Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Boris Johnson and Ian Levy

Wednesday 21st April 2021 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman very much, first of all, for his service, and I know that the whole House will agree. I want to put on record, by the way, my thanks to the former Minister for Veterans, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Moor View (Johnny Mercer), for all that he did to help with improving the lot of veterans across our country. We have protected many veterans with the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill. There is more to be done, as the right hon. Gentleman rightly says, in the case of veterans of the Northern Ireland conflict, and we will be bringing forward further measures in due course.

[Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con) [V]]

Since 2019 Blyth Valley has benefited from significant investment for levelling up, including the towns fund, the future high streets fund, and the reinstatement of the rail line. We know now that Blyth will be the home of the UK’s first gigafactory developed by BritishVolt, further demonstrating the commitment to build back better. Can I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his drive and commitment to helping areas that have been neglected for so long and ask him to assure the House that he will do all that he can to help those areas realise their full potential? I would like to offer him an open invitation to visit this fabulous constituency of Blyth Valley, where I am sure he will receive a very warm welcome.

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend very much. It was only lately that he and I stood on the seafront at Blyth and looked out at some of the incredible wind farms—the harbingers and the prelude to the huge Dogger Bank wind farms that are going to be built in the North sea. I am delighted that a gigafactory for batteries is being established in Blyth Valley. Thanks to his help and his leadership, we are seeing Blyth Valley and many other parts of the north-east at the forefront of the green industrial revolution delivering high-wage and high-skilled jobs across our country.

Covid-19

Debate between Boris Johnson and Ian Levy

Tuesday 22nd September 2020 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

It is up to all of us to obey the guidance and to urge everybody in this country to obey the guidance and follow the rules, because that is the way we will defeat the virus.

[Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con)]

Blyth Valley has recently faced tighter restrictions as an immediate response to a rise in local cases. I know that these measures are necessary in controlling this deadly virus, but they have a real impact on families, businesses and local communities. I welcome the decision yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Health Secretary to lift the ban on informal childcare; I know that that move will be a relief to many of my constituents. May I ask my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to continue to do all he can to support families through this tough time?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for the way he represents Blyth Valley. I can tell him that we will continue to listen to people and to respond to their concerns in any way that we can.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Boris Johnson and Ian Levy

Wednesday 9th September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con)]

Before being elected to represent Blyth Valley last year, I worked in mental health. Since October last year, there have been 120 suicides across the Northumbria police force area alone, and 24 deaths in Blyth. I am sure that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will agree that one death is one death too many. Will he join me in supporting World Suicide Prevention Day tomorrow and in acknowledging the fantastic work by the mental health charity Mind, as well as by ENGAGE and Davy Orr at Unit Twenty in Blyth?

[The Prime Minister]

Every suicide is an absolute tragedy, and my hon. Friend is right to focus on that issue in the way that he does. I am proud that the Government are rolling out record investments in suicide prevention. I also pay tribute to the charitable sector—to Mind, ENGAGE and Davy Orr—for the fantastic work it does to make a difference at that crucial moment and to prevent suicide.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Boris Johnson and Ian Levy

Wednesday 24th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Actually, we are getting on with implementing a huge number of the recommendations we have already had. Sixteen of the Lammy recommendations have been implemented. A further 17 are in progress; two of them we are not progressing. The Home Secretary will set out further what we are going to do later—before recess—about Windrush with Wendy Williams’s report, and we will go on with our cross-governmental commission to ensure that we stamp out racism and discrimination across this country and throughout our system of government. We take it exceptionally seriously, and I am glad that the hon. Lady raised it.

[Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con)]

As we exit the covid crisis, we will need essential minerals to supply the UK’s steel, cement and brickworks, which will help build our homes, hospitals and infrastructure of the future. Mining them here in the UK in a sustainable way is not just better for the environment but reduces reliance on foreign imports. Will my right hon. Friend please assure the people of Blyth Valley that he and his Government will do all they can to encourage investment and support jobs in this area?

[The Prime Minister]

Absolutely. I can certainly say to my hon. Friend and to the people of Blyth Valley that we are going to do absolutely everything we can in the course of our infrastructure revolution to ensure that UK steel manufacturers are at the front of the queue for the great projects that we are going to construct. We have already identified about £3.8 billion worth of opportunities.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Boris Johnson and Ian Levy

Wednesday 4th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Perhaps those on the shadow Front Bench, at any rate. The hon. Lady is entirely right, and that is what we are doing, as I said in my earlier answer.

[Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con)]

Q11. Will my right hon. Friend commit to ensure that Blyth Valley benefits from the Government’s ambition to unite and level up across this fantastic country?

[The Prime Minister]

I can indeed. That is why we are supporting the Ashington to Blyth to Tyne rail line—the start of our £500 million investment in connecting towns whose stations were closed during the Beeching cuts. That is among many other benefits that we will bring to the people of Blyth. I thank my hon. Friend for his support. We are going to repay the trust and confidence of those people by investing in their communities.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Boris Johnson and Ian Levy

Wednesday 12th February 2020 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I will certainly look into the matter that the hon. Lady raises. We will ensure, of course, that if there is a problem with the gasification plant that she describes, Sunderland will continue to prosper and to lead the UK economy.

[Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con)]

Q12. Blyth has the potential to become one of the most strategically important ports in the UK for the export of renewable technology as well as wind turbines. Would my right hon. Friend consider visiting Blyth, where I am sure he would get a warm Northern welcome— rose— —and see for himself the strength of Blyth to become a freeport?

[Mr Speaker]

I think the Prime Minister had the answer ready.