Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jo Swinson and Thérèse Coffey

Thursday 8th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Dr Coffey]

Absolutely. As a child I lived in Formby, so I visited Southport many times. My hon. Friend is right that plastic does not belong on the beach or in the sea. I commend the work that has been done, but he will be aware of our ongoing measures to reduce the amount of plastic entering the ocean and, therefore, being left on our beaches.

[Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire) (LD)]

T2. The Committee on Toxicity is reviewing the most recent research on folic acid. If it advises the Government that the maximum recommended intake should be increased or abolished, will the Minister commit to following the scientific evidence, and successful practice in other countries, by amending bread and flour regulations to require the fortification of flour with folic acid, which reduces neural tube defects?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jo Swinson and Thérèse Coffey

Thursday 31st October 2013 Commons Chamber

[Dr Thérèse Coffey (Suffolk Coastal) (Con)]

7. What steps she is taking to increase the representation of women on the boards of public bodies.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women and Equalities (Jo Swinson)]

The Government have an ambitious aim that 50% of new public appointees should be women by the end of this Parliament. We are modernising recruitment practices and this approach is working. Our figures show that 37% of public appointments during 2012-13were women.

[Dr Coffey]

I thank my hon. Friend for that answer. Will she look into ensuring that head-hunters who are employed by various Departments across Government are signed up to the voluntary code of conduct?

[Jo Swinson]

My hon. Friend raises a very good point. The Government are working with 52 different firms that have signed up to the voluntary code of conduct. Indeed, my right hon. Friend the Business Secretary has appointed an experienced diversity champion, Charlotte Sweeney, to review the effectiveness of the code and report back to him in the new year. My hon. Friend is right to raise the issue of Departments that employ head-hunting firms for public appointments, but it is made absolutely clear that one of the key attributes that they need to look for is diversity.