:00:00. > :00:00.invest in new funding and infrastructure, including new roads
:00:00. > :00:08.and they will get a 21st-century road network that will improve
:00:09. > :00:15.economic development. Questions to the Prime Minister. Question number
:00:16. > :00:35.one. Thank you. This morning I Patricia Gibson. Will the Prime
:00:36. > :00:40.Minister take this opportunity to confirm that the UK Government
:00:41. > :00:48.intended to take ?7 billion from Scotland, over a decade, through the
:00:49. > :00:53.fiscal framework West remark and will he take this opportunity to
:00:54. > :00:58.take this opportunity today to explain why that was the case. --
:00:59. > :01:02.through the fiscal framework? Only the SNP can try to maintain a
:01:03. > :01:07.grievance after the settlement has taken place. What we have done is
:01:08. > :01:12.build a powerhouse parliament for Scotland with more powers, more
:01:13. > :01:16.ability to set tax rates, more ability to determine benefits for
:01:17. > :01:20.its citizens, and now is time for the SNP to stop talking about
:01:21. > :01:28.grievances, and get on with government! CHEERING
:01:29. > :01:35.CSA group in my constituency has recently taken on six new
:01:36. > :01:39.apprentices. Across my constituency we have had more than 1000
:01:40. > :01:42.apprenticeship starts since 2014, does my right honourable friend
:01:43. > :01:47.agree that this is time for government to stick with the plan,
:01:48. > :01:54.so that even more governments have the ability to take on
:01:55. > :01:56.apprenticeships. We have a very stretching target for 3 million
:01:57. > :02:02.apprentices to be trained during this Parliament, we will do our bit,
:02:03. > :02:05.we want business to do its part, I contributing to the apprenticeship
:02:06. > :02:09.levy, but we need small businesses like CSA, in her constituency, and
:02:10. > :02:13.indeed the public sector, to get fully involved in training
:02:14. > :02:25.apprentices to give young people the chance to earn and learn at the same
:02:26. > :02:30.time. Jeremy Corbyn. It is three years since the government announced
:02:31. > :02:37.a policy of tax free childcare. Could the Prime Minister tell us
:02:38. > :02:41.what is the hold-up? We are introducing that, along with the 30
:02:42. > :02:47.hours of childcare, for everyone with a three and four-year-olds,
:02:48. > :02:51.with a ?6 billion commitment, with the start of the 30 hours coming in
:02:52. > :02:59.in a pilot scheme this year. Jeremy Corbyn. Mr Speaker, the Treasury
:03:00. > :03:03.website describes it as a long-term plan... LAUGHTER
:03:04. > :03:06.It certainly is that, it was announced in 2013, and is not
:03:07. > :03:12.apparently going to be introduced until next year. Could the Prime
:03:13. > :03:17.Minister tell us why his promise of 30 hours free childcare for three
:03:18. > :03:20.and four-year-olds is not there for one in three working parents who
:03:21. > :03:27.want their children to be cared for in preschool? First of all, on the
:03:28. > :03:30.tax relief on childcare, we lost a court case against some of the
:03:31. > :03:35.existing providers, so there was a delay, and the tax free childcare
:03:36. > :03:40.will come in in 2017. As for the 30 hours, as I have said, there will be
:03:41. > :03:43.pilot schemes this year, and full temperament Asian next year, in line
:03:44. > :03:47.with what we have said in the manifesto. I'm delighted he is
:03:48. > :03:51.helping me to promote government policy! CHEERING
:03:52. > :03:57.When I became Prime Minister I think we only had ten hours of childcare,
:03:58. > :04:02.now it has gone up to 12, and is now 15, and is now 30. These are all the
:04:03. > :04:05.things you can do if you have a strong economy with a sound plan,
:04:06. > :04:10.you are getting your deficit down, your economy is growing, you are
:04:11. > :04:12.able to do all of these things. CHEERING
:04:13. > :04:17.I'm glad we are able to talk about them. Jeremy Corbyn. Today, the
:04:18. > :04:22.National Audit Office report confirms that one third of families
:04:23. > :04:27.promised 30 hours free childcare now will not receive it, this is a
:04:28. > :04:32.broken promise. The report also warns that many childcare providers
:04:33. > :04:37.are not offering the new entitlement due to insufficient funding. There
:04:38. > :04:44.are 41,003 -year-olds missing out on free early education as a result of
:04:45. > :04:47.this. -- 40 1000 three-year-old. Will the Prime Minister intervene
:04:48. > :04:55.and make sure those children get the start in life they deserve? --
:04:56. > :05:00.41,000 three-year-olds. The department has successfully in
:05:01. > :05:03.fermented entitlement to free childcare for three and
:05:04. > :05:07.four-year-olds with almost universal take-up of hours offered to parents.
