First elected: 6th May 2010
Left House: 3rd May 2017 (General Election)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Steve Rotheram, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Steve Rotheram has not been granted any Urgent Questions
A Bill to introduce limits on the age of tyres on buses and coaches; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to require the Secretary of State to create Special Urban Development Zones; to set out the criteria on which such Zones must be designated, including criteria relating to Housing Market Renewal Initiative status and areas of multiple deprivation; and for connected purposes;
Public Authority (Accountability) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Andy Burnham (Lab)
Events and Festivals (Control of Flares, Fireworks and Smoke Bombs Etc) Bill 2015-16
Sponsor - Nigel Adams (Con)
The Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) Construction Skills Network estimates224,000 new construction jobs are set to be created throughout the UK in the next five years. This means that more than 44,000 jobs could be created every year for the next five years.
According to CITB estimates, 19% of UK construction workers are aged 55+, and are set to retire in the next 10 years (406,000 people), creating equivalent replace demand.
The Government has no estimate of the number of construction workers expected to leave the industry due to ill-health.
The Government is committed to significantly increasing the quantity and quality of all apprenticeships in England to 3 million starts by 2020; the construction industry will have an important part to play in achieving this target. Development of skilled labour can only be achieved with engagement of the industry. Construction employers in England are engaged in the Trailblazer process to develop apprenticeship standards that are fit for business, and we have announced a new apprenticeships levy which will put investment in training, and apprenticeships specifically, on a long-term, sustainable footing. CITB returned over £42m last year, supporting 18,500 first, second and third year construction apprentices.
Initiatives, by the Construction Leadership Council, or through the CITB are seeking to encourage more young people into construction careers. This work includes the launch of the GO-Construct website and work with the National Careers Service and Construction Ambassadors for schools. The CITB has also developed a range of initiatives, working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions, the Armed Forces resettlement service and Local Enterprise Partnerships, to encourage experienced individuals into the sector.
The Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) Construction Skills Network estimates224,000 new construction jobs are set to be created throughout the UK in the next five years. This means that more than 44,000 jobs could be created every year for the next five years.
According to CITB estimates, 19% of UK construction workers are aged 55+, and are set to retire in the next 10 years (406,000 people), creating equivalent replace demand.
The Government has no estimate of the number of construction workers expected to leave the industry due to ill-health.
The Government is committed to significantly increasing the quantity and quality of all apprenticeships in England to 3 million starts by 2020; the construction industry will have an important part to play in achieving this target. Development of skilled labour can only be achieved with engagement of the industry. Construction employers in England are engaged in the Trailblazer process to develop apprenticeship standards that are fit for business, and we have announced a new apprenticeships levy which will put investment in training, and apprenticeships specifically, on a long-term, sustainable footing. CITB returned over £42m last year, supporting 18,500 first, second and third year construction apprentices.
Initiatives, by the Construction Leadership Council, or through the CITB are seeking to encourage more young people into construction careers. This work includes the launch of the GO-Construct website and work with the National Careers Service and Construction Ambassadors for schools. The CITB has also developed a range of initiatives, working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions, the Armed Forces resettlement service and Local Enterprise Partnerships, to encourage experienced individuals into the sector.
The Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) Construction Skills Network estimates224,000 new construction jobs are set to be created throughout the UK in the next five years. This means that more than 44,000 jobs could be created every year for the next five years.
According to CITB estimates, 19% of UK construction workers are aged 55+, and are set to retire in the next 10 years (406,000 people), creating equivalent replace demand.
The Government has no estimate of the number of construction workers expected to leave the industry due to ill-health.
The Government is committed to significantly increasing the quantity and quality of all apprenticeships in England to 3 million starts by 2020; the construction industry will have an important part to play in achieving this target. Development of skilled labour can only be achieved with engagement of the industry. Construction employers in England are engaged in the Trailblazer process to develop apprenticeship standards that are fit for business, and we have announced a new apprenticeships levy which will put investment in training, and apprenticeships specifically, on a long-term, sustainable footing. CITB returned over £42m last year, supporting 18,500 first, second and third year construction apprentices.
Initiatives, by the Construction Leadership Council, or through the CITB are seeking to encourage more young people into construction careers. This work includes the launch of the GO-Construct website and work with the National Careers Service and Construction Ambassadors for schools. The CITB has also developed a range of initiatives, working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions, the Armed Forces resettlement service and Local Enterprise Partnerships, to encourage experienced individuals into the sector.
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement made by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) on 12 March 2015, Official Report, column 43WS-44WS, HCWS381.
