:00:00. > :00:00.outstanding university, I share the honourablegentleman's concerns and
:00:00. > :00:00.the Scottish Government could do a great deal of learning from the
:00:07. > :00:19.English universities. Questions to the Prime Minister.
:00:20. > :00:26.I know the whole house will join me in paying tribute to those who have
:00:27. > :00:31.fallen serving our country. They gave their lives so we could live
:00:32. > :00:34.hours in freedom. It is right to reflect on Armistice Day and a
:00:35. > :00:37.contribution to all of those who have served our country. This
:00:38. > :00:41.morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others
:00:42. > :00:47.and in addition to my duties in this House I shall have further meetings
:00:48. > :00:53.today. I would like to associate myself with the comments from the
:00:54. > :00:58.Prime Minister. I look forward to joining the Armistice Day parade in
:00:59. > :01:01.my constituency. It has grown to the largest in Britain. Speaking to
:01:02. > :01:08.constituents in Warwickshire, the Government commitment of 2% GDP
:01:09. > :01:12.spending was very welcome. Given volatile state of many parts of the
:01:13. > :01:16.world, it is more important than ever that we maintain that
:01:17. > :01:25.commitment and give rage chew support, resources and commitment
:01:26. > :01:33.available. -- give our brave troops. We live in an uncertain world. The
:01:34. > :01:37.2% on defence spending and .7% on aid spending helping our security as
:01:38. > :01:42.well as making sure we are a generous and moral nation and having
:01:43. > :01:52.the ultimate insurance policy of a replacement for Trident submarines.
:01:53. > :02:04.Jeremy Corbyn... Thank you, Mr Speaker. I concur with the Prime
:02:05. > :02:06.Minister's marks concerning remembrance -- Sunday and
:02:07. > :02:11.remembrance weekend. We mourn all of those who die in all wars and
:02:12. > :02:16.resolved to build a peaceful future where the next generation does not
:02:17. > :02:20.suffer from billboards of past generations. Last week, I asked the
:02:21. > :02:24.Prime Minister the same question six times and he could not answer. He
:02:25. > :02:31.has had the week to think about it. I want to ask him one more time...
:02:32. > :02:36.Can he guarantee that next April nobody is going to be worse off as a
:02:37. > :02:42.result of cuts to working tax credits? Let me be absolutely clear
:02:43. > :02:46.with the honourable gentleman. What I can guarantee next April as there
:02:47. > :02:56.will be an 11,000 passenger allowance, so you can earn 11,000
:02:57. > :03:01.before paying tax. There will be a national living wage of ?7 20,
:03:02. > :03:06.giving the lowest paid in our country a ?20 pay rise. On the issue
:03:07. > :03:10.of tax credits, we suffered the defeat in the House of Lords. We
:03:11. > :03:15.suffered the defeat in the House of Lords. With new proposals in the
:03:16. > :03:20.Autumn Statement. At that point, in exactly three weeks' time, I will be
:03:21. > :03:23.able to answer his question. Now, if he wants to spend the next five
:03:24. > :03:31.questions asking it all over again, I am sure he will find it is very
:03:32. > :03:38.entertaining and interesting. How it fits with the new politics, I am not
:03:39. > :03:39.quite sure. Over to you. This is not about entertainment. This is
:03:40. > :03:51.about... This is not funny for people who are
:03:52. > :03:55.desperately worried about what is going to happen next April. If the
:03:56. > :04:03.Prime Minister will not listen to the questions I put, will not listen
:04:04. > :04:07.to the questions that are put by the public, then perhaps the Prime
:04:08. > :04:12.Minister will listen to a question that was raised by his honourable
:04:13. > :04:17.friend, the member for Brigg and Goole, who last week concerning tax
:04:18. > :04:23.credit changes said, the changes cannot go ahead next April and that
:04:24. > :04:28.any mitigation should be for mitigation. What is the Prime
:04:29. > :04:36.Minister's answer to his friend? Very much the same answer that I
:04:37. > :04:39.gave to him. In three weeks' time, we will announce our proposals and
:04:40. > :04:45.he will be able to see what we will do to deliver the high pay, low tax,
:04:46. > :04:50.lower welfare economy we want to see. That is what we need in our
:04:51. > :04:55.country. We are cutting taxes and increasing pay but we also believe
:04:56. > :04:59.it is right to reform welfare. He will have his answer in three weeks'
:05:00. > :05:04.time. Meantime, he had to think about this but if we do not reform
:05:05. > :05:09.welfare, how will we find the police service we are talking about today?
