Business of the House

Martin Vickers Excerpts

Thursday 17th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Martin Vickers (Brigg and Immingham) (Con)]

Earlier this week, I met the representative of a business that is proposing a carbon capture project in my constituency. They stressed the importance of having a decision from the Secretary of State by the end of this year. Will the Leader of the House arrange for the Secretary of State to come to the House with a statement on the next stage of these projects?

[Lucy Powell]

The hon. Gentleman will know that the Secretary of State recently updated the House on the huge investment the Government are putting into this new carbon capture technology, and on where some of that investment will be going. I know the Secretary of State has been expediting decisions to ensure that businesses such as the one that the hon. Gentleman describes can benefit from that announcement. I will ensure that the Secretary of State has heard what the hon. Gentleman said and returns to this House when he has a further update.

Business of the House

Martin Vickers Excerpts

Thursday 10th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. He is absolutely right: it is shocking that in 2024 this great country of ours still requires such a huge and widespread use of food banks and that we are blighted by food poverty. That is why this Government have set up a cross-cutting taskforce to address child poverty, and why we are committed to the roll out of free breakfast clubs and the creation of more nurseries in our schools. It is also partly why we are so delighted to introduce the Employment Rights Bill today, so that people can have dignity and security in work.

[Martin Vickers (Brigg and Immingham) (Con)]

In north and north-east Lincolnshire, we have some excellent further and higher education institutions that provide the knowledge and skills that our young people need for the evolving world of work. Yesterday, I met representatives of the Association of Colleges, who outlined the challenges that the sector faces. Can we have a debate in Government time on further and higher education colleges to give Members the opportunity to tease out from Government how they see policies developing in that area?

[Lucy Powell]

I know that is a matter of concern for many people, and the Government have speedily set about having a review of the funding of BTecs. That review will be completed very quickly, as it is of great concern to further education colleges. We have education questions on 4 November and the forthcoming Technical Education Bill will soon be coming from the other House.

Business of the House

Martin Vickers Excerpts

Thursday 12th September 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I thank my hon. Friend for his kind words. It is a pleasure to continue working with him in this new Session, as I did so closely in the last. He is a real champion for transparency, accountability and value for money in government, and he raises those important matters today. He may wish to raise them after business questions, during the statement on the NHS audits that have just been carried out, as procurement is a key part of those findings.

[Martin Vickers (Brigg and Immingham) (Con)]

I recently visited Lindsey Lodge hospice, which serves my constituents along with St Andrew’s hospice in Grimsby. They rely on Government for approximately a third of their income. Obviously, there were concerns that that income may be reduced in the near future. The volunteers do tremendous work, but they need that Government support. Will the Leader of the House arrange for a statement from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to reassure those hospices about their future income streams?

[Lucy Powell]

That topic came up a lot in last week’s business questions, so I am sure that there would be wide support for the hon. Gentleman’s request. The role that hospices play in end-of-life care is critical to this country. I think it would surprise most people to understand that the vast majority of hospice funding is charitable and not from the Government. I encourage him to apply for a debate, because I think that he would get a lot of support.

Business of the House

Martin Vickers Excerpts

Thursday 5th September 2024 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Order. Shorter answers will be appreciated.

[Martin Vickers (Brigg and Immingham) (Con)]

During the exchanges that followed my urgent question about steel manufacturing earlier today, it was evident that the Minister was unable to give a detailed response in respect of, in particular, maintaining the capacity to produce virgin steel in the UK. In view of the many unanswered questions, will the Leader of the House arrange a debate, in Government time, on the future of the UK steel industry?

[Lucy Powell]

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on the granting of his urgent question. I can assure him that the Government are working apace to secure the future of British steel production, which is a key priority for us, and that when there are developments, Ministers will come to the House and ensure that the House hears about them first.

Business of the House

Martin Vickers Excerpts

Thursday 25th July 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

What a fantastic question. I know from my own constituency that noisy off-road bikes speeding around local streets and intimidating residents are a nightmare. That is particularly prevalent in the Friar Park area of my hon. Friend’s constituency. As she rightly said, the Government are committed to giving the police the powers that they need to crush nuisance dirt and quad bikes within days of their being seized. That legislation will be brought forward in due course.

[Martin Vickers (Brigg and Immingham) (Con)]

Tomorrow, I will visit Scunthorpe steelworks, where hundreds of my constituents work, and many more hundreds rely on the supply chain throughout northern Lincolnshire. I am aware that the previous Government undertook negotiations, and I know that the new Secretary of State will want to reassure the workforce, who are very anxious about their future employment situation. Could the Leader of the House arrange for the Secretary of State to come to the House before the recess to provide that reassurance?

[Lucy Powell]

I thank the hon. Member for that question. This Government are committed to UK steel production, particularly in Scunthorpe, Port Talbot and other parts of the UK. He will know that we have a big plan for the green transition of steel, and we are bringing forward the industrial strategy council measure and others that will support the long-term future of British steel in this country. The next questions for the Department for Business and Trade are shortly after we return from recess, and I am sure that he will want to raise the issue then.

Business of the House

Martin Vickers Excerpts

Thursday 18th July 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I welcome my hon. Friend to his place with his election as the Member for West Ham and Beckton. I am sure that he will be a strong MP for that new constituency. He raises an important point. Dealing with apprenticeships and apprenticeship reform, I hope that the announcement yesterday in the King’s Speech of the new Skills England body sends a signal of how important this issue is for the Government in delivering on our mission for growth and delivering opportunity for all. He will have noticed that we have an education debate timetabled for next week, where he can raise the matter.

[Martin Vickers (Brigg and Immingham) (Con)]

Throughout my time in the House, I have campaigned for improved transport connections to serve my constituency, which at that time was Cleethorpes. One such campaign was the restoration of the train service from Cleethorpes through Grimsby and Lincoln to Kings Cross. The previous Transport Secretary had approved that service, and I understand that it is now with Network Rail and LNER to complete the necessary arrangements. May we have a statement from the new Transport Secretary confirming that that service will indeed begin in the winter timetable?

[Lucy Powell]

The hon. Member raises a good point. He and I have discussed transport issues, and I support his call for greater transport infrastructure investment across our regions, and especially in the north, which I am afraid was distinctly lacking under the previous Government. I will raise that matter with the Transport Secretary, and I have no doubt that she will come before the House in due course. As I said in the business statement, she will bring forward a Bill the week after next, and he could raise those issues then if he has not heard from her before.