Jon Ashworth MP speaks in Parliament about the decision to end Glenfield's children's heart services

In the Commons debate, which was secured following pressure from Jon and other Leicestershire MPs including Liz Kendall, Jon asked: “Where do our constituents in the east of the country, between Newcastle and London, go?"

Oral Answers to Questions - Work and Pensions: G20 Summit
Jonathan Ashworth: Did not the G20 communiqué argue that advanced economies should pursue fiscal consolidation at a pace appropriate to support recovery? Why, then, is the Prime Minister pursuing fiscal consolidation at a pace that has contributed to a double-dip recession? More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Civil Service Reform
Jonathan Ashworth: I listened with great interest to what the Minister said about opening up policy development work. I note what he said about the Civil Service Commission, but I wonder whether he could expand on it. I am not making a partisan point, but he will recall answering questions recently about suggestions-allegations and so on-that, for example, Mr Peter Cruddas had influence over the No...More...

Commons Debates - Scrap Metal Theft
Jonathan Ashworth: My hon. Friend talks about thefts from the home, and he is, of course, concentrating on scrap metal theft. May I just tell the House that in Leicester the theft of gold is particularly affecting many Asian families and Asian businesses? I do not think that gold is covered by the legislation to which he just referred, so if the Minister is going to introduce proposals and take steps...More...

Commons Debates - Business of the House
Jonathan Ashworth: A few moments ago, when the Leader of the House cantered through his statistics on child poverty, he accidentally forgot to report to the House that today's figures show that the last Labour Government lifted more than 1 million children out of poverty. Given that the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is today talking about shifting the goalposts-a change from the position... More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Defence: Family Migration
Jonathan Ashworth: I entirely reinforce the point that my parliamentary neighbour, my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester East (Keith Vaz), put to the Home Secretary. Even if the threshold has been suggested by the Migration Advisory Committee, surely she must recognise that it is entirely arbitrary and that many people in Leicester and other parts of the country are on earnings of nowhere near... More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Business, Innovation and Skills: Russell Group
Jonathan Ashworth: I want to reinforce the point that the right hon.Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber (Mr Kennedy) just put to the Minister. The new visa regime is causing huge instability and sending a very discouraging signal internationally. Given how important the HE sector and the Russell group are to trade, and given that it is such an important exporter, will the Minister speak to the Immigration... More...

Business of the House: Whitsun Recess
Jonathan Ashworth: Is the Leader of the House as excited as I am about the prospects of Leicester's singing sensation, Engelbert Humperdinck, at this week's Eurovision song contest? Will he find time for a debate-or, perhaps, some other parliamentary procedure-so that Members who are fans of "the Hump" can express their support not only for his singing, but also for his... More...

Business of the House: Whitsun Recess
Jonathan Ashworth: The hon. Lady is speaking very well. I am an east midlands MP, as is she. She will recognise that a report published earlier this week suggested that the east midlands faces a potential housing crisis, and that in the next 20 years or so we will probably need 22,000 extra houses. I recognise her argument entirely, but those houses will have to go somewhere. More...

Written Answers - Home Department: Publications
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many publications have been issued by her Department since May 2010. More...

Written Answers - Transport: Midland Main Line
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to make a decision on the possible upgrade and electrification of the Midland Mainline. More...

Written Answers - Work and Pensions: Crisis Loans: Leicester
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many crisis loans were provided to people living in (a) Leicester South constituency and (b) Leicester in each of the last five years. More...

Written Answers - Business, Innovation and Skills: Overseas Trade: Turkey
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support his Department offers to small and medium-sized enterprises based in Leicester and the East Midlands to export to and establish trade links with Turkey. More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Home Department: Employment Law (Beecroft Report)
Jonathan Ashworth: Given the falls in consumption in the economy and given the chronic lack of business confidence, would it not be better for the Minister to come to the Dispatch Box to announce some workable schemes to support manufacturing investment and schemes to support business access to financial credit rather than making it easier to sack people? More...

Debate on the Address: Jobs and Growth

Answers to Questions - Defence: Rail Investment
Jonathan Ashworth: The Secretary of State will know that there has been a huge cross-party campaign for electrification of the midland main line, so I am delighted to welcome her announcement, including what she said about the upgrade of the Leicester junction. She will know that commuters want that work to start as quickly as possible, so will she undertake that it will start closer to 2014 than 2019? More...

Business of the House
Jonathan Ashworth: May I return to a theme that was raised extensively during last week's business questions, which is the review of children's heart services? The Leader of the House will recall that Members from both sides of the House raised that important issue with him. The decision to end services at Leicester's Glenfield hospital has been shattering news for families and patients in... More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Home Department: Policing
Jonathan Ashworth: The Leicestershire force is losing more than 200 front-line police officers and more than 150 support staff. Will crime rise or fall in the city of Leicester as a result? More...

Jon Ashworth speaks up for Leicester businesses hit by double dip recession at Prime Minster's Question Time

Speaking in the Commons today at PMQs Jon Ashworth said: “Leicester is bearing the brunt of the Prime Minister's double-dip recession, with the sad news today that yet another business is going under, resulting in the loss of local jobs.

Oral Answers to Questions - Work and Pensions: G20 Summit
Jonathan Ashworth: Did not the G20 communiqué argue that advanced economies should pursue fiscal consolidation at a pace appropriate to support recovery? Why, then, is the Prime Minister pursuing fiscal consolidation at a pace that has contributed to a double-dip recession? More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Civil Service Reform
Jonathan Ashworth: I listened with great interest to what the Minister said about opening up policy development work. I note what he said about the Civil Service Commission, but I wonder whether he could expand on it. I am not making a partisan point, but he will recall answering questions recently about suggestions-allegations and so on-that, for example, Mr Peter Cruddas had influence over the No...More...

