:00:38. > :00:40.Hello and welcome to the Daily Politics.
:00:41. > :00:46.The junior doctors' strike ended this morning,
:00:47. > :00:49.but the dispute with the Government is far from over.
:00:50. > :00:53.Both sides are talking tough this morning after action which saw more
:00:54. > :00:56.than 4,000 operations cancelled, with another strike planned
:00:57. > :01:00.for later this month unless a deal can be done.
:01:01. > :01:05.As David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn get ready for PMQs live at noon,
:01:06. > :01:07.we'll be looking at how their top teams will stick together
:01:08. > :01:10.over tricky issues like the EU referendum and Trident.
:01:11. > :01:12.When gentrification arrives in your town or city,
:01:13. > :01:21.The singer VV Brown tells us why she doesn't want it on her street.
:01:22. > :01:28.magazine that's got David Cameron as guest columnist,
:01:29. > :01:38.and Diane Abbott talking about her hair.
:01:39. > :01:44.I guess it is not the Economist! You guessed right, it is called the
:01:45. > :01:46.Stylist. and with us for the whole
:01:47. > :01:49.of the programme today a minister and shadow
:01:50. > :01:51.minister who regularly grace the front pages
:01:52. > :01:53.of the glossy magazines. In John Hayes' case, that magazine
:01:54. > :01:55.is Civil Service Monthly, it's Leicestershire
:01:56. > :02:03.And Rutland Life. But it's the kind of exposure
:02:04. > :02:09.Jo and I would kill for, rather than being tucked
:02:10. > :02:11.away on daytime TV. First today, let's talk
:02:12. > :02:15.about the junior doctors' strike which officially came to an end
:02:16. > :02:18.at eight o'clock this morning. Around 16,000 doctors
:02:19. > :02:22.took part in the action. NHS England said 39% of
:02:23. > :02:30.junior doctors reported for work, who were asked not to strike
:02:31. > :02:35.by the BMA. were cancelled as a result
:02:36. > :02:39.of the dispute. The next proposed strike
:02:40. > :02:43.is a 48-hour one beginning on 26th January,
:02:44. > :02:50.with plans for emergency care only. for a full withdrawal of labour
:02:51. > :02:58.from 8am to 5pm, which could affect
:02:59. > :03:00.emergency services. Let's have a listen
:03:01. > :03:03.to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt What's next for your negotiations
:03:04. > :03:08.with junior doctors? Well, I hope they succeed.
:03:09. > :03:11.I mean, we want to settle this, but it was a very
:03:12. > :03:13.unnecessary strike. to make sure
:03:14. > :03:31.there isn't another strike? And off he cycled into the horizon!
:03:32. > :03:36.John Hayes, the Government has been highlighting again that stroke and
:03:37. > :03:43.newborn baby deaths are higher at the weekends, when it says fewer NHS
:03:44. > :03:46.staff are on duty, but it has been pointed out that it is unlikely that
:03:47. > :03:52.it is junior doctors who would be involved in these, it would be
:03:53. > :03:54.consultants. Seven studies over the last five years suggest that
:03:55. > :04:00.mortality is greater on weekends. And that is not just related to
:04:01. > :04:06.care, I guess, treatment and care are a key part of that. I have used
:04:07. > :04:11.the NHS all my life, and a core principle is provision free at the
:04:12. > :04:15.point of need, and need happens on Saturdays and Sundays too. But does
:04:16. > :04:20.the weekend cover has to be as full as during the week? I think it does,
:04:21. > :04:24.on the basis that people have strokes, heart attacks, agencies at
:04:25. > :04:30.the weekend, so we need to make sure that do not bear worse than if they
:04:31. > :04:34.had those things on a Monday or Tuesday. That seems to be a core
:04:35. > :04:40.principle. How can anyone disagree with wanting to ensure that people
:04:41. > :04:45.are treated in the same way that they would be if they had a heart
:04:46. > :04:51.attack on a Monday? We don't have the same level of cover during the
:04:52. > :04:57.weekend, we have not had for ever, I assume. We don't at the moment, but
:04:58. > :05:00.I think the Government needs to negotiate properly with the doctors
:05:01. > :05:05.on this. Apparently, we have managed to get an agreement in Scotland and
:05:06. > :05:10.Wales, so it is possible to get agreement, and I think that is the
:05:11. > :05:13.key thing we want to see, both sides coming together, let's lower the
:05:14. > :05:24.temperature, calm down and see both sides coming together to get an
:05:25. > :05:26.agreement. Nobody wants to see more industrial action. White with able
:05:27. > :05:29.to get agreement in Wales and Scotland and not in England? The
:05:30. > :05:35.discussions are ongoing, we hope we will be able to get an agreement.
:05:36. > :05:41.Strikes are not necessary. My question is, why has it come to a
:05:42. > :05:45.strike in England, and not in Scotland and Wales? Some of it has
:05:46. > :05:50.been about a misunderstanding and misinformation. Who is to blame for
:05:51. > :05:54.that? Basic pay will go up by 11%, the maximum number of hours they
:05:55. > :05:59.have to work will be reduced. The dispute seems to be about overtime
:06:00. > :06:03.payments and so on and so forth. But what we are looking for is
:06:04. > :06:07.something, as you said, a seven-day NHS with care spread across the
:06:08. > :06:11.whole week. But why wouldn't an intelligence bunch of people like
:06:12. > :06:18.doctors, who have all got degrees, training, all smart, why would so
:06:19. > :06:22.many of them, given the scale of support for the strike, why would
:06:23. > :06:26.they misunderstand the Government's offer? I said there was
:06:27. > :06:31.misunderstanding and misinformation, and some of the information has not
:06:32. > :06:36.been entirely helpful, but let's move on. I think some doctors have
:06:37. > :06:40.not yet realised that the total deal will reduce the total number of
:06:41. > :06:44.hours that they have to work, but their basic pay will go up, and what
:06:45. > :06:48.we are trying to achieve here is a system which is bearer to doctors
:06:49. > :06:57.and two patients. That is what we are doing. -- fairer to doctors and
:06:58. > :07:02.to patience. Some doctors are working 90 hours, a lot of that is
:07:03. > :07:07.at weekends, over which they get a multiple rates of pay, some can earn
:07:08. > :07:16.four times the basic rate. The Government's changes will reduce, I
:07:17. > :07:20.think it puts a cap on 75 and stops these massive raids being paid - is
:07:21. > :07:26.that the right thing to do? The doctors feel that doctors working at
:07:27. > :07:30.weekends, which will have an impact on the quality of care, if they are
:07:31. > :07:35.saying that, we have to take those concerns seriously, but for me the
:07:36. > :07:41.most important thing... At the moment, some doctors, not a huge
:07:42. > :07:44.number but some are working over 90 hours a week, including a lot of
:07:45. > :07:50.weekend work. The proposed changes will reduce that to a maximum well
:07:51. > :07:54.below 90. Isn't that a sensible thing to do, even if some of these
:07:55. > :08:03.doctors actually lose out on the pay front because they do not get these
:08:04. > :08:06.multiples of their basic pay? I want to see a deal in the end, and if the
:08:07. > :08:09.doctors and the Government can come to a deal, everybody would I accept
:08:10. > :08:16.that, but what is important is that we have to avoid industrial action
:08:17. > :08:21.in two weeks' time, so I am keen for the doctors and the Government to
:08:22. > :08:25.get around the table, through ACAS and David dolled. Why doesn't
:08:26. > :08:32.Government just, under the auspices of ACAS, why doesn't it just called
:08:33. > :08:38.the doctors backing unconditionally? I think there will be further
:08:39. > :08:45.discussions of the kind you describe. The proposals to reduce
:08:46. > :08:52.the maximum to 72 hours, very substantial reduction. The doctors
:08:53. > :08:56.are saying, will there be safeguards that it will stick? Andrew is right,
:08:57. > :09:01.part of the problem is because of the complex overtime rates, it is
:09:02. > :09:06.based on different rates of pay at weekends, some doctors feel they may
:09:07. > :09:10.be worth off. The total bill for doctors does not fall, Andrew, and
:09:11. > :09:16.we believe the majority of doctors will be better off. So a lot of the
:09:17. > :09:20.doctors would dispute that, that it would be more than a small number
:09:21. > :09:25.who is pay would fall, but they will lose automatic pay rises as well.