Supporting economic growth in the north of England is vital to the long term success of our economy. At the Autumn Statement the Government committed £7 billion to replacing pacer trains and to improving the road network across the North.
We have also agreed devolution deals with Manchester and Sheffield and negotiations with Leeds are progressing.
The initial report from Mr MacDonald was received on 17 July 2014 for review by the Insolvency Service. Further information including another more detailed report was received from him during September and October 2014, and these again have been reviewed by the Insolvency Service. The reports are confidential.
The reports themselves do not require a direct response but I can confirm that the Insolvency Service has completed its review of this material and is in communication with Mr MacDonald.
No meetings have been held between myself, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills or other ministerial colleagues concerning this matter. The Secretary of State and I have both met with the Insolvency Service for briefing on their conclusions following review of material submitted by liquidators of two companies involved in administering the cash-back warranty scheme.
Investigations conducted under section 447 Companies Act 1985 are confidential, therefore it is not possible to announce whether or not such an investigation is taking place, or to report on the investigation outside of strict statutory gateways.
Whether or not an investigation under section 432 Companies Act 1985 is being undertaken is something which can be announced, and I am able to confirm that such an investigation will not be commenced at this stage.
Because the liquidation of the companies involved in the scheme is still under way, I do not propose to make a public announcement about the outcome of any review. However the creditors of those companies will receive reports from the liquidators if they are to be paid further dividends.
For the financial year 2014-15 The Insolvency Service anticipates conducting between 140 and 160 investigations under section 447 Companies Act 1985. This is part of the normal function of the Insolvency Service so I can confirm that investigations will be conducted using this power in the next six months, though it is not possible to say how many.
The circumstances giving rise to an investigation using section 432 Companies Act 1985 are much less common, and I cannot at present state whether any such investigations will be commenced within the next six months.
The outcome and recommendations of the review have just been passed to me and I will need to consider them. Any enquiry into this matter may be by way of a publicly announced inspection or a confidential investigation. If a public inspection is to be carried out this will be announced in due course.
The Northern Futures project has been a great success, introducing a more open and inventive style of policy making and engaging thousands of people across the North in the process.
Nearly 2,000 people are following the Northern Futures twitter account. More than 300 have attended town hall events with me in Sheffield, Leeds and Stockport. 170 gave up their time to join ‘open ideas days’ in eight cities across the North, including in Liverpool. More than 300 people attended our Northern Futures Summit in Leeds on November 6th.
In addition, TechNorth will be established to support the region’s tech businesses.
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills does not hold this kind of information; subsistence allowances are a matter for the companies concerned.
I have regular discussions with the Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Defence.
The Government's first priority is to make sure we do everything possible to keep our people safe.
The aim of our Northern Futures initiative is to facilitate a new kind of conversation about how we rebalance our economy. There are no plans to create a “Northern Futures Board”, but Liverpool and Warrington are strongly encouraged to join the Northern Futures conversation by submitting ideas via northernfutures@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement by the Home Secretary on 12 March 2015 at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2015-03-12/HCWS381/
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The Government notes the APPG’s report on Scottish Power and the PowerPlan Cashback Promise.
Two investigations have already been undertaken into the ‘cashback companies’ and Scottish Power. The first in 2002 was by the Office of Fair Trading, which made recommendations concerning the rules for customers to claim cashback and which the companies implemented. The second, in 2004, was by the Department of Trade and Industry under s447 of the Companies Act 1985. This investigation is confidential, and the findings are prevented by law from publication.
However it was concluded that there were no grounds for taking further action either against the companies, Scottish Power or the directors involved. This was reviewed again in 2014 when reports were received from the liquidators of the companies, but the position did not change. I can confirm that no new s447 investigation will be taking place.
The Government has no power to determine liability in this case and has no legal standing to intervene in what is a commercial claim by the liquidator of a limited company against Scottish Power. The liquidation of the companies involved in the scheme is still under way, and the creditors of those companies will receive reports from the liquidators if they are to be paid further dividends.
The liquidation of the companies involved in the cashback scheme is ongoing. The liquidators have the right to take action against the company if they consider the cashback scheme created an obligation to fund any liabilities.
My hon. Friend from Grantham and Stamford is meeting the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group to discuss their findings shortly.
Estimates of the average length of Apprenticeships, overall and by Sector Subject Area, are published as a supplementary table (first link) to a Statistical First Release (second link). Latest published data in this table is for the 2013/14 academic year. Data for 2014/15 will be published at the same link in due course.
