09/12/2015 Prime Minister's Questions

that is the huge apprenticeship scheme that now allows people and

encourages people from all backgrounds to have a successful

career in the civil servants. Questions to the Prime Minister

Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Prime Minister is in Poland and

Romania and I have been askdd to reply. This morning I had mdetings

with ministerial colleagues and others and inhibition to my duties

in this house I will have other such meetings later today. As Christmas

draws closer the Chancellor will now that people are having diffhculty

making ends meet. You will not experience a lot of goodwill in the

series -- season of goodwill. They help to 24,000 loan sh`rk

victims to get debts written off. Will he have a word with his

Business Secretary who seems to refusing to answer questions on the

Daily Mirror on this question. We take very seriously illegal loan

sharks and excessive interest charges on payday lending which is

why the Tories introduced a cap on payday lending. On the question of

funding for illegal money-l`undering and loan shark teams, we ard looking

at a levy on the industry to meet funding requirements. Can you give

an update on action against jacquard -ists who not only attack Mtslims

but almost or so pillage mosques. Along side protecting culture and

heritage, can we ratify the Hague commission? Thank you for r`ising

this important issue and let me update the house on militarx action.

16 aircraft are conducting strikes as well as drones. There ard 11

missions and there were four strikes against oil fields and we are

supporting Iraqi security sdrvices, and the Foreign Secretary is going

to be in New York for talks on bringing an end to the horrdndous

conflict in Syria. Very specifically, on the damage being

done to the cultural artefacts of the area and we are providing ? 0

million as part of a cultur`l fund and I have discussed that whth the

director of the British Musdum. Ratifying the Hague Conventhon, that

is moving apace. Angela Eagle. CHEERING

Thank you, it is nice to get a warm welcome!

Our hearts go out to those suffering the consequences of severe flooding

in the north-west this week with thousands of businesses affdcted.

The priority has to be for the government to get immediate help to

all of them. One year on from the 20 13th-14th floods, only some have

received payment from the government scheme. Does the Chancellor agree

that this cannot possibly bd allowed to happen again, these people need

urgent help now? Will the Chancellor give a guarantee that peopld will

receive the help that they need and quickly? Let me welcome the

Honourable lady to her placd and the warm support she has on the other

side. Let me join her in expressing the sympathy of the whole House to

those who have been with by the terrible floods and the record

rainfall that has hit Cumbrha and Lancashire. The update is that we

have one severe flood warning in place, power has been restored to

168,000 homes, the West Coast Main Line is open, but we have to be

there for the long term. We support the immediate rescue efforts, the

military have been deployed. On recovery, I can now announcd a 50

million fund for families and businesses affected in the `rea

This will be administered bx the local authorities to avoid some of

the administrative problems she alluded to. When it comes to

rebuilding the Cumbria and Lancashire infrastructure, we are

assessing the damage to floods the fences and the damage to ro`ds and

funds will be made availabld. One of the benefits of the strong dconomy

is helping people in need. H thank the Chancellor for that answer but

you would not think from listening to him that he has got flood defence

spending by a this year. -- that he has cut. After visiting the floods

in the Somerset Levels in 2014, the Prime Minister told this Hotse that

money is no object in this relief effort and whatever money is needed

will be spent. I welcome thd announcement that the Chancdllor has

just made but will need factor will he confirm that the same will apply?

Absolutely money will be made available to those affected and to

the communities who have sedn their infrastructure damaged. ?5,000 will

be made available to individual families to repair their holes and

protect them against future flooding and we will provide money to

businesses who have seen thdir businesses ruins and there have been

heartbreaking stories that we have seen on TV about businesses that

have been affected as well, so that money is available. As I sax,

because we have a strong and resilient economy, we are increasing

the money we spend on flood defences, and it is just not the

case to say that that has bden reduced. Under the last Labour

government, they spent ?100 billion on flood defences. We are spending

?2 billion on flood defences and increasing maintenance spending --

?1 billion. It is precisely because we took the difficult decishons to

fix our economy. I thank thd Chancellor for that and we will hold

him to account on the promises he has made today. I note that the

government's own figures show that the capital investment in flood

defences will only protect one in eight of those households that are

at risk. Mr Speaker, I see that the Prime Minister cannot be with us to

answer questions today becatse he is visiting Poland and Romania on the

latest leg of his seemingly endless European renegotiation tour.

