Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lilian Greenwood and Caroline Nokes

Thursday 15th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lilian Greenwood]

The right hon. Gentleman raises an important point. We know that people are booking tests in parts of the country where they have no intention of taking a test, because they can swap that for a test in another driving test centre. That is one of the issues addressed in the call for evidence that was launched in December. We have heard that evidence, and we will consult on further changes to the booking system that might address the issue that he raises.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Greg Smith (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)]

At the Transport Committee in April, the Secretary of State admitted that under Labour’s watch,

“waiting times for access to driving tests hit new highs.”

For all the talk of a new plan, she then admitted that the Government only aim to reduce driving test waiting times to seven weeks by “summer next year”. That is no good for young people waiting, needing the freedom to drive to get to college or work now, is it? When will the Government see the real urgency for real people and pick up the pace?

--- Later in debate ---

[Lilian Greenwood]

I thank the hon. Lady for her support in acting to tackle what is a nuisance not just for disabled people, but for children walking on the pavement and for parents pushing buggies and prams. It is really important that we get this right. I am working speedily with my officials to do so, and I look forward to being able to announce the outcome of the consultation and our next steps shortly.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Mr Paul Kohler (Wimbledon) (LD)]

I thank the Minister for her answers and for all she did on this issue in her previous role as Chair of the Transport Committee. Regulations prohibiting pavement parking already exist in London, but that alone will not solve the problem. At All Saints’ primary school in south Wimbledon, for example, pavement parking is a long-running issue, forcing parents and children into the road and obvious danger, and it is proving very difficult to solve. Has the Minister considered how the public can be better educated and restrictions enforced? Are the Government planning to create a new offence of obstructive parking, as the Minister recommended in her previous role?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lilian Greenwood and Caroline Nokes

Monday 25th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Caroline Nokes]

I hope that the hon. Gentleman was listening when I made the point that the policy is about protecting the labour market for British workers. Of course I have met asylum seekers in my surgery. Indeed, the ward of Swaythling in Southampton has one of the highest numbers of supported asylum seekers in the entire city, and it falls within my constituency. It is important that we get the balance right and find out how we can best support people into work, but what we do not want to do is create perverse incentives for people to seek to come here by circumventing our important immigration rules, which reserve the right to work for those who have applied through the correct processes.

[Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South) (Lab)]

3. What progress his Department has made on providing compensation to victims of the Windrush scandal.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lilian Greenwood and Caroline Nokes

Wednesday 22nd November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Caroline Nokes]

We have already created 3,000 new roles, 2,000 of which have been filled. As I have said, further roles will be created and, specifically, the Cabinet Office is working most closely with those Departments most affected.

[Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South) (Lab)]

4. What steps the Government are taking to ensure the accessibility of voter registration.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lilian Greenwood and Caroline Nokes

Thursday 23rd March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South) (Lab)]

7. What steps the Government are taking to prepare for the implementation of the requirement for victims of rape to prove that abuse in order to receive child tax credit for their third child.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Welfare Delivery (Caroline Nokes)]

The Government consulted on the exception in October 2016 and responded in January 2017, outlining the finalised policy. Since then, we have been developing guidance and working with stakeholders to plan for the delivery of this exception in the most sensitive and compassionate way possible.

[Lilian Greenwood]

The rape clause exception in the two-child limit on tax credits is not just unworkable, but inhumane. It betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of sexual violence and domestic abuse. Will the Minister act urgently and seek to persuade her colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions to reconsider the proposal in order to protect women’s rights?

[Caroline Nokes]

We know that this issue is difficult and sensitive. The exception will use a third-party model, whereby women can request the exception through engaging with a third party, who will be a recognised healthcare professional. We are setting up procedures that are mindful of the sensitivities involved. Neither DWP nor HMRC staff will question the claimant about the incident, other than to take the claim.

Backbench business

Debate between Lilian Greenwood and Caroline Nokes

Thursday 14th February 2013 Westminster Hall

[Caroline Nokes]

I commend my hon. Friend on the work that she is doing in that area. I sincerely hope that we see some progress on that, so that these websites, which are proliferating—there is evidence of a 470% increase in just one year, between 2006 and 2007—can be prevented from being accessed from family homes. US studies have shown a clear correlation between increased body dissatisfaction and viewing such sites.

We live in a complex, changing world where higher numbers of people than ever suffer from mental illness, and so it is with eating disorders. It is not just the number of sufferers, but the severity, that is increasing. What would have been considered an eating disorder 20 years ago might now be regarded merely as a bit of disordered eating. I do not say that in any way to dismiss the seriousness of disordered eating, but to demonstrate that the conditions now have to be a great deal worse to be recognised as such, and to make a sufferer a priority for treatment. That is one of the serious issues that I would like to mention.

In my home city of Southampton—not in my constituency, but in that of the right hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr Denham)—is April House, a unit specialising in eating disorders, which I have had the privilege of visiting, and where I met service users and health care professionals. I attest to the outstanding work done there. Some of the service users and staff are here today. I admire their courage and determination.

I agree with the firm message that I received from staff at April House. With all eating disorders, there is a critical window of opportunity when a sufferer has been diagnosed, wants help, has acknowledged that they have a problem, and are reaching out for the assistance they desperately need. That opportunity can easily be lost if help is not available at that time.

[Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South) (Lab)]

The hon. Lady is making a powerful speech. I was concerned when I received an e-mail from one of my constituents, a student nurse, who wrote:

“I am currently on a mental health placement and two of my clients have eating disorders of varying degrees, however cannot seek support for their eating disorder due to cuts in services.”

Does the hon. Lady share my belief that, having raised awareness of eating disorders and encouraged sufferers to seek help, we must not then fail to provide the support and assistance that they need?

[Caroline Nokes]

The hon. Lady makes exactly the point that I am coming on to: it is critical that when sufferers feel that they can reach out for help and acknowledge that they have a problem, the help is there for them. A delay of six to nine months can be dangerous—or, indeed, fatal.