:09:26. > :09:34.Why doesn't the Government just call them in or get a cast to do so
:09:35. > :09:36.unconditionally? -- Acas. We think the strikes are unnecessary, and
:09:37. > :09:42.absolutely right that it should be dealt with in dialogue, but there
:09:43. > :09:46.has got to be movement both ways, and we are saying we are prepared to
:09:47. > :09:51.talk, we are asking them to say they will not strike. A question to you,
:09:52. > :09:56.are you happy now that John McDonnell has said that Labour will
:09:57. > :10:00.now automatically support strikes wherever action is called in
:10:01. > :10:05.whatever circumstances? Labour has always supported the right of people
:10:06. > :10:10.to take industrial action. You know that is not what I am asking! This
:10:11. > :10:15.is about supporting people who go on strike automatically, in whatever
:10:16. > :10:18.circumstances. Are you happy that is the programme? He said that Labour
:10:19. > :10:24.would now have absolute solidarity with all actions taken by the trade
:10:25. > :10:29.union movement. Do you agree with that? He is expressing solidarity
:10:30. > :10:36.with people on strikes. Absolute solidarity with all actions. What I
:10:37. > :10:38.think is important for an industrial dispute, for politicians not to
:10:39. > :10:43.raise the temperature on them, because the key thing is we want
:10:44. > :10:47.people in disputes, whether in the NHS or the public or private sector,
:10:48. > :10:51.to be able to get round the table and have proper meaningful
:10:52. > :10:55.negotiations. That wasn't the question, do you want to answer, or
:10:56. > :10:58.shall I move on? It is your show! Now in normal political times,
:10:59. > :11:00.ministers and shadow ministers like John and Jon here
:11:01. > :11:02.wouldn't even consider deviating from the official
:11:03. > :11:04.party position on all the big subjects
:11:05. > :11:07.of the day for fear of a stern ticking-off
:11:08. > :11:09.from the whips, and the understanding
:11:10. > :11:10.that if they strayed too far from the line,
:11:11. > :11:13.they would be out of a job. But with the upcoming EU referendum
:11:14. > :11:16.and a vote on Trident threatening to divide both the Cabinet
:11:17. > :11:18.and the Shadow Cabinet, So what happens
:11:19. > :11:24.when party leaders loosen the rules
:11:25. > :11:27.of collective responsibility? Usually, those MPs who sit
:11:28. > :11:30.on the frontbench, or who are shadow
:11:31. > :11:36.ministers or spokespeople, are expected to vote with their
:11:37. > :11:39.leader and follow the party whip. Those who don't are expected
:11:40. > :11:43.to resign or are sacked. But the Prime Minister has said
:11:44. > :11:47.he will suspend this Cabinet collective responsibility
:11:48. > :11:51.ahead of the EU referendum. This means that ministers will be
:11:52. > :11:56.able to campaign for either leave Ministers won't be able to make
:11:57. > :12:03.the case for leaving the EU until the Prime Minister's
:12:04. > :12:08.renegotiation is completed. They won't be free
:12:09. > :12:12.to set out their thinking on either the front or backbenches
:12:13. > :12:15.during a debate on the EU. And their special advisers
:12:16. > :12:18.won't be able to help unless they do so
:12:19. > :12:21.in their spare time, all of which has led critics
:12:22. > :12:23.to say there won't be
:12:24. > :12:25.a level playing field for those arguing
:12:26. > :12:28.to leave and remain. Labour's Shadow Cabinet
:12:29. > :12:31.has its own divisions, Before the summer recess,
:12:32. > :12:36.Parliament will be asked whether to update
:12:37. > :12:39.Britain's nuclear deterrent. and its recent election manifesto
:12:40. > :12:48.was in favour. So can the Labour front bench
:12:49. > :12:51.take a collective position and then whip its MPs
:12:52. > :12:55.one way or another? Well, we can talk now
:12:56. > :13:08.to the academic Professor Tim Bale. He is at broadcasting house, give us
:13:09. > :13:12.the historical precedents for when collective responsibility has been
:13:13. > :13:17.loosened. The most obvious and most relevant is during the referendum
:13:18. > :13:22.campaign on the EEC back in 1975 when Harold Wilson realised that the
:13:23. > :13:27.party was split and had to let ministers campaign on either side of
:13:28. > :13:32.that. There are other situations in which collective responsibility has
:13:33. > :13:36.been loosened at the margins, but never so obviously as that. And
:13:37. > :13:40.would you see that, from a historical point of view and today,
:13:41. > :13:45.as from a position of weakness because a leader cannot keep the
:13:46. > :13:49.cabinet with him? Absolutely, that is the only reason the Government
:13:50. > :13:53.would choose to do this, because Cabinet collective responsibility is
:13:54. > :13:56.incredibly important in the constitution, the Government has to
:13:57. > :14:05.be seen to be speaking with one voice, or there is no legal
:14:06. > :14:07.responsibility or accountability. Prime Ministers only do this in the
:14:08. > :14:10.most desperate of circumstances when they cannot guarantee that, unless
:14:11. > :14:14.they do it, they will not have people resigning left, right and
:14:15. > :14:18.centre. How unusual was it in the vote on air strikes to have the
:14:19. > :14:22.opposition with the leader supporting one policy and the Shadow
:14:23. > :14:27.Foreign Secretary actually standing at the dispatch box and espousing a
:14:28. > :14:32.different one? Well, not completely than usual across the range of
:14:33. > :14:36.issues, but for foreign policy and defence, it is extremely unusual. It
:14:37. > :14:42.is perfectly possible for parties to treat things as free votes, but they
:14:43. > :14:45.normally only do that on issues of morality, social policy, not
:14:46. > :14:50.something as crucial as the defence of the realm. What about a situation
:14:51. > :14:54.where someone might have to return to the backbenches if they were a
:14:55. > :15:00.front bench spokesman, to state a view that was contradictory to the
:15:01. > :15:05.leader of their party? Very uncommon indeed, no examples spring to mind,
:15:06. > :15:06.very unusual to do that. Do you think it will change in the future?
:15:07. > :15:10.Is this the beginning of a think it will change in the future?
:15:11. > :15:14.the weight leaders of political parties actually hold votes and
:15:15. > :15:17.the weight leaders of political whether they whip or persuade their
:15:18. > :15:19.backbenchers or members of their Shadow Cabinet or
:15:20. > :15:24.backbenchers or members of their them? I don't think so, because
:15:25. > :15:26.backbenchers or members of their public and other governments expect
:15:27. > :15:29.to see the government and to some extent the opposition
:15:30. > :15:31.to see the government and to some one voice, that is what our
:15:32. > :15:41.adversarial Parliamentary democracy is built on. Tim Bale, thank you.
:15:42. > :15:51.John Hayes, you must be relieved that you can carry on as security
:15:52. > :15:55.minister, you are pretty Eurosceptic? I am and I would not
:15:56. > :16:01.pretend to be anything other than that. You have known me a long time.
:16:02. > :16:06.Am I operating on the assumption that you will be campaigning to come
:16:07. > :16:08.out? I will not make a statement today because I think it would be
:16:09. > :16:11.wrong to make a today because I think it would be
:16:12. > :16:14.negotiations are going on today. Firstly, I think it
:16:15. > :16:16.negotiations are going on today. Prime Minister has given this
:16:17. > :16:27.freedom and Prime Minister has given this
:16:28. > :16:35.the referendum. Who said that it was right to give people the collective
:16:36. > :16:40.responsibility? It was Margaret Thatcher. Why was it wrong for
:16:41. > :16:46.Labour in the eyes of Mrs Thatcher and the Tories then, and right for
:16:47. > :16:51.you to do it now? You have to gauge the decisions in the circumstances
:16:52. > :16:55.they are made. At the moment, there are circumstances where the Prime
:16:56. > :16:59.Minister has accepted the status quo is not an option. That assumption
:17:00. > :17:05.that the status quo with the European Union, our relationship, a
:17:06. > :17:06.principle of a closer union is something the Prime
:17:07. > :17:07.principle of a closer union is not accept, identify except it
:17:08. > :17:11.either. People not accept, identify except it
:17:12. > :17:18.but I will be free to speak just as he is. What could the Prime Minister
:17:19. > :17:25.bring back from these negotiations? I mentioned closer union. He has
:17:26. > :17:29.said he will do that. For a very long time there was an assumption
:17:30. > :17:32.that this project was moving to a destination which was essentially a
:17:33. > :17:36.federal Europe. But the something which underpinned most of the
:17:37. > :17:40.arguments we had from the pro-Europeans. If you bring this
:17:41. > :17:45.back to no way of a closer union, will that change of mind? I will
:17:46. > :17:57.have a look when it happens. What do you
:17:58. > :18:00.make of these reports that whereas ministers can still say nice
:18:01. > :18:02.friendly Europhile things, that they have been instructed not to have
:18:03. > :18:05.anything Eurosceptic in their speeches? The Prime Minister has
:18:06. > :18:08.said we will have a free hand once the negotiations are completed. I
:18:09. > :18:13.know the Prime Minister very well. You can say Eurosceptic things at
:18:14. > :18:20.the moment? It would be absolutely wrong for anyone to declare that
:18:21. > :18:24.hands before the referendum. As I understand it it would not stop
:18:25. > :18:31.ministers from saying overall European Union is good for our
:18:32. > :18:39.country. Would you be vetted? Bag I am not vetted. I am the one who does
:18:40. > :18:43.the vetting. Would you say bad large the European Union is bad for our
:18:44. > :18:47.country? I would come to that conclusion when we have seen the
:18:48. > :18:54.results of the renegotiations which I am pleased the Prime Minister is
:18:55. > :19:00.engaged in. I support businesses and that is what he is doing.
:19:01. > :19:03.Let's carry on with this theme of collective responsibility. It is
:19:04. > :19:07.your turn now! Parliament will decide whether or not to renew
:19:08. > :19:12.Britain's nuclear deterrent in the next few months. Will the Shadow
:19:13. > :19:15.Cabinet support that or oppose it? Sam-macro we have not had a
:19:16. > :19:21.discussion about it at the Shadow Cabinet. We do not know for certain
:19:22. > :19:32.there will be a vote in Parliament. I have read different briefings.
:19:33. > :19:38.There has not been an announcement. We will have to have that discussion
:19:39. > :19:42.in the Shadow Cabinet. As your package pointed out, the position of
:19:43. > :19:45.the Labour Party at the moment, the manifesto we fought the last
:19:46. > :19:50.election on and what we call in the Labour Party rule book, the party
:19:51. > :19:56.programme which is our policy, is to support a continuous nuclear
:19:57. > :20:01.deterrent. That will stay the party's policy and commitment,
:20:02. > :20:06.until, or it may not be, changed at some point in the future. If that
:20:07. > :20:11.vote is in the next few months, what will the party say? We will have to
:20:12. > :20:14.have a discussion. We know that Jeremy feels phrase strongly about
:20:15. > :20:19.that issue and people have to respect that and people have to
:20:20. > :20:26.respect his mandate, but from a Labour Party policy rule book point
:20:27. > :20:30.of view, the policy is to support a continuing nuclear deterrent and
:20:31. > :20:34.that can only be changed by two thirds vote at the party conference.
:20:35. > :20:38.In your mind, what should happen? You say you have not had a
:20:39. > :20:42.discussion that if your official party policy is to renew Trident,
:20:43. > :20:47.isn't that the position you will take in that vote? We will have to
:20:48. > :20:50.have those discussions in the Shadow Cabinet. I suspect everyone in the
:20:51. > :20:53.Labour Party will be mindful there are people on different sides of
:20:54. > :20:59.this argument and we will probably find somewhere of accommodating
:21:00. > :21:06.everyone's point of view. Will it be a single click to decision one way
:21:07. > :21:10.or another when that vote comes? We tried to get a collective decision
:21:11. > :21:14.on Syria and we were not able to say that maybe the territory we are in,
:21:15. > :21:19.to be perfectly frank, these are issues for the Chief Whip, the
:21:20. > :21:24.leader and the Shadow Cabinet as a whole to discuss. After the vote on
:21:25. > :21:27.Syria where we saw Hilary Benn standing at the dispatch box
:21:28. > :21:32.supporting strikes and Jeremy Corbyn and others in the Shadow Cabinet
:21:33. > :21:35.against, the line from the leaders of this was that would not happen
:21:36. > :21:43.again but you are saying it could over Trident? The leaders' office. I
:21:44. > :21:49.do not know who that is, but I'm saying the position of the party is,
:21:50. > :21:53.and the Shadow Cabinet will have the debate, because Jeremy has very
:21:54. > :22:00.strong views and it is important we respect him. Could you imagine some
:22:01. > :22:03.Shadow ministers supporting Jeremy Corbyn's line and arguing against
:22:04. > :22:08.your manifesto policy and some Shadow ministers arguing in the
:22:09. > :22:15.chamber for policy you were elected on? It could well happen. These are
:22:16. > :22:20.the considerations... Is it desirable? It is not desirable but I
:22:21. > :22:24.suspect it is inevitable. These are the decisions we will have to take
:22:25. > :22:30.in mind when the Shadow Cabinet discusses this matter. There is a
:22:31. > :22:34.policy review and it is important that the policy review listens to a
:22:35. > :22:40.range of evidence and people have an opportunity to put in those views to
:22:41. > :22:48.that policy review. Do you support the existing methods of changing or
:22:49. > :22:53.making Labour Party policy? Yes. So would use a port the NEC having more
:22:54. > :22:58.power? I am a member of the National executive. Should it have more
:22:59. > :23:02.power? I think the National executive should have more
:23:03. > :23:05.authority, it should have more authority over decision-making and
:23:06. > :23:10.the future direction of the party. I think we as NEC members need to be
:23:11. > :23:14.more accountable and that is something I feel strongly about. But
:23:15. > :23:18.ultimately, the Labour Party policy is decided through the National
:23:19. > :23:23.policy Forum, people are elected from different constituents, we
:23:24. > :23:29.should look at ways to improve it and it goes to the party conference
:23:30. > :23:33.where the collective voice of the affiliate members are heard. That is
:23:34. > :23:36.important because there are a lot of trade union members who work at
:23:37. > :23:41.Rolls-Royce in the East Midlands and elsewhere, who will be affected by a
:23:42. > :23:45.government deciding whether or not to go ahead with renewing new
:23:46. > :23:50.Trident. Those voices have to be heard in our debate. They have
:23:51. > :23:55.already been stating their support for renewing Trident and protecting
:23:56. > :24:02.those jobs. Do you think Steve Rotherham is the right person to
:24:03. > :24:08.represent backbench Labour MPs? Steve is a good guy. I am a
:24:09. > :24:14.representative of the front benches on the national executed. There are
:24:15. > :24:19.moves to remove him. That is a decision for the backbenches in the
:24:20. > :24:23.PLP. I am nominated by the Shadow Cabinet to represent the
:24:24. > :24:28.frontbenchers. How the backbenchers want to elect their representatives
:24:29. > :24:34.should be a matter for them. Should Jeremy Corbyn was a private
:24:35. > :24:40.secretary Bibi representative? There are people concerned who are wearing
:24:41. > :24:45.two hats. I do not represent them. But you have an opinion? I am not a
:24:46. > :24:51.backbencher so it does not concern me. Directors at the frontbenchers
:24:52. > :24:56.on the NEC. Lucky you! Directors enter the frontbenchers on the NEC.
:24:57. > :25:00.-- I represent. Now, as you sit round the breakfast
:25:01. > :25:03.table, eating your macrobiotic fruit smoothie - or, in Jo's
:25:04. > :25:05.case, a full English - According to one Labour member
:25:06. > :25:12.of the House of Lords, he's called Dave Watts,
:25:13. > :25:15.there is a "London-centric hard left political class who sit around
:25:16. > :25:18.in their ?1 million mansions eating their croissants at breakfast
:25:19. > :25:24.and seeking to lay the foundations I wondered why the two Johns bought
:25:25. > :25:32.in croissants this morning. Anyway, if you belong to this
:25:33. > :25:37.croissant-munching political class from London or elsewhere,
:25:38. > :25:39.alongside your French pastry you probably need a fortifying
:25:40. > :25:44.beverage as you plan the revolution. And a fortifying beverage
:25:45. > :25:47.needs a fortifying mug. But we don't give these away to any
:25:48. > :25:54.old revolutionary socialist. Oh no, they have to enter
:25:55. > :25:57.the Guess the Year competition Other resolutions are available of
:25:58. > :26:08.course. We'll tell you how to enter
:26:09. > :26:10.the competition in a moment but first can you guess
:26:11. > :26:13.when this happened? to making a reality
:26:14. > :26:43.of the European institution. # And lead you through the streets
:26:44. > :27:06.of London... # Police think the bomb contained
:27:07. > :27:09.about 10lb of explosives, more than in others
:27:10. > :27:11.in London recently. # Bye-bye, baby,
:27:12. > :27:19.baby, goodbye # Bye-bye, baby,
:27:20. > :27:33.don't make me cry To be in with a chance of winning
:27:34. > :27:39.a Daily Politics mug, send your answer to our
:27:40. > :27:41.special quiz email address - Entries must arrive by 12.30 today,
:27:42. > :27:47.and you can see the full terms and conditions for Guess
:27:48. > :27:49.The Year on our website - It's coming up to midday here -
:27:50. > :28:02.just take a look at Big Ben - Yes, Prime Minister's Questions
:28:03. > :28:07.is on its way. And that's not all -
:28:08. > :28:13.Laura Kuenssberg is here. Welcome back. In the absence of any
:28:14. > :28:21.on-air resignations today, so Welcome back. In the absence of any
:28:22. > :28:26.Still time! Still another Welcome back. In the absence of any
:28:27. > :28:32.until we come off air, what do we think will be the subjects which
:28:33. > :28:35.will dominate the front bench exchanges today? It will be
:28:36. > :28:40.surprisingly the Labour leader does not bring up the junior doctors
:28:41. > :28:41.strike. This is a huge moment, the first time in decades that doctors
:28:42. > :28:46.have walked first time in decades that doctors
:28:47. > :28:52.dispute. That said, Jeremy Corbyn has surprised us before. He does not
:28:53. > :28:56.always choose what people see as the obvious subject. It
:28:57. > :29:00.always choose what people see as the high-risk position for government
:29:01. > :29:06.but fascinating that they are very bullish on this. Are they? One thing
:29:07. > :29:12.has happened is in the last 48 hours, when you hear ministers
:29:13. > :29:16.talking about it, you hear that this was in the manifesto, people voted
:29:17. > :29:19.for it, say we have every right to be shone through. There has been
:29:20. > :29:26.some modulation in their language. It is high risk for them. High risk
:29:27. > :29:30.for both sides and even higher risk if you are patient, especially at
:29:31. > :29:34.the weekend. There is a window here, not just before the next strike in
:29:35. > :29:40.two weeks, but the third strike that is planned in February, which would
:29:41. > :29:42.be a strike when junior doctors do not even supply emergency cover. My
:29:43. > :29:47.senses the government does not want to get to that because that is a
:29:48. > :29:54.huge risk. I think both sides are very aware that public opinion. It
:29:55. > :29:58.is like quicksilver. It moves so fast. The government can impose
:29:59. > :30:06.this. They do not need consent from the BMA. Do they need to? It is
:30:07. > :30:12.clear that they believe that they may have to do that in the end. One
:30:13. > :30:15.of the BMA's issues, one of the problems with it is they think the
:30:16. > :30:20.government have been hostile in this. They have always been dangling
:30:21. > :30:25.that over their head. Clearly, there is a lot of bad faith on both sides.
:30:26. > :30:30.The junior doctors which call them junior doctors, they are actually
:30:31. > :30:34.doctors, it is just too differentiate them from the
:30:35. > :30:42.consultants, if it was imposed on them, it would be a new era of bad
:30:43. > :30:46.feelings on the NHS. Indeed, and some people who are close to this
:30:47. > :30:50.would look back and say some of the mistakes were made under previous
:30:51. > :30:53.governments where the BMA almost got their way. They joked about it being
:30:54. > :31:00.the most powerful union in the land, but Jeremy Hunt actually, he managed
:31:01. > :31:04.to fall out with GPs, he managed to fall out with consultants and now he
:31:05. > :31:07.has managed to fall out spectacularly with junior doctors. I
:31:08. > :31:11.don't think anyone wants to get to that stage of imposition but someone
:31:12. > :31:16.was suggesting to me yesterday, this will end one of two ways. Either the
:31:17. > :31:20.BMA moderates, as they see it, managed to close down the BMA
:31:21. > :31:25.radicals, as they see it. Or the government will have to end up
:31:26. > :31:30.imposing the contracts. Do we know what the viewers on the Tory
:31:31. > :31:33.backbenches as to how Mr Hunt is handling this dispute? I think
:31:34. > :31:38.people are pretty solid in the view that doctors will have to back down.
:31:39. > :31:41.I do think many people would hold up how this is all played up over a
:31:42. > :31:46.long period of time. Don't forget, this dispute has been rumbling on
:31:47. > :31:50.for ages. Very few people I think would say that this has been an
:31:51. > :31:54.excellent example of how to handle these things. There are such strong
:31:55. > :32:01.feelings on both sides of this. If you think about the NHS with David
:32:02. > :32:03.Cameron, it was part of his massive attempt to rebrand the Conservative
:32:04. > :32:09.Party. This is the thing I care about beyond anything else, and age
:32:10. > :32:16.yes, all of those slogans. Lets see what happens.
:32:17. > :32:25.I shall have further such meetings later today. The Royal College of
:32:26. > :32:30.Midwives has called the government's plans to cut nurses' student grants
:32:31. > :32:33.appalling. The Royal College of Nursing says they are deeply
:32:34. > :32:37.concerned. Meanwhile, the honourable member for Lewis who is a nurse so
:32:38. > :32:41.she would have struggled to undertake are training giving the
:32:42. > :32:46.proposed changes to the bursaries scheme. Why does the Prime Minister
:32:47. > :32:51.still think he is right to scrap grants for students nurses? For the
:32:52. > :32:57.very simple reason that we want to sit more nurses in training and more
:32:58. > :33:02.nurses in our NHS. We believe there will be an additional 10,000 nurses
:33:03. > :33:06.because of this change, because the facts are today that two out of
:33:07. > :33:10.three people who want to become nurses cannot because it is
:33:11. > :33:15.constrained by the bursaries scheme. Moving to the new system, those
:33:16. > :33:20.people will be able to become nurses. Andrew Griffiths! Mr
:33:21. > :33:23.Speaker, the number one responsibility of any government is
:33:24. > :33:28.the protection of its people. Does the Prime Minister agree with me
:33:29. > :33:35.that the nuclear deterrent and our membership of Nato are key to our
:33:36. > :33:38.defences, and that any move that would put it at risk would
:33:39. > :33:41.jeopardise our national security? My honourable friend is absolutely
:33:42. > :33:46.right. It has been common ground on both sides of this House of Commons
:33:47. > :33:50.that the cornerstone of our defence policy is our membership of Nato and
:33:51. > :33:55.our commitment to an independent nuclear deterrent, which must be
:33:56. > :34:00.replaced and updated. They are necessary to keep us safe, and at a
:34:01. > :34:04.time when we see North Korea testing nuclear weapons, with the
:34:05. > :34:08.instability in the world today, we recommit ourselves to both Nato and
:34:09. > :34:13.our independent nuclear deterrent, and I think the party opposite has
:34:14. > :34:23.got some very serious questions to answer. Jeremy Corbyn! Thank you
:34:24. > :34:27.very much, Mr Speaker. This week, the Prime Minister rather belatedly
:34:28. > :34:33.acknowledged that there is a housing prices in Britain. He announced ?140
:34:34. > :34:39.million fund to transform 100 housing estates around the country,
:34:40. > :34:42.which actually amounts to ?1.4 million per housing estate, to
:34:43. > :34:48.bulldoze and then rebuild. My maths is perfect! This money, Mr Speaker,
:34:49. > :34:55.is a drop in the ocean. It isn't even going to pay for the
:34:56. > :34:58.bulldozers, is it? What we have done is doubled the housing budget, we
:34:59. > :35:05.are going to be investing over ?8 billion in housing, and that comes
:35:06. > :35:10.after having built 700,000 homes since becoming Prime Minister. We
:35:11. > :35:14.have got over 250,000 more affordable homes, and here is a
:35:15. > :35:18.statistic he will like - in the last Parliament, we build more council
:35:19. > :35:26.houses than in 13 years of Labour government. Jeremy Corbyn! Well, Mr
:35:27. > :35:34.Speaker, he has not thought this thing through very carefully.
