Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ian Lavery and Greg Clark

Monday 9th November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab)]

14. What steps he plans to take to ensure adequate funding of fire and rescue services.

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Greg Clark)]

The spending review will set out the resources that are available to local government as a whole, and the allocations for each authority will be published in the provisional local government financial settlement later this year.

[Ian Lavery]

Northumberland fire and rescue service made proposals last week further to cut front-line services, which will undoubtedly compromise public safety and the safety of people in the brigade. Can the Secretary of State explain how it is in the best interests of the general public for fire and rescue service budgets to be slashed and slashed to the bone?

[Greg Clark]

The hon. Gentleman gets it wrong. The National Audit Office recently published a report stating that, financially, fire and rescue authorities have coped well with the reductions. We know that there has been a 42% decrease in incidents over the past 10 years, and it is right that all parts of the public sector make savings. As it happens, the fire and rescue authorities have made savings of less than the rest of local government.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ian Lavery and Greg Clark

Thursday 8th January 2015 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

That is not the Government’s policy and I do not agree with the suggestion. I take great pride in the fact that the brightest and best people in the world want to come and study at our excellent universities. It is great news that we heard just before Christmas that we have record numbers of overseas students applying for admission to university in this country next year. When they come here, they will receive the most cordial of welcomes.

[Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab)]

Most companies pay the national minimum wage, but increasingly we have seen more companies not wishing to pay it and developing numerous professional scams—making individuals pay for uniforms, non-payment of mileage, bogus employment and bogus apprenticeships. What will the Government do to police the national minimum wage effectively in respect of these companies?