Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tim Loughton and Danny Alexander

Tuesday 10th March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

Clearly, there are issues in the NHS in Wales, but I would caution my hon. Friend about the tone of his question, because health workers in England and in Wales are working as hard as they can to provide the best treatment they can for people on either side of the border. Of course there are failures in terms of funding in Wales and issues that need to be dealt with, but everyone on this side of the House should unite in respect and admiration for our nurses and doctors and the work they do to keep us healthy in this country.

[Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)]

6. If he will make a comparative assessment of the level of duty on wine paid in the UK and in other EU member states.

Investing in Britain’s Future

Debate between Tim Loughton and Danny Alexander

Thursday 27th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

Local authorities were mentioned in my statement, particularly in relation to the single local growth fund. The money goes to local enterprise partnerships, which as the hon. Gentleman knows bring private sector businesses and local authorities together to spend the money. Part of the money going into the single local growth fund comes from the new homes bonus, so it will enable LEPs to invest in housing if that is what they choose as part of their local economic priorities. As for the mortgage guarantee scheme, it is important that, when it is hard for young people to put together the deposit they need to buy a house, we support them. That demand will also bring forward additional supply. That is the view of the Home Builders Federation, and I agree with it.

[Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)]

I, too, am delighted that the Chief Secretary has named the A27 as part of the road works, but he mentioned only the Chichester by-pass. Will he confirm that the study will include a holistic study of both the bottlenecks at Worthing and Arundel? Otherwise he will just create two bottlenecks further down the A27, which is the longest car park in West Sussex.

[Danny Alexander]

I can confirm that we are getting on with the Chichester by-pass, one of the Highways Agency schemes that is already worked up. We will be conducting further work across the corridor, including Worthing and Arundel, to invest across the corridor between now and 2020.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tim Loughton and Danny Alexander

Tuesday 6th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

[The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Danny Alexander)]

The core purpose of Her Majesty’s Treasury is to ensure the stability of the economy, promote growth and employment, reform banking and manage the public finances so that Britain starts to live within her means.

[Tim Loughton]

That is all very interesting, but Anne Marie Carrie, the excellent head of Barnardo’s, recently said that the proposal to remove housing benefit from all under-25s

“is reckless and unfair as it will leave some of this country’s most vulnerable people stranded.”

I am particularly concerned about the impact on care leavers, who do not have a family home or family to fall back on and for whom a safe and stable roof over their heads means they can keep off the streets, out of the NEET statistics and out of trouble. Will the Chief Secretary guarantee now that he will work with other Ministers to make sure that any changes to housing benefit for under-25s do nothing further to disadvantage that already disadvantaged group?

[Danny Alexander]

My hon. Friend makes a very important point about care leavers. These ideas have been floated as part of a discussion within Government on the next phase of welfare reform. I will certainly make sure that his point is brought to bear in any discussions on that proposal.