Employer National Insurance Contributions
Debate between Caroline Nokes and Melanie Ward(1 day, 2 hours ago)
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Melanie Ward (Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy) (Lab)
My hon. Friend is talking about fixing the foundations and that point was also made by the now absent hon. Member for Angus and Perthshire Glens (Dave Doogan) earlier in the debate. Today was Budget day in the Scottish Parliament, where of course the Scottish Government had a record amount of funding to spend. I just want to share with the House what was said about that Budget by the Fraser of Allander Institute. It said—
Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)
Order. We simply cannot have interventions of that length. Only nine Members are going to get to speak this evening and the hon. Lady is on the list, but those who choose to make long interventions might find themselves removed from it.
UK Shared Prosperity Fund
Debate between Caroline Nokes and Melanie Ward(2 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Melanie Ward (Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy) (Lab)
I, too, congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Rochester and Strood on securing this debate and thank her for doing so. This is such an important moment. We heard from my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow South West (Dr Ahmed) about the importance of the UK shared prosperity fund for his area. I was really glad to welcome the Deputy Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Angela Rayner), to my constituency during the general election campaign, where she saw the need for that funding. Fife has benefited greatly from more than £13 million from the fund in recent years. In my constituency, that includes projects such as Step On, which is run by LinkLiving with Raith Rovers Community Foundation. It provides targeted help for young people to improve their mental health.
Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)
Order. I remind Members that interventions must be short.
Melanie Ward
It also helps employability and, crucially, access to work. Does the Minister agree that such cross-UK funding is hugely important for areas like mine, where inequality is an issue?