Europe and the rest of the world.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The Cabinet Office published results in November 2014 of the nationwide data matching process referred to as ‘confirmation’ between government records and local data with electoral registers during the transition to Individual Electoral Registration.
The report is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/using-data-matching-to-confirm-electors-in-great-britain
The Cabinet Office published results in November 2014 of the nationwide data matching process referred to as ‘confirmation’ between government records and local data with electoral registers during the transition to Individual Electoral Registration.
The report is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/using-data-matching-to-confirm-electors-in-great-britain
The Electoral Commission published their analysis of the electoral registers used for the elections on 7 May 2015. The full report can be found at:
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/190464/IER-June-report.pdf
The matching of electoral registers against Government and local authority data, referred to as ‘confirmation,’ was a one off exercise to help simplify the change to Individual Electoral Registration (IER). It resulted in 87% of existing electors being automatically transferred to the new registers under IER without needing to take any action. Data matching continues to form an important part of the system for voter registration, in verifying new applications, but also locally in identifying and verifying applications from eligible electors. We will keep under review the scope for data to further improve voter registration.
The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,600 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.
On 8th October 2019 the Post Office announced a new Banking Framework agreement with 28 UK banks to ensure that millions of their customers continue to have national, free access to everyday banking services. Signing up to this framework was a commercial decision for each bank to make, as banks and building societies have a commercial right to decide. We are pleased that as of 25 October 2019 all 28 high street banks signed up in full. This will ensure that communities across the UK, in particular the elderly and vulnerable, have access to withdraw cash.
Smart meters continue to record energy consumption accurately when a consumer switches energy supplier, even when the new energy supplier is temporarily unable to operate the meter in smart mode. Smart meters are rarely replaced when a consumer switches energy supplier. Of the total number of smart meters installed in Great Britain as of the end of 2018, less than 0.4% were replaced in the preceding 12 months following a consumer switch.
Smart meters will give households the information to allow them to be more active consumers and more easily act upon poor service or expensive tariffs, and in time make switching suppliers easier and faster.
The UK has a long history of being an important collaborator with and contributor to EU Framework Programmes, including the current Research and Innovation Programme, Horizon 2020.
As we move beyond the current programme, the Government remains committed to creating mutually beneficial opportunities for collaboration with European and international partners. The UK has played a constructive role in the development of the next EU R&I Framework Programme, Horizon Europe, and it is our preference to associate to Horizon Europe if the conditions are right. The Programme must be fully open to third countries and represent value for money for the UK. As a responsible Government, we are also developing a credible and ambitious alternative UK offer.
Both the UK and the EU share a strong commercial interest in preserving the integrated supply chains of the aerospace and automotive sectors, including those that support the Just in Time processes that ensure the UK's manufacturing plants remain competitive.
The UK has sought to work constructively with the EU to get the best deal for business. The Political Declaration sets out an ambitious plan for a new free trade area for goods, including no tariffs, with ambitious customs arrangements and deep regulatory cooperation. This will be the first such agreement between an advanced economy and the EU, and would ensure parts can be sourced from the EU in a timely manner. The only way to ensure that the UK's automotive and aerospace industries can remain competitive is to agree a deal that provides for tariff free trade and protected access to these vital supply chains.
BEIS Ministers and officials meet regularly with industry through the Automotive Council and the Aerospace Growth Partnership. Through this engagement we encourage companies to engage proactively with their supply chain to prepare for potential no deal scenarios. We are aware that companies in both sectors are stockpiling essential parts to try and minimise disruption in a no deal scenario.
My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and I met with Unite the Union alongside MPs on 10 January to discuss Jaguar Land Rover. The Secretary of State also met with trade unions on 14 January as part of a discussion regarding Jaguar Land Rover and its importance to the local and national economy, alongside the company, local MPs and other representatives from the Midlands and the North West. I also met with Unite the Union and JLR CEO at the last Auto Council on 15 November. At each of these meetings, Departmental officials were also present.
The recent job losses announced by Jaguar Land Rover are concerning for the affected employees and we will do all we can to support them. We are working closely with the company to ensure that their plans to streamline the business can safeguard a bright future for them in the UK, including through the Jaguar Land Rover Development Partnership.
We are determined to ensure that the UK continues to be one of the most competitive locations in the world for automotive and other advanced manufacturing.