:05:10. > :05:16.How will we find the health service we could be talking about today? How
:05:17. > :05:19.will we paid for the defence forces we are talking about today? The
:05:20. > :05:24.honourable gentleman has been consistent. He has opposed every
:05:25. > :05:29.reform to welfare that has ever come forward. If we listened to him, we
:05:30. > :05:33.would still have families in London getting ?100,000 a year in housing
:05:34. > :05:41.benefit. The answer to the question is, you will find out in three
:05:42. > :05:44.weeks' time. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The reality is that the Prime
:05:45. > :05:49.Minister makes choices and he has made a choice concerning working tax
:05:50. > :05:54.credits that has not worked very well so far. But he must be
:05:55. > :05:58.aware... I give an example. A serving soldier, a private in the
:05:59. > :06:00.Army with two children and a partner would lose over ?2000 next April. I
:06:01. > :06:20.asked the question... The questions will be heard. And the
:06:21. > :06:27.answers will be heard. Simple as that. Mr Jeremy Corbyn... Thank you,
:06:28. > :06:30.Mr Speaker. Surely that is the whole point of our parliament, that we're
:06:31. > :06:43.able to put questions to those authority. And so, I have a
:06:44. > :06:48.question... I have a question from Kieron, a veteran of the first Gulf
:06:49. > :06:52.War. His family are set to lose out. He rides it is a worry for the
:06:53. > :06:57.family. There is fear and trepidation about whether we will be
:06:58. > :07:02.able to get by. Is this how the Government complete -- treats
:07:03. > :07:07.veterans of the armed services? Let me take the case of the serving
:07:08. > :07:10.soldier. Many soldiers, indeed all soldiers, will benefit from the
:07:11. > :07:14.?11,000 personal allowance that comes in next year. That means they
:07:15. > :07:18.will be able to earn more money before they even start to pay
:07:19. > :07:22.taxes. Serving soldiers with children will benefit from the 30
:07:23. > :07:26.hours of childcare. Of course, serving soldiers and others will be
:07:27. > :07:30.able to see our proposals on tax credits in exactly three weeks'
:07:31. > :07:39.time. What I would say to the serving soldier is that he is now
:07:40. > :07:42.dealing with an opposition party, the leader of which, said he could
:07:43. > :07:44.not see any use for UK forces anywhere in the world at any time.
:07:45. > :07:46.That serving soldier would not have a job if the honourable gentleman
:07:47. > :08:02.got anywhere near power. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can I invite
:08:03. > :08:07.the Prime Minister to cast his mind to another area of public service
:08:08. > :08:12.that is causing acute concern at the present time? I know he is trying to
:08:13. > :08:17.dig himself out of the hole with the junior doctors offer this morning
:08:18. > :08:23.which you await the detail. There is a question I want to put to him. I
:08:24. > :08:28.quote Doctor Cliff man, the president of the Royal College of
:08:29. > :08:32.emergency medicine. He said that this winter will be worse than last
:08:33. > :08:38.winter. Last winter was the worst winter we have ever had in the NHS.
:08:39. > :08:47.Can the Prime Minister guarantee there will be no winter crisis in
:08:48. > :08:50.the NHS this year? First of all, when it comes to the Royal College
:08:51. > :08:55.of emergency medicine, they actually support what we are saying about a
:08:56. > :09:01.seven-day NHS and the junior doctors contract. He says, wait for the
:09:02. > :09:05.detail. I would urge anyone in this House and all junior doctors who are
:09:06. > :09:08.watching to go on to the Department of Health website and look at the
:09:09. > :09:12.pay calculator. You will be able to see that no 1 working legal hours
:09:13. > :09:23.will lose out in any way at all. It is an 11% basic pay rise. Deliver is
:09:24. > :09:25.the stronger and safer NHS. As for the state of our NHS more generally,
:09:26. > :09:30.it is benefiting from ?10 billion that we put in the money that the
:09:31. > :09:34.Labour Party at last election said they did not support. I believe the
:09:35. > :09:38.NHS has the resources that it needs. That is why we are seeing it
:09:39. > :09:42.treating more patients with more treatments, more drugs being
:09:43. > :09:47.delivered, more tests being carried out. It is a much stronger NHS and
:09:48. > :09:56.the reason is simple. We have a strong economy supporting our strong
:09:57. > :10:01.NHS. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I note that the Prime Minister has not
:10:02. > :10:04.offered any comment whatsoever about the Windsor crisis -- the winter
:10:05. > :10:12.crisis of last year and what will happen this year.
