Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
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Wednesday Volume 536 23 November 2011 No. 228 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 23 November 2011 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2011 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 277 23 NOVEMBER 2011 278 David T. C. Davies (Monmouth) (Con): Does the House of Commons Minister agree that although it would be highly desirable to reduce fuel costs, it is impossible to do so while we Wednesday 23 November 2011 are running a deficit of £160 billion a year as a result of the past actions of Opposition Members? The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Mr Jones: I could not have put it better myself. PRAYERS Jessica Morden (Newport East) (Lab): For commuters and businesses in my constituency, high fuel prices are [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] painful enough without the exorbitant cost of the Severn bridge tolls. If price increases follow the normal pattern, tolls will hit almost £6 per car this year. What action is Oral Answers to Questions the Secretary of State taking to help my constituents? Mr Jones: As the hon. Lady knows, the Severn bridge WALES is privately operated. The franchise comes to an end in 2017, at which time the Government will consider their The Secretary of State was asked— options. Fuel Prices Unemployment 1. Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Dwyfor Meirionnydd) (PC): What discussions she has had with ministerial 2. Karl Turner (Kingston upon Hull East) (Lab): colleagues and Ministers in the Welsh Government on What recent assessment she has made of the level of the effects of fuel prices on (a) rural and (b) urban unemployment in Wales. [81781] areas in Wales; and if she will make a statement. [81780] 8. Andrew Miller (Ellesmere Port and Neston) (Lab): The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales What recent assessment she has made of the level of (Mr David Jones): My right hon. Friend the Secretary unemployment in Wales. [81787] of State and I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues and the Welsh Government on a range of The Secretary of State for Wales (Mrs Cheryl Gillan): issues, including the effects of fuel prices in Wales. The The latest unemployment figures in Wales are disappointing Government are addressing the rising cost of fuel through and show that there is still much for both the UK the abolition of the fuel tax escalator, the introduction Government and the Welsh Government to do. We have of the fair fuel stabiliser and a cut in fuel duty announced made it clear that while tackling the deficit remains our at the Budget earlier this year. top priority, we are committed to creating the right conditions for the private sector to expand and grow in Mr Llwyd: I thank the Minister for that response. Wales, in order to create much needed jobs. Will he impress upon the Secretary of State the need to push the Government to introduce a true fuel duty Karl Turner: Will the Secretary of State join me in stabiliser that would trigger an annual reduction in the congratulating the Labour Welsh Government on the pump price, as the so-called fair fuel stabiliser announced launch of Jobs Growth Wales, which I am told will in the March Budget does not go anywhere near far create 4,000 jobs per year, and will she encourage her enough? The volatility in petrol prices means businesses Cabinet colleagues to establish a similar scheme in this cannot budget, as noted yesterday by the Federation of country, because our constituents are desperate for Small Businesses in its submission for the autumn statement. jobs? Mr Jones: I hear what the right hon. Gentleman says, Mrs Gillan: As the hon. Gentleman knows, I would but I must point out to him that the tax measures we congratulate any Government who tried to reduce have taken have resulted in petrol prices being approximately unemployment, which blights so many families, particularly 6p per litre lower than they would have been had that in Wales—and never more so than under the last Labour escalator not been scrapped. Even taking VAT into Government. However, I must say to him that the jury account, fuel prices are approximately 3p per litre lower will be out until we see the results from that scheme. than they would have been. Mr Llwyd: Further to that response, may I ask the Andrew Miller: As the Secretary of State will be Minister about a slightly different matter? What support aware, in my constituency hundreds of people cross the are the UK Government providing for the use of electric border both ways for employment. Constituents of cars? There are hardly any charging points all in Wales. mine work in Broughton, and people from Welsh There is not even one per constituency. What is being constituencies travel the other way to Vauxhall, Essar done to encourage that? and other major employers. Does the Secretary of State agree that there needs to be some joined-up thinking Mr Jones: As the right hon. Gentleman suggests, this with her colleagues in the Department for Business, is the technology of the future. As he knows, provision Innovation and Skills, in order to address the challenge is being rolled out in the urban areas, and I hope my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull solutions will be found to ensure that rural users will East (Karl Turner) has just raised? There is a good also be able to have access to suitable charging points. scheme in Wales; why not replicate it in England? 279 Oral Answers23 NOVEMBER 2011 Oral Answers 280 Mrs Gillan: The hon. Gentleman is wrong; this is a adopted Labour’s five-point plan for growth and jobs in new scheme in Wales, being introduced by the Welsh Wales, including a cut in VAT on home improvements Government. I agree that the £400 million investment in to 5%, a tax break for every small firm that takes on the Airbus factory will secure 6,000 Welsh jobs and extra workers and a £2 billion tax on bankers’ bonuses many jobs in the supply chain to that factory. My right to create 100,000 new jobs? Unless she acts now, she will hon. Friend the Prime Minister recently opened the new condemn tens of thousands of men and women in North factory, which will secure employment and Wales to misery. development in that area for a long time to come. Mrs Gillan: In Wales, there is an acid test of Labour’s Guto Bebb (Aberconwy) (Con): Does the Secretary of policies. The fact is that a Labour Government are in State agree with me that the inaction of the Labour power in Wales and, as the First Minister in Scotland Government on enterprise zones is a real concern to the said the other day: business community in Wales? “If Labour has the answer to economic problems and unemployment, why are unemployment and youth unemployment Mrs Gillan: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for in Wales higher than they are in Scotland? If Labour has the reminding me of the fact that we started the enterprise magic solutions, why is it not implementing them in the one place zones in England at a much earlier stage than the Welsh in these islands where it is still in government?”—[Scottish Parliament Government, but I am pleased to welcome the fact that Official Report, 17 November 2011; c. 3582.] the Welsh Government have designated some areas in Wales as enterprise zones. I know, however, from my Youth Unemployment discussions with business and industry that they are keenly awaiting some more details on the enterprise 3. Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab): What recent zones, which have been very slow in coming forward. estimate she has made of the number of 16 to 24-year-olds who are unemployed in Wales. [81782] Roger Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire) (LD): Will the Secretary of State join me in welcoming the The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales announcement by the BSW Timber sawmill in Newbridge- (Mr David Jones): Current levels of youth unemployment on-Wye in my constituency that it is about to create in Wales and across the UK are, of course, disappointing. another 20 jobs, bringing Christmas cheer to those We are determined to tackle that and will announce families who will benefit from that employment? additional measures as part of phase 2 of the growth review. Mrs Gillan: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right and I know how hard he works in his constituency to secure jobs. I offer my congratulations and hope that Chris Bryant: That is two Ministers now who have the business goes from strength to strength. I think we used the word “disappointing” about unemployment. forget in this day and age when unemployment figures Frankly, it is a tragedy and one of the worst things are going in the wrong direction that plenty of companies about it is that a previous Conservative Government are creating jobs and plenty of enterprising— consigned constituencies such as mine and whole communities like the Rhondda to long-term mass Mr Speaker: Order. May I ask the Secretary of State unemployment. They are doing exactly the same now to to face the House so that we can all hear her dulcet a generation of young people.