Asked by: Lisa Forbes (Labour - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2019 to Question 740, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making additional funding available to the National Taskforce for Thomas Cook.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The National Taskforce for Thomas Cook will look to ensure existing mechanisms to offer support and associated governance are working effectively.
Asked by: Lisa Forbes (Labour - Peterborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help resolve the situation in the Kurdish controlled territory of northern Syria arising from Turkish military action in that area.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
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.
Asked by: Lisa Forbes (Labour - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2019 to Question 378, what estimate he has made of the number of apprentices employed by Thomas Cook, and how many of those apprentices were based at the company's headquarters in Peterborough.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
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.
Asked by: Lisa Forbes (Labour - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2019 to Question 378 on Apprentices and Training: Peterborough, what additional funding he plans to allocate to offer re-training opportunities for former Thomas Cook headquarters employees.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
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.
Asked by: Lisa Forbes (Labour - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2019 to Question 1123, what additional public funding has been made available to support businesses in the Thomas Cook supply chain; and by what mechanism will that funding be allocated.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
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:
Asked by: Lisa Forbes (Labour - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2019 to Question 373, how much funding from the public purse has been allocated to the SSI Taskforce to date.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
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.
Asked by: Lisa Forbes (Labour - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions her Department has had with representatives of Hays Travel on re-employment of former staff of Thomas Cook's headquarters.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Special Managers acting for the Official Receiver were in discussion with Hays Travel about the completed sale of all former Thomas Cook retail outlets.
It is a matter for Hays Travel to decide how many former Thomas Cook staff they will employ and where.
The National Taskforce for Thomas Cook will continue to work with Special Managers to ensure the best possible outcome for former Thomas Cook employees.
Asked by: Lisa Forbes (Labour - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2019 to Question 375 on Thomas Cook: Insolvency, how many permanent staff are based at Peterborough Jobcentre; and how many staff from neighbouring offices are working from Peterborough Jobcentre on a temporary basis to meet any increased demand on services since the collapse of Thomas Cook.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
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.
Asked by: Lisa Forbes (Labour - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much funding from the public purse she is allocating to provide former employees of Thomas Cook with immediate financial assistance.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information is not available.
Asked by: Lisa Forbes (Labour - Peterborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding has been allocated to the Maintained Nursery School budget for the financial year 2020-21.
Answered by Nick Gibb
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.