20/12/2017 Daily Politics

Morning folks - welcome

to the Daily Politics.

Economic forecasters

at the International Monetary Fund

downgrade UK economic growth -

but is it the squeeze on incomes

and higher inflation that

will really make people feel

the pinch this Christmas?

UK's chief negotiator says the

eventual deal must be along the same

lines that the UK has already done

and any transition deal must be over

by 2020.

What does that all mean?

We'll play Brexit Top Trumps.

Theresa May faces Jeremy Corbyn

at Prime Minister's Questions

for the last time this year.

Will they be full of Christmas cheer

or more "bah humbug"?

And they're often less

about Christmas and more

about the egos of the politicians

that send them.

We'll look at the Christmas cards

gracing politicos' mantelpieces

this Yuletide season.

All that in the next 90 minutes

and helping me to deliver this

festive political treat for you,

the Dasher and Prancer

of the Westminster reindeer stables.

Shadow Health Minister,

Justin Madders and Industry

and Climate Change Minister -

Claire Perry.

Welcome to the programme.

Good morning. Happy Christmas.

Thank

you.

First today, the International

Monetary Fund predicted that

a Brexit vote would hit

the UK economy.

Today they came to London

to deliver their verdict for 2017,

and their forecasts for the years

ahead, as Britain extricates itself

from the European Union.

Here's what the organisation's

Managing Director,

Christine Lagarde, had to say at the

Treasury earlier this morning.

Now in this country,

the United Kingdom,

since the start of this year growth

has slowed notably.

The significant depreciation

of sterling that followed

the referendum has pushed inflation

over 3%, squeezing real incomes

and private consumption.

Companies are also delaying some

investment decisions until they have

greater clarity about post-Brexit

trade rules in particular.

Our forecast for growth in 2017,

this year, is 1.6%,

down from 1.8% in 2016.

So, that is the boss of the IMF in

London at the Treasury there to

deliver her verdict on the economy

this year, and what might happen

next year. So, Claire Perry, another

major economic forecaster, another

growth downgrade for the British

economy.

That is true and I don't

think anyone is surprised, because

we always knew that the headwinds of

inflation, the adjustment that we

have seen, would be a bit of a drag

on the original forecast, but I am

focused on things like the Forbes

survey which yesterday said Britain

was the best place in the world to

do business. The very first time we

have achieved that rank. I have

looked at the data. Business

confidence is still strong. That is

why we have to get through this

period of uncertainty and get a deal

with Europe as quickly as possible.

But why is Britain now in the slow

lane of growth?

We have had

concerned and people feeling nervous

about the future, consumption is

slowing down. We have seen inflation

picking up.

Are we in the slow lane

because of Brexit?

I think growth

has slowed because of the period of

uncertainty around our exit from the

EU which we thought would happen.

But what is striking is if you did

behind this in terms of the

fundamentals, we have a really

strong economy, we will get through

this period of uncertainty and we

will power ahead.

Do you believe the

IMF forecast?

I believe it more than

the Chancellor's forecast.

The

Chancellor does not make forecasts.

He tries to put a gloss on it.

Does

the same as the offers the budget

responsibility forecast.

We are all

heading in the same direction which

is downwards. I think the main point

is that the IMF has said we need to

see clarity moving forward to make

those businesses feel confident, to

make the investment decisions which

is why we need this transition deal

as soon as possible.

The IMF told us

before the referendum in summer

2016, that if we voted to leave,

there would be a major slowdown in

growth, and immediate slowdown in

growth of several percentage points.

It was wrong, wasn't it?

Yes, I

think that is indisputable.

So why

should it be right about next year

when it says we should be in slow

growth as well?

It is the best

information we have at the moment.

You can listen to what businesses

are saying. Vauxhall is in my

constituency, PSA, the group that

only say they are not in a position

to make decisions about investment.

What about the Forbes magazine study

which is a global study saying

Britain will be the best place to do

business in the world next year.

That might be next year.

We're

almost there.

What happens after

that...

If we were even sure what

was happening next year we could

take some comfort!

Don't think

anyone can make predictions.

I don't

believe experts often but I think

what was good about the post Brexit

referendum is we had a major

investment from the Bank of England

who pumped millions into the

economy. We have the business

fundamentals in place next day we

will have the royal wedding.

So the

royal wedding will come to aid?

That

is nothing to with politics.

Cabins

on the same day as the FA Cup,

people may not notice.

That is two

good things to celebrate, cheer up.

We know from talking in our

department we have to get the shape

of the deal, we have to get on with

it, and thank goodness we had the

breakthrough we needed in the last

few days from the Prime Minister.

You said that the fundamentals of

the economy were strong.

Yes.

They

are not strong if you are poor in

this country?

I completely disagree

with you.

Have you seen the latest

ONS figures on living standards.

Have you seen them?

I have. In terms

of the fact wages are below where

they were.

That is not what the

latest one says. The latest ones

tell you that if you are a household

in the lowest income bracket, you're

living standard has suffered more

than any other, if you are in the

lowest. The people that need the

most help are actually the ones

suffering most, because of how you

spend your money. You spend more on

food, you spend more on energy if

you're in a poor household, as a

percentage of your income. You have

seen a 36% in prices over the past

six or seven years.

And that is why

the relentless focus on helping

people, the National Living Wage,

which I think has been a major

increase for incomes, freezing fuel

duty, delivering free childcare, we

have to keep making sure that as we

move forward...

So the more you look

at them, the poorer you get.

The

more you create highly paid jobs

like the ones in the car plants and

Justin's constituency, the more you

get people who have been languishing

on incomes which have been too low

for a long time. You have to fix the

fundamentals of the economy.

But you

have been in power since 2010, and

the figures show if you're in the

lowest bracket of income, as a

household, you have suffered more

than anyone other bracket. When will

the poorest begin to feel any

relief? For ten years now, prices of

things they buy have been rising

much more quickly than their

incomes, despite the Living Wage,

despite taking people out of tax.

When can they expect relief?

Two

things, first of all, when we came

into office in 2010 we were dealing

with the biggest financial crisis we

had seen in peace time. We had a

deficit which was the biggest in the

developed world.

Mr Osborne said we

were all in it together. But it

turns out it is the poorest who are

in it most of all.

We have had to

pay off that deficit which is now

down by more than two thirds. We

have worked on protecting those on

the lowest income. We have taken 3

million people out of tax

completely.

But overall they are

worse off.

And this is why there is

more to do. This is why the whole

industrial strategy is important. We

have to keep investing in a highly

productive industries, creating jobs

across the UK, not just in London

and the south-east.

