Esther McVey: What steps he is taking to ensure that the interests of victims of crime are effectively represented in the criminal justice system; and if he will make a statement.
Esther McVey: A constituent of mine, Jean Taylor, set up the charity, Families Fighting for Justice, after the murder of her son and daughter. Can the Minister assure her, and many others in similar situations, that these charities, which are filling the gaps in the justice system to provide support for victims of crime, will have sufficient transparency and lines of communication open to his Department in...
Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for people assessed as requiring cognitive behavioural therapy; (2) what his policy is on the provision of access to (a) talking therapies and (b) cognitive behavioural therapy for those diagnosed with severe mental health problems.
Esther McVey: I have listened to what has been said this evening, and I would like to raise the concerns of small business owners and family-run businesses in Wirral, Cheshire and Merseyside, as I have been part of the Merseyside Entrepreneurship Commission. What they say is drowning them is the burden and cost of regulation. Last year, in the north-west alone, it cost £8.3 billion and, since 1998, the...
Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to increase the use of preventative measures to reduce the number of people developing mental health problems.
Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues to (a) general practitioners, (b) primary care trusts and (c) NHS trusts on the (i) re-use and (ii) disposal of cloth bandages.
Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much grant debt the Government Office for the North West has written off as a result of those in receipt of grants entering company voluntary agreements since 2005.
Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which not-for-profit companies have had debts written off by the Government Office for the North West as a result of entering company voluntary agreements since 2005; and what sum was written off in each case.
Esther McVey: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to make my maiden speech during the debate on global poverty-a debate in which I was inspired to speak after meeting class P of Hayfield primary school in Upton. If I had not spoken today, I am convinced that they would never have forgiven me-so more of class P later. First, may I say that it is a great honour to be here to represent...
Esther McVey: May I confirm that the matter has nothing to do with snobbery but is about the best way to handle the situation? Can the right hon. Lady confirm that at present, the number of 18 to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training is at its highest, at 837,000?
Esther McVey: I think there needs to be clarity of purpose on a way forward; you have left us with a record deficit-[Hon. Members: "She."] Sorry; the right hon. Lady's Government have left us with a record deficit, and new times require new measures. Working together, we will provide clarity and look for greater apprenticeship schemes.
Esther McVey: I rise to speak in this debate concerned about youth unemployment and job prospects, and I do so as we discover that the number of 18 to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training has reached an all-time high of 837,000. That is 17.6% of our 18 to 24-year-olds neither earning nor learning. The previous Government did not meet their apprenticeship targets, but they did leave us with...
Esther McVey: The Government are planning to get best value for money. They want to increase the apprenticeship scheme across the country by 50,000, and they are planning to put a significant amount of money into it. That is what we need to do. We need to look at places where the apprenticeship scheme is working. As I have said, however, the scheme is over-subscribed and under-resourced and we need to look...
Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to tackle unemployment among those over 50 years old; and if he will make a statement.
Esther McVey: What steps his Department is taking through the education system to assist children from poor families.
Esther McVey: I would like to push the Secretary of State for greater details on the pupil premium and on where the extra funds will be allocated.
Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect on the economy of increasing the number of women setting up businesses.
Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the infrastructure capacity of local colleges to enable them to deliver the practical component of applied science programmes for students of external university degree programmes.
Esther McVey: What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on funding for mental health services.
Esther McVey: Given the dire financial situation the last Government have left us in, and the very real impact it will have on each and every one of our lives, will the Minister go further to explain the £70 million that he plans to spend on psychological therapies in the current financial year? That is particularly important when one in four of us will in the course of our lifetimes suffer from problems...