Ian Mearns Portrait

Ian Mearns

Labour - Former Member for Gateshead

First elected: 6th May 2010

Left House: 30th May 2024 (Dissolution)


Backbench Business Committee
15th Nov 2023 - 30th May 2024
Liaison Committee (Commons)
20th May 2020 - 30th May 2024
Education Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 30th May 2024
Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) Bill
31st Jan 2024 - 7th Feb 2024
Backbench Business Committee
27th Jan 2020 - 26th Oct 2023
Liaison Committee (Commons)
6th Nov 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Backbench Business Committee
12th Jul 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Education Committee
11th Sep 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Liaison Committee Sub-committee on the effectiveness and influence of the select committee system
13th Feb 2019 - 6th Nov 2019
Liaison Committee (Commons)
10th Sep 2015 - 3rd May 2017
Education Committee
6th Jul 2015 - 3rd May 2017
Education, Skills and the Economy Sub-Committee
25th Nov 2015 - 3rd May 2017
Backbench Business Committee
24th May 2016 - 3rd May 2017
Backbench Business Committee
18th Jun 2015 - 12th May 2016
High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill (Commons)
29th Apr 2014 - 7th Jul 2015
Backbench Business Committee
30th Jun 2014 - 30th Mar 2015
Education Committee
12th Jul 2010 - 30th Mar 2015
Backbench Business Committee
10th Jun 2013 - 14th May 2014
Backbench Business Committee
12th Jun 2012 - 25th Apr 2013
Backbench Business Committee
8th Nov 2010 - 1st May 2012


Division Voting information

Ian Mearns has voted in 2409 divisions, and 11 times against the majority of their Party.

25 Mar 2021 - Coronavirus - View Vote Context
Ian Mearns voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 21 Labour No votes vs 176 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 484 Noes - 76
30 Dec 2020 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
Ian Mearns voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 7 Labour Aye votes vs 183 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 335 Noes - 212
25 Jun 2018 - National Policy Statement: Airports - View Vote Context
Ian Mearns voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 94 Labour No votes vs 119 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 415 Noes - 119
8 Feb 2017 - Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada - View Vote Context
Ian Mearns voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 68 Labour No votes vs 85 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 409 Noes - 126
18 Jun 2015 - European Union Referendum Bill - View Vote Context
Ian Mearns voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 10 Labour Aye votes vs 195 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 71 Noes - 514
22 Oct 2014 - Independent parliamentary standards authority - View Vote Context
Ian Mearns voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 8 Labour No votes vs 151 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 384 Noes - 18
11 Jul 2012 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
Ian Mearns voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 69 Labour Aye votes vs 138 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 241 Noes - 256
11 Jul 2012 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
Ian Mearns voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 66 Labour No votes vs 139 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 267 Noes - 233
19 Oct 2011 - Deferred Division - View Vote Context
Ian Mearns voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 28 Labour Aye votes vs 71 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 306 Noes - 95
25 Jan 2011 - European Union Bill - View Vote Context
Ian Mearns voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 4 Labour No votes vs 10 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 31 Noes - 324
14 Dec 2021 - Public Health - View Vote Context
Ian Mearns voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 22 Labour No votes vs 124 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 385 Noes - 100
View All Ian Mearns Division Votes

All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative)
(136 debate interactions)
Andrea Leadsom (Conservative)
(123 debate interactions)
Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker)
(61 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Leader of the House
(303 debate contributions)
Department for Education
(180 debate contributions)
Department for Transport
(101 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(79 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Ian Mearns's debates

Latest EDMs signed by Ian Mearns

23rd May 2024
Ian Mearns signed this EDM on Friday 24th May 2024

Protecting Our Democracy from Coercion report

Tabled by: Mick Whitley (Labour - Birkenhead)
That this House recognises the fundamental importance of the right to non-violent protest to the democratic process; believes that the freedom of citizens to exercise this right has, in recent years, been undermined by oppressive Government legislation, including the Public Order Act 2023; is concerned by the recommendations of Lord …
10 signatures
(Most recent: 24 May 2024)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 7
Green Party: 1
Independent: 1
Scottish National Party: 1
15th May 2024
Ian Mearns signed this EDM on Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Imperial War Museums and union derecognition

Tabled by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
That this House is alarmed by reports that Imperial War Museums plans to derecognise the Public and Commercial Services union and the First Division Association for the purposes of collective representation and bargaining; is concerned that derecognising these trade unions would undermine the collective bargaining power of staff, leaving them …
33 signatures
(Most recent: 24 May 2024)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 18
Scottish National Party: 11
Independent: 2
Green Party: 1
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
View All Ian Mearns's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Ian Mearns, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Ian Mearns has not been granted any Urgent Questions

1 Adjournment Debate led by Ian Mearns

Thursday 19th May 2011

2 Bills introduced by Ian Mearns


A Bill to limit the use of zero-hours contracts; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 40%

Last Event - 2nd Reading: House Of Commons
Friday 21st November 2014

The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to require police forces to register hate crimes committed against people with learning difficulties and learning disabilities including autism; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Wednesday 30th October 2013

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
2 Other Department Questions
24th Mar 2021
What recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on educational inequalities.