:10:13. > :10:31.Mr Speaker... Order, order! The leader of the position is entitled
:10:32. > :10:35.to ask questions without a barrage of noise. The Prime Minister is
:10:36. > :10:41.entitled to answer questions without a barrage of noise. That is what the
:10:42. > :10:47.public is entitled to expect. Mr Jeremy Corbyn... If the Prime
:10:48. > :10:53.Minister will not answer questions that I'd put, then I quote to him,
:10:54. > :10:59.the renowned King's Fund, which has enormous expertise in NHS funding
:11:00. > :11:03.and NHS Administration, and I quote, the national health service cannot
:11:04. > :11:09.continue to maintain standards of care and balance the books. A rapid
:11:10. > :11:13.and serious decline in patient care is inevitable unless something is
:11:14. > :11:21.done. Could I ask the Prime Minister, which is rising faster?
:11:22. > :11:25.NHS waiting lists or NHS deficits? Let me deal directly with the Kings
:11:26. > :11:30.fund. What we have done on this side of the house is the point in new
:11:31. > :11:33.chief executive to the NHS, Mr Simon Stephens where he worked under the
:11:34. > :11:37.last Labour government and did a very good job for them. He produced
:11:38. > :11:41.the Stevens plan which he said required ?8 billion of government
:11:42. > :11:44.funding. We are putting in ?10 billion behind that plan. That is
:11:45. > :11:52.the plan we are producing. The results you can see, we have 1.3
:11:53. > :11:55.million more operations, 7.8 million more outpatient appointments and 4.7
:11:56. > :12:00.million more diagnostic tests. What is going up in the NHS is a number
:12:01. > :12:03.of treatments, the number of successful outcomes. He wants to
:12:04. > :12:08.know who is heading for a winter crisis. I would predict it is the
:12:09. > :12:13.Labour Party that is heading for a winter crisis. Look at his
:12:14. > :12:19.appointments! His media adviser is a Stalinist. His new policy advisor is
:12:20. > :12:22.a Trotskyist and his economic adviser is a Communist was the
:12:23. > :12:29.busiest trying to move the Labour Party to the left, I give him full
:12:30. > :12:36.marks. -- a Communist. If he is trying to move the Labour Party to
:12:37. > :12:40.the left, I give him full marks. Mr Speaker, the issue I raised with the
:12:41. > :12:44.Prime Minister was the national health service. In case he had
:12:45. > :12:49.forgotten. I would like to remind him that since he took office in
:12:50. > :12:57.2010, the English waiting list is up by a third. There are now 3.5
:12:58. > :13:05.million people, 3.5 million people waiting for treatment in the NHS. If
:13:06. > :13:12.his party cannot match its actions by its words, then I put this to
:13:13. > :13:17.him. Will he just get rid? The NHS is in a problem. It is in a problem
:13:18. > :13:22.of deficit in many hospitals, a problem of waiting lists, a problem
:13:23. > :13:26.of the financial crisis that has been faced with so many others. Can
:13:27. > :13:29.he now addressed that issue and ensure that everyone in this
:13:30. > :13:32.can rely on the NHS which is surely can rely on the NHS which is surely
:13:33. > :13:45.the jewel in all of our crowns? Since I became premise, let me tell
:13:46. > :13:52.him what has happened since then. The number of doctors up by 10,500,
:13:53. > :13:59.the number of nurses up by 5800, fewer patients waiting to start
:14:00. > :14:04.treatment than under Labour, we have seen mixed sex wards virtually
:14:05. > :14:09.abolished and seen rates of hospital infection plummet. It's happened for
:14:10. > :14:13.a reason. Because we've had a strong economy and some of the strongest
:14:14. > :14:17.growth anywhere in the world, because we have unemployment
:14:18. > :14:21.falling, inflation on the floor, we are able to fund an NHS whereas the
:14:22. > :14:26.countries that he admires all over the world with their crazy socialist
:14:27. > :14:33.plans cut their health service and that the people who need their help
:14:34. > :14:41.the most! -- they hurt the people who need their help the most. The
:14:42. > :14:48.UK's Internet economy is much the largest of the T20 nations at 12.4%
:14:49. > :14:52.of GDP but as consumers move online soda criminals. Does the Prime
:14:53. > :14:55.Minister agree that the Investigatory Powers Bill must give
:14:56. > :14:59.our security services the powers they need to keep us safe, whilst
:15:00. > :15:05.ensuring that proper controls exist on how we use those powers? My
:15:06. > :15:09.honourable friend is absolutely right to raise this. It is one of
:15:10. > :15:14.the most important bills that this House were discussed. It is going
:15:15. > :15:17.through pre-legislative scrutiny. The Home Secretary today will set
:15:18. > :15:23.out very clearly what this bill is about and why it is necessary. Let
:15:24. > :15:27.me make one some ballpoint. Communications data, the who called
