Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Andrew Bridgen

Monday 27th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

As I have reported to this House before, we have been working ever closer with Motability— a great scheme in its 40th year. We are looking at a number of issues, such as appeals; people who may wish to leave the country, whether for study, work experience, or any other reason; and potentially extending the scheme to other groups. We will report on that review as soon as we can.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

Can the Minister confirm that far from cutting support for disabled people, disability spending will increase every year to 2020 relative both to 2010 and today?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Andrew Bridgen

Monday 20th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his comments. We are clearly looking to reform the work capability assessment on employment and support allowance. That affords us some opportunities to look at the PIP assessment process, to which there have already been many improvements. If we can ensure that both those systems are sharing data properly, we should be able to reduce the burden on the claimant.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

12. What are the Government doing to raise awareness of the Access to Work programme and the support it can offer to employers who want to make reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities?

[Penny Mordaunt]

The Access to Work programme is popular, and is just one of the Government’s schemes to provide support and financial assistance to employers. One way in which we are publicising that is through the Disability Confident scheme, which we relaunched last autumn. Around 4,000 organisations have now signed up to it, and it is one way of ensuring that employers really do understand the support that is there for them, as well as the huge talent and insight that this group of people can bring to their workforce.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Andrew Bridgen

Monday 27th June 2016 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

Will the Secretary of State reassure us that, by contrast with the Labour party, morale in our armed forces remains high and the desertion rate is very low?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I am happy to confirm, on the basis of the attitude surveys that we conduct each year, that morale is high, and the armed forces appreciate that, given a defence budget that is growing every single year, they have much to look forward to.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Andrew Bridgen

Monday 13th July 2015 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I know that the hon. Lady is very concerned about this issue. She will know that the Royal Navy takes its responsibilities very seriously. Since 1993, it has adhered to the comprehensive code of practice and conduct for operations in the vicinity of fishing vessels, which ensures not only the safety of our ships and submarines, but other vessels. I can tell her that any NATO submarine under UK operational control would also have to conform to that code of practice, but obviously we are not responsible for other people’s submarine operations.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

Does my hon. Friend agree that under the Scottish National party’s deeply flawed defence plans, this country would have far less ability to detect, intercept and deter potentially hostile vessels in the Irish sea and elsewhere? [Interruption.]