Shop Direct (Greater Manchester)

Debate between Sam Gyimah and Barbara Keeley

Tuesday 1st May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gyimah]

That is a very important question. I am not aware of any inducements given to Shop Direct to move to the east midlands. I am sure the hon. Gentleman raised this issue in his discussions with the Secretary of State.

For companies to remain viable, and to keep in step with the modern competitive market, difficult decisions sometimes need to be taken. However, I recognise that this does not make the situation that some employees face any less troubling. I can reassure the House that the Government have measures in place for such situations. I will now turn to the protections in place for employees facing redundancy and the support available at such a difficult time.

The law is clear that organisations are required to consult with employee representatives about proposed collective redundancies where at least 20 employees are at risk at one establishment within the same 90-day period. Employers are required to provide specified information to representatives, or directly to affected employees if representatives have not been appointed. The consultation should include ways to avoid redundancy or dismissals, or to reduce the number of dismissals involved to mitigate the effects. Any employees who feel their rights have been denied may complain to an employment tribunal, which may make a protective award to the affected employees of up to 90 days’ pay.

Our priority is helping those who are affected to find new employment through the Jobcentre Plus rapid response service or to retrain if necessary. Rapid response service support is delivered in partnership with a range of national and local partners, including Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and local service providers. DWP and Jobcentre Plus will also work with the company to understand the level of employee support required. Just to reassure the House, typical support includes matching people to known local job vacancies, helping them to construct or improve their CVs and providing general information about benefits and how to make a claim.

[Barbara Keeley]

During the speech by my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth (Debbie Abrahams), I said that the company seems to expect that employees will stay for two years and across two Christmases, and not get their redundancy till the end, when they could all land on the unemployment market at the same time. Surely, it makes sense for redundancy packages to be spread across the two-year period, so that if job vacancies arise, my constituents and my hon. Friend’s constituents will be able to take advantage of them. Otherwise, in a ward such as Little Hulton, where unemployment is twice the national average, it will be pretty hard in the end.

[Mr Gyimah]

The hon. Lady makes a good point about having some flexibility on when people get their redundancy, especially if they find new opportunities. That has been noted and the relevant Minister will get back to her about how we can raise that with the company. It is a relevant point. The support that I mentioned is available to all those who are affected by potential job losses and goes beyond direct employees of the business to those such as self-employed subcontractors and individuals working for suppliers affected by the outcome of such structural changes.

The hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth asked generally about what is happening in the retail sector. We can all agree that the retail sector has a vital role to play in the local community and the national economy. The Government work with retailers to understand their needs and we have acted to support the sector. In March, we announced the Retail Sector Council as part of our industrial strategy. Its first meeting has taken place and through the council, the Government and industry are working together to contribute to the sector’s future direction to boost productivity and economic health. Council members will review the best way that retailers can adapt to changing consumer behaviour and trends. They will also look at new technology opportunities such as those that will improve customer service and the chance to grow skills through a sector push on high-value training.

The Government recognise the importance of our high street, and since 2010, we have given over £18 million to towns, funding successful initiatives such as the Great British High Street. In the autumn Budget 2017, we announced measures worth more than £2.3 billion over five years to cut business rates. This includes bringing forward the planned switch in the indexation of business rates from the retail prices index to the consumer prices index by two years to 2018. That will benefit retailers, as well as other businesses.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sam Gyimah and Barbara Keeley

Tuesday 10th February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gyimah]

I thank my right hon. Friend for his question. Of course we regret going into another election with some constituencies such as Arfon having 38,000 electors and others such as the Isle of Wight having 110,000. Those are not equally sized boundaries, but, as they say, we are where we are.

[Barbara Keeley (Worsley and Eccles South) (Lab)]

6. What the Government's policy is on increasing participation among young voters.

[Mr Speaker]

That was too long.

[Barbara Keeley]

Let me return to the value of enforcing the schools initiative from Northern Ireland, to which the Opposition are committed. As we have heard, it has been instrumental in bringing a 50% increase in the total population of young people on the register, which is really important. Why are Ministers, including the Deputy Prime Minister, who appears not to be answering questions today as he should be, not bothered about this? Why do they mention care homes, but do not want young people to get registered and get into the habit of voting?

[Mr Gyimah]

If we did not want young people to get on the register, we would not be funding the very organisations that have the experience and expertise for getting young people to vote. That is the first point. The second is that the Northern Ireland system was paper-based, but we have an online system spanning 363 local authorities. This is a much superior system for getting young people to register from their laptops, smartphones or tablets and computers.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sam Gyimah and Barbara Keeley

Monday 21st July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Barbara Keeley (Worsley and Eccles South) (Lab)]

15. What steps she is taking to improve the quality of child care.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Mr Sam Gyimah)]

As the new Minister for child care, let me state clearly that the Government’s position is that high-quality child care has a powerful impact on children’s development and educational attainment, and is a driver of social mobility. That is why we are driving up standards through a stronger inspection framework and focusing local authority support on weaker providers, improving the skills and status of the work force and investing £50 million through a new early-years pupil premium, which will benefit 170,000 three and four-year-olds from low-income families. Finally, we are providing 20% of disadvantaged two-year-olds with access to high-quality provision, rising to 40% in September.

[Barbara Keeley]

As well as congratulating the new Education Secretary and her team on their new roles, may I say that I hope they will ensure that their Department pays the London living wage to all who work there, like some other Departments?

Early intervention grants to Salford have been cut by 50% since 2010 and, overall, Salford city council has had £100 million cut from its budgets. The situation now threatens the existence of our excellent Sure Start centres. How will those savage budget cuts contribute to the quality of child care and to the continuation of our Sure Start centres?

[Mr Gyimah]

This Government are increasing the amount of money invested in early intervention in child care to the tune of £5 billion. As I said in my previous answer, we have also introduced a new early-years pupil premium, which will help 170,000 three and four-year-olds, and we are extending the offer of free child care from 20% to 40% of the most disadvantaged two-year-olds. That is what I call supporting quality child care.