Covid-19 Update

Jeff Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 27th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

As I say, it has been one of the few consolations of this pandemic to see the way the country has come together to fight it, particularly to see the way that great national institutions—great UK institutions—such as the British Army have been absolutely indispensable in Wales, in Scotland and around the whole of the UK in fighting this pandemic. I know that it is appreciated across the whole of the UK.

[Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab) [V]]

In Greater Manchester, there are 20,000 pupils out of schools and with no decent access to online learning. Can the Prime Minister assure me that the £300 million that he has just announced in catch-up and tutoring money will be targeted at areas like Greater Manchester, where pupils have suffered disproportionately because of deprivation and because of high rates of infections that cause multiple periods of isolation, keeping them off school?

[The Prime Minister]

Yes, indeed. The hon. Gentleman is right to raise the problem of differential learning. Unquestionably, some kids, and some families, in some parts of the country have suffered more of a break in their education than others; there is absolutely no doubt about it. That is why we are going to focus so much on the catch-up funds that I have identified. Of course, Greater Manchester will be targeted for all the measures that we have outlined this morning and more to come.

Covid-19

Jeff Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 6th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend will have studied the JCVI’s list of priority groups, and my right hon. Friend the Health Secretary will be setting out a programme for rolling those vaccines out beyond the first four that I have already described.

[Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab) [V]]

My constituent Ross has had no work since the first lockdown and is one of the people who have fallen through the gaps in the self-employed support scheme. His only income now is £598 per month universal credit. His rent, council tax and bills are £590 a month, so he is living on £8 a month. Could the Prime Minister live on £8 a month? If not, will he ask the Chancellor to look again at how he can help the people excluded by the self-employed support scheme?

[The Prime Minister]

I know that this has been raised many times already today by Members from across the House, but I must repeat what I have said: £13.7 billion has gone to support the self-employed already. I have no doubt that further measures will be forthcoming, but the overall package of support is £260 billion across the whole of the country.

EU Withdrawal Agreement

Jeff Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 9th December 2020 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

In the withdrawal agreement that we concluded before the last election and which this House voted on—not every Member, of course, supported it, but a majority did—we made it clear that within the Northern Ireland protocol there would be a limited portion of the acquis relating to goods in the single market that would apply in Northern Ireland. It was the aim of this House and the aim of this Government to ensure that we could reach a satisfactory arrangement on the protocol in line with the principles that we laid out in the Command Paper, and that is what we have done. That upholds the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom and the ability of every citizen of the UK to benefit from all the opportunities that Brexit provides.

[Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab)]

Will the Minister comment on the UK Government’s commitment to the Peace Plus programme, which, as he will know, has played such an important role in underpinning peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland?

[Michael Gove]

We are totally committed, and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will be saying more about that in the coming days.

Oral Answers to Questions

Jeff Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 4th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab) [V]]

On Monday, the Prime Minister was asked why people in Greater Manchester were offered less support under tier 3 than is available under the new restrictions, and he said that these were different measures, and so required different support packages, but if your work- place is closed under tier 3 restrictions, you lose your income just as surely as you do if your workplace is closed under the new national lockdown. So why should people receive less help from the Government if we go back into tier 3 after 2 December?

[The Prime Minister]

They are not going to. The furlough scheme, as the hon. Gentleman knows, was extended until the end of October. We are putting in measures now to support people across the whole UK throughout this period until 2 December, and that is the right thing to do. We are putting our arms round the people of this country to get them through the pandemic and beyond.

Oral Answers to Questions

Jeff Smith Excerpts

Thursday 27th February 2020 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

My right hon. Friend makes a characteristically acute point. It is the case that the European Union exports more in goods to the UK than we export to the EU. Were some voices—I stress that it is a minority of voices in the European Union—to prevail and were they not to progress these negotiations in the way that, I am sure, we would all want to see, there would be damage to the EU’s economy, and that is the last thing that I want to see.

[Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab)]

T3. Does the Government intend to legislate for the proposals in the 2018 review of parliamentary constituency boundaries, or will they conduct a new review?

[The Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Chloe Smith)]

We were clear in our manifesto that we are committed to equal and updated boundaries, and we will bring forward proposals in due course on how to meet that commitment.

Oral Answers to Questions

Jeff Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd May 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. There is pent-up investment there, and there are companies that have been holding investment back until they see the Brexit deal being resolved. It is important that we see that deal going through this House, and supporting the withdrawal agreement Bill is the way to ensure that we deliver the Brexit that the people voted for and that we do it in a way that Conservatives stood on in their manifesto at the last election and actually that Labour Members stood on in their manifesto at the last election. Once we are over this and once we have left the European Union, we will be able to take advantage not only of the deal dividend but of that increased investment and to see that bright future for our country.

[Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab)]

Q8. As a Manchester MP, may I thank the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition for their words of remembrance for the victims of the terrorist attack in our city two years ago? In the light of the concerns expressed about delays in accessing compensation and about the amounts being offered to victims following the attack, will the Government give consideration, when the criminal injuries compensation scheme is reviewed this year, to establishing a separate Government funding pot for the victims of terrorist attacks? This would mean that such compensation would not have to be taken from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority funding and that we could give more flexible and immediate support to the victims of terror attacks.

