Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions

Wednesday 12 January 2022 · 7 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial efforts include working with local faith leaders and community media to promote vaccine uptake among ethnic minorities.
  • The Department for Work and Pensions has implemented measures to support low-income earners, including increasing the minimum wage and providing assistance with fuel bills.
  • The Minister supports initiatives like the Gender Equality Advisory Council to encourage more women in biomedicine and entrepreneurship.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Rob Butler
NHS Religion & Faith
Context

In the central wards of Aylesbury, fewer than half of people have had the booster vaccine so far. There is a need to encourage vaccine take-up especially amongst those who do not speak English as their first language.

Question

Aylesbury has a sizeable Pakistani diaspora. We have seen excellent campaigns locally and nationally to encourage uptake of vaccines among this community, but in the town's central wards fewer than half of the people have had the booster so far. What steps is my hon. Friend taking across Government to encourage vaccine take-up among ethnic minority groups, especially those who do not have English as their first language?

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

My Department has been working across Government to promote vaccine uptake among ethnic minorities. We have worked with trusted local voices such as faith leaders to spread messaging, and we publish key information and advice via community TV and radio stations, translated into a range of languages including Urdu and Punjabi. In May, I met the high commissioner for Pakistan to consider other ways we can reach out to diaspora groups to promote vaccine confidence and uptake.

Answered
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Q2 Taiwo Owatemi Lab Coventry North West
Economy Energy Benefits & Welfare
Context

Department for Work and Pensions data reveal that four in five black people have less than £1,500 in the bank. Additionally, one in four black British, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani individuals has no savings at all. The rising costs of living will disproportionately affect minority communities.

Question

Department for Work and Pensions data show that four in five black people have less than £1,500 in the bank. More worrying is that approximately one in four black British, British Bangladeshi and British Pakistani people have no savings at all. Energy bills are going up, food prices are up and taxes are up. The increased cost of living will hit minority communities hardest. What action will the Minister take to ensure that minority communities are not pushed into greater hardship this winter?

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

We have put, on average, £1,000 a year more into the pockets of the lowest earners through changes to universal credit, increasing the minimum wage next April to £9.50 an hour, and helping with the cost of fuel bills. Our multibillion plan for jobs, which was recently expanded by £500 million, will help people across the UK to find work and to boost their wages and prospects, and this will disproportionately benefit people in minority ethnic groups.

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Q3 Michael Fabricant Con
Women & Equalities
Context

Professor Sarah Gilbert worked on the AstraZeneca vaccine. The questioner seeks to know what actions are being taken by the government to encourage more women in the field of biomedicine.

Question

In May 2020, Professor Sarah Gilbert, with help from the Downing Street team, was working on the AstraZeneca vaccine. What more can my right hon. Friend do to encourage more women in biomedicine?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

My hon. Friend is absolutely right about Sarah Gilbert's achievements. She was part of our Gender Equality Advisory Council, working across the G7 to give women more opportunities and to enable more entrepreneurship, ideas and innovation around the world.

Partly answered

How: Working Across The G7

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Q4 John Spellar Lab
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

Older workers often find it difficult to get back into employment, sometimes due to employer prejudice or because of a requirement for paper qualifications with no allowance made for capability or experience. The question asks what is being done about this issue.

Question

Does the Minister share my concern that many older workers who lose their job find it difficult to get back into work, either because of employer prejudice or because of an artificial requirement for paper qualifications, with no allowance made for capability or experience; and what is she going to do about it?

Answer from Guy Opperman

The DWP has launched 50Plus Choices, which specifically addresses the issues the right hon. Gentleman raises. I will get the Minister responsible for that matter to write to him.

Partly answered

How: I Will Get The Minister Responsible To Write

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Q5 Scott Benton
NHS Education Employment Women & Equalities
Context

Outcomes for people in Blackpool across education, health, and employment are among the worst nationally. The Equality Data Programme is examining social background and geography factors that contribute to inequality.

Question

Outcomes for people in Blackpool in education, health and employment are among the worst in the whole country. I welcome the equality data programme, which is examining how factors such as social background and geography contribute to inequality. How does the Minister expect the programme to reduce the inherent inequalities that have disadvantaged people in Blackpool for decades?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Where one lives often has a bigger impact on outcomes than anything else. For example, the wage gap between London and the north-west is, on average, £5.22 an hour. We are examining the drivers of those disparities, and we have appointed Katharine Birbalsingh to lead the Social Mobility Commission and help to propose the policies that will sort this out.

Partly answered

How: Examining The Drivers, Appointed Katharine Birbalsingh

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Q6 Sarah Olney Lib Dem Richmond Park
Business & Trade
Context

A significant issue is the lack of data collected by banks and other financial institutions on the ethnicity of business owners. The question asks if the Secretary of State will meet to discuss how better data collection can be driven forward.

Question

As co- chair of the all-party parliamentary group for black, asian and minority ethnic business owners, I have been working closely with special adviser Diana Chrouch to identify and address the barriers to accessing finance that BAME entrepreneurs experience. A significant issue is the lack of data collected by banks and other financial institutions on the ethnicity of business owners. Will the Secretary of State meet me and the APPG to discuss how better collection of business owners' ethnicity data can be driven forward across Government?

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

I am keen to hear what the APPG thinks the solutions are to this issue. The hon. Lady will know that collecting ethnicity data is a sensitive issue and it is not something that all people want to do, but I am happy to work with her and the APPG to learn about how we can come to some resolution.

Partly answered

How: Sensitive Issue, Not Something That All People Want

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Q7 Stephen Metcalfe Con
Science & Technology Women & Equalities
Context

Increasing diversity in the STEM sector is not only beneficial for individual career opportunities but also brings wealth of talent to an important industry.

Question

Does my right hon. Friend agree that increasing diversity in the STEM sector is not only good for the individuals who will benefit from well paid, creative and rewarding jobs, but brings a wealth of talent and creativity to an ever more important sector?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We need all the talent in Britain on the pitch, which is why it is so important we get more people into STEM, particularly girls and women.

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