Supporting High Streets

Debate between Miatta Fahnbulleh and Chris Vince

Tuesday 4th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

We absolutely understand the pressure that businesses are under, but that pressure did not happen overnight; it is the consequence of 14 years in which we have not seen productivity growth and 14 years in which the economy has not grown. We understand the economic reality and we are taking action to respond to it, but, candidly, it is pretty disingenuous for the Conservatives to pretend that the foundations that they left for the economy were not absolutely corrosive and decimated. That is the inheritance that we are building on.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

I thank the Minister for giving way; she has been very generous with her intervention time. In Harlow, we have a lot of sole traders—workmen and workwomen who are self-employed. One issue that they face is the long waits to actually get seen by the NHS, which has a huge impact on their businesses. Is it not right that we need to invest in the NHS, and that we should welcome the record investment that this Government have put into it?

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We know that there is a fundamental link between public services that work and can support people across the economy and how well the economy does. This Labour Government have made the decision that it is right for us to invest in our public services, and right for us to invest in our NHS, because it is good for people, but also good for the economy. We do not resile from that decision.

Warm Home Discount

Debate between Miatta Fahnbulleh and Chris Vince

Thursday 19th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. There is a clear obligation on energy suppliers to do everything that they can to support vulnerable households. I meet with suppliers regularly to emphasise that people are under pressure and that they absolutely must discharge their obligations. My hon. Friend is also right to point out that we have to work with local government, regional government and partners on the ground to ensure that the support that is available—we will continue building on that support—gets to the people that absolutely need it.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

I thank the Minister for her statement, which will help a quarter of a million households in the east of England. May I say, from a personal point of view, it is so encouraging to hear a Government focused on green energy solutions? Believe it or not, Madam Deputy Speaker, it is over 30 years since I was at school, learning about the importance of green energy—[Interruption.] I know. Will she reflect on the decisions that this Government are making, including removing the ban on onshore wind, and how they will continue to benefit residents in my constituency of Harlow?

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

I cannot believe it was 30 years ago that my hon. Friend was learning about green energy. We have been sprinting to deliver clean power. When we came into government we set a mission to do it by 2030. There were naysayers, and there continues to be naysayers, but we were not deterred by that. So whether it is removing the ban on onshore wind, whether it is record investment in nuclear, or whether it is a record renewables auction, we are very clear that we are putting in the investment—we are putting in the hard yards, the hard graft—to deliver clean power. Why are we doing that? Not because of ideology, but because we recognise that we inherited an energy system that was not working on behalf of consumers. We recognise that people were under huge pressure—a status quo that we were not willing to accept. We will deliver clean power, so that we can bear down on bills and ensure that we drive down energy bills for good.

Warm Home Discount

Debate between Miatta Fahnbulleh and Chris Vince

Tuesday 25th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

I remind the hon. Member that the Scottish Government have jurisdiction in this area. We are working in collaboration with them to deliver this, but the Scottish Government do have responsibility in this area and he knows it. We are committed to bearing down on energy bills—of course we are. It is the central driving mission of everything that we are doing as a Government. It has been eight months. I hope that everyone can see from what we have done—whether it is removing the ban on onshore wind, whether it is a record-breaking auction, or whether it is the plans that we have to support the most vulnerable households—that we are running at this. We take our commitment seriously, and we are doing everything in our power to drive it. I suggest that the hon. Gentleman reminds his colleagues in Scotland that they should be using the power that they have, including with the warm home discount, to protect their consumers.

[Chris Vince (Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)]

I welcome the Minister’s statement. This extra support will make a huge difference to residents in my constituency of Harlow. One of the issues with living in a post-war new town is that all the houses were built at roughly the same time, so the issues of insulation all appear at roughly the same time. At this morning’s crisis summit, which I and the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole (Vikki Slade) attended, there was a strong feeling that cross-departmental communication is key to ensuring that funding gets to the people who need it the most. Does the Minister agree?

[Miatta Fahnbulleh]

I completely agree with my hon. Friend. That is why we are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and across Government, to target this support at households, so that we are helping people who we know are struggling.