First elected: 6th June 2019
Left House: 6th November 2019 (Defeated)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Lisa Forbes, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Lisa Forbes has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Lisa Forbes has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
Lisa Forbes has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Lisa Forbes has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
All eligible voters should be able to cast their vote in secret and the Government through the Cabinet Office chaired Accessibility of Elections Working Group is working to make elections more accessible. This has included working in partnership with the RNIB and Electoral Commission to make improvements to training materials for polling station staff to provide better support to voters with sight loss.
The proposals announced as part of the package around the Queen’s Speech, will bring forward legislative measures that respond to issues raised in the Government’s response to the 2018 Call for Evidence on Access to Elections. This will include increasing the range of support available to voters with sight loss in polling stations, with a dedicated sub-group of the Accessibility of Elections Group Working researching potential solutions. Disabled people including those who are blind and partially sighted will also benefit from an increased range of support that can be provided at the polling station (such as carers).
My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has convened a special cross-government taskforce alongside local stakeholders to support employees, local stakeholders and supply chains. The taskforce is considering support schemes available and will also monitor local business impacts.
Additionally, the Rapid Response Service is helping people find a new job as soon as possible by offering tailored support, which may include:
Local partners are able to advise on support available locally to former employees and businesses wishing to recruit them.
Local partners are able to advise on support available locally to businesses in the Thomas Cook supply chain.
The Business Secretary has convened a special cross-government taskforce alongside local stakeholders to support employees, local stakeholders and supply chains. The taskforce is considering existing support schemes available and will also monitor local business impacts.
Additionally, the Rapid Response Service is helping people find a new job as soon as possible by offering tailored support, which may include:
The National Taskforce for Thomas Cook will look to ensure existing mechanisms to offer support and associated governance are working effectively.
The Official Receiver’s Special Managers advise that 1,143 staff were based at the Thomas Cook headquarters in Peterborough.
The National Taskforce for Thomas Cook will look to ensure existing mechanisms to offer support and associated governance are working effectively.
Additionally, the Rapid Response Service is helping people find a new job as soon as possible by offering tailored support, which may include:
Three thousand of the 9,000 staff employed by Thomas Cook were retained after the commencement of the liquidation to assist repatriation work and the liquidation process. This included many at the HQ in Peterborough responsible for areas such as payroll.
As a result, a number of the Peterborough claims are from employees made redundant in the last week following the end of the repatriation exercise and are therefore currently still being assessed and processed for payment. Administering redundancy payments is an ongoing process as claims are verified and further payroll information is received. The Redundancy Payments Service will process outstanding payments as quickly as possible.
As of 29 October 2019, of the 7,627 former Thomas Cook employees who have submitted claims to the Insolvency Service’s Redundancy Payments Service, 7,483 have received one or more payment. Of the 587 former Thomas Cook employees who specifically state in their claim that Peterborough was their place of work, 555 have received one or more payment.
Government is supporting businesses in Peterborough by continuing to invest in the Signpost 2 Grow Growth Hub run by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
The Growth Hub is available to help support business growth through signposting and referring to existing business support provision and to identify gaps in provision and source suitable alternatives whether free, subsidised or commercially available.
Signpost 2 Grow is a part of the network of 38 Growth Hubs that are local public/private sector partnerships led by the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). They join up national and local business support, so it is easy for businesses to find the help they need.
The National Taskforce for Thomas Cook will look to ensure existing mechanisms to offer support and associated governance are working effectively.
Additionally, the Rapid Response Service is helping people find a new job as soon as possible by offering tailored support, which includes:
Recognising the unique requirements of certifying existing skills and retraining in the steel and heavy manufacturing sector, and the economic vulnerability of the area around the Redcar steelworks, around £53 million has been provided to support schemes identified by the SSI Task Force to support impacted workers.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
The Business Secretary has convened a special cross-government taskforce alongside local stakeholders to support employees, local stakeholders and supply chains. The taskforce is considering existing support schemes available and will also monitor local business impacts.