Disadvantaged pupils have always been at the heart of education policy. We have taken unprecedented action to address educational inequalities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 24 February, we announced a £700 million Education Recovery package, building on the £1bn from last year. As well as a range of measures to support all pupils to recover lost learning, the package includes significant funding aimed at addressing the needs of disadvantaged pupils. This includes a one-off £302 million Recovery Premium for the next academic year that will be allocated to schools based on the same methodology as the pupil premium. Schools with more disadvantaged pupils will therefore receive larger allocations. Within this package is a £22m accelerator fund, towards evidence-based approaches that support children and young people in disadvantaged areas.

In June 2020 as part of the £1 billion Covid catch up package, we announced £350 million to fund the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) for disadvantaged students for the academic years 2020/21 and 2021/22. The programme will provide additional, targeted support for those children and young people who have been hardest hit from disruption to their education as a result of school closures.

There is extensive evidence that tutoring is one of the most effective ways to accelerate pupil progress, and we want to extend this opportunity to disadvantaged and vulnerable learners. We are also funding small group tuition for 16 to 19-year-olds and early language skills in reception classes.

The Education Endowment Foundation was founded in 2011 to research and promote the most effective ways of accelerating pupil progress. They have published guidance to help schools make the most of this additional funding.

We are investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services. To date, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, trusts, local authorities and further education providers. Since 2011 we have continued to provide Pupil Premium funding – worth £2.4bn again this year – for school leaders to use, based on the needs of their disadvantaged pupils.

Kemi Badenoch
Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
5th Mar 2021
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment she has made of the prevalence of LGBTQ+ conversion therapy providers; and what plans she has to bring forward legislative proposals to prevent the (a) advertising and (b) delivery of conversion therapy services.

We are following through with our commitment to end conversion therapy in the UK and will bring forward plans to do so shortly. We have undertaken research to understand practices, experiences and impacts associated with conversion therapy and will publish this in due course. Officials are also in discussion with international policy counterparts, to fully understand the detail and impact of other jurisdictions’ measures, in order to inform the UK’s next steps.

Alongside this work, officials are reviewing the current legislative framework and engaging a number of relevant departments across Whitehall. We have engaged experts and survivors to understand how Government action may impact them and continue to engage with key stakeholders.

The Government is working at pace on ending conversion therapy and will outline in due course how it intends to proceed with an effective response.

Kemi Badenoch
Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
5th Feb 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plan to temporarily suspend the requirement for physical signatures on Local Election Candidate Nomination forms for the elections in May 2021 to (a) prevent transmission of covid-19 infection between households and (b) help ensure a level playing field for all candidates including those who may be classified as vulnerable.

The Government has published a clear Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement of 8 February 2021 HCWS773 which gave details of the measures to reduce the number of signatures required by candidates as part of the nominations process to stand at the elections being held in May 2021.

Julia Lopez
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
17th Jan 2018
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he carried out any assessment of the effect of Carillion's liquidation on the viability of the small businesses in its supply chain in the UK prior to deciding not to support that company through the bail-out negotiations.

We are doing everything we can to support Carillion’s subcontractors and suppliers impacted by this collapse, but taxpayers should not, and will not, bail out a private sector company for private sector losses or allow rewards for failure.

We have also set up a taskforce to advise on the impact on small businesses and employees affected by Carillion’s insolvency. It will act as a means for government to communicate to those affected by Carillion’s liquidation, assess wider economic impacts and consider how to ensure that employees are provided with the right support to maximise rapid re-employment.

Oliver Dowden
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
17th Jan 2018
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the appointment of PwC as Official Receivers to Carillion; how many PwC employees are working on the management of Carillion; and what the timetable is for PwC remaining involved in the management of Carillion.

PwC are not the Official Receivers. Information on the role of PwC within Carillion is held by the Insolvency Service who are the contracting authority for this work.

Oliver Dowden
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
4th Sep 2014
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to maintain the level of youth services provision.

We are working to offer practical support to the youth sector at a time when local authorities continue to make difficult decisions on how to deliver services. This support focuses on promoting delivery models for innovative services, including mutuals, and better measurement of the impact of youth services on the lives of young people.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the appointment of PwC as Official Receivers to Carillion; how many PwC employees are working on the management of Carillion; and what the timetable is for PwC remaining involved in the management of Carillion.

PwC are not the Official Receivers. Information on the role of PwC within Carillion is held by the Insolvency Service who are the contracting authority for this work.

Oliver Dowden
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to maintain the level of youth services provision.

We are supporting the voluntary sector in offering new learning opportunities for young people through programmes like NCS.

In addition, we will be offering practical support to local authorities who want to deliver high quality youth services in an innovative way - for example by access to our £10m support programme for Mutuals.

5th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that workers on the National Living Wage receive any uplift in pay as soon as it comes into effect rather than after a pay reference period has ended.

National Minimum Wage (NMW) regulations are clear that all workers must be paid at least the NMW for the hours worked in each pay reference period (PRP). When the NMW rates change, the increase applies to the first PRP starting on or after the date of any change. The Government recognises that low paid workers want to receive the pay rise that they are entitled to as soon as possible after the rates increased on 1 April.

