Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Tuesday 14th June 2022 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

The hon. Gentleman might know that in 2007 the then Labour Government changed the law to allow takeovers such as that to happen. He might want to reflect on that. In terms of local management, there are consistent high standards that need to be met locally, and local commissioners should be made aware of what he has just said.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

9. If he will take steps to help ensure access to medicinal cannabis for NHS patients.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Tuesday 7th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

I agree with the hon. Lady about the importance of making sure that special educational needs are properly funded. That is precisely why in the last spending round I increased spending by £780 million, which I believe is the biggest increase in a decade.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

My right hon. Friend, coming from the west midlands, will know that Staffordshire has historically been one of the most underpaid counties per pupil. How will his changes affect counties such as Staffordshire and others in the f40?

[Sajid Javid]

My hon. Friend is right to raise this issue. He has been a champion of fairer funding for schools, especially in the west midlands, and I agree with him about the importance of this issue. That is precisely why, in the spending round, we made an exception for schools by having a three-year settlement, which means there will be a £7.1 billion increase for schools throughout England by 2022-23, helping to bring fairer funding.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Monday 1st April 2019 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

Sadly, as the hon. Gentleman points to, there have been many instances of abuse and intimidation of Members, especially in recent weeks. All Members should be able to go about their business with complete confidence—[Hon. Members: “Staff.”] Of course, all staff as well—everyone who works in the cradle of our democracy. It is important that the police, both the Met police and local police forces, and the House authorities work together, which they are doing. I had a meeting just last week with police, officials and others to see what more we could do.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

Extremism in all its forms is often whipped up by social media. To what extent can the Home Office engage with social media to try to counter that?

[Sajid Javid]

We are already engaging with social media companies, especially the US giants that dominate the sector. I have met their representatives both here and abroad to discuss, in particular, terrorists and terrorism-related extremist content. However, the Government recognise that more needs to be done, which is why we will shortly publish the online harms White Paper.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Monday 29th October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

The hon. Gentleman raises an important question. It is right that we support those who are given protection in ways to integrate into British life, and language is important to that. I assure him that we have a good budget in this area; in 2016-17, it was £99 million of the total adult learning budget.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that perhaps the success of the Jewish community in this country has been its willingness to integrate, to do in Rome as the Romans do and to learn the language? That is not always the case with other ethnic groups, so it is a question not only of providing sufficient funds but of encouraging them to learn the language and become a part of our community.

[Sajid Javid]

It is right, of course, that this Government do more to welcome all communities and help them to integrate. That is why the Government published—I published it when I was Communities Secretary—an integration Green Paper, which we will build on. It is also worth commending the work that World Jewish Relief does to help all communities to integrate.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Monday 4th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

I commend the work that is being done locally by West Midlands police to fight violent crime, particularly knife crime, and I am sure that the funds that it has put to use will make a difference. I would be happy to meet the hon. Gentleman and other local Members of Parliament to discuss the matter further.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

15. With 44 fatal stabbings in London this year alone, does my right hon. Friend not accept that even the BME community would now welcome a tougher stance on stop and search—[Interruption.] Initially, the BME community argued against it and that is why I used the word “even”. Therefore, does my right hon. Friend think that it is time to provide different guidance to the police on when stop and search is appropriate?

[Sajid Javid]

Perhaps my hon. Friend listened to or heard about the speech I gave to the Police Federation just last week, when I said that the police should be examining all the powers that they currently have, including stop and search. Whenever they think that it is appropriate, they should not hesitate to use it because that will help all communities.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Monday 12th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right to raise this issue, which comes up in Manchester and many other parts of the country. She is right to point to the cross-departmental work that is required, including with the Department for Work and Pensions and others, such as the Ministry of Justice, given the number of offenders who sometimes end up on the streets. The work is being co-ordinated, and the taskforce that the Prime Minister has created is helping to achieve just that.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree with Catherine Street of the Memorial University of Newfoundland that the causes of homelessness and sleeping on the streets are very many and complex, and that this is not just down to a lack of housing? Will my right hon. Friend take the opportunity to go to the west midlands to visit Mayor Andy Street to see the work and initiatives that he is undertaking to prevent the problem?