The Rapid Response Service is already helping people find a new job as soon as possible by offering tailored support. This includes training to update skills, learn new ones and gain industry recognised certification that will improve employability.
The Business Board of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, in partnership with Peterborough City Council, has developed a package of support for those affected locally which includes a dedicated advice service. This will support former employees with re-employment or with advice on starting a business of their own, and support businesses in a position to take on redundant employees. It will also provide advice and funding for businesses affected in the supply chain.
Local partners, including Opportunity Peterborough and Peterborough City Council, are exploring how best to create future employment at the former Peterborough HQ site and secure future investment into the City, working with the Thomas Cook Trust Fund and local and national property agents.
The National Taskforce for Thomas Cook aims to ensure support for employees and for the local economies most affected by the liquidation.
The Business Board of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, in partnership with Peterborough City Council, has developed a package of support for those affected locally which includes a dedicated advice service. This will support former employees with re-employment or with advice on starting a business of their own, and support businesses in a position to take on redundant employees. It will also provide advice and funding for businesses affected in the supply chain.
The Business Secretary has convened a special cross-government taskforce alongside local stakeholders to support employees, local stakeholders and supply chains. The taskforce is considering existing support schemes available and will monitor local business impacts.
The Business Board of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, in partnership with Peterborough City Council, has developed a package of support for those affected locally which includes a dedicated advice service. This will support former employees with re-employment or with advice on starting a business of their own, and support businesses in a position to take on redundant employees.
The fourth meeting of the National Taskforce for Thomas Cook will be held on 23 October 2019. The taskforce aims to ensure existing mechanisms offer support for employees and for the local economies most affected by the liquidation of Thomas Cook.
The Insolvency Service’s Redundancy Payments Service has received claims from 7,186 former Thomas Cook employees. 462 of these have specifically stated in their claim that Peterborough was their place of work, though it is not mandatory to do so.
The SSI Task Force was set up in 2015 to support impacted workers after the liquidation of the company. We are working with the Task Force and Tees Valley Combined Authority on an evaluation of the economic impact on both affected workers and the local economy. This will be published shortly. Progress reports for the Task Force are available at www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/SSITaskForce.
The Official Receiver was appointed as liquidator of the Thomas Cook group of companies by the court and, as liquidator, the Official Receiver acts as an officer of the court. It will be for the Official Receiver to determine his response to any claims for protective awards from former employees made to an Employment Tribunal, taking account of the particular circumstances of the claims.
Established in 2015, the SSI Taskforce has been responsible for delivering a range of support initiatives following the closure of the SSI steelworks in Redcar. The National Taskforce for Thomas Cook is bringing together key partners to support former employees in all parts of the UK, with regional focus at Manchester and Peterborough where many employees were based.
The Business Board of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, in partnership with Peterborough City Council, has developed a package of support for those affected locally which includes a dedicated advice service. This will support former employees with re-employment or with advice on starting a business of their own, and support businesses in a position to take on redundant employees.
The Business Board of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, in partnership with Peterborough City Council, has developed a package of support for those affected locally which includes a dedicated advice service. This will support former employees with re-employment or with advice on starting a business of their own, and support businesses in a position to take on redundant employees.
This Government has announced its plan to put the school uniform guidance on a statutory footing.
We currently estimate that the collapse of Thomas Cook has affected 158 apprentices of which 49 are based in the Thomas Cook head office in Peterborough. The remainder are based across the country, including 62 who are on travel consultant apprenticeships in their stores.
Hays Travel have bought all 555 Thomas Cook stores across the UK, safeguarding up to 2500 jobs, including those of apprentices. We are liaising with Hays Travel to ensure a smooth transfer for the apprentices affected.
We have established a dedicated mailbox for individual enquiries from Thomas Cook apprentices. Ongoing support is also available through the National Careers Service, who will provide information, advice and guidance on learning, training and work.
Although there are no plans to make additional funding available specifically for the re-training of Thomas Cook employees, we are working to ensure that apprenticeship funding is available to support those affected.
