26/10/2016

:00:36. > :00:45.The Government says it's sorry to see Zac Goldsmith

:00:46. > :00:46.resign over Heathrow, but won't be standing

:00:47. > :00:51.Could this be a chance for a Lib Dem by-election upset?

:00:52. > :00:57.Heathrow's third runway is unlikely to be up and running before 2025,

:00:58. > :01:00.but there are still a range of obstacles including legal

:01:01. > :01:04.challenges, planning laws and concerns over air quality.

:01:05. > :01:06.Officials are continuing to dismantle the Calais camp

:01:07. > :01:19.But how many migrants will refuse to give up their attempts to cross the

:01:20. > :01:22.Channelled to the UK? Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn

:01:23. > :01:25.will be facing each other over the despatch box at prime

:01:26. > :01:26.minister's questions, we'll bring you all the action

:01:27. > :01:29.live at midday. And when real life at Westminster

:01:30. > :01:31.gets a bit dull, which fictional politicians do our MPs turn

:01:32. > :01:37.to for inspiration? All that in the next

:01:38. > :01:41.hour and a half. And with us for the whole

:01:42. > :01:43.of the programme today, two politicians who we're pretty

:01:44. > :01:46.sure aren't a figment Greg Clark is the Business Secretary

:01:47. > :01:50.although, when Theresa May was appointing her first Cabinet,

:01:51. > :01:52.she accidentally made him president of the Board of Trade as well -

:01:53. > :01:56.a job he officially held for four days until officials

:01:57. > :01:59.realised the mistake. John Healey was Shadow Housing

:02:00. > :02:01.Minister until Labour's And now he's back in a new, exciting

:02:02. > :02:14.role, as Shadow Housing Minister. First today, let's talk

:02:15. > :02:17.about Calais, where French authorities are continuing

:02:18. > :02:19.to demolish what became known Last night, several

:02:20. > :02:28.huts were set on fire. There are concerns that many

:02:29. > :02:30.migrants will not give up their attempts

:02:31. > :02:35.to cross the Channel to the UK. So far, about 4,000 of some 7,000

:02:36. > :02:38.migrants have been taken to shelters around France, and workers

:02:39. > :02:39.have been dismantling It is thought that a large number

:02:40. > :02:45.of migrants have disappeared, possibly to sleep rough around

:02:46. > :02:47.Calais until they can Several hundred more young migrants

:02:48. > :02:51.are expected to arrive in Britain from Calais

:02:52. > :02:54.in the next few weeks, to join the 200 who

:02:55. > :03:06.have already arrived. Greg, what will prevent another

:03:07. > :03:09.migrant settlement developing incarnate? If history is a guide,

:03:10. > :03:14.that is exactly what will happen again in the UK will continue to be

:03:15. > :03:18.a magnet. French authorities have thought long and hard about what to

:03:19. > :03:26.do with the situation all of us could seek if you had a camp of 7000

:03:27. > :03:33.or 10,000 people, there are big pressures. What it has done in terms

:03:34. > :03:37.of establishing centres across the country where people can be

:03:38. > :03:40.processed and put into place those arrangements, that seems to be a

:03:41. > :03:47.sensible approach for them to take to the problem. Do you think it will

:03:48. > :03:50.prevent makeshift camps being rebuilt once the bulldozers have

:03:51. > :03:57.left for those migrants who still want to come to the UK? It is for

:03:58. > :04:02.the French authorities to act on that. To think it will happen? They

:04:03. > :04:07.are determined to solve this problem in Calais for is you can understand

:04:08. > :04:11.the people of Calais being very concerned about the continuation of

:04:12. > :04:18.this. They are doing everything they can. It seems to me, in a parallel

:04:19. > :04:22.situation, if we had an encampment of people, of course, both for

:04:23. > :04:26.welfare reasons for the people concerned, we would want to take

:04:27. > :04:33.steps to make sure that people are being treated properly. They're in

:04:34. > :04:36.mind this is an encampment of people, many of whom have been

:04:37. > :04:40.trafficked and are being trafficked on. The idea you are disrupting and

:04:41. > :04:44.putting more civilised arrangements in place for people, rather than to

:04:45. > :04:50.have them in the hands of traffickers... It is a big political

:04:51. > :04:55.issue in France and will be at the presidential election. It could be

:04:56. > :04:59.used, couldn't it, in terms of alternatives to border arrangements,

:05:00. > :05:06.for example? It is a big concern to local French people. The French

:05:07. > :05:09.authorities and the interior minister have clearly worked with

:05:10. > :05:15.the local and regional authorities to put into place systems to deal

:05:16. > :05:20.with the problem. They are going through it. It is clearly a matter

:05:21. > :05:25.for the French but it is understandable they should want to

:05:26. > :05:30.act. Two things will happen. The problem of people living in poverty

:05:31. > :05:35.and misery will get disbursed and be more difficult to deal with. The

:05:36. > :05:42.pressure points on the UK and on the UK Borders will disbursed as well.

:05:43. > :05:47.Really the question for the Government now, in light of this,

:05:48. > :05:51.what is the Government's and for dealing with that? The other thing

:05:52. > :05:54.that will happen, and we know this happened last time, kids in

:05:55. > :06:00.particular disappeared into the hands of smugglers and traffickers.

:06:01. > :06:03.That is the real worry. Let's talk about the children. The Home

:06:04. > :06:08.Secretary has had to issue an appeal because there are not enough council

:06:09. > :06:11.places for the Calais children. The Local Government Association has

:06:12. > :06:15.said the Government only wrote to council leaders on 14th of October.

:06:16. > :06:21.That is only a week and a half ago. Why was it less so late? There is

:06:22. > :06:25.constant communication with the local Government Association. David

:06:26. > :06:28.Simons, believes councillor responsible for that has worked very

:06:29. > :06:35.closely with the Home Office when I was community secretary, I met with

:06:36. > :06:41.him and the LGA. The response of local councils across the country to

:06:42. > :06:46.taking vulnerable people to Syria... This is not enough. We have known

:06:47. > :06:49.what will happen at the Calais camp. There was a commitment to take

:06:50. > :06:56.unaccompanied minors. Why were the only written to in the last week or

:06:57. > :07:00.so? Communication has been constant, going back for years. In particular

:07:01. > :07:06.over the last year. It is important to recognise the efforts that local

:07:07. > :07:15.Gottman has made in housing people and giving support to people coming

:07:16. > :07:18.from Syria. -- local government. They have met with individual

:07:19. > :07:23.councils across the country. They are made very welcome. They have a

:07:24. > :07:30.good record. In terms of the money, one of the agreements that was made

:07:31. > :07:35.with local government was that the costs would be recognised and would

:07:36. > :07:40.be met. Again, David Simons would tell you that has been a very

:07:41. > :07:45.constructive relationship. We have left this far too late for Britain

:07:46. > :07:48.to do its bit, especially for children and teenagers in the camp.

:07:49. > :07:54.They have not been assessed for that there is no clear plan to bring them

:07:55. > :08:02.back. It is late in the day, six months after we pass legislation in

:08:03. > :08:05.Parliament with the Dubs Amendment, about these children who have a

:08:06. > :08:10.right to be in the UK. Does before that the councils started stepping

:08:11. > :08:16.up volunteering to places. How concerned are you that the age of

:08:17. > :08:20.these children is being correctly assessed? I think that is a symptom

:08:21. > :08:25.of an assessment process that has been rushed and left too late. You

:08:26. > :08:29.think there should have been more rigorous checks? Assessment should

:08:30. > :08:33.have been done earlier and plans in place earlier. Places should have

:08:34. > :08:37.been found for them and prepared for them. All of this should have been

:08:38. > :08:45.done earlier. It is far too late to do our bit as they are dismantling

:08:46. > :08:48.the camps. You would be in favour of more rigorous medical assessment so

:08:49. > :08:53.the British voting public has faith in the system that child refugees

:08:54. > :08:56.means child refugees? You need to have confidence in the assessment

:08:57. > :09:01.system that it is hard to do a good job and it is late and rushed like

:09:02. > :09:05.this. The British public in large and others have wanted to see, and

:09:06. > :09:09.have been ready to welcome, these children and teenagers who have gone

:09:10. > :09:13.through the most appalling problems back in their home areas. They do

:09:14. > :09:17.not have family in the camps. Most of them have family in Britain who

:09:18. > :09:24.could already be looking after them, instead of this happening late in

:09:25. > :09:27.the day. It is right to proceed in a carefully planned way. Thank you.

:09:28. > :09:31.The Government's decision yesterday to go ahead with the expansion

:09:32. > :09:34.of Heathrow Airport means we could be getting closer to seeing

:09:35. > :09:37.the construction of the first new runway in the South East

:09:38. > :09:42.And ministers still face some knotty problems, including the by-election

:09:43. > :09:45.triggered by anti-Heathrow campaigner Zac Goldsmith,

:09:46. > :09:48.opposition from local protestors, and the prospect of the whole thing

:09:49. > :09:55.being ensnared in the courts and the planning process.

:09:56. > :10:00.You can already hear the lawyers smacking their lips at the prospect

:10:01. > :10:02.of a dripping roast. Theresa May has made her decision,

:10:03. > :10:07.but there are a number of clouds on the horizon if plans

:10:08. > :10:09.for a third runway at Heathrow Zac Goldsmith, the Conservative

:10:10. > :10:12.MP for Richmond Park, resigned within hours

:10:13. > :10:15.of the decision yesterday, triggering a by-election,

:10:16. > :10:17.which he hopes will be a "referendum" on expansion

:10:18. > :10:21.at the West London airport. Others are already planning

:10:22. > :10:23.to oppose the third Four Conservative councils have

:10:24. > :10:31.pledged to mount a legal challenge. Environmental groups,

:10:32. > :10:31.including Greenpeace, are expected to join them,

:10:32. > :10:37.over concerns about air quality. The Mayor of London,

:10:38. > :10:39.Sadiq Khan, another opponent of Heathrow expansion,

:10:40. > :10:43.has said he is also considering how he can "best be involved"

:10:44. > :10:50.in a legal challenge. And then there are the divisions

:10:51. > :10:54.in the Prime Minister's own Cabinet. Boris Johnson has already called

:10:55. > :10:56.a third runway "undeliverable". Theresa May has had

:10:57. > :10:58.to suspend collective responsibility to allow him

:10:59. > :11:01.and Education Secretary Justine It means Mrs May will likely need

:11:02. > :11:08.Labour support to win a vote But while many Labour MPs

:11:09. > :11:17.favour Heathrow expansion, both Jeremy Corbyn and Shadow

:11:18. > :11:20.Chancellor John McDonnell Well, Transport Secretary Chris

:11:21. > :11:26.Grayling has been talking It's all about what's

:11:27. > :11:33.right for the country. Everyone benefits

:11:34. > :11:39.from pursuing this. Albeit, it's difficult for people

:11:40. > :11:41.who live close by. But if you look at the difference

:11:42. > :11:46.this will make in terms of creating jobs, creating new opportunities

:11:47. > :11:48.around the world for British businesses, small, medium and large,

:11:49. > :11:50.to sell their products, this is right thing

:11:51. > :11:52.for the whole country. If we want to fund the National

:11:53. > :11:55.Health Service in future, if we want to do the right

:11:56. > :11:57.thing by our pensioners, we have to be a nation

:11:58. > :11:59.that creates wealth, We have to be a country that

:12:00. > :12:07.works for everyone in it. Well, let's speak

:12:08. > :12:09.now to Sarah Olney. She's the Lib Dem candidate hoping

:12:10. > :12:25.to challenge Zac Goldsmith Can you confirm that you will be the

:12:26. > :12:29.Lib Dem candidate? I am currently the candidate. I was selected by the

:12:30. > :12:33.local party at the hustings back in the summer. We just need to go

:12:34. > :12:38.through a further process to confirm who the candidate will be in the

:12:39. > :12:44.by-election. Do you expect anyone to argue in your constituency or the

:12:45. > :12:48.wider Lib Democrat party? We need somebody much better known with a

:12:49. > :12:51.higher profile. Perhaps a 67-year-old male with a knighthood

:12:52. > :13:00.who used to have a neighbouring constituency. I can't imagine who

:13:01. > :13:04.you mean. I have heard we will have a discussion about it. There will be

:13:05. > :13:10.a short list put to the local party and it will be for them to decide.

