Jim McGovern: I thank the Minister for his response. As the real value of wages stagnates and unemployment increases, energy prices are a real problem for people in my constituency, particularly those on low incomes. Dundee Labour party has pledged to negotiate a 20% reduction in energy prices if it is elected to lead the council in May. I ask the Government to take the lead from Dundee Labour party and do...
Jim McGovern: I have visited the Remploy plant in my constituency so often that I am practically on first-name terms with most of the work force. They are fantastic—a mix of able-bodied and disabled people—and I cannot help but fear that they would be offended by the continuous references to a segregated workplace. Thankfully, Dundee is not earmarked for closure, but what assurances can the Minister...
Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent communications he has had with the Government of Bangladesh concerning the human rights situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region; (2) what recent assessment his Department has made of the human rights situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region of Bangladesh.
Jim McGovern: Let me first associate myself with the Prime Minister’s condolences to the family and friends of the member of the armed forces who lost his life last week. I am sure that the Prime Minister will join me in thanking the thousands of people who serve in the reserve armed forces. My constituents who serve in the Royal Marine reserve forces in Dundee have expressed concern about the possible...
Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what estimate his Department has made of the budget for the (a) Territorial Army, (b) Royal Auxiliary Air Force, (c) Royal Marine Reserve and (d) Royal Navy Reserve in (i) the UK and (ii) Scotland up to 2015; (2) what estimate his Department has made of Royal Marine Reserve (a) manpower and (b) budget in (i) the UK and (ii) Scotland up to 2015.
Jim McGovern: What recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on promoting job creation in Scotland.
Jim McGovern: I thank the Minister for that response. Job creation is of paramount importance in my constituency in Dundee. Dundee has a highly skilled and highly educated work force, but despite that fact unemployment figures remain stubbornly high, particularly those for youth unemployment. There is an increasing feeling that that is the fault of both the coalition Government and the separatists in...
Jim McGovern: Yesterday I found myself again agreeing with a Government Minister, at least in part, when the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the hon. Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller) said in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Midlothian (Mr Hamilton) that the most sustainable way to reduce child poverty is through parents going to work. GMB, my old trade union,...
Jim McGovern: I am sure that most hon. Members would agree that for many visitors to any town or city in the UK their first impression, and perhaps their last, will be of the train station. Will the Minister use her good offices to ask ScotRail, Network Rail and Dundee city council to look at improving Dundee’s train station?
Jim McGovern: Further to an earlier question about the manifesto, is the Secretary of State aware that nowhere in the SNP manifesto, as far as I am aware, does it say that a referendum will take place in the second part of the Parliament? It says only that a referendum will take place. It constantly tells us that it has an overwhelming mandate to hold a referendum in the second half of the Parliament; that...
Jim McGovern: Yesterday, I had a meeting with Patricia Osborne, the chief executive of the Brittle Bone Society, a UK-wide organisation that is headquartered in my constituency. It was made clear to me that given the current funding squeeze across the voluntary sector, the society is concerned about its ability to provide the vital services that it currently provides. Also troubling the society is the lack...
Jim McGovern: I congratulate my right hon. Friend on securing this important debate. Following on from what has already been said, I have visited the Remploy factory in my constituency so many times that I am almost on first-name terms with most of the work force, which has, unfortunately, shrunk from about 100 to perhaps 50. The management, the trade unions and the work force have made it clear that, if...
Jim McGovern: Whether his Department has considered altering its guidance on the disposal of official Government documents.
Jim McGovern: According to Cabinet Office guidance, what would be the recourse if a civil servant in the Minister’s Department breached the Data Protection Act?
Jim McGovern: Presumably the Minister is talking about UK public sector pension schemes, whereas the motion seems to be specifically about devolved pension schemes. Does he agree that if there is a solution, it will be that the separatists in Edinburgh just say, “We won’t apply any changes”? Does he also agree that their excuse of continually saying, “The big bad boy in London did it” and then...
Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when officials of his Department last met officials of the Scottish Government; and what was discussed.
Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) how many times he has met Scottish Government Ministers since May 2010; what the (a) date and (b) location was of each such meeting; and what the issues were which were discussed at each such meeting; (2) how many times he has met the Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Investment since May 2010; what...
Jim McGovern: My right hon. Friend may be aware that last Friday, a Spanish wind turbine company called Gamesa abandoned its plans to locate in Dundee, my home city. It is a devastating blow for Dundee and means that a prospective 1,800 jobs will not be created. Does he agree that the UK Government and the Chancellor should work more closely with the devolved Administrations to ensure inward investment...
Jim McGovern: As everyone is aware, the Prime Minister referred to last week’s day of action as a “damp squib”. I think that it was anything but a damp squib. Does my hon. Friend agree that if the coalition Government stay on the course they are on at the moment, there will be many more squibs and none of them will be damp?
Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when officials of his Department last met officials of the Scottish Government to discuss fuel poverty.