Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robert Buckland and Vince Cable

Thursday 24th October 2013 Commons Chamber

[Vince Cable]

I think I know the sorting office that the hon. Lady is talking about, because it is the one that serves my constituency. It was rebuilt and re-equipped three years ago, I believe, so it is wildly improbable that the Royal Mail will now want to sell it.

[Mr Robert Buckland (South Swindon) (Con)]

5. What steps he is taking to improve adults’ basic skills.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robert Buckland and Vince Cable

Thursday 6th September 2012 Commons Chamber

[Vince Cable]

There is no question of introducing no-fault dismissal by the front or the back door. The proposal in the Bill relates to settlement agreements. We are proceeding in consultation with both employers and the trade unions—there is a wide area of consensus on the matter.

[Mr Robert Buckland (South Swindon) (Con)]

I am delighted that my right hon. Friend is going to Honda Swindon today to help to mark 20 years of investment of more than £2 billion. Will he take the opportunity to discuss how trade barriers between the EU and Japan can be further removed and improved so that Honda’s position can be strengthened?

[Vince Cable]

I pay tribute to the hon. Gentleman’s work, and to the workers and managers in Swindon who have made a success of the plant. As many of us remember, many of them went on to part-time working and long vacations to keep the plant alive, and it is now succeeding. I have discussed trade barriers with the Keidanren in Japan and with others. There are a lot of non-tariff barriers in the automotive industry. We must deal with them if we are to have a genuine free trade agreement with Japan.