The availability of apprenticeship opportunities is determined by employers. A number of other employers in the sector, and in related areas, have offered job opportunities to affected apprentices and we will work with these employers to ensure that all apprentices are supported to complete their apprenticeship.
Cambridge and Peterborough are one of 6 Mayoral Combined Authorities where the Adult Education Budget has been devolved. This will assist them in directly supporting adults in developing their skills, reducing skills shortages, boosting productivity and economic prosperity and improving wellbeing in their community.
We currently estimate that the collapse of Thomas Cook has affected 158 apprentices of which 49 are based in the Thomas Cook head office in Peterborough. The remainder are based across the country, including 62 who are on travel consultant apprenticeships in their stores.
Hays Travel have bought all 555 Thomas Cook stores across the UK, safeguarding up to 2500 jobs, including those of apprentices. We are liaising with Hays Travel to ensure a smooth transfer for the apprentices affected.
We have established a dedicated mailbox for individual enquiries from Thomas Cook apprentices. Ongoing support is also available through the National Careers Service, who will provide information, advice and guidance on learning, training and work.
Although there are no plans to make additional funding available specifically for the re-training of Thomas Cook employees, we are working to ensure that apprenticeship funding is available to support those affected.
The availability of apprenticeship opportunities is determined by employers. A number of other employers in the sector, and in related areas, have offered job opportunities to affected apprentices and we will work with these employers to ensure that all apprentices are supported to complete their apprenticeship.
Cambridge and Peterborough are one of 6 Mayoral Combined Authorities where the Adult Education Budget has been devolved. This will assist them in directly supporting adults in developing their skills, reducing skills shortages, boosting productivity and economic prosperity and improving wellbeing in their community.
The Government recognises that maintained nursery schools are an important part of the early years sector and provide valuable services to disadvantaged children.
The Government plans to spend £3.6 billion to support early education in the financial year 2020-21 and details of how this is to be distributed across local authorities will be issued shortly.
We are working to ensure that Thomas Cook apprentices who have been affected are supported to complete their apprenticeship. Apprentices who were previously at Thomas Cook and have any queries relating to their apprenticeship can email a dedicated enquiry mailbox: ThomasCook.QUERIES@education.gov.uk.
The Education Skills and Funding Agency is in touch with all the training providers who are supporting the apprentices across the country, including those in Peterborough, and we will continue to liaise with them on this matter. A number of employers in the sector and in related areas have already stepped forward to offer job opportunities to apprentices, including Hayes Travel that has bought the 555 Thomas Cook shops which will safeguard up to 2,500 jobs.
The National Careers Service will provide information, advice and guidance to help all former Thomas Cook staff with decisions on learning, training and work: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/.
The Department intends to put the school uniform guidance on a statutory footing when a suitable legislative opportunity arises.
Pupil Premium allocations are published annually on GOV.UK. The figures are available through the links below, for each financial year since 2011.
This link shows Pupil Premium allocations for 2011-12:
This link shows Pupil Premium allocations for 2012-13:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-funding-tables-2012-to-2013.
This link shows Pupil Premium allocations for 2013-14:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2013-to-2014-final-allocation-tables.
This link shows Pupil Premium allocations for 2014-15:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2014-to-2015-final-allocations.
This link shows Pupil Premium allocations for 2015-16:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2015-to-2016-allocations.
This link shows Pupil Premium allocations for 2016-17:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-conditions-of-grant-2016-to-2017.
This link shows Pupil Premium allocations for 2017-18:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-conditions-of-grant-2017-to-2018.
This link shows Pupil Premium allocations for 2018-19:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-conditions-of-grant-2018-to-2019.
This link shows Pupil Premium allocations for 2019-20:
It is for the governing body of a school (or an academy trust, in the case of academies) to decide rules relating to appearance including whether there should be a school uniform, what it will be and how it is sourced.
The Department has issued best practice guidance on school uniform, which emphasises the need for schools to give highest priority to cost considerations. The guidance sets out that no school uniform should be so expensive as to leave pupils or their families feeling unable to apply to, or attend, a school of their choice, due to the cost of the uniform. The Department’s guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform.
