Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Theresa Villiers and Guy Opperman

Thursday 8th February 2024 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman]

With respect, the number of bus journeys in England increased by half a billion to 3.4 billion in the financial year ending March 2023, and that happened because of massive Government funding, which has effectively doubled since 2009. The hon. Gentleman is actually lauding something that is funded by this Government. It is unquestionably the case that we have allowed certain local authorities and Mayors to engage in franchising—something we introduced—but there has to be a way of paying for it, and it has been demonstrated repeatedly that when Labour organisations are challenged on this, they struggle to find out how they are going to deal with the funding, because, quite simply, they do not have a plan.

[Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet) (Con)]

5. What discussions he has had with local authorities on 20 mph speed limits on roads.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Theresa Villiers and Guy Opperman

Monday 7th February 2022 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman]

The hon. Gentleman will know that there are 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty than in 2009-10. Through the triple lock and the work that the coalition Government did and this Conservative Government have done, we have never paid pensioners more. There are also the three matters set out by the Chancellor previously. I spent some of the weekend reading “Scotland’s Future” and I see that the SNP has now abandoned its previous position on the state pension—a question that SNP Members did not want to raise today, I conclude.

[Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet) (Con)]

Will the Minister ensure that supporting our pensioners remains a top priority across Government? What is he doing personally to ensure that as many pensioners as possible benefit from the Chancellor’s support package on energy prices?

[Guy Opperman]

Yes, of course, is the short answer. We are doing a huge amount, particularly on pension credit, which addresses the situation of low-income pensioners. We are working with the BBC, various energy companies, Age UK and many other organisations to get greater take-up of pension credit. It is a cross-departmental initiative to ensure that there is take-up of the various things that are available, as announced by the Chancellor last week.

David Black

Debate between Theresa Villiers and Guy Opperman

Friday 2nd November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Villiers]

I appreciate that making a statement on a Friday is not ideal, because not all colleagues can be here, but such was the gravity of the situation that I felt it was important to come to the House at the earliest opportunity—[Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”]—to inform the House of what was going on.

[Guy Opperman (Hexham) (Con)]

I suggest that “No retaliation but maximum pursuit” should be our watchwords. I echo the tributes paid to Mr Black and the Northern Ireland Prison Service. What assurances and assistance will be provided to those who would wish to give information to the PSNI as we seek to build a better case against these killers?

[Mrs Villiers]

My hon. Friend makes a very good point. Of course, the PSNI would be happy to keep confidential the identities of people who approach it. It is entirely possible to approach the police in Northern Ireland on a completely confidential basis—people should have no fear about approaching them if they have any information about this recent tragedy or, indeed, any terrorist activity in Northern Ireland.