:15:28. > :15:31.who and when of Telecom allegations has been absolutely vital in
:15:32. > :15:36.catching rapists, child abductors and solving other crimes. The
:15:37. > :15:49.question before us is, do we need that data when people are using
:15:50. > :15:51.social media to commit those crimes rather than a mobile phone. My
:15:52. > :15:53.answer is yes, we must help the police and our security and
:15:54. > :15:58.intelligence services to keep us safe. Mr Angus Robertson. Think you,
:15:59. > :16:03.Mr Speaker. This week when remember all the sacrifices from past and
:16:04. > :16:06.present conflicts and show respect to veterans and service families.
:16:07. > :16:10.Does the Prime Minister agree that everything must be done to deliver
:16:11. > :16:19.on the military covenant, of the spirit and the letter? I agree with
:16:20. > :16:21.both parts of the question, these remembrance services are important
:16:22. > :16:25.up and down the country and the military covenant is one of the most
:16:26. > :16:29.important things we have where we make a promise to our military that
:16:30. > :16:33.because of the sacrifices they make on our behalf, they should not have
:16:34. > :16:37.less good treatment than other good people in this country, and indeed
:16:38. > :16:40.where we can we should provide extra support. This is the first
:16:41. > :16:45.government to put the military government properly into law --
:16:46. > :16:49.military covenant and every year to improve it whether by hospital
:16:50. > :16:56.treatment, free transport, council tax discount, and so many other
:16:57. > :17:00.things, and we report on it every. Mr Angus Robertson. Is the Prime
:17:01. > :17:05.Minister aware that many service widows continue to be deprived of
:17:06. > :17:08.their forces pensions if there is a change in their personal
:17:09. > :17:11.circumstances? Does he agree that this is a clear breach in the spirit
:17:12. > :17:19.of the military covenant and what will he do to rectify this wrong? We
:17:20. > :17:23.made a big change, last, I think, around Armistice Day, to make sure
:17:24. > :17:27.that many people to Schmeichel last year, to make sure that people who
:17:28. > :17:32.had remarried could get pensions. The big step forward welcomed by
:17:33. > :17:36.British Legion. If we need to take further steps I am very happy to
:17:37. > :17:40.look at them and see what be done. I remember that in the last budget we
:17:41. > :17:45.looked at the case of police widows and tried to put right their
:17:46. > :17:54.situation as well. Doctor James Davis. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will a
:17:55. > :17:58.Prime Minister joined me in congratulating Prestatyn, which is a
:17:59. > :18:03.finalist in the great British high street awards? And will he confirm
:18:04. > :18:09.whether the UK's government will hold discussions with the Welsh
:18:10. > :18:13.assembly have and which is about the division of business rates councils
:18:14. > :18:17.to Wales so that other times in my constituency have a better
:18:18. > :18:23.opportunity to regenerate? -- other towns. I do join him in
:18:24. > :18:27.congratulating Prestatyn. I don't know if it is in the same category
:18:28. > :18:31.as my hometown of Chipping Norton which has also been nominated so I
:18:32. > :18:37.might have a conflict of interest. What I would say is, in Wales,
:18:38. > :18:40.business rates is a devolved issue but it's open to the Welsh
:18:41. > :18:45.government, should they choose to take our approach of devolving that
:18:46. > :18:48.business rate income directly to local councils so that local
:18:49. > :18:51.councils have a better connection between the money they raise and the
:18:52. > :18:58.decisions they make to attract business investment and industry to
:18:59. > :19:03.their area. I went to Cheltenham ladies College and the Prime
:19:04. > :19:07.Minister went to Eton. Both schools which invest heavily in excellent
:19:08. > :19:12.teaching and facilities for music, dance, arts and drama. Yet while
:19:13. > :19:18.he's been Prime Minister, the schools which educate 92% of our
:19:19. > :19:22.pupils have cut teachers in those subjects. Will his legacy be that
:19:23. > :19:29.Britain stopped being a world leader in creative and cultural industries
:19:30. > :19:33.and becomes an also-ran? I do not accept that. And if you look at
:19:34. > :19:37.school funding, it has been protected under this government and
:19:38. > :19:41.we want to continue protecting it. What I will make no apology for is
:19:42. > :19:45.the clear focus we have on getting the basics right in schools. It's
:19:46. > :19:52.absolutely essential that we get more children learning the basic
:19:53. > :19:55.subjects and getting basic qualifications. And then on top of
:19:56. > :19:59.that it is more possible to put in place the arts, dance and drama that
:20:00. > :20:06.I want my children to have as they go to their schools. Damian Collins.