The information requested is not held centrally as the Department does not collect figures on the number of local authorities that offer uniform grants. In England, some local authorities provide discretionary grants to help with buying school uniforms. Local authorities that offer these grants set their own criteria for eligibility.
Schools may also offer individual clothing schemes, such as offering second-hand uniform at reduced prices. This would be a decision for the school to make.
The Department’s non-statutory guidance on school uniform places extra emphasis on the need for schools to give highest priority to cost considerations. No school uniform should be so expensive as to leave pupils or their families feeling unable to apply to, or attend, a school of their choice, due to the cost of the uniform.
The Department’s guidance on school uniform is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform.
The Department intends to put the school uniform guidance on a statutory footing when a suitable legislative opportunity arises.
The Department’s guidance on school uniform is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
There are 91 permanent staff based at Peterborough Jobcentre. The office received the help of 6 additional staff from around the District and neighbouring offices to meet increased demand. All but one returned to their offices last week. There is one person remaining who will return to their home department this week. In addition, overtime was granted to provide extra capacity to meet the demand from and provide support to former Thomas Cook employees.
We are working closely with Peterborough City Council through Opportunity Peterborough to deliver the support required. Our local team in Peterborough are monitoring all new claims to benefits to identify where the claimant is a former employee of Thomas Cook so that they quickly receive the right level of support.
The Department is offering a range of support to anyone affected by the closure of Thomas Cook, through our Rapid Response Service and wider DWP services. For example, a local provider is offering a series of workshops for former Thomas Cook employees to explain the support available to help them find a job. We are working with a wide range of employers to provide support to former employees of Thomas Cook.
Our team in Peterborough have provided staff to support with the organisation and delivery of two local jobs fairs, arranged by Thomas Cook and Opportunity Peterborough (part of Peterborough City Council). The Thomas Cook event was attended by around 850 former employees and over 100 former employees visited the DWP stand at the Opportunity Peterborough event.
As current resources are adequate for the need to be met there has been no request made by Peterborough City Council or by the Department for additional financial support.
We continue to work with Peterborough City Council to monitor the situation and consider further support as required.
Our local team in Peterborough are monitoring all new claims to benefits to identify where the claimant is a former employee of Thomas Cook so that they quickly receive the right level of support. We estimate that as of 15th October, 159 former Thomas Cook employees have visited Peterborough Jobcentre, of which 120 have made a claim to benefits and 39 have made a general enquiry about the support available. Additional staff from neighbouring offices are working from Peterborough Jobcentre on a temporary basis to meet any increased demand on our services.
We are working with a wide range of employers to provide support to former employees of Thomas Cook. As they are part of our national portfolio we do not readily hold details on those that are operating in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire and to provide this information would incur disproportionate cost. The Department is offering a range of support to anyone affected by the closure of Thomas Cook, through our Rapid Response Service and wider DWP services. For example, a local provider is offering a series of workshops for former Thomas Cook employees to explain the range of support available to help them find a job.
Rather than providing direct financial support, our team in Peterborough have provided staff to support with the organisation and delivery of two local jobs fairs, arranged by Thomas Cook and Opportunity Peterborough. The Thomas Cook event was attended by around 850 former employees and over 100 former employees visited the DWP stand at the Opportunity Peterborough event.
Please note that the data supplied are derived from unpublished management information which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. They should therefore be treated with caution.
Our local team in Peterborough are monitoring all new claims to benefits to identify where the claimant is a former employee of Thomas Cook so that they quickly receive the right level of support. We estimate that as of 15th October, 159 former Thomas Cook employees have visited Peterborough Jobcentre, of which 120 have made a claim to benefits and 39 have made a general enquiry about the support available. Additional staff from neighbouring offices are working from Peterborough Jobcentre on a temporary basis to meet any increased demand on our services.