LAUGHTER He has been jetting all over the place.

No wonder he had to buy his own aeroplane! Can the Chancellor tell

us how it is all going? The good news is... Groaning. We havd a party

leader who is respected abroad. The Prime Minister is in central and

eastern Europe because we are fighting for a better deal for Great

Britain, something that would not have happened if there had been a

Labour government. Well, Mr Speaker, I have to tell him that manx of his

own backbenchers are pretty unimpressed with how it is going. Mr

Speaker, the honourable member for North East Somerset has described

the Prime Minister's renegotiation efforts is pretty thin gruel. One

honourable member has called them lame and trivial, and yesterday the

honourable member for Richmond Park told the press that they were not

all that impressive. Mr Spe`ker the Chancellor is well-known for his

backbenchers. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Can I ask

him the question his own side want answering? Given that the Prime

Minister has pre-resigns, does he really aspire to be written's first

post EU Prime Minister? -- written's -- Britain. Most opposition parties

are trying to get momentum, they are trying to get rid of it! We are

fighting for a good deal for Great Britain in Europe, we are fhghting

to make the European economx more competitive for everyone and

fighting for Great Britain getting a fair deal. That is what we `re

fighting for but in the end this will be something we put to the

people of Great Britain in ` referendum, and the only re`son that

referendum is happening at `ll is because the Conservative Party won

the general election. Mr Spdaker, the Chancellor is that of obsessing

about issues in the Labour Party should be condemning activities in

Conservative Future. I notice he did not answer the question abott his

own prime ministerial activhties, he might be worried about somebody a

few places down him on the bench, I am not sure. He is looking very

cross! It is Oliver! Oliver is coming back for more! Mr Spdaker,

she knows who she is. LAUGHTER

If he won't listen, if he won't listen to the doubts of his own

backbenchers, perhaps he will listen to someone who has written ht. I

have a letter here. Mr Speaker, it is from Donald of Brussels.

LAUGHTER And he writes, uncertainty `bout the

future of the UK and EU is ` destabilising factor. He is right,

isn't he? Well, since the Conservative Party announced its

policy on the referendum, wd have received the lion's share of

investment into Europe here in this country. We have built a strong

economy because we stand up for Great Britain's interests abroad. It

is a competitive place to btild and grow a business. There is someone

called Tony who has been wrhting today. He happens to be the most

successful Labour leader in history and he is describing the Labour

Party is a complete tragedy at the moment. Can she ask some serious

questions about the health service, the economy, social care? She can

ask any of these questions, she has one more question, let's he`r it. Mr

Speaker, I prefer this quotd from Tony. Just mouth the words. Five

more Tory years and you feel repulsed by what they have done to

our country. Mr Speaker, we all know that the Chancellor is so

preoccupied with his own le`dership ambitions that he forgot about the

day job, and that is why he ended up trying to slash working famhlies'

tax credits in the budget. Shouldn't he spends time focusing on the

national interest rather th`n his own interest? 3 million UK jobs are

linked to trade with the EU, half our exports go there, and that is

why they are putting it at risk by flirting with Brexit and th`t is why

we know on this side of the house that Britain is better off hn. I

thought the Labour Party voted for the referendum when it came before

the House of Commons. We ard fighting for a better deal for Great

Britain in Europe, and the truth is this. We have shown we have an

economic plan which is delivering for Great Britain, and whether it is

well funded flood defences of putting money into our national

health service, or backing our teachers in the schools, or

introducing a national living wage, we are delivering security for the

working people of Great Britain and their economic and national security

will be put at risk if the Labour Party got back into office.

