Racism in Football

Debate between Nick Thomas-Symonds and Nigel Adams

Tuesday 15th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Nigel Adams]

I totally agree that any form of abuse is unacceptable. We have seen footballers like Paul Pogba, Troy Deeney and Tammy Abraham receive such abuse online through social media. We want to tackle it, and we will work closely with the Select Committee on Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. We have been clear that social media companies need to do more, and we will hold them to account on this issue.

[Nick Thomas-Symonds (Torfaen) (Lab)]

It is a privilege of mine to be president of my hometown football club, Blaenavon Blues. Although, of course, we try to promote the best behaviour at grassroots level, an example has to be set by the highest body in the game in Europe. Will the Minister make it clear to UEFA that if it fails to act properly on last night’s awful racist abuse, it will have consequences right across the game?

[Nigel Adams]

The hon. Gentleman is spot on. We are making that clear and, as I said, I am writing to the president of UEFA today to say that enough is enough. We have seen too many examples of this horrific abuse. We saw it on TV, and there was CCTV in the crowd—the FA also had monitors in the crowd. It is beyond belief that this is still happening, and we will support the FA, which is unable to comment today because it has asked for an investigation to be launched. We expect the UEFA response to be robust.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nick Thomas-Symonds and Nigel Adams

Wednesday 27th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Nick Thomas-Symonds (Torfaen) (Lab)]

5. What assessment he has made of the effect of changes to policing budgets since 2015 on the effectiveness of Welsh police forces.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Nigel Adams)]

The Government understand that police demand is changing and becoming increasingly complex. That is why, after speaking to all police forces in England and Wales, we have provided a comprehensive funding settlement that increased total investment in the police by over £460 million in 2018-19.

[Nick Thomas-Symonds]

By 2019-20, Gwent police will have seen a 26% cut in its core Government grant compared with 2010-11. Why do this Government keep making it more difficult for Gwent police to keep my constituents safe?

[Nigel Adams]

I remind the hon. Gentleman that the 2019-20 settlement provides total funding of up to £14 billion, and it is an increase of up to £970 million on the previous year. I would also politely remind him that the Labour party voted against that increased funding.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nick Thomas-Symonds and Nigel Adams

Wednesday 23rd January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Nick Thomas-Symonds (Torfaen) (Lab)]

5. What assessment he has made of the effect on low-income families of the roll-out of universal credit in Wales.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Nigel Adams)]

Universal credit is available in every jobcentre in Wales. Our welfare reforms are incentivising work and supporting working families, and employment in Wales is at a record high.

[Nigel Adams]

In recent weeks, an assessment has been conducted by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Secretary of State has made it clear that it is vital that we reform to deliver a fair and compassionate welfare system. This is an ongoing piece of work. It is essential that people who have been trapped out of work by a confusing and complex mix of tax credits and benefits are helped into work.

[Nick Thomas-Symonds]

Many organisations in my constituency do great work mitigating the effects of the universal credit roll-out, but it is still causing great hardship. Have Ministers asked the Prime Minister to fully stop the roll-out, or are they simply not standing up for Wales?

[Nigel Adams]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is fully committed to not rushing the migration of universal credit; she will proceed with the utmost care and attention. As she has announced, managed migration will be piloted this year, involving 10,000 people, following which the Government will report on their findings. Migration beyond the pilot number will not occur until my right hon. Friend has brought legislation back to this House to extend that migration.