Arcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job Retention Debate

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Department: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Arcadia and Debenhams: Business Support and Job Retention

Peter Gibson Excerpts
Wednesday 2nd December 2020

(3 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Paul Scully Portrait Paul Scully
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We always work with local authorities to see what initiatives can come up. We work closely with them because it is typically the local authorities, local enterprise partnerships and other business groupings in each local area that know their local economy, and we are always happy to look at any initiatives.

Peter Gibson Portrait Peter Gibson (Darlington) (Con)
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As a student, I worked for the then Burton Group, and I know how vital retail jobs are, especially for students and young people. Can my hon. Friend confirm for my constituents in Darlington who worked at Topshop, Burton and Dorothy Perkins the steps he is taking to provide support, advice and assistance to them?

Paul Scully Portrait Paul Scully
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I thank my hon. Friend, and I commend his work in retail before; many others around the House have done such work. Yes, as well as offering them support through universal credit and other benefits, we will work with them through the Jobcentre Plus and its frontline workers to help them with CV writing, creating opportunities for and sharing opportunities with them, and ensuring that transferable skills have a massive role to play in that.