Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Cunningham Excerpts
Thursday 8th January 2015

(9 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Matt Hancock Portrait Matthew Hancock
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Yes, I do. We are working incredibly hard—in fact, no Government have done more than this one—to tackle late payment. Changes coming into effect at the end of this month will ensure that 30-day payment terms are driven down the supply chain from public sector purchases. There have been 9,400 business start-ups in my hon. Friend’s constituency during this Parliament—one of the highest figures across the whole country, thanks in no small part to her hard work.

Jim Cunningham Portrait Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)
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A Minister told one of my hon. Friends earlier that the Government would review employment law. Will the Minister for Business and Enterprise also review company law, certainly in relation to City Link? I am sure my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry North West (Mr Robinson) will support me in saying that we should review company law as well as employment law. What happened at City Link, with redundancies being announced on Christmas day, was an absolute disgrace. How would people feel if that happened to them?

Matt Hancock Portrait Matthew Hancock
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The timing of the announcement was clearly very difficult, but we are doing all we can to support those affected by the decision. Both the Secretary of State, who was constantly in touch with the company and the unions over Christmas, and I are working hard to support those affected.