What would

Labour do to help the plight of the

poor?

We would raise the minimum

wage to £10 an hour.

It will be

about £9 50.

We are almost there.

We

are inching their berries slowly at

the moment. We would reverse some of

the benefit cuts.

All you can offer

is a marginal rise in the Living

Wage. Some will not even beyond the

Living Wage.

What we have to look at

is the overall picture which the

government is facing, which is

another decade of work stagnation.

Too much employment at the moment is

based in insecure low-paid part-time

employment which is why so many

people are struggling. We need to

get out of that cycle and create

high-paid sustainable jobs.

Exactly.

This is why the industrial strategy,

the biggest increases in businesses

like Justin's for generations, this

is how you give people long-term

route out of low income.

Very well,

I'm sure the poor will be reassured

by both of you.

Yesterday's meeting of the full

Cabinet saw 25 ministers weigh

in on the end state of Britain's

relationship with the EU.

I bet you wish you were there, me

too!

But with a renewed warning this week

from the EU Chief Brexit Negotiator

Michel Barnier that the UK couldn't

have a "bespoke deal" after Brexit,

it hasn't become much clearer how

things will look at the end

of the process.

Today he said that the EU is aiming

for any transition deal to end

before December 31st,

2020 - less than two years

after the official day

of the UK's departure.

So what exactly are the current

models - and what does

the British government want?

Here's Ellie to explain.

The "hardest" or "cleanest"

break would be

no free trade deal with the EU.

The UK would trade under

World Trade Organisation rules

and tariffs could be imposed

on exports to the EU.

The UK would be outside

the Single Market, outside

the Customs Union, end freedom

of movement, pay no ongoing EU

contributions and be free

to make its own free trade deals

with other countries.

A situation similar to Turkey would

see the UK outside the Single Market

but in a Customs Union with the EU

in some sectors - although there'd

be no payments and no free movement.

Switzerland is outside

the Customs Union

and most of the Single Market -

but pays some money into the EU,

accepts free movement,

and accepts EU standards across

more than 100 bilateral deals.

The much-talked-about Norway model

would see the UK as a member

of the EEA: accepting all four

freedoms of the EU Single Market

but outside the Customs Union.

The Canada-EU deal -

also known as CETA -

was long in the making.

It's considered an example

for the UK as it significantly

reduces tariffs and some non-tariff

barriers while not obliging

Canada to be a member

of the Single Market

or Customs Union, accept free

movement, or pay in to the Budget.

But crucially the Canada deal

doesn't make it easy to trade

in financial services -

a major component

of the British economy.

That's why the British government

has continued to insist

on a new "deep and special

partnership", reflecting the nature

of the UK's economy and the fact

it's starting in alignment

with EU regulations.

David Davis labelled such a model

"Canada plus plus plus" -

but the viability of that option

won't be clear before

leaders of the EU27 decide

on their opening position in March.

This morning Michel Barnier has been

speaking and he said the red lines

would take on a roughly familiar

shape.

TRANSLATION: All of these

different models strike a balance

between benefits and obligations

will stop and cross checking back

with the United Kingdom's own red

lines, then, logically, for the

economic side of our partnership, we

will be working on the basis of free

trade agreement. Along the same

lines as what we negotiated and

signed most recently with Canada,

also South Korea. And Japan, even

more recently.

That is Michel

Barnier. We will hear a lot more

from him next year when staged to

negotiations get going. We are now

joined by man we hear from all the

time these days, we sent him to

Brussels that he is never off our

screens, Adam Fleming! Good to see

you there. It would seem what Mr

Barnier is saying that it is a free

trade deal we are looking at. There

is going to be an argument over what

kind of free trade deal but it is a

free trade deal?

Yes, Michel Barnier has said this in

the last six weeks, he has been

going on and on about it.

If you

take the UK's Red Line, his various,

no membership of the customs union

or in the European Court of Justice

after the transition period, that

can add up to the best that the UK

is given by the EU, along the lines

of the FTA, signed with Canada,

South Korea and Japan. The way that

he sums it up, as you heard in the

clip, is that it is about the

balance between obligations and

benefits. If you do not take the

obligation of free movement of

people it limits the benefits the EU

will offer you in return. That's the

reasoning behind a slide, a

PowerPoint slide, that Michel

Barnier has shown, showing the

different models you get, with the

EU up here, the free trade deal done

here. Everything else in the middle,

and how it means the Red Lines and

the UK cannot have that.

I did think

that PowerPoint was confusing. I am

more confused as to why Michel

Barnier continues to repeat himself

and lay out this kind of bargaining

position. Correct me if I am wrong

but my understanding is the Council

of Europe, were representing all

heads of state of the other 27,

hasn't yet

given him his marching orders?

The

timing is that the European leaders

did their second set of guidelines,

they issued those last Friday, the

document Michel Barnier was

launching today was the more

detailed version of the

negotiations, that will be approved

by ministers at the end of January

next year, so the detailed

face-to-face talks with David Davis

and his team is in transition, they

can start at the end of January or

the beginning of the brave. What the

EU wants is Theresa May and Cabinet

colleagues to have a discussion and

set out more detail about the shape

of the future relationship after

2019, after the transition period.

Only in March will EU leaders, at

their next big summit, publish

another set of guidelines, another

document, which will be Michel

Barnier's more detailed orders for

negotiating the shape of the

relationship. Michel Barnier did say

about all of that that at the end of

this on Brexit day in 2019, there

will be a big withdrawal agreement,

a treaty with a political agreement

attached which will talk about the

shape of the future relationship,

the framework and the jargon, on

trade and economic matters but also

cooperation, security, defence,

foreign policy, aviation and other

bilateral areas. He was saying that

yet again, the final free trade

agreement, whatever that ends up

looking like, when of these

discussions have been had, that will

come at the end of the transition

period. The best the British

government can get with the Article

52-mac is a Brexit negotiations, is

a political declaration about

roughly what the future will look

like.

Sounds like there's plenty to

keep you busy in the New Year! We

hope you have a good break over

Christmas. Adam Fleming joining as

there. We hoped to speak to someone

from the European Parliament to get

more they stay on what Michel

Barnier was saying from their

perspective but at the last minute

we have been let down, not by our

two guests. What do you think,

Claire Perry, of Michel Barnier

saying that the British will not get

a Bairstow trade deal?