:20:07. > :20:11.The Channel Tunnel and the Port of Dover are major pieces of lateral
:20:12. > :20:14.infrastructure but when there are disruptions to services it causes
:20:15. > :20:18.chaos on the roads of Kent. As the government computers work on the
:20:19. > :20:23.spending review will the Prime Minister gives special consideration
:20:24. > :20:27.to the need for an urgent long-term solution to Operation Stack? I
:20:28. > :20:31.absolutely recognise the serious problems caused to Kent residents
:20:32. > :20:35.and businesses when it was necessary to put into place Operation Stack.
:20:36. > :20:39.We've ready and permitted short-term measures to reduce the impact
:20:40. > :20:43.including the temporary availability of one every and is contingency
:20:44. > :20:47.measure. I know he met with the Chancellor and other Kent MPs and
:20:48. > :20:52.we're happy to build on this work. I understand the pressures and we will
:20:53. > :20:55.do all we to relieve them. May I associate myself with the comments
:20:56. > :20:59.the Prime Minister made about what will happen this weekend and also
:21:00. > :21:03.his comments he made to the leader of the SNP. God I raised the issue
:21:04. > :21:11.about the fact that thousands of people who served in the royal navy
:21:12. > :21:18.before 1987 are not entitled to full compensation, this means that people
:21:19. > :21:23.who have been exposed to disease stand to lose out massively compared
:21:24. > :21:28.with people in civilian life to the extent that some idiot who's been
:21:29. > :21:32.exposed in industry could get ?150,000 in compensation, and it is
:21:33. > :21:39.probable that a service person will only get ?31,000. This is clearly a
:21:40. > :21:46.moral outrage as well as being in breach... I am grateful to the
:21:47. > :21:50.honourable gentleman for raising this issue. I understand the Defence
:21:51. > :21:52.Secretary is looking at it. Since putting in place the military
:21:53. > :21:57.covenant with tried every year to make progress, whether to do with
:21:58. > :22:00.widows or with different groups disadvantaged in some way. I am
:22:01. > :22:10.happy to look at the points he makes. Thank you, Mr Speaker. At the
:22:11. > :22:14.Royal Society, they've identified the need for 1 million scientists,
:22:15. > :22:20.engineers and technical professionals by 2020. One way to
:22:21. > :22:22.bridge the skills grab is an increase in high quality
:22:23. > :22:27.apprenticeships like the ones in Basildon. -- the skills gap. Yet for
:22:28. > :22:32.every one place available 20 people apply. Will my right honourable
:22:33. > :22:37.friend redouble his efforts to meet our commitment to 2 million new
:22:38. > :22:41.apprenticeships? This target is essential and I believe we can
:22:42. > :22:44.achieve it. Going back to questions from the Honourable member for
:22:45. > :22:48.Slough one way will achieve it is by making sure that more young people
:22:49. > :22:52.have the qualifications necessary to apply for an apprenticeship will
:22:53. > :22:57.stop many firms find that a lot of people apply but when you look at
:22:58. > :23:00.the people who don't have a qualification in English and maths
:23:01. > :23:05.and becomes down. I'm delighted to announce that in terms of advice and
:23:06. > :23:10.apprenticeships, to make sure we work with businesses to get this
:23:11. > :23:14.target, the Right Honourable member for structure and maven is going to
:23:15. > :23:18.take the place of the Right Honourable member for Watford who is
:23:19. > :23:20.moved on to other things -- the Right Honourable member for