Kevin Hollinrake
Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
5th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Smart Export Guarantee on private investment in renewable technology; and whether he plans to link the SEG tariffs to the prices suppliers charge customers for energy.

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) annual report, published by Ofgem in October 2022, highlighted a significant increase in the number of installations registering for a SEG tariff (34,020 installations compared to 4,593 from Year 1).

The SEG is a cost-reflective and market led mechanism. Suppliers determine the value of the exported electricity and take account of the associated administrative costs when setting their tariffs.

30th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November to Question 84872 on Energy Bills Rebate: District Heating, by which date he plans to announce the method of delivery for the Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding payments.

The Government is working in partnership with local authorities to finalise the details of the Alternative Funding. The Government is aiming to launch the scheme in January and will make a further announcement on delivery mechanism details soon.

11th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish details on the additional £100 Energy Bills Support payment for households who are part of a local domestic heat network.

Heat network customers are benefiting from the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. These customers will therefore not receive the Alternative Fuel Payment of £200, which has been designed to support households using fuels such as oil, LPG or coal.

My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has said that the EBRS will be reformed from April 2023. The Government will bring forward a route to deliver bespoke support for on heat network consumers from this date.

11th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish guidance on the Energy Bills Support Scheme for households who receive their energy through private heat and power networks.

The Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding will provide a £400 discount on energy bills for the small percentage of households who will not be reached through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. This includes those who do not have a domestic electricity meter or a direct relationship with an electricity supplier. Eligibility, timescales and method of delivery will be announced in the coming weeks.

15th Sep 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish the (a) data, (b) evidence and (c) reasoning which supports the findings that the Valneva covid-19 vaccine in trial would not receive UK regulatory approval prior to the end of that trial.

The response given by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to a question raised by the hon. Member for Livingston (Hannah Bardell) has been clarified [1] to make clear that Valneva’s Covid-19 vaccine has not yet gained approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) here in the UK, and that the outcome of that approval process will be a matter for the MHRA once the trials have been concluded and the data has been submitted.

[1]https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-09-16/debates/E09C8E55-4307-43B6-B57E-BA2E9BFB556F/HealthAndSocialCare#10MC

24th Jun 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Green Homes Grant scheme and the latest data release of 24 June 2021, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the difference between the number of vouchers issued and the number of measures actually installed; and what assessment he has made of the main challenges with delivery of measures under that scheme once a voucher has been issued.

Official statistics published on 24 June for the Green Homes Grant Voucher scheme describe installations completed prior to 03 June. More installations are being completed every day.

As per the release, 59,704 vouchers, worth over £273 million, have been issued (excluding those that have expired). 20,557 measures have been installed, giving a conversion rate of 34.4%.

Once a voucher has been issued, it is the responsibility of the customer and installer to schedule the installation and ensure work is undertaken. Installations for some measures will take longer and vary based on the size and structure of the property, along with the timing of the installation.

Vouchers continue to be issued with a three-month validity period. To ensure measures are installed as quickly as possible, we have also updated voucher extension policy for the scheme.

The Department regularly reviews information about the number of vouchers that have been issued and how many installations have been completed and vouchers paid. We are in frequent discussion with the scheme administrator in relation to this and maintain regular contact with stakeholders to understand possible issues and delays.

26th Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to increase the financial cap for eligibility for a Debt Relief Order; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing that financial cap to £50,000.

The Government has recently consulted on proposals to increase the eligibility criteria for Debt Relief Orders to help more people deal with their financial difficulties and to provide a fresh start. The consultation includes increasing the total amount of debt allowable in a Debt Relief Order. The consultation proposes an increase from the current debt limit of £20,000 to £30,000 but also seeks views on whether a different limit should be implemented. The consultation closed on 26 February 2021 and the Government is currently reviewing the responses.

4th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to introduce more stringent supply chain employment requirements for the offshore wind industry ahead of the next Contract for Difference auction process.

The Government is eager to deliver supply chain investment and jobs from CfD contracts. We have confirmed our intention to align the Supply Chain Plan process with government priorities, and we are currently consulting[1] on proposals to introduce consequences for non-delivery of commitments that developers put forward in their Supply Chain Plans, which are approved before they enter the CfD Allocation Round. We are also strengthening the Supply Chain Plan monitoring process to support compliance.

These measures should be seen alongside my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement on £160 million of new funding towards investment to upgrade ports and infrastructure and long-term ambitions to increase renewable energy capacity in the next CfD auction, which, together, will support new UK content, jobs and investment.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/contracts-for-difference-cfd-changes-to-supply-chain-plans-and-the-cfd-contract - Closing date 18th January 2021.

4th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that the next Contract for Difference auction process assists the offshore wind industry in meeting its commitment to 60 per cent UK content in the supply chain for offshore wind farms on the UK Continental Shelf before 2030.

The Government is eager to deliver supply chain investment from CfD contracts. We have confirmed our intention to align the Supply Chain Plan process with government priorities, and we are currently consulting[1] on proposals to introduce consequences for non-delivery of commitments that developers put forward in their Supply Chain Plans, which are approved before they enter the CfD Allocation Round. We are also strengthening the Supply Chain Plan monitoring process to support compliance.