Estimates of the average length of Apprenticeships, overall and by Sector Subject Area, are published as a supplementary table (first link) to a Statistical First Release (second link). Latest published data in this table is for the 2013/14 academic year. Data for 2014/15 will be published at the same link in due course.
Apprenticeships are categorised according to the Sector Subject Area of the apprenticeship, not the industry sector of the employer.
The Department does not produce forecasts for apprenticeship starts by Sector Subject Area. Apprenticeships are paid jobs and their availability is dependent on employers offering opportunities and hiring apprentices.
There were 32,980 learners participating in Apprenticeships on the ‘Construction, Planning and the Built Environment’ Sector Subject Area (SSA) in the 2014/15 academic year, the most recent period for which data is available.
In the same period 26,300 Apprentices on the ‘Construction, Planning and Build Environment’ SSA participated in Level 2 NVQ component aims and 6,050 participated in Level 3 NVQ component aims.
The Data Protection Act 1998 requires every data controller who is processing personal information to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) unless they are exempt. The ICO’s website sets out the criteria for notification and provides guidance on the level of fee organisations should be paying. The ICO have also made it easier for organisations to notify and pay the fee by introducing online payments.
At the end of 2015/2016 there were 441,000 data controllers registered with the ICO, which generated a total income of £18.3 million. Due to the very broad range of exemptions from the need to notify, and because these exemptions do not need to be actively claimed, there is no recognised figure for the number of notifiable data controllers in the UK. It is for data controllers to seek registration; the ICO periodically reminds organisations of the requirement to notify.
The Data Protection Act 1998 requires every data controller who is processing personal information to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) unless they are exempt. The ICO’s website sets out the criteria for notification and provides guidance on the level of fee organisations should be paying. The ICO have also made it easier for organisations to notify and pay the fee by introducing online payments.
At the end of 2015/2016 there were 441,000 data controllers registered with the ICO, which generated a total income of £18.3 million. Due to the very broad range of exemptions from the need to notify, and because these exemptions do not need to be actively claimed, there is no recognised figure for the number of notifiable data controllers in the UK. It is for data controllers to seek registration; the ICO periodically reminds organisations of the requirement to notify.
I have had no such discussions. Policing outside of sports stadia is a matter for individual clubs and the local police to determine. My Department has responsibility for ensuring the safety of spectators inside of sports stadia.
I have not met the Secretary General of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and do not currently have any plans for future meetings. However, the UK looks to maintain and build on its strong relations with Qatar.
The information requested can be found in the table below:
Number of pupils with special educational needs, based on where the pupil attends school, January 2016, England (1) (2)
| Total pupils | Pupils with statement or EHC plan (3) | Pupils on SEN support | Total pupils with SEN | |||
Number | % (4) | Number | % (4) | Number | % (4) | ||
ENGLAND | 8,559,540 | 236,806 | 2.8 | 991,981 | 11.6 | 1,228,787 | 14.4 |
Liverpool local authority | 71,183 | 1,702 | 2.4 | 10,777 | 15.1 | 12,479 | 17.5 |
Liverpool Walton constituency | 16,473 | 467 | 2.8 | 2,852 | 17.3 | 3,319 | 20.1 |
Source: School Census
(1) Includes maintained and direct grant nursery schools, maintained primary and secondary schools, city technology colleges, primary and secondary academies including free schools, special schools, special academies including free schools, pupil referral units, general hospital schools, alternative provision academies including free schools and independent schools.
(2) Includes pupils who are sole or dual main registrations.
(3) Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans were introduced from September 2014 as part of a range of SEND reforms.
(4) Expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils in all schools.
Percentages are rounded to the nearest 0.1.
It is essential that we ensure young people leave school or college prepared for life in modern Britain. This will be achieved through a range of reforms, including improving the quality of existing qualifications and giving employers greater influence over the content of courses.
We ensure schools and colleges have the freedom and autonomy to decide how best to put in place work experience provision for 14-19 year olds. In August 2013 the government reformed the post-16 curriculum and funding system to incentivise education and training providers to offer high quality work experience to young people as part of 16-19 study programmes.
Work experience elements of study programmes and traineeships are now inspected and reported on as an integral part of the inspection of provision for 16-19 year olds (and up to age 24 for traineeships) against the Common Inspection Framework for Further Education and Skills 2015.
Our focus is on ensuring sufficient support is in place, and we have recently announced new funding for our careers strategy which will include continued funding for The Careers and Enterprise Company to help young people access the best advice and inspiration, for example by building on the national network of enterprise advisers to broker strong local links between schools, colleges and employers.
