Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Grahame Morris and David Rutley

Tuesday 8th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Grahame Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

T7. For the 30th consecutive year, the United Nations voted over-whelmingly to condemn the US embargo and sanctions on Cuba. Given the importance of tourism to the Cuban economy, can the Minister or the Foreign Secretary indicate what steps are being taken to restore direct flights between the UK and Cuba?

[David Rutley]

The hon. Member raises an important point. I will pick that up with our ambassador over there and follow up with him directly.

DWP Estate: Office Closures

Debate between Grahame Morris and David Rutley

Thursday 17th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[David Rutley]

The Department has been following all the guidance that it needed to, and if there are concerns about that, I will gladly follow up with the hon. Member outside the Chamber.

[Grahame Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

Will the Minister clarify something? My understanding is that the Government are proposing a full site consolidation involving moving staff from Seaham Lighthouse View in my constituency to Wear View House in Sunderland. The impact of these closures in areas of economic deprivation, such as east Durham, will be huge, and we can ill afford to lose good-quality public sector jobs. My question to the Minister is: how will closing a DWP office in my constituency that employs 390 people help Easington to level up, when the Government are moving employment to the larger cities?

[David Rutley]

We had a full debate in Westminster Hall yesterday that the hon. Member was successful in securing, and we discussed this in more detail. What we can do to support his area is not just around the changes we are proposing today, but is much broader. There is a big broad economic agenda to improve the north-east, which his constituency will benefit from, too.