:13:11. > :13:14.So, it is not a slam dunk that he will be the candidate? I don't know.

:13:15. > :13:18.There will be a process, there will be a short list. I do not know how

:13:19. > :13:24.long that will be. That is the process. Zac Goldsmith has said he

:13:25. > :13:29.wants this by-election to be a referendum on Heathrow. Given you

:13:30. > :13:34.are against Heathrow, any Lib Dem candidate will almost certainly be

:13:35. > :13:37.against Heathrow, the two front runners are against Heathrow, in

:13:38. > :13:44.what way can be a referendum on Heathrow? Precisely. It is really

:13:45. > :13:49.just a bit of a farce. Once again we see the Conservatives finding

:13:50. > :13:53.themselves having to call an election to decide what really

:13:54. > :13:56.should be an internal party matter. It is Conservative in fighting

:13:57. > :14:00.again. We have seen this with the referendum. They cannot resolve

:14:01. > :14:07.things amongst themselves so they call a referendum. The Lib Dems once

:14:08. > :14:13.favoured a referendum on in or out. If you are a candidate, will you

:14:14. > :14:19.make this election... This constituency voted 70% to remain on

:14:20. > :14:25.June 23. Will you make this as much an election about the referendum,

:14:26. > :14:29.about the future of Britain in Europe, is about Heathrow? It is a

:14:30. > :14:33.good opportunity for the voters of Richmond Park to have a say about

:14:34. > :14:37.what they think about Brexit and the way the Conservative government is

:14:38. > :14:44.approaching the Brexit negotiations. As you said, we're on the same side

:14:45. > :14:48.as far as Heathrow is concerned. For the voters to be able to choose

:14:49. > :14:52.between us, it will be fought on other issues. Brexit will clearly be

:14:53. > :14:58.the main issue uppermost in the minds of voters. We know the people

:14:59. > :15:00.of Richmond by and large are against Heathrow expansion, because it is in

:15:01. > :15:08.their neighbourhood. Window without doubt they wanted to remain in the

:15:09. > :15:13.European Union, they voted roughly 70% to so do. What we going to find

:15:14. > :15:20.out that we don't know already? People will be a bit puzzled because

:15:21. > :15:27.we know all that. Quite. I agree with you. It seems a bit of a farce

:15:28. > :15:32.we are having this by-election. I'm happy to have the opportunity to put

:15:33. > :15:38.messages in front of voters. We are keen to get started and up for the

:15:39. > :15:43.fight. Why would you be a better advocate of opposing the expansion

:15:44. > :15:45.of Heathrow than Zac Goldsmith, who has a well-known almost national

:15:46. > :15:58.track record on this issue? I think Zach has failed, to put it

:15:59. > :16:01.Bruntly. He has had his opportunity and failed to influence the

:16:02. > :16:03.Government in anyway. The Liberal Democrats have a good track record

:16:04. > :16:06.of preventing Heathrow eggs spankings. We have had Liberal

:16:07. > :16:09.Democrat MPs in the past who have fought very hard and very

:16:10. > :16:12.effectively to prevent Heathrow eggs spankings and when we were in the

:16:13. > :16:16.coalition we prevented Heathrow expansion. I think I would argue

:16:17. > :16:20.that the Liberal Democrats have a much better track record in this

:16:21. > :16:23.area than Zac Goldsmith does and also we are united as a party

:16:24. > :16:33.against Heathrow which the Conservatives and Labour clearly

:16:34. > :16:37.aren't. All right, thank you for joining us. Why are the

:16:38. > :16:40.Conservatives not putting up a candidate against Mr Goldsmith?

:16:41. > :16:44.Because we admire the work he has done in his constituency. He was

:16:45. > :16:49.very clear he would resign if this decision was taken. Was it Sarah,

:16:50. > :16:55.the candidate, Yes. I think she says this is a by-election that shouldn't

:16:56. > :16:58.happen. I think she would be the first to be outraged if Zac

:16:59. > :17:02.Goldsmith having said he would resign, hadn't. Yes, I think a lot

:17:03. > :17:05.of people would think this is a by election which shouldn't happen.

:17:06. > :17:10.Here is a Conservative MP, who fought the last election being

:17:11. > :17:13.opposed to Heathrow. Knowing that the Government was likely to go

:17:14. > :17:17.ahead with Heathrow. The Government has gone ahead with Heathrow. He is

:17:18. > :17:22.going to fight a by-election being opposed to Heathrow. He hopes to

:17:23. > :17:26.win. Back to the status quo, ante, nothing will have changed except

:17:27. > :17:32.it'll have cost the country ?250,000 in money for the by-election. The

:17:33. > :17:36.fist thing, Andrew, is the decision about Heathrow followed the Davis

:17:37. > :17:39.commission report, so it wasn't possible for any of to us know what

:17:40. > :17:45.the recommendations would have been, before the election. It was - we

:17:46. > :17:48.have discussed it many times on this programme, it was very serious. I

:17:49. > :17:54.forget, would the Davis commission report before the general election?

:17:55. > :17:58.Yes. You knew it was the official recommendation. Mr Goldsmith says he

:17:59. > :18:01.wants this to be a referendum on Heathrow. So if the pro-Heathrow

:18:02. > :18:05.Government doesn't put up a candidate, how can it be a

:18:06. > :18:10.referendum on Heathrow? Well, the Prime Minister has said even members

:18:11. > :18:12.of the Cabinet who have had long-standing constituency

:18:13. > :18:16.objections to Heathrow are able to continue to express them. I know

:18:17. > :18:27.that. Who will put the case for Heathrow in the by-election? Well,

:18:28. > :18:30.the by election is... A referendum on Heathrow The by-election is the

:18:31. > :18:36.by-election and the candidates will say. And Mr Goldsmith already said

:18:37. > :18:40.it was a referendum Heathrow. Let me try again, who will put the case on

:18:41. > :18:45.this by election on Heathrow which you know will get national

:18:46. > :18:49.attention? This is a by election to elect the next Member of Parliament

:18:50. > :18:54.for Richmond Park. No, really, wow! The key thing, I think the

:18:55. > :18:58.Government finally after which, in the 1940s when it was fist put

:18:59. > :19:02.forward has agreed to ex-spanned airport capacity and taken an

:19:03. > :19:05.important strategic decision, of course it was controversial, it was

:19:06. > :19:08.always going to be. None of which has to do with the question I asked.

:19:09. > :19:14.Never mind. For clarity. The final part of the Davis report came out

:19:15. > :19:18.after the election. But, you had to be in New Zealand, I think, not to

:19:19. > :19:22.know which way the wind was going Can I say something on, that the

:19:23. > :19:26.Davis report was set up with the support of both parties, as John

:19:27. > :19:30.will acknowledge, to to have a serious consideration of the case

:19:31. > :19:36.and both main parties committed to... I understand all that. I need

:19:37. > :19:41.to get on to John. But this must be. I want to stick with the policies

:19:42. > :19:45.before I come on to it. This Is must be the first time since the 1940s

:19:46. > :19:49.certainly when you have a Government not prepared to put up a candidate

:19:50. > :19:52.in the by election. You are ducking the electorate. They want to avoid

:19:53. > :19:56.the Liberal Democrats winning, it is clear, that's why they are doing t

:19:57. > :19:59.isn't it? Obviously. Speaking of this... Well, a Member of

:20:00. > :20:05.Parliament, with respect. Hang on, you have had your say. Ducking,

:20:06. > :20:09.ducking, ducking, major party. Your colleagues, Clive Lewis, Jonathan

:20:10. > :20:11.Reynolds, and another have written an article this morning saying

:20:12. > :20:16.Labour shouldn't stand in Richmond. Do you agree with that? No. Labour

:20:17. > :20:22.will stand. They will Labour will stand. In a pro-Heathrow stance?

:20:23. > :20:27.Labour will stand To be honest, I can't see a by-election being simply

:20:28. > :20:30.a referendum on Heathrow however Zac Goldsmith likes to argue it.

:20:31. > :20:34.Normally referendums are a judgment, or if you like, at the time on the

:20:35. > :20:39.Government. That's how we will fight that campaign for the by-election.

:20:40. > :20:43.So Labour is standing. Yes. Right. Greg Clarke, when do you think the

:20:44. > :20:48.first plane will take off from the new runway? Well, it clearly needs

:20:49. > :20:54.to go through the planning process, the middle of the next decade.

:20:55. > :21:00.2025-26 is the time in which it is... Except that that would only

:21:01. > :21:07.happen, if everything went right, if the planning process was seamless.

:21:08. > :21:10.If the legal challenges got nowhere. If people manage not to tie

:21:11. > :21:14.themselves in front of bulldozers and all the rest of it. If

:21:15. > :21:20.everything went, you might just make it by 2025. Anything goes wrong, and

:21:21. > :21:23.these things tend to go wrong, remember Terminal 5, how long that

:21:24. > :21:27.took t could be much longer than that. The responsibility of the

:21:28. > :21:30.Government is to do everything meticulously, as we have done,

:21:31. > :21:33.through the consideration of the report, through the decision of the

:21:34. > :21:39.sub committee of the Cabinet made, through the parliamentary process.

:21:40. > :21:45.But it could be a lot longer. The plan and the airports commission

:21:46. > :21:49.looked at the timetables for each of the proposals, and they validated

:21:50. > :21:54.the prospects for reach of them. But it is not the quickest one by far.

:21:55. > :21:58.Not the quickest one. You have said - or your Government - that this is

:21:59. > :22:01.Britain open for business, but you have actually chosen the most

:22:02. > :22:06.expensive option and the one that will take the longest to deliver.