The Government is committed to providing greater clarity for businesses and individuals on employment status. As Matthew Taylor identified in his review, this is a complex issue and is one of the major challenges for public policy.
We are considering how best to achieve change that works for all. We received over 160 detailed responses to the Employment Status Consultation. We are currently analysing the responses and will respond in due course.
The Department collects tariff data on households based on the 14 geographical, Public Electricity Suppliers regions. As such the department cannot provide estimates at a lower, local level.
Parliament has passed legislation to introduce the energy price cap, protecting up to 11 million households on standard variable and default tariffs. Ofgem are consulting on a price cap, which will save some consumers up to £138.
My rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister commissioned the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices to consider modern working practices and whether they need to change to keep pace with modern business models. In our response to the review, we committed to firm action and future legislation where appropriate. We are currently analysing the responses and will respond in due course.
BEIS Ministers regularly engage with businesses in the the retail sector, including Amazon, to discuss a range of issues including quality of work.
Based on employment data and employment multipliers supplied by the Office for National Statistics we estimate the following number of direct jobs in the automotive and aerospace sectors themselves and additionally the number of indirect jobs in their respective UK supply chains in 2017.
We define supply chain jobs as those in other areas of the UK economy supported by the demand created by domestic purchases of goods and services made by the sector in question.
| Direct jobs 2017 (‘000s) | Indirect jobs 2017 (‘000s) |
Aerospace | 121 | 153 |
Automotive | 179 | 269 |
Sources: ONS Employee Jobs and Self-Employed Jobs, ONS Employment Multipliers
The Government is undertaking a wide range of ongoing analysis in support of our EU exit negotiations and preparations. We continue to engage with businesses and industry bodies from all sectors of the economy, and all regions and nations of the UK, in order to inform our negotiations. However, it is not standard practice to provide a running commentary on ongoing analysis. In addition, ministers have a specific responsibility, which Parliament has endorsed, not to release information that would undermine our negotiating position.
Ministers and officials regularly engage with Tata to discuss a range of issues concerning the steel sector.
With regards to their announcement on the 8th May, Tata Steel have been clear that they will act as a responsible seller. The UK steel industry sits entirely within the private sector, and whilst the sale of its Engineering Steels Service Centre in Wolverhampton is a commercial decision for Tata, we will continue to work closely with them, the unions, and any new partners.
Ministers and officials regularly engage with trade unions to discuss a range of issues concerning the steel sector.
With regards to their announcement on the 8th May, Tata Steel have been clear that they will act as a responsible seller. The UK steel industry sits entirely within the private sector, and whilst the sale of its Engineering Steels Service Centre in Wolverhampton is a commercial decision for Tata, we will continue to work closely with them, the unions, and any new partners.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28th February 2018 to Question UIN 129511.
For the official receiver, the amount of time an investigation takes is dependent on the size and complexity of the business. As this is a large and complex case, it is not possible at this early stage to specify a timeframe. Should the official receiver find any evidence of director misconduct this would be referred to the Insolvency Service for further investigation. The Secretary of State has not received any provisional conclusions from the investigation, nor would he expect to do so from either the official receiver or the insolvency service. Investigations by the official receiver and the insolvency service are conducted separately from Ministers, as is the making of decisions arising from investigations on any possible prosecution or director’s disqualification.
For the Financial Reporting Council, the timing of the investigation depends on the size and complexity of the issues to be considered, but will be taken forward as quickly as possible. At the conclusion of an investigation, the matter may be referred to an independent tribunal which the FRC would convene for the purpose of hearing the case and determining final sanction.
Some elements of TUPE do not apply in liquidation, specifically the continuity of service to those employees who transfer to new employers.
Importing employers may well decide to offer terms to transferring employees which recognise existing employment rights; that is a matter for the importing employer, though the Government has the aspiration to ensure transferred employees are no worse off. The Official Receiver is doing all he can to facilitate this wherever possible.
At this stage in the liquidation process it is far too soon for the Liquidator to have gathered in full details of the company’s debts and creditors. The Liquidation process for such a complex and interconnected group of companies will take some time. The Official Receiver and his Special Managers have access to the records of the company and will be analysing these as quickly as possible.
We have taken steps to minimise job losses by enacting robust contingency plans to mitigate the impact of Carillion’s insolvency on public services and the individuals employed by the company. PWC are acting as Special Manager to the Official Receiver to ensure that we can continue to provide public services until the liquidation is complete, this means people providing these services can continue to go to work and be confident that they will get paid.