:23:21. > :23:26.Stratford-upon-Avon. He is going to help me make sure we deliver on
:23:27. > :23:29.this. My constituents in Blackpool face a 11 me on police cuts from the
:23:30. > :23:36.spending review and the new Home Office formula which tops ?45
:23:37. > :23:40.million of Lancashire Police. I ask him whether a cross-party letter
:23:41. > :23:43.from the MPs of like a ship, one from my neighbourhood watch group,
:23:44. > :23:48.one from other commissions, mostly Tories, and the Chief Constable, all
:23:49. > :23:54.saying that the process is flawed, how many blue lights must he have
:23:55. > :23:59.before we had meltdown? Let me say, the reforms to the police funding
:24:00. > :24:04.formula is a consultation on which no decisions have been taken. Mayo
:24:05. > :24:09.congratulate the luxuries to him because crime is down in Blackpool
:24:10. > :24:13.by 5% -- May I congratulate the like should police. Funding for the
:24:14. > :24:23.Lancashire Police is the same in cash terms as 2003. Her Majesty's
:24:24. > :24:26.Inspectorate of Constabulary found that Lancashire Constabulary is
:24:27. > :24:31.exceptionally well prepared to face its future financial requirements.
:24:32. > :24:35.That is the view of HMI sea. In a country where crime however you
:24:36. > :24:41.measure it has fallen significantly since this government took office.
:24:42. > :24:49.Annemarie Trevelyan. Thank you, Mr Speaker. My constituent, one of the
:24:50. > :24:52.UK's leading burns specialists went on Monday to Bucharest to help
:24:53. > :24:56.Romanian medical teams dealing with the nightclub fire. I understand
:24:57. > :25:03.that there are 150 patients in need of critical care and only 25 beds in
:25:04. > :25:05.big rest. She has asked if the Prime Minister will consider offering
:25:06. > :25:09.practical medical assistance to these victims by allowing the use of
:25:10. > :25:14.UK burns facilities for their treatment. I think my honourable
:25:15. > :25:18.friend is right to raise this tragic event that happened in big rest last
:25:19. > :25:22.Friday. All our thoughts are with the victims and their families. I'm
:25:23. > :25:25.pleased to hear about the visit of this doctor and herself was work.
:25:26. > :25:29.It's a very good suggestion to look that if we can offer specialist help
:25:30. > :25:34.and I will take it away and see what can be done. The Prime Minister will
:25:35. > :25:39.understand the heartbreak at the death of a child. For parents not to
:25:40. > :25:46.know what has happened to the ashes of that child, as is the case with
:25:47. > :25:50.Mike and Tina troll hill in Hull and other families around the country
:25:51. > :25:54.must be very cruel. Will the Prime Minister agree to meet Mike and Tina
:25:55. > :26:00.to discuss why we need national and local inquiry as to what happened in
:26:01. > :26:03.that case around baby ashes? Paige are completely understand how her
:26:04. > :26:07.constituents feel. This must have been an absolutely tragic event,
:26:08. > :26:11.made worse by not knowing what has happened to their child. I am very
:26:12. > :26:13.happy to arrange that meeting. I am not aware of this case. Let me look
:26:14. > :26:25.at it and see what I can do. I was delighted that the Chancellor
:26:26. > :26:29.chose our county city of York to launch the new national
:26:30. > :26:33.infrastructure commission. Could the Prime Minister confirm that this is
:26:34. > :26:36.the start of a new era where important investment decisions like
:26:37. > :26:42.roads and railways between the cities of the North will help to
:26:43. > :26:46.bring growth to our region? My friend Mike is right to raise this.