:22:07. > :22:10.So, for the next 10, 12, could even be 15 years, you are pretty much

:22:11. > :22:14.closing the UK for business. We are not going to get this expansion any

:22:15. > :22:19.time soon? Andrew, I have come from a meeting before I came on your show

:22:20. > :22:24.with the leaders of the institute of directors, the CBI, the federation

:22:25. > :22:27.of small business, the British Chambers of Commerce and others,

:22:28. > :22:30.they were unanimous in welcoming the decision, that a decision has been

:22:31. > :22:34.made but also the particular decision for this Heathrow option.

:22:35. > :22:38.But my point is that it will take the longest, won't it? Tell a take

:22:39. > :22:46.longer than Gatwick. A lot longer. It is one of the considerations that

:22:47. > :22:48.was made in the decision but the benefits from Heathrow,

:22:49. > :22:52.establishing, reinforcing this UK's - as one of the world's premier hub

:22:53. > :22:57.airports, is the right decision. Let me ask you two quick questions

:22:58. > :23:01.before I come back to John Healy. - was the Government aware that the

:23:02. > :23:08.plan may now be to build a ramp over the M25? Did you know that when you

:23:09. > :23:12.took the decision? Yes, part of the ground transport improvements that

:23:13. > :23:16.are needed to service it, need to be consistent with minimising the

:23:17. > :23:20.disare up... But the talk was of a tunnel. Did you know that a ramp was

:23:21. > :23:25.now possible? We knew that there would be changes to the road system

:23:26. > :23:31.around there Was that in the proposal? Part of the consideration

:23:32. > :23:35.was the required changes. But was it in the proposal that the Davis

:23:36. > :23:37.commission considered? The Davis commission made deleer that there

:23:38. > :23:40.would need to be changes, improvements. It proceeded on the

:23:41. > :23:46.basis of a tunnel. Around transportation. Let me ask you

:23:47. > :23:52.another one. David Cameron's advisors warned him last year that

:23:53. > :23:55.he was "exposed on Heathrow, we don't yet have an answer on air

:23:56. > :24:01.quality." That's what he was told. What is the answer? The air quality

:24:02. > :24:05.aspect is one of the questions that was looked at again, which is why

:24:06. > :24:09.the decision wasn't taken last year. What is the answer? The answer is

:24:10. > :24:13.that we can meet the air quality requirements that we have by

:24:14. > :24:23.proceeding with Heathrow. This has been established through the... Why?

:24:24. > :24:27.Because we can live within our requirements to cap the pollutants,

:24:28. > :24:31.from the ground level, as well as the airport on the trajectory. They

:24:32. > :24:35.were stress-tested that the calculations there were robust.

:24:36. > :24:39.Only assuming there is a massive increase in the use of public

:24:40. > :24:43.transport and a massive increase in the use of electric cars, correct?

:24:44. > :24:47.In terms of increasing public transport, this is one of the big

:24:48. > :24:50.advantages of Heat Heath, and the move towards electric vehicles is -

:24:51. > :24:54.of Heathrow, and the move towards electric vehicles... So that has to

:24:55. > :24:56.happen But there are other unanswered questions in the

:24:57. > :25:00.Transport Secretary's statement yesterday. Air quality, climate

:25:01. > :25:05.change, that is your Greg's, and how on earth we are going to do that. I

:25:06. > :25:09.think we've demonstrated that from the questions from the Government.

:25:10. > :25:12.Can you answer this... It will he a bring benefits from around the UK.

:25:13. > :25:16.Does Labour support the third runway? I support T Labour supported

:25:17. > :25:23.the third runway in Government. It made this decision ten years ago.

:25:24. > :25:30.But you fought. Mr Miliband fought the last election against it. You

:25:31. > :25:34.have wasted six years. We have done enough on the Tories. Your partying

:25:35. > :25:36.fought the last election against the runway There are differences within

:25:37. > :25:41.the Labour Party, like within the Conservatives. I know, you have been

:25:42. > :25:45.very honest and given us your view - and we know the Tories are divided

:25:46. > :25:49.on this as well but the majority, it would seem, would be in favour and

:25:50. > :25:53.as Mr Clarke said, they are proceeding. Is there a collective

:25:54. > :25:58.view, a collective policy by the Labour Party on this? I think it's

:25:59. > :26:02.hard to say at this stage. In a way, this is the start of the prose.s the

:26:03. > :26:06.crunch point will come, as you said earlier, late 2017 or early 18 when

:26:07. > :26:10.Parliament has to vote on this as part of the national policy

:26:11. > :26:16.statement. It is at that stage that Labour will have a broader view.

:26:17. > :26:22.Buts. Do you have a collective view? I would say to you that the majority

:26:23. > :26:25.of Labour MPs, as things stand, like I do, believe this is the best

:26:26. > :26:28.option, for much inform needed capacity in the south-east. Is Mr

:26:29. > :26:34.Corbyn in favour? You will have to ask him? Or the Chancellor.

:26:35. > :26:39.On-McDonnell is against it. This is a debate that only just started.

:26:40. > :26:44.Only juster started. Harold Wilson started it in 1968! This is a debate

:26:45. > :26:47.and process now, triggered by the decision yesterday which has only

:26:48. > :26:53.just started. OK. We need to move on. Afterall, it's only how many

:26:54. > :26:59.years, 48? . Keep counting. No, no, you have had

:27:00. > :27:02.your say. Now how do you think

:27:03. > :27:04.Greg and John will Well, apparently those are just two

:27:05. > :27:09.examples of new hand signals for civil servants who want to stop

:27:10. > :27:11.themselves being shouted down by passionate

:27:12. > :27:39.ministers at meetings. I learned that in Framery 1. How

:27:40. > :27:48.much are these consultants getting? Tea.

:27:49. > :27:54.But for any civil servants watching I've got some news,

:27:55. > :27:57.you don't need to rely on ludicrous suggestions by consultants

:27:58. > :28:00.if you want to stop Greg or any one else shouting you down.

:28:01. > :28:04.Just bring them on here, and I'll do it.

:28:05. > :28:08.No, you just need to bring one of these to your meeting.

:28:09. > :28:10.Because the Daily Politics mug is guaranteed to silence

:28:11. > :28:14.the most passionate of ministers, with awe, respect and envy.

:28:15. > :28:17.And if you want to win one, all you have to do is tell us

:28:18. > :28:31.Are you inflating the power of the Daily Politics' mug?

:28:32. > :28:38.# Tell me what you want. At a quarter to midnight last night the

:28:39. > :28:43.Government lost its majority for the first time in 17 years of unbroken

:28:44. > :28:44.rule. # Don't look back in anger

:28:45. > :29:05.# I heard you say. # Unbreak my heart... You'll be

:29:06. > :29:07.pleased to see people like me leave the Labour Party which no longer

:29:08. > :29:20.supports socialism. # I miss you

:29:21. > :29:22.# Like the desert misses rain # And I miss

:29:23. > :29:28.you...# # Lifted

:29:29. > :29:38.# You could be lifted # From the shadow

:29:39. > :29:39.# Lifted # You could be lifted up today...

:29:40. > :29:44....# To be in with a chance of winning

:29:45. > :29:47.a Daily Politics mug, send your answer to our special quiz

:29:48. > :29:50.e-mail address - Entries must arrive

:29:51. > :29:53.by 12:30pm today, and you can see the full terms

:29:54. > :29:55.and conditions for Guess The Year on our website - that's

:29:56. > :30:07.bbc.co.uk/dailypolitics. Why do they have to arrive by 12.30?

:30:08. > :30:09.You ask me that every week, I don't know the answer. Slow counters.

:30:10. > :30:15.And that can mean only one thing, Yes, Prime Minister's

:30:16. > :30:17.And that's not all, Laura Kuenssberg is here.

:30:18. > :30:21.Welcome back. The big storivity week is obviously Heathrow, runway

:30:22. > :30:25.expansion, provoked a by election, the Government is divided on it,

:30:26. > :30:29.some big names, so naturally, the Leader of the Opposition will go on

:30:30. > :30:34.Heathrow, except - that he's just as divided. Well, indeed. Are we

:30:35. > :30:38.allowed to do hand signals, warming up to Prime Minister's Questions? I

:30:39. > :30:41.think actually what they may go on, given what has happened since last

:30:42. > :30:46.week's Prime Minister's Questions, aside from Heathrow, is Theresa May

:30:47. > :30:49.going to her first EU Council meeting. A really big deal a big

:30:50. > :30:53.moment for the Prime Minister, to turn newspaper Brussels, to try to

:30:54. > :30:58.make friends and to try to start - turn up in Brussels, to try to make

:30:59. > :31:01.friends and start to edging her position which looks like a dynamic

:31:02. > :31:08.where she will be able to get her way. It was not an easy couple of

:31:09. > :31:12.days in Brussels at the end of week, at all and especially what went

:31:13. > :31:18.down, was don't freeze us out, we may be leaving but don't exclude us,

:31:19. > :31:22.I demand to be in on everything until we leave. It maybe that Jeremy

:31:23. > :31:25.Corbyn will pick up on that. Do you think he will? Do you have inside

:31:26. > :31:31.information or are you guessing? I'm always guessing. Last week's guess

:31:32. > :31:36.turned out to be not bad. We guessed about Simon Stevens. That was true,

:31:37. > :31:37.that was the health service and Mr Corbyn obviously is very clear. But

:31:38. > :31:50.we will go straight over now. This morning I had meetings with

:31:51. > :31:55.ministerial colleagues and others. I shall have further such meetings

:31:56. > :31:59.later today. In the Black Country in the West Midlands, we are very proud

:32:00. > :32:05.of our long, industrial heritage. We are also very proud of the recent

:32:06. > :32:09.revival in the fortunes of the Black Country with new jobs and investment

:32:10. > :32:13.in the local economy. With the Prime Minister agree with me not one of

:32:14. > :32:16.the ways to create an economy which works for everyone is to further

:32:17. > :32:20.devolved powers and funding to the West Midlands to drive investment

:32:21. > :32:28.and to combine that with the strong leadership and vision that only Andy

:32:29. > :32:35.Street can provide, the Conservative candidate for West Midlands? Thank

:32:36. > :32:39.you. Our honourable friend speaks up well for the Black Country. I am

:32:40. > :32:43.pleased to echo his comments about the economic growth in the West

:32:44. > :32:49.Midlands. Since 2010 we have seen 220,000 more jobs, 55,000 more new

:32:50. > :32:54.businesses in the region thought he is right that evolution deal is

:32:55. > :32:59.important. It is the biggest deal, devolution deal that is being done,

:33:00. > :33:04.for the West Midlands. Part of that is crucially the election of a

:33:05. > :33:07.directly elected mayor. Andy Street, with his local knowledge and

:33:08. > :33:17.business experience, will drive economic growth. Jeremy Corbyn.