:35:35. > :35:40.Because every estate that he announces he wishes to bulldoze will
:35:41. > :35:45.include tenants and people that have bought their homes under right to
:35:46. > :35:48.buy. Will those people, the leaseholders, will they be
:35:49. > :35:54.guaranteed homes on those rebuild states that he is proposing to
:35:55. > :36:00.build? Luck, of course, I accept this isn't as carefully thought
:36:01. > :36:05.through as his reshuffle! Which I gather is still going on, it hasn't
:36:06. > :36:09.actually finished yet! Of course, what we want to do is go to
:36:10. > :36:11.communities where there are sink estates and housing estates that
:36:12. > :36:16.have held the ball back and agree with those local councils, agree
:36:17. > :36:20.with those local people and make sure that local tenants get good
:36:21. > :36:24.homes, make sure homeowners are housed in new houses. That is
:36:25. > :36:29.exactly what we want. Look at what we have done on housing, we reform
:36:30. > :36:34.the planning rules, they opposed them. We introduced help to buy,
:36:35. > :36:39.they opposed it. We introduced help to save, they opposed it. They have
:36:40. > :36:47.nothing to say about people trapped in housing estates who want a better
:36:48. > :36:50.start in their life. Mr Speaker, I noticed the Prime Minister did not
:36:51. > :36:56.give any guaranteed to leaseholders on estates, and so there is another
:36:57. > :36:59.probably larger group on most estates that I have a question to
:37:00. > :37:07.ask him on behalf of, a tenant by the name of Darryl, who says, will
:37:08. > :37:11.be Prime Minister guarantee that all existing tenants of the council
:37:12. > :37:17.estates earmarked for redevelopment will be rehoused in new council
:37:18. > :37:22.housing in their current communities with the same tenancy conditions as
:37:23. > :37:27.they currently have? We are not going to be able to deal with these
:37:28. > :37:31.sink estates unless we get the agreement of tenants, unless we show
:37:32. > :37:36.how we are going to support homeowners, how we are going to
:37:37. > :37:41.support communities. But isn't it interesting, Mr Speaker, who here is
:37:42. > :37:47.the small C Conservative who is saying, stay in your sink estate,
:37:48. > :37:51.have nothing better than what Labour gave you after the war? We are
:37:52. > :37:57.saying, if you are a tenant, you have the right to buy, here is help
:37:58. > :38:01.to save, we will help you out, and that is the fact of politics today,
:38:02. > :38:06.a party on this side of the house that wants to give people like
:38:07. > :38:12.chances and they Labour opposition that says, stay stuck in poverty.
:38:13. > :38:15.Jeremy Corbyn! Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister does not seem to understand
:38:16. > :38:23.the very serious concerns Minister does not seem to understand
:38:24. > :38:28.council tenants have when they feel they are going to be forced away
:38:29. > :38:33.from the community where they live, where their children go to school,
:38:34. > :38:37.and their community is so strong. But there is another area where the
:38:38. > :38:42.Prime Minister might be able to help us today. His party manifesto said
:38:43. > :38:47.everyone who works hard should be able to own a home of their own. So
:38:48. > :38:53.will families earning his so-called national living wage be able to
:38:54. > :39:00.afford one of his discount starter homes? I very much hope they will,
:39:01. > :39:04.because also, as well as starter homes... As well as starter homes,
:39:05. > :39:11.we're having shared ownership homes, and so if you take... When I became
:39:12. > :39:19.Prime Minister, a young person trying to buy a home needed ?30,000
:39:20. > :39:19.Prime Minister, a young person for that deposit. Order, I apologise
:39:20. > :39:23.for interrupting, I say to for that deposit. Order, I apologise
:39:24. > :39:28.honourable lady, the member for Bishop Auckland, who aspires to be a
:39:29. > :39:32.stateswoman, that is not the appropriate behaviour, shrill
:39:33. > :39:37.shrieking from a sedentary position, I want to hear the Prime Minister's
:39:38. > :39:43.answer! You needed ?30,000 for a deposit on a home, and that is now
:39:44. > :39:48.down to ?10,000 because of schemes we have introduced. I want people to
:39:49. > :39:52.own our own homes, so let's consider this issue - we are saying to the
:39:53. > :39:57.1.3 million tenants of housing as a station is, we are on your side, you
:39:58. > :40:03.can buy your own home, why does he still oppose that? -- housing
:40:04. > :40:11.associations. Well, Mr Speaker, I hope this word hope goes a long way,
:40:12. > :40:14.because research by Shelter found that families on his
:40:15. > :40:17.because research by Shelter found living wage will not be able
:40:18. > :40:21.because research by Shelter found afford the average starter home in
:40:22. > :40:27.98% of local authority areas in England. So there is only the 2%
:40:28. > :40:30.that may benefit from this. So instead of building more affordable
:40:31. > :40:35.homes, isn't the Prime Minister branding more homes as affordable?
:40:36. > :40:40.Which is not a solution to the housing crisis. Will he confirm that
:40:41. > :40:44.home ownership has actually fallen since he became Prime Minister?
:40:45. > :40:47.There is a challenge of helping people to buy
:40:48. > :40:50.There is a challenge of helping is what helped to bike was about,
:40:51. > :40:51.There is a challenge of helping which they opposed, help to save,
:40:52. > :40:57.which they opposed. Isn't it which they opposed, help to save,
:40:58. > :41:05.question about the 1.3 million housing association tenants. No... I
:41:06. > :41:10.want what is best for everybody, let's put it like this, he owns his
:41:11. > :41:16.home, I own mind, why won't we let those 1.3 million own their homes?
:41:17. > :41:29.What are you frightened of? Prime Minister...