:05:08. > :05:15.-- implemented universal entitlement. The Department has made
:05:16. > :05:18.significant progress in making free entitlement, parents and children
:05:19. > :05:22.are benefiting, stakeholders are positive about increasing the time
:05:23. > :05:26.to 30 hours. All of these things we are able to do because we have a
:05:27. > :05:30.strong and sound economy, what a contrast it would be if we listened
:05:31. > :05:34.to the right honourable gentleman, as I regularly subscribe to the
:05:35. > :05:41.Islington Tribune, I can announce his latest economic adviser, Yanis
:05:42. > :05:46.Varoufakis! He was the Greek finance minister, who left his economy in
:05:47. > :05:59.ruins! That is Labour's policy, into words, Acropolis -- in two words, "
:06:00. > :06:04.Acropolis now". That is not much help to the 41,000 children not
:06:05. > :06:07.benefiting from what they were promised by the government, looking
:06:08. > :06:11.further on in the education life of children, according to the figures
:06:12. > :06:17.from the government, half a million children in primary schools are in
:06:18. > :06:23.classes over 31, 15,000 are in classes of over 40, we all know the
:06:24. > :06:27.importance of both preschool and early years of education to give all
:06:28. > :06:33.of our children a decent start in life. And yet half a million are
:06:34. > :06:37.living in poverty and many are in oversized glasses, isn't it time for
:06:38. > :06:45.a serious government intervention to sort out this problem? -- oversized
:06:46. > :06:48.classes. Introducing the extra hours for childcare is a huge operation
:06:49. > :06:54.for the childcare providers, since the National Audit Office report,
:06:55. > :06:57.that said only 58% of disadvantaged to-year-olds were accessing the free
:06:58. > :07:02.childcare offer, the latest information shows it is over 70% of
:07:03. > :07:07.those. Now, he mentioned the number of teachers and overcrowded classes,
:07:08. > :07:13.there is 13,100 more teachers than there were in 2010, because we have
:07:14. > :07:17.invested in teach first, we have invested in bursaries, we have made
:07:18. > :07:21.sure that teaching is a worthwhile career, when it comes to school
:07:22. > :07:27.places, I want to answer him, because there is 453 fewer schools
:07:28. > :07:33.that are full or overcapacity, compare 220 ten. That is progress.
:07:34. > :07:38.36,500 fewer pupils who are in schools that are overcrowded. Again,
:07:39. > :07:41.why have we been able to do this? We protected education funding,
:07:42. > :07:45.detected the money that went following every pupil in the school,
:07:46. > :07:48.introduced the pupil premium, the first time any government had
:07:49. > :07:52.recognised the extra needs of children from the most poor
:07:53. > :07:55.backgrounds. We did all of that, the school system is growing, there are
:07:56. > :07:59.more places, fewer overcrowded schools, all because they have the
:08:00. > :08:05.strong economy and the right values in place. Mr Speaker, the problem is
:08:06. > :08:10.that class sizes are growing, the problem is that there is a crisis of
:08:11. > :08:13.teacher shortages as well, and I have been talking, as I am sure the
:08:14. > :08:18.Prime Minister has, too many teachers, I have a question from
:08:19. > :08:22.one, I quote, from Tom, " I have been teaching for ten years and I am
:08:23. > :08:25.currently head of design and technology at a successful secondary
:08:26. > :08:29.school. With increasing numbers of teachers leaving the profession,
:08:30. > :08:35.will the government is now access that there is a crisis of
:08:36. > :08:39.recruitment and also of retention of teachers in this crucial
:08:40. > :08:42.profession?" I have given you the figures, there is 13,000 more
:08:43. > :08:46.teachers in schools than when I became Prime Minister, if he worries
:08:47. > :08:51.about teacher recruitment, explain this: how is it going to help his
:08:52. > :08:58.party's proposal to put up the basic rate of tax, starting in Scotland,
:08:59. > :09:01.that will mean classroom teachers, secondary school teachers, nursery
:09:02. > :09:05.teachers all paying more tax, what we are doing is helping teachers by
:09:06. > :09:10.saying, you can earn ?11,000 before you pay any income tax at all. I
:09:11. > :09:14.don't think that recruiting teachers is simply about money, it is also
:09:15. > :09:18.about having a good school system, which we have in place in this
:09:19. > :09:23.country, it certainly won't help if we listen to Labour and put up
:09:24. > :09:28.people's taxes. The Prime Minister seems to be in a bit of denial here.
