Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness Morgan of Cotes and Barry Gardiner

Monday 19th January 2015 Commons Chamber

[Nicky Morgan]

Knowing the right hon. Gentleman, I suspect that he will have a photograph taken of him with the children painting their cards and it will appear in the Leicester Mercury very shortly. I would be delighted to join him if that is the case. He will know that all applications for new schools are studied rigorously by the Department and by colleagues. We have to follow a process, but I will look forward to hearing more about that application in due course.

[Barry Gardiner (Brent North) (Lab)]

The Jews free school is in my constituency in Brent North. The Secretary of State will be aware of the deep concern in the Jewish community at the moment about security around schools. Many other Jewish and other faith schools around the country are in a similar position. What steps is her Department taking to ensure that the children in those schools are being kept safe?

[Nicky Morgan]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to ask that question. It is truly shocking, as the Home Secretary said today, that, in our lifetimes we are seeing a rise of anti-Semitism in this country, and, in relation to my role in the Government, that Jewish schools are having to worry ever more about their security. The Department has provided funding for security, guarding Jewish maintained and free schools in England, through a grant since 2010. Around £2 million a year has been provided and continued funding for this and the next financial year has been confirmed. I will always be open to further conversations on this, because, at the end of the day, all children must go to school free of fear, and be able to concentrate on their studies. Their families must know that they are secure when they are in those school environments.

amendment of the law

Debate between Baroness Morgan of Cotes and Barry Gardiner

Monday 24th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Nicky Morgan]

No, I will make some progress. The right hon. Member for Neath (Mr Hain) talked about exports. Exports to countries outside the EU continue to grow, rising by 23% since 2010. The right hon. Member for Wolverhampton South East (Mr McFadden) talked about the referendum on the EU damaging investment. That is a common theme on the Labour Benches, but the Government believe it is time to trust the people and ask them about important issues. Labour Members clearly do not.

The hon. Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge (Angela Smith) talked about support for energy-intensive industries, which she and I have discussed before. She encouraged us to make strong representations to the European Commission for the extension of compensation, and I take those points on board. The hon. Member for Southampton, Test (Dr Whitehead) spoke about the carbon price floor, and the hon. Member for City of Durham (Roberta Blackman-Woods) talked about the north-east needing more support. The right hon. Member for Holborn and St Pancras (Frank Dobson) talked about Euston station.

The hon. Member for Barrow and Furness (John Woodcock) talked about Olympic-scale investment under this Government, and the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr Wright) mentioned productivity. He is right; the job is not yet done. That is why we do not think that anyone should entrust the keys to those who crashed the car. The hon. Member for Washington and Sunderland West (Mrs Hodgson) missed the fact that this Government are already spending £5 billion on child care, before we get to tax free child care.

I welcome the hon. Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East (Mike Kane) to the House. I know this was not his maiden speech, but if he can raise a laugh after five hours of a Budget debate he is a welcome addition to the House. He mentioned reform of air passenger duty. That is what I was discussing with his predecessor just before Christmas, and I look forward to continued discussions on that.

My hon. Friends the Members for Wolverhampton South West and for Brentford and Isleworth said that we need greater business investment, and they are right. Investment has been too low for too long, and it has held back growth. Had business investment increased by just 10% in 2012, the level of GDP would be £12 billion higher. We must create an environment that encourages business to invest.

[Barry Gardiner]

Will the Minister answer the question that I put to her in my speech about whether local authorities will be able to insist that pension pots are converted into cash to put people over the threshold for care costs?

[Nicky Morgan]

I am sure we do not want to see that, but we will look at it in more detail as we go through the scheme. The Government have set out a clear intention to help people with their care costs, and nothing in last week’s announcement should diminish the fact that we want people to have affordable care costs, and not to be worried about getting older and being able to afford their care.

The most important point about business investment was the extension and expansion of the annual investment allowance, which means that from next month 99.8% of businesses will get a 100% investment allowance. Almost every business in Britain will pay no upfront tax when it invests. We have already mentioned the policies on pensions and savings, and the Government believe that we will give people the opportunity to save now, and to control their finances better in the future. The Government believe that responsible people who have worked hard and saved sensibly all their lives should have the freedom to decide how to use their own savings. The changes we announced last week recognise that, and act on it.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary for Communities and Local Government spoke earlier about some of the other Budget measures that will boost our communities. He spoke about Ebbsfleet, the enterprise zone in Coleraine, and the Cambridge city deal. I wish to put on record how pleased I was to be at the launch of the Leicester and Leicestershire city deal this morning. Many hon. Members will already have seen the difference those schemes can make in their areas, and I pay tribute to all those in Leicester and Leicestershire who worked so hard to secure that deal. It will boost the economy of our city and county.

This Budget will ensure that more people have jobs to go to at the start of the day and can return to their own homes at the end of the day. It will give people a greater amount of their earnings at the end of the month, and greater access to their savings at the end of their careers. Of course there is more work to do, but this Budget represents another sensible step to get our country back on its feet, and I commend it wholeheartedly to the House.

Ordered, That the debate be now adjourned.—(Harriett Baldwin.)

Debate to be resumed tomorrow.