:33:18. > :33:21.Thank you. Could I stop by welcoming the child refugees who have arrived

:33:22. > :33:24.in Britain in the last few days question that they are obviously

:33:25. > :33:28.deeply traumatised and we should welcome and love them and support

:33:29. > :33:33.them in the best way we can. Irrespective party, when members of

:33:34. > :33:37.this House go through health problems, we reach out a hand of

:33:38. > :33:43.support. I want to pay tribute to the member for Grantham and Stamford

:33:44. > :33:48.for the social media message he sent out this morning which shows amazing

:33:49. > :33:52.humour and bravery and we wish him all the very best and hope he fully

:33:53. > :33:55.recovers. There are now to be regular sessions of the joint

:33:56. > :33:59.ministerial Council to discuss Brexit. It seems the Prime

:34:00. > :34:02.Minister's counterparts are already feeling the same sense of

:34:03. > :34:07.frustration as members of this House. The First Minister Paul

:34:08. > :34:12.Wales, Carwyn Jones, said there is a great deal of uncertainty that they

:34:13. > :34:16.need full and unfettered access to the single market. Can the Prime

:34:17. > :34:18.Minister help the First Minister of Wales and the other devolved

:34:19. > :34:26.Administration is by giving them some clarity? First of all can I

:34:27. > :34:31.commend the Home Office for the work that has been done in ensuring that

:34:32. > :34:34.it is working carefully to look at the best interests of the child

:34:35. > :34:39.refugees, so they are provided with the support they need when they come

:34:40. > :34:43.here to the United Kingdom. Can I also join him in commending my

:34:44. > :34:47.honourable friend the member for grants and Stamford, for being

:34:48. > :34:51.willing to be so open about the health problem he has, and we wish

:34:52. > :34:57.him all the very best for the future and for his place here in this

:34:58. > :35:01.House. In relation to the issue of clarity on the aim is the Government

:35:02. > :35:02.has in relation to Brexit, I have been very clear and I will be clear

:35:03. > :35:17.again. There are those who talk about means

:35:18. > :35:21.and those who talk about ends. I am talking about ends. What we need to

:35:22. > :35:25.see is the best possible arrangement for trade with an operation within

:35:26. > :35:31.the single European market for businesses in goods and services

:35:32. > :35:33.here in the United Kingdom. I'd thought moment the Prime Minister

:35:34. > :35:45.was to say Brexit means Brexit again. There are others... I am sure

:35:46. > :35:49.she will tell us one day what it actually means. The Mayor of London

:35:50. > :36:01.also added this is causing unnecessary certainty but it is also

:36:02. > :36:06.very important uncertainty. It would be very helpful if the Prime

:36:07. > :36:10.Minister could provide some clarity over the Northern Ireland border.

:36:11. > :36:13.Will we continue membership of the customs union will be sea border

:36:14. > :36:21.checks introduced between Northern Ireland and the Republic? The Leader

:36:22. > :36:30.of the Opposition tries to poke fun at the phrase, Brexit means Brexit.

:36:31. > :36:33.The whole point is this. Brexit, it is this government which is

:36:34. > :36:43.listening to the voice of the British people. Brexit means Brexit

:36:44. > :36:46.and that means we are coming out of the European Union. What the Right

:36:47. > :36:50.Honourable gentleman appears to be doing is frustrating the well of the

:36:51. > :36:54.British people by saying Brexit means something completely different

:36:55. > :36:59.in relation to the Northern Irish border, a considerable amount of

:37:00. > :37:03.work was already going on with the Irish government to look at issues

:37:04. > :37:06.around the Common travel area. That work is continuing. We have been

:37:07. > :37:10.very clear, the Government of the Republic of Ireland has been very

:37:11. > :37:14.clear. The Northern Ireland Executive has been very clear. None

:37:15. > :37:22.of us want to see a return to the borders of the past. I would remind

:37:23. > :37:27.the right honourable gentleman that the Common travel area has been in

:37:28. > :37:32.place since 1923. That is well before either of us joined the

:37:33. > :37:36.European Union. Mr Speaker, on Monday, the Prime Minister said the

:37:37. > :37:40.customs union was not a binary choice. I can't think of anything

:37:41. > :37:45.other than a binary choice is whether you have a border or do not

:37:46. > :37:51.have one. There is not a third way on that one. On Monday, her friend,

:37:52. > :37:56.the honourable member for Broxtowe, expressed concern of the automotive

:37:57. > :38:01.and aerospace industries while the British banking Association said its

:38:02. > :38:07.members are poised, quivering, over the relocate button. Every day the

:38:08. > :38:11.Prime Minister dithers over the chaotic Brexit, there are rumours

:38:12. > :38:16.circulating about relocation. This cannot carry on until March of next

:38:17. > :38:22.year. When will the Prime Minister come up with a plan? I have to say

:38:23. > :38:28.to the right honourable gentleman, the fact that he seems to confuse a

:38:29. > :38:36.customs union with a border where they are two different issues, it

:38:37. > :38:43.shows why it is important that it is this party that is in government and

:38:44. > :38:51.not his. He talks about the plan. I have been very clear that we want to

:38:52. > :38:57.trade freely - both trade and operate within the single market. I

:38:58. > :39:01.want this country to be a global leader in free trade. The Labour

:39:02. > :39:06.Party is against free trade. I want to introduce control on free

:39:07. > :39:10.movement so that we have an end to free movement. The Labour Party

:39:11. > :39:14.wants to continue with free movement. I want to deliver on the

:39:15. > :39:19.will of the British people. He is trying to frustrate the will of the

:39:20. > :39:25.British people. Mr Speaker, there was no answer on the border, which

:39:26. > :39:31.was the question. On Monday, Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister told the

:39:32. > :39:36.house, and I quote that we have a plan not to set out at every stage

:39:37. > :39:44.of the negotiation the details. I have been thinking about this white

:39:45. > :39:52.couple of days, Mr Speaker. I think when you are searching for the real

:39:53. > :39:56.meaning and importance behind the Prime Minister's statement you have

:39:57. > :40:06.to consult the great philosophers. The only one I can come up with...

:40:07. > :40:18.Mr cleverly, calm yourself or you are in peril in your own health. All

:40:19. > :40:22.I can come up with Mr Speaker is Baldrick, who said, our cunning plan

:40:23. > :40:27.is to have no plan. Brexit was apparently about taking back control

:40:28. > :40:31.but devolved governments do not know the plan, businesses do not know the

:40:32. > :40:35.plan, Parliament does not know the plan. When will the Prime Minister

:40:36. > :40:37.abandon their shambolic Tory Brexit and develop a plan that delivers for

:40:38. > :40:53.the whole country? I am interested that the right

:40:54. > :40:57.honourable gentleman shows to support Baldrick. The actor playing

:40:58. > :41:04.Baldrick was a member of the Labour Party. I will tell the right

:41:05. > :41:07.honourable gentleman what we are going to deliver. We are going to

:41:08. > :41:12.deliver on the vote of the British people, we are going to deliver the

:41:13. > :41:16.best possible deal for trade in goods and services both with and

:41:17. > :41:20.operating within the European Union. And we are going to deliver an end

:41:21. > :41:22.to free movement. That is what the British people want and that is what

:41:23. > :41:31.this government will deliver for them. Mr Speaker, three years ago

:41:32. > :41:36.the United Kingdom backed Saudi Arabia former mission of the UN

:41:37. > :41:39.Human Rights Council. On 28th of October, there are elections again

:41:40. > :41:45.for the UN human rights Council. A UN panel has warned that the Saudi

:41:46. > :41:49.Arabian bombing of Yemen has violated international law. Amnesty

:41:50. > :41:52.International says, executions are on the increase, women are widely

:41:53. > :41:56.discriminated against, torture is common and human rights

:41:57. > :42:02.organisations are banned. Will Howard government again be backing

:42:03. > :42:06.the Saudi dictatorship for membership of that committee? -- her

:42:07. > :42:10.government. As the right honourable gentleman knows, whether our

:42:11. > :42:13.legitimate human rights concerns in relation to Saudi Arabia, we raise

:42:14. > :42:17.them. In relation to the action in the Yemen we have been clear that we

:42:18. > :42:20.want those incidents which have been referred to to be properly

:42:21. > :42:25.investigated and we want the Saudi Arabians, if there are lessons to be

:42:26. > :42:29.learned, to learn lessons. I will reiterate the point I have made in

:42:30. > :42:37.this House before that our relationship with Saudi Arabia is

:42:38. > :42:39.important. It particularly important relationship in relation to the

:42:40. > :42:42.security of this country and counterterrorism and boiling

:42:43. > :42:47.activities of those who wish to do harm to citizens in the UK. A Yemeni

:42:48. > :42:53.man living in Liverpool told me this week that Yemen is quickly becoming

:42:54. > :42:58.the forgotten crisis. If people are not being killed by bombs, it is

:42:59. > :43:02.hunger that kills them. The UK needs to use its influence to help the

:43:03. > :43:07.people of Yemen. Bombs exported from Britain are being dropped on Yemeni

:43:08. > :43:12.children by Saudi pilots trained by Britain. If there are war crimes

:43:13. > :43:16.being committed, as the UN suggests, they must be investigated. Isn't it

:43:17. > :43:24.about time this government suspended its arms sales to Saudi Arabia? The

:43:25. > :43:28.issues are being investigated. I say to the right honourable gentleman.

:43:29. > :43:33.We have taken action for the P is right to refer to the humanitarian

:43:34. > :43:39.crisis in the Yemen. -- we have taken action. This country is at the

:43:40. > :43:42.forefront to ensuring humanitarian aid is provided. I believe this

:43:43. > :43:47.country are governing can be proud around the world in terms of actions

:43:48. > :43:53.taken. It is important. There was as the station of hostilities in the

:43:54. > :43:58.Yemen for a period of 72 hours over the weekend. -- a cessation. I spoke

:43:59. > :44:03.to the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the weekend. One issue we discussed

:44:04. > :44:09.was the importance of trying to find a political solution in Yemen and

:44:10. > :44:13.trying to see if that cessation in hostilities could be continued, but

:44:14. > :44:17.it has not. The only solution which will work for the Yemen will be to

:44:18. > :44:25.make sure we have that political solution which will give stability

:44:26. > :44:29.in the Yemen. Mr Speaker, 20 years ago, a Conservative government

:44:30. > :44:33.agreed that Christchurch and East Dorset councils could retain their

:44:34. > :44:44.sovereignty, independence, and control over their own destiny. Will

:44:45. > :44:49.my right honourable friend assure the House that the Government will

:44:50. > :44:56.not agree to the abolition of Christchurch or is Dorset councils

:44:57. > :45:01.against the will of my constituents? My right honourable friend is right

:45:02. > :45:04.to speak up for his constituents. He is also right that there is not a

:45:05. > :45:08.single model that will work in every part of the country. That is why we

:45:09. > :45:11.believe it is important for local people to come together and

:45:12. > :45:14.determine what is right for them. I know my right honourable friend is

:45:15. > :45:19.trying to build a consensus and also as to what the right way forward is.