:09:29. > :09:32.SHOUTING Ofsted and the National Audit Office
:09:33. > :09:37.all confirmed there is a shortage and a crisis of teachers. Ensuring
:09:38. > :09:42.there is another excellent teachers in our schools is fundamental to the
:09:43. > :09:48.life chances of children. When 70% of head teachers warned they are now
:09:49. > :09:53.using agency staff, is staff there are classroom, isn't it time the
:09:54. > :09:59.government intervened and looked at the real cost of this, damage to
:10:00. > :10:04.children's education, but also, ?1.3 billion spent last year on agency
:10:05. > :10:08.teachers. We have this agency working situation in the National
:10:09. > :10:12.Health Service, and also in education, are we moving into an era
:10:13. > :10:16.in which we can turn it agency Britain? He has got to look at the
:10:17. > :10:22.facts, rather than talk down people working so hard to teach children in
:10:23. > :10:27.our schools. Teachers are better qualified than ever, that is the
:10:28. > :10:32.fact, 96.6% of teachers in state funded schools now have a degree or
:10:33. > :10:36.higher qualification. Those are the facts. I would argue that going into
:10:37. > :10:41.teaching, and now, teach first is the most popular destination for
:10:42. > :10:45.Oxbridge graduates, which never happened under a Labour government,
:10:46. > :10:48.if you want to encourage people to go into teaching, you have got to
:10:49. > :10:52.know you have a good school system with more academies, more free
:10:53. > :10:56.schools. -- Teach First. Higher qualification, making sure we have
:10:57. > :11:00.rig and discipline in the classroom, all of which has improved, but all
:11:01. > :11:10.of that is only possible if you have a strong and growing economy to fund
:11:11. > :11:16.the schools that our children need. In my constituency, we have one of
:11:17. > :11:20.several UK power stations, which has seen closure this year. In Germany
:11:21. > :11:23.and Holland, both of whose carbon emissions are higher, they are
:11:24. > :11:30.building brand-new mega power stations, much of that we are going
:11:31. > :11:34.to import. It is very hard, for me to expand the logic of this to my
:11:35. > :11:37.constituents, could the Prime Minister review the pace of our
:11:38. > :11:42.closure programme, particularly in the context of next year 's energy
:11:43. > :11:47.crunch. My honourable friend raises an important question, he is right,
:11:48. > :11:52.there is big change in the industry, we want to see an increase in gas
:11:53. > :11:55.capacity, an increase in renewable capacity and the restarting of the
:11:56. > :11:59.nuclear programme, which I hope to be discussing with the French
:12:00. > :12:03.president this week. He is right that security of supply must be the
:12:04. > :12:06.number one priority, that is why we have announced we will bring forward
:12:07. > :12:10.the capacity market to provide this extra boost to existing stations,
:12:11. > :12:15.this could indeed help Fiddlers Ferry itself. I say to him and
:12:16. > :12:19.everybody across the house, all of the decisions we take about energy,
:12:20. > :12:24.they have consequences for peoples bills. He mentions Germany, German
:12:25. > :12:29.electricity prices are 40% higher than in the UK, the level of
:12:30. > :12:33.subsidies makes up 30% of German bills, ours is less than half that
:12:34. > :12:39.level, and we have got to think through these decisions for the
:12:40. > :12:42.consequences for energy consumers. Angus Roberts and. We all have a
:12:43. > :12:48.right not to be disconnected against. On the basis of age,
:12:49. > :12:54.gender, six, sexual orientation, disability or ethnicity. Parents
:12:55. > :13:06.have right is to paternity and maternity entitlement. -- Angus
:13:07. > :13:09.Robertson. All of the things -- semi-things are guaranteed through
:13:10. > :13:12.membership of the European Union, does the Prime Minister guarantee