The government is committed to meeting our manifesto pledge to make school funding fairer. At the Spending Review we announced our intention to deliver this by introducing a National Funding Formula in 2017, so that the money we provide for schools is fairly matched to need. As we develop our plans we will consider the effect of the formula on all schools, and we will make sure change is introduced at a pace that is manageable for the sector. We will set out our detailed proposals and consult extensively in the new year.
We will put in place clear professional and technical routes to employment, building on the work of the last parliament to ensure only high quality qualifications are approved for performance tables.
For post-16 students we have introduced Tech Levels and Technical Certificates, all of which are backed by employers, trade or professional bodies and cover most practical careers. Employers will be involved in the delivery or assessment of all technical qualifications from September 2017.
In August 2014, approval for the UTC Liverpool Engineering and Logistics project was withdrawn, and the associated funding cancelled. This decision was taken because the Universal Technical College project had made insufficient progress to give the Department for Education confidence that a good quality school would open and flourish. At the time of withdrawal of approval, the preferred location for the UTC was the former Anfield Comprehensive School site.
Figures on the number of schools that excluded one or more of their pupils for bullying since the 2004/05 academic year have been provided in the following table. Information on cyberbullying is not collected by the Department for Education.
STATE-FUNDED PRIMARY, STATE-FUNDED SECONDARY AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6) | ||||||||||
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WITH AT LEAST ONE PUPIL RECEIVING A PERMANENT OR FIXED PERIOD EXCLUSION FOR BULLYING | ||||||||||
England, 2004/05 - 2011/12 (7) | ||||||||||
Number of schools with at least one pupil receiving a permanent exclusion for bullying | Number of schools with at least one pupil receiving a fixed period exclusion for bullying | |||||||||
2004/05 | 109 | 2,321 | ||||||||
2005/068 | 68 | .. | ||||||||
2006/07 | 75 | 2,152 | ||||||||
2007/08 | 66 | 1,871 | ||||||||
2008/09 | 38 | 1,768 | ||||||||
2009/10 | 45 | 1,784 | ||||||||
2010/11 | 45 | 1,666 | ||||||||
2011/12 | 37 | 1,587 | ||||||||
Source: Termly Exclusions Survey and School Census | ||||||||||
(1) Includes middle schools as deemed. | ||||||||||
(2) Includes all primary academies, including free schools. | ||||||||||
(3) Figures relating to permanent exclusions include data for both city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including all through academies and free schools. Information is as reported by schools. | ||||||||||
(4) Figures relating to fixed period exclusions include city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including all through academies and free schools. Information on fixed period exclusions was collected from city technology colleges and academies for the first time in 2005/06. | ||||||||||
(5) Figures for permanent exclusions include maintained special schools, non-maintained special schools and special academies. Excludes general hospital schools. | ||||||||||
(6) Figures for fixed period exclusions include maintained special schools and special academies. Non maintained special schools are included from 2006/07. Excludes general hospital schools. | ||||||||||
(7) Figures relating to permanent exclusions for the years 2004/05 to 2009/10 are estimates based on incomplete pupil-level data. | ||||||||||
(8) In 2005/06 only secondary schools returned fixed period exclusions, therefore, figures for this year are not comparable to other years. | ||||||||||
.. Not available | ||||||||||
We have no plans to collect specific data on the number of pupils receiving fixed period exclusions or permanent exclusions for cyberbullying.
The Department for Education does not distinguish between different forms of bullying. The Department already collects data on exclusions for bullying, which would include cyberbullying, as set out in the reply given to the hon. Member on 28 April 2014, Official Report, column 558W, on pupil exclusions: bullying.
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring regions and organisations have stability and certainty in the period leading up to our departure from the European Union. At the same time, we are keen to use the opportunities that departure presents to set our own priorities. The Chancellor has announced that the Treasury will guarantee structural and investment fund bids which are signed before the UK leaves the EU. This includes funding for projects agreed after the Autumn Statement, if they represent good value for money, and if they are in line with the government’s strategic priorities, even if these projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.
Leaving the EU means we will want to take our own decisions about how to deliver the policy objectives previously targeted by EU funding. Over the coming months, the government will consult closely with stakeholders to review all EU funding schemes in the round, to ensure that any ongoing funding commitments best serve the UK‘s national interest, while ensuring appropriate certainty.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) does not publish figures below the UK regional level. However, DIT has published regional figures for 2011/12 to 2015/16 which can be located via the link below to the relevant section on the Gov.UK website.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) does not publish figures below the UK regional level. However, DIT has published regional figures for 2011/12 to 2015/16 which can be located via the link below to the relevant section on the Gov.UK website.
