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Tag: Speeches

  • Kwasi Kwarteng – 2021 Statement on Stellantis Investment at Ellesmere Port

    Kwasi Kwarteng – 2021 Statement on Stellantis Investment at Ellesmere Port

    The statement made by Kwasi Kwarteng, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in the House of Commons on 6 July 2021.

    I am delighted to welcome the confirmation by Stellantis of a transformational investment at its Vauxhall plant in Ellesmere Port, which will see the site become the first mass volume, fully battery electric vehicle plant in the UK and Europe. Stellantis have committed to investing more than £100 million to transition the plant to produce a new generation of electric vehicles, safeguarding the future of the site and its supply chain for the next decade.

    This announcement demonstrates that our net zero ambitions are being welcomed and matched by business, as we work towards increasing the manufacture of electric vehicles in the UK. The Government are committed to ensuring we continue to be one of the best locations in the world for automotive manufacturing and are working closely with the sector to make sure it remains competitive, attracts investment, and protects and creates jobs.

    Just over six months ago we presented the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution, setting an ambitious road map for transforming our economy, unlocking investment and levelling up the regions. The plan included a commitment to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030. The decision by Stellantis to invest in electrification in the UK, alongside recent announcements by Nissan and Envision in Sunderland, are excellent illustrations of business and the Government working together to achieve decarbonisation within the sector.

    I was pleased to inform the House in June of the strong consumer growth over the past year, which our strategy is helping to drive. As of March 2021, battery electric vehicle sales stood at 7.7% of the market, up 88% on a year earlier, while plug-in hybrid vehicles sales were 6.1%, an increase of 152%. Changing consumer habits such as the way we shop have also driven a strong increase in demand for light commercial vehicles, and this announcement will help transition the fleet with a new vehicle produced here in the UK. This investment will grow domestic production of electric commercial vehicles, help reduce our reliance on imports and play an important part in reducing emissions in towns and cities across the country.

    I am sure Members will agree that this is an important announcement for Cheshire, Merseyside and the north-west of England, which secures the continued presence of a key anchor for the local and regional economy. This significant investment has been secured thanks to a strong partnership approach between Stellantis and the Government, alongside Cheshire West and Chester Council, and the Cheshire and Warrington local enterprise partnership to maximise the benefits of the transformation of the plant to the wider local economy.

    This news will be welcomed by the workforce at Ellesmere Port and is a testament to their skills and hard work. The Ellesmere Port plant has been a crucial part of automotive manufacturing in the UK since it first opened nearly 60 years ago. This announcement means that that milestone will be marked next year with the production of its first all-electric vehicle—building a sound future on Vauxhall’s proud legacy.

    Today’s announcement is further proof that there is a bright future for automotive manufacturing in this country. The Government are committed to supporting this transition including £500 million to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chains, as part of a wider commitment of up to £1 billion. As Secretary of State I will continue to champion the sector, ensuring that we make the most of the opportunities of the transition to zero-emission vehicles and attract further investment, boost innovation and sustain tens of thousands of jobs in manufacturing and the supply chain.

  • Jesse Norman – 2021 Statement on the Emissions Trading Scheme

    Jesse Norman – 2021 Statement on the Emissions Trading Scheme

    The statement made by Jesse Norman, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, on 5 July 2021.

    The Government are announcing today that legislation will be introduced at the earliest opportunity to allow a VAT zero rate to apply to trades in UK emissions trading scheme allowances within the VAT Terminal Markets Order (S11973/173) (TMO).

    A UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) replaced the UK’s participation in the EU ETS on 1 January 2021. The scheme has been established to increase the climate ambition of the UK’s carbon pricing policy, while mitigating the risk of carbon leakage through free allowances.

    Market participants can bid for UK ETS allowances on the UK auction platform or can acquire futures contracts in UK ETS allowances on the secondary market.

    The TMO permits VAT zero rating for transactions on terminal commodity markets. It is seen as an important VAT trade facilitation measure by those involved in trading commodity futures contracts, where often on these markets there are very substantial volumes of transactions over short periods of time. The zero-rating relief provided by the TMO avoids the administrative and cash flow burdens of accounting for VAT and should have no effect on the VAT amount collected at the final stage of consumption.

    I can confirm today the treatment will be provided from the time when these important trades commenced in May.

  • Nick Gibb – 2021 Comments on Boosting Core Skills of Pupils

    Nick Gibb – 2021 Comments on Boosting Core Skills of Pupils

    The comments made by Nick Gibb, the School Standards Minister, on 9 July 2021.

    Maths and English are the foundations for every child’s education. Being sure we are using the most effective teaching methods – phonics for reading and the maths mastery approach for teaching maths – is key to ensuring every child has the best start to their time at primary school and the best introduction to the challenges of secondary education.

    This programme is designed to support schools in using evidenced-based methods proven to give children the best start to their education.

  • Priti Patel – 2021 Comments on Removals Agreement with Albania

    Priti Patel – 2021 Comments on Removals Agreement with Albania

    The comments made by Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, on 9 July 2021.

