Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help unemployed young people into work.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department of Work and Pensions Youth Offer provides individually tailored Work Coach support to young people aged 16 to 24 who are claiming Universal Credit. This support includes the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Employability Coaches for young people with additional barriers to finding work, and Youth Hubs across Great Britain.
Previously, the Youth Offer was only available for those searching for work. As of the 25 September 2023, this been expanded to include to include additional young people on Universal Credit not currently searching for work, including young parents and carers.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish an estimate of the potential impact of borrowing an additional 1% of gross domestic product on interest rates.
Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Responsible decisions on borrowing are a key pillar of government support to the MPC in its action to bring inflation down to the 2% target. The external evidence suggests that for every extra 1% of GDP of borrowing (£25 billion), we could potentially be pushing up interest rates by as much as half a per cent. And there are reasons to believe that in current conditions it could be higher than that. Treasury modelling suggests that in the current economic conditions the impact might be between 0.5 and 1.25 per cent, without taking into account any supply-side impacts on the economy.
More detail on the methodology can be found here : Further detail on HMT analysis of borrowing and interest rates - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to improve mobile coverage in rural areas.
Answered by John Whittingdale
In March 2020, we agreed a deal with the UK’s mobile network operators to deliver the Shared Rural Network programme. This agreement will see the government and industry jointly invest over £1 billion to extend 4G mobile coverage to 95% of UK landmass by the end of 2025. The programme is already delivering coverage improvements across the UK. 4G geographic coverage is approaching 93%, which is up from 91% when the Shared Rural Network agreement was signed.
In April 2023 we published the UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy which set a new ambition of nationwide coverage of higher quality standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030. It also emphasised our unwavering commitment to extending 4G coverage to 95% of the UK’s landmass and set out a 10-point plan to support rural connectivity, including the appointment of a Government Rural Connectivity Champion. Simon Fell MP was appointed to the role in June.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to encourage people to increase their pension contributions.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
This government is clear about the importance of pension saving so that individuals can plan for the retirement they want. We recognise the current minimum contribution rates for automatic enrolment (AE) are unlikely to give all individuals the retirement to which they aspire. That is why we are committed to implementing the 2017 Review measures.
Expanding AE to younger people and helping all eligible workers save from the first pound of earnings will boost overall saving levels, once fully implemented, by an extra £2 billion a year in pension contributions.
Following the successful passage of the Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) (No. 2) Act 2023, supported by government, we have committed to consult on the detailed implementation of AE expansion and will do so at the earliest opportunity and report to Parliament before using the powers in the Act.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to expand Automatic Enrolment.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
This government is clear about the importance of pension saving so that individuals can plan for the retirement they want. We recognise the current minimum contribution rates for automatic enrolment (AE) are unlikely to give all individuals the retirement to which they aspire. That is why we are committed to implementing the 2017 Review measures.
Expanding AE to younger people and helping all eligible workers save from the first pound of earnings will boost overall saving levels, once fully implemented, by an extra £2 billion a year in pension contributions.
Following the successful passage of the Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) (No. 2) Act 2023, supported by government, we have committed to consult on the detailed implementation of AE expansion and will do so at the earliest opportunity and report to Parliament before using the powers in the Act.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure parents pay child maintenance.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what recent assessment she has made of the contribution of the Government Legal Department to levelling up in the North West.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
Government Legal Department (GLD) lawyers are engaged in helping to shape and deliver the legislation required to support levelling up, including the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill and supporting the implementation of the Levelling Up Fund and Town Partnerships.
The GLD is actively growing its presence in the North West. The Attorney and I were delighted to open the new GLD office in Manchester earlier this month.
In addition to recruiting qualified lawyers and other professionals into the Manchester office, GLD are committed to offering traineeships and legal apprenticeships there as the office grows. To support this, they are undertaking targeted outreach activity in the region to help raise the profile of the GLD and highlight opportunities to join at all stages of a legal career.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to reduce red tape for businesses.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is committed to reducing burdens on business and consumers by reforming regulations where appropriate to make sure they are best suited to the UK and to help grow the economy. We have made a series of regulatory reform announcements as part of our Smarter Regulation programme, including reforms to wine retained EU Law (REUL), product safety regulations and drip pricing.
As part of this, we have already reformed or revoked over 1000 pieces of REUL. In addition to the list of around 600 coming in the Bill, the Financial Services and Markets Bill and the Procurement Bill will repeal around 500 pieces of REUL. This means more than 2,000 revocations and reforms are already completed or under way.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress he has made on reducing the level of national debt.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Reducing national debt is one the Prime Minister’s five priorities, which is reflected in the Government’s fiscal rules. In its March forecast, the independent Office for Budget Responsibility confirmed that the Government is on track to deliver this, with underlying debt falling as a percentage of GDP in 2027-28. To ensure fiscal sustainability, the Government has taken difficult but necessary decisions to ensure that debt is falling.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support businesses with energy prices.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) provides all eligible businesses and other non-domestic energy users with a discount on high energy bills for 12 months from 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2024. It also provides businesses in sectors with particularly high levels of energy use and trade intensity with a higher level of support.
This follows the unprecedented package of support for non-domestic users last winter provided through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme.