Whole Day Download the Hansard
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Tuesday Volume 597 30 June 2015 No. 25 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 30 June 2015 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2015 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1315 30 JUNE 2015 1316 Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Lab): I draw House of Commons attention to my entry in the register of interests. Many small and medium-sized freight businesses struggle with Tuesday 30 June 2015 the cost of training drivers. Have the Government any plans to look at this afresh with a view to helping people train to become lorry drivers in the UK? The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Sajid Javid: As the hon. Gentleman will know, it is PRAYERS very important for the Government to listen to all industries about their skills and training needs, including for freight drivers. Of course, the option of apprenticeships [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] is open to that industry, but we must look at other measures too. BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS Mike Wood (Dudley South) (Con): The business rates system is one of the major barriers to competitiveness CONTINGENCIES FUND 2014-15 for small and medium-sized enterprises. What plans do Ordered, Ministers have to reform and alleviate some of that That there be laid before this House an Account of the burden? Contingencies Fund, 2014–15, showing– (1) a Statement of Financial Position; Sajid Javid: My hon. Friend will know that the (2) a Statement of Cash Flows; and Chancellor announced a full review of business rates in (3) Notes to the Account; together with the Certificate and the last Budget. It is important to note that although Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon.—(Stephen that will be a proper full review looking at what sensible Barclay.) changes can be made, it will stay fiscally neutral, so it will not be possible to satisfy everyone. Oral Answers to Questions Peter Kyle (Hove) (Lab): Brighton and Hove is the most entrepreneurial city in the country but still lags behind the region for productivity. What is the Secretary of State doing to increase productivity among small BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS businesses? The Secretary of State was asked— Sajid Javid: There are a number of actions that Government can take, and some of them were taken by Small and Medium-sized Businesses the coalition Government and are now bearing fruit, such as cutting taxes and the employment allowance. During the lifetime of this Parliament, there will be a 1. Alan Mak (Havant) (Con): What steps he is taking big focus on productivity, and there will be further to support small and medium-sized businesses to measures, including on deregulation. become more competitive. [900630] The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Rishi Sunak (Richmond (Yorks)) (Con): The last and President of the Board of Trade (Sajid Javid): Our Labour Government had an appalling record on regulation, business growth service provides expertise to ambitious introducing something like six new regulations a day. firms who want to grow and become more competitive, What does my right hon. Friend think that did for the and over this Parliament we will make extensive cuts to productivity of small and medium-sized companies in red tape which will save businesses £10 billion. the UK? Alan Mak: I thank the Secretary of State for his Sajid Javid: I welcome my hon. Friend to the House, answer. Headromance is a Havant-based hair salon and he is absolutely right: the last Labour Government launched in 2012 by two young entrepreneurs. It now had an appalling record on so many things, including employs 10 stylists and five apprentices. Will my right regulation, and the more we can keep the red tape hon. Friend update the House on the measures this challenge going, and our policy of one in, two out, the Government have taken to support the growth of more we will help businesses. apprenticeships? Sajid Javid: I warmly welcome my hon. Friend to his Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): In Northern Ireland place. I am not sure I would have much need of the 99.9% of small businesses are the core of the industrial services of Headromance—I am sure that applies to the base. They create some 347,000 jobs. What can the shadow Business Secretary too—but that does not stop Secretary of State do to ensure that those jobs can be me warmly congratulating its owners on their success retained and more jobs can be created? and in particular on backing apprentices. As my hon. Friend knows, during this Parliament we want to see Sajid Javid: The hon. Gentleman is right to point out apprenticeship starts rise to 3 million, and we have a the importance of small businesses, particularly in the number of measures in place to achieve just that. context of Northern Ireland. He will know that many 1317 Oral Answers30 JUNE 2015 Oral Answers 1318 of the policies that impact on small businesses in Northern Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab): The Ireland are devolved, but there are a number where Government’s universal credit plans are set to burden we can make an impact through the UK Government. 600,000 self-employed people with additional red tape One is foreign investment, which has been going up in requiring them to provide a new set of monthly accounts. Northern Ireland, and we will continue to focus on that. Given that the Secretary of State is responsible for cutting red tape, what is he doing about that? What is he Self-employed People (Regulation) doing to put self-employed people first? Sajid Javid: The hon. Gentleman will know that the 2. David Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale) (Con): universal credit plans are essential to make sure that What steps he is taking to simplify regulation for work pays, and I would have thought he would support self-employed people. [900631] that. On the issues that it might raise for small businesses and the self-employed, it is important that we look at The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills the net burden of regulation on businesses and keep and President of the Board of Trade (Sajid Javid): The reducing it. enterprise Bill will help to save businesses £10 billion through further deregulation. We have committed to Industrial Strategy launch a review into tackling the specific disadvantages faced by the UK’s 4.5 million self-employed. 3. Ian C. Lucas (Wrexham) (Lab): If he will implement an active and interventionist industrial strategy to assist David Morris: I thank my right hon. Friend for that economic growth in the UK. [900632] answer. As the self-employment ambassador, the issue of the IR35 constantly crops up when self-employed The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills people write to me. Can we meet to see how we can and President of the Board of Trade (Sajid Javid): The simplify this? biggest challenge facing the economy is improving productivity, and that challenge varies by sector. Dialogue with business, including through the sector councils, as Sajid Javid: I thank my hon. Friend for the work he part of our industrial approach, is key to addressing has done and continues to do as self-employment this issue. ambassador. I would be delighted to meet him to discuss how we can make the system fairer, quicker and simpler Ian C. Lucas: As a member of the last Labour for the self-employed. He will know that tax policy, in Government, I am very proud that the Labour party, in particular, is an issue for the Treasury, and I will bring it government, established the Automotive Council, which to the attention of my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary. has provided the framework for the most successful decade in UK car production for a very long time. Will Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab): the Secretary of State confirm that he will not, on the The number of self-employed people is growing, but altar of ideology, endanger that success? they are often disadvantaged and face additional burdens when applying for a mortgage or to set up a pension Sajid Javid: I look forward to working with the scheme for themselves. What steps is the Minister taking Automotive Council. In fact, I have already had a meeting to ensure that these barriers are not erected and do not with it and I told it something the hon. Gentleman attack the self-employed? would agree with, which is that the automotive industry is one of the brightest stars in the constellation of Sajid Javid: The hon. Lady is right to point out that British business. issue. She may know, as I am sure she read it carefully, that the Conservative party had a very pro-business Mr Steve Baker (Wycombe) (Con): May I reassure manifesto. We have rightly committed ourselves to having my right hon. Friend that if he does wish to follow a a review of the challenges faced by self-employed people more liberal policy than his predecessor, he will have and their businesses, and that would include looking at plenty of support from Conservative Members? the issue she raises: access to mortgages. Sajid Javid: I can tell my hon. Friend that we will have active dialogue with various industries, across Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): The self- sectors, and we will make sure that we are listening and employed in Kettering and across the country are the seeing what the Government can do.