    I am determined to fix our immigration system, clamp down on illegal entry, and remove those with no right to be in UK as swiftly as possible.

    Our New Plan for Immigration, coupled with this new agreement, will speed up the removal of Albanian nationals who have committed crimes in the UK and overstayed their welcome.

    I make no apology for removing dangerous foreign criminals to protect the British people and, so far this year, more than 1,000 foreign criminals have been deported, with more being removed every single week.

  • Nadhim Zahawi – 2021 Comments on Vaccine Uptake

    Nadhim Zahawi – 2021 Comments on Vaccine Uptake

    The comments made by Nadhim Zahawi, the Vaccines Minister, on 9 July 2021.

    This is an astonishing accomplishment – in around seven months the NHS in every corner of the country has administered 80 million vaccines.

    The success is down to the incredible dedication of NHS staff, GPs, pharmacists, volunteers, local authorities, civil servants and the armed forces – the country applauds your commitment to saving lives.

    As we begin to fully reopen society, it’s absolutely crucial everybody gets their first and second jabs so we can return to normality as quickly as possible.

  • Dominic Raab – 2021 Statement on Bab Al-Hawa Crossing

    Dominic Raab – 2021 Statement on Bab Al-Hawa Crossing

    The statement made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 9 July 2021.

    The United Nations Security Council has today adopted Resolution 2585, allowing the delivery of UN cross-border aid into Syria to continue through Bab Al-Hawa.

    This is a welcome step, but urgent work must be done by the international community to find a sustainable, long-term solution to deliver aid into northern Syria. The lives of more than 13 million vulnerable Syrians depend on it. The UK will continue to push for a credible political settlement, as the only way to bring an end to the conflict.

  • Jim McMahon – 2021 Letter to Grant Shapps on the Aviation Industry

    Jim McMahon – 2021 Letter to Grant Shapps on the Aviation Industry

    The letter written by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Transport Secretary, to Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, on 9 July 2021.

    Dear Grant,

    I am writing to you after your media appearances this morning, when you spoke of the challenges passengers would face going aboard this summer.

    On BBC Breakfast, you said:

    “The real backlog will be from the place you’re coming from” and that “People should expect more disruption than usual”

    While it’s right to manage expectations, Government ministers are not merely commentators on the situation – they are empowered to seek to address problems they foresee.

    The unlock date is still 10 days away. Ministers should be actively working with the industry and major UK tourist destination airports to create a process that is both safe, appropriate but also workable.

    So can I ask you whether you have met or spoken with every airline that flies into the UK from a Green or Amber list country, to talk them through the new processes and ensure that their staff will know how operate this new system as speedily as possible?

    Is the Government confident that all airlines flying from these destinations can read the UK’s NHS app and understand when to allow a traveller on board or when not to? Would these challenges not highlight the need for an international vaccine passport, or at least international agreement on how a Covid passport might work?

    As I asked you yesterday, whilst we have our own Covid passport via the NHS app there have been issues with other countries accepting this as sufficient proof entering into those countries. Do you know how many countries now accept the Covid passport of the NHS app as proof of someone’s Covid or vaccine status?

    Finally, you noted in your BBC interview that more UK Border Force staff will be stationed at UK airports to deal with the expecting increase in traveller numbers. How many more officers will there be and what is your target time for how long will a traveller should expect to have to wait to go through a major UK airport such as Heathrow?

    Yours sincerely,

    Jim

  • Jo Stevens – 2021 Comments on Robbie Gibb

    Jo Stevens – 2021 Comments on Robbie Gibb

    The comments made by Jo Stevens, the Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, on 10 July 2021.

    These allegations raise very serious questions about Conservative cronyism at the heart of the BBC.

    If Robbie Gibb is in post to further Tory interests rather than the public interest, then he is in the wrong job.

    Oliver Dowden must join the calls for him to resign or the BBC must sack him immediately for the sake of its own integrity.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Covid Passports for Pubs

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Covid Passports for Pubs

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Health Secretary, on 10 July 2021.

    The NHS is in crisis as Covid admissions climb, cancer treatments delayed, waiting times increase and pressures intensify.

    Sajid Javid has no plan to support NHS staff through the summer. Their only response is to talk about removing the batteries from the smoke alarm by watering down the NHS app and looking at ID cards for pubs.

    Boris Johnson’s recklessness in throwing all caution to the wind is creating a summer of chaos.

  • Lisa Nandy – 2021 Comments on Srebrenica Memorial Day

    Lisa Nandy – 2021 Comments on Srebrenica Memorial Day

    The comments made by Lisa Nandy, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, on 10 July 2021.

    On Srebrenica Memorial Day, we remember the thousands who lost their lives and the survivors whose stories continue to serve as a reminder of the horrors they faced.

    As we pay tribute to the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, we are reminded that we continue to live in a world scarred by intolerance, persecution and inhumanity. This year’s Srebrenica Memorial Day should be a moment when we remember the horrors of the past and commit ourselves to building a world that is more inclusive, more generous, more tolerant and more just.