I think he's

doing what the EU team has always

done, getting out and having highly

publicised statements about what

they think is the right negotiating

position to start from. We saw with

that deal, the shape of the

breakthrough arguments and the deals

we had last week, we end up in a

different place and I think Adam's

point is right. Andrew, you made the

point that the power of national

parliament really begins to bear

now. With things like the auto

industry, there are huge interests

in certain countries, in making sure

we have the closest possible trade

alignment. I think the strategy of

coming together as the position

government, this point of maximum

alignment in 2019, and the control

diverging, that is the right one but

it is all out for negotiation which

is why it is going to be an

interesting new next -- an

interesting year next year.

Japan

has a Bairstow trade deal, and

Canada has just secured a bespoke

trade deal. South Korea has a

bespoke trade deal. Why won't

Brussels give their single biggest

trading partner a bespoke trade

deal, with whom it runs a massive

service?

You have got to hope that

that is where we will end up but

what we are seeing at the moment is

a sense of frustration from the EU

that all we are hearing from the UK

is what they don't want and not what

they do want. To me it is

astonishing that it was only

yesterday six months after the

election that cabinet sat and

discussed for the first time what

the vision should be for when we

leave the EU. We need to get that

sorted before we move on with these

negotiations.

When will we get the

government's position?

We have had

it all along, we had the Lancaster

speech, the first shape of the deal,

there is a chicken and egg. Until

you've agreed, all of these

conversations have gone on for

months and I cannot believe the

shape of the trade deal has not

influenced to some conversations, it

is a game of moving forward. The EU

says that nothing is agreed until

everything is agreed.

Sure, but we

are about to enter this part of the

negotiations where we discuss our

future relationship with the EU and

that will include many things. Above

all, it will include trade. Trade in

goods and services. In what way does

the government want it to death from

the existing arrangements for trade

and services?

We want to have the

deepest possible relationship while

not being part of the single market

because we cannot sign up to the

free movement of labour and the

jurisdiction of the ECJ. This

becomes a negotiation.

What sort of

things?

There are sectors, like the

auto sector and the chemical sector,

there is a strong desire from

industry, from very strong

regulatory alignments and other

sectors...

You mentioned diverging,

will we diverged from the EU over

time, or are we going to shadow yet?

Again, to me, that's a decision for

the Cabinet and for negotiations. If

we want to do better in agriculture,

if we want an agricultural support

system in the UK that is more for

the environment, for example,

increasing support for family and

mixed farms, we need to diverged

from the EU in order to deliver

that. It seems to me to be a

legitimate point of discussion.

But

is the government position basically

that on trade and services, we want

things to stay as they are?

The

point is we start from a position of

convergence, which is great. It is

easy to negotiate.

And working out

what it is you will give up to get

out of the obligations of free

movement in the European Court.

That

is part of the negotiations.

What is

the government position?

There are

sectors where that is important for

us to maintain that, because of the

importance of the cross-border trade

and the supply trade that supports

Justin's constituency. There are

other free trade opportunities that

are more attractive and the whole

point of doing this is so that we

can preserve as much as possible

that relationship and still have the

freedom to do other trade deals.

That's the situation that and South

Korea and Japan are in.

Actually,

they are all in different positions.

They are in this boat positions.

That was the point I had made --

bespoke positions. If Michel Barnier

is saying that, what hope does

Labour have of keeping members in

the customs union, I understand that

is your policy. He will not agree to

that. Our vision is everyone having

access... But everybody has access,

even North Korea!

It's about

unfettered access without barriers.

You cannot have that unless you meet

the conditions of membership.

That's

why we need a bespoke deal and to

get on with negotiations. We need to

give clarity.

Party would be great

from anybody these days. I would

like to have that from Labour or the

Conservatives.

That's not fair, two

months ago we did not have clarity

on the size of the divorce Bill.

I

am not talking about that.

We have

reached clarity.

He will not give me

clarity.

We have been able to.

Are

there any tariffs? There is no

clarity. Will services be included

in the final deal?

Is a massively

important ask...

That is not

clarity.

I'm not leading the

negotiating team...

Know but we are

only a couple of weeks away from the

New Year when it starts. Can you

give any indication of any major

European figure who is prepared to

have us stay as members of the

single market and as members of the

customs union without meeting all of

the obligations that go with that?

Has anybody indicated that they

would agree?

It would be about

having access, we want to ensure our

industries and jobs are protected.

So, we need favourable trading

arrangements.

Why don't you vote

with us, Justin? We want the same

thing!

Lets not get into the

process, we will leave it there for

now. I don't think I'm going to get

any further except!

And for more reporting

and analysis of Brexit,

check out the BBC News website

- that's bbc.co.uk/brexit.

Particularly if it is a quiet time

over Christmas!

Now - eco-warrior Michael Gove

launched another of his

planet-friendly policies this week,

by outlining plans to tackle

the plastic waste which is

polluting our land and sea.

The Environment Secretary -

and modern-day "Swampy" -

wants to cut use of single-use

plastic items, such as straws

and take-away cups.

So, imagine our surprise when, just

two days after this announcement,

he was spotted with this.

Ooh! That is so unfair, it could be

reusable. You cannot tell!

A single-use non-recyclable

plastic cup.

Well, we are all guilty...

Mr Gove was on his way to the crunch

Brexit Cabinet meeting

when he was caught carrying

the offending item.

Probably for the Chancellor with

something in it...

Well, we have some advice

for the Environment Secretary -

if he keeps his job after this

monumental blunder that is.

Next time, don't be caught out -

instead use the planet-saving,

re-usable, hypocrisy-busting

Daily Politics mug.

But - we don't just give them away -

you'll have to win one first -

to enter just tell us

when this happened.

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eight o'clock rock

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12 o'clock rock

# We're going to rock

around the clock...#

I've now left the House of Commons.

After 33 years, it's rather a break.

# You are everywhere,

everywhere you're there...

# Night and day you share with me.#

everywhere you're there...

# I know a dark secluded place

# A place where no one knows your

face

# A glass of wine, a fast embrace

# It's called Hernando's Hideaway.

Ole!#

# If you believe that

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there's a heaven,

# If you believe.#

# When an irresistible

force, such as you

# Meets an old immovable

objects like me

# You can bet as sure as you live...

# Something's gotta give,

something's gotta give

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Some lovely old black and white

footage there, including Clem Attlee

and Winston Churchill. Both as Prime

Minister.

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It is coming up to midday, there is

Big Ben. It's a gloomy day today.

Prime Minister's Questions, the last

of 2017. You don't want to miss

that. Laura Kuenssberg is here.

Laura, we were told that the Prime

Minister would be gone by autumn. We

were told she would be gone by

Christmas but here she is, going

into PMQs?