:45:20. > :45:20.It is right that local people are able to respond on the consultation

:45:21. > :45:28.and their concerns are listened to. The Scottish Poppy Appeal is

:45:29. > :45:32.launched today for parliamentarians, so can I take the opportunity it

:45:33. > :45:35.praise all of the fund raidsers, the volunteers and veterans involved and

:45:36. > :45:39.I'm sure colleagues in other parts of the House will commend efforts to

:45:40. > :45:44.raise money for the Poppy Appeal in the rest of the UK as well. Hear,

:45:45. > :45:49.hear. Mr Speaker, one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes of our

:45:50. > :45:53.time is in Syria, specifically in Aleppo, where we expect the

:45:54. > :45:58.ceasefire to end shortly and an onslaught to begin. Will the Prime

:45:59. > :46:01.Minister tell us what efforts the UK is currently undertaking to support

:46:02. > :46:05.a peaceful resolution to the conflict, but also to deal with

:46:06. > :46:10.those who are exacerbating the situation? Hear, hear. Well, first

:46:11. > :46:13.of all, may join the right honourable gentleman in commending

:46:14. > :46:17.and praising the work of all those across the whole of the United

:46:18. > :46:21.Kingdom who give their time and efforts to raise money for the Poppy

:46:22. > :46:25.Appeal. It is very important that we never forget those, through many

:46:26. > :46:30.conflict, who have given of themselves for the safety and

:46:31. > :46:35.security of us and it is important that we recognise that and give

:46:36. > :46:40.generously to the Poppy Appeal over the United Kingdom. In relation to

:46:41. > :46:44.Syria, of course it is important to approach this in a number of tracks.

:46:45. > :46:49.We are involved - my right honourable friend the Foreign

:46:50. > :46:57.Secretary, has been involved in discussions with the United States

:46:58. > :47:01.of America, Secretary of State, Kerry about looking for a way

:47:02. > :47:04.forward. I raised the issue of Russian actions in Syria,

:47:05. > :47:08.particularly the bombing of Aleppo at the European Union at the end of

:47:09. > :47:11.this week, it was only the agenda because the UK had raised T as a

:47:12. > :47:15.result of that discussion, the EU agreed that should the atrocities

:47:16. > :47:21.continue, then we will look at all available options for taking action

:47:22. > :47:24.to put pressure on Russia to stop their indiscriminate bombing of

:47:25. > :47:29.innocent civilians. I commend the Prime Minister for those endeavours,

:47:30. > :47:38.but it is widely expected that the onslaught on Aleppo will be unleash

:47:39. > :47:42.bid Russian airpower, which is currently steaming across the

:47:43. > :47:48.Mediterranean Bonn a battle group of ships. And in recent years 60

:47:49. > :47:52.Russian vessels have refuelled and resupplied in Spanish ports. So will

:47:53. > :47:58.the Prime Minister join me and EU and NATO Allies in unequivocally

:47:59. > :48:04.calling on Spain to refuse the refuelling? The right honourable

:48:05. > :48:08.gentleman refers to the passage of Russian naval ships and of course on

:48:09. > :48:12.the high seas they are able to travel as they wish, although, of

:48:13. > :48:15.course, when they went through the English Channel they were

:48:16. > :48:24.accompanied by royal naval vessels, as they went through. But, what we

:48:25. > :48:28.have seen, sadly s that the Russians are already able to unleash attacks

:48:29. > :48:34.on innocent civilians on Syria. What happens is that we put pressure on

:48:35. > :48:38.Russia to do what everybody agrees is the only way that we are going to

:48:39. > :48:42.resolve this issue, which is to ensure that we have a political

:48:43. > :48:49.transition in Syria, and that's where we should focus our attention.

:48:50. > :48:55.THE SPEAKER: Wendy Morton. Mr Speaker, my constituency of

:48:56. > :48:58.Aldridge Brownhills forms parts of the UN West Midlands Combined can

:48:59. > :49:00.Authority. So there will be new powers being devolved to the

:49:01. > :49:04.authority and the mayor. Account Prime Minister tell me how these new

:49:05. > :49:09.powers will help my constituents, and local businesses, in sectors

:49:10. > :49:16.such as manufacturing, the automotive industry and bricks ander

:49:17. > :49:22.is a ammics? I can confirm - and ceranics. I confirm the deal will

:49:23. > :49:24.provide the West Midlands with ?1 billion over years for local

:49:25. > :49:28.projects to drive economic growth. This is why it is so important to

:49:29. > :49:33.have a mayor who understands the local area, but also has business

:49:34. > :49:36.expertise, Andy Street to ensure the economic projects are being

:49:37. > :49:41.developed with the interests of the locality in the prime focus for

:49:42. > :49:45.them. I believe that the deal will deliver more jobs on economic

:49:46. > :49:48.prosperity across the West Midlands. It is good for the West Midlands and

:49:49. > :49:53.her condition constituencies and good for the rest of the country as

:49:54. > :49:56.well. The independent inquiry on child sexual abuse was established

:49:57. > :50:03.to deliver long-awaited justice for victims and survivors and to do so

:50:04. > :50:05.it must have their could have, dethe Shirley Observation survivors

:50:06. > :50:12.association represents more than 600 survivors of abuse that took place

:50:13. > :50:16.in Lambeth Council children's homes and has raised concerns about

:50:17. > :50:25.changes to the inquiry. Will the Prime Minister meet with me and the

:50:26. > :50:28.how many from street that and survivors to ensure action so their

:50:29. > :50:33.confidence can be restored. The whole purpose of the itch Quiry was

:50:34. > :50:37.to provide justice for those whose voices have not been heard for too

:50:38. > :50:40.long and who felt that people in positions of power and institutions

:50:41. > :50:45.of the state and other organisations had not heard, their voice, they had

:50:46. > :50:47.not been prepared tolies u listen to them and investigate properly what

:50:48. > :50:51.happened. It is important that victims have confidence in the

:50:52. > :50:54.inquiry. The inquiry is an independent inquiry and it is up to

:50:55. > :50:58.the inquiry chairman to work with irsour viefrs and victims, which I

:50:59. > :51:02.know the inquiry chairman has been doing, but I will certainly ensure

:51:03. > :51:05.that the Home Secretary has heard the representations that the

:51:06. > :51:09.honourable lady has made and we will take what she has said to us today

:51:10. > :51:12.away and consider very carefully what she said. We all want this

:51:13. > :51:15.inquiry to work properly and to work in the interests of survivors and

:51:16. > :51:22.victims. THE SPEAKER: Trevelyan Trev.

:51:23. > :51:26.The Prime Minister will be aware that our nation's commitment to our

:51:27. > :51:30.present and former Armed Forces personnel and families by way of the

:51:31. > :51:33.Armed Forces could have nanted is a work in progress and whilst we have

:51:34. > :51:37.made important moves there is much more to do. Will she take this

:51:38. > :51:40.opportunity to I a sure this house of her personal commitments of the

:51:41. > :51:43.values and promises set out in the covenant and pledge to lend her

:51:44. > :51:47.support to efforts to continue the good work begun, to ensure personnel

:51:48. > :51:50.veterans and their families face no disadvantage for the service and

:51:51. > :51:55.sacrifice they have all made for our country? My honourable friend is

:51:56. > :52:01.absolutely right. I know she has championed the Armed Forces covenant

:52:02. > :52:05.and is a great proponent of our veterans and Armed Forces. It is

:52:06. > :52:08.right everybody in this House owes a great debt of gratitude to our

:52:09. > :52:12.veterans and those serving today in our Armed Forces for what they do to

:52:13. > :52:16.keep us safe and secure. And this is' why it is so important that the

:52:17. > :52:19.covenant isn't just a responsibility for the Government, it is actually a

:52:20. > :52:24.national responsibility. We should all be working to ensure that those

:52:25. > :52:28.who served us and served us well, do not face disadvantage. It is why we

:52:29. > :52:32.have been doing things like putting money into a forces help-to-buy

:52:33. > :52:36.scheme to help them with house, I think the figure is ?200 million. We

:52:37. > :52:39.must continue to do this. I absolutely commit to ensuring this

:52:40. > :52:45.is a Government that continues to support our set rans and the members

:52:46. > :52:50.of our Armed Forces. - our veterans. Mr Speaker, last year, my

:52:51. > :52:59.25-year-old nephew committed suicide after a very short period of

:53:00. > :53:02.depression. His GP had referred him for talking therapy counselling but

:53:03. > :53:06.warned him it would be at least six months before he got an appointment.

:53:07. > :53:12.Mr Speaker, these treatments in the NHS are very often a waiting game

:53:13. > :53:15.and a dangerous waiting game and a postcode lottery. What is the Prime

:53:16. > :53:21.Minister doing to sort this crisis out? Hear, hear.

:53:22. > :53:26.Can I first of all recognise and commend the honourable gentleman for

:53:27. > :53:31.raising the personal experience that he has of the terrible tragedy that

:53:32. > :53:35.can occur when mental health problems are not properly dealt

:53:36. > :53:39.with. He raises a very serious issue and it is a serious issue for

:53:40. > :53:43.everybody in this House on how the NHS treats mental health. It is why

:53:44. > :53:46.we have established this concept of parity of esteem forp mental health

:53:47. > :53:51.and physical health in the National Health Service. It is why we are

:53:52. > :53:55.seeing record levels of funding but the question of talking therapies,

:53:56. > :54:03.which are therapies which are very effective and we have been

:54:04. > :54:07.introducing waiting time standards for this area but I accept there is

:54:08. > :54:09.more to do in this area to ensure that those with mental health

:54:10. > :54:13.problems are properly treated, and are given the care and attention

:54:14. > :54:19.they need. It is an issue not just for the them but for the whole of

:54:20. > :54:22.our society. My right honourable friend became Prime Minister in

:54:23. > :54:28.dramatic and extraordinary circumstances and in my judgment,

:54:29. > :54:36.she has proved more than capable of rising to the many challenges... ...

:54:37. > :54:39.Hear hear. It was not my right honourable friend's fault that the

:54:40. > :54:45.Chilcot report took seven years or more than ?10 million in terms of

:54:46. > :54:49.cost. Now that we know that Parliament was misled, would my

:54:50. > :54:58.right honourable friend we assure me that she has a cunning plan to

:54:59. > :55:06.ensure that action is taken. Well, I thank my honourable friend for his

:55:07. > :55:12.comments. Obviously what the Chilcot report did was an important task but

:55:13. > :55:16.although it did look at - and criticise - the way in which

:55:17. > :55:20.information had been handled in a number of aspects, it did not say

:55:21. > :55:24.that people had set out deliberately to mislead. I think it is important

:55:25. > :55:27.that we recognise that. But it is important, also, that we learn the

:55:28. > :55:31.lessons from the Chilcot report and this is' why the national security

:55:32. > :55:35.advisor is leading a piece of work, an exercise to do precisely that.

