16/12/2015 Prime Minister's Questions

rights obligations and make sure these charges are dropped? We will

be making representation. She is absolutely right to flag that up as

a key area of human rights that needs to be addressed, wherever it

takes place. Questions to the Prime Minister.

We all watched his exciting take-off yesterday and is the first Briton to

visit the International Space Station it signals a landmark in

this country's involvement in space exploration. I'm proud the

government took the decision to fund it and we wish him the best of luck.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others,

and in addition to my duties in this House I will have further such

meetings later today. Richard Graham. I welcome today's falling on

a month the -- unemployment. Stalking is a horrible crime. AGP in

Gloucester and resident in Cheltenham was harassed for several

years by a stalker who slashed her tyres, hacked her water pipe, cut

off her gas and put via items in her letterbox. She and her family

suffered. The judge said if he could give more than the maximum five

years he would have done. My honourable friend for Cheltenham has

raised sentencing guidelines with the Justice Secretary. Would my

Right Honourable friend the Prime Minister today give his support for

greater flex ability where it is clear a stalker is a real menace? --

flexible itty. I agree with my honourable friend that stalking is a

terrible crime. We have introduced to Muqrin you stalking offences

during this parliament and I will make sure the honourable member for

Cheltenham has his meeting with my Right Honourable friend the Justice

Secretary. I cannot comment on the case without looking at it in more

detail but we are taking the necessary action and will continue

to do so. On unemployment I'm sure the whole house will want to welcome

the fact there are half a million more people in work in our country

in the last year alone. We have had wages growing above inflation every

month for a year. The claimant count is at the lowest level since 1975.

I'm sure this will be welcomed right across the House. SPEAKER: Jeremy

Corbyn. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Could I start

by wishing you, and all Members of the House and all of the staff here

and major Tim Peake, who is not on the planet at this time...

LAUGHTER A very happy Christmas and a

peaceful New Year. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, the number of days that patients are being kept in hospital

because there is nowhere safe to discharge them to has doubled since

the Prime Minister took office. On the 4th of November I asked him if

he could guarantee there would be no winter crisis in the NHS this

winter. He didn't answer then, I wonder if he would help us with an

answer today. First of all let me join the Right

Honourable gentleman and be clear I don't want to wish him the season's

greetings, I want a full happy Christmas for the Right Honourable

gentleman and everyone in the House. He asked specifically about the NHS

and let me answer specifically about the NHS. The average stay in

hospital has fallen since I became Prime Minister from five and a half

days, to five days. One of the reasons for that is we kept our

promise is on the NHS, we put an extra 12 billion in in the last

Parliament and we will be putting ?19 billion in cash terms in the NHS

in this Parliament. Jeremy Corbyn. Just for the record, Mr Speaker, I

did say happy Christmas. But maybe the Prime Minister wasn't listening

at the time. As always! If he is so happy about the state of the

national health service, could he explain why he's decided to cancel

the publication of NHS performance data this winter? There was a time

when the primers to was all in favour of transparency. It's not

that long ago. In fact, it was 2011 when he said," Information is power,

it lets people hold the powerful to account, giving them the tools they

need to take on politicians and bureaucrats. Is it because the

number of people who have been kept waiting on trolleys in accident and

emergency has gone up fourfold that he doesn't want to publish these

statistics? First of all, the data he quoted in

his first question was not published before this government came to

office. That's right! And let me quote him some data about the NHS:

let me take an average day today compared with five years ago when I

became Prime Minister. On an average day in the NHS today there 4400 more

operations. There are 21,000 more outpatient appointments. Yes, there

are challenges in a any but there are 2100 more people seen within

four hours today than five years ago -- challenges in A There is more

data published in our NHS and there ever was under Labour.

Mr Speaker, there are huge pressures on the NHS and they are largely due

to the pressures on the adult care system which is under enormous

pressure at the moment but there has been huge cuts in adult social care

because of cuts in local government funding. The NHS Chief Executive

Simon Stevens has called for a radical upgrade in prevention of

public health. With the Prime Minister agree with me that cutting

these crucial services is indeed a false economy?