[The Prime Minister]

The hon. Gentleman has raised an important point, and I recognise the force with which he has raised it and the concern that he has for the victims of that terrible attack. Sadly, we have seen too many people in this country being victims of terrorist attacks. The Lord Chancellor has indicated that the Ministry of Justice is reviewing this situation. He has heard the specific proposal the hon. Gentleman has put forward, and I am sure that he will take it into account in that review.

Oral Answers to Questions

Jeff Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 15th May 2019 Commons Chamber

[Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab)]

3. What recent assessment he has made of the effect on the Welsh economy of the proposed withdrawal agreement with the EU.

[The Secretary of State for Wales (Alun Cairns)]

The withdrawal agreement means we can leave the European Union with a deal that honours the referendum result, protects our economy and security and safeguards our Union. The best outcome for Wales and the Welsh economy is for the UK to leave the European Union in a smooth and orderly way.

[Jeff Smith]

What assessment has the Secretary of State made of the impact of non-tariff barriers? They would result in customs procedures and technical barriers to trade, meaning delays and costs that would be particularly damaging to the Welsh economy.

[Alun Cairns]

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point that further underlines why the deal we have negotiated with the European Union will work in the interests of Welsh manufacturers, Welsh agriculture and other sectors across the whole UK. The political declaration says “as frictionless as possible,” which is the objective we want to achieve.

Oral Answers to Questions

Jeff Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 20th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) (Lab)]

4. If she will make reducing global warming a strategic priority of her Department.

[Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab)]

15. If she will make reducing global warming a strategic priority of her Department.

[The Minister of State, Department for International Development (Harriett Baldwin)]

Climate change is a major threat to achieving the sustainable development goals, and tackling it is a strategic priority for the Government and for my Department. The Government are delivering £5.8 billion in international climate finance to help developing countries to reduce emissions and to manage the impact of climate change.

--- Later in debate ---

[Harriett Baldwin]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right to highlight the importance of commitments that were made last year at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. There is an extensive programme of work to follow through on those commitments, not least the £5.8 billion of international climate finance that we have announced so far, which has already helped 47 million people to increase their resilience to climate change. We will be leading that strand at the United Nations summit in September.

[Jeff Smith]

The Minister said that there is no net investment from DFID and the CDC. I would be interested to know what she means by that, because we surely need a greater priority on disinvestment in oil and gas extraction. Is she not worried, as I am, about the possibility of stranded assets as a result of investments we have made in the global south?

[Harriett Baldwin]

We have an important role to play in working with our international bilateral partners to encourage the use of clean growth and clean energy. For example, the week before last, we held an event here in support of sustainable development goal 7 to which we invited African Energy Ministers from developing countries to meet some of the people we have in the UK with expertise on renewable energy.

Cabinet Office

Jeff Smith Excerpts

Tuesday 20th November 2018 Ministerial Corrections

The following is an extract from Questions to the Cabinet Office on Wednesday 14 November 2018.

[Jeff Smith]

Last month, the chair of the inquiry, Sir Brian Langstaff, said that many victims of the infected blood scandal are still living on the breadline today. The inquiry is not due to look at financial support until 2020, so what more now can the Government do to help the people affected?

[Mr Lidington]

As the hon. Gentleman knows, different compensation packages have been agreed by the Department of Health and Social Care in the different parts of the United Kingdom. Sir Brian did ask the Government to look at the case for some additional measures, which are being considered by the Secretary of State for Health and his ministerial team, and the Minister responsible for mental health, my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Jackie Doyle-Price), is very willing to talk to the inquiry team about that.

[Official Report, 14 November 2018, Vol. 649, c. 297.]

Letter of correction from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office:

An error has been identified in the response I gave to the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington (Jeff Smith).

The correct response should have been:

Oral Answers to Questions

Jeff Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 14th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mike Amesbury (Weaver Vale) (Lab)]

2. What assessment he has made of the progress of the infected blood inquiry.

[Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab)]

7. What assessment he has made of the progress of the infected blood inquiry.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Lidington]

As far as legal aid is concerned, more than £250,000 has been provided to those affected by this scandal to help them pay for their legal representation. As regards the other matter that the hon. Gentleman mentioned, this was an honest mistake caused by an administrative error. We explained that in full in the form of a written statement to the House and apologised to the inquiry as soon as it was discovered. All Departments, other than the Legal Aid Agency and the Courts and Tribunals Service, have now confirmed that no relevant records were destroyed during the relevant period.

[Jeff Smith]

Last month, the chair of the inquiry, Sir Brian Langstaff, said that many victims of the infected blood scandal are still living on the breadline today. The inquiry is not due to look at financial support until 2020, so what more now can the Government do to help the people affected?

[Mr Lidington]

As the hon. Gentleman knows, different compensation packages have been agreed by the Department of Health and Social Care in the different parts of the United Kingdom. Sir Brian did ask the Government to look at the case for some additional measures, which are being considered by the Secretary of State for Health and his ministerial team, and the Minister responsible for mental health, my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Jackie Doyle-Price), is very willing to talk to the inquiry team about that.[Official Report, 20 November 2018, Vol. 649, c. 7MC.]