:41:30. > :41:40.When the noise disappears... Order! The Leader of the Opposition. I
:41:41. > :41:44.thank the Conservative backbenchers for their deep concern for the
:41:45. > :41:51.housing crisis in this country, it is noted. The Prime Minister gave no
:41:52. > :41:54.assurances to tenants, no assurances to leaseholders, no assurances to
:41:55. > :42:00.low-paid people who want to get somewhere decent to live. Can I ask
:42:01. > :42:04.him one final question on this? And it is a practical question that is
:42:05. > :42:08.faced by many people all around this country who are deeply worried about
:42:09. > :42:13.their own housing situation and how they are going to live in the
:42:14. > :42:22.future? It comes from Linda, who is a council tenant, who is a council
:42:23. > :42:26.tenant for the last 25 years. And she says, I will eventually look to
:42:27. > :42:31.downsize to a property suitable for our ageing circumstances. Due to the
:42:32. > :42:35.Housing Bill being put through Parliament at present, if we
:42:36. > :42:40.downsize, we will have to sign a new tenancy agreement. If we stay, we
:42:41. > :42:45.face having to pay the bedroom tax and debt. If we downsize, we lose
:42:46. > :42:51.our secure home. It is a real problem that Linda and many like her
:42:52. > :42:55.are facing. If she was in the Prime Minister's advice Pirro, what advice
:42:56. > :43:00.would he give her? The first thing I would say to Linda, we are cutting
:43:01. > :43:04.social trends in this Parliament, so she will be paying less in rent. The
:43:05. > :43:09.second thing, if she is concerned about the spare room subsidy, it is
:43:10. > :43:15.not paid by pensioners, a point that he fails to make. The other point I
:43:16. > :43:20.would make to Linda, the other point I would make to Linda and all those
:43:21. > :43:23.who are in council houses or in housing association homes, is that
:43:24. > :43:27.we believe in giving you the chance to buy your own home and are helping
:43:28. > :43:32.you to do that. Isn't it interesting what this exchange has shown? We
:43:33. > :43:35.have a Labour Party who have got a housing policy that doesn't support
:43:36. > :43:39.home ownership, just as they have got a defence policy that does not
:43:40. > :43:44.believe in defence, just as we have got a Labour Party that does not
:43:45. > :43:45.believe in work and they Labour leader who does not believe in
:43:46. > :44:02.Britain! Mr Speaker, as someone who grew up
:44:03. > :44:07.in social housing, may I welcome the Prime Minister's commitment to tear
:44:08. > :44:12.down poor quality, soulless high-rise estates and replaced them
:44:13. > :44:16.with affordable homes? Will he seize this opportunity to make sure these
:44:17. > :44:21.new homes are attractive, well designed places where people will
:44:22. > :44:25.actually want to live for generations to come? I think my
:44:26. > :44:29.honourable friend is absolutely right. If Labour wanted to have a
:44:30. > :44:37.constructive opinion, they would come along and say, how can we help
:44:38. > :44:39.knock down these sink estates, rebuilds new houses, help people to
:44:40. > :44:43.own their own homes? That is what you are going to see, Mr Speaker, in
:44:44. > :44:47.this Parliament, one side committed to opportunity, life chances,
:44:48. > :44:54.helping people get on, and another side wanting to keep people trapped
:44:55. > :44:58.in property. Angus Robertson. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. The
:44:59. > :45:01.economic and intellectual contribution of college and
:45:02. > :45:07.university graduates to the UK is immense. The Smith Commission said
:45:08. > :45:11.the UK and Scottish Government should work together to explore the
:45:12. > :45:16.possibility of introducing formal schemes to allow international
:45:17. > :45:20.higher education students graduating from Scottish further and higher
:45:21. > :45:23.education institutions to remain in Scotland and contribute to economic
:45:24. > :45:29.activity for a defined period of time. Why did the UK Government this
:45:30. > :45:33.week unilaterally rule out a return of a post study work visa without
:45:34. > :45:38.stakeholder discussions and before key Parliamentary reports? What I
:45:39. > :45:42.say to the honourable gentleman is we have an excellent scheme that
:45:43. > :45:47.covers, of course, Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland,
:45:48. > :45:51.to say to world students that there is no limit on the number of people
:45:52. > :45:54.that can come and study in British universities, as long as they have
:45:55. > :45:59.two things, an English-language qualification and a place at the
:46:00. > :46:02.university. That is an incredibly generous and open offer. And there
:46:03. > :46:08.is no limit on the number of people who can stay after they have
:46:09. > :46:12.graduated, as long as they have a graduate level job. I think that is
:46:13. > :46:17.a clear message, that all of us, whether involved in the Scottish
:46:18. > :46:19.Government, the Northern Ireland or Welsh or UK administrations, should
:46:20. > :46:24.get out and sell around the world, it is a world beating of, we want
:46:25. > :46:26.the brightest graduates to study here and then work here, what a
:46:27. > :46:36.great deal! Thank you. The return of post study
:46:37. > :46:44.visas is supported amongst others, all of Scotland's 25 publicly funded
:46:45. > :46:49.colleges, the University of Scotland, the representatives of
:46:50. > :46:53.higher education organisations, many other organisations and businesses,
:46:54. > :46:55.all parties including the Scottish Conservative Party, so why does the
:46:56. > :47:01.Prime Minister think they are all wrong and he is right? For the
:47:02. > :47:06.reason I have given. I think the clarity of our offer is world
:47:07. > :47:10.beating. The disadvantage of inventing a new post-work study
:47:11. > :47:13.route, where you are effectively saying to people coming to our
:47:14. > :47:17.universities, it is a key to stay with a less than graduate job,
:47:18. > :47:33.frankly, there are lots of people in our own country
:47:34. > :47:37.desperate for those jobs and we should be training them up and
:47:38. > :47:40.spilling them up. We don't need the world's brightest and best to come
:47:41. > :47:42.here and study and then to do menial jobs which actually, that is not
:47:43. > :47:45.what our immigration system is for. What we want is a system where
:47:46. > :47:46.people can come here, study and work and that is the system we should
:47:47. > :47:56.keep. Would the Prime Minister join me in
:47:57. > :48:00.praising the fact that Aldi are building a distribution centre in my
:48:01. > :48:07.constituency. It is situated off one of the busiest trunk roads in the
:48:08. > :48:11.south-east of England. Could I ask my right honourable friend if he
:48:12. > :48:16.would encourage the Department of Transport to take a review of that
:48:17. > :48:19.road to ensure it can cope with the increase of traffic being generated
:48:20. > :48:26.by the expanding business activity in my constituency. I certainly join
:48:27. > :48:31.him. The claimant count down in his own constituency has fallen by 39%
:48:32. > :48:34.since 2010 and this is welcome news. I will take up the point he says
:48:35. > :48:38.because obviously, we will only continue to attract investment ever
:48:39. > :48:45.make sure our road and rail network is.
:48:46. > :48:48.The Prime Minister will be aware that last week this House discussed
:48:49. > :48:52.the equalisation of the state retirement age between men and
:48:53. > :48:57.women. Can I ask him, does he feel the outrage of a generation of women
:48:58. > :49:02.born in the 1950s, who feel robbed and cheated out of their state
:49:03. > :49:05.pension, and will he give an undertaken, giving the unanimous
:49:06. > :49:09.decision of this House, to ask him to look at further improvements to
:49:10. > :49:14.transitional arrangements that he will do so? I know this is an issue
:49:15. > :49:18.that many colleagues have been written to and there are some
:49:19. > :49:21.important cases to look at. What I would say is we looked very
:49:22. > :49:25.carefully at this at the time and decided no one should suffer more
:49:26. > :49:28.than an 18 month increase in the time before they were expecting to
:49:29. > :49:33.retire. I would also say that if you look at what we are putting in place
:49:34. > :49:46.with the single tier pension starting at ?150 a week, combined
:49:47. > :49:48.with the triple lock that we have, I think we have a very good settlement
:49:49. > :49:50.for pensioners. It is affordable for the taxpayer
:49:51. > :49:57.and generous for the future. By the 8th of January, within a period of
:49:58. > :50:02.just eight days, parts of London had exceeded the annual limit for
:50:03. > :50:10.nitrous dioxide pollution. Giving this medically serious news, will
:50:11. > :50:14.the Prime Minister and ensure that the Department for transport's
:50:15. > :50:21.current consideration of airport expansion prioritises air pollution
:50:22. > :50:32.concerns? And will he pledge never to expand Heathrow Airport while
:50:33. > :50:38.nitrous dioxide levels are risking the health of millions of people?
:50:39. > :50:42.I think my right honourable friend is absolutely right to raise this.