George Osborne remembered

that she was a dead woman walking,

but she has confounded critics in

the short-term and Number 10 might

be allowing themselves a brief

moment of some self-congratulation

today, or at least relief! They've

released a nice picture of her

leaving Number 10 for the final

Prime Minister's Questions... In

black and white. It's a very

glamorous picture. Given that they

got the deal at the end of last week

in Brussels, and given that they are

getting their bill through two

tonight, the government have coughed

on the amendment of having a date.

They do have a date that they can

change it. It's, OK, we will agree

that call it something else! The

government minister Steve Baker

added his name to the amendment this

morning.

There will not be a defeat

in the Commons tonight, we expect.

They are getting to Christmas

thinking...

They might have a

cooking sherry!

One or two! Not

Theresa May, maybe her team! The

chief of staff might go to Fernando

's and then he tweets about it!

Speaking of dates, what do you make

of Michel Barnier? The British

government had indicated there will

be a two-year transition period,

taking you through to the end of

March 20 21. Michel Barnier says he

wants it done by the end of 2020. I

guess, in a way, the Brexiteers will

be rather chuckled by that.

They

will be delighted, quite tickled and

entertained. I spoke to the senior

Brexiteers this morning and they

said, excellent! I suggested the

Chancellor may be slightly lest

please -- slightly less pleased.

Says go straight to the House of

Commons and the final PMQs of 2017.

I am sure the whole house will want

to join me in sending our warmest

Christmas messages to the Armed

Forces who are stationed overseas.

They make great devices on our

behalf. This morning, I had meetings

with ministerial colleagues and

others and I will have further such

meetings later today.

In 2009, the Prime Minister said it

was a tragedy that the number of

children falling into the poverty

cycle was continuing to rise. Every

child deserves to have a roof over

their head and food on the table.

Yet on her watch, in Wandsworth

alone, the number of families forced

to survive on food banks is

continuing to rise, and 2500

children, yes, children, will

wake-up homeless on Christmas Day.

My question is simple. When will

this austerity driven government say

enough is enough and put an end to

this tragedy?

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The

honourable lady should note that

this government has lifted hundreds

of thousands of children out of

absolute poverty. But I think it is

important, it is important for all

those who have heard her question to

be aware of this. She talks of 2500

children in Wandsworth waking up

homeless on Christmas Day. Anybody

hearing that will assume that what

that means is that 2500 children

will be sleeping on our streets. It

does not mean that.

Order. Order.

Honourable and right honourable

member 's are accustomed to these

exchanges taking somewhat longer. So

be it. The questions will be heard

and the answers from the Prime

Minister will be heard. I am in no

hurry at all. The Prime Minister.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is

important that we are clear about

this for those who hear those

questions, because as we all know,

families with children who are

accepted as homeless will be

provided with accommodation. And I

would also point out to honourable

members opposite that statutory

homeless is lower now than it was

for most of the period of the last

Labour government.

If I could draw my right honourable

friend away from Brexit which is

about to crop up I suspect, I

believe it is common knowledge that

the Conservative party is the party

that strives to protect our green

belt. Therefore, it was a shock to

me and my constituents when

Guildford Council submitted their

draft local plan. The Council are

seeking to build 57% of the houses

in their plan on green belt. Would

my right honourable friend agree

that local authorities should focus

their imaginations on developing

buildings of sufficient height,

density and imagination on

Brownfield sites, not green belt?

My

right honourable friend is right to

raise this issue on the half of his

constituents. A local authority may

only alter green belt boundary in

exceptional circumstances. In our

highs to Leave Housing White Paper

this was clear that it is when they

have fully examined other options

for meeting development needs and

that includes looking at Brownfield

sites and building on Brownfield

sites. In the case of Guildford, I

understand the local plan has been

submitted for examination earlier

this month and it will be examined

by an independent inspector in due

course, but I can assure my right

honourable friend that he is

absolutely right, that we want to

ensure that green belt is detected.

Jeremy Corbyn.

Thank you Mr Speaker.

Could I take this opportunity to

wish you, Ormond is of the House,

all our public servants and all of

our Armed Forces are very happy

Christmas and all the Best wishes

for 2018. And could I paid tribute

to our very hard-working National

Health Service staff, many of whom,

unlike us will not get a break this

Christmas. Is the prime minister

satisfied that the National Health

Service has the resources it needs

this winter?

First of all, can I

join the right honourable gentleman.

He refers to those NHS staff who

will be working very hard this

Christmas and will not get a break.

It is not only our NHS staff who

will be working hard this Christmas.

It is also our emergency services

and many others who go to work on

Christmas Day so others can enjoy

their Christmas Day, and we thank

all of them. He asks about

preparations for winter. I can say

to him, the health service has

prepared more extensively for this

winter than ever before. These plans

are helping to ensure safe, timely

care for patients. As it happens,

those are not my words, they are the

words of the chief Executive of NHS

providers.

Well, Sir Simon Stevens

did say the NHS needs £4 billion

next year just to stand still, and

the reality of the Government has

given the NHS less than half of what

he asked for. Mr Speaker, the Prime

Minister talks about the money the

NHS needs, but 50,000 people were

left waiting on trolleys in hospital

corridors last month. Last week,

more ambulances were diverted to

other hospitals because of A&E

pressures. 12,000 patients were kept

waiting in the back of an ambulance

because there was no room at the

A&E. I asked the Prime Minister a

game, has the NHS got the resources

it needs this winter to deal with

this crisis?

He knows full well that NHS funding

is at record levels. And in the

autumn budget, we put some extra

funding in to the NHS this winter,

in addition to the £6.3 billion

extra which is given to the NHS over

the coming years. Time after time

again, the right honourable

gentleman will come to this House

and complain about what is happening

in the health service. Can I just

say to him? Can I just tell the

House what is happening in the

health service. We see 7 million

more diagnostic tests than seven

years ago. 2.2 million people

getting operations, and survival

rates for cancer at their highest

ever level. Those are figures, but

what does it mean? What it means is

more people getting the treatment

they need. It means more elderly

people getting their hip operations,

and it means that today, there I

nearly 6500 people alive who would

not have been if we had not improved

our cancer care.

In the first three weeks of this

winter, 30,000 patients were left

waiting in the back of an ambulance

for more than half an hour. These

delays risk lives. If the NHS had

the resources it needs, you would

expect it to be meeting its key

waiting time targets. Can the prime

Minister give us a cast-iron pledge

that all of those targets will be

met in 2018?

