Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Bridgen and Danny Alexander

Tuesday 11th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

No, I do not believe it is. The hon. Lady refers to costs, and she will know that the flexible new deal, which the Work programme replaced, cost £7,495 per job outcome; that compares with costs of about £2,000 under the Work programme. It is a great deal more cost-effective. The hon. Lady will also be aware that 56% of those first Work programme starters have come off benefits and that up to September this year, there have been 200,000 job entries, as reported by providers, so there is a sense of progress in the Work programme, too.

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

Does my right hon. Friend agree with the CBI, which has said that the Work programme has already helped to turn around the lives of thousands of people and is delivering real value for money for the taxpayer?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Bridgen and Danny Alexander

Tuesday 6th November 2012 Commons Chamber

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

Will the Minister update the House on steps he is taking to ensure that the affordable housing programme remains on course to deliver the £19.5 billion of public and private investment in affordable housing over the course of this Parliament?

[Danny Alexander]

Yes, I will. The affordable rent programme was over-subscribed and will deliver more homes than originally expected. My colleagues in the Department for Communities and Local Government will ensure that they are delivered as quickly as possible. By putting in place the new guarantee programme for housing associations, we can further accelerate that programme, ensuring that we meet the targets my hon. Friend describes.

Public Service Pensions

Debate between Andrew Bridgen and Danny Alexander

Wednesday 2nd November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

I do not believe that that is a correct use of the term “accrued rights”. Of course we will protect the accrued rights in full. The RPI to CPI switch will have the effect that I described in my statement. That is the subject of a legal dispute at the moment, but it was the right decision by the Government.

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

Has the Chief Secretary received any constructive representations from the Labour party regarding this important topic or has its involvement been limited to the irresponsible words of the shadow education spokesman, who is no longer in his place, condoning teachers’ strikes?

[Danny Alexander]

I am yet to receive a constructive suggestion from the Labour party, but I live in hope.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Bridgen and Danny Alexander

Tuesday 12th October 2010 Commons Chamber

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

16. What recent estimate he has made of the proportion of the central Government tax take from residents of the east midlands which is spent on that region.

[The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Danny Alexander)]

We cannot accurately disaggregate tax revenue by individual regions, but we publish regionally disaggregated public spending tables each year. Total identifiable expenditure in the east midlands was £35.4 billion in 2009-10.

[Andrew Bridgen]

I thank the Minister for that answer, but as he is well aware, Leicestershire is historically one of the lowest-funded parts of the UK for education, the police and the fire services. Can he assure me that that historically low funding settlement will be taken into account in the comprehensive spending review?

[Danny Alexander]

The hon. Gentleman will have to wait until the statement on 20 October to hear the details of our spending decisions, but as I have made clear in answer to earlier questions, of course we consider it important to understand and manage the regional impact of spending cuts. We have established a regional growth fund, the details of which will be in the spending review statement, which will enable areas such as his to win support for projects that help economic growth in difficult times.