Business of the House

Margaret Ferrier Excerpts

Thursday 20th July 2023 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I am sorry to hear that the hon. Lady has not had a response. What I will do is contact the Department again on her behalf. In such cases where the Department is just not responding, we will also call in the permanent secretary, and I will do that on this occasion. I will follow up this afternoon, as I know the House is rising today, to urge them to contact the hon. Lady at least to give her an update on the matter.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

When my constituent lost power, Scottish Power transferred her on to a prepayment meter as an emergency fix. Three months later, her meter has not been repaired properly, causing major ramifications including her falsely being contacted by debt collectors. My constituent and my team have been in constant communication with ScottishPower, but the situation remains unresolved. Will the Leader of the House ask the Secretary of State for Energy, Security and Net Zero to make a statement on holding large energy companies to account for poor customer service?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I am very sorry to hear about that case, and I will of course ensure that the Secretary of State has heard what the hon. Lady has said. Hopefully someone from ScottishPower’s media or public affairs team will be tuned in to the Chamber, and will have heard our dismay at those poor standards of customer service. We hope that the situation will be rectified.

Business of the House

Margaret Ferrier Excerpts

Thursday 13th July 2023 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising these matters. He will know how to apply for a debate. I would also suggest to him that these are matters that the local authority should be helping to get resolved. I think many options for doing that would be in its gift, and I would expect it to be talking directly to Network Rail on these matters. I will make sure that the Department for Transport has heard what he has said, as there will not be opportunity to raise this at questions for some time.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

The wife of a constituent of mine is in Sudan waiting for a visa approval, but her safety is at huge risk, and they have been given no timeline as to when her visa might be approved. Will the Leader of the House ask the Home Secretary to meet me to discuss the case and to come to this House to give a statement on Sudan asylum cases?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I am sorry to hear about the hon. Lady’s case. She will know that my office stands ready to assist her on this. The Home Office is able to meet colleagues—it is still running that service to enable them to meet officials to resolve cases—and if she has any difficulty in obtaining that service, she should let me know. I will also make sure that the Foreign Office has heard her concerns.

Business of the House

Margaret Ferrier Excerpts

Thursday 18th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

That is a very interesting suggestion. I gently point out to the hon. Gentleman that the actions of the Scottish Government have been not to raise taxes on those who have the most. Furthermore, low and middle-income earners in Scotland are facing the highest tax burden of anyone else in the UK.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

My constituent recently got in touch after her father was in an accident on a short bike ride and suffered a fractured skull. She told me that he always wears a helmet, but on this occasion, he unfortunately was not doing so. I will be supporting the ten-minute rule Bill of the hon. Member for Rugby (Mark Pawsey) on 7 June, but will the Leader of the House join me in wishing my constituent a speedy recovery and schedule a debate in Government time on the merits of making bike helmets a legal requirement for cyclists?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I am sure that all Members of this House would want to send our best wishes to the hon. Lady’s constituent for a full and speedy recovery. I am very sorry to hear that that has happened to them. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (Mark Pawsey) on his ten-minute rule Bill and also thank the hon. Lady for raising awareness of the importance of wearing helmets.

Business of the House

Margaret Ferrier Excerpts

Thursday 11th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I will make sure that the Secretary of State has heard what the hon. Gentleman has said. As for any rumours about the renters reform Bill, that legislation will, as I say, be brought forward very shortly.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

Let me start by congratulating the right hon. Lady on carrying out her role in the coronation at the weekend so elegantly.

Social enterprise Hey Girls has launched the Pads 4 Dads campaign to educate fathers about periods and give them the tools and confidence required to support their children with this. May we have a debate in Government time on the importance of ending the stigma around periods and why menstrual education should be normalised across all demographics in the UK?

[Penny Mordaunt]

That sounds like a very worthwhile initiative and I congratulate those behind it. It is incredibly important that we give people the tools they need to support their children through the changes they will go through. I will certainly make sure that the relevant Department has heard about this scheme and see what else can be done to support it and scale it.

Business of the House

Margaret Ferrier Excerpts

Thursday 27th April 2023 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

The hon. Lady’s question affords me the opportunity to thank her constituents. The Royal Mint has been very busy recently, for various reasons, and I thank them for their role in the important events that are coming up. I would be happy to ensure that the Economic Secretary hears her request for a meeting and to do what I can to facilitate that. She will also know that the relevant questions are on 9 May, so she will not have long to wait for that.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

This week, I was to meet the Minister with responsibility for energy consumers and affordability to discuss long-standing green deal casework. Two hours before the meeting, it was cancelled, and no replacement meeting was offered until the Leader of the House promptly stepped in. That was not the first time Ministers have cancelled meetings on this issue. Will she schedule a debate in Government time on the lack of adequate support for unresolved Home Energy and Lifestyle Management green deal cases?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I am sorry to hear about this situation, although the hon. Lady kindly mentions that I have already intervened on the matter. The Minister cancelled due to votes and a Westminster Hall debate that they were involved in, but they have reiterated today that they are very keen to meet the hon. Lady, and I will ensure that that takes place.

