Business of the House

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Daniel Zeichner

Thursday 18th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

The UK life sciences sector excelled during the covid crisis, and we applauded it for that, but since then the picture has been less rosy. The number of clinical trials being undertaken has fallen back badly, and we have fallen down the international league table. The Government are aware of this; they have appointed Lord O’Shaughnessy to conduct a review, and his findings are expected soon. Will the Leader of the House ensure that a statement is made at that time, so that there can be a proper interrogation about his conclusions?

[Penny Mordaunt]

As the hon. Gentleman will know, this important matter is a priority for the Government. Our future national prosperity depends on it, and we also want to ensure that the people of this country benefit from the life sciences sector and innovations can be taken up quickly. I shall certainly ensure that my noble Friend Lord O’Shaughnessy has heard the hon. Gentleman’s request.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Daniel Zeichner

Thursday 7th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

My answer will be similar to that which I gave to the hon. Member for Washington and Sunderland West (Mrs Hodgson) on Question 1. Clinical decisions are taken with regard to age range, but whatever age is set, there will always be people who fall outside it—in this case those younger than 25. What is critical is that people know what is normal for them and what symptoms they should be worried about. The Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Jackie Doyle-Price), who has responsibility for women’s health issues and inequalities, is doing great work with her new taskforce on women’s health to identify what a safe period looks like and examine issues such as menopause so that women and girls everywhere really understand when they should be concerned about something and seek help.

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

T2. Many disabled people and pensioners rely on accessible Crown post offices, so will the Minister tell us what discussions Ministers in the Government Equalities Office have had with colleagues in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Work and Pensions about the equality impact of closing, privatising and relocating to WHSmith 41 post offices, including in Cambridge?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Daniel Zeichner

Wednesday 9th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

T6. Will the Secretary of State tell the House how much of the international development budget has been diverted to the Ministry of Defence?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I have good news for the hon. Gentleman because, even with our immense skills, it is impossible to spend any of the 0.7% on anything that is not official development assistance-eligible. I encourage all Opposition Members, as they hopefully join us to deliver the global goals, to start working for a change with the private sector and the armed forces, without which we will not be able to deliver the humanitarian relief that we wish to deliver or achieve those goals.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Daniel Zeichner

Wednesday 10th October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I was absolutely delighted by the Prime Minister’s visit, and I congratulate my hon. Friend on her appointment as trade envoy to Kenya. If we want to eradicate global poverty, trade is part of the answer, and we are absolutely right to put that investment into Africa, as it will lever in an additional £4 billion to grow the economies of those developing nations.

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

T8. In the week in which the UK hosts a major international conference on the illegal wildlife trade, will the Minister tell us what her Department is doing to tackle that international crime?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Daniel Zeichner

Thursday 17th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I will be happy to do that, and I would like to do it swiftly. I want to ensure that we take absolutely the right decision. The responses to the consultation were heavily weighted towards one outcome, but I want to know the case law and all the arguments before we take any decision.

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

3. What steps the Government are taking to ensure that companies publish action plans to reduce their gender pay gaps.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Daniel Zeichner

Wednesday 28th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

14. What recent discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on enabling refugee families to reunify in the UK.

[The Secretary of State for International Development (Penny Mordaunt)]

I regularly discuss refugee issues with Cabinet colleagues, including the Home Secretary, and with Home Office officials. We have committed to resettling 20,000 refugees fleeing the Syria conflict, and 3,000 vulnerable children and their families by 2020 from the middle east and north Africa, and we provide lifesaving aid, education and jobs to millions of refugees globally.

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[Penny Mordaunt]

Obviously, the mandate resettlement scheme allows for that to happen, and there is no quota or cap on that. If we can improve things, I am always open to that on any issue, but I hope we can manage to do these things without primary legislation.

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

I suspect that most people would agree with the Home Affairs Committee when it said that it is

“perverse that children who have been granted refugee status…are not then allowed to bring their close family to join them”.

Does the Secretary of State agree?

[Penny Mordaunt]

It is loud in the Chamber, but I think the hon. Gentleman asked why children are not allowed to be joined by their parents. There are some solid technical reasons why we think that would be a bad idea, but I am looking into ways for us to get good things to happen. For example, the current Rohingya crisis has some barriers to good things happening in terms of identifying people and so forth, and we are working with the Home Office to address those issues. If the hon. Gentleman has suggestions, I would be happy to hear them.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Daniel Zeichner

Monday 21st November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I think the hon. Lady’s question related to PIP. We have also introduced other ways in which we can measure a contractor’s performance, including the use of clinical data. Whether in relation to PIP or to ESA, we need to ensure that the evidence needed to make these judgments is submitted early in the process. We are doing some work to ensure that that happens, and it is improving things considerably.

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

20. What plans his Department has to help ensure long-term, sustainable and predictable funding for the supported housing sector.

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[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

T6. Given that the Department promised to increase the number of people supported by the Access to Work programme, will the Minister tell us why fewer people are now in receipt of Access to Work than in the last year of the previous Labour Government?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I will happily write to the hon. Gentleman with the figures, but I do not recognise what he says. We have actually expanded such schemes, and the Green Paper asks what more we can do. We want to ensure that everyone who wants to get into work has the necessary equipment and support to do so.