:13:13. > :13:16.that there are due to social benefits to being members of the
:13:17. > :13:19.European Union. What we have done, including under this government, is
:13:20. > :13:26.actually add to the right that people have, including maternity and
:13:27. > :13:29.paternity rights. I think that the emphasis on Europe now needs to be
:13:30. > :13:33.making sure that weeks band the single market and make it more
:13:34. > :13:37.successful for businesses, recognising the social benefits
:13:38. > :13:43.matter as well but principally, I believe they are a matter for this
:13:44. > :13:46.house. Angus Robertson. Millions of UK citizens live elsewhere in the
:13:47. > :13:50.European Union, European decisions have helped the environment reducing
:13:51. > :13:57.sulphur dioxide emissions by nine tenths, relations between 28 EU
:13:58. > :14:02.member states are often imperfect but they occur through dialogue and
:14:03. > :14:07.agreement, surely a huge improvement on confrontations and wards of the
:14:08. > :14:10.past. With the Prime Minister concentrate on the positive
:14:11. > :14:15.arguments for EU membership, and reject the approach of "Project
:14:16. > :14:18.Fear". My arguments about being stronger in the refund European
:14:19. > :14:23.Union, and safer, and better off in the refund European Union, are all
:14:24. > :14:27.positive arguments, and I would add the point that he makes, things like
:14:28. > :14:31.pollution, crosses borders, and it makes sense to work together. The
:14:32. > :14:36.fundamental point he makes is one worth thinking about, he and I are
:14:37. > :14:40.both post-war children, but we should never forget, when we sit
:14:41. > :14:46.around the table, that 70 years ago, these countries were murdering each
:14:47. > :14:49.other, on the continent of Europe. For all the frustrated of this
:14:50. > :14:54.institution, and believe me, there are many, we should never forget
:14:55. > :15:02.that, the fact that we talk and work together and resolve disputes around
:15:03. > :15:08.the table. Alberto Costa. Those who foster children deserve our full
:15:09. > :15:13.support. To mark fostering February, I visited in my constituency a
:15:14. > :15:19.fostering unit which since establishment in 2003 has helped
:15:20. > :15:24.over 1250 children, find a loving and caring home. Would my right
:15:25. > :15:27.honourable friend join me in thanking the unit, as well as the
:15:28. > :15:32.carers, but would he also agreed to look into how the currently complex
:15:33. > :15:36.funding arrangements for over 18s could be considerably simplified to
:15:37. > :15:39.ease the transition of children into adult third.
:15:40. > :15:56.We all know as parents it is very important to give people the support
:15:57. > :15:59.they need. That's why we changed the law in the last parliament so local
:16:00. > :16:02.authorities are under a duty to support young people who choose to
:16:03. > :16:08.remain with their foster carers beyond the age of 18. We put in
:16:09. > :16:11.place what is called a staying put arrangement and are providing 40
:16:12. > :16:14.formerly pounds over three years. In the first year of its roll-out,
:16:15. > :16:18.almost half of those eligible to stay but have decided to do so. This
:16:19. > :16:25.is a real advance in our fostering arrangements. Thank you, Mr Speaker.
:16:26. > :16:29.As this is my first ever question to the Prime Minister, I do hope...
:16:30. > :16:35.CHEERING I do hope my suit and tie matches
:16:36. > :16:39.mother's high expectations. Mr Speaker, in September last year,
:16:40. > :16:43.16-year-old Mohammed was stabbed to death in my constituency. His mother
:16:44. > :16:48.discovered last week the CPS will not be prosecuting the man arrested
:16:49. > :16:51.for his murder. Sadly, she joins the 84% people in Southwark are
:16:52. > :16:56.experienced by crime last year who have seen no one held to account.
