In Parliament - Mike Amesbury

Environment Bill

Commons debates

Prospect the union has written to me expressing its concern that only 100 staff will be employed by the Office for Environmental Protection. Does the shadow Minister share my concerns about this...

Social Care

Commons debates

Does my hon. Friend agree that far too many essential careworkers are employed on zero-hours contracts, which we really need to see kicked into history?

No heading

Department for Work and Pensions

Mike Amesbury received a response to a question they put to the government

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department made of the number of winter fuel payments made to UK citizens residing in African countries in each of the last...

No heading

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Mike Amesbury received a response to a question they put to the government

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 110 of the background briefing to the Queen's Speech published in December 2019, what plans he...

Retail Workers: Protection

Westminster Hall debates

I thank all hon. Members for their contributions, including the Front-Bench spokespeople, and I thank the Minister for his quite detailed response. This is an important phenomenon, and the action...

Retail Workers: Protection

Westminster Hall debates

Action is the key word—definitely. Some quick maths tells us that, in the 228 days since the call for evidence, 91,200 more workers have been assaulted. Will the Minister be clear and tell...

Retail Workers: Protection

Westminster Hall debates

I certainly will. In my short time in Parliament—two and a half years and two general elections—I have had the pleasure of meeting representatives of the British Retail Consortium.

Retail Workers: Protection

Westminster Hall debates

I do, and I thank my hon. Friend for his powerful contribution. I know that the Minister will point to the call for evidence that closed in June last year as a sign that the Government are...

Retail Workers: Protection

Westminster Hall debates

I agree. Certainly, lone working should not occur in such situations. We need responsible employers to ensure that that does not happen. Staff who fear for their safety and do not believe they...

Retail Workers: Protection

Westminster Hall debates

I agree. I thank my hon. Friend for the ten-minute rule Bill he introduced recently, which addresses this very issue. USDAW has found that 25% of incidents of people assaulting or threatening...

Retail Workers: Protection

Westminster Hall debates

I concur wholeheartedly. Anyone who is assaulted deserves to be protected by the law, but it is clear that retail workers face a particular threat. What is more, despite ample evidence, some...

Retail Workers: Protection

Westminster Hall debates

I agree, and I will come on to the progressive work that some of the hon. Gentleman’s Scottish comrades are doing elsewhere. Working every day in a situation where they were attacked or...

Retail Workers: Protection

Westminster Hall debates

I agree wholeheartedly; trade union membership should be encouraged. Trade unions work in partnership with organisations such as the British Retail Consortium and the Co-op, as they have done to...

Retail Workers: Protection

Westminster Hall debates

I agree. Community policing is a vital resource. Following up crimes with prosecutions, and deterrents such as CCTV, are powerful and pertinent.

Retail Workers: Protection

Westminster Hall debates

I agree, and I will come to that. The consistent threat faced by retail workers is despite the fact that retailers spent nearly £1 billion on crime prevention last year alone. The real issue...

Retail Workers: Protection

Westminster Hall debates

I beg to move, That this House has considered protection of retail workers. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Gary. The simple reason for calling this debate is that I want...

Pensions

Commons debates

I thank the Minister for his comments. On the uprating of the state pension in line with the triple lock, we are pleased that the Government have kept to this despite some voices on the...

Social Security

Commons debates

My hon. Friend is totally correct. It is not sensible at all. The devastating repercussions of 10 years of Tory austerity and the impacts of the benefit freeze will remain for a long time to...

Social Security

Commons debates

I do agree with my hon. Friend. Social security has become a vehicle for cuts and children have borne the brunt, with over 4 million now in poverty. The 75p per week for the first child will not...

Social Security

Commons debates

Unfortunately, the Labour party is not in government, but I will say to the hon. Gentleman that the cuts have amounted to £4.7 billion per year, so the so-called investment that the...