To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that ancillary services, including black start, are available to the national grid following the removal of coal-fired power stations from the system; and who will be responsible for providing those services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that ancillary services, including black start, are available to the national grid following the removal of coal-fired power stations from the system; and who will be responsible for providing those services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will make an assessment of the feasibility of using biomass conversion and energy generation to mitigate job losses from the closure of coal-fired power stations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will make an assessment of the feasibility of using biomass conversion and energy generation to mitigate job losses from the closure of coal-fired power stations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the closure of coal-fired power stations on (a) job losses and employment trends in the energy sector and (b) power generation; and what plans her Department has to mitigate...

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the closure of coal-fired power stations on (a) job losses and employment trends in the energy sector and (b) power generation; and what plans her Department has to mitigate...

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the cost of the planned closure of several area electoral offices in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the cost of the planned closure of several area electoral offices in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the projected savings of closure of the Area Electoral Office in Newtownards, County Down; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the projected savings of closure of the Area Electoral Office in Newtownards, County Down; and if she will make a statement.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many public libraries have closed since 2010; how many are currently under threat of closure; and what action they are taking to ensure that public libraries are maintained as a statutory service and to promote improvement of the public library service.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many public libraries have closed since 2010; how many are currently under threat of closure; and what action they are taking to ensure that public libraries are maintained as a statutory service and to promote improvement of the public library service.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information he holds on the average number of small independent retail shops that closed in each (a) week, (b) month and (c) year of the most recent period for which figures are available.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information he holds on the average number of small independent retail shops that closed in each (a) week, (b) month and (c) year of the most recent period for which figures are available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information he holds on the number of community pubs with assets of community value status that have been closed or that no longer operate as a pub.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information he holds on the number of community pubs with assets of community value status that have been closed or that no longer operate as a pub.

I should tell the House that I do not intend taking the full time available, so Members will be spared that.

I thank the Financial Secretary for coming to the House to respond to the debate. I was alarmed and disappointed that I had to apply for this debate and was...

I should tell the House that I do not intend taking the full time available, so Members will be spared that.

I thank the Financial Secretary for coming to the House to respond to the debate. I was alarmed and disappointed that I had to apply for this debate and was...

I am pleased that my hon. Friend is putting the case so well. Does she agree that if HMRC’s decision goes ahead, it will have a negative effect on the borough as a whole? It is undesirable. A public body such as HMRC should not act in an arbitrary manner,...

I am pleased that my hon. Friend is putting the case so well. Does she agree that if HMRC’s decision goes ahead, it will have a negative effect on the borough as a whole? It is undesirable. A public body such as HMRC should not act in an arbitrary manner,...

I agree. The Government seem to do some things well—impose contracts on junior doctors, summarily change employees’ contracts, and dismiss them with no consultation and no negotiation.

I agree. The Government seem to do some things well—impose contracts on junior doctors, summarily change employees’ contracts, and dismiss them with no consultation and no negotiation.

You would think that the Government would be a model for industrial relations, bearing in mind the fact that we

pass the legislation in this place; instead, they are becoming the worst employer. More importantly, has my hon. Friend had cases where the public have faced long delays? I had...

You would think that the Government would be a model for industrial relations, bearing in mind the fact that we

pass the legislation in this place; instead, they are becoming the worst employer. More importantly, has my hon. Friend had cases where the public have faced long delays? I had...

I absolutely agree. When unions and the Government are working together, and when unions and employers are working together, there can be a situation where something like the steel industry does not just collapse and we can move forward. We cannot move forward on anything unless we have negotiation and...

I absolutely agree. When unions and the Government are working together, and when unions and employers are working together, there can be a situation where something like the steel industry does not just collapse and we can move forward. We cannot move forward on anything unless we have negotiation and...

May I begin by congratulating the hon. Member for Walsall South (Valerie Vaz) on securing the debate? I welcome the opportunity to discuss HMRC’s proposals and, I hope, to address some of the points she raised.

Before doing so, it is worth recapping briefly on what we are trying to achieve...

May I begin by congratulating the hon. Member for Walsall South (Valerie Vaz) on securing the debate? I welcome the opportunity to discuss HMRC’s proposals and, I hope, to address some of the points she raised.

Before doing so, it is worth recapping briefly on what we are trying to achieve...

First, if the Minister disputes the figure of £119 billion of tax avoidance, will he drop me a letter to say how he calculates that so that I can put it to the source? Secondly, this has not been communicated to the staff in Walsall, who were not told that...

First, if the Minister disputes the figure of £119 billion of tax avoidance, will he drop me a letter to say how he calculates that so that I can put it to the source? Secondly, this has not been communicated to the staff in Walsall, who were not told that...

These debt management roles are available in Birmingham, and it makes sense for people currently working in Walsall who are capable of moving to Birmingham to fill them at the earliest opportunity. That is why this has been done. As I say, it was announced in November that Walsall was...

These debt management roles are available in Birmingham, and it makes sense for people currently working in Walsall who are capable of moving to Birmingham to fill them at the earliest opportunity. That is why this has been done. As I say, it was announced in November that Walsall was...

As my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall South (Valerie Vaz) emphasised, the staff feel strongly that the closure has been dealt with in an arbitrary manner. They are clearly not satisfied, despite what the Minister is saying about full consultation. As I said earlier, this is having a negative...

As my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall South (Valerie Vaz) emphasised, the staff feel strongly that the closure has been dealt with in an arbitrary manner. They are clearly not satisfied, despite what the Minister is saying about full consultation. As I said earlier, this is having a negative...

I note the hon. Gentleman’s points. This was announced in November last year. PCS was present for the announcement and has been engaged throughout this period. I do not accept that HMRC has acted in an arbitrary way. There has been consultation and a series of one-to-one meetings.

Let me pick...

I note the hon. Gentleman’s points. This was announced in November last year. PCS was present for the announcement and has been engaged throughout this period. I do not accept that HMRC has acted in an arbitrary way. There has been consultation and a series of one-to-one meetings.

Let me pick...

This is the first time I have heard the term “debt management” in this regard. As a previously practising lawyer, I know what that means. In effect, these staff have been deskilled. They are going from personal taxation into debt management, which is just chasing debts.

This is the first time I have heard the term “debt management” in this regard. As a previously practising lawyer, I know what that means. In effect, these staff have been deskilled. They are going from personal taxation into debt management, which is just chasing debts.

No, I do not accept the description of debt management as a deskilled role. Debt management often involves making judgments on whether, for example, a business should enter into a time-to-pay arrangement, which is a highly skilled and sensitive role. HMRC’s assessment is that the teams in Walsall are well...

No, I do not accept the description of debt management as a deskilled role. Debt management often involves making judgments on whether, for example, a business should enter into a time-to-pay arrangement, which is a highly skilled and sensitive role. HMRC’s assessment is that the teams in Walsall are well...