We met with and sought assurance from major high street lenders that they will not penalise small businesses affected by Carillion’s liquidation. Lenders are contacting customers and, where appropriate, are putting in place emergency measures, including overdraft extensions, payment holidays and fee waivers to ensure those facing short term issues can be helped to stay on track.
Government undertook to fund for 48 hours the costs of Carillion continuing to deliver purely private contracts in order to give private sector contractors to determine whether they want to pay for continuation of services from Carillion in liquidation while they move their contracts to another firm.
Between 15 and 16 January all of the company’s private sector service customers have been contacted by the Official Receiver to determine their ongoing needs. Over 90% of these customers have indicated that they want Carillion to continue providing services in the interim until new suppliers can be found and will provide funding which enables the Official Receiver to retain the employees working on those contracts.
My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy chaired the first meeting on 18 January of a taskforce to advise on the impact on small businesses and employees affected by Carillion insolvency. It will act as a means for government to communicate to those affected by Carillion’s liquidation, assess wider economic impacts and consider how to ensure that employees are provided with the right support to maximise rapid re-employment.
Information is published online by the Insolvency Service for employees, creditors and suppliers affected and seeking advice. This can be found at:
The nature of Carillion business means that it sub-contracts significant proportions of its work, with the potential for those sub-contractors to sub-contract out further elements. The complexity of the contracting structure is such that it is not possible for Government at this stage in the liquidation process to have an estimate of the number of jobs at risk in Carillion’s supply chain.
The Government’s Industrial Strategy sets out a long term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK. It also builds on previous reforms to allow local leaders to focus where they will have the greatest economic impact. We will agree Local Industrial Strategies that build on local strengths and deliver on economic opportunities. These will be long-term, evidence-based, and aligned to the national Industrial Strategy.
The Government is pleased to have agreed a further devolution package with the West Midlands: the detail of this deal demonstrates the Government’s commitment to mayoral devolution, the Midlands Engine and promoting local economic growth.
Key measures to support employment include:
Joint work to establish one of the first Skills Advisory Panels – a new partnership between the West Midlands Combined Authority, local employers, post-16 skills providers and central government which will bring together data and intelligence on local labour market demand and influence skills provision, including the implementation of T-level qualifications in the local area.
A career learning pilot testing new approaches to helping adults to upskill and reskill throughout their working lives.
In March 2017 we announced a flagship £20million Midlands Skills Challenge to improve skills across the Midlands. This includes:
£11 million to provide additional Work Coaches in order to deliver targeted employment support to unemployed people across Birmingham, Solihull and Black Country, with the aim of supporting claimants furthest from the labour market and improve the employment rate in these areas.
And £2 million to offer English-language training to people in the Midlands, whose lack of ability to speak English is holding them back from accessing employment.
Finally, in the three months ending September 2017, compared to the same period in 2010, the unemployment rate in the West Midlands fell from 9.0% to 5.7%, a decrease of 3.3 percentage points, meaning 87,000 fewer people unemployed (Labour Force Survey, November 2017).
Remuneration policies of quoted companies must be put to a binding shareholder vote at least once every three years. A binding shareholder vote is required to approve any Directors’ remuneration that falls outside the scope of the approved remuneration policy.
The annual Directors Remuneration Report on implementation of the remuneration policy is subject to an advisory shareholder vote. If this vote is lost, a company must put a new remuneration policy to a binding shareholder vote within twelve months.
The Government has no current plans to change these existing shareholder voting provisions.
The Government’s response to the Corporate Governance Reform green paper consultation invited The Investment Association to implement its proposal to establish a public register of quoted companies encountering shareholder opposition of 20% or more to executive pay and other resolutions. The Investment Association is working to establish the register by the end of the year and the number of companies included will be confirmed at that time.
The independent Low Pay Commission (LPC) review and recommend the National Minimum Wage rates each year, following extensive consultation and analysis. Their recommendations for 2018 will be provided to the Government in autumn, and Ministers will announce the rates, including the apprentice rate, to apply from April 2018 following that.
My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and his officials have on-going discussions with businesses operating in multiple sectors to understand their views on a range of issues following the referendum.
The Department is currently working closely with the Department for Exiting the EU to understand the impacts that withdrawal from the EU will have on businesses, consumers and other economic actors. As my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister has said we will work hard to get the best deal for Britain.