The Spending Review in late 2015 agreed a funding envelope of £55.7 billion (2015 prices) for the delivery of High Speed 2 (HS2). I am committed to managing the cost of HS2 and ensuring maximum value for the taxpayer, and delivering within the funding available.
HS2 Ltd element of consultancy expenditure, as defined by the Cabinet Office, is not readily available in the format requested and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
As defined by the Cabinet Office, the Department for Transport (High Speed Rail Group) expenditure on consultancy (i.e. provision of advice) on High Speed 2 for the period April 2011 to March 2016 was £29.7m.
The Mersey Gateway Bridge scheme is being promoted by Halton Borough Council and it is for them to justify the costs for users of the new bridge. A range of discounts will be available for frequent users of the crossing.
In approving the scheme the Government considered the case for change, the economic case, and that the scheme is viable, affordable and achievable. In line with other estuarial crossings, and as there will be improved travel across the Mersey, users are expected to part fund the infrastructure.
Whenever the rail industry carries out infrastructure work at stations it is required to meet the latest UK and EU accessibility standards.
We have also extended the Access for All programme, which will have provided step free access at over 200 stations by 2019. In Liverpool Walton both Fazkerley and Orrel Park have been completed. In the wider Liverpool City area Liverpool Central, Sandhills, Birkenhead North, Formby, Hooton, Meols and Waterloo have also been included in the programme.
The Department has consulted with representatives of the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation, Michelin, Bandvulc Tyres, the British Tyre Manufacturers’ Association and the Retread Manufacturers Association.
Further research is being planned but has not yet been commissioned. The outcomes will be available next year.
The National Railways Security Programme (NRSP) requires all Train Operating Companies, including Merseyrail, to have response procedures in place to respond to any security incidents on their station and trains and to review these contingency plans annually. It also recommends that they exercise these plans on an annual basis. The Department does not collect information on the frequency of exercises because this is a matter for decision by the rail operators within the framework set by the NRSP.
My officials have consulted with experts from the British and the European tyre manufacturing industry who have provided consistent advice that chronological age is not an indicator of a tyre’s mechanical properties. Further research is currently being planned and the outcomes will be available next year.
The Secretary of State and his Ministerial colleagues have periodic meetings with the Senior Traffic Commissioner to discuss a range of issues. The Secretary of State last met with the Senior Traffic Commissioner on 8 July this year.
The data that is currently recorded for action taken against bus and coach operators does not identify specifically where the action has been as a result of failing to meet safety standards. The following data shows the number of public inquiries that were heard in relation to bus and coach operators where regulatory action was taken. This data is therefore where operators have failed to meet “licence” standards, such as financial standing, repute, undertakings as well as those relating to vehicle and driver safety standards.
Financial Year | 13/14 | 12/13 | 11/12 | 10/11 | 09/10 | 08/09 | 07/08 | 06/07 | 05/06 | 04/05 | 03/04 | 02/03 | 01/02 | 00/01 |
Regulatory action | 199 | 148 | 171 | 163 | 168 | 195 | 174 | 134 | 162 | 232 | 222 | 210 | 211 | 172 |
The traffic commissioners recognise that additional data would be useful for completing the compliance picture and are already working with the Department and Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency through the Compliance Forum to deliver against that aim.
The data that is currently recorded for action taken against bus and coach operators does not identify specifically where the action has been as a result of failing to meet safety standards. The following data shows the number of licences where the operator had their licence revoked or had the authorisation reduced. This data is therefore where operators have failed to meet "licence" standards, such as financial standing, repute, undertakings as well as those relating to vehicle and driver safety standards.
| Year | Revoked | Reduction authorisation |
| 2013/14 | 75 | 30 |
| 2012/13 | 61 | 35 |
| 2011/12 | 71 | 23 |
| 2010/11 | 57 | 34 |
| 2009/10 | 63 | 38 |
| 2008/09 | 64 | 49 |
| 2007/08 | 55 | 60 |
| 2006/07 | 38 | 44 |
| 2005/06 | 49 | 48 |
| 2004/05 | 68 | 65 |
| 2003/04 | 53 | 78 |
| 2002/03 | 63 | 65 |
| 2001/02 | 67 | 67 |
| 2000/01 | 55 | 49 |
The traffic commissioners recognise that additional data would be useful for completing the compliance picture and are already working with the Department and the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency through the Compliance Forum to deliver against that aim.