:50:43. > :50:46.There are problems of our quality and air pollution, not just in
:50:47. > :50:50.London but elsewhere in our country, and that is one of the reasons why
:50:51. > :50:55.we decided to delay the decision about airport capacity expansion,
:50:56. > :50:58.because we need to answer the question about air-quality before we
:50:59. > :51:04.provide the answer to that question. That is what the Environmental Audit
:51:05. > :51:08.Committee, recommended to this government. They said on air
:51:09. > :51:12.quality, the Government will need to re-examine the commission's findings
:51:13. > :51:17.in light of the air quality strategy. The point she makes is
:51:18. > :51:23.being taken on by the Government. Can I say to the Prime Minister, he
:51:24. > :51:28.has answered the honourable member for Edinburgh East for the
:51:29. > :51:37.transitional arrangements for women born in the 1950s, it is not
:51:38. > :51:40.acceptable. As he is talking to other EU leaders, can he ask why
:51:41. > :51:47.some countries are not in lamenting the changes to 1944, and an -- can
:51:48. > :51:52.he look at what Italy, the Netherlands and Germany did about
:51:53. > :51:57.their transitional arrangements to protect the people who have been
:51:58. > :52:01.affected? What other European countries do is a matter for them.
:52:02. > :52:05.We have the ability to make sovereign decisions about this
:52:06. > :52:09.issue, that is entirely right. What we have decided to do is put in
:52:10. > :52:14.place a pension system that is long-term affordable for our
:52:15. > :52:18.country, but also sustains a very strong basic state pension right
:52:19. > :52:21.into the future. That is what strong basic state pension right
:52:22. > :52:24.single tier pension will make such a difference to people in
:52:25. > :52:25.single tier pension will make such a and the triple lock never put in
:52:26. > :52:30.place by Labour, we all that my silly increase to the
:52:31. > :52:34.pension we had under Gordon Brown, that can never happen again under
:52:35. > :52:43.our arrangements. Since 2010, my constituency has seen
:52:44. > :52:51.the generation of 200 new businesses, with a 240 minute pound
:52:52. > :52:55.investment in Bracknell town regeneration, falling employment is
:52:56. > :52:59.of genuine possibility. Does the Government agree with me that it is
:53:00. > :53:05.the Government's sound stewardship of the economy that has led to this
:53:06. > :53:09.economic success in the Bracknell constituency? I'm delighted to hear
:53:10. > :53:14.the news from Bracknell. We have low interest rates, inflation right on
:53:15. > :53:17.the floor, real wages growing so people are feeling better. People
:53:18. > :53:21.are investing in this country in huge numbers in terms of inward
:53:22. > :53:23.investment. Business investment has been going up
:53:24. > :53:26.investment. Business investment has confident about the future of our
:53:27. > :53:30.economy, and all of that is based on a long-term economic plan of dealing
:53:31. > :53:33.with our debts, getting our deficit down and making this country where
:53:34. > :53:37.people can start a business, run a business, expanded business and
:53:38. > :53:39.therefore create jobs and prosperity for all of our people.
:53:40. > :53:57.Over the last four years, excess winter death figures
:53:58. > :53:59.from the ONS had shown a staggering 117,000 people have died
:54:00. > :54:01.unnecessarily as a result of the cold. 43,000 people tragically died
:54:02. > :54:04.last winter. I wonder of the Prime Minister agrees with me that not
:54:05. > :54:06.only is that appalling, it is also avoidable. Can I ask the Prime
:54:07. > :54:09.Minister why he thinks so many people are dying needlessly in our
:54:10. > :54:11.country and what he will do to stop that happening? I think the
:54:12. > :54:16.honourable gentleman is right to raise this. The winter death figures
:54:17. > :54:20.are published every year. They are standing rebuke to all governments
:54:21. > :54:24.about what more needs to be done. First of all, we have maintained the
:54:25. > :54:28.cold weather payments. They may kick in as the cold weather continues.
:54:29. > :54:34.There are also the winter fuel payments. The increase in pension
:54:35. > :54:38.going up by prices, earnings or two but 5%. We also have falling energy
:54:39. > :54:41.prices because of the falling oil price. I agree they're not falling
:54:42. > :54:45.as fast as I would like and that is why I think it is right that we have
:54:46. > :54:50.this competition commission enquiry into the energy industry, to make
:54:51. > :54:55.sure it is a fully competitive industry. It has come a long way.
:54:56. > :54:59.When I became Prime Minister, the independent energy companies were
:55:00. > :55:03.just 1% of the market. There are now 15% of the market. The big six are
:55:04. > :55:07.being broken down through competition. All of those changes,
:55:08. > :55:14.plus home improvements, all of those things can make a difference.
:55:15. > :55:21.Implementation of the Iran nuclear deal, in which a dish to play in the
:55:22. > :55:23.sea was crucial is imminent. Can my right honourable friend inform the
:55:24. > :55:31.House what steps are being taken to ensure that Iran abides by its side
:55:32. > :55:34.of the deal? I think my honourable friend is absolutely right about
:55:35. > :55:38.this. Now pay tribute to the Secretary of State John Kerry for
:55:39. > :55:41.the incredible work he did, but also the Foreign Secretary who was by his
:55:42. > :55:45.side all the way through, negotiating what is a very tough and
:55:46. > :55:49.difficult deal. Where we have got to lose the adoption Day for this deal
:55:50. > :55:54.was in October, and since then, Iraq has started shipping 12.5 tonnes of
:55:55. > :55:57.enriched uranium to Russia. Now we're getting close to what is
:55:58. > :56:08.called the implementation date for this deal for this deal. The key
:56:09. > :56:10.point is Iran has granted the International atomic agency
:56:11. > :56:15.unprecedented access to make sure it is doing all the things it said it
:56:16. > :56:19.would do in this deal. As I said, it is a good deal, it takes Iran away
:56:20. > :56:23.from a nuclear weapons, but we should enter into it, with a very
:56:24. > :56:36.heavy heart and a very clear eyed, and a very hard head, in making sure
:56:37. > :56:38.this country does everything it it would.
:56:39. > :56:40.When the Government pushed through their changes to undergraduate
:56:41. > :56:43.funding for years ago, they said that providing maintenance grants
:56:44. > :56:52.for the poorest students was key to the participation in higher
:56:53. > :56:53.education. No mention was made in the Conservative manifesto of ending
:56:54. > :56:55.those grants. Is it completely unacceptable to make that
:56:56. > :57:06.fundamental change tomorrow, by the back door with -- without a vote in
:57:07. > :57:09.this House. The issue has been fully debated in this House. Despite all
:57:10. > :57:13.the warnings from the party opposite, more people are taking
:57:14. > :57:17.part in higher education and more people from lower income backgrounds
:57:18. > :57:20.are taking part in higher education and I am confident that will
:57:21. > :57:30.continue to be the case. Thanks to this government's
:57:31. > :57:32.long-term economic plan, unemployment in North West
:57:33. > :57:42.Leicestershire now stands at an all-time low of 522. This Saturday,
:57:43. > :57:47.East Midlands airport will hold jobs fair with 350 positions available.
:57:48. > :57:52.Will the Prime Minister join with me in wishing all the businesses in
:57:53. > :57:57.North West Leicestershire Mossop first in recruitment and retention
:57:58. > :58:02.that the Leader of the Opposition? -- more success in recruitment and
:58:03. > :58:05.retention. I'm delighted to hear there are only 522 people are
:58:06. > :58:10.unemployed in his constituency. May I praise him and all the people who
:58:11. > :58:14.have run jobs fairs in their constituencies which have made a
:58:15. > :58:20.huge difference in people finding opportunities. Since 2010, 60 4% of
:58:21. > :58:28.the rising public sector -- private sector employment has taken place
:58:29. > :58:32.outside London and the south-east. This is in growing terms a balanced
:58:33. > :58:38.recovery and we need to keep working to make sure it is.
