Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Hinds and Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

Monday 11th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

I commend my right hon. Friend for his ongoing work with the Cobham Free School and the upcoming project at Heathside Walton-on-Thames. He has met my noble friend Lord Agnew to discuss vacant possession and, as he knows, there have been delays in trying to get it, but I would be happy to meet him to discuss the matter further.

[Ruth Smeeth (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab)]

Whether free schools or not—a policy I disagree with—Stoke-on-Trent now has a huge gap in the number of places available at secondary schools to the point where 11 of my 14 secondary schools are oversubscribed, with some constituents having to get three buses to get to their allocated school in September. What is the Secretary of State planning to do about that?

[Damian Hinds]

This decade we are on course to create 1 million new places in schools across the country. It will be the largest expansion in school capacity in at least two generations, following the net loss of 100,000 places during the last six years of the Labour Government. Although there will always be individual situations that we need to address—we have a capital programme to do that, and I will be happy to meet the hon. Lady to discuss it—there are now tens of thousands fewer pupils in schools that are over capacity.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Hinds and Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

Monday 14th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Ruth Smeeth (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab)]

On Friday, the University of Chester Academies Trust wrote to its staff at two schools in my constituency, University Academy Kidsgrove and University Primary Academy, to announce savage cuts. Will the Minister meet me and other colleagues with UCAT schools in their constituencies immediately to talk about an urgent solution?

[Damian Hinds]

The schools Minister and I will be delighted to meet the hon. Lady.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Hinds and Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

Tuesday 16th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Ruth Smeeth (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab)]

12. If he will maintain current levels of and entitlement to child benefit over the next five years.

[The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Damian Hinds)]

As the Prime Minister pledged before the election, this Government will not cut child benefit.

[Ruth Smeeth]

In my constituency, there have been reports of children returning to school in September malnourished because their parents are struggling to afford to feed them. Does the Minister agree that cuts to either child benefit or child tax credit would exacerbate the problem and make the issue of holiday hunger even more common?

[Damian Hinds]

The Prime Minister has made this extremely clear by stating categorically that child benefit stays as is. The most important thing in regard to affordability and household budgets is to increase employment and ensure that people are in good jobs. The Government have also done an awful lot to bear down on household costs to make them more affordable.