:55:36. > :55:39.This was a long time coming, it was a serious report. There is much in

:55:40. > :55:46.it, we need to ensure that we do learn the lessons from it. THE

:55:47. > :55:51.SPEAKER: Dr Alasdair McDonnell. Question 6, please. THE SPEAKER: Get

:55:52. > :55:54.in there, man, let's hear it. The Prime Minister will be aware that

:55:55. > :55:59.much of the foundation and many of the elements of the 1988 settlement,

:56:00. > :56:04.the peace agreement in Northern Ireland was referenced and rooted in

:56:05. > :56:08.EU approaches and processes of laws and that leaving the EU will

:56:09. > :56:10.significantly destabilise the foundations of that settlement, has

:56:11. > :56:14.the Prime Minister given any consideration to the extent of the

:56:15. > :56:20.potential damage the EU withdrawal, from the European Union, could do to

:56:21. > :56:24.do Good Friday Belfast agreement under the 1998 political settlement

:56:25. > :56:28.and does she at this stage have any plan to protect that settlement? Can

:56:29. > :56:31.I say to the honourable gentleman, I don't believe there is any reason to

:56:32. > :56:35.believe that the outcome of the referendum will do anything to

:56:36. > :56:37.undermine the absolute rock solid commitment of this Government and

:56:38. > :56:43.the people of Northern Ireland, to the settlement that was set out in

:56:44. > :56:48.the Belfast agreement. And there is and remains strong support for the

:56:49. > :56:52.entirely peaceful future for Northern Ireland. That has been

:56:53. > :56:56.determined by democracy and consent. We remain committed to that and we

:56:57. > :57:01.remain committed to work with others to ensure that entirely peaceful

:57:02. > :57:07.future. THE SPEAKER: Jeremy Lefroy General

:57:08. > :57:11.Electrihas shown its confidence in the UK economy and my constituents

:57:12. > :57:17.by starting construction of the second of its two new world class

:57:18. > :57:21.research and manufacturing facilities on Staffordshire County

:57:22. > :57:25.Council's redhill business park, would the Prime Minister meet with

:57:26. > :57:29.General Electric and other West Midland manufacturers who hear how

:57:30. > :57:32.important that may have chains and markets, free of tariffs and

:57:33. > :57:36.bureaucracy are of them and their hundreds of thousands of staff. I'm

:57:37. > :57:41.delighted to hear of the commitment made to Stafford but it is more than

:57:42. > :57:45.a commitment to Stafford. It is a commitment to the UK and to the

:57:46. > :57:47.future of our economy here in the UK. I understand my right honourable

:57:48. > :57:51.friend, the international Trade Secretary, has already met with GE,

:57:52. > :57:55.to discuss with them, their interests in trade and what we can

:57:56. > :58:00.be doing to promote free trade. As I have said earlier, I want the UK to

:58:01. > :58:02.be a global leader in free trade and we are listening to businesses

:58:03. > :58:06.around the country, in the importance that they place on free

:58:07. > :58:12.trade, as we look at the negotiations for exiting the EU.

:58:13. > :58:17.Speak Jim Dowd. Is the Prime Minister aware of the recent reports

:58:18. > :58:20.showing the continuing and alarming increase in average alcohol

:58:21. > :58:25.consumption in the UK, and particularly, amongst women? Given

:58:26. > :58:29.the numerous health risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption,

:58:30. > :58:34.will her Government, together with the drinks industry, reexamine the

:58:35. > :58:39.case for mandatory health warnings on all alcoholic products? Hear

:58:40. > :58:42.hear. Well, I recognise what the honourable gentleman raises in terms

:58:43. > :58:45.of the figures that have been shown recently, and particularly the

:58:46. > :58:49.figures in relation to women and the use of alcohol. Of course, I was

:58:50. > :58:52.part, as Home Secretary, part of the development of the alcohol strategy

:58:53. > :58:57.that the Government produced a few years ago. I'm pleased to say that

:58:58. > :59:02.at that time we were working well with industry to encourage them to

:59:03. > :59:08.ensure that they could take steps to have an impact on the drinking

:59:09. > :59:14.habits of the nation. THE SPEAKER: Maggie Troup. Thank you

:59:15. > :59:20.Mr Speaker. With the final decision on the eastern route of HS2

:59:21. > :59:23.imminent, it is important for the infrastructure, and additional

:59:24. > :59:27.traffic this will bring to the areas around the station hubs, with this

:59:28. > :59:33.in mind will my honourable friend back my campaign for a new phase of

:59:34. > :59:38.the M1 to ensure that Erewash residents don't get stuck in a jam?

:59:39. > :59:41.I seem to recall I first met my honourable friend when she was

:59:42. > :59:45.campaigning on an issue in relation to motorways and she's absolutely

:59:46. > :59:48.right, in order to support the rail infrastructure, we need to ensure

:59:49. > :59:52.that the right roads infrastructure is there. And that's why we are

:59:53. > :59:57.investing ?15 billion in the road investment strategy. That's about

:59:58. > :00:00.boasting local economies and boasting growth and seeing further

:00:01. > :00:03.economic growth. I understand highways England ark looking at the

:00:04. > :00:08.issues in the eefted Midlands and looking at Brigging forward

:00:09. > :00:12.significant new road enhancements around the site of the East Midlands

:00:13. > :00:16.HS2 station and going forward, they are looking at an audit of roads in

:00:17. > :00:19.the area. I trust my honourable friend will make her voice heard on

:00:20. > :00:23.this issue and that of her constituents as she has done in the

:00:24. > :00:28.past Can I return the Prime Minister to the answer she gave to my friend

:00:29. > :00:32.for Hull. Because the Conservative manifesto promised shorter NHS

:00:33. > :00:37.waiting times for those who need help with their mental health. But

:00:38. > :00:41.as prescriptions for antidepressants still rise, my constituents in

:00:42. > :00:46.Wirral, who need talking therapies, have to wait a month for referral,

:00:47. > :00:50.and well over four months for treatment. So was that Tory

:00:51. > :00:55.manifesto just words, or will the Prime Minister ever deliver?

:00:56. > :00:59.Hear, hear. I gave a serious answer to her

:01:00. > :01:04.honourable friend, which is that we have been looking at the whole issue

:01:05. > :01:07.of talking therapies and the availability of talking they are

:01:08. > :01:11.pains the waiting times that relate to talking therapies. And we do want

:01:12. > :01:15.to improve the options that people have for having access to talking

:01:16. > :01:19.therapies, precisely because they have been shown to be so successful

:01:20. > :01:22.in so many cases. So this is something that the Government is

:01:23. > :01:27.working on. We will continue to work on it to provide, as we have said,

:01:28. > :01:32.that parity of esteem between mental health and physical health in the

:01:33. > :01:35.National Health Service. As a former Wimbledonian my right

:01:36. > :01:38.honourable friend will understand the significant of transport for

:01:39. > :01:43.south-west London and in particular for Wimbledon. Could my right

:01:44. > :01:46.honourable friend assure me the Government still supports CrossRail

:01:47. > :01:50.2 and will she ask the Secretary of State it set out the timetable for

:01:51. > :01:54.the delayed consultation? Well, I can absolutely give the commitment

:01:55. > :02:01.that we continue to support CrossRail 2. We are waiting to see a

:02:02. > :02:06.probust business case and a proper funding proposal in relation to

:02:07. > :02:09.CrossRail 2. My right honourable friend, the Transport Secretary will

:02:10. > :02:14.he be setting out what the timetable in relation to this is, but I can

:02:15. > :02:18.assure my honourable friend, as a former Wimbledon, we are well aware

:02:19. > :02:22.of his interest in the Wimbledon to Waterloo aspect of this and the

:02:23. > :02:28.needs of the local area are being taken into account.

:02:29. > :02:31.THE SPEAKER: Yash minute Qureshi. Mr Speaker, in the Indian-occupied

:02:32. > :02:38.Kashmir, over the last three months, 150 people have died, 600 blinded by

:02:39. > :02:42.the deliberate use of pellet guns, over 16,000 injured, many critical,

:02:43. > :02:45.you unexplained disappearances, food and medicine shortages. Would the

:02:46. > :02:50.Prime Minister meet with me and cross-party colleagues to discuss

:02:51. > :02:55.the human rights abuses and the issue of self-determination for

:02:56. > :02:59.Kashmiri people, as set out in the resolution of the UN in 1958 and can

:03:00. > :03:02.she raise this matter with the Indian Prime Minister? THE SPEAKER:

:03:03. > :03:07.Extremely grateful to the honourable lady. The Prime Minister? Well the

:03:08. > :03:11.honourable lady sets out her case and the issues she has identified in

:03:12. > :03:14.relation to this. I take the same view this Government has, since it

:03:15. > :03:20.came into power and indeed previously, which is that the issue

:03:21. > :03:25.of Kashmir is a matter for India and Pakistan to deal with and sort out

:03:26. > :03:28.but the Foreign Secretary has heard her representations and I'm sure

:03:29. > :03:33.will be interested in taking those issues up with her.

:03:34. > :03:38.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Several months ago, I raised the issue of

:03:39. > :03:42.enhanced medical assistance for the Kurdish Peshmerga with the former

:03:43. > :03:48.Prime Minister at his last PMGs and wrote it the new Prime Minister. But

:03:49. > :03:51.now with a campaign to liberate Mosul ongoing, will my honourable

:03:52. > :03:54.friend agree it meet with me and representatives of Kurdish regional

:03:55. > :03:58.Government to discuss if we can provide specialist medical

:03:59. > :04:01.facilities here in the UK, for instance, ten beds for seriously

:04:02. > :04:04.wounded Peshmerga and ensure the forces on the ground are getting all

:04:05. > :04:10.the support they need, I understand they are sort of heavy weapons and

:04:11. > :04:12.basic infantry equipment like helmets anded abouty armour. My

:04:13. > :04:16.honourable friend is right and I recognise this is an issue he has

:04:17. > :04:19.raised before. I would first say, obviously, what we have seen is the

:04:20. > :04:22.that the coalition activity that is taking place is actually having some

:04:23. > :04:28.impact and is having an impact, as we wish it to, in relation to Daesh.

