🗣️ Speeches and Debates
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The hon. Lady says that the Conservative party will definitely increase VAT. What proof does she have of that? If she has proof, will she come clean about it today?
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I thank the shadow Minister for inviting me to give my views on the fiscal situation. My constituency has seen unemployment fall from 7.5% to 2.5% and has received more than £50 million of Government money. I remember 1959, because I was 16 and had just started work. I canvassed for a guy called Arthur Davidson, who was a Labour Member, and he said the same old things that the Labour party...
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In Burnley in 2009 we were classed as a basket case—a town that was going nowhere, or going down. That was at the time that the future jobs fund was happening. Last year we were cited as the most enterprising town in the UK. We have doubled the number of apprenticeships to 4,300 and the number of young people out of work has gone down by 47%. Surely that is the right way to go, not to force...
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My hon. Friend mentions manufacturing. Has he heard anything from the Opposition about how they intend to expand manufacturing? He will remember that they managed to reduce it from 22% of GDP to 11%. Has he heard anything about how they plan to reverse that trend, if they come to power?
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I agree with the hon. Gentleman. When he buys that ticket, he becomes the owner of that ticket, and it becomes his to do with as he wishes. He can sell it for £500 or give it away to the gentleman whose lifetime’s ambition it is to go to Lords. It is his ticket to do with as he pleases. It is called living in a free society.
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It is a pleasure, Mr Turner, to again serve under your chairmanship on this important debate. I congratulate my neighbour, the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen, the constituency next to the great town of Burnley, on introducing the Bill. When I arrived here in 2010, I was not aware of prayers before meetings. I have been a councillor in Burnley for more than 32 years and we have never...
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Rebalancing the economy has been crucial in delivering the coalition Government’s economic plan. Delivering skills for the future is vital. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the funding of professional careers advice must be part of the plan, to ensure that the growth in manufacturing is secured for the future?
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I congratulate the Chancellor on his plan to reduce the job tax on apprentices up to the age of 25. The country is obviously on the rise and manufacturing industry is booming, but we have a big problem with skills shortages. I am sure this measure will go a long, long way towards training young people to do the jobs of the future that this country will desperately need.
More of Gordon Birtwistle's speeches and debates
✍️ Written Questions and Answers
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To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, who authorised the restrictions on Members' Tours to Mondays during short recesses and to after 3.30pm on non-sitting Fridays.
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To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, how many Members' Tours will no longer be able to take place between 1 February 2014 and the summer recess as a result of the new restrictions during short recesses and non-sitting Fridays.
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To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Leyton and Wanstead of 10 February 2014, Official Report, column 394W, on parliamentary tours, (1) of those in-house guides that are not substantive employees, how many are classified as (a) contractors and (b) employees of the House;...
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To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, for how long Tour Guides Ltd has held a contract with the Palace for commercial tours; and what the value of that contract has been in each year of its operation.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what average award is made to an employee through the tribunal process for unpaid wages.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what estimate he has made of the number of tribunals brought against employers by employees for unpaid wages that were successful and resulted in an award to the employee in each year since 2007; (2) how many employment tribunals have been brought against employers by employees for unpaid wages in each year since 2007.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many awards for unpaid wages made to employees through the employment tribunal were not settled by the employer within (a) six months, (b) one year or (c) more than one year in each year since 2007; (2) what estimate he has made of the total amount awarded to employees for unpaid wages through the employment tribunal process since 2007.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much awarded to employees through the tribunal process for unpaid wages since 2007 remains unpaid.
More of Gordon Birtwistle's written questions