[Sajid Javid]

My hon. Friend mentions two Streets; I agree with him on both. Catherine Street is absolutely right about the complex causes of homelessness, particularly rough sleeping. Andy Street, the Mayor of the west midlands, has really led the way on this, including with the Housing First project.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Monday 30th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

The hon. Lady will know, first, that the Department’s responsibilities in this area are shared with other Departments, such as the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and I am working with my colleague the Secretary of State there to look into this further. Also, the building regulations and fire safety review is a broader fire safety review, and I certainly expect it to look at those issues too.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

Is it not an irony that it was not that enough money was not spent on Grenfell Tower, but that £10 million was spent on it to provide cladding to stop water ingress, and that that caused the whole problem? Is my right hon. Friend aware that, as experts have told me, sprinklers are not the sole solution to this issue? Sprinklers alone, without sound fire doors, will not work, and there are other provisions that can be made.

[Sajid Javid]

If my hon. Friend will allow me, I will not speculate on Grenfell Tower and the causes of that terrible tragedy—I am sure he understands that. However, in terms of his broader point about measures that are also important, such as fire doors, we found in Camden, for example, when fire safety checks were done, that hundreds of fire doors were not in place. There are other measures alongside sprinklers that certainly can be taken and should be taken where necessary.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Monday 17th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

That is an important issue and I will certainly look carefully at that request. It is important that all leaseholders recognise their responsibilities as legal owners of their properties. A number of towers were evacuated in Camden recently and a lot was found to be wrong with the internal fire safety of the buildings, including fire doors that should have been in place but simply were not.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

I have pointed out to the mayor of Birmingham that the home in which he lives in Birmingham is in a block that is clad. Does the Department keep a register so that it can push out information to private landlords on what they should be looking for, specifically in relation to cladding?

[Sajid Javid]

My hon. Friend will know that the legal owners of the building, be they private landlords or otherwise, will have the best information about what type of cladding may or may not exist. Soon after the Grenfell Tower tragedy, after getting expert opinion, we swiftly issued guidance on how to handle that identification process better.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Monday 16th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

I say to the hon. Lady’s Bristol South constituents, “Don’t forget where a Labour Government gets you.” The deepest deficit of any developed country, the biggest recession in almost 100 years and the largest banking bail-out—all that has meant that this Government have had to make some difficult decisions, and every part of local government has had to contribute to that.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the long-term financial stability of local government is a function of not only funding from Government but good management in local authorities? What does he think we can do to attract people with business experience to running good local government?

[Sajid Javid]

My hon. Friend makes a good point. This is also about leadership, which means local authorities having many businesses in their area and promoting them. They need someone with a good track record and experience from which local people would benefit. I can think of someone like that in the west midlands: Andy Street.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Monday 24th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

We will make sure that no community suffers. That is why we have the transition process. The guarantees we have given local councils and local communities are very important. Again, once we leave the EU, we will be able to design a system that fits the needs of the UK and no one else.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

My right hon. Friend is dead right to say there will be opportunities. Is it not the case that, whereas at the moment local councils and regions are forbidden to fund regional airports and other forms of infrastructure under EU law, that will no longer be the case and the United Kingdom will be able to choose what is best for our citizens?

[Sajid Javid]

As always, my hon. Friend makes a very important point. Once we leave the EU, no EU rules or regulations will apply, and we will be able to come up with those that best suit the needs of local communities.