:26:47. > :26:51.People in Yorkshire have long felt that there has not been a fair in a
:26:52. > :26:56.deal in terms of transport funding on roads and rail. And I think that
:26:57. > :27:01.people can now see that ?13 billion is being spent on transport in the
:27:02. > :27:05.North as part of our plan to rebalance the British economy. We've
:27:06. > :27:10.committed more than 4.8 ?3 on road improvements and we are still
:27:11. > :27:14.improving the a 64, vital for York, and we will look at what more we can
:27:15. > :27:21.do to make sure this vital part of the economy has the transport links
:27:22. > :27:26.it needs. John Nicholson. Thank you, Mr Speaker, on the ninth these
:27:27. > :27:29.extreme state for culture media and sport told the select committee that
:27:30. > :27:36.there were no plans to sell Channel 4. -- the Secretary of State said
:27:37. > :27:42.that. Can the Prime Minister confirm that that is the government 's
:27:43. > :27:48.position that there are no initiatives underway to privatise
:27:49. > :27:53.this important and much loved public institution. I'm a big fan of
:27:54. > :27:56.Channel 4, it was a great Conservative innovation. A
:27:57. > :28:00.combination of fully why slow and Margaret Thatcher that helped to
:28:01. > :28:05.bring Channel 4 to our screens. -- Willie Whitelaw and Margaret
:28:06. > :28:10.Thatcher. I'm a big fan. I wanted to have a strong, secure future. I
:28:11. > :28:13.think it's right to look at all the options to see of private investment
:28:14. > :28:18.into the channel could help to safeguard and the future. Let's look
:28:19. > :28:23.at the options. Let's not our minds, like some on the opposition front
:28:24. > :28:27.bench, let's not close our minds, they think that private is bad and
:28:28. > :28:31.public is good. Let's have a proper look at how to make sure this great
:28:32. > :28:41.channel goes on being great for years to come. Thank you, Mr
:28:42. > :28:45.Speaker. Everyone who has had any contact with the adoption process
:28:46. > :28:48.will be familiar with the frustration that are necessary
:28:49. > :28:52.delays can cause to prospective parents. Would the Prime Minister
:28:53. > :28:57.take action to speed up the adoption process so that more children can be
:28:58. > :29:05.placed with the right families more quickly? Benchmark my friend Mike is
:29:06. > :29:08.right to raise this. We've seen a 72% increase in the number of Jordan
:29:09. > :29:13.adopted and the waiting time on average has fallen by five months.
:29:14. > :29:19.-- children adopted. Toulon, yet if you look across the 150 councils
:29:20. > :29:23.responsible, 68 of them have no mechanisms for early placement,
:29:24. > :29:28.where you run fostering and adoption alongside each other. If we could
:29:29. > :29:31.introduce that, not least to our regional adoption agencies that will
:29:32. > :29:39.establish, many more children will get the warm and loving home we want
:29:40. > :29:44.for them. On Armistice Day will the prime ministers that thought for the
:29:45. > :29:51.633 of our bravest and best who died as a result of two political
:29:52. > :29:58.mistakes. 179 in pursuit of non-existent weapons of mass
:29:59. > :30:02.destruction in Iraq and 454 who died in the Helmand province inclusion
:30:03. > :30:11.that promised that no shot will be fired. Will he rethink his own plan
:30:12. > :30:19.to order more of our brave soldiers to put their lives on the line in
:30:20. > :30:25.the chaos and confusion of a 4-sided civil war in Syria? I have great
:30:26. > :30:30.respect for the honourable gentleman but with great respect, on Armistice
:30:31. > :30:33.Day we should put aside political questions about conflicts and
:30:34. > :30:38.decisions made, and simply remember the men and women who put on a
:30:39. > :30:41.uniform, went and served and risked their lives on our behalf. Let's
:30:42. > :30:51.make Armistice Day about that, not about other questions. Thank you, Mr
:30:52. > :30:58.Speaker. The last week has been a very good one for Cornwall airport
:30:59. > :31:02.in Newquay with the scrapping of the development fee which was an
:31:03. > :31:06.additional tax on passages and a barrier to growth, the enactment of
:31:07. > :31:11.new air links that link Cornwall to mainland Europe, and the upgrading
:31:12. > :31:16.of the Gatwick limp with the support of the PSL. Will the Prime Minister
:31:17. > :31:23.join me in congratulating the team at Newquay airport for their work in
:31:24. > :31:28.supporting the Cornish economy? I am a huge fan of Newquay airport and a
:31:29. > :31:32.frequent user. The government made a series of promises about helping the
:31:33. > :31:35.airport to make sure that vital connectivity between Cornwall and
:31:36. > :31:44.the rest of the country and continental Europe is there and I am