:04:29. > :04:33.There aren't plans, at the moment, either to undertake, or do what we

:04:34. > :04:38.he has suggested in hi question or to provide a field hospital, and

:04:39. > :04:42.field medical capabilities from the United Kingdom but we do continually

:04:43. > :04:46.review what we are doing in terms of support of the coalition and of

:04:47. > :04:50.course we are also, as part of the training that we are providing for

:04:51. > :04:56.the Peshmerga, that does include training and the provision of

:04:57. > :04:59.medical facilities. Mr Speakerer I am esure we all recognise that the

:05:00. > :05:03.removal of the camp attical clay is not a long of it term Will term

:05:04. > :05:06.solution to the humanitarian crisis but account Prime Minister tell us

:05:07. > :05:09.what the Government is going to do to learn from the experiences in

:05:10. > :05:13.Calais and speed up acceptance of vulnerable individuals as committed

:05:14. > :05:16.to under the Lord Dubb scheme? Individuals are already being

:05:17. > :05:21.brought to the United Kingdom under the amendment, in addition to the

:05:22. > :05:24.resettlement scheme for vulnerable Syrians we have, the 20,000 that

:05:25. > :05:28.will be brought to the UK over the course of this Parliament. And in

:05:29. > :05:33.addition to the 3,000 vulnerable people, children and others, who we

:05:34. > :05:38.will be bringing from the Middle East and North Africa, working with

:05:39. > :05:42.UNHCR and all of these to make sure that it is right for the individuals

:05:43. > :05:46.to come here to the UK and they have the support when they get here but I

:05:47. > :05:51.would remind the honourable gentleman that it is this country

:05:52. > :05:54.who is the second biggest by lateral donor in relation to humanitarian

:05:55. > :05:58.aid in the region and we are able to provide and support more people in

:05:59. > :06:06.region and that's the right thing to do. Around Heathrow legal air

:06:07. > :06:09.quality limb Ritz being breached. Over Twickenham, noise pollution has

:06:10. > :06:17.increased, according to Heathrow data. Account Prime Minister explain

:06:18. > :06:22.how a third runway can be delivered and comply with pollution legal

:06:23. > :06:27.requirements? Does she agree, environmentally, Heathrow is not

:06:28. > :06:34.good enough, and cannot possibly be both bigger and better? The

:06:35. > :06:39.Government looked very closely at this issue of air quality and

:06:40. > :06:43.environmental impact of all three schemes that were proposed by the

:06:44. > :06:48.airports commission. We took extra time to look at those, that was the

:06:49. > :06:51.decision to take increased airport capacity in the south-east. We

:06:52. > :06:55.wanted to look more particularly at the air quality issues. The evidence

:06:56. > :06:59.shows that air quality standards can be met, as required by all three of

:07:00. > :07:03.the schemes, including the north-west runway at Heathrow. But

:07:04. > :07:06.my honourable friend raises an issue that is actually about more than

:07:07. > :07:10.airports, because the question of air quality is also about road

:07:11. > :07:14.transport and that's why we are looking to do more in relation to

:07:15. > :07:19.what we are doing for air quality. It is y for example, I'm pleased to

:07:20. > :07:24.see we are such a leading edge in the provision of electric vehicles.

:07:25. > :07:29.Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister's real plan for Brexit seems to be to

:07:30. > :07:34.pick winners, to cut a special deal for the City of London, to get the

:07:35. > :07:41.bankers avoid the dire consequences of leaving their economic unions.

:07:42. > :07:47.Wales has an exporting economy with a ?5 billion trade surplus last year

:07:48. > :07:51.and 200,000 jobs dependent on trade with the European Union. A soft

:07:52. > :07:54.Brexit for her friends in the City, a hard Brexit for everyone else.

:07:55. > :07:59.Will she cut a similar deal for Wales?

:08:00. > :08:07.I will be cutting the best deal for the United Kingdom, all parts. THE

:08:08. > :08:14.SPEAKER: George Freeman Referry year hunces of people are diagnosed or

:08:15. > :08:21.die prematurely from rare diseases like cystic fibrosis or rare cancers

:08:22. > :08:26.for which there is no treatment or drugs are prohibitively expensive.

:08:27. > :08:32.This week there has been a very view to get quicker access to other med

:08:33. > :08:38.sip, will the Prime Minister welcome that and encourage NICE and NHS

:08:39. > :08:41.England to implement it speedily? I certainly join my honourable friend

:08:42. > :08:45.in welcoming the publication of the review, this in terms of patients

:08:46. > :08:48.being able it get quicker access to drugs and treatments. It is, I

:08:49. > :08:52.think, the United Kingdom has established a leading role in

:08:53. > :08:56.relation it the life sciences, I would pay tribute to my honourable

:08:57. > :08:59.friend for the role he has played in developing life sciences here in the

:09:00. > :09:02.UK. I know the Department of health will be looking closely at the

:09:03. > :09:08.specific recommendations from that report but will be doing so in the

:09:09. > :09:10.light of recognising that if we can take opportunities to, through the

:09:11. > :09:13.National Health Service, to be encouraging the development of the

:09:14. > :09:17.new drugs, for the benefits of patients we should do so.

:09:18. > :09:21.Thank you, Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister just told us that

:09:22. > :09:25.there are record lefls of spending go into our mental health services.

:09:26. > :09:29.Her Health Secretary stood at that despatch box on 9th December and

:09:30. > :09:33.told us the proportion of funding go noop mental health from every one of

:09:34. > :09:38.our CCGs should be increasing Y is it, then that 57% of CCGs in our

:09:39. > :09:43.country are reducing the proportion of spend in mental health? Yet

:09:44. > :09:46.another broken promise. When will we have real equality for mental health

:09:47. > :09:50.in our country? The fact that I set out that we are spending record

:09:51. > :09:53.levels in the NHS on mental health is absolutely right but I have said

:09:54. > :09:57.in response to a number of people who have questioned on this, that we

:09:58. > :10:01.recognise that there is more for us to do in mental health. I would have

:10:02. > :10:06.thought we should have cross-party support on doing just that.

:10:07. > :10:09.Thank you, Mr speaker, outside Downing Street on the day she became

:10:10. > :10:12.Prime Minister, my right honourable friend said - if you suffer from

:10:13. > :10:16.mental health problems there is not enough help to hand. Can I welcome

:10:17. > :10:19.my right honourable friend's commitment to mental health,

:10:20. > :10:28.expressed on that day... Hear hear...

:10:29. > :10:34.And in her responses today and can I ask her what steps she has taken to

:10:35. > :10:39.make sure the Boldewijn ambitions of the Government's five-year plan for

:10:40. > :10:45.mental health are reachieved? Well I'm pleased to say, that what we

:10:46. > :10:50.see, far far from the impression given by some of the comments

:10:51. > :10:54.opposite since 2009-15 around 750,000 more people are accesses

:10:55. > :10:56.talking therapies and 1,400 more people are accessing mental health

:10:57. > :11:02.services every day, compared to 2010. So that's up by 40%. But my

:11:03. > :11:05.honourable friend, who I know has a particular interest in this issue,

:11:06. > :11:10.and a particular expertise in this area, is right that we need to do

:11:11. > :11:14.more and that's why we are continuing to invest in mental

:11:15. > :11:23.health services and continuing to increase the standards we provide.

:11:24. > :11:28.Final poly, Mr Greg Mulholland. Just 20 children are diagnosed with

:11:29. > :11:35.uninoperable brain tumours as a result of a disease every year, and

:11:36. > :11:39.NHS England turned that down for funding, despite being affordable.

:11:40. > :11:42.Will she meet with me and the families affected by this particular

:11:43. > :11:47.issue, to discuss how the families can get the treatment these children

:11:48. > :11:50.need? I'm happy to look at the issue the honourable gentleman has raised

:11:51. > :11:59.and look in detail about what can be done to take that forward.

:12:00. > :12:06.Prime Minister's Questions has come to an end. A bit earlier than last

:12:07. > :12:10.week. Mr Corbyn devoted his first questions about Brexit, asking the

:12:11. > :12:17.Prime Minister to clarify and clear up the uncertainty. We did not get

:12:18. > :12:22.very far on other people asking questions. The Prime Minister said

:12:23. > :12:29.something significant and we will come back to that in a moment. We

:12:30. > :12:34.moved on after bringing Baldrick into the questions. We moved on to

:12:35. > :12:42.Saudi Arabia and the Yemen with the human rights commission. Many people

:12:43. > :12:47.wondered why they were on the human rights commission. Mr Corbyn moved

:12:48. > :12:52.on to Yemen and again we did not really get very clear questions from

:12:53. > :12:55.the Prime Minister. Angus Robertson, the leader of the Scottish

:12:56. > :13:01.Nationalists in the House of Commons asked about Aleppo. He brought up

:13:02. > :13:04.the issue of the Spanish refuelling this Russian task force that sailed

:13:05. > :13:09.through the English Channel and is now in the Mediterranean. Whether we

:13:10. > :13:15.should press the Spanish not to do it. Again the Prime Minister did not

:13:16. > :13:20.really answer the question. We see on the BBC website that the Spanish

:13:21. > :13:27.government is reconsidering it. Probably too late for this convoy.

:13:28. > :13:35.They are being refuelled on the northern coast of Africa and juts

:13:36. > :13:39.into Morocco. It is really Spain's Gibraltar was that they own this

:13:40. > :13:46.sliver of land in the Moroccan area. That is where the refuelling has

:13:47. > :13:57.been done. The biggest story of the week has been Heathrow. Not a single

:13:58. > :14:01.mention, which frankly baffles me, on the Prime Minister Pozner speech

:14:02. > :14:07.during the referendum to Goldman Sachs and no mention either I don't

:14:08. > :14:12.think of the upcoming by-election Mr Goldsmith has triggered. You could

:14:13. > :14:17.not say PMQ has its fingers on the national news pulse. Viewers

:14:18. > :14:22.followed the line of the debate at the dispatch box. Brexit is an

:14:23. > :14:28.unfortunate chain of questions. The primers to have often said she will

:14:29. > :14:34.give a running commentary. -- the Prime Minister. The we ever know the

:14:35. > :14:37.long-term economic and trade plan for Brexit? I agree with Baldrick,

:14:38. > :14:42.the Government shows no signs of having a plan.

:14:43. > :14:48.While right to raise issues around the bombing in Yemen, interesting Mr

:14:49. > :14:52.Corbyn makes no reference to the evil being delivered on the people

:14:53. > :14:56.of Aleppo Cracknell offer any useful advice on the matter. This from

:14:57. > :15:00.Peter. Disgraceful that the Prime Minister could not answer the

:15:01. > :15:04.question about the refuelling of Russian warships by Spanish

:15:05. > :15:09.authorities. They are on their way to bomb the last remaining citizens

:15:10. > :15:13.of Aleppo. The Prime Minister is not putting any pressure on Spain to

:15:14. > :15:21.stop this action. They say they are reviewing it. They are under some

:15:22. > :15:26.pressure from Nato but probably too late for the refuelling of that

:15:27. > :15:30.particular Russian flotilla. Let's hope if they did refuel it hit would

:15:31. > :15:31.be cleaner fuel than what it was using going through the English

:15:32. > :15:42.Channel. New pictures are coming in from the

:15:43. > :15:49.Calais so-called Jungle camp. It is quite dramatic, the pictures. The

:15:50. > :15:55.fires have now taken. Some report suggest it was a group of anarchists

:15:56. > :16:01.that set the fire is going. We have no evidence it was the refugees or

:16:02. > :16:05.asylum seekers. What has happened but as you can see, it actually

:16:06. > :16:09.looks like a scene from the Middle East with burning oil wells. These

:16:10. > :16:14.are the camp is going up in flames. It seems there was a lot of gas

:16:15. > :16:19.canister cooking facilities around. The refugees had to cook for

:16:20. > :16:26.themselves and make their own meals. The fire has hit that, causing a

:16:27. > :16:31.number of explosions. Some reports are saying the fires are now out of

:16:32. > :16:39.control. Dramatic pictures from the Calais camp. Laura, what did we

:16:40. > :16:44.learn during Prime Minister's Questions? Not very much. Jeremy

:16:45. > :16:48.Corbyn is better in PMQs when he was back he is not laser-like in his

:16:49. > :16:52.focus will start he does not or is picked on the hottest political

:16:53. > :16:59.issues of the day. We are starting to learn that Theresa May is a class

:17:00. > :17:03.act and not answering the question. Some people might have noticed there

:17:04. > :17:10.was a small story about an academic at York who has studied this.