First of all, we are increasing the money that is able to go into social

care by having the 2% precept on the council tax so that local councils

can spend more. But I notice that the Right Honourable gentleman

mentioned Simon Stevens, our NHS plan is Simon Stevens's plan, the

NHS for the first time got together and wrote their plan. They asked us

for ?1 billion, we are committed to the plan, unlike Labour in the last

election and we funded it upfront and that is why we see a bigger and

better NHS -- ?8 billion. None of this would be possible, including

the action on social care we are taking with the Better Care Fund,

none of it would be possible without the growing economy we have and the

more jobs being created. Mr Speaker, the problem is to do

with adult social care for stop this morning the NHS Confederation said

on BBC Radio 4, and I quote, "Cuts to social care and public health

will continue to pile more pressure on hospital and will worsen deficits

in the acute sector." What was announced on social care in the

Autumn Statement falls well short of what was needed. The health

foundation estimates a funding shortfall of 6 billion will be in

place by 2020. How is the Government planning to me that shortfall?

I'm glad the Right Honourable gentleman listens to the Today

problem, he might bother to go on it one day. A bit of cans bouncy would

be welcome. If he wants to swap quotations -- transparency. This is

what the chairman of the Local Government Association says, the

Local Government Association has long called for further put civility

in the setting of council tax, and today's announcement will go some

way to allowing a number of councils to raise the money needed. --

flexible at evil stop 1.5 billion more in the Better Care Fund

announced today is good news. It is this government that funded the NHS,

they didn't, it is this government that set up the Better Care Fund,

they opposed it, this government at the strong and growing economy, and

I note that question four and still but they welcome for the

unemployment figures. Mr Speaker, the issue of adult

social care and cuts in local government spending are very much

the responsibility of central government. Can he confirmed that

NHS trusts are forecasting a deficit of 2.2 billion this year, and indeed

I understand that the Prime Minister as part of the Oxford

anti-austerities movement will be concerned about this, but his own

local health care trust is predicting a 1.7 million deficit.

There is a problem of NHS funding. Has he forgotten the simple maxim

that prevention is cheaper and better than cure?

How can he possibly complain about NHS funding when his party didn't

commit to fund the Stevens plan? We are spending ?19 billion more on the

NHS, money that wouldn't be available if we'd listened to the

Labour Party. He says that social care is a responsibility of

government. Everything is a responsibility of government, but in

fact it is local councils that decide how much to spend on social

careful stop with the Better Care Fund they have more to spend. But I

challenge him again, how do we pay for the NHS? We pay for it by more

growth, more jobs and more people having a livelihood. Is he going to

welcome back at Christmas time, or doesn't he care about the reduction

in unemployment? SPEAKER: Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Speaker, I have a question from Abby. Abby wants to train to be a

midwife and she says, I'm 28 years old, this year I left my successful

career to go back into university to retrain as a midwife. I already have

a debt of 25,000 from my first degree, well over half of my cohort

have studied a first degree in another subject and many of my

fellow colleagues have children and partners with elderly parents and

mortgages. Many people were put off by the lack of financial support and

massive debts. In the spirit of Christmas, will the Prime Minister

have a word with his friend the Chancellor who is sitting next to

him, it could be done very quickly, to reverse the cuts in the nurse

bursary scheme so that we do get people like Abby training to be

midwives which will help all of us in the future?

First of all I want Abby to train as a midwife and I can guarantee the

funding will be there for her training. There are thousands more

midwives operating in the NHS today than when I became Prime Minister.

He mentions the question of nurse bursary is. The truth is today two

out of three people who want to become nurses can't do that because

of the constraints on the system and our new system will mean many more

doctors and many more nurses. Already we have got 10,000 more

doctors in the NHS since I became Prime Minister and 4500 more nurses.

At all of this is happening, Mr Speaker, because the economy is

growing, because the deficit is falling, unemployment is coming

down, you could fill up a tank of gas at less than ?1 a litre, wages

are going up, Britain is getting stronger as we go into Christmas

because our economy is getting stronger too. Anne-Marie Drozdz

thank you, Mr Speaker. Yesterday colleagues from across the House

formed the Armed Forces covenant scrutinising the support of the

government's fulfilment of support to servicemen and their families.

With the primaries to join me in praising the bravery of our Armed

Forces especially in my constituency at this festive time when many are

separated from their loved ones. And can he reaffirmed his personal

commitment to the House for delivering his Armed Forces Covenant

in practice and in full? I thank my honourable friend for her question.