:31:45. > :31:49.delighted it's so well. Norman Lamb. Can I thank the Prime Minister for
:31:50. > :31:56.his welcome... Order! I want to share this question. Mr Lamb? Davey
:31:57. > :31:59.Mac can I thank the Prime Minister for his welcome for the campaign
:32:00. > :32:04.launched this week where 200 leaders from across society joined the Right
:32:05. > :32:09.Honourable member for Sutton Coldfield, Alistair Campbell, and
:32:10. > :32:12.me, in calling for equality for those suffering from mental
:32:13. > :32:15.ill-health. The truth is that those who suffer in this way don't have
:32:16. > :32:21.the same rights to access treatment as others enjoy in the NHS. The
:32:22. > :32:24.moral and economic case for ending this historic injustice is
:32:25. > :32:29.overwhelming. Will the Prime Minister do what it takes to make
:32:30. > :32:31.sure that this spending review delivers the investment, the extra
:32:32. > :32:37.investment in mental health to deliver genuine equality? Let me say
:32:38. > :32:41.to the honourable gentleman, who did a lot of work on this in the last
:32:42. > :32:46.Parliament, I very much welcome the campaign and what they want to
:32:47. > :32:48.achieve. We set out in the NHS Constitution parity between mental
:32:49. > :32:53.and physical health and we have taken steps towards that for example
:32:54. > :32:56.by introducing the first time waiting times and proper targets for
:32:57. > :33:01.talking therapies. There are now twice as many people undergoing
:33:02. > :33:05.those that abuse as there were five years ago. I completely accept that
:33:06. > :33:08.there is more to do in healing this divide between mental and physical
:33:09. > :33:17.health and this government is committed to doing so. Andrew
:33:18. > :33:21.Mitchell. Following up the question from the gentleman from Norfolk
:33:22. > :33:24.North, I want to emphasise that this is an all-party campaign. Does he
:33:25. > :33:29.agree that there's now a real opportunity to build on the work for
:33:30. > :33:36.the coalition of the coalition with widespread support across all parts
:33:37. > :33:38.of society, and end historic injustice between the treatment of
:33:39. > :33:45.mental health and the physical illness. My honourable friend is
:33:46. > :33:50.absolutely right. We are investing more in mental health than ever. We
:33:51. > :33:52.will spend in 11.4 billion in this financial year and crucially we have
:33:53. > :33:57.asked every clinical commissioning group to make sure real terms
:33:58. > :34:01.increases in their investment in mental health services so it can't
:34:02. > :34:05.be treated as the Cinderella service that has sometimes been the case in
:34:06. > :34:10.the past. If we do that, and also deal with some of the other issues
:34:11. > :34:13.like mental health patients being held in police cells, we can have a
:34:14. > :34:25.far better system for dealing with mental health in this country. Thank
:34:26. > :34:28.you Mr Speaker. After the announcement of job losses in
:34:29. > :34:33.Northern Ireland, one factor has been high energy costs, will the
:34:34. > :34:35.Prime Minister work with the Northern Ireland energy initiative
:34:36. > :34:40.to address these issues as a matter of urgency. For people who are
:34:41. > :34:43.currently in work in Northern Ireland and are very worried about
:34:44. > :34:47.the impact of cutting working tax credits. Given that the Prime
:34:48. > :34:52.Minister and the Chancellor are in the same mode and showing a
:34:53. > :34:55.surprising degree of flexibility across a range of issues recently
:34:56. > :34:58.will he refers the first of the policy and remove the threat against
:34:59. > :35:04.working families in Northern Ireland and across the country? First of
:35:05. > :35:08.all, on the issue of industries, if a company horrifies as part of the
:35:09. > :35:19.energy intensive industries, it will see a reduction in its bill,, and
:35:20. > :35:23.the second point I would make to Northern Ireland is that we have
:35:24. > :35:25.passed in this House historic legislation to allow Northern
:35:26. > :35:28.Ireland to set its own rate of corporation tax and the sooner we
:35:29. > :35:32.can put together all the elements of the Stormont has agreement, the
:35:33. > :35:36.sooner Northern Ireland will be able to take action to build a stronger
:35:37. > :35:40.private sector in Northern Ireland which is what I want to see. On the
:35:41. > :35:45.issue of tax credits, I give the same answer. He will know in three
:35:46. > :35:48.weeks. He also knows that people working in that business or in
:35:49. > :35:52.others will be able to an ?11,000 before they pay taxes, get more help
:35:53. > :36:01.with childcare and have a higher wage. We will keep welfare costs
:36:02. > :36:20.under control so that we can build great public services.