Turkish Incursion into Northern Syria

Debate between Mary Glindon and John Bercow

Tuesday 15th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Colleagues, I now call an exceptionally well-behaved Member, a very model of decorum in the Chamber at all times. I am referring of course to Mary Glindon.

[Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

I never thought that would be me, Mr Speaker. Thank you.

The KRG and Kurdistan have been at the forefront of defending everyone from Daesh. They have taken in hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and they took in more than 1 million Iraqi refugees when Mosul was attacked. They are a democratic, tolerant nation. What are we doing to support these important allies and protect them against Turkey’s military action?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mary Glindon and John Bercow

Monday 25th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

As satisfaction with—[Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I understand the air of excitement and anticipation of important matters, but the question from the hon. Member for North Tyneside (Mary Glindon) is important and must be heard.

[Mary Glindon]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. As satisfaction with pay and pension benefits is at its lowest level ever recorded, does the Minister accept that seven years of below-inflation pay rises have had a severe effect on the morale of our armed forces?

Personal Independence Payments

Debate between Mary Glindon and John Bercow

Wednesday 15th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I call Mrs Mary Glindon.

[Mary Glindon]

Further to a previous question, Muscular Dystrophy UK has said today that figures show that 900 mobility vehicles a week are being removed from people due to the PIP reforms but that many of the vehicles are subsequently returned on appeal. Will the Government ensure that a mobility vehicle cannot be taken away from any individual until there is a final decision on their eligibility for the enhanced rate?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mary Glindon and John Bercow

Tuesday 29th November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I remind colleagues that topical questions are supposed to be sharply shorter, and the same goes for the replies. We made remarkably slow progress in the first session this morning, and we really need to do rather better.

[Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

T3. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mary Glindon and John Bercow

Wednesday 14th October 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. It is a considerable discourtesy to the Secretary of State for her not to be heard when she is answering questions. The answers must be heard and the questions should be heard. Let us have a bit of order.

[Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

12. Last week a police recruitment event that was due to take place at the Waterfoot hotel was cancelled because of a bomb being discovered in the grounds. What work is under way to ensure that the PSNI receives the appropriate support to tackle any potential threat?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mary Glindon and John Bercow

Thursday 25th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I have been saving the hon. Lady up and her time has arrived.

[Mary Glindon]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Does the Secretary of State share my concern that Maersk, in receiving a substantial tax allowance from the Treasury for its Culzean project, will place very few jobs in the UK? Will she meet me and representatives of the industry from my region to discuss how her Department can ensure fair play for the UK industry before she makes a decision or approves the fuel development plan?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mary Glindon and John Bercow

Wednesday 16th July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The question is grouped, so the hon. Lady need not hold her fire; let us hear it.

[Mrs Glindon]

I apologise, Mr Speaker.

While this year’s parade season has been relatively peaceful, the PSNI is experiencing a budgetary shortfall and does not have the requisite number of officers. What can the Secretary of State do to enable it to fund sufficient police numbers to ensure that there is continued peace and security?

Apprenticeships

Debate between Mary Glindon and John Bercow

Tuesday 12th March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

I was going to thank the last Labour Government for initiating national apprenticeship week, but I have now learned that more specifically I need to thank my right hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr Lammy), who was the Minister who brought in this wonderful celebration of apprentices, businesses and our economy. I am pleased to say that it is being celebrated in my constituency, culminating in North Tyneside’s showcase event on Saturday, “Get up and Go”, where young people, parents and carers can learn about local apprenticeship opportunities and what it is like to earn and learn across a spectrum of jobs.

This year, the borough’s apprentice employer of the year—for businesses employing more than 250 people—was insurethebox, a company based at Quorum business park at Longbenton in my constituency. It is a relatively new company that now employs 290 people from across the whole region. Its staff proactively enter schools and colleges in the area, teaching students about the world of work and offering work experience, with the aim of increasing the company’s apprenticeship work force to achieve a ratio of 1:10. Since 2011, the company has taken on 31 apprentices between the ages of 16 and 24, six of whom are now fully qualified. Once they are recruited by insurethebox, which accounts for two thirds of the UK telematics market, the apprentices get the opportunity to develop their careers, moving into areas such as human resources, claims handling and underwriting. I was happy to learn that this modern, forward-looking company wants to increase its apprenticeships even further as part of its recruitment drive.

As part of national apprenticeship week, I visited Fabricon Offshore Services, which is another company based at the Quorum business park. The company is a leading provider of brownfield engineering, procurement, construction and project management services to the offshore oil and gas industry, through a range of technical services and solutions. I was there to shadow one of the six first-year engineering apprentices, 18-year-old Darius Bahrami from Sunderland. Darius had studied A-levels at school, but unlike many of his friends he had decided to take up an engineering apprenticeship, as opposed to going to university. He told me that a number of his friends wished that they, too, had taken up an apprenticeship, as opposed to following a university career. Apart from experiencing how software is used in engineering, I attended a “Lesson learnt” presentation with Darius and other first-year apprentices, which was given by one of Fabricon’s now qualified apprentices, Carl Blewitt, who explained the process of going from being an apprentice to becoming a junior mechanical engineer. He is now at university. I saw in him a very good role model for his first-year colleagues.

Those apprentices are fortunate to be working at a fast-growing company such as Fabricon. They enjoy the best training possible and are up to scratch. As well as gaining sought-after experience, they receive HNC qualifications. However, Fabricon, like other companies in the industry, is fighting to fill a skills gap. One third of its staff are over 55. That is because businesses in the oil and gas industry cut back on the number of trainees and apprentices they took on in the ’80s and ’90s. Given the rapidly diminishing window to recruit people quickly enough to replace the ageing work force while still “downloading” skills and experience from people currently in post, companies such as Fabricon are battling. Because of the skills gap and its commitment to skills and development, Fabricon has launched its own dedicated offshore services academy, which is providing full training for apprentices and working with the universities in the area.

Another thing I would like to highlight is the fact that the Government now require those over 24 to apply for a 24+ advanced learning loan, which my local TyneMet college has said will be a barrier to people becoming mature apprentices. I have highlighted the fact that there are two fantastic things happening in North Tyneside—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am sorry, but the hon. Lady’s time is up.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mary Glindon and John Bercow

Tuesday 20th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We have a lot to get through, so may we have short questions and short answers, please?

[Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

T5. The Deputy Prime Minister will at least be pleased that last Thursday his party won the by-election in Wallsend, even though the turn-out was low. As the public largely boycotted the police and crime commissioner elections, which cost £100 million, does he think that it would have been better for his party’s fortunes if that money had been spent on the 3,000 front-line police he promised in his election manifesto?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mary Glindon and John Bercow

Monday 24th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

Does the Minister consider £22.60 enough to live on as a personal allowance to provide clothing, toiletries, travel and socialising? If not, why does the Minister expect my disabled constituents from the Percy Hedley Foundation who took part in the Hardest Hit campaign to—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Thank you for the question, but we must move on.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mary Glindon and John Bercow

Monday 28th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am very grateful to the Minister.

[Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

Does the Minister think that having to make a total of £185,000 in cuts to the voluntary sector and £106,000 in cuts to various youth services, as well as having to lose up to 170 posts by March, all because of Government-imposed efficiencies of £15.9 million, are more likely to change and, in fact, reduce the provision of services by North Tyneside council?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mary Glindon and John Bercow

Monday 14th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Mr Douglas Carswell. He is not here, so I call Mrs Mary Glindon.

[Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

20. What plans he has to tackle recent trends in youth unemployment.