Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kemi Badenoch and Mark Fletcher

Tuesday 1st December 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mark Fletcher (Bolsover) (Con)]

  I warmly welcome the Chancellor’s renewed commitment to levelling up in last week’s spending review. Enterprise zones have a vital role to play in that levelling up. Will the Chancellor agree to meet me and some colleagues who have a particular interest in seeing a new generation of enterprise zones?

[The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Kemi Badenoch)]

My hon. Friend is right to raise this important issue. The Treasury recognises the role that enterprise zones play in our economy. This is an area specifically of interest to me and I will be delighted to meet him to discuss it further.

Public Health England Review: Covid-19 Disparities

Debate between Kemi Badenoch and Mark Fletcher

Thursday 4th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[Kemi Badenoch]

I will repeat the point I made earlier: we should not conflate black people with people who do not have any recourse to public funds. It is a very—I am not going to say the words “disingenuous argument”, Mr Speaker, but I do think that this is something that we need to be very clear about and not muddy the waters in terms of what is going on.

[Mark Fletcher (Bolsover) (Con)]

I have received many, many letters from constituents across the Bolsover constituency saying how proud they are of how many BAME people have contributed to our health service and to our care system. Does the Minister agree that they have made a fantastic contribution and that we should welcome that?

[Kemi Badenoch]

Absolutely. We do welcome that. It is very heartening, as I said earlier, to see that communities all across the country are not just saying, but showing, how much we value the contribution that black and minority ethnic workers—key workers in particular—provide to our society.