Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nadhim Zahawi and Matt Hancock

Thursday 26th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Hancock]

The hon. Gentleman was doing quite well until that last exaggeration. I certainly agree that strengthening access to finance is a vital part of securing our recovery, and of course measures in the Bill announced yesterday will help to do that, but according to the FSB, small businesses’ confidence is at a high since Labour’s great recession. Small businesses in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency are playing their part, because unemployment on the claimant count has fallen by 30% in the past year.

[Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con)]

Small businesses in my constituency and around the country tell me that the real struggle when they are supplying large businesses is payment terms. Does my hon. Friend agree that requiring large companies to publish their payment practices is an important step in helping to drive a more responsible payment culture between large and small businesses?

[Matthew Hancock]

I agree with my hon. Friend so much that we put such measures in the Bill we published yesterday.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nadhim Zahawi and Matt Hancock

Thursday 6th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Hancock]

That is properly a matter for the Department for Education but, as I am also a Minister there I will take this opportunity to explain that we are introducing stronger statutory guidance. There was no guidance for schools before, so we have introduced a new legal requirement on them to secure independent and impartial advice, and we are introducing stronger statutory guidance to ensure that they do so, alongside the new National Careers Service, which this Government introduced.

[Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con)]

I will meet representatives of Jaguar Land Rover tomorrow to discuss their vision for their Gaydon headquarters. As it is international women’s day on 8 March, I will also be discussing the work they do to encourage women and girls to take up science, technology, engineering and maths. The Secretary of State is passionate about getting more women on boards and, importantly, into all sort of industries, so will he join me in celebrating international women’s day and reminding businesses that they need to do their bit to encourage more women into the sciences?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nadhim Zahawi and Matt Hancock

Thursday 8th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Hancock]

I certainly do agree. It is important to include English and maths in apprenticeships for all those who do not have level 2, and we must do more to make sure we inspire young people to look not only at the academic route, but at apprenticeships which combine work and training at the same time.

[Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con)]

I commend my hon. Friend and his predecessor for their work on the apprenticeship programme. My hon. Friend will be aware that the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee published its report on apprenticeships. Can he say a little more about the drive for quality, as opposed just to quantity, of apprenticeships?

[Matthew Hancock]

I welcome the Select Committee’s report. The focus on quality in apprenticeships is important. We have already said that almost all apprenticeships must be longer than a year, and we have taken action to close down some low-quality provision, so this is a direction that I very much want to go in. I will be studying the recommendations of the report extremely carefully.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nadhim Zahawi and Matt Hancock

Thursday 24th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con)]

9. What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the roll-out of broadband to rural areas.

[Matthew Hancock (West Suffolk) (Con)]

11. What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the roll-out of broadband to rural areas.