Thursday Volume 678 16 July 2020 No. 88 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 16 July 2020 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2020 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1651 16 JULY 2020 1652 House of Commons Covid-19: Regional Economic Growth Edward Timpson (Eddisbury) (Con): What steps he is Thursday 16 July 2020 taking to support regional economic growth as part of the recovery from the covid-19 outbreak. [904835] The House met at half-past Nine o’clock Darren Henry (Broxtowe) (Con): What steps the Government are taking to ensure equal distribution of Government funding throughout the UK in response to PRAYERS the covid-19 outbreak. [904836] [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Dr Ben Spencer (Runnymede and Weybridge) (Con): Virtual participation in proceedings commenced (Order, What steps he is taking to support regional economic 4 June). growth as part of the recovery from the covid-19 outbreak. [904845] [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] The Minister without Portfolio (Amanda Milling): The Government have taken unprecedented steps to support Oral Answers to Questions people and businesses across the country during this period. So far, we have helped 1.1 million employers across the UK through our coronavirus job retention scheme and 2.7 million self-employed individuals, and CABINET OFFICE we have provided £10.5 billion in small business grants. Furthermore, the Prime Minister has set out our vision to double-down on levelling up, unite the country and The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister spread opportunity. As part of that, the plan for jobs for the Cabinet Office was asked— announced by the Chancellor supports all regions through upgrades to local infrastructure, with £1 billion of Covid-19: UK-EU Negotiations investment for local projects to boost local economic recovery in the places that need it most. Alex Davies-Jones (Pontypridd) (Lab): What steps he is taking to ensure that the outcome of UK-EU negotiations Edward Timpson: In the light of the Government’s on arrangements after the transition period will not be avowed intent to build, build, build our way towards detrimental to the UK’s ability to respond to the covid-19 economic recovery, will my right hon. Friend put her pandemic. [904834] full support behind key infrastructure projects in Eddisbury in the north-west, including the roll-out of full-fibre The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister broadband and the construction of the Knights Grange for the Cabinet Office (Michael Gove): The coronavirus women and girls’ football national centre of excellence, is a global pandemic, and the UK is collaborating which will bolster Winsford’s jobs and economy for extensively with international partners, including the many years to come? EU. The UK has been leading the way to find a vaccine, with the University of Oxford and Imperial College Amanda Milling: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for undertaking the research that will be available to the his question. His constituency is one I know well, as he UK and the rest of the world. The UK is also seeking a is my mother’s MP.The Government remain committed deal with the EU that would facilitate continued trade to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity as soon as in all medicinal products, but of course the United possible. Wewant to become a world leader in connectivity, Kingdom will be ready for all scenarios after the end of increasing the UK’s productivity and competitiveness the transition period. and boosting the economy in the aftermath of covid-19. I welcome the Cheshire Football Association’scommitment Alex Davies-Jones: I thank the Minister for that to provide a new world-class facility for women and answer. I welcome the news out of Oxford regarding a girls’ football in Cheshire, and I am confident that the vaccine, but the Government’s border delivery plans pros’ centre will become an excellent sporting asset for announced on Monday bring into stark relief the extent the local community. of new barriers to trade in goods and services and movement of people across the border from 1 January. Darren Henry: We have a golden opportunity for How will he ensure that during covid and in the event of much-needed investment in Broxtowe. We have a shovel- future health emergencies or a second wave, that will ready project: the Toton link road. Toton is the site of not result in any delays to supplies reaching patients or the new High Speed 2 east midlands hub. The road interruption to the flow of vital machinery and equipment? would link to houses that we are building in Chetwynd barracks and then on to the A52 and M1. The whole Michael Gove: The hon. Lady makes an important development area will create up to 4,500 new homes, point. Of course, the health of citizens is the first and it is linked to an innovation campus, where we are concern of Her Majesty’s Government, and we will be creating up to 6,000 jobs, many in the high-value area of working with the Department of Health and Social research and development. Will my right hon. Friend Care and other Departments to ensure that category 1 commit to explore this £30 million shovel-ready project, goods, which include vital NHS supplies, can reach which will support the economic renewal of Broxtowe those on the frontline. and help to level up the economy? 1653 Oral Answers 16 JULY 2020 Oral Answers 1654 Amanda Milling: I agree with my hon. Friend that delayed and blocked the democratic will of the people shovel-ready projects will play an important part in our of Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke, who economic renewal and the levelling up of the UK. I overwhelmingly voted for us to leave the EU, should congratulate him on setting out the case for the Toton never be seen again. What assurances can she give my link road. I encourage him to work with his local constituents that this reform can be achieved quickly highway authority, so that such schemes are ready to and with support from all parts of the House to ensure seek funding when suitable opportunities are available that that kind of Brexit-blocking Parliament we saw last following the next fiscal event. year will not be seen again? Dr Ben Spencer: I thank the Minister for her answer. Does she agree that schemes such as the River Thames Chloe Smith: There are two points to make to my scheme not only provide flood defences for Runnymede hon. Friend. The first is that repeal of the Fixed-term and Weybridge but will be a huge boost for the local Parliaments Act had cross-party support. It was in the economy and our natural environment? manifestos of both the Government and the Opposition, so I hope that that gives it a good wind, but it is also the Amanda Milling: I congratulate my hon. Friend on case that the policy does need to be carefully developed bringing that issue to the attention of the House. I and well scrutinised so that we do not repeat past recognise that the proposed River Thames scheme might mistakes with an important part of our constitution. have the potential to better protect thousands of homes, contribute to the local economy and increase the social Aaron Bell: I thank my hon. Friend for her answer and environmental value of the river. I understand that and associate myself with the comments of my hon. the Environment Agency has offered to brief him on Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (Jonathan the progress of the scheme, and I encourage him to take Gullis). The problem we had last year was that we had a up that offer. Government who were manifestly unable to get their core legislative agenda through. They did not have the Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab): During confidence of the House for that, but the House voted the pandemic, certain sectors and regions have been that it had confidence in the Government. I understand disproportionately hit by this economic downturn. In that repealing the Act will not necessarily get us back to many cases, this is falling on the shoulders of those who the status quo ante, so what mechanism does she envisage are least able to carry it. In Lancashire, 82 businesses will make sure that we can never again be in that have collapsed in May alone and almost 19,000 jobs position where the Government do not have the confidence in the county have been lost during the pandemic. A of the House on their core legislative agenda? failure to provide sector-specific, regionally focused support to those most at risk could end up costing many more jobs. What steps are the Government taking to apply a Chloe Smith: I thank my hon. Friend for putting his regional lens to this crisis and, in particular, to provide finger on a very important part of what was wrong with vital investment to counties such as Lancashire? that scenario and what is wrong with that legislation: it divorces the issue of confidence from the issue of calling Amanda Milling: Mr Speaker, you will know that I an election. One thing we want to do as we look at its know Lancashire very well, having lived there for 15 years repeal is to make sure that that central tenet of the myself. We recognise that every region and community constitution and of parliamentary operation can be will be feeling the impact of covid-19.