:16:57. > :16:58.Home Office blamed local police for that Lopez occasioned great and I
:16:59. > :17:03.resent the position that my local elites are not up to the job. Will
:17:04. > :17:06.the Prime Minister ensure that my local police have the resources to
:17:07. > :17:11.investigate knife crime fully and bring more killers to justice? The
:17:12. > :17:14.honourable gentleman uses his first question to raise an incredibly
:17:15. > :17:18.important issue which is knife crime in our country. The good news is
:17:19. > :17:21.that knife crime has come down about 14% since 2010 but he makes an
:17:22. > :17:26.important point about the level of prosecutions. Last year there were
:17:27. > :17:31.something like 11,000 prosecutions. The rate of prosecution is similar
:17:32. > :17:36.as for other areas but clearly everything we can do to help the
:17:37. > :17:40.police, the CPS to increase the rate of prosecution is wholly worthwhile.
:17:41. > :17:43.We need to give the police the resources they need and we are,
:17:44. > :17:47.through the spending round. We need to educate young people on the
:17:48. > :17:53.dangers of knife crime and we need to make sure those who commit these
:17:54. > :18:00.crimes are properly punished. Mr Bernard Jenkin. Where is the fellow?
:18:01. > :18:14.He's not here. Well let's hear from someone who is here, Mr David Davis.
:18:15. > :18:20.For five or six years... Order. I know the houses in a state of some
:18:21. > :18:27.motivation but we must hear from The Right Honourable gentleman when he's
:18:28. > :18:31.composed himself. Mr David Davis. Thank you, Mr Speaker. For five or
:18:32. > :18:36.six years, national insurance numbers issue to EU migrants have
:18:37. > :18:40.been hundreds of thousands higher than the official immigration
:18:41. > :18:44.figures. This implies the figures may be a dramatic underestimate. We
:18:45. > :18:49.can only know the truth of the matter is HMRC release the data on
:18:50. > :18:53.active EU national insurance buzz, which HMRC has refused to do. Will
:18:54. > :18:59.the Prime Minister instructed HMRC to release those statistics so that
:19:00. > :19:03.we know the truth about European immigration? And glad we've got the
:19:04. > :19:12.single transferable question, if not the single transferable vote. The
:19:13. > :19:15.reason why these numbers don't tally is you can get a national insurance
:19:16. > :19:20.number for a very short-term visit and people who are already here
:19:21. > :19:25.without insurance number can apply for them, so these numbers are quite
:19:26. > :19:31.complex. The HMRC has given greater information and I will make sure
:19:32. > :19:36.that continues to be the case. The proposed changes to Sunday trading
:19:37. > :19:42.are causing great concern to many retailers, shop workers, to their
:19:43. > :19:45.families, to faith groups and to all who want to Keep Sunday Special, get
:19:46. > :19:50.before the election the Prime Minister said he had no plans to
:19:51. > :19:55.change Sunday Trading laws. When did he change his mind or was it always
:19:56. > :20:01.his plan to scrap this great British compromise as soon as the election
:20:02. > :20:04.was safely out of the way? Well, I thought it was right to bring
:20:05. > :20:09.forward these proposals because they are genuinely new proposals. New in
:20:10. > :20:13.that we are devolving to local authorities to make those decisions
:20:14. > :20:17.and secondly, crucially, I'm sure honourable members opposite will be
:20:18. > :20:22.interested in this, we will be introducing new protections not only
:20:23. > :20:26.for new workers on Sundays but for all workers on Sundays and so I
:20:27. > :20:30.think the house should look carefully at this idea, not least
:20:31. > :20:35.because our constituents are able to shop online all day, every day,
:20:36. > :20:39.including Sunday. All the evidence shows this will be welcomed by
:20:40. > :20:49.customers, will create more jobs and I think we have nothing to be scared
:20:50. > :20:54.of moving into this new arrangement. Thank you, Mr Speaker. At the
:20:55. > :21:00.weekend I visited a Young enterprise trade fair where teams from across
:21:01. > :21:04.local Staffordshire schools, including Rugeley sixth form