These measures should be seen alongside my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement on £160 million of new funding towards investment to upgrade ports and infrastructure and long-term ambitions to increase renewable energy capacity in the next CfD auction, which, together, will support new UK content, jobs and investment.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/contracts-for-difference-cfd-changes-to-supply-chain-plans-and-the-cfd-contract - Closing date 18th January 2021.

16th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on regulatory measures in the coastal shipping sector to increase domestic employment in the supply chain roles for (a) offshore wind, (b) decommissioning and (c) Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage projects on the UK Continental Shelf.

I regularly meet my colleagues in the Department for Transport to discuss a wide range of issues, including on how we deliver the aims of the Industrial Strategy.

16th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will review the Crown Estate’s licensing process for offshore wind farms to ensure that (a) employment and (b) port activity in the supply chain is reserved for UK based (i) workers and (ii) ports after the EU transition period expires.

The Crown Estate is an independent commercial business, created by Act of Parliament, and the Department does not have powers to review their licensing process. However, Ministers and officials of the Department work closely with the Crown Estate to ensure that offshore wind leasing process are consistent with the Government’s renewable ambitions to achieve net zero by 2050 while boosting the UK economy.

16th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to amend the Contracts for Difference auction process for offshore wind farm projects on the UK Continental Shelf to weight the process in favour of developers who commit to use Tier 1-3 contractors who employ (a) seafarers and (b) other maritime workers in the domestic supply chain.

The Government is currently consulting on proposals to strengthen Contracts for Difference (CfD) Supply Chain Plans, to align them more closely with government priorities. We propose to introduce consequences for non-delivery of commitments that developers put forward in their Supply Chain Plans and strengthen the monitoring process to support compliance.

These measures should be seen alongside my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s recent announcement on £160 million of new funding towards investment to upgrade ports and infrastructure to ensure UK ports have the necessary facilities and capabilities to meet the future needs of offshore wind developers. Together with other commitments on offshore wind, this will enable the sector to support up to 60,000 jobs directly and indirectly by 2030 in ports, factories and the supply chains.

16th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to amend the Contracts for Difference auction process for offshore wind farm projects on the UK Continental Shelf to weight the process in favour of developers who commit to the exclusive use of UK ports by their Tier 1-3 contractors.

The Government is currently consulting on proposals to strengthen Contracts for Difference (CfD) Supply Chain Plans, to align them more closely with government priorities. We propose to introduce consequences for non-delivery of commitments that developers put forward in their Supply Chain Plans and strengthen the monitoring process to support compliance.

These measures should be seen alongside my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s recent announcement on £160 million of new funding towards investment to upgrade ports and infrastructure to ensure UK ports have the necessary facilities and capabilities to meet the future needs of offshore wind developers and remain competitive.

8th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to launch revised local content methodology for the offshore wind industry; and whether that methodology will apply to supply chain contractors.

The Offshore Wind Industry committed to updating its UK content methodology and a longer-term move towards increased transparency as part of the Offshore Wind Sector Deal. The industry has committed to reviewing the methodology and they will publish this once agreed.

The methodology applies to every developer, who are obliged to seek UK content data from their suppliers, using the same methodology, for all contracts above £10m.

28th Aug 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans his Department has to review the (a) weekly income limit, (b) maximum number of qualifying years and (c) other eligibility criteria and limitations on the Statutory Redundancy Pay Scheme.

Any employee who is dismissed due to redundancy and who satisfies certain qualifying conditions has a statutory entitlement to a lump sum from their employer, based on their age, length of service and contractual weekly earnings, subject to a statutory upper limit, payable at, or soon after, the dismissal date.

The statutory redundancy scheme is intended to provide a minimum “safety net” of entitlement for vulnerable employees, and the legislation leaves the parties free to negotiate and agree improvements on the statutory entitlement according to their own priorities, needs and circumstances.

We introduced new legislation which commenced on 31 July to ensure that furloughed employees who are subsequently made redundant receive statutory redundancy pay, statutory notice pay, unfair dismissal compensation and pay for short-time working based on the employee’s normal pay, rather than their furlough pay (potentially 80% of their normal wage). The Government has always urged employers to do the right thing and not seek to disadvantage furloughed employees who are facing redundancy.

12th Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has any plans to increase the protections afforded to those who buy gift cards for businesses in cash, in line with those offered through the Chargeback scheme and Consumer Credit Act, in circumstances where businesses enter administration.

The Department asked the Law Commission to examine the protection given to consumer prepayments, including gift vouchers, and consider whether such protections should be strengthened. The Law Commission concluded that gift voucher losses were relatively uncommon, and mandatory regulation on gift vouchers in an insolvency context would be disproportionate. Costs arising to businesses from regulation could also be passed on to consumers.

The Government has worked with the industry and consumer groups to publish better guidance for insolvency practitioners on the information that should be made available to consumers when a retailer becomes insolvent.

14th Mar 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the effect of pre-construction agreements between offshore wind farm owners and contractors on employment (a) conditions, (b) practices and (c) levels.