I recently visited David Wilton Holmes apprentice workshop `nd saw

what the construction industry is doing to support apprenticeships in

Hampshire. Can he tell us what more schools can do to promote

apprenticeships as a viable alternative to post-16 studx? I

think my honourable friend raises an important point. Schools have a duty

to provide pupils on the range of training and education and hf

schools can tell their pupils about the increase in the number of

apprenticeship places we ard funding... There will be 3 lillion

apprentices in this Parliamdnt, a huge commitment to young people in

this country and a big commhtment to the construction industry. We want

homes to be built and a challenge is to get skilled people in thd

industry, something no doubt race by the business she spoke to. The

million will help. Occasion`lly highly toxic and dangerous laterials

are transported around the country. Is the public right to expect the

highest safety standards and cooperation between safety `gencies?

Absolutely, they are expectdd to have that cooperation. If hd is

talking about the transport`tion of nuclear materials from the fast Lane

base -- Faslane base, I met teams there. But if he has some thing else

to ask about go ahead. Therd are reports in the North of Scotland

about plans to transport dangerous material including potentially

nuclear weapons grade uranitm from a nuclear facility, on public roads to

Wick airport and it is belidved it will be flown to the United States.

What will this nuclear material used for and have any of his colleagues

or himself spoken to a minister in the Scottish Government abott this?

The transportation of nucle`r materials has happened across this

country over many decades. There are procedures for doing so. Thd Royal

Marines and police service hn Scotland provide security. Hf he has

specific concerns he wants to raise about the plans for the

transportation, he can raisd them with us. The arrangements are in

place to make sure we protect the public.

The Chancellor will know thd Prime Minister said in his recent

conference speech we have to get away from the lock them up or let

them out mentality when it comes to prison reform. Our prison sxstem

costs constituents of fortune. Would he agree the time for rehabhlitation

that works is now and we should not be afraid to look at other

jurisdictions to find new ideas to tackle an ongoing state failure I

think he is right to raise the question of is an reform. Pdople who

commit crime should go to prison but was and should be suitable to

rehabilitate prisoners. It hs our Victorian prisoners that ard not --

prisons that are not suitable and that is why we will knock them down

and build housing in cities which is desperately needed and build modern

prisons on the outskirts of inner cities and cities. I am protd a

Conservative government is taking on this progressive social reform. They

are a great British institution that earn billions for the econoly but

I'm sure he will share my concern two curry houses a week are closing

in this country due to government policies. The specialist propose

colleges have failed. As a fan himself, will he reviewed the

situation? He once likened the elements of a strong economx to that

of a good curry. Will he he`d of the curry crisis? We all enjoy ` great

British curry, but what we want is the curry chefs trained in Britain.

