Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rehman Chishti and Nick Boles

Tuesday 15th March 2016 Commons Chamber

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

6. What steps he is taking to protect consumers from faulty and unsafe products.

[The Minister for Skills (Nick Boles)]

Last year we passed the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which established a defined period of 30 days in which consumers can reject faulty goods after purchase, ending the possibility of consumers becoming trapped in a cycle of recurring faults.

[Rehman Chishti]

My constituent Mr Clive Davison has raised a concern about the delay in having his faulty Hotpoint tumble dryer fixed. There is real concern about this, given the risk of fire with these products. What are the Government doing to ensure that consumers such as my constituent receive speedy assistance?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rehman Chishti and Nick Boles

Thursday 8th January 2015 Commons Chamber

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

16. What support he is providing to businesses wanting to take on apprentices.

[The Minister for Skills and Equalities (Nick Boles)]

Some £l70 million has been made available between 2014 and 2016 to fund more than 100,000 additional payments of the apprenticeship grant to employers, and the Government’s planned investment in apprenticeships in the current financial year totals £1.5 billion.

[Rehman Chishti]

Will the Minister join me in welcoming the news that in Gillingham and Rainham there were 450 intermediate, 230 advanced, and 20 high-level apprenticeship starts in 2013-14, meaning that 700 young people gained invaluable skills and experiences for future careers? Will he join me in congratulating businesses such as Jubilee Clips and Delphi in my constituency on providing excellent engineering apprenticeships?

[Nick Boles]

Businesses such as those my hon. Friend mentions are leading this country into recovery and ensuring that that benefits everyone in his constituency. Since 2009-10, there has been a 73% increase in the number of new apprenticeships in his constituency, and that extraordinary figure is testament to local employers, colleges, and the local Member of Parliament.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rehman Chishti and Nick Boles

Monday 21st July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Nick Boles]

I would be happy to look at the particular financial situation of the college in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency and to see how the damping mechanism that is in place is working in that case.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

11. What progress has been made on the traineeships programme; and if she will make a statement.

[The Minister for Skills, Enterprise and Equalities (Nick Boles)]

The Government launched traineeships last August to help 16 to 23-year-olds to develop the skills and vital experience they need to get an apprenticeship or a sustainable job. Some 7,400 young people have already started a traineeship.

[Rehman Chishti]

I welcome the Minister to his new post, and I know he will do an outstanding job. What commitment have the Government received from major national employers to offer traineeships to young people that will also help to benefit the 640 NEETs in Medway, which covers my constituency?

[Nick Boles]

I am delighted to be able to tell my hon. Friend that Virgin Media, Jaguar Land Rover, Siemens, the BBC, National Grid and Barclays, to name just a few, are committed to setting up and offering traineeships. I will certainly be happy to look into seeing whether any of those could be available to his constituents in the Medway area.