Business of the House

Margaret Ferrier Excerpts

Thursday 20th April 2023 Commons Chamber

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

Last weekend, I had the great privilege of presenting my constituent, Brandon Grant, with his title of Scottish Elite Flyweight at the Boxing Scotland Elite Championships. It is a big achievement that speaks to his talent and hard work. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Brandon and his club, Priestfield boxing club, in Blantyre and schedule a debate on the achievements of Scottish boxers?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I can tell from the noises from all parts of the Chamber that we would all want to congratulate Brandon Grant on his amazing achievement. I am glad that the hon. Lady was able to celebrate that. I also want to put on record our thanks and gratitude to boxing clubs such as Priestfield that do so much to support and spot amazing talent.

Business of the House

Margaret Ferrier Excerpts

Thursday 23rd March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

The situation that the hon. Gentleman describes is crackers. I thank him for raising it. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which is leading on support for Ukrainian refugees for the Government, is looking at precisely these sorts of issues, which are coming up now, nearly a year since those refugees arrived here. They should not have to go back into a war zone to deposit their vehicle. From memory, I think that this issue is being looked at. I will write to DLUHC and the Department for Transport. If the hon. Gentleman gives me a reference number for the case, we will try to get it resolved swiftly for him.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

My Rutherglen constituent Azeem Ahmed, aged 21, is seeking to launch a new clothing brand, “Equal Clothing”. Azeem has muscular dystrophy, and will create accessible clothing for people with physical disabilities like him. He is also hoping to further the representation of physical disabilities in the fashion industry, and to inspire others to pursue their creative passions. May we have a debate in Government time on furthering accessibility, diversity and equal opportunities in fashion and other industries?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I very much congratulate the hon. Lady’s constituent on his achievements, and thank her for putting a spotlight on the issue and his work. As part of a Government scheme, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Work and Pensions are working with several disability and access ambassadors on a Cabinet Office initiative that champions this issue across the arts and creative industries. I would be very happy to put the hon. Lady’s office in touch with the relevant parts of Whitehall.

Business of the House

Margaret Ferrier Excerpts

Thursday 16th March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I join the hon. Gentleman in the sentiments he expresses about Baroness Masham.

This is a devastating situation. I know that many communities across Scotland will be particularly focused on Malawi because of the strong ties they have. The UK is working closely with the Government of Malawi and international agencies to respond to the cyclone and its aftermath. We are supporting the emergency operations centre that has been established and working closely with partners to identify the needs of all those affected, and we are looking at options for further UK support to help those stranded. I know that many Members are concerned about this, and I will ensure that the Foreign Secretary and his ministerial team have heard the asks for an update.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, and a common side effect of treatment is incontinence. One in 25 men over 40 experience urinary incontinence and one in 20 men over 60 experience faecal incontinence generally, but there is no statutory requirement for sanitary bins in men’s toilets, which my constituents have voiced concerns about. Will the Leader of the House schedule a debate in Government time on the need for equal access to hygiene bins in public toilets?

[Penny Mordaunt]

The hon. Lady raises a very interesting and important point. I will certainly raise this with the two prime Departments concerned and discuss good practice guidelines that they may know about. She knows how to apply for a debate, which I think would help to raise awareness about these issues, which will be a concern to half the population.

Business of the House

Margaret Ferrier Excerpts

Thursday 9th March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

The hon. Gentleman raises an extremely disturbing and important case. He will know that both the Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade, as it now is, have been focused on combating fraud—particularly fraud and scams of that nature. If he passes the details to me, I shall certainly ensure that the Chancellor and his team, and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, have heard what he has raised.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

My constituent’s young Afghan wife is finally being granted a visa, but the Home Office is insisting that, to hand in her passport, she travel to a third country for which it will be difficult for her to obtain a short-term visa as they are not granted for Afghans. I have raised this case many times with many Ministers since August 2021. We are working to very tight timescales, but I have not heard back from the Minister for Immigration on my request for a meeting. Can the Leader of the House please help me to facilitate a good outcome for that vulnerable young woman?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I will certainly do that for the hon. Lady. I know she has not mentioned the third country for security reasons, but that will be a major part of the answer. I will speak to the Minister directly on this matter today and ask for an official to contact the hon. Lady’s office to get it resolved.

Business of the House

Margaret Ferrier Excerpts

Thursday 23rd February 2023 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I am very sorry to hear about the plight of that particular venue. The hon. Lady will know that we have Department for Culture, Media and Sport questions on 9 March, and I encourage her to raise the issue with the Secretary of State. The levelling-up scheme was hugely over-subscribed, but officials and Ministers will be meeting colleagues who did not have a bid granted in this round to look at what more can be done for the venues and projects concerned, or to improve the bid so that it is successful in future rounds. However, I understand the time concerns that the hon. Lady has, and I shall make sure that the Secretary of State knows about them.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

Last week, as part of the Burnhill Action Group in my constituency, a group of children delivered winter care packages, with supermarket gift cards, a cookbook, an air fryer and more, to help locals with the cost of living crisis. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking those young constituents for their care and hard work, and schedule a debate in Government time on the positive impact of youth volunteering?