So we provide jobs for people in this country and that is wh`t our

immigration controls providd. He is well aware from my representations

of the need for a Southern relief road and bypass in Lincoln, delayed

by bureaucracy for almost 100 years. He is acquainted with the nded to

drive growth and economic well-being, utilising infrastructure

to field the Midlands engind. What would he say to constituents should

he visit the beautiful city of Lincoln other than any new road is

better. I congratulate him on securing extra funding for Lincoln

and ensuring a bypass will go ahead. I know he has concerns that the

bypass is not big enough and it needs to be a dual carriageway

bypass. What we need is to lake sure the local authorities agree with his

assessment and I am happy to help him in that task. Since his budget

in July I have asked time and again about how he intends to makd women

prove in order to qualify for tax credits. Will he admit that this

abhorrent policy is not workable and will he dropped the clause? It is

reasonable to have a system that is fair to those who need it and those

who pay for it, as well. We identified the specific casd she

identifies in her question `bout women who have been the victim of

domestic abuse or indeed rape, and that is why we are discussing

changes to protect those vulnerable women. Over 4000 apprentices are

being created in my constittency. Recently I met with a group of local

businesses to discuss skills and apprenticeships. Would he confirm

what the government is doing to help small businesses help peopld into

training and employment and to continue to secure the economy of

the Midlands engine? The grdat news is jobs are being created in the

Midlands engine and in her constituency and we are invdsting in

infrastructure there and also in the skills of the next generation with

the apprentices she talks about We are backing the small busindsses by

cutting corporation tax that small businesses pay and indeed increasing

the employment allowance so they can take on more people without paying

the job sacks. Medecins Sans Frontieres report that desphte

giving GPS coordinates, sevdral of the hospitals have been bombed by

particularly Assad forces, killing medics as well as patients. Can he

explain, with so many forces involved in air strikes, how the

government proposes to avoid this? Of course, there was the tr`gic

situation of the bombing of the hospital that she mentions `nd there

is a review going on to makd sure the coalition has got accur`te

information for strikes. Whdn it comes to Yemen, we are workhng with

the Saudi government to enstre they review this information and it is

accurate. As for the Syrian government and President Assad, we

have no control over them, which is one reason we would like to see a --

Assad go. In my constituencx new jobs, good news for a consthtuency

where unemployment has halvdd since 2010. Will he continue to vdst in

the solar region economy. -, to invest in the Solent region economy.

I am glad to hear about regdneration and it is part of good news in his

area where the claimant count is down 25% in the last year, thanks to

local businesses and to the work he has done as a new MP is attracting

investment into his constittency, and I am glad he likes the red book

of the government and does not have so much time for the little red book

brandished by those oppositd. During the Autumn Statement the Ch`ncellor

removed vital buses and support the student nurses. I have spokdn with

nurses and some of the studdnts and all have said they would not have

been able to have studied ntrsing without vital bursary support. What

will you say about those who might be prevented from pursuing their

dreams? Currently, we have ` situation where two thirds of the

people in England who applidd for nurse training are turned down. That

cannot be right and it means hospitals increasingly rely on

agency or overseas nurses. We are reforming the education of nurses so

that those who apply for nursing places are more likely to gdt.

Carlisle and Cumbria has experienced a traumatic few days with the

floods. It was good the Prile Minister saw first-hand the

tremendous work of the emergency services and the issue surrounding

flood defence and the impact of those floods on families. As part of

the recovery, Cumbria found`tion, it has launched a flood appeal. I wrote

to the PM asking for governlent support for the appeal as it would

help many affected people in the county. With the Chancellor be able

to offer such support from the government towards this much-needed

fund? I think everyone will pay tribute to the people of Carlisle

and the resilience they havd shown and the acts of friendship

neighbours have shown to those affected by these terrible floods.

The Prime Minister, before he left for Central Europe, asked md to make

sure we would be able to help on the point of my honourable friend

raises, which he raced with the Prime Minister, and I can s`y we

will support the work the Ctmbrian foundation does and will match by up

to ?1 million the money thex are raising for their local flood

appeal. When the Chancellor triples student

tuition fees he set the rep`yment threshold at ?21,000. He has frozen

that threshold and the Insthtutes of fiscal studies say many students

will bear many extra thousands in repayments. Given he has broken his

promise, will he send students of apology, or just a Bill? Thdre seems

to be a collective amnesia on the other side they introduce ttition

fees. -- introduced. And whdn they introduced tuition fees, thd payment

threshold was ?15,000. We h`ve increased it to 20 1000. Th`t

enables us to fund the lifthng of the cap, so more people who are

qualified go to university. I would have hoped on this day, he would

welcome the big investment we are making into Cambridge, not least the

renovation of the Cavendish laboratory. The Hastings link road

will finally open, delivering a business park, new homes for a new

labour market and a countryside park. This has been talked `bout the

decades but been commissiondd to build on the last five. Will he join

me in welcoming new business to relocate to Bexhill and Hastings and

to expand? I would encouragd businesses to locate to his area and

he is right about the link road For decades, people have called for it.

For all those years it is true there was a Conservative MP for Bdxhill,

but there was a Labour MP for Hastings in many years and nothing

happened. Now we have Conservative MPs in both areas we get thd

investment it needs. On the 7th of September, the Prime Ministdr told

me he could not remove refugees from the migration target becausd of the

requirements for the office national statistics. I wrote to the ONS and

they told me it would be possible. Will the Chancellor demonstrate

Britain will do its bit and remove refugees from the migration target?

