Tag: Cat Smith

  • Cat Smith – 2024 Speech in Support of Lindsay Hoyle Remaining as Speaker

    Cat Smith – 2024 Speech in Support of Lindsay Hoyle Remaining as Speaker

    The speech made by Cat Smith, the Labour MP for Lancaster and Wyre, in the House of Commons on 9 July 2024.

    I beg to move, That Sir Lindsay Hoyle do take the Chair of this House as Speaker.

    As far as I am concerned, the best thing about having Lindsay as Speaker is how good it is to have someone in the Chair who does not have an accent. I have been talking to lots of my constituents over the past six weeks, and they agree with me! So I have figured it out, Lindsay. We are not the ones with the accents; it is everyone else.

    But seriously, Lindsay is a great champion for Lancashire, just as he is for this House of Commons. None of us in Lancashire could have imagined that Nancy Pelosi would walk those famous cobbles of Coronation Street, but Lindsay, you did it. It seems that no part of Lancashire’s cultural reputation is out of bounds for Lindsay when hosting international speakers—indeed, having a pint of mild in the Rovers Return with Nancy Pelosi.

    It is a great pleasure today to be able to speak about my good friend from Chorley. I have several friends from Chorley, including my office manager Steven, who often regales my Lancaster constituency office with tales of his childhood in Lancashire’s second town. One of my favourite anecdotes is of Chorley zoo—I did not know that Chorley had a zoo. Apparently, it is known as Chog zoo; that might be the first reference in Hansard to Chog, which is the slang for Chorley. Upon further investigation, the zoo was in fact Pets Corner in Astley Park. However, to this day, I suspect that a young Steven was mistaking the Hoyle household menagerie for an actual zoo. With cats, dogs, parrots and tortoises, Lindsay Hoyle really does live out the truism that we are a nation of animal lovers.

    If you head three hours south from Lancashire, you will find yourself here. Arriving in this grand building as a newly elected Member is daunting—the weight of pressure that you feel to deliver for your constituents, using parliamentary procedures that seem so confusing to bring about the change you have promised, can be immense. It can be difficult to know where to start, but a good place to start is by electing a good Speaker of the House of Commons, one with experience of eventualities that could not be foreseen. Lindsay recalled in his remarks the covid restrictions we needed to adapt to at speed during the pandemic. Indeed, he is the Speaker who steered us through that pandemic and steered us through those Rees-Mogg congas. He adapted procedures for the times we found ourselves in.

    It is also important to know that we have a Speaker who champions the voices of us Back Benchers, and one who ensures that all voices—Government and Opposition—are heard. Our Speaker is fair, impartial and independent. Newly elected Members will find a great friend in our Speaker, and I know I have. Being from Lancashire myself, I had the good fortune of knowing Lindsay before I was elected, and over the years he has been a great source of advice and guidance, some of which I took and some of which I chose to ignore. All I can say is that the advice I ignored I regret ignoring, and live to tell the consequences. Despite being annoyingly right about many things, which is a good Lancashire trait by the way, he will ensure that his door is open to all Members at times of need. I can vouch that he does a good brew—it is Yorkshire Tea though—but for those who prefer something from the right side of the Pennines and from the red rose county, I can say that his is the only place on this estate outside my own office I have managed to get a hot Vimto.

    However, we all have our character flaws, and regrettably Lindsay does not support Lancashire’s finest football team, Barrow, instead donning the colours of Bolton Wanderers.

    Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South and Walkden) (Lab)

    Yay!

    Cat Smith

    We have a Bolton Wanderers fan.

    We should note that that team has both blue and red on its crest, and I think that exemplifies Mr Speaker’s even-handedness. As a proud champion of Lancashire’s rugby league tradition, outside Westminster his favourite place is cheering on Warrington Wolves, and in the summer months Lancashire county cricket club. Like all good sports people, Lindsay knows fair play and hard work. For all those reasons and so many more, I am proud and honoured to propose that Sir Lindsay Hoyle takes the Chair today.

  • Cat Smith – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Single-parent Employment Levels

    Cat Smith – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Single-parent Employment Levels

    The parliamentary question asked by Cat Smith, the Labour MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood, in the House of Commons on 6 March 2023.

    Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab)

    6. What assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the fall in the level of single-parent employment between 2019 and 2022. (903873)

    Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Slough) (Lab)

    15. What assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the fall in the level of single-parent employment between 2019 and 2022. (903882)

    The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mims Davies)

    We are committed to helping parents to increase their income through work. We have cut the earnings taper on universal credit and increased work allowances, meaning that families are, on average, better off by £1,000 a year. Additionally, eligible parents can claim up to 85% of their childcare costs through UC, and further assistance is available through the flexible support fund, Jobcentre Plus and work coaches.

    Cat Smith

    On Friday, I visited my local citizens advice bureau at its new offices on George Street in Lancaster, where I heard at first hand of the challenges that single parents are having with the amount of the childcare element of universal credit being capped at the level set in 2005 and with its being paid in arrears. What steps has the Minister taken to ensure that benefits go up in line with the cost of childcare and to look at paying this element up front?

