Angela Richardson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department plans to take to support Universal Credit claimants who are in work with varying paydays each month affecting the benefit assessment period.
Angela Richardson: We have a mandate from the British people to deliver this Bill, and I know that passing it into law will be warmly welcomed by renters in the 4.6 million households who are renting nationwide. Support and fairness is what this Bill delivers, to both renters and landlords alike. Last year, the English housing survey identified that 23% of privately rented properties do not meet the decent...
Angela Richardson: On the incredibly important point the Minister is making, although this issue is not necessarily for his Department, people fleeing domestic abuse need very specialist support, and often the person who would act as interpreter is the person perpetrating the abuse. There are instances where Departments need to step up the support for the interpretation needs of those fleeing domestic abuse.
Angela Richardson: It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. It is also a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon). I think this might be the first time that I have followed him in a debate in the four years that I have been in Parliament, but it is always a pleasure to be in a debate with him and listen to what he says. I thank my right hon. Friend the Member for...
Angela Richardson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many ballots for strike action have been held by registered trade unions since the Trade Union Act 2016 came into force; and what information his Department holds on the number of ballots for strike that did not reach the threshold established under the Act.
Angela Richardson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to include (a) financial education and (b) capability in the allocation of the dormant assets identified by the Dormant Assets Act 2022; and if she will make a statement.
Angela Richardson: Will the hon. Lady give way?
Angela Richardson: Will the hon. Lady give way?
Angela Richardson: rose—
Angela Richardson: To echo the point that has just been made, currently in the other place is my Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill, which will hopefully receive Royal Assent in this Session. It managed to get to the other place without being amended, because it came as a single-issue Bill. It could not be Christmas-treed like other Bills, which means it has been able to progress quickly through the...
Angela Richardson: Let me start by putting on the record my thanks to the Privileges Committee for its diligent work over many months, and to the Clerks to the Committee for supporting that work. Today’s debate is focused on the Committee’s work and report on the misleading of this House, and whether that constituted a contempt of the House—not on wrongdoing, but on what was said at the Dispatch Box in...
Angela Richardson: It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Cummins. I rise to speak in support of the petition to make the Equality Act clear, and I will start by saying why. It is because I believe that trans people’s rights are human rights and women’s rights are human rights. It is possible to protect both groups in law, and I believe that that is what the Equality Act sets out to do, but...
Angela Richardson: I read with great interest that the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South (Bridget Phillipson) recently said in an interview in that “the government could reduce the monthly repayments for every single new graduate without adding a penny to government borrowing or general taxation—Labour will not be increasing government spending on this.” That sounds too good to be true. As we...
Angela Richardson: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Has the Secretary of State made an assessment of the comments by the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, because to my ears they sound more fantasy than reality?
Angela Richardson: It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Robert. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Nick Fletcher) for opening the debate and for his tireless work supporting the mental health of men and boys. I also thank the 394 petitioners from my constituency of Guildford, which is home to the excellent University of Surrey. I should declare that my eldest child is...
Angela Richardson: Throughout the early hours of Saturday morning I was out with Kathy, Peter, Jo and Tim, who volunteer as Guildford Street Angels. I pay tribute to them, and to all the volunteers who are out every weekend and in all weathers. However, it is an absolute disgrace that the Liberal Democrat-run council has shut the public loos. At night there are no single-sex spaces for our young women, and they...
Angela Richardson: This Saturday is Surrey Day, which is a chance for locals and visitors to celebrate everything wonderful about our county, including our beautiful, historic High Street in Guildford with its independent shops. However, empty shops are frequently raised with me. High rents with high business rates make it difficult for independent retailers to compete with national chains. Does my right hon....
Angela Richardson: What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the definitions of protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010.
Angela Richardson: What assessment has the Minister made of the importance of protecting single-sex spaces?
Angela Richardson: Thank you for calling me to speak so early in this debate, Mr Deputy Speaker. The fact is that unprecedented international conditions have led to instability in our economy. Given the global world in which we live, any international crisis can and will have an impact at a national level sooner or later. I am proud that the UK has long been at the forefront of work to forge an international...