:21:05. > :21:07.Academy, where showcasing their entrepreneurial skills. Will my
:21:08. > :21:11.right honourable friend join me in wishing good luck to all of the
:21:12. > :21:15.teams and does he agree that with me, initiatives such as this are key
:21:16. > :21:20.to inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs? I think my honourable
:21:21. > :21:24.friend makes an important point, which is four years in our schools
:21:25. > :21:29.not enough was done to encourage enterprise and entrepreneurship when
:21:30. > :21:32.we know that so many jobs of the future will come from start-up
:21:33. > :21:35.businesses and small businesses and rapidly growing start-ups, so it is
:21:36. > :21:40.absolutely right that in our schools we should be promoting enterprise,
:21:41. > :21:43.not only through teaching but also to exercises including starting
:21:44. > :21:51.businesses for young people by giving them small grants. Yesterday,
:21:52. > :21:55.a north-east SME ceased to trade. Their goal was the extraction of gas
:21:56. > :22:01.from coal deep under the North Sea. The Government failed to abide --
:22:02. > :22:05.provide a supporting statement to support investment due to its
:22:06. > :22:08.inability to compound that not only would the company secure our
:22:09. > :22:13.energies apply but also provide feedstocks to grow our industries
:22:14. > :22:17.and all of that totally decarbonise stop Will the Prime Minister look at
:22:18. > :22:20.this appalling loss of opportunity and urgently change course and
:22:21. > :22:25.develop a meaningful industrial and energy strategy that British
:22:26. > :22:31.industry and workers and the planet so badly need? I will certainly look
:22:32. > :22:35.at the case that he raises because we back all energy projects that
:22:36. > :22:40.could create jobs and create growth in our country and we have a very
:22:41. > :22:43.active industrial strategy for that. I know that he's disappointed about
:22:44. > :22:49.our decision on carbon capture and storage but I would say to him that
:22:50. > :22:52.that is an extra capital investment and even after that, there is no
:22:53. > :22:56.sign yet that carbon capture or storage can be even close to
:22:57. > :23:02.competitive to even nuclear power offshore wind but I will look
:23:03. > :23:09.carefully E mentions. -- at the case he mentions. A large proportion of
:23:10. > :23:14.the fish caught by British vessels and landed in the UK are exported to
:23:15. > :23:18.Europe, mainly to EU countries, and a great many of our fishermen fish
:23:19. > :23:23.in the sovereign waters of other European Union countries. In a
:23:24. > :23:27.reformed regime, reforms that were led by the British government. Does
:23:28. > :23:32.my right honourable friend agree that our sees, those that exploit
:23:33. > :23:36.them and the communities that they support, are better off in a
:23:37. > :23:39.reformed European Union? I agree with my honourable friend and I pay
:23:40. > :23:44.tribute to him for the huge work that he did to reform the common
:23:45. > :23:49.fisheries policy from what was a very poor policy to one that is now
:23:50. > :23:54.working much better for our fishermen. When it comes to fishing
:23:55. > :23:58.and farming, the key issue is going to be making sure that Europe's
:23:59. > :24:02.markets remain open to the produce that we land and we produce and that
:24:03. > :24:11.I think is going to be vital in the debate in the months ahead. When
:24:12. > :24:14.more than 16,000... 1600 families are on York's waiting list, when
:24:15. > :24:20.care workers are forced to leave the city due to the cost of renting,
:24:21. > :24:23.when young families are placed in single rooms in homeless hostels and
:24:24. > :24:27.when supported housing schemes will have to close due to benefit
:24:28. > :24:33.changes, can the Prime Minister specifically state why, up to 2500
:24:34. > :24:37.predominantly high-value homes are being planned for development in
:24:38. > :24:43.York Central without building a single home for social rent? The
:24:44. > :24:46.decisions made in York about planning for York City Council and
:24:47. > :24:51.their local plan but what I would say to her, one of the things that
