Results 1-20 of 328 for in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates' speaker:Paul Blomfield

Oral Answers to Questions — Business, Innovation and Skills: Topical Questions (13 June 2013)

Paul Blomfield: The Secretary of State will know of the campaign launched by the Cutlers company, supported by the Sheffield Star and with wide support across the city, concerning the threat posed by the red tape challenge to controls over the use of the name Sheffield. In response to the campaign, the Deputy Prime Minister has indicated that the protected name status for Sheffield will be retained. Is that...

Public Administration Committee Report (Charity Commission): Student Visas (6 June 2013)

Paul Blomfield: rose—

Public Administration Committee Report (Charity Commission): Student Visas (6 June 2013)

Paul Blomfield: I was expecting the Minister to anticipate my question and respond to it, but as he has not, let me ask it. It is about the cap. Is it not disingenuous, and the sort of misuse of language that brings no credit to this House, when we say on the one hand that there is no cap on the number of students coming, and on the other that we have a target to reduce the number of people coming and...

Public Administration Committee Report (Charity Commission): Student Visas (6 June 2013)

Paul Blomfield: It is a pleasure to speak after the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Nadhim Zahawi), just as it was to speak alongside him last September at the Conservative party conference, where we made the same points and received a good reception.

Public Administration Committee Report (Charity Commission): Student Visas (6 June 2013)

Paul Blomfield: I am not sure that I will make a habit of it. We made the point then and we make it again today that there is much cross-party unity on this issue. The fact that the motion has been sponsored by Members from all three main parties is a sign of that. From my discussions with Government Members, I am sure that, were they not tied by the responsibilities of office, many more of them would be...

Public Administration Committee Report (Charity Commission): Student Visas (6 June 2013)

Paul Blomfield: I absolutely agree with that point, which I raised earlier in passing. I commend the hon. Gentleman on initiating an Adjournment debate some time ago. I know he feels passionately about this subject, as many of us do. To allow other hon. Members to contribute, I will draw my remarks to a close by making a couple of points. Including students in net migration targets distorts the policy debate...

Energy and Climate Change: Decarbonisation Target (6 June 2013)

Paul Blomfield: What representations he has received on setting a target to decarbonise the power sector by 2030.

Energy and Climate Change: Decarbonisation Target (6 June 2013)

Paul Blomfield: We have very little economic growth in this country at the moment, but last year the CBI estimated that one third of the growth that there is comes from green business. To keep growing, green businesses say they need certainty about Government policy and they want a target in law to decarbonise the power sector by 2030. Why are the Government refusing to listen?

Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury: Topical Questions (14 May 2013)

Paul Blomfield: In just over an hour, in an unprecedented move, the bishops of Sheffield and Hallam and a delegation of civic, community and faith leaders will present a petition to No. 10 from thousands of Sheffielders calling for a fair deal for our city. Will Ministers accept their argument that the unfair distribution of cuts is having a disproportionate impact on cities such as Sheffield, widening...

Health and Social Care (13 May 2013)

Paul Blomfield: It is a delight to follow the hon. Member for South West Devon (Mr Streeter). I might not have agreed with everything he said, but he was right to point out that away from this place people’s concern is about economic growth. Sadly, the Queen’s Speech does not adequately address that concern. Some of the less thoughtful contributions have demonstrated just how deeply divided this...

Health and Social Care (13 May 2013)

Paul Blomfield: My understanding is that the majority of unions would support standardised packaging. I deeply regret the fact that the tobacco giants use some individual trade unionists as de facto lobbyists. The Government surrendered to the tobacco giants. What message does that send to the country? This Government are prepared to see people die and, as the hon. Member for Mid Derbyshire (Pauline Latham)...

Health and Social Care (13 May 2013)

Paul Blomfield: I agree with my right hon. Friend: the tobacco industry should not be listened to. However, it finds no end of ways to seek to defeat the arguments of public health lobbies against smoking, and indeed to encourage the wider use of cigarettes. Shockingly, in the last year for which figures are available about 207,000 children aged between 11 and 15 started smoking. The vile way—to use my...

Oral Answers to Questions — Education: Child Care and Early Intervention (22 April 2013)

Paul Blomfield: What plans he has for child care and early intervention provision; and if he will make a statement.

Oral Answers to Questions — Education: Child Care and Early Intervention (22 April 2013)

Paul Blomfield: In Education questions on 4 March, I asked the Secretary of State about the cut of 27%, or £6.8 million, to Sheffield’s early intervention grant, forcing the council to make deep cuts in early years provision. In his reply, he cited a grant of £25.2 million, describing it as an increase of 3.9%. I have since confirmed the position with council officers, who said that they...

Oral Answers to Questions — Defence: Heart Surgery (Leeds) (15 April 2013)

Paul Blomfield: We have seen an extraordinary sequence of events that have unnecessarily tarnished the reputation of what the Secretary of State described as a fine hospital, and caused enormous anxiety to families across Yorkshire and the wider region. Does the Secretary of State not agree therefore that we need a full inquiry into how the decision was taken?

Budget Resolutions and Economic Situation — Amendment of the Law (25 March 2013)

Paul Blomfield: It was good to see the Chancellor pop into the Chamber a few moments ago, although I wish he had been here a few moments before that to hear the hon. Member for Spelthorne (Kwasi Kwarteng) accuse him of “absolute madness” for saying in opposition that he would back Labour’s spending plans, right up to the world financial crisis in 2008. That was the case, however, and the...

Budget Resolutions and Economic Situation — Amendment of the Law (25 March 2013)

Paul Blomfield: No, I will not, simply because of time; I would love to otherwise. That crisis created choices, and the Conservative-led Government have consistently made the wrong choices. The Liberal Democrats also have something to answer for because during the election they argued—rightly, and alongside Labour—that the post-2008 Tory austerity plans were wrong: wrong because they caused pain...

Oral Answers to Questions — Justice: Probation Service (19 March 2013)

Paul Blomfield: What plans he has for the future of the probation service; and if he will make a statement.

Oral Answers to Questions — Justice: Probation Service (19 March 2013)

Paul Blomfield: My probation trust in south Yorkshire is not alone in being concerned about the proposal to split responsibility for offenders between public and private providers, depending on the level of risk, as that introduces a dangerous artificial divide that fails to take account of the way in which risk fluctuates. Will the Minister tell the House how many offenders on licence saw their risk level...