:58:39. > :58:42.Last year, the Energy Secretary scrapped support for under the
:58:43. > :58:46.renewables obligation for new onshore wind projects, which will
:58:47. > :58:51.impact the three minute pound investment by Nissan at their wind
:58:52. > :58:54.farm in my constituency. -- ?3 million. Does the Prime Minister
:58:55. > :59:00.realise that his attacks on clean energy our debt to mental --
:59:01. > :59:07.detrimental to businesses like Nissan? We had some extensive
:59:08. > :59:13.exchanges about this at the liaison committee yesterday. If you look at
:59:14. > :59:16.onshore wind, we will see another 50% increase in onshore wind
:59:17. > :59:22.investment during this Parliament. If we look at offshore wind, Britain
:59:23. > :59:28.has the biggest offshore wind market anywhere in the world. If we look at
:59:29. > :59:32.solar, Britain has the fourth largest solar installation of any
:59:33. > :59:35.country anywhere in the world. And my new favourite statistic, 98% of
:59:36. > :59:39.those solar panels have been installed since I was Prime
:59:40. > :59:45.Minister. This is all good news and means we have a genuine claim to be
:59:46. > :59:48.leading a renewables revolution. Every single subsidy you give to
:59:49. > :59:54.these technologies is extra money that we put onto people's bills
:59:55. > :59:59.making energy more expensive. It is right that we seek a balance between
:00:00. > :00:03.decarbonising our economy but making sure we do it at a low cost to our
:00:04. > :00:09.consumers and the people who pay the bills. That is what our policies are
:00:10. > :00:12.about. With the numbers of workless
:00:13. > :00:18.households in the UK at an all-time low, and with 1.4 million children
:00:19. > :00:21.being taught in schools ranked good or outstanding since 2010, does my
:00:22. > :00:24.right honourable friend agree with me that the marker for one nation
:00:25. > :00:28.government is not the amount of money we spend on benefits, but is
:00:29. > :00:31.what we do to tackle the root causes of poverty?
:00:32. > :00:37.My honourable friend is absolutely right. As far as I can see, Labour's
:00:38. > :00:41.only answer to every single problem is to spend more money. It ends up
:00:42. > :00:46.with more borrowing, more spending, more debt, all the things which got
:00:47. > :00:50.us into this problem in the first place. Our approach is to look at
:00:51. > :00:55.all the causes of poverty, all the things holding people back. Let's
:00:56. > :00:58.fix the sink estates, let's reform the failing schools, yet give people
:00:59. > :01:03.more childcare, let's deal with the addiction and mental health problems
:01:04. > :01:06.people have, and that way we will demonstrate that this is the
:01:07. > :01:10.Government and party helping people with their life chances where Labour
:01:11. > :01:14.just want to stick people where they are!
:01:15. > :01:18.The draft Wales Bill contains provisions which reverses the 2011
:01:19. > :01:28.settlement which was overwhelmingly endorsed in the last Welsh
:01:29. > :01:37.referendum. Unless amended, the will be an upper -- opposition sparking a
:01:38. > :01:41.crisis. Why is this government treating Wales like a second-class
:01:42. > :01:45.nation? What this government has done is first of all hold a
:01:46. > :01:49.referendum, so the Welsh Assembly has those lawmaking powers.
:01:50. > :01:53.Secondly, the first government in history to make sure there is a
:01:54. > :01:56.floor under the Welsh level of spending, never done by a Labour
:01:57. > :02:08.government. And now in the Wales Bill, we want to make sure we give
:02:09. > :02:10.Wales those extra powers. We are still listening to the suggestions
:02:11. > :02:13.made by him and the Welsh Assembly Government, but this government has
:02:14. > :02:15.a proud record, not only of devolution for Wales but in delivery
:02:16. > :02:20.for Wales. $30 oil is great for petrol prices,
:02:21. > :02:27.but it is potentially catastrophic in other respects. If it goes on
:02:28. > :02:32.like this, we risk seeing regimes under pressure, dramatic corporate
:02:33. > :02:35.failures and financial default, enormous financial transfers out of
:02:36. > :02:40.our markets to pay for other country's deficits, a possible
:02:41. > :02:43.collapse in share prices and dividends for pensions, and a
:02:44. > :02:47.liquidity problem in our banking sector. May I invite the Prime
:02:48. > :02:52.Minister to initiate an urgent review across Whitehall, to assess
:02:53. > :02:58.the effects of continuing low oil prices on our economy and beyond,
:02:59. > :03:04.and in particular, work out how we can avoid the destruction of our own
:03:05. > :03:07.oil industry in the North Sea? My right honourable friend makes an
:03:08. > :03:12.important point, which is this very big move in the oil price. It has a
:03:13. > :03:15.highly beneficial effect for all our constituents are able to fill up
:03:16. > :03:26.their cars for less than a pound a litre, and that is a very big
:03:27. > :03:29.increase in people's disposable income and Holywell come. A low oil
:03:30. > :03:32.price is good for the British economy which is a substantial
:03:33. > :03:37.manufacturing and production economy -- wholly welcome. We need to look
:03:38. > :03:44.carefully at how we can help our own oil and gas industry. He did mention
:03:45. > :03:52.one other calamity which is it has led to a complete and utter collapse
:03:53. > :04:03.of the SNP's policy. Recent press reports suggest...
:04:04. > :04:06.Recent press reports suggest that although some on the Government's
:04:07. > :04:10.backbenchers would agree with me, despite the fact that my background
:04:11. > :04:20.would be what the Prime Minister would consider to be menial,
:04:21. > :04:24.would be what the Prime Minister important to have a reduction on
:04:25. > :04:28.would be what the Prime Minister This government refuses to bring
:04:29. > :04:33.this industry under scrutiny. Can the Prime Minister ensure that his
:04:34. > :04:38.government will take a review of this dangerous, addictive and
:04:39. > :04:43.ever-growing problem? We have looked at this problem and this industry
:04:44. > :04:46.and we did make a series of changes including planning changes, but we
:04:47. > :04:55.keep this important situation under review.
:04:56. > :04:59.Whilst the floods over Christmas word bad for many areas in the North
:05:00. > :05:07.of England and Scotland, cold Valley residents were hit the hardest.
:05:08. > :05:13.?2100 and 3000 businesses flooded, Bridges lost, schools flooded and a
:05:14. > :05:19.tip of asbestos which has led keeping 20 families out of their
:05:20. > :05:24.homes -- the colder Valley. Will the Prime Minister meet with me to
:05:25. > :05:29.discuss how we can help to discuss the damage, the shortfall in future
:05:30. > :05:34.flood schemes and the rebuilding of Todmorden high school as well? My
:05:35. > :05:37.honourable friend and I have discussed Todmorden high school but
:05:38. > :05:41.I think we should meet again and discuss it again. First of all may I
:05:42. > :05:44.say mice of these and the sympathies of the whole house go out to those
:05:45. > :05:48.people and businesses which are flooded. Many people in his
:05:49. > :05:53.constituency and that that picking a time of year. We will do everything
:05:54. > :05:57.we can to help people get back on their feet. There is a large flood
:05:58. > :06:00.investment programme and the maintenance investment programme
:06:01. > :06:03.which has been protected in real terms but there are number of other
:06:04. > :06:07.infrastructure pieces of work that needs to be done. I would commend
:06:08. > :06:13.the highways agency which have been quick to examine roads and in some
:06:14. > :06:17.cases have taken over repairs to local authority roads because they
:06:18. > :06:22.have the capacity to act and act quickly. As I said last week, the
:06:23. > :06:26.army was in faster, the money was distributed faster, the EA worked
:06:27. > :06:30.faster and round-the-clock but there are always more lessons to learn to
:06:31. > :06:31.demonstrate we want to get these communities back on their feet as
:06:32. > :06:43.soon as possible. PMQs comes to an end, surprise that
:06:44. > :06:47.Jeremy Corbyn did not go on the junior doctors' strike which
:06:48. > :06:49.happened yesterday, with another one coming up, but instead chose to go
:06:50. > 0:59:54on housing,