What we are looking to

do in 2018 is yes, improve the

standard of care that we provide in

our health service and ensure we can

improve on those figures that I have

just given him, that we did see more

people being treated in our health

service, that we do see better

survival rates. That is why we have

been putting the extra money into

the National Health Service. But it

is not just about putting extra

money into the National Health

Service. It is about ensuring that

we see the proper integration of

health and social care at grassroots

level, that is what the SDPs are

about in many areas, opposed by the

Labour Party. It is why we have

lifted the cap so we see more nurse

training places opposed by the

Labour Party. This is about ensuring

we have the staff and capability in

the NHS to deliver a first-class

world-class service that our NHS is.

We should be proud of our NHS. We

are and we are going to make it even

better.

A&E waiting time targets

have not been met for 2.5 years.

Cancer treatment targets have not

been met for two years. Our A&E

departments are bursting at the

seams, because people cannot get a

GP appointment when they need one.

The Government promised to recruit

an extra 5000 GPs by 2020. Where are

they?

We are seeing more GPs, we are

seeing more training places for our

GPs, that he wants to talk that

targets, if he wants to talk about

targets, let's look at what has

happened in Wales will stop. The

standard on A&E in Wales was last

met in 2008. Let me just think.

Which party is in government in

Wales? Is it the Conservatives? No.

It is the Labour Party in government

in Wales. On cancer care, the

standard was last met in June 2008

in Wales. He should look at what the

Labour Party are actually delivering

before he comes to this House and

complains.

The Welsh Government

relies on a Brock grant from England

which has been cut by 5% by 2020 --

a block grant. Despite that, in

Wales, 85.5% of cancer patients

start their treatment within 62

days, higher than is achieved in

England. Mr Speaker, my question was

about GPs. Perhaps the prime

minister is not aware that there are

1000 less GPs than there were the

days she became Prime Minister. It

is not only the lack of GPs. Another

issue that is driving people into

A&Es are the 6 billion cuts made to

social care budgets. 2.3 million

older people have unmet care needs.

Does the Prime Minister regret, and

the Chancellor is sitting absolutely

next to her, that he did not put 1p

in his budget for social care?

We

have £2 billion extra money into

social care. We did that in the

spring budget. But he started his

question by referencing the record

of the last Labour government on

health. Well, you know, the last

Labour government's record on

health, their NHS legacy was

described as a mess. We are clearing

that up. We are putting more money

into the NHS. But who was it that

described, who was it who described

Labour's NHS legacy as a mess? It

was the right honourable gentleman.

When he is running for leader, he

denounces the Labour Party, now he

is leader of the Labour Party, he is

trying praise it.

Mr Speaker, an idea of some, Mr

Speaker, I could quote the prime

Minister something she may be

familiar with. If the Government

wants to reduce the pressure is on

the health service and keep people

out of hospital in the first place,

then he needs to tackle other

chronic underfunding of care and

support service in the community,

which are tipping point. Who said

that? The Conservative leader of

Warwickshire County Council. Mr

Speaker, the question was on social

care. But the issue is about the NHS

as a whole. It is there, Mr Speaker,

to provide care and dignity to all

if they fall ill, but our NHS goes

into this winter in crisis. Nurses

and other workers, no pay rise for

years. NHS targets not met four

years. Staff shortages, GP numbers

falling. The reality is, mental

health budgets have been cut, social

care budgets have been cut, public

health budgets cut. The Prime

Minister today has shown just how

out of touch she is. The truth is,

Mr Speaker, our NHS is being

recklessly, recklessly that at risk

by her government. That is the

truth, Mr Speaker.

The right honourable gentleman is

wrong because NHS funding has gone

up. He is wrong because social care

funding has gone up. But, you know,

not that long ago, the right

honourable gentleman was saying that

he would be Prime Minister by

Christmas... Well... He was wrong. I

am, and the Conservatives are in

government!

CHEERING

Not that long ago, you said we would

not deliver on phase one on the

Brexit negotiations but he was

wrong, we have made sufficient

progress and we are moving on to

phase two of Brexit negotiations.

Not that long ago he predicted that

the budget would be a failure, in

fact the budget was a success and is

delivering more money for our

National Health Service. Labour -

wrong, wrong, wrong. Conservatives,

delivering and Brexit, a budget for

homes and the health service,

delivering a Briton fit for the

future.

Mr Speaker... Mr Speaker,

thank you very much. Gloucestershire

College is building a brand-new

campus in my constituency made

possible by millions of pounds of

government support, can I thank the

Prime Minister for that investment?

Doesn't it show that this is a

government committed to investing in

skills necessary to make this an

economic and country fit for the

future? Hull Prime Minister!

May I

say to my right honourable friend

that I'm very pleased that that has

taken place in his constituency and

I'm also pleased to agree with him,

I know he believes very strongly in

this, the importance of skills and

training for the future. That is a

good commitment of this government.

It's more important than ever that

people in this country are

developing the skills they need to

get the highly paid jobs of the

future. As we are doing -- that's

what we are doing for the future,

and the Conservatives play an

important part of that.

Ian

Blackford. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

May I take this opportunity to wish

yourself, our members of staff,

emergency personnel and Merry

Christmas and a happy New Year when

it comes. Can we wish for a peaceful

election tomorrow in Catalonia? Mr

Speaker, in 2013, the then

Chancellor of the Exchequer George

Osborne, when reflecting on his

position and representing the

majority interest in the Royal Bank

of Scotland, on the departure of the

then chief executive of the Royal

Bank of Scotland, said of course, my

consent and approval was sought. Was

the government right to intervene in

the departure of the chief executive

of the Royal Bank of Scotland?

Prime

Minister...

I say to the right

honourable gentleman, that obviously

decisions were taken in the past

relating to RBS, the key decision

was taken at the time of the

financial crisis, in relation to

support the government provided to

the Royal Bank of Scotland. If he's

going to raise branch closures like

you did last week, I'm afraid he

will get the same answer as last

week. The government does ensure

that, through the protocol that is

in place, through the work done with

the Post Office to provide extra

services, that services are

available to people.

Mr Speaker, it

is supposed to be Prime Minister's

Questions, the Prime Minister is

supposed to at least try and answer

the question. If it was right in

2013 for the Chancellor of the

Exchequer to intervene on the

departure of the Chief Executive

Officer, then of course it is quite

right that the government takes its

responsibilities when the last 13

branches in town are going to be

closed in Scotland? Prime Minister,

show some leadership! Stand up for

our communities, bring Ross commune

in and say that you are going to

stand up for national interests and

stop these bank closures.