Terms and conditions of employment are for negotiation and agreement between employers and employees (or their representatives). Once agreed they form a legally binding contract of employment. While it is always open to either party to seek to renegotiate the terms of the contract, if the employer changes any of the terms without the employee’s agreement, the employee may be entitled to seek legal redress.

Importantly, workers on offshore windfarms are entitled to the same protections as UK workers, including National Minimum Wage for all their work on the installation, construction and maintenance of the windfarms regardless of nationality or where they ordinarily work.

13th Mar 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK employment law applies to shipping companies contracted to (a) transport, (b) install, (c) construct and (d) maintain offshore wind farms on the UK Continental Shelf.

Workers on offshore windfarms are entitled to the same protections as UK workers, including National Minimum Wage for all their work on the installation, construction and maintenance of the windfarms regardless of nationality or where they ordinarily work.

Workers on UK registered ships are entitled to National Minimum Wage for all their work on the ship wherever it is located, unless they work entirely outside the UK or are not ordinarily resident in the UK. BEIS and the DfT are working together to increase the scope of National Minimum Wage entitlement from those seafarers in internal waters to those working in the territorial sea, an area that extends up to 12 nautical miles from the mean low-water line.

This Government takes minimum wage enforcement seriously and is committed to ensuring all employers pay their workers correctly. We continue to invest heavily in minimum wage enforcement, increasing the budget to over £26 million for 2018/19, up from £13 million in 2015/16. In addition to following up on every worker complaint received, HMRC undertake proactive investigations and conduct awareness raising activities amongst both employers and workers. Last year, HMRC identified record arrears of £15.6 million, for over 200,000 workers.

13th Mar 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the number of jobs that will be created for UK-resident (a) seafarers and (b) divers at the (i) transportation, (ii) installation, (iii) construction and (iv) maintenance phases of the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm; and what recent assurances he has sought from Red Rock Power regarding the contractors engaged to carry out each phase of work.

No estimates have been made by the Government on the number of jobs that will be created by the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm.

Red Rock has publicly stated the Inch Cape project could create up to 1,900 jobs in the UK during construction. http://www.inchcapewind.com/news/Inch_Cape_Offshore_Wind_Development_announces_supply_chain_commitments

The project will also create long-term local jobs during the operations and maintenance of the windfarm.

The Department meets regularly with all offshore wind developers to understand their plans for delivering projects in the UK.

12th Feb 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how regularly he meets with the Oil and Gas Authority; and when he last discussed with that authority regulatory issues affecting supply chain contractors from the shipping industry.

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and I meet regularly with the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA). These meetings include discussions about the oil and gas industry and more broadly, the challenges facing the supply chain. However, the OGA does not have regulatory responsibility for the shipping industry or its supply chains.

12th Feb 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many contracts for offshore worker accommodation on (a) semi-submersible platforms and (b) barges were issued by oil and gas companies in the UK Continental Shelf in each year since 2013.

The Department does not hold the requested information.

12th Feb 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to prevent blacklisting of UK seafarers working in the North Sea oil and gas supply chain.

Blacklisting is completely unacceptable and has no place in modern employment relations. The Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 made it unlawful for an individual or organisation to compile, sell or make use of a blacklist of trade union members or those who have taken part in trade union activities.

Any individual or trade union who believes they have been the victim of blacklisting can enforce their rights under the regulations through an employment tribunal or the county court.

The 2010 blacklisting regulations are reinforced by powers in the Data Protection Act 2018, protecting use of personal data, including information on trade union membership and sensitive personal data. The Information Commissioner’s Office regulates use of personal data and investigates breaches of the Data Protection Act 2018. It has the power to take enforcement action, including searching premises, issuing enforcement notices and imposing fines for serious breaches.

The Information Commissioner will shortly open a call for evidence on the implications of modern employment practices in recruitment and selection, and the obligations of employers. If blacklisting is occurring, it should bring it to light. There’s no need to wait for that enquiry to begin however, anyone with evidence should present it to the Information Commissioner’s Office now.

12th Feb 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what standard tests of appropriate commercial behaviour the Oil and Gas Authority applies to the (a) upstream, (b) midstream and (c) downstream supply chain of the offshore oil and gas industry.

The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) regulates the upstream oil and gas industry. As part of its decision making process to approve new projects (Field Development Plans) the OGA requires oil and gas companies to complete a satisfactory Supply Chain Action Plan (SCAP) which details how the project will be delivered in partnership with the supply chain. SCAPs focus on quality, trust, innovation and engagement, and the SCAP review and marking process aims to encourage the operator and supply chain company to work more closely together to increase efficiency and introduce innovation.

In addition, the OGA works closely with the industry via the Maximising Economic Recovery UK Forum on culture change to improve the commercial behaviours across the sector.

19th Jul 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department's latest estimate is of the remaining recoverable oil and gas deposits under the (a) North, (b) Central and (c) Southern North Sea.

The Government created the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) to regulate, influence and promote the UK oil and gas industry in order to maximise the economic recovery of the UK’s oil and gas resources.

The OGA’s “UK Oil and Gas: Reserves and Resources” report estimates that overall remaining recoverable hydrocarbon resources ranged between 10 and 20 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) as at the end of 2016. The report may be found at:

https://www.ogauthority.co.uk/data-centre/data-downloads-and-publications/reserves-and-resources/.