    Mims Davies

    I thank the hon. Lady for that question. The UC childcare element can be used to top up a claimant’s eligible free childcare hours if more hours are worked and more childcare is required. We also use the flexible support fund to support those up-front costs, as we heard earlier. However, I would like to take this opportunity to talk about employers; this is not solely about what the Government can do on our own to help lone parents. Job design, the opportunity to progress and flexible work are really important too, as is the opportunity to return and progress. We cannot do this on our own.

    Mr Dhesi

    It is alarming that last year the employment rate for single parents had the biggest annual fall on record, and it is all the more worrying because the single parent employment rate has been on an upward long-term trend since the mid-1990s. Surely the Minister would agree that the eligible cost limit on childcare in universal credit needs to be uprated to reflect the ground reality of today’s soaring childcare costs.

    Mims Davies

    I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. Under this Government since 2010, we have seen a significant increase in lone parents in work, with the rate going up from 56.1% in 2010 to 65.5% in 2022. However, the reality—and I think he describes it—is that there are too many challenges for lone parents, and it is absolutely right that we look at this. As we have heard from the Secretary of State, we are hoping to hear more: the Chancellor is ever present in our minds. As a lone parent, I again make the plea to employers to help people come back to work, because we know it is more than just a pay packet; it is really important to see the whole of society represented in the labour market.

    Mr Speaker

    I call the shadow Minister.

    Ms Karen Buck (Westminster North) (Lab)

    Figures published today by the Centre for Progressive Policy show that the lack of affordable childcare prevented a quarter of parents of children under 10 from working more hours, with all the implications that has for family finances, but also for economic productivity. In fact, parental underemployment is estimated to cost this country over £20 billion. With expectations having been raised again this afternoon that next week’s Budget will do something about the cost of childcare, can the Minister tell us how long it will be before she expects the level of lone parent employment to rise again to where it was three years ago?

    Mims Davies

    I thank the hon. Lady for her question. I think we have some amazing childcare out there and some brilliant opportunities for lone parents, as I have described. It is important to let people know that, on universal credit, they can claim back 85%. It is better than legacy benefits, and they should please look at the benefits calculator on gov.uk and use the flexible support fund. We should also recognise that it is not right for everybody to go straight back to work—this needs to be individualised—and that we should support the lone parent and make sure they can get the skills and the opportunity to always be better off in work.

  • Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of compliance by doctors with the four-week recommended maximum prescribing period for benzodiazepines and z drugs since 2011.

    George Freeman

    No assessment has been made of compliance by doctors with the four-week recommended maximum prescribing period for benzodiazepines and z drugs since 2011. Guidance on the prescribing of benzodiazepines and “z” drugs can be found in the British National Formulary.

  • Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the reduction in personal independence payment award rates between October 2014 and October 2015.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is continuing to roll out in a safe and steady manner and as such there will be a variety of cases, and case volumes, within the system at any one time. Correspondingly, variation in PIP award rates and amounts is to be expected in a live system of this scale as cases are assessed on an individual basis.

    There are no targets for the numbers who are in receipt of PIP.

  • Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether she has had discussions with Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive on the publication date of guidance for health professionals on abortion; and whether she plans to hold such discussions with those Ministers.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    I have had no discussions with Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive on the publication date of guidance on abortion for health professionals.

    Abortion law and guidance in Northern Ireland is a transferred matter and is therefore the responsibility of Northern Ireland Executive Ministers.

  • Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has plans to include duties on wheelchair accessibility from the platform to the train in the next franchise for the West Coast Mainline at (a) Lancaster and (b) Wigan North Western.

    Andrew Jones

    Both Lancaster and Wigan North Western stations have full step free access to and between‎ platforms, with staff operated boarding ramps provided for wheelchair users to board or alight from trains. These facilities will be retained under the next franchise.

  • Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many public consultations the Post Office conducted on proposals to franchise Crown post offices in 2014 and 2015; and how many of those post offices so consulted on proceeded to be franchised.

    George Freeman

    Post Office Limited runs and manages its Crown post offices. Franchising of these offices is the operational responsibility of the Post Office.

    I have asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on these matters. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

  • Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies and those of local authorities of the findings of the Unison report, A Future at Risk, published in August 2016, on the number of places in youth services that have been lost since 2010; and whether she plans to increase the number of such places.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    It is the responsibility of local authorities to decide how to allocate funding for youth services, according to local need. There is an existing statutory duty on local authorities through Education Act 2006 (Section 507B) to secure, as far as is practicable, sufficient services and activities to improve the wellbeing of young people. Individual local authorities would be best placed to advise on whether there are plans to increase the number of places in youth services in their local area.

    Government is committed to ensuring all young people have the best possible start in life. To demonstrate this, it has recently announced an £80million investment in the youth sector that is being delivered through the Youth Investment Fund and the #iwill Fund.

  • Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of proposed closures to Open University regional centres on the numbers of (a) BAME and (b) disabled students in higher education.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Open University is an autonomous institution and it is for them to make decisions about how best to structure their workforce and meet the needs of their students. Higher education institutions are responsible for meeting their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

  • Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Atos or Capita have (a) targets or (b) guidelines for the number or proportion of personal independence payment applications which are successful.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Providers have no targets or guidelines relating to the outcome of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) applications. Atos and Capita supply the Department with an assessment report on PIP claimants; They do not determine the suitability of that claimant for the benefit. That is decided by Departmental Decision Makers.