It is right, as all of us get ready to spend time with our families this

Christmas there will be many in the brave armed services who will not be

able to because they are serving abroad or at home. We should wish

them the very best as Christmas comes. In terms of the military

covenant it is one of the things I'm proudest of that we did in the last

five years, putting that into law, and every year adding to the

military covenant, giving veterans priority in health care, increasing

funding for veterans' mental health service, prioritise and school

places for children. Every year we've made progress on the Armed

Forces Covenant and every year I stand at this dispatch box and will

continue to do so. Angus Robertson. The Prime Minister will meet shortly

with heads of state and governments of the European Union. Will he heed

the advice of John Major and stop flirting with leaving the European

Union, which would be in his words very dangerous and against our

national interest? I will be getting the best deal for Britain. That is

what we should be doing. This government was the first to cut the

EU budget and veto a treaty and bring back substantial powers to

Britain. We have a great record on Europe and will get a good deal for

Britain. We were reminded that there is a very strong majority in

Scotland to remain within the EU. The Prime Minister has failed, I

know his side doesn't like to hear it, but he has failed to give any

guarantees that Scotland won't be forced out of the EU by the rest of

the UK. Does he have any idea of the consequences of taking Scotland out

of the EU against the wishes of voters in Scotland? This is a United

Kingdom and this is a UK issue. I would say to him, why is he so

frightened of listening to the people and holding this historic

referendum, passed through both of these houses in the last week. Get a

good deal for Britain and trust the people. The Prime Minister has

visited RAF Waddington in my constituency and would wish all the

service personnel and their family well as they carry out operations

throughout the Christmas period. Given we are now conducting air

strikes over Syria, why is our country now not at the highest level

of threat? Let me join him in praising those at RAF Waddington who

are doing such a vital work. As he will know, the threat level is set

in this country not by politicians but by the joint terrorism

assessment centre. They set it at severe, the second-highest level. I

confirm what I said on 26 November, the UK is in the top level of

countries threatened by Daisy Makro. The highest level is that we believe

an attack is imminent. But that would be for JATAC to set and not

ministers. Last night, Donald Trump reiterated that one of the

communities would not be allowed into America because of religion,

seemingly unaware of how divisive this is. We have legislation that

stops people entering the country if it is not believed to be in the

public good. Should we be making exceptions for billionaire

politicians? Let me join the honourable lady in being proud of

representing a country which I think has some claim to say we are one of

the most successful multiracial, multi-faith, multiethnic countries

anywhere in the world. There is more to do to bring opportunity and fight

discrimination. I think it is right that we exclude people if they are

going to radicalise and encourage extremism. I disagree about Donald

Trump. I think his remarks are divisive, stupid and wrong. If he

came to our country, it would unite as all against him. By the time the

house next meets, many people will have started their New Year 's

resolutions. For many that will be to give up smoking. Given that

Public Health England has recently stated that e-cigarettes are 95%

safer than tobacco and half of the population is unaware of that, will

he highlight the role that e-cigarettes can play in helping

people give up tobacco? As somebody who has been through this battle a

number of times, eventually relatively successfully, lots of

people find different ways of doing it. For many e-cigarettes are

successful. We need to be guided by the experts. We should be looking at

Public Health England. It is promising to see that 1 million

people are estimated to have used e-cigarettes to help them quit. We

should be making clear that this is a very legitimate path for many

people to improve their health and the health of the nation. During the

referendum, the Prime Minister pledged to deliver carbon capture

and storage at Peterhead, reiterated in the Tory manifesto. On the eve of

the Paris climate talks, he pulled the plug. Which is the greatest

betrayal, of Scotland, of the manifesto or of the entire planet?

The greatest success is the Paris climate change talks. I would like

to pay tribute to the Secretary of State who was one of the key

negotiators who helped deliver this global goal which is so much better

than Copenhagen and better even than Kyoto. On carbon capture and

storage, in government you have to make tough choices and decisions

about technology that works and technology that isn't working. We

are spending the money on innovation and energy storage, an small nuclear

reactors and other things, energy heat systems for local communities

that will make a difference. We made the right choice. This Friday,

sadly, sees the closure of Britain's deep coal mine in my constituency.

