Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Greg Clark

Tuesday 31st January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

The industrial strategy makes a clear commitment that future rounds of infrastructure investment will take into account the balance of spending per head as between different regions. On the basis that there is a 60% imbalance between London and the rest of the country at the moment, what balance would the Secretary of State like to see going ahead?

[Greg Clark]

I thank my hon. Friend for his contribution to the consultation. We are very clear that we need to see infrastructure investment in all parts of the country. It is one reason why we have created institutions such as Transport for the North to be able to take those decisions locally.

Corporate Governance

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Greg Clark

1st reading: House of Commons
Tuesday 29th November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

In the consultation, we asked what the cut-off should be. Clearly, there is no intention to capture small businesses in the disclosure requirements that are more appropriate to large businesses. That is something that we will consider as part of the consultation, and I hope that my hon. Friend will contribute to it.

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

May I first declare my interest as a non-executive chair of a listed public company before I offer warm support for these proposals? I also echo the comments of my hon. Friend the Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge) that employee share ownership schemes have had a transformative effect both in our workplace and on our business success. I ask the Secretary of State to look even closer at those schemes, with the aim of making them easier for businesses to implement.

[Greg Clark]

I will indeed. I am delighted that we have had two suggestions from my hon. Friends for this route. I will take them up, and take them seriously. I hope to make further statements to the House in the future.

Bill Presented

Access to Radiotherapy Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Tim Farron presented a Bill to make provision to improve access to radiotherapy treatment in England; to define access in terms of the time that patients are required to travel to places providing treatment; to specify 45 minutes as the maximum time patients are to travel; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 24 March, and to be printed (Bill 102).

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Greg Clark

Tuesday 8th November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

14. What steps his Department is taking to support the growth of businesses in the north of England.

[The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Greg Clark)]

Our investments in the northern powerhouse continue to support the growth of businesses in the north and are helping to build an economy that works for all.

[Kevin Hollinrake]

Work on Yorkshire’s largest economic project—a potash mine on the North York Moors—and the drilling of the UK’s first shale gas well since 2011 are both planned to commence early in 2017, but much of the associated traffic will travel down a single lane of the A64. Will the Secretary of State agree to meet me and representatives from the Department for Transport and the Treasury to see how we can make sure we have the necessary infrastructure upgrades to support those key economic developments?

[Greg Clark]

It would be a pleasure to meet my hon. Friend. One of the reasons why we have created the local enterprise partnerships and the growth deals is to make sure that the investment in infrastructure can go alongside economic development, and that is a big step forward.

Hinkley Point C

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Greg Clark

Thursday 15th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

The contract is expressed in pounds. The construction risk is entirely with the investors.

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

I welcome the long-term investment in low-carbon energy and the creation of 25,000 jobs. Will the Secretary of State confirm EDF’s commitment to local jobs and to small and medium-sized businesses in the supply chain, such as James Fisher Nuclear in my constituency?

[Greg Clark]

I am sure that that firm will attest to that. The Somerset chamber of commerce was clear that the orders that had already been placed during the preparation of the site have been beneficial to the county.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Greg Clark

Monday 14th December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

The hon. Lady should wait to see what the settlement has in store, but she should know from the past few years that Wirral’s spending power, at £2,240 per dwelling, is 7% above the national average. Her council has reserves of £80 million, a third higher than they were in 2010. It is important that she bears that in mind.

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

20. People in rural areas such as my constituents pay an average of £80 more in council tax than those elsewhere, yet they receive about £130 less in central Government funding, which has an impact on local services. Does the Secretary of State agree that it is time to look for a fairer funding formula for all taxpayers?

[Greg Clark]

I recognise that the cost of delivering services is higher in areas with a sparse population, for obvious reasons. The rural services delivery grant was introduced to reflect that extra cost, and it has since been increased. I will obviously have to bear that in mind when we assess what is needed in the financial settlement.

Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill [Lords]

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Greg Clark

Wednesday 14th October 2015 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

The Bill does not include the ability to impose any particular form, whether it be a combined authority, a different combination of authorities or a mayor. It provides for the ability to give expression to an agreement made between authorities, which I think is the right approach.

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

Does the Secretary of State agree that any proposal for devolution needs to be ambitious and bold, both to realise the economic potential and to capture the public’s imagination? A good example might be the Greater Yorkshire devolution bid.

[Greg Clark]

I commend my hon. Friend’s ingenuity in seeking to elicit an endorsement of that particular proposal. What I certainly can do is to endorse the great efforts and imagination that have gone into a very attractive bid. A number of alternatives for Yorkshire have been put forward to the Government, and I will meet Yorkshire authorities to see whether a consensus can be reached. As my hon. Friend knows, a consensus is required for these arrangements to come into force.