Public Disorder
Jonathan Ashworth: The Prime Minister will be aware that, in Leicester city centre, in my constituency, we had some instances of thuggish criminality, but thankfully not on the scale of other cities. However, the most disgraceful incident was the torching of Age Concern's ambulance bus, which takes many frail, elderly people to day care on a daily basis. Will the Prime Minister consider putting aside... More...

Commons debate: Betting Shops: Business, innovation and skills
Jonathan Ashworth: Let me begin by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Inverclyde (Mr McKenzie) on his eloquent and passionate maiden speech. Having made a maiden speech myself only two months ago, I can imagine the relief that he is feeling now that he has got through it and sat down, but his speech was excellent. I am also pleased that I am no longer the new boy in the House. I welcome the equality... More...

Written Answers - Business, Innovation and Skills: English Language: Education
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what estimate he has made of the average student contribution to course fees for each level of study that will be required for those on inactive benefits to access English for speakers of other language courses in the 2011-12 academic year; (2) what the average course cost will be for English for speakers of other... More...

Business of the House
Jonathan Ashworth: Does the Leader of the House share my disappointment that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has still not published the equality impact assessment of cuts to the provision of English for speakers of other language? He will be aware that many Members are seeking to raise the issue of ESOL provision... More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Health: Electricity Market Reform
Jonathan Ashworth: Many of my constituents are understandably angry about increased electricity and gas prices-British Gas is a striking example-so can the Secretary of State guarantee that these reforms will not contribute to increased energy prices in the short to medium term? More...

Written Answers - Business, Innovation and Skills: English Language
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2011, Official Report, column 724W, on English language: Leicester, how many adult learners in (a) Leicester South constituency and (b) Leicester local authority area are eligible for a level of fee remission for English for Speakers of Other Languages courses; and how many of these will... More...

Written Answers - Business, Innovation and Skills: English Language
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what estimate he has made of the number of people employed in teaching English for speakers of other languages courses; what estimate he has made of the likely number so employed after the implementation of his proposed funding changes; and if he will make a statement; (2) how many representations he has received (a) in... More...

1 Westminster Hall debate
Jonathan Ashworth: The hon. Gentleman and I have something in common, inasmuch as we have both been Leicester South by-election candidates, so I know that he is familiar with the city of Leicester. Does he agree not only that the games held there in 2009 were a great success for the city, and hugely beneficial and inspiring for many of the athletes, but that they played a great role in countering what might be... More...

Written Answers - Home Department: Counter-terrorism: Leicester
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to her Department's Prevent Strategy, what criteria she used to identify Leicester as a priority area. More...

Written Answers - Treasury: Revenue and Customs: Leicester
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance has been issued to staff in the Leicester office of HM Revenue and Customs working in high risk renewals on dealing with self-assessment tax credit claims received by post. More...

Business of the House
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (1) how many women in Leicester South constituency, born between 6 December 1953 and 5 October 1954, will be required to wait an additional 18 months to claim a state pension under his plans to accelerate the change in the state pension age; (2) how many women from Leicester South constituency, born between 6 March 1954 and 5 April 1954. More...

Finance (No. 3) Bill: New Clause 11 - High cost credit lending
Jonathan Ashworth: May I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Stella Creasy) for her tenacity in pursing this issue and say that her speech was a tour de force? Equally, I commend her for getting this issue discussed on Twitter, as this must be the first new clause on a Finance Bill to have generated this much interest on that site. I wish to make only a few brief remarks... More...

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Link to the full debate

Business of the House
Jonathan Ashworth: The Leader of the House will be aware of the Government's upcoming cuts to provision for ESOL-English for speakers of other languages. He will also be aware that the Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning has promised an equality impact assessment. Can he guarantee that that impact assessment is published before the recess and that there is a debate on its... More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Justice: Higher Education White Paper
Jonathan Ashworth: Does the Minister agree that higher education should be one of our greatest exports? Over many years, thousands of students have come over to study at the two universities in Leicester, yet with his comments on contact hours, the mess over student visas and the cuts to the teaching budget, more and more international students will choose institutions in Australia, Singapore and the USA... More...

Bail (Amendment): New Clause 6 - Rate of value added tax
Jonathan Ashworth: One of the effects of the VAT increase is its contribution to inflation, which is currently running at twice the rate of earnings growth. The Bank of England has suggested that inflation will hit 5% later this year because of increases in utility prices, which are a result of the VAT increase. Many of my constituents are feeling particularly hit by that. Is that also the case in Chesterfield? More...

Written Answers - Business, Innovation and Skills: English Language: Leicester
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) how many students were enrolled in English for Speakers of Other Languages courses in (a) Leicester South constituency and (b) Leicester local authority area in each year since 2005-06; (2) what funding his Department provided for English for Speakers of Other Languages courses in (a) Leicester South constituency and (b)... More...

Backbench Business - [29th allotted day]: Congenital Cardiac Services for Children
Jonathan Ashworth: I, too, congratulate the hon. Member for Pudsey (Stuart Andrew) and other members of the Backbench Business Committee on securing this timely debate. When I delivered my maiden speech in the Chamber two weeks ago I mentioned my support for the campaign to maintain the children's heart unit at Glenfield hospital, which, as the right hon. Member for Charnwood (Mr Dorrell), said, is in... More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Treasury: Topical Questions
Jonathan Ashworth: The Minister will be aware that the claimant count has continued to rise in the past three months and that unemployment in many inner-city constituencies such as mine remains stubbornly high. Why will he not consider taxing the banks sufficiently to fund an inner-city youth jobs programme to help the young people on the estates in my constituency? More...

Written Answers - Treasury: Unemployment Forecast
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likelihood that unemployment figures in 2011 will meet the forecast for that year made by the Office for Budget Responsibility in June 2010. More...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Humanitarian Emergency Responses
Jonathan Ashworth: Many communities in my constituency—particularly those from Pakistan and Bangladesh, although I could name many others—have a commendable record of contributing to relief when humanitarian disaster strikes. Given that, can the Secretary of State give us some more details of how he expects to involve diaspora communities in emergency relief work and ensure that their expertise is... More...

Opposition Day — [17th Allotted Day — First Part]: Women (Government Policies)
Jonathan Ashworth: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. It is a tremendous privilege, and perhaps a little daunting, to have this opportunity to speak in the Chamber for the first time, not least because this is a debate on women and Government policy, and I do hope that I do not turn out to be the token male in the debate—although as a father of a two-week-old baby girl, and as someone who has just returned... More...