19th Jul 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the level of (a) exploration and (b) drilling activity in the North Sea since January 2017.

The Government created the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) to regulate, influence and promote the UK oil and gas industry in order to maximise the economic recovery of the UK’s oil and gas resources.

The OGA publishes data on levels of exploration and other drilling in the UK North Sea. These can be found online at: https://www.ogauthority.co.uk/data-centre/data-downloads-and-publications/well-data/

19th Jul 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the 21st Century Exploration Roadmap Palaeozoic Project on the exploitation of viable oil and gas deposits under the UK Continental Shelf; and if he will make a statement.

The information which has emerged from the 21st Century Exploration Roadmap Palaeozoic Project has helped incentivise further interest in UK offshore areas and complemented existing knowledge and understanding by making additional geological data available to the industry .

21st Century Roadmap projects, of which the Palaeozoic Project is one, have contributed data and interpretations that have been used by the industry to inform licence applications in the Oil and Gas Authority’s 29th Frontier Licence round. It is expected that the findings from these projects will again prove impactful in the recently launched 31st Frontier Licence round.

19th Jul 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish the (a) public and (b) private sources of funding for the 21st Century Exploration Roadmap Palaeozoic Project undertaken by the Oil and Gas Authority and British Geological Survey between November 2014 and May 2016.

The 21st Century Exploration Roadmap Palaeozoic Project was co-funded by Government and industry. Oil and Gas UK and 49 operators contributed £685,000 to the £1.32m project, with Government funding the remainder.

23rd Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to respond to the recommendation in the Low Pay Commission's Spring 2016 report on the National Minimum Wage (NMW) that HM Revenue and Customs investigation of third party reports of NMW breaches be subject to a public protocol.

The Government is carefully considering the non-rate recommendations in the Low Pay Commission Spring 2016, and will respond in due course.

23rd Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on convening a cross-government and stakeholder working party on the application of the national minimum wage for seafarers; and when he expects that working party to meet.

The application of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for seafarers continues to be considered by the cross-Government working group which is reviewing the implementation of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011.

The Government is working with key stakeholders through this working group to agree and finalise revised guidance on the NMW for seafarers which will be published shortly.

12th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a scheme similar to the Eat Out to Help Out scheme to encourage people to access health and fitness facilities to support public health and businesses in that sector.

Sports and physical activity are crucial for our mental and physical health. That’s why we continued to make sure that people can exercise throughout the national restrictions, and why we ensured that grassroots sport was front of the queue when easing those restrictions.

On Monday 22 February, the Prime Minister announced a roadmap out of the current lockdown in England. The government has introduced a step approach to the return of outdoor and indoor sport areas across England. From 8 March, sport can take place in school for all children, or as part of wraparound activities if children are attending in order to enable their parents to work, seek work, attend education, seek medical care, or attend a support group. Organised outdoor sport restarted on 29 March and indoor leisure facilities including gyms re-opened for indoor use on 12 April.

The Government has provided unprecedented support to the sport sector to ensure these facilities are able to open. Beyond elite level sport, on the 22nd October 2020, the government announced a £100 million support fund for local authority leisure centres. Sport England are also providing £220 million directly to support community sport clubs and exercise centres through this pandemic, including their £35 million Community Emergency Fund. Sport England’s new strategy, ‘Uniting the Movement’, dedicated an additional £50 million to support grassroots sports clubs and organisations.

10th Mar 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Government's Covid-19 Response and Roadmap and guidance on the re-opening of indoor fitness facilities and gyms; at what stage will one to one personal training or rehabilitation sessions be permitted to resume indoors.

Sports and physical activity are crucial for our mental and physical health. That’s why we have continued to make sure that people can exercise throughout the national restrictions and why we have ensured that grassroots and children’s sport is front of the queue when easing those restrictions.

On Monday 22 February, the Prime Minister announced a roadmap out of the current lockdown in England. One to one coaching and personal training can continue outdoors under the same rules as during national restrictions. As part of step 2, the majority of indoor leisure facilities will be able to open for individual use including one to one coaching and personal training. As part of step 3, we expect exercise classes to be able to resume.

30th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to his oral evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee of 22 April 2020, HC157, what assessment his Department has made of whether Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and the Private Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia are separate entities.

As the Secretary of State said during his evidence at the select committee, it is for the Premier League alone to make assessments of potential acquisitions of football clubs under its Owners’ and Directors’ Test.

8th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues to secure support for the Sport of Association Football and clubs at all levels of the game.

Football clubs are the bedrock of our local communities and it is vital they are protected at all levels of the game. That is why we have provided unprecedented support to businesses through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support, which many football clubs have benefited from. Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund has also provided £210 million directly to support community sport clubs and exercise centres through this pandemic.

The government has also been consistently clear that it expects football to support itself through this time. The Premier League and English Football League were some of the first elite competitions to return "behind closed doors", which enabled vital broadcast revenue to flow into the sport to look after the wider football family, retained competitive integrity and brought joy to millions of sports fans. The government also ensured Project Restart was shared with everyone by getting Premier League football on the BBC for the first time ever.