The

decision on individual bank branches

is operational decisions by the

banks themselves. He talks about

standing up for communities, and

standing up for people across

Scotland but I had to say to him,

that's a bit rich coming from an SNP

and government in Scotland, that's

going to increase taxes for 1.2

million Scots. The Conservative

government is reducing tax for 2.4

million Scots. There is one clear

message to people in Scotland, the

Conservatives back you but the SNP

tax you!

Order, I wish the

honourable member for Filton and

Bradley Stoke and his honourable

friend the member for Morley and

Outwood all the best for their

wedding on Friday of this week... I

look forward to attending that.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I

look forward to seeing you there!

I'm sure the Prime Minister agrees

with me that defence of the RAM and

protection of our people is the

first duty of government but would

you further agree that any future

government which fails to support

our Armed Forces, which wants to

abolish nuclear deterrence, that

would endanger security as well as

placing hundreds of thousands of

jobs at risk across the country as

well as 12,000 in my own

constituency?

Mr Speaker, may I join

you in congratulating my honourable

friend and my honourable friend, the

member for Morley and Outwood on

their forthcoming wedding,

unfortunately due to my travels I

will not be able to attend. I wish

them the best. He has raised a very

important issue, and I absolutely

agree that defence is the first

responsibility of the first duty of

government and that is why we are

committed to our Nato pledge to

spend at least 2% of GDP on defence

every year. We had a £36 billion

defence budget which will rise to

almost £40 million by 2021 and we

are spending £178 billion over the

next ten years on equipment. He is

absolutely right, a party like the

one opposite which wants to get rid

of our nuclear deterrence, cut the

Armed Forces and get out of Nato,

that would not strengthen us but we

can us.

The Prime Minister would be

aware of the strong affection and

support for Gibraltar across this

house. In light of the guidelines

published this morning, will she

give a commitment not to enter into

agreement with the EU, that excludes

Gibraltar from the transitional or

implementation no arrangements and

periods?

Can I say to the honourable

gentleman that we, in the EU, have

been clear that Gibraltar is covered

by the withdrawal agreement and our

Article 50 exit negotiations and to

confirm what I said on Monday, our

negotiations, as we negotiate, are

being negotiated to ensure

relationships are there for

Gibraltar as well. We will not

exclude Gibraltar from negotiations

for the fermentation period or the

future agreement. I can give the

honourable gentleman that assurance.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. As the Prime

Minister would be aware, Derry is

important for growing children as

part of their healthy diet. The

sector is integral to great British

food and drink -- dairy. Will she

support our campaign next year to

rebrand milk, to ask supermarkets to

include it as part of their meal

deals elections and as part of a

healthy diet promotes drinking milk

in schools? Will she join me this

Christmas in raising a glass to our

fabulous dairy farmers?

I'm very

happy to join my honourable friend

in commending the work our dairy

farmers do. He talks about the

importance of dairy. He is a great

advocate of oral issues and he is

right, it is one of the most

efficient, innovative and high

quality dairy industries in the EU.

On the point that he has raised, can

I suggest, the Environment Secretary

would be happy to discuss those

particular points but I do join him

in recognising the importance of the

dairy industry.

Ronnie Coward.

Thank

you very much. I minister, in eight

European countries and Canada they

have drug consumption rooms which

reduce the spread of HIV, hepatitis

C and reduce crime. It's worth

noting that drug-related deaths in

the last 40 years continued increase

in the UK but there has never been a

drug overdose in a supervised drug

consumption room. In the interest of

public health, will be Prime

Minister introduced these rooms in

UK or devolve relevant powers to the

Scottish parliament so that the

Scottish Government can do so.

I'm

sure you are aware that the Home

Office recently updated the

government drug strategy but I had

to say that I have a different

opinion to some members of this

house. Some members of the house are

very liberal in their approach to

the way that drugs should be

treated. I'm very clear that we

should recognise the damage that

drugs do to people's lives. Our aim

should be to ensure that people come

off drugs and do not go on drugs in

the first place. Then people keep

clear of them. That is what we

should be focusing on.

Thank you, Mr

Speaker. Can I pay tribute to the

Prime Minister for listening so

carefully to myself around issues

for women's health, particularly

surrounding pregnancy, around mesh

implants, or all issues raised by my

constituents. Like my right

honourable friend they feel very

strongly about tackling female

health issues and are very grateful

to be heard. Can the Prime Minister

assure me that she will continue to

listen so that women do not feel

that they are left behind or

forgotten when it comes to help

equality in this country?

I was very

happy to meet my honourable friend

to discuss these issues, and indeed

to meet others to talk about this.

These are important issues, they are

issues that have had a real impact

on women's lives. They are issues

where women want answers as to what

has happened in relation to this and

I can assure my honourable friend

that the government and I will

continue to listen on these issues

and we will continue to look to see

what we can do to ensure that we do

not see women suffering in the way

that we have in the past on issues

like this and we will keep that

clear focus on women's health.

Life

effort. Poo-mac Mr Speaker...

Mr Speaker, happy Christmas. Last

year the Prime Minister told the

radio Times that on Christmas Day

she likes to prepare and cook her

own goose... You know what is

coming! In the spirit of Christmas

can I suggest that in order to

extract the maximum pleasure from

the messy job of stuffing her cues

that she names it either Michael or

Boris? -- stuffing her goose.

LAUGHTER

CLAPPING

Order, I'm sure that the Prime

Minister has better taste than that!

LAUGHTER

Can I say to the honourable

gentleman that I will be having to

resist the temptation to call the

goose Jeremy! Wing Mr Speaker, on

Thursday last night, there was an

important local referendum in

Christchurch.

The result was, 84% of

the people of Christchurch want to

keep Christchurch as an independent

sovereign borough and are against

the abolition of Christchurch.

Order! Order! I cannot understand

this atmosphere, I want to hear

about the views of the good burghers

of Christchurch!

Will my right

honourable friend ensure that the

government respects the views of the

people of Christchurch and will she

also ensure that the government

gives sufficient time, indeed extra

time, for the Council to draw up

alternative proposals which properly

reflect the wishes of the people of

Christchurch?

I thank my honourable

friend for his question. As I am

aware, and as he knows being close

to this, this issue has been

considered by local councils over a

significant period of time. This

issue has been considered by the

Department for Communities and Local

Government. As was said from a

sedentary position by my honourable

friend, it is also the case that

other councils in the area that do

support a change to the government

structure, of course DCLG will

carefully look at the issues of

these councils to ensure the best

result is there for the people of

Dorset.

Laura Peacock.

Thank you

very much, Mr Speaker. We have some

of the best schools in North West

Durham...