Commons Debates - Scrap Metal Theft
Jonathan Ashworth: My hon. Friend talks about thefts from the home, and he is, of course, concentrating on scrap metal theft. May I just tell the House that in Leicester the theft of gold is particularly affecting many Asian families and Asian businesses? I do not think that gold is covered by the legislation to which he just referred, so if the Minister is going to introduce proposals and take steps...More...

Commons Debates - Business of the House
Jonathan Ashworth: A few moments ago, when the Leader of the House cantered through his statistics on child poverty, he accidentally forgot to report to the House that today's figures show that the last Labour Government lifted more than 1 million children out of poverty. Given that the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is today talking about shifting the goalposts-a change from the position... More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Defence: Family Migration
Jonathan Ashworth: I entirely reinforce the point that my parliamentary neighbour, my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester East (Keith Vaz), put to the Home Secretary. Even if the threshold has been suggested by the Migration Advisory Committee, surely she must recognise that it is entirely arbitrary and that many people in Leicester and other parts of the country are on earnings of nowhere near... More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Business, Innovation and Skills: Russell Group
Jonathan Ashworth: I want to reinforce the point that the right hon.Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber (Mr Kennedy) just put to the Minister. The new visa regime is causing huge instability and sending a very discouraging signal internationally. Given how important the HE sector and the Russell group are to trade, and given that it is such an important exporter, will the Minister speak to the Immigration... More...

Business of the House: Whitsun Recess
Jonathan Ashworth: Is the Leader of the House as excited as I am about the prospects of Leicester's singing sensation, Engelbert Humperdinck, at this week's Eurovision song contest? Will he find time for a debate-or, perhaps, some other parliamentary procedure-so that Members who are fans of "the Hump" can express their support not only for his singing, but also for his... More...

Business of the House: Whitsun Recess
Jonathan Ashworth: The hon. Lady is speaking very well. I am an east midlands MP, as is she. She will recognise that a report published earlier this week suggested that the east midlands faces a potential housing crisis, and that in the next 20 years or so we will probably need 22,000 extra houses. I recognise her argument entirely, but those houses will have to go somewhere. More...

Written Answers - Home Department: Publications
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many publications have been issued by her Department since May 2010. More...

Written Answers - Transport: Midland Main Line
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to make a decision on the possible upgrade and electrification of the Midland Mainline. More...

Written Answers - Work and Pensions: Crisis Loans: Leicester
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many crisis loans were provided to people living in (a) Leicester South constituency and (b) Leicester in each of the last five years. More...

Written Answers - Business, Innovation and Skills: Overseas Trade: Turkey
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support his Department offers to small and medium-sized enterprises based in Leicester and the East Midlands to export to and establish trade links with Turkey. More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Home Department: Employment Law (Beecroft Report)
Jonathan Ashworth: Given the falls in consumption in the economy and given the chronic lack of business confidence, would it not be better for the Minister to come to the Dispatch Box to announce some workable schemes to support manufacturing investment and schemes to support business access to financial credit rather than making it easier to sack people? More...

Debate on the Address: Jobs and Growth

Oral Answers to Questions - Prime Minister: Leveson Inquiry
Jonathan Ashworth: Who suggested to the permanent secretary that Mr Smith should have the role of the go-between between the Department and News Corporation? Presumably a submission went to the permanent secretary and to the Secretary of State. Will he put that submission in the Library? Did he have any conversations with the permanent secretary about the appropriateness of a politically appointed special... More...

Written Answers - Business, Innovation and Skills: Motor Vehicles
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the automotive sector is to the economy; how many people are employed in the industry; what proportion of the industry operates in each region; and what the industry spent on its supply chains in the UK in 2011. More...

Written Answers - Treasury: Government: Ministerial Meetings
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will prepare and place in the Library a list of meetings between special advisers in his Department and external individuals, bodies and agencies since May 2010, with a description of the purpose of each meeting; (2) what discussions staff in his Department have had with Mr Peter Cruddas or his representatives since May 2010; who took part...More...

Business of the House
Jonathan Ashworth: The Leader of the House is very familiar with the review of children's cardiac services. I understand that a decision on the unit at Leicester's Glenfield hospital will be made on 4 July. Naturally, Members on both sides of the House have strong views on the review. Will he consider finding time for a debate before July in the next Session? The House last debated the matter last... More...

Oral Answers to Questions - Transport: Midland Main Line
Jonathan Ashworth: May I tell the Minister that this project also has huge support from the fine institution that is the Leicester Mercury? She has referred to the strength of feeling expressed in Monday evening's debate. This project has huge cross-party support and support in the business community, although there is concern in some quarters that, because of HS2, we will not get the money for it. More...

Commons Debate - Diabetes Prevention (Soft Drinks): New Clause 1 - Value Added Tax
Jonathan Ashworth: I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for giving way, and I suppose I should declare an interest as a patron of the St Peter's project in my constituency, where we are trying to raise funds to make much-needed alterations and renovations to St Peter's church in Highfields. There are already considerable pressures on the listed places of worship grant scheme, which is a very good...More...

Written Answers - Prime Minister: Peter Cruddas
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Prime Minister whether any officials or special advisers in 10 Downing Street have directed Ministers, officials or special advisers in government departments to meet (a) Peter Cruddas, (b) representatives of Peter Cruddas and (c) individuals suggested by Peter Cruddas. More...

Commons Debate - Midland Main Line

Written Answers - Home Department: Metals: Theft
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward the date for the completion of the review of the offence of buying scrap metal for cash. More...