We are working with a wide range of employers to provide support to former employees of Thomas Cook. As they are part of our national portfolio we do not readily hold details on those that are operating in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire and to provide this information would incur disproportionate cost. The Department is offering a range of support to anyone affected by the closure of Thomas Cook, through our Rapid Response Service and wider DWP services. For example, a local provider is offering a series of workshops for former Thomas Cook employees to explain the range of support available to help them find a job.
Rather than providing direct financial support, our team in Peterborough have provided staff to support with the organisation and delivery of two local jobs fairs, arranged by Thomas Cook and Opportunity Peterborough. The Thomas Cook event was attended by around 850 former employees and over 100 former employees visited the DWP stand at the Opportunity Peterborough event.
Please note that the data supplied are derived from unpublished management information which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. They should therefore be treated with caution.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
All patients should receive necessary treatment appropriate to their individual circumstances.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines suggest that eating disorder specialists and other healthcare teams should collaborate to support effective treatment of physical or mental health comorbidities in people with an eating disorder.
When collaborating, teams should use outcome measures for both the eating disorder and the physical and mental health comorbidities, to monitor the effectiveness of treatments for each condition and the potential impact they have on each other.
The allocation of funding to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to support them in commissioning services for their local population is one of the key duties of NHS England. The approach NHS England must take in setting allocations is outlined in the mandate from the Department which says:
“The Government expects the principle of ensuring equal access for equal need to be at the heart of NHS England’s approach to allocating budgets.”
The approach is also informed by NHS England’s duty to reduce inequalities to accessing services and the outcomes of care.
These two aims are reflected in the target formula, which produces a target allocation or ‘fair share’ for each area, based on a complex assessment of factors such as demography, morbidity, deprivation, and the unavoidable cost of providing services in different areas. The NHS England Board has agreed a pace of change policy that seeks to bring all CCGs to target funding over time.
The formula is based on independent academic research and is overseen by an independent external group, the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation, which provides advice to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Chief Executive of NHS England.
The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone in England has access to primary care dental services.
NHS England is responsible and has a duty to commission primary care dental services to meet local need and, ensuring where there are shortages these are addressed.
The UK has taken bilateral and multilateral action to end the Turkish military incursion into north-east Syria. The Prime Minister spoke to President Erdogan on 12 and 20 October and the Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary have also spoken to their Turkish counterparts. We and our European Union partners have issued statements condemning the Turkish military operation and we have also, with European partners, raised this issue at the UN Security Council.
HMRC’s office in Peterborough (Churchgate) is scheduled to close in December 2020 with staff moving where possible to the Stratford Regional Centre, or to Croydon or Nottingham if these are more suitable options. One-to-one meetings between staff and managers to discuss personal circumstances and support packages tailored to individual needs are scheduled to start in November 2019. The precise impact of the office closure will not be known until these meetings have been completed.
HMRC will support people who are unable to move to work through all possible options, including helping them to find another role and offering advice and training on applying for jobs. HMRC have a close working relationship with the other government departments in Peterborough and will continue to scope opportunities for their staff as they arise.
HMRC are committed to supporting their people and in July 2019 HMRC published a People and Equality Impact Assessment, which is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/817787/People_and_Equality_Impact_Assessment_-_Locations_Programme__2019_.pdf. The document sets out the actions HMRC are taking across the UK to minimise the impacts on their people.
The Government is determined to protect consumers and further improve the resilience of the finance sector.
The Financial Authorities (HM Treasury, the Bank of England, Prudential Regulation Authority, and the Financial Conduct Authority) work together to assess, test and improve the operational resilience, including cyber resilience, of the finance sector.
The finance sector also benefits from a dedicated team within the National Cyber Security Centre, who work closely with industry, the Financial Authorities, and the National Crime Agency to protect firms and provide support during incidents.
In July 2018, the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority published a joint Discussion Paper on an approach to improve the operational resilience, including cyber resilience, of firms and financial market infrastructures.
It has also been made easier for customers to report fraud or cybercrime to law enforcement. Action Fraud is the UK’s reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, providing a central point of contact for information about fraud and financially motivated internet crime.