The government recognises the implications for sports clubs of not being able to admit spectators to stadia from 1 October, and are working urgently on what we can do now to support them. The Department will continue to work with colleagues across Whitehall to support the sector.

2nd Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to (a) allow the reopening of five-a-side football premises and (b) permit small numbers of people to take part in contact sport as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Sports and physical activity facilities play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active. The Government has made it clear that it will adopt a phased approach based on scientific and medical advice, and that the primary goal is to protect public health. The Government is in discussions with representatives from the sport and physical activity sector about the steps required to restart grassroots sport and will update the public when it is deemed safe to reopen indoor sports venues and facilities, including five-a-side football premises.

24th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to expand the 30 hours of funded childcare for working parents to include income earned through PhD studies as a qualifying income.

The department is not currently planning to extend the 30 hours of free childcare to include income earned through PhD studies. We recognise the value of parents continuing in education and provide a range of support for students in further or higher education to support them with childcare.

Students starting a doctoral degree on or after 1 August 2018 are eligible to receive a postgraduate doctoral loan to help with course fees and living costs, including childcare, which can be up to £27,892 for students starting their courses in the current academic year, 2022/23.

In addition to the above childcare support for doctoral students, all parents are eligible for the universal 15 hours of free early education which is available to every three and four-year-old, regardless of family circumstances.

Working parents of three and four-year-olds may also be eligible for an additional 15 hours of free childcare if they earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at national minimum or living wage and earn under £100,000 per year. Students who participate in paid work in addition to their studies and who meet the income requirements will be eligible for the additional hours.

Parents who meet these income criteria may also be able to receive support from Tax-Free Childcare, which can be worth up to £2,000 per year for children aged 0-11, or up to £4,000 per year for some disabled children aged 0-16.

Further information on the childcare offers available to parents can be found at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The department remains committed to improving the cost, choice, and availability of childcare. We continue to look at ways to make childcare more affordable and to encourage families to use government-funded support they are entitled to.

Claire Coutinho
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
12th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, from what date university students will be able to return to campus and resume in-person teaching.

Following the review into when the remaining higher education students can return to in-person teaching and learning, the government has announced that the remaining students should return to in-person teaching no earlier than 17 May 2021, alongside Step 3 of the roadmap. Students and institutions will be given at least a week’s notice of any further return in accordance with the timing of Step 3 of the roadmap.

The government roadmap is designed to maintain a cautious approach to the easing of restrictions to reduce public health risks and ensure that we can maintain progress towards full reopening. However, the government recognises the difficulties and disruption that this may cause for many students and their families and that is why the government is making a further £15 million of additional student hardship funding available for this academic year 2020/21. In total we have made an additional £85 million of funding available for student hardship.

We are supporting universities to provide regular twice weekly asymptomatic testing for all students and staff on-site and, from May, at home. This will help break chains of transmission of the virus.

12th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support disabled children and their families to recover from effects of the covid-19 outbreak.

Supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families is a priority for this government, and their educational, physical and mental wellbeing remains central to our cross-government response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

We have provided £40.8 million for the Family Fund in 2020-21 to support over 80,000 families on low incomes raising children with disabilities or serious illnesses. This includes £13.5 million to specifically respond to needs arising from the outbreak.

We have published guidance for children's social care services, making clear that parents or carers of disabled children and young people may continue to access respite care, and have communicated best practice to Directors of Children's Services and local authorities to ensure that as many disabled children and young people as possible can continue to access these services during the COVID-19 outbreak. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-childrens-social-care-services/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-local-authorities-on-childrens-social-care.

The government has provided £4.6 billion of additional funding in financial year 2020-21 to support councils through the COVID-19 outbreak to respond to local needs, including to deliver services to support vulnerable children.

We have and continue to develop plans for COVID-19 recovery. As part of this, both special schools and alternative provision will be able to access funding to provide summer schools and the National Tutoring Programme, and we recognise the additional costs associated with offering provision to pupils in specialist settings. This means that eligible pupils in special schools, special units in mainstream primary and secondary schools and alternative provision settings will attract a higher rate of the new one-off Recovery Premium funding worth £302 million, as well as funding for summer schools. We have consistently prioritised children who attend specialist settings in our Recovery Premiums to schools by providing additional uplifts both in 2020 and in 2021.

Young people with SEND aged 19 to 24 who have an education, health and care plan will be eligible for support via the 16 to 19 Tuition Fund, where they meet the fund criteria. Providers are asked to have regard to the needs of students with SEND when prioritising students that would benefit most from small group tuition. Furthermore, the proposals to support early language and literacy recovery will benefit all children, including those with SEND.

£200 million will be available to all secondary schools, including specialist settings, to deliver face-to-face summer schools. Schools will be able to target provision based on pupils’ needs. The size and shape of the summer schools will be decided by school leaders who know best what the most effective summer school will look like for their pupils, allowing them to tailor support for pupils, including those with SEND.

Sir Kevan Collins has also been appointed as the Education Recovery Commissioner and is considering how schools and the system can more effectively target resources and support at pupils in greatest need.

The department will continue to assess the impact of the outbreak and its subsequent COVID-19 recovery plans on all pupils, including those with SEND, to ensure it targets support across the system most effectively.

