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Tag: 2020

  • Graham Stuart – 2020 Comments on the General Export Facility

    Graham Stuart – 2020 Comments on the General Export Facility

    The comments made by Graham Stuart, the Minister for Exports, on 7 December 2020.

    UKEF’s support for smaller businesses is shifting up a gear. The new General Export Facility will make a huge difference for entrepreneurs who need the financial backing to go global and benefit from our free trade agreements. It will help us bring genuine optimism back to exporters.

    We were the only top ten exporting nation to grow exports last year. I’m determined for that success to continue as we recover from Covid-19. By transforming access to the world’s best export credit agency, we can unlock the entrepreneurial energy needed to make that a reality.

  • Jim McMahon – 2020 Comments on Exempting High Value Travellers

    Jim McMahon – 2020 Comments on Exempting High Value Travellers

    The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, on 7 December 2020.

    What message does the Government feel it is sending, at a time when following Covid rules is critical, when there are one set of rules for those it considers ‘high-value’ and another for everyone else?

    If the Government is serious about supporting businesses and saving jobs, it must set out a proper plan to support everyone through this crisis. Labour has been clear we must protect jobs in every part of the country and rebuild business with a support package that reflects the level of need and severity of restrictions in different areas.

  • David Lammy – 2020 Comments on the Independent Review of the Human Rights Act

    David Lammy – 2020 Comments on the Independent Review of the Human Rights Act

    The comments made by David Lammy, the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, on 7 December 2020.

    It is bonkers that the Government is prioritising launching an attack on human rights in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Unlike the Conservatives, Labour is proud of this country’s leading role in developing human rights following the second world war.

    There is no need for a review into the rights and freedoms that underpin our democracy and all of us enjoy.

  • Jo Stevens – 2020 Comments on the Online Harm Bill

    Jo Stevens – 2020 Comments on the Online Harm Bill

    The comments made by Jo Stevens, the Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, on 7 December 2020.

    The long-awaited online harms bill is a once in a generation opportunity to tackle these dangerous elements of the internet which have real-world consequences.

    We need the Government to take this seriously whether it is hate speech, disinformation or self-harm content.

    The internet should be a safe place for everyone and this legislation must be ambitious in its scope.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2020 Comments on Winter Rough Sleeping

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2020 Comments on Winter Rough Sleeping

    The comments made by Thangam Debbonaire, the Shadow Housing Secretary, on 7 December 2020.

    Even before the crisis, rough sleeping was a shameful sign of government failure.

    This winter, without the last resort of night shelters, rough sleeping is more desperate than ever.

    The Government promised to end rough sleeping for good – it must ensure everyone has a safe, Covid-secure place to stay this winter.

  • Kelly Tolhurst – 2020 Statement on Housing Adaptions

    Kelly Tolhurst – 2020 Statement on Housing Adaptions

    The statement made by Kelly Tolhurst, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, in the House of Commons on 3 December 2020.

    I am delighted to announce that the Government are releasing an additional £68 million for the disabled facilities grant in England. This funding boost for 2020-21 will help local authorities to provide more home adaptations and bolsters the £505 million that the Government already paid to local authorities for the disabled facilities grant in May, raising the headline total for the grant to £573 million this financial year.

    I recognise that following the outbreak of covid-19, local authorities have continued to display excellence, innovation, and resilience in maintaining the delivery of essential services under very challenging circumstances. The disabled facilities grant can play a critical role in both preventing hospital and care home admissions and supporting smoother discharge from hospital. This additional £68 million in disabled facilities grant funding will enable local authorities to deliver more home adaptations for those people with disabilities who qualify.

    I am pleased to confirm that spending review 2020 includes an investment of £573 million in disabled facilities grant funding for 2021-22, bringing the Government’s investment in the disabled facilities grant to over £4 billion since 2010. This further outlines our continued commitment to help older and disabled people to live independently and safely, and will provide some welcome certainty to local authorities as they plan their budgets for the coming financial year.

    The additional funding for 2020-21 is being provided by the Department of Health and Social Care as part of the better care fund and will be paid by my Department to London boroughs, unitary authorities, and county councils on 9 December. In two-tier areas, counties must pass the appropriate disabled facilities grant funding to their district councils.

  • Mims Davies – 2020 Comments on the Job Entry Targeted Support Programme

    Mims Davies – 2020 Comments on the Job Entry Targeted Support Programme

    The comments made by Mims Davies, the Minister for Employment, on 5 December 2020.

    Many people are sadly facing unemployment due to the pandemic, for the first time in years, and will need help to build their confidence, get back on their feet and apply for new roles – JETS gives people the tools and support they need to succeed.

    During such a challenging time, our new employment support is already helping thousands of jobseekers to get back into work and I’ve met with JETS providers to see first-hand the vital help this programme has already given people across Britain.

    Our Plan for Jobs is supporting people of all ages – we’re doubling the number of Work Coaches across our Jobcentres, creating thousands of opportunities for young people through our Kickstart Scheme and our SWAP scheme is helping people retrain in new industries.

  • Liz Truss – 2020 Comments on the UK and Egypt Deal

    Liz Truss – 2020 Comments on the UK and Egypt Deal

    The comments made by Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for International Trade, on 5 December 2020.

    This agreement is a clear signal of the UK’s enduring commitment to our close bilateral relationship with Egypt and will help strengthen trade and investment ties in the future.

    It will help provide both British and Egyptian businesses with new opportunities and provide them with the certainty they need to keep trading.

    The UK remains committed to securing deals that support British jobs, deliver significant savings and help drive the post covid-19 recovery.

  • Dominic Raab – 2020 Comments on the UK and Egypt Deal

    Dominic Raab – 2020 Comments on the UK and Egypt Deal

    The comments made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 5 December 2020.

    This agreement highlights the strength of the UK-Egypt partnership, and reflects our shared ambition to build our cooperation on a range of important issues.

    Stronger trade links and more investment will grow our economies and help both our countries build back better from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

  • Boris Johnson – 2020 Joint Statement with President von der Leyen

    Boris Johnson – 2020 Joint Statement with President von der Leyen

    The joint statement issued by Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, and President von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, on 5 December 2020.

    In a phone call today on the on-going negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom, we welcomed the fact that progress has been achieved in many areas. Nevertheless, significant differences remain on three critical issues: level playing field, governance and fisheries. Both sides underlined that no agreement is feasible if these issues are not resolved.

    Whilst recognising the seriousness of these differences, we agreed that a further effort should be undertaken by our negotiating teams to assess whether they can be resolved.

    We are therefore instructing our chief negotiators to reconvene tomorrow in Brussels.

    We will speak again on Monday evening.