It may be moderately

good-natured, but nevertheless it is

disruptive. The honourable lady is

entitled to be heard! For as long as

she is in this house and I am in

this chair, the honourable lady will

be heard! That's the end of it.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. We

have some of the very best schools

in North West Durham but whatever

the new fund and formula they deal

with deficits from years of

real-time cuts, feeling the

corrosive effect of a cad I is

eight, school staff are working for

longer and for less. Please, do not

tell me there is more money in our

schools. The fact is that a

significant proportion of schools in

North West Durham C a reduction in

their funding. They have run out of

ways to make cuts.

What do they do

next?

The honourable lady asked me

not to stand up and say there is

more money going into our schools

but of course, there is more money

going into our schools. That's the

reality. Funding for our schools

will rise by over £1.4 billion next

year and almost 1.2 billion a year

after. We have protected the Pupil

Premium to support those who need it

most. And if you listen to the

Labour Party, education only seems

to be about the amount of money put

in. What parents are looking for is

the quality of education provided

and I noticed that there is an

increase of over 12,000 children in

the County Down local authority now

in good or outstanding schools

because of this government.

Suella

Fernandes...

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

2017 has been an excellent year for

Fareham College, rated outstanding

by Ofsted and short listed by the

Times educational supplement as

College of the year. Successful in

its bid to deliver civil engineering

provision. Will my right honourable

friend join me in sending a happy

Christmas to the principal and his

staff, congratulating them on

supporting our young people into

work and because it is Christmas,

creating a Briton fit for the

future.

Can I say to you, my right

honourable friend, I'm very happy to

send good wishes to the principal

but also the staff and students at

Ferrum College, and congratulate

them that because of their hard

work, they have achieved excellent

results and she is absolutely right,

it's about ensuring young people

have the skills, education and

training for jobs of the future

building a Britain fit for the

future. -- Fareham College.

Fourth

terminally ill -- the terminally ill

people this Christmas, this

Christmas could be their last

Christmas. Does the Prime Minister

agree that it can never be

appropriate for terminally ill

people to be forced to meet with

work coaches or fit into an

arbitrary six months prognosis in

order to claim support? Will she

finally listen to the experts at

Macmillan and MND, that these people

faced the end of their lives?

The

honourable gentleman is right, we

need to ensure that we deal with

these cases where somebody has a

terminal illness with the utmost

sensitivity, these are issues that

have been raised before. The

conditions apply to terminally ill

people claiming Universal Credit are

the same as those claiming

employment and support allowance and

have remained the same for

successive governments. There are a

number of approaches that can be

taken and there were several options

for how people progress in the

system but he is right. We should

deal with people who are terminally

ill with sensitivity. That is what

the system is and what the system

intends to do. This morning I met

the Alan, young student whose life

was put on hold for two years and

had to endure torture until his case

collapsed this week, and another

case collapsed because of a lack of

disclosure.

Does the Prime Minister

agree that where there are these

allegations, there should be full

disclosure given to the CPS and both

lawyers.

My right honourable friend

raises an important point, the issue

of disclosure is one that has come

to a focus of concern, as is the

case that he has quoted and I

understand another case in the press

today. I can tell him that my right

honourable friend, the Attorney

General, had even before these cases

came up initiated a review into

disclosure. I do think it is

important that we look at it again

to ensure that we are truly

providing justice.

Thank you.

According to her own commission,

social mobility in Britain is

stalling and for many it is getting

worse, not better. Does she agree

with her former chief of staff that

last week's social mobility action

plan was disappointing, full of

jargon, short of meaningful policies

and should have been published.

The

social mobility action plan, it's

what the Sutton trust have said, so

that disadvantaged young people get

on in life, if she wants other

quotes, the Association of colleges

have said that this plan sets out an

ambitious agenda to tackle deep

seated in the qualities which the

education system struggles to

overcome. It's a good plan and will

make a big difference to people's

lives.

Mr Speaker, in the 1980s...

How very unfair on the honourable

gentleman.

I was saying, in the

1980s, Mrs Thatcher famously

commented that if the alarm was so

wonderful, why are millions of

people in boats to leave it? When my

right honourable friend goes into

the second phase of negotiations, if

WTO rules are so wonderful, why do

so many countries seek trade

agreements?

-- Vietnam. Of course,

countries around the world can trade

but on what terms are they trading?

We want to see a free trade

agreements negotiated with the EU

and we also want to see free trade

agreements negotiated with countries

around the rest of the world. The

reason for that, as we are believers

in free trade, the reason is we

believe that brings growth,

prosperity, jobs and a secure future

for this country.

Can I wish the

Prime Minister in Merry Christmas.

As she sits down to her Christmas

dinner, will she spare a thought for

the 1 million youngsters, the

Children's Society calculates are

set to lose their school dinners

because of the government's

Universal Credit plan? It's the

season of goodwill, why doesn't she

offered to fix this?

Can I wish the

honourable gentleman in Merry

Christmas and a happy New Year. In

fact, the introduction of the

arrangements for free school meals

under Universal Credit that is

proposed by the government will lead

to more children having access to

free school meals.

Geoffrey Clifton

Brown!

Given Michel Barnier's claim

that the UK banks will lose their

passporting writes her Spectre, as

opposed to the Bank of England

statement that EU banks will

continue to operate here, does this

not vindicate my right honourable

friend's principled and strong

stance in negotiating reciprocity

for EU and UK citizens?

I will say

that we value the important role

that the City of London plays, not

just as a financial centre for

Europe but also for the world. We

want to retain that and maintain

that. Michel Barnier has made a

number of comments recently about

the negotiation position on clear

and the Bank of England and the

Treasury has set out reassurance to

ensure that the banks will be able

to continue to operate and will

continue to ensure that the City of

London retains a global position but

of course this will be part of

negotiations on phase two of Brexit.

We are clear on how important this

is.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Mr and

Mrs Walker from great word in my

constituency have a son with

learning difficulties. Mr Walker was

knocked down by a driver over the

summer who had taken drugs, was

drunk, and was speeding. He is 69

and now a quadriplegic. He is not

entitled to PIP, he cannot access

mote ability and they are now paying

£400 per calendar month for a hire

car. I wrote to the DWP about this

case on the 21st of November and

haven't had a reply. Isn't it

shocking that this country and

government cannot look after the

elderly and the disabled and I would

ask the Prime Minister looks into

this case urgently?

Can I first of

all give my best wishes to Mr Walker

and his family, and how sorry we are

to hear of what has befallen him. He

references a letter made to the DWP,

I will ensure that this case is

investigated and that he receives a

response.