12th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of implementing a COVID-19 recovery plan for disabled children and their families.

Supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families is a priority for this government, and their educational, physical and mental wellbeing remains central to our cross-government response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

We have provided £40.8 million for the Family Fund in 2020-21 to support over 80,000 families on low incomes raising children with disabilities or serious illnesses. This includes £13.5 million to specifically respond to needs arising from the outbreak.

We have published guidance for children's social care services, making clear that parents or carers of disabled children and young people may continue to access respite care, and have communicated best practice to Directors of Children's Services and local authorities to ensure that as many disabled children and young people as possible can continue to access these services during the COVID-19 outbreak. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-childrens-social-care-services/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-local-authorities-on-childrens-social-care.

The government has provided £4.6 billion of additional funding in financial year 2020-21 to support councils through the COVID-19 outbreak to respond to local needs, including to deliver services to support vulnerable children.

We have and continue to develop plans for COVID-19 recovery. As part of this, both special schools and alternative provision will be able to access funding to provide summer schools and the National Tutoring Programme, and we recognise the additional costs associated with offering provision to pupils in specialist settings. This means that eligible pupils in special schools, special units in mainstream primary and secondary schools and alternative provision settings will attract a higher rate of the new one-off Recovery Premium funding worth £302 million, as well as funding for summer schools. We have consistently prioritised children who attend specialist settings in our Recovery Premiums to schools by providing additional uplifts both in 2020 and in 2021.

Young people with SEND aged 19 to 24 who have an education, health and care plan will be eligible for support via the 16 to 19 Tuition Fund, where they meet the fund criteria. Providers are asked to have regard to the needs of students with SEND when prioritising students that would benefit most from small group tuition. Furthermore, the proposals to support early language and literacy recovery will benefit all children, including those with SEND.

£200 million will be available to all secondary schools, including specialist settings, to deliver face-to-face summer schools. Schools will be able to target provision based on pupils’ needs. The size and shape of the summer schools will be decided by school leaders who know best what the most effective summer school will look like for their pupils, allowing them to tailor support for pupils, including those with SEND.

Sir Kevan Collins has also been appointed as the Education Recovery Commissioner and is considering how schools and the system can more effectively target resources and support at pupils in greatest need.

The department will continue to assess the impact of the outbreak and its subsequent COVID-19 recovery plans on all pupils, including those with SEND, to ensure it targets support across the system most effectively.

12th Apr 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to tackle social isolation in disabled children and their families.

Supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families is a priority for this government, and their educational, physical and mental wellbeing remains central to our cross-government response to the COVID-19 outbreak. That is why education settings have remained open for children and young people with an education, health and care plan throughout periods of national lockdown.

The return to school for all pupils was prioritised due to the significant and proven impact caused by being out of school, including on wellbeing. The support schools provide to their pupils as they return to face-to-face education should include time devoted to supporting wellbeing, which will play a fundamental part in supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing recovery. The expectations for schools in this regard are set out clearly in the main Department for Education guidance to schools, which also signposts further support, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak.

We have worked with our partners, including the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), Health Education England, Public Health England and other key voluntary sector organisations to deliver the Wellbeing for Education Return programme, which has provided training and resources to help school staff respond to the wellbeing and mental health needs of pupils. This £8 million government backed programme provided schools and colleges all over England with the knowledge and access to resources they need to support children and young people, teachers and parents.

The return to school on 8 March 2021 has been supported with a new £700 million package, which includes a Recovery Premium for state primary, secondary and special schools to use as they see best to support disadvantaged students. This will help schools to provide academic and pastoral support for disadvantaged pupils that has been proven most effective in helping them recover from the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

£200 million will be available to all secondary schools, including specialist settings, to deliver face-to-face summer schools. Schools will be able to target provision based on pupils’ needs. The size and shape of the summer schools will be decided by school leaders who know best what the most effective summer school will look like for their pupils, allowing them to tailor support for pupils, including those with SEND.

Additionally, we have expanded the Holiday Activities and Food programme, which has provided healthy food and enriching activities to disadvantaged children since 2018. From 2021, the programme will cover the Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays at a cost of up to £220 million. It will be available to children in every local authority in England, building on previous programmes and we are working to ensure that the programme is fully inclusive and accessible for children with SEND.

Sir Kevan Collins has been appointed as the Education Recovery Commissioner and is considering how schools and the system can more effectively target resources and support at pupils in greatest need. Additionally, Dr Alex George was appointed on 4 February as Youth Mental Health Ambassador to advise government and raise the profile of mental health education and wellbeing in schools, colleges and universities. He will use his clinical expertise and personal experience to champion government’s work on children’s and young people’s mental health and shape policy on improving support for young people in schools, colleges and universities.

In the long term, we remain committed to our joint green paper delivery programme with DHSC and NHS England, including introducing new mental health support teams for all schools and colleges, providing training for senior mental health leads in schools and colleges, and testing approaches to faster access to NHS specialist support.

The department will continue to assess the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and its subsequent COVID-19 recovery plans on all pupils, including those with SEND, to ensure it targets support across the system most effectively.