Industrial Strategy Consultation

Debate between Greg Clark and Gloria De Piero

Monday 23rd January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

My hon. Friend is right to point out the prescience of his friends and neighbours in Herefordshire in making their proposal. This is a very good example of precisely the sort of reform that we need, and I think that its prospects are pretty bright.

[Gloria De Piero (Ashfield) (Lab)]

We heard no mention of former coalfield communities such as Ashfield that still mourn the loss of well-paid jobs in the pits. I understand that this is a Green Paper, but what new jobs or tangible differences does the Business Secretary hope to see in communities such as mine, and by when?

[Greg Clark]

There is very much a reference to communities such as those that the hon. Lady mentions. When I talk about parts of the country that have fallen behind the best performing places in terms of productivity, they are the areas and towns that we have in mind—that is essential. It seems to me that one of the foundations for future prosperity is to ensure that the level of skills is higher than it has been for the industries that are expanding. It is particularly in areas such as hers that that transformation can have the greatest effect.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Clark and Gloria De Piero

Tuesday 13th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Gloria De Piero (Ashfield) (Lab)]

Will the Government look again at the unjust 50% Government clawback from the mineworkers’ pension scheme surplus?

[Greg Clark]

I will certainly take that point away, and I am happy to meet the hon. Lady if she would like to inform me about that outside the Chamber.