First of all,... Let's hear the Chancellor. I'd tell you solething

surprising, we talk to each other in this government. The cabinet get

round and have meetings and stiff discuss things and we agree and move

forward. They should try it in the Labour Party. On the honour`ble

lady's question, the ONS is independent but Britain is doing its

bit by taking the 20,000 refugees from Syrian refugee camps and we

have always provided a home to genuine asylum seekers. Unddr

current Tory regulations, slall children can be engulfed in flames

by three centimetres in one second. Will the Chancellor speak to the

Prime Minister and ask if hd will intervene with the Business

Secretary to see if we can bring in a statutory instrument to ilprove

flammability for children's play and dress costumes? I think my

honourable friend is right to raise this case and we all saw thd tragedy

that befell the family of the Strictly Come Dancing presenter and

the campaign her family havd undertaken to change the

regulations. It is true we don't have the same regulations for fancy

dress costumes for children, which seems wrong. The Business Sdcretary

is looking at it and we will make sure it changes. Will the Chancellor

take this opportunity to correct the bizarre claim made yesterdax by

Donald Trump about parts of London being no go areas for the

Metropolitan Police? Will hd point out there are excellent

relationships between the Mtslim communities of London and the

police? I think the honourable gentleman speaks for everyone in

this House. The Metropolitan Police do a brilliant job and they have

fantastic relations with Brhtish Muslims and British Muslims have

weighed a massive contributhon to our country. Donald Trump's comments

fly in the face of the founding principles of the United St`tes and

it is one reason why those principles have proved an

inspiration to so many over the past 200 years. The best way to defeat

nonsense like this is to engage in robust, democratic debate, `nd make

it clear his views are not welcome. Cornwall Hospice care, one Hospice

is in my constituency. Well appreciated and respected bx

constituents. The issue thex have is they cannot run to capacity because

they only receive 11% of funding from NHS funding. When he worked

with me and colleagues in Cornwall to see what more money we c`n put

into our hospices and Cornw`ll Hospice care? I know my honourable

friend is a strong champion of his community and for the hospice he

talks about. We have taken steps to help the Hospice movement, not least

removing VAT paid in the last parliament. We want the right

balance. It is a good thing hospices are funded in part by local

charities and supported strongly by the community. They need thd backing

of the NHS and we are putting money into the NHS because we havd a

strong economy so they can help the Hospice movement. If business rates

are localised without equalhsation, my authority, Gateshead, Bulls lose

?9.4 million a year and that is on top of already severe revente

support grant cuts proposed. The seven north-east authorities will

lose 186 million a year and the combined 12 authorities in the

north-east, ?223 million. Chty of London will gain 222 million and

Westminster, 440 million. Is this the vision of the northern

powerhouse? The top up and tariff system will of apply as we devolve

business rates to reflect discrepancies he identifies. I would

think the Labour Party would support devolution of business rates. It is

an opportunity for local ardas to grow and see benefits of back growth

and when it comes to the northern powerhouse we have the fant`stic

announcement of the new trahn franchises which means over 1

billion going into new trains, faster journeys and better journey

experiences for people in the north. He should get behind it. Today there

was an important report that said the TV debates at the gener`l

election were a success, engaging people not normally interested in

politics, particularly young people. Would the acting Prime Minister and

I know he may have a person`l interest in this, be encour`ging TV

debates at the next general election? The TV debates ard decided

by a discussion between the parties and broadcasters. I think the Prime

Minister did exceptionally well in them last time. It is my

understanding the Home Secrdtary has banned 84 hate preachers entering

the UK. Will the government to lead by example in considering m`king Mr

Donald Trump number 85? The best way to confront the views of soleone

like Donald Trump is to eng`ge in a robust, democratic argument with him

about why he is profoundly wrong about the contribution of Alerican

Muslims and indeed British Luslims. That is the best way to deal with

Donald Trump and his views, rather than trying to ban presidential

candidates.