Will my right honourable friend join me in thanking the hundreds of

workers who will be working there final shift this Friday. Also,

praise the thousands of workers whose bravery and hard graft over 50

years has helped warm our homes, power factories and keep our lights

on? I think my honourable friend speaks very strongly for his

constituents. I join him in thanking people who've worked so hard at that

mine and elsewhere. It is a difficult time. As part of the

closure process we have ?80 million to ensure that the miners received

the same package as the recently closed mine at Busby. Can I just

tell the honourable members opposite, this is the official

policy of the Labour Party. We must take action to keep fossil fuels in

the ground. That is their policy. We have also seen they have a policy of

reopening, is. Are they going to open a big Colin the ground and sit

there and do nothing? What a metaphor for the leadership of his

party? -- to open a big hole in the ground. Alison Pulis. The Prime

Minister promised during the election campaign that he would not

restrict child benefit to to children. Not only has he reneges on

that, he has been asked a number of time and has not been able to

explain how he will do this. Will he dropped this and the rape laws?

There is no question that anyone who has a child through rate losing

their benefit at all. Is my right honourable friend aware

that thanks to the Chancellor's detection of the police budget, 108

more police officers are being recruited to protect the people of

Hampshire. While there is more to do in tackling crime in Rowell areas,

would he agree that this is an important step in prioritising the

front line and the Home Office and Hampshire Constabulary have made

real progress in making our police more effective and resilient? It was

the right decision to make sure we have this extra funding for police.

By the end of the spending settlement it is an increase of ?900

million in cash terms by 2020. I am delighted there will be more

officers on the street in Hampshire. You cannot find the NHS, the Home

Office, the police unless you have a growing economy with more jobs and

people paying taxes. A strong and stable economy. That is what is

happening in Britain today. In his farewell speech, the outgoing

director of the British museum said, the British Museum is perhaps the

noblest dream that Parliament has ever dreamt. A collection free to

all, native or foreign, where every citizen has the right to information

and were all enquiry will be outside political control. Does the Prime

Minister agree that the partnership working with museums and like those

in Birmingham, will not happen unless museums and galleries

continue to be funded properly? Let me join her in paying tribute to the

British Museum, a jewel in the cultural crown, and also to Neil

MacGregor, who gave it such extraordinary leadership. Given her

heritage, she might be amused by the fact that when they took that

brilliant exhibition on Germany, I took Angela Merkel, and later on

they poached Neil MacGregor to look after their museums. I do want to

see the British Museum Comp Lea to all of its partnerships, not just

across the united kingdom and also internationally. She will have seen

in the Autumn Statement that they got a funding settlement with which

they were rightly pleased. According to Oxfam, the UK has donated a

generous 229% of its fair share of aid in support of Syrian refugees.