--- Later in debate ---

[Sajid Javid]

The black country and the wider west midlands have seen strong performance of inward investment and exports. Our historic west midlands devolution deal includes an investment fund of £1 billion to drive growth, and what we also need to drive growth is strong local leadership. There is no doubt in my mind that Andy Street will bring that to the west midlands.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

Hear, hear.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Monday 18th July 2016 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

The hon. Gentleman’s constituency has already seen a 44% fall in the claimant count since 2010, and this is another way to try to boost local growth by having control over local taxes. He makes the important point that we should make sure that no council loses out, and that is why there will be this redistribution, but at the same time there will be more ways to promote local growth.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

11. What steps he is taking to encourage devolution of powers to combined authorities; and if he will make a statement.

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Sajid Javid)]

Our Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 is delivering on our manifesto commitment to devolve powers and budgets to boost local growth in England. Ten devolution deals have been agreed already in local areas, covering some £7 billion of funds and some 16 million people in England.

[Michael Fabricant]

A few days before the referendum, we heard that 5,000 jobs would be lost from HSBC. Surprisingly, only three days ago Mr Nigel Hinshelwood, who is the chief executive of HSBC, announced 1,200 new jobs and said that no jobs would be lost because of the supreme efficiency of the west midlands area. What further developments are happening with regard to the west midlands combined authority, which has the potential to promote even more employment during Brexit?

[Sajid Javid]

I understand the vital importance of the west midlands and the financial sector in boosting growth in that area as a fellow west midlands MP. My hon. Friend will know that very recently, in my former role, I went there to open the midlands financial centre of excellence, which will further help to develop jobs in that area. The west midlands combined authority that he asks about is now formally constituted; that happened last month. It looks set to have its first set of elections in May next year.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Tuesday 3rd May 2016 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

The hon. Gentleman raises the important issue of infrastructure investment. It is because we have a strong economy that, under this Government, we have a programme of £300 billion of investment over the next few years. That of course includes the midlands, with the investment in the main line and in HS2. However, there is always more we can do, and I am very happy to hear new ideas.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

Will the Secretary of State take this opportunity to praise the work of the local enterprise partnerships in promoting the economy of the west midlands, particularly the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP, of which Lichfield is a member? Will my right hon. Friend clarify, however, what will be the role of the LEPs and what will be the role of the midlands engine, which is about to appoint or has appointed a new chairman, in helping to promote the regional economy?

[Sajid Javid]

I join my hon. Friend in commending the work of LEPs throughout the UK, but especially that of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP, not least because it covers my constituency. I have seen the work that it has achieved, particularly under its chairman, Andy Street, and it is very commendable. The LEPs will work with local authorities throughout the midlands to really fire up the midlands engine, which means co-operation on things such as infrastructure, trade and skills.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Tuesday 2nd February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

That is a good question. It should be very clear to all companies that if they engage in such cheating or bad practices, the Government will crack down hard on them. We will work with our colleagues in the European Commission and elsewhere to make sure that all rules are applied. We in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are working on introducing real emissions testing, with the Department for Transport and colleagues in the European Union.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

In the mid-’90s, I stood up in this Chamber and said that some day, there would be self-drive cars, and everyone thought I was mad. I am reliably told that by 2020, autonomous-drive cars will be available in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Much of that work is being undertaken in Paddington by Nissan. When will my right hon. Friend visit Nissan and other British manufacturers, such as Jaguar Land Rover and Toyota, if he has not already done so, to talk to them about autonomous-drive cars?

[Sajid Javid]

I have had a lot of thoughts about my hon. Friend, but madness was not one of them.

I agree with my hon. Friend about the new technology of driverless cars, in which Britain is a world leader. Yesterday at MIRA, a world-class facility in Nuneaton, we announced £20 million of funding. That will fund some eight research and development projects in areas across the country, including in the midlands, and 14 feasibility studies. With work like that, his dream of a driverless car to carry him wherever he wants to go will come true by 2020.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Tuesday 15th December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

In my former career, I exported broadcasting equipment to 48 countries worldwide—no thanks to the EU and its regulations. Is it not the case that people need the chutzpah to export, and although the Department can give as much help as it can, people have actually to get out there and do it, and be confident in doing so?

