Dai Havard
Main Page: Dai Havard (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)Department Debates - View all Dai Havard's debates with the Cabinet Office
(9 years, 8 months ago)
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Mr Nick Hurd (Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner) (Con)
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner.
Hazel Blears
Absolutely. My knowledge of the geography of the south is not as good as my knowledge of the north.
I pay serious tribute to the former Minister, because for the past two years we have been working quite closely together on a range of areas, including social enterprise, social value and social investment. He has brought great vision, clarity, leadership and energy to this area of policy and without his drive and personal commitment I do not think that such progress would have been made over the past few years. I place on the record my thanks and appreciation for the work that he has done.
I also thank my Front-Bench spokesperson, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central (Chi Onwurah), the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington (Chris White) and my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield (Mr Sheerman). Perhaps other hon. Members will join us. Each hon. Member present has a distinctive, important contribution to make; perhaps I will mention that later.
Mr Dai Havard (in the Chair)
Order. I will call the Front-Bench spokespeople at 10.40 am, so I ask the three other Members who want to speak to share the remaining time respectfully between themselves.
Chris White
The hon. Gentleman always talks great sense.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, the former Minister, for his support with respect to the direction of travel that social value has taken. I look forward to the comments of the new Minister, who has picked up his responsibility with alacrity. I look forward to a commitment from him to growth in the area we are considering; an increase in its momentum and an extension of its scope; and attention to reviews, which would be helpful and appreciated.
Mr Dai Havard (in the Chair)
Order. You have all been so disciplined that the two Front-Bench Members have half an hour to share; so no doubt we will have comprehensive answers and comment. As the Minister prepares, I call Chi Onwurah.