Oral Answers to Questions

Anna Soubry Excerpts

Wednesday 10th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[John Howell (Henley) (Con)]

3. What recent discussions he has had with business groups in Scotland.

[The Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise (Anna Soubry)]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and other UK Ministers and officials meet business groups in Scotland regularly. I am pleased to say that one of my first visits in my new role will be to Aberdeen.

[John Howell]

The UK Government are committed to reducing the burden of red tape on businesses. The Scottish Government have some powers in this area. Is it not a good idea for them both to work together to reduce the burden of regulation on businesses full stop?

[Anna Soubry]

Absolutely. It is imperative that Administrations right across the United Kingdom work together to reduce the burden of red tape and deregulate as much as they can. We achieved £10 billion of benefit to small businesses and other sectors under the previous Government, and our aim is to achieve another £10 billion of savings for the benefit of everybody in the United Kingdom.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

Has the Minister met the open-cast coal industry recently, and if so will she urge the Chancellor to introduce a site-specific coal carbon tax exemption in the July Budget? This move would create 1,000 jobs, provide a net income for the Exchequer and restore open-cast sites in east Ayrshire.

[Anna Soubry]

That is the set of proposals we are considering. May I make it very clear to the hon. Gentleman that I am more than happy to speak to and meet him? If he would like to contact me after this session, we can arrange such a meeting.

[Mr David Anderson (Blaydon) (Lab)]

4. What recent discussions he has had with trade unions in Scotland on the Government’s proposed legislation on trade unions.

[The Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise (Anna Soubry)]

We are in the process of bringing forward new legislation in relation to trade unions to make sure that we carry out our manifesto commitment. I have not yet met any of the trade unions in Scotland. I look forward to that so that we can make progress with the Bill.

[Mr Anderson]

From what the Minister has just said, it is quite clear that she has regular discussions with business, but no discussions with trade unions. It is clear that trade union association is a matter of human rights, and that the right to strike makes the difference between people being workers and being slaves. Will she assure the House that she will listen to the voice of the trade unions, and will she confirm that these rules will not breach International Labour Organisation conventions?

[Anna Soubry]

May I make it very clear to the hon. Gentleman that as a former trade unionist and shop steward I am more than willing to listen to trade unions? Equally, however, it is really important to understand that in the modern world it cannot be right that a minority vote to strike has the most profound effect on travellers and on carers and children. It is in everybody’s interests for us to make sure that our trade unions are democratic and work for everyone.

[Kirsten Oswald (East Renfrewshire) (SNP)]

Does the Minister agree that strong trade unions are vital if we are to ensure that people receive fair pay for the work they do? What steps is she taking to work with Scotland’s trade unions to promote the living wage in Scotland?

[Anna Soubry]

As I hope I have made clear, I agree with the hon. Lady. Trade unions play an important part in economic success, or at least they should do. The difficulty is that too many trade unions do not represent their members and do not engage and work with their members. We therefore need to make sure that we have modern legislation for our trade unions so that they do not hold people, in effect, to ransom.

[Meg Hillier (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/Co-op)]

5. What steps he is taking to tackle security issues on the Stranraer to Larne ferry route.

--- Later in debate ---

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

9. How many companies in Scotland have been prosecuted for non-compliance with the national minimum wage since 2010.

[The Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise (Anna Soubry)]

So far no companies have been prosecuted, but we have named the 14 that have not complied with the law. We feel that is the right way to go about things, but if there are serious cases, they are referred to the Crown Prosecution Service in England or the procurator fiscal in Scotland.

[Nick Smith]

That is just not good enough. Labour wants to see the minimum wage protected, increased and properly enforced, so why not give local authorities the powers to tackle bad employers and enforce the minimum wage properly?

[Anna Soubry]

I have to disabuse the hon. Gentleman of a few misconceptions. We are actually following guidance that his party’s Government introduced in 2008, and it was good guidance. In very serious cases, companies should be referred onward for prosecution, but those decisions are ultimately left to the CPS or, in the case of Scotland, to the procurator fiscal.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (SNP)]

I congratulate the Secretary of State on his position. Everyone across the Chamber will agree that it is vital to enforce the minimum wage, but does the Secretary of State agree that we need to go further to deliver a fair wage for thousands of our fellow citizens? Will he now confirm the answer he failed to give to my hon. Friend the Member for Moray (Angus Robertson): when will his Department become an accredited wage employer?

[Anna Soubry]

I remind the hon. Lady that the minimum wage will be going up in October. It is up to employers to make sure they pay the wages they seek and want to. It is also important to remember that as a result of the policies of this Government, we have reduced the amount of taxation the low paid are paying. That is the right thing to do. Take low-paid people out of taxation—a Conservative policy.