[Sajid Javid]

One thing we know is that my hon. Friend is not short of chutzpah, and I am glad he deployed it in his former career. He is absolutely right in what he says and he makes a key point: there is only so much the Government can do. We will do that and look for ways to provide even more support, but we want more and more companies to do everything they can, too.

Steel Industry

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Tuesday 20th October 2015 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

It is a shame that the shadow Minister has taken this attitude. He has decided that he wants to play politics with a very, very serious situation, and that is a real shame. I could stand here and talk about the massive job losses—thousands—during Labour’s time in government. I could talk about the decline in manufacturing. But that would be wrong, because now is a time when people in the industry—producers, manufacturers, trade unions and others—want to see politicians come together and deal with long-standing challenges to the industry.

The shadow Minister asked a number of questions. First, he asked whether we would do everything we could for the workers and their families who are affected. Of course we will. We have already announced a support package for the workers in Redcar, and I have talked about the taskforce that is being set up in Scunthorpe. We will listen to local people and locally led taskforces who come forward with proposals and ideas about what more we can do to support those areas, and any other area that may be affected.

The shadow Minister talked about China, and I referred to overcapacity. China is obviously one of the main countries with overcapacity in the market, but there are others. A recession in Brazil is leading to more steel in the market and there is overcapacity in Russia, Turkey and many other countries. The problem goes much wider than just China and requires EU-wide action. We have already voted for action and we will do so again whenever we are presented with evidence. As I said earlier, next week I will go to Brussels to meet the relevant Commissioners and push for much quicker urgent action. I am sure that the shadow Minister supports that.

The hon. Gentleman also talked about the industry’s suggested actions. UK Steel has five key suggestions and when we had the summit on Friday with many members of the industry—producers, manufacturers, trade unions, Members of Parliament, local leaders and others—we went through each of the actions one by one and set out exactly what we can do. I hope that the shadow Minister can take the same attitude that people took in the summit and understand that although there are some things that the British Government can do, and that where we can we are doing them right away, there are other things, such as action against unfair trade, state aid issues and so on, on which we must work with our partners in the EU. We cannot be a country that sets out to break the rules. I know that the shadow Minister is not suggesting that we break international obligations and rules, but I hope that he has had an opportunity to reflect on his attitude so that he can work much more constructively.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

What consideration is my right hon. Friend giving to the creation of jobs in areas that have been struck by the closure of steelworks? In particular, I am thinking of the creation of new enterprise zones with capital allowances such as the Teesside advanced manufacturing park, which could create 2,000 new jobs near Redcar.

[Sajid Javid]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That is exactly the kind of response that can help with the impact on the ground in the affected areas. Part of the support package for Redcar is about ensuring that there are funds available to help local businesses that come forward with plans to create jobs.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Michael Fabricant

Thursday 1st May 2014 Commons Chamber

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

1. What progress has been made on the delivery of broadband in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

[The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Sajid Javid)]

The Government’s broadband programme will increase superfast broadband coverage to 95% of UK premises by 2017. The programme has already delivered superfast broadband to more than 500,000 premises. A further 20,000 premises are gaining availability per week and that number is set to rise to 40,000 per week by the summer.

[Michael Fabricant]

Who would have thought just a month ago, when my right hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Sajid Javid) and I were sharing a drink at Birmingham City university, that he would be where he is now? I congratulate him on his appointment on behalf, I am sure, of both sides of the House.

My right hon. Friend talks about superfast broadband and there has been huge progress, but I am afraid that there are still large areas of the country where there is no broadband at all—the not spots. When will broadband coverage be as universal as electricity supplies?

[Sajid Javid]

I thank my hon. Friend for that warm welcome. I remember that drink well. He mentioned my constituency of Bromsgrove. Like his constituency, it is semi-rural and there is naturally concern among my constituents about broadband coverage. He will therefore be pleased to know that the Government are providing £780 million of central funding to support superfast broadband, so that 95% of UK premises can enjoy it by 2017. We have also launched a £10 million fund to explore with suppliers broadband solutions for the other 5%.