Will my right honourable

friend join me in praising the work

of Alice who supported. The separate

from the supported housing sector,

so that refugees can deliver

specialist support?

I thank my

honourable friend for raising the

question of refuges, but I am happy

to join him in praising the work of

four Tallis and services across the

country. You mention the reforms put

in place and that is because at the

moment we feel the system is not

responsive to the needs of

vulnerable women in local areas --

Fort Alice. So we want funding to go

to the hands of local authorities

but bring in new oversight to make

sure we deliver the right support

for the right people, ensuring we

focused support on those who need it

and that this is a system more

The inappropriate treatment of

smaller businesses by the Royal Bank

Of Scotland destroyed businesses,

ripped families apart and saw people

take their own lives. RBS is owned

by the Government. Will the Prime

Minister set up the full independent

enquiry which is needed to deliver

justice for victims?

My understanding is that this issue

is properly being looked into. I

recognise the Kearns did the smack

-- I recognise the concerns being

expressed and will look into this.

Does the prime Minister share my

dismay that the SNP government is

planning on raising taxes on

hard-working Scots, when it could

raise the same amount, if not more,

by just getting its own house in

order, and improving efficiencies?

Can I thank my honourable friend.

What the Scottish government is

proposing is there are 1.2 million

Scots earning £26,000 will be paying

more tax than people in England will

be paying. But I was interested

because I was not aware that the

fact...

Order. Apologies for

interrupting the prime Minister. Can

I just ask the prime Minister to

face the House because some of us

cannot hear fully and I would like

to hear fully.

Mr Speaker, I was making the point

that my honourable friend has made

an important point which is with the

SNP got its own house in order it

could save that amount of money by

raising taxes and act surely not

putting that extra tax burden on

people earning over £26,000.

In light of someone with a very

loose and inaccurate language coming

from politicians who should know

better, would she take the

opportunity to repeat to this House

and the public in Northern Ireland,

both sides of the community, the

well established three strand

approach to Northern Ireland, which

makes it clear that the internal

arrangements and decisions on

Northern Ireland are matter of the

United Kingdom government and the

parties in Northern Ireland?

I'm happy to make that clear to the

right honourable gentleman and

confirm what he says and we are very

happy about the decisions that we

have taken about Northern Ireland.

What we do want to see is a Northern

Ireland Executive restored so we can

see those devolve decisions being

taken by that Northern Ireland

Executive. I know the right

honourable gentleman also wants to

see that Executive restored and we

will continue to work with his party

and with other parties.

As one of the signatories to

Amendment 400 to the EU Withdrawal

Bill, may I seek an assurance from

the Prime Minister that its

provisions to change the date of our

leaving the EU will be invoked only

if at all under extremely

exceptional circumstances, and only

for a very short period?

We are very

clear we will be leaving the EU on

the 29th of March at 11pm. The Bill

will determine the Article 50

process and it is a matter of

international law and it is

important that we have the same

position legally and that is why we

have accept it the amendment. But I

can assure my honourable friend and

the House that we will only reassure

the House for the shortest possible

time and an affirmative motion will

be brought to the House.

The Government Department of Justice

NHS England and Lancashire care

foundation trust should be

thoroughly ashamed of their part in

the national disgrace which is HMP

Liverpool. Could the Prime Minister

assure this House, this whole house,

that those responsible for the

deplorable conditions, the lack of

care and harm, which led to suicides

of some prisoners and this harm

which has been caused to both staff

and prisoners, those people will be

held to account and proper

disciplinary action taken and may

not be allowed to simply move to

other jobs. We need accountability

for this tragedy.

I thank the

honourable lady and as I understand

it, as my right honourable friend

the Justice Secretary said

yesterday, he expects this report on

HMP Liverpool to be published early

in the next year. A number of

actions have been taken as I

understand it, including changes to

prison management. Overall we are

increasing front line staff in

prisons by putting money into that

and we are increasing the support

available to vulnerable offenders

especially during the first 24 hours

of custody. We have also requested

more mental health training from

prison officers. But the Justice

Secretary will look carefully at

this report when it is published.

I'm sorry if I was keeping the

honourable gentleman waked Ory had

some other pressing business -- if I

was keeping him awake or he had some

other pressing business.

Merry Christmas to you, Mr Speaker.

If the powers are used at all, could

the prime Minister assure the House

that this would only be used for the

maximum of a couple of months and no

longer because there is a concern

that it could be definitely extended

when we stay in the EU?

Could I thank my honourable friend

for seeking further clarification on

this particular point. Could I start

by saying, as I did to my honourable

friend the member for New Forest,

that actually, we are going to leave

on the 29th of March 2019. That is

what we are working to. But I do

want to ensure that we have the same

legal position as the EU and that is

why Amendment 400 tabled by my right

honourable friend the member for

West Dorset has been accepted. I can

assure my honourable friend that we

are talking, if it were the case,

that this would be used, that it

would only be used in extremely

exceptional circumstances and it

would be for the shortest possible

time. We are not talking about

extensions...

Order, order. We would

hear better if the prime is the face

of the House but we would also hear

better if members did not keep

wittering from a sedentary position.

New Year 's resolution, an end to

sedentary chuntering, with rain and

hollering.

The Prime Minister.

Mr Speaker, I

apologise for not facing the

opposition on this. I was hoping to

ensure that my honourable friend

actually heard the response was

giving. We are talking about the

shortest possible time should it be

used, but I am clear that we are

leaving the EU on 29th of March

2019.

Last Friday, Jo Cox's sister Kim,

the honourable member for South

Ribble and I published the Jo Cox

loneliness manifesto. Would the

Prime Minister join us in urging

everybody over Christmas to look out

for neighbours, family and friends

who are struggling with the pain of

loneliness, and with the Government

play its part by publishing a

strategy for loneliness and

responding fully early in the New

Year for our recommendations?

Can I say to the honourable lady, I

know she has worked extremely hard

on this issue, as well as for the --

with the member for South Ribble,

and I'm sure we're getting more

awareness about the impact of

loneliness on people, and I think

we'll recognise that social

isolation is an issue. It is of

importance to government and we're

looking at a number of things we can

do in reducing loneliness. But it is

not just what government can do, it

is about what communities can do,

what neighbours can do, and I'm

pleased to say that in my

constituency in Maidenhead. The

churches are my constituency bring

together elderly people who would be

on their own for a community lunch.

It is a small example of what we can

do to overcome the problem of

loneliness.

It is rare welcome that

the Prime Minister is taking charge