Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Damian Hinds and John Bercow(10 years, 9 months ago)
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Damian Hinds
Given that welcome emphasis on character building for all, may I commend to the Minister—and subtly plug—a report out tomorrow on character and resilience by the all-party group on social mobility? Will he consider more ways to develop these crucial traits throughout childhood, and in and out of school?
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Damian Hinds and John Bercow(10 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)
5. What recent progress the Government have made on their social mobility strategy.
Child-care Ratios
Debate between Damian Hinds and John Bercow(11 years, 6 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Mr Speaker
Order. The disadvantage of that question is that it does not relate to the terms of the urgent question, so we will leave it there.
Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)
Are there not two key issues? First, the question of ratios is linked to high-quality staff, which itself has a cost. Secondly, the reforms are enabling, not compulsory, and parents can continue to choose the right setting for their child.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Damian Hinds and John Bercow(11 years, 11 months ago)
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Mr Speaker
Order. I have no idea what the hon. Member for Glasgow North West (John Robertson) had for breakfast this morning. All I can say is that he is a bear growling exceptionally, and some would say excessively, loudly this afternoon.
Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)
17. What assessment he has made of the potential utility of jamjar budgeting accounts in (a) smoothing the transition to universal credit and (b) increasing financial inclusion.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Damian Hinds and John Bercow
Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)
Ofgem’s retail market review finds that many consumers are not getting nearly as good an energy deal as they could, and that includes too many of the poorest and most vulnerable. We have a diverse and dynamic market. That is a good thing, but it also means complexity, with more than 300 different tariffs available, 50% more than a year ago. Does my right hon. Friend agree with Ofgem’s proposal to simplify things and make it easier for consumers to compare prices and get a better deal?
Mr Speaker
Order. The questions are becoming too long and they need to be shorter.
Higher Education Funding
Debate between Damian Hinds and John Bercow
Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)
Does my right hon. Friend agree that, although it is undeniably true that earlier generations of students, including most of us, got a much more generous deal, it was always based on a very restrictive formula for exactly to whom it could be generous? We all benefited. In future, if we want to have wider access, improve social mobility and protect the high quality of our university education, which does carry a cost, exactly this sort of measure, which ties contribution more closely to cost, will be necessary—