The highest proportion of the G8. Worldwide, only 44% of what is

needed has been donated. Does the Prime Minister agree that it is

critical that other countries step up to the plate as the UK has more

than done? Would he update the house on progress in support of Syrian

refugees? I agree with my honourable friend. Written is doing its moral

duty in terms of funding refugee camps. We are holding a conference

bringing the world together to make sure there is more funding in

future. In terms of the number of refugees we have resettled, I

promise to resettle 1000 by Christmas. I can confirm today that

we have met our commitment. The charter flights arrived yesterday at

Stansted and Belfast meaning that over 1000 have been settled. Another

flight is coming today. We're making sure that these people get health

care and education and I want to thank all those who have worked so

far, including the right honourable member for Watford, because I said

Britain would do its duty and with these 1000 we have made a good

start. Three years ago, the Prime Minister couldn't have been clearer,

his EU renegotiation would mean retaining control over social and

employment law, is he still seeking that? I always find it hard to

satisfy the honourable gentleman. He joined the Conservative Party when

we weren't committed to a referendum and left after we had committed. I'm

not surprised that he is giving his new boss as much trouble as he gave

me. With that, I wish them both a very festive Christmas. Thank you,

Mr Speaker. The triumphant Star Wars saga began life at Elstree Studios

in my constituency. It continues to produce hits... SPEAKER: the

honourable gentleman is banging on eloquently about Star Wars and I

want to hear it. Will the Prime Minister join me in pledging support

to the thriving film industry making such a valuable social and economic

contribution in my constituency and across the United Kingdom? He raises

an important point. This is not only very exciting for children and

parents who are looking forward to this film but it is being made in

Britain with many British actors and technicians showing the strength of

the British film industry. Also, backed by the British government and

taxpayers with excellent resources. Let me say, as I have worked with

him in so many ways, I know that he will never join the dark side. Thank

you, Mr Speaker. Resign! Despite ongoing efforts of the Scottish

steel task force, my constituents are starting to receive redundancy

notices. Will the Prime Minister put pressure on the EU now to reach a

quick decision on permitting the PII compensation scheme and if this

permission is granted, will be also commit to implement the scheme as

soon as possible to provide breathing space for our steel sector

and to give hope for my constituents this Christmas? The honourable lady

is absolutely right to raise this. We are working hard to try and get

the energy in sensitive industries plan, firmed. As soon at is cleared,

money will be available for British still making companies. We expect

this to be in place no later than April 2017 but it should be much

earlier than that and we are working around

The tragic stabbing in Poundland in Abingdon has shocked local residents

and I'm sure that the house will want to send condolences to the

family of the man killed in the attack and on the bravery of those

who overpowered the attacker with no thought of risk to themselves. In

light of this attack does the Prime Minister agree it is now right to

make it more difficult for offenders to get hold of offensive weapons? As

my honourable friend's constituency neighbour I was shocked by what

happened and my heart goes out to the family of those who suffered.

She is right to ask the question about offensive weapons and I'm

happy to look at that. With that attack and also in Leytonstone,

although it was unrelated, it is right to look at the resources that

police have in terms of equipment and there is a different usage

pattern for taser s across the country and that is something that

the police are discussing. Prime Minister, there is nothing I believe

in more passionately than the union, and yet with Scottish Nationalists,

English boats were English laws, various City deals, and the creation

of numerous other measures in the union, what is the Prime Minister's

vision for the union... Would he please come and speak to the union

all party group at some stage in the future but even more importantly

would be help with the campaign throughout the union because we are

Better Together. Like the honourable gentleman I am passionate about the

UK and I believe we can make it stronger by accepting that it is a

partnership of nations and a partnership of nations where we

should treat each other with respect. I don't want to listen to

the SNP, they don't want a partnership but separation. 1 of the

things that is so strong about the United Kingdom and I think other

countries are frankly jealous of, is that we have demonstrated you can

have multiple identities and you can be proud of being an Ulsterman and a

Brit, being a Hindu and Scott, proud of being Welsh and British. We have

solved 1 of the problem is that the rest of the world is grappling with

and that is why we should keep the United Kingdom together. As we

approach the festival marking the birth of Jesus Christ... Order,

there was notably eccentric gesticulation taking place from Mr

McNeil and you should desist. Though and celebrate if you wish but we

must hear the honourable gentleman. As we approach the festival marking

the birth of Jesus Christ may I invite the Prime Minister to send

out a message of support to those millions of fellow Christians around

the world who are suffering persecution and may I invite him to

remind the British people that we are a country fashioned by our

Christian heritage and it is that heritage which has resulted in us

giving refuge to so many other fates over the centuries and we will not

tolerate those who abuse of freedom to try to inflict their alien and

violent fashions upon us that Italy in the name of Islam. 1st of all,

let me join him in saying that we should do everything we can to

defend and protect the rights of Christians, to practice their faith

the world over and that is an important part of our foreign

policy. Let me commend also Justin Welby the Archbishop of Canterbury,

for the excellent work he does on that basis. Written is a Christian

country and the fact that we have an established faith and we understand

the place of faith in our national life makes us and more tolerant

nation and better able to accommodate other faith groups in

our country. That is why as I said earlier in the session I think we

should be proud of the fact that this is 1 of the most successful

multiethnic, multi-faith multireligious democracies anywhere

in the world. That is not in conflict with our status as a

predominantly Christian country but 1 of the reasons we have done it. I

know that the Prime Minister is aware of the flooding that is taking

place in my constituency and the damage to the town of Cockermouth. I

have had a call from a constituent saying insurance companies are

refusing to pay or help constituents until they have paid the access in

fall, some of them are to ?10,000, does he agree that this is

outrageous and what can be done to ensure that they fulfil their

obligations? The Minister for Government policy, the Member for

West Dorset has had meetings to make sure that this practice does not

happen. The 2nd thing is that we have announced putting money into

the community funds that will form hardship funds to help people who

potentially don't have insurers and the 3rd thing is the establishment

of flood defences meaning that all homes can get in Shoreham is, that

was a decision-making at the last Government and we're putting it in

place. -- can get into your runs -- can get insurance policies. I will

be happy to entertain Points of Order from the honourable lady and

indeed others. Order! Urgent question, Diana

Johnson. To ask the Minister for Public health to make a statement on

plans to reform support for victory in -- for victims