Business of the House
Debate between Graeme Downie and Lucy Powell(4 weeks ago)
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Lucy Powell
Social care is a devolved matter. As my hon. Friend rightly says, social care in Scotland is at breaking point because the SNP plans have failed and the national care service there is in name only. He may wish to raise that matter in the forthcoming Health and Social Care or Scotland questions.
Graeme Downie (Dunfermline and Dollar) (Lab)
Despite there being a healthy number of large supermarkets and other petrol suppliers in the city of Dunfermline, research by a group of my constituents has found that petrol there is consistently up to 5p per litre more expensive than it is when sold by the same suppliers less than 10 miles away. That harms small businesses and individuals alike. Can the Leader of the House suggest a way to examine that clustering of prices in order to ensure that businesses and individuals are treated fairly?
Lucy Powell
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The Competition and Markets Authority has found that competition between fuel retailers has weakened, which, as he highlights, has had a detrimental effect on constituents such as his. I think he would get strong backing for a Backbench Business or Westminster Hall debate on that important matter.
Business of the House
Debate between Graeme Downie and Lucy Powell(1 month, 1 week ago)
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Lucy Powell
That topic gets raised many times in this House, and we are all well aware of it. It is part of the reason we will be introducing draft legislation on leasehold reform, which is a long-standing issue. I am sure the hon. Gentleman could raise the issue of managing agents in a further debate, either in Westminster Hall or through the Backbench Business Committee once it is established.
Graeme Downie (Dunfermline and Dollar) (Lab)
With many high street banks announcing local branch closures and pointing people to the post office as a resource for services, the attractiveness of being a sub-postmaster has never been more important. In my constituency, though, our post office in Cairneyhill will be closing, and those considering taking it over are being put off by the costs and complications involved. Could time be allowed for a discussion of how to support new postmasters to take on those vital community roles?
Lucy Powell
Postmasters have had a very difficult time in recent years, and there are still many questions facing the Post Office about the support, recruitment and remuneration of postmasters. I am sure that would make an extremely good topic for a debate in this House.