:17:11. > :17:16.Studied how good politicians are at trying to dodge questions

:17:17. > :17:19.effectively. Theresa May scores incredibly highly, elegantly and

:17:20. > :17:26.evasively, saying nothing whatsoever. It was not a good

:17:27. > :17:31.session. Some people are reading it, I do not know the fact words. People

:17:32. > :17:35.are doing detailed textual analysis of what she says. There was an

:17:36. > :17:40.implication she had not ruled out not staying in the single market. I

:17:41. > :17:48.did not quite get that. People pounce on every nuance, misspoken

:17:49. > :17:51.word, at the moment. That is because we have so little information. The

:17:52. > :17:56.same happened at her press conference at the end of the

:17:57. > :18:01.Brussels summit last week. Had she tweaked the formulation that she

:18:02. > :18:06.wants to operate in the single market? That phrase was first used

:18:07. > :18:11.at the party conference. Essentially, when you talk to people

:18:12. > :18:15.about this privately, you talk to ministers who are involved, people

:18:16. > :18:20.in Number 10. They insist that nothing is ruled in or ruled out. If

:18:21. > :18:24.you look at what Theresa May has said in public, particularly the

:18:25. > :18:29.suggestion that she is firm and we will leave the restriction of the

:18:30. > :18:32.European Court of human justice, the application is it would be

:18:33. > :18:36.impossible for us to stay in the single market. The vote leaves

:18:37. > :18:40.campaign, whatever people campaigning against the hard Brexit

:18:41. > :18:44.now say, they were explicit in the campaign that it would mean leaving

:18:45. > :18:49.the single market. However, behind-the-scenes, again and again,

:18:50. > :18:53.I have been told nothing is ruled in and nothing has been ruled out. The

:18:54. > :18:57.most interesting reason is Cabinet ministers cannot yet agree what it

:18:58. > :19:00.should look like. As you and I discussed before, because the cast

:19:01. > :19:05.of characters around a table in Europe will change the match before

:19:06. > :19:08.our negotiations get anywhere with the French and German elections in

:19:09. > :19:12.other countries, there is a limit to how much point there is with the UK

:19:13. > :19:20.Government is putting forward what they want to do before they know

:19:21. > :19:23.what they might get. Briefly, there is an interesting echo. This time

:19:24. > :19:27.last year the same thing was happening with David Cameron's

:19:28. > :19:32.renegotiation of the European Union. People were saying, Britain has to

:19:33. > :19:36.tell us what we want. There came no answer and the pressure built and we

:19:37. > :19:43.ended up with a letter to Donald Tusk and everything else. There is

:19:44. > :19:48.not a totally blank page. I once had a tutor University who did thesis on

:19:49. > :19:55.why some Soviet candidates got 99.98% of the vote instead of 99

:19:56. > :20:02.point 97 of the vote. That is the kind of thing that is going on at

:20:03. > :20:07.the moment. Why would you not, even just for fun, mention the Prime

:20:08. > :20:14.Minister's speech to Goldman Sachs? No great surprise that someone who

:20:15. > :20:19.was a remainer gave that style of speech but as a supporter of

:20:20. > :20:25.ordinary working class people, what was she doing speaking to Goldman

:20:26. > :20:28.Sachs? I think because he may not pick up what the Westminster world

:20:29. > :20:35.regards as the hottest topics of the day but he is picking up the biggest

:20:36. > :20:39.topics beyond Westminster. He was right to talk about Brexit and the

:20:40. > :20:45.card questions. It is exposing the Prime Minister for having no answer

:20:46. > :20:52.on the customs union nor the Northern Ireland potential border,

:20:53. > :20:59.nor access to the single market. I think he came out 1-0 ahead. Is

:21:00. > :21:04.Labour in favour of staying in the customs union? Yes. If you want the

:21:05. > :21:08.full access to the single market, the customs union is intrinsically

:21:09. > :21:12.linked with that. As an ex-customs minister, I know what it is like

:21:13. > :21:19.when you have to face customs borders. I understand that. It makes

:21:20. > :21:25.business and trade more difficult. It is a prize we need to go for. By

:21:26. > :21:30.definition, Britain out of the EU, on your formulation about would not

:21:31. > :21:34.be able to do its own free trade deals? My formulation, one of the

:21:35. > :21:39.aims I would go into these negotiations with. One of the ways

:21:40. > :21:42.of getting around this constant textual analysis of what the Prime

:21:43. > :21:46.Minister has said is for the Government. It is in the Court of

:21:47. > :21:52.the Government to negotiate the best deal for Britain, to spell out its

:21:53. > :21:57.negotiating aims. If I were doing that, one of my aims would be

:21:58. > :22:07.remaining in the customs union. That means he would not be able to do our

:22:08. > :22:11.own free trade deals. This is... That is the situation. The clue is

:22:12. > :22:16.in the words, customs union. They do their own customs. If you're in

:22:17. > :22:23.that, you cannot do your own free trade deal. I believe we are moving

:22:24. > :22:28.in... The Brexit arrangements and Brexit negotiations herald a new era

:22:29. > :22:32.in international trade arrangements. That is a different matter. It may

:22:33. > :22:38.be the case now but not necessarily the case as we come to try to do our

:22:39. > :22:44.own deals. We can do our own deals if we stay in the customs union. I

:22:45. > :22:48.would doubt as I think we will see in two years' time, some of the

:22:49. > :22:55.arrangements, some of the terms of trade deals with other countries,

:22:56. > :22:59.trading. -- changing. I do not see that as a show stopper. That

:23:00. > :23:09.situation is clear as night follows day at the moment. That is not even

:23:10. > :23:14.a matter of argument, that you cannot do your own free trade deals

:23:15. > :23:17.if you're in the customs union. That is why the leaders said they wanted

:23:18. > :23:21.to leave the customs union. Let me move on for that this is a

:23:22. > :23:26.government policy we should leave the customs union. The Prime

:23:27. > :23:34.Minister said, there is no point analysing different words. She would

:23:35. > :23:39.not give a running commentary. I am not asking for a running commentary,

:23:40. > :23:43.actually a rather basic question. Since Liam Fox is running around

:23:44. > :23:47.asking about all the great trade deals he will do with Australia,

:23:48. > :23:52.Canada, even the United States, New Zealand. It therefore must be

:23:53. > :23:56.governed policy that you are leaving the customs union. Theresa May has

:23:57. > :24:03.been very clear. We have not taken decisions on what is our negotiating

:24:04. > :24:08.brief yet. At the time we do, that will all be set out. No, no forced

:24:09. > :24:14.on you answer these questions. These are important issues for people who

:24:15. > :24:19.depend on export trade and imports. Neither of you can give any answers.

:24:20. > :24:26.You can send a mounting frustration. They can sense mine. If we stay in

:24:27. > :24:30.the customs union, we cannot do our own free trade deals. The European

:24:31. > :24:38.Union will do them on our behalf. One thing that Theresa May has

:24:39. > :24:42.said... You tell me! The arrangement we may be able to negotiate may not

:24:43. > :24:46.conform to a stock arrangement that is currently bears. One of the

:24:47. > :24:53.reasons she said she will not give a running commentary... Even a walking

:24:54. > :24:59.commentary would be fine. A stumbling commentary I would settle

:25:00. > :25:04.for. If we stay in the customs union, Brussels does our own free

:25:05. > :25:08.trade deals. We cannot do a free trade deal with America if the

:25:09. > :25:14.customs union is already negotiating a free trade deal. What it don't I

:25:15. > :25:17.understand? What the Prime Minister has said, and I will repeat. The

:25:18. > :25:23.Prime Minister has been clear about this. We're not going to specify

:25:24. > :25:27.what our negotiating mandate is until we have decided in every

:25:28. > :25:35.respect and it will be set out. Thanks for coming here. I think I

:25:36. > :25:38.gave a running commentary. You could be in trouble. I am not going to

:25:39. > :25:40.give a running commentary on the next item.

:25:41. > :25:43.Now if you ever feel let down by our real leaders at PMQs,

:25:44. > :25:45.perhaps instead you find yourself turning to the simpler world

:25:46. > :25:49.But which political characters in literature and television

:25:50. > :25:53.Well, in answer to this, surely one of the great unanswered

:25:54. > :25:56.questions of our time, one academic has conducted a survey.

:25:57. > :26:04.Of the 49 MPs who responded, the rest of them were perhaps too

:26:05. > :26:11.The clear winner picked by 22% of those MPs is Jed Bartlett,

:26:12. > :26:16.the US President in Aaron Sorkins' long-running and rather soppy TV

:26:17. > :26:21.Perhaps unsurprisingly as President Bartlett is a Democrat,

:26:22. > :26:29.he was the overwhelming favourite of Labour MPs.

:26:30. > :26:34.In second place, with 18%, the authors have combined the votes

:26:35. > :26:36.for Francis Urquhart and Francis Underwood.

:26:37. > :26:38.Both are the scheming anti-hero of House of Cards,

:26:39. > :26:41.first as a British book and TV series and later a huge

:26:42. > :26:46.And coming in tied for third with 6% - which is a whopping

:26:47. > :26:49.couple of mentions each - is everyone's dream ticket

:26:50. > :26:52.of Yes Minister's Jim Hacker and Borgen's Birgitte Nyborg.

:26:53. > :26:55.Well, to discuss this, we're joined by Professor Steven Fielding

:26:56. > :27:01.He's written a book looking at the changing way politicians have

:27:02. > :27:07.been reflected in fiction since the Victorian period.

:27:08. > :27:16.Welcome to the programme. Were you surprised that Jed Bartlett came top

:27:17. > :27:22.of the survey? No, not really. He obviously... We asked MPs to say why

:27:23. > :27:28.they chose him. He expresses their ideal. He combines idealism with

:27:29. > :27:32.pragmatism. He is witty, he is learning. As one MP ended, if only

:27:33. > :27:36.they could all be like that, or their own leaders could be like

:27:37. > :27:42.that. That was the thing. What is interesting, only Labour MPs picked

:27:43. > :27:50.Jed Bartlett. Only Labour MPs! Right. Oh, right. Not a hero for the

:27:51. > :27:58.Conservatives. One Conservative did pick a West Wing character but not

:27:59. > :28:01.Jed Bartlett. It was called the left wing by critics. Nevertheless I was

:28:02. > :28:09.surprised not a single Conservative MP did it. Maybe we need to know if

:28:10. > :28:16.more Conservative MPs contributed to the survey. What made me laugh was

:28:17. > :28:22.Alan starred was picked by one Tory MP and Mayor Jo Quimby from the

:28:23. > :28:25.Simpsons was picked. Thank you very much.

:28:26. > :28:28.There's just time to put you out of your misery and give

:28:29. > :28:38.Press the red buzzer and we will find out the winner. It is Baldrick!

:28:39. > :28:43.Jo Fisher in Birkenhead. The one o'clock news is starting

:28:44. > :28:46.over on BBC One now. I'll be back here at noon tomorrow

:28:47. > :28:52.with all the big political stories They have something on me

:28:53. > :29:04.that I can actually remember. The final chapter between

:29:05. > :29:09.Gibson and Spector.