Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Robert Flello Excerpts
Wednesday 15th July 2015

(8 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Priti Patel Portrait Priti Patel
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When it comes to sanctions in particular, individuals are asked to meet reasonable requirements to take into account their circumstances, which is right and proper when people are looking for work and employment. [Interruption.] I see SNP colleagues laughing at the prospect, but we are all about supporting individuals into the employment market. As we have seen, 70% of jobseeker’s allowance recipients say that the system of sanctions and conditionality leads them to engage positively with the support on offer to help them into employment.

Robert Flello Portrait Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Lab)
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3. What recent discussions he has had with the First Minister of Scotland on the Government’s decision to end new subsidies for onshore wind farms by April 2016.

David Mundell Portrait The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell)
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I have regular discussions with the Scottish Government on issues affecting the energy sector, including on our manifesto commitment to end new subsidies for onshore wind. I have also listened to organisations and communities across Scotland who support our policy of an affordable energy mix that also protects Scotland’s natural landscapes.

Robert Flello Portrait Robert Flello
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According to the UK Government’s own report, 5,400 jobs depend on onshore wind. Surely the decision to end the subsidies prematurely puts many of these jobs at risk. Why are the Government so complacent about putting 5,400 jobs at risk?

David Mundell Portrait David Mundell
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The Conservative position on this issue was clear heading into the election. Of course the interests of the industry are important, but so are the interests of taxpayers and local communities, and I believe that the policy we have set out gets it right in Scotland and across the United Kingdom.