"The hon. Lady will be aware that the Conservatives created this system. On her specific question about what we are doing to restrict access to the benefits system by foreign nationals, she will also be aware that the Home Secretary has brought forward proposals to extend the period before somebody …..." Andrew Western - View Speech
"The hon. Lady will be aware that the Conservatives created this system. On her specific question about what we are doing to restrict access to the benefits system for foreign nationals, she will also be aware that the Home Secretary has brought forward proposals to extend the period before somebody …..." Andrew Western - View Speech
"The UK and Welsh Governments have agreed how they will deliver the UK Government manifesto commitment to devolve employment support funding to the Welsh Government over the course of the current UK Parliament.
That devolution has already begun with the agreement to transfer up to £20 million for the economic …..." Andrew Western - View Speech
"Turning to the shadow Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Sevenoaks (Laura Trott), we have had some serious chutzpah from the Tories today, opening with the fact that this Labour Government have increased fees—fees increased for sustainability purposes but certainly not trebled, as the Conservative party did. She …..." Andrew Western - View Speech
"She spoke of the threshold freeze being unfair. April’s increase is our second in two years—they managed four in 12 years post introducing the plan 2 scheme...." Andrew Western - View Speech
"I will not because I am short on time—I am sorry.
While I do think that a Liberal Democrat should be wary, the hon. Member for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire made an important point in his defence of degree courses with which I agree.
"What I say is that students, like everybody else, benefit from an improved NHS and from a range of interventions that this Government are making, but we cannot change everything overnight.
The hon. Member for Bromley and Biggin Hill (Peter Fortune) commented that young people not in employment has rocketed …..." Andrew Western - View Speech
"Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I did not attribute a time period to the hon. Gentleman’s comments. I am simply stating that it is a fixed intention of this Government to seek to address that and to ensure that more young people under the age of 25 can access apprenticeships.
"Let me begin by stating the obvious: the issues with plan 2 loans are a legacy of the previous Government. Plan 2 borrowers in England are undergraduate students who began their courses between 2012 and 2023. The loans were designed, implemented and operated by the previous coalition and Conservative Governments. …..." Andrew Western - View Speech
"It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Mr Stringer. I am struck, as was the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole (Vikki Slade), by the level of interest in this debate and, indeed, by the specifics of some of the cases that have been raised. I …..." Andrew Western - View Speech