:24:52. > :24:57.we did in the last parliament was specifically designed to help York,
:24:58. > :25:02.was to change the change of use provisions so that empty offices
:25:03. > :25:05.could be used to build flats and houses for local people, which is
:25:06. > :25:10.happening in York and will help to make sure that city continues to
:25:11. > :25:14.thrive. Will my right honourable friend agree to meet me and my
:25:15. > :25:18.constituent William Lawrie, a brilliant young farmer whose
:25:19. > :25:23.business has been put at risk because the RPA haven't paid his
:25:24. > :25:27.basic payment scheme money? Will he also confirmed that the RPA figures
:25:28. > :25:33.that they keep putting out our fictional, or does he agree with his
:25:34. > :25:38.Defra secretary that it is the EU's commissioners' fault for making the
:25:39. > :25:42.cap so compensated? What I would say to my honourable friend is that the
:25:43. > :25:46.system is complicated and we need to make sure that the rural payments
:25:47. > :25:52.agency does the very best that it can. To date, 70,000 farmers have
:25:53. > :25:56.received their 2015 payments, which is now 81% of all claims paid but
:25:57. > :26:00.there is always room for improvement. We should look at all
:26:01. > :26:05.the devolved areas of the UK and see how they are coping with this
:26:06. > :26:09.problem. In terms of the issue more broadly, I think it's very important
:26:10. > :26:13.we maintain the access that our farmers have without tariffs,
:26:14. > :26:16.without tax, without quota, to produce the cleanest and best food
:26:17. > :26:25.anywhere in the world and explored it -- export it to 500 million
:26:26. > :26:29.people in the EU single market. Yesterday the chair of the board of
:26:30. > :26:33.international campaign for Tibet came to the House of Commons to meet
:26:34. > :26:37.with members of parliament as well as you, Mr Speaker. Will the Prime
:26:38. > :26:44.Minister follow the example set by the United States, Canada, Germany
:26:45. > :26:47.and Japan and write to the Chinese authorities to express his concerns
:26:48. > :26:54.about their oppressive counterterrorism laws, introduced in
:26:55. > :26:58.Tibet? I wasn't aware of that visit. I will look very closely at what he
:26:59. > :27:10.said and perhaps get back to the honourable lady about the issues he
:27:11. > :27:14.raises. In 2004, the 16-year-old some of my constituent Lorraine
:27:15. > :27:18.Fraser was murdered by a gang and the conviction of four of them was
:27:19. > :27:21.secured by joint enterprise. The recent ruling in the Supreme Court
:27:22. > :27:25.has caused Lorraine and many other Victors' families a great deal of
:27:26. > :27:28.anxiety. Would my right are both friend agreed to facilitate a
:27:29. > :27:31.meeting to enable these families to discuss their concerns with
:27:32. > :27:36.ministers and understand what the ruling might mean in cases like
:27:37. > :27:42.there's? Well, through my honourable friend, can I extend my sympathy is
:27:43. > :27:44.to his constituents? He is absolutely right, we should remember
:27:45. > :27:47.that the families of all those who've lost loved ones to dreadful
:27:48. > :27:51.crimes who are worried about this judgment and what it might mean for
:27:52. > :27:55.them. I'm very happy to facilitate a meeting between him and one of the
:27:56. > :27:58.justice ministers to discuss it. We should be clear that this judgment
:27:59. > :28:01.only referred to a narrow category of joint enterprise cases and I
:28:02. > :28:04.think it would be wrong to suggest that everyone convicted under the
:28:05. > :28:07.wider law on joint enterprise will have grounds for appeal. It is very
:28:08. > :28:12.important that message goes out but I will fix the meeting that he calls
:28:13. > :28:16.for. People in the Midlands are absolutely furious to learn that the
:28:17. > :28:22.Government's awarded a contract to make British medals to some French
:28:23. > :28:26.company. Imagine it, Mr Speaker. You open your distinguished service
:28:27. > :28:35.order or CBE and it says "Made in France". I visited Midlands metal
:28:36. > :28:39.manufacturers in Birmingham's jewellery Quarter. They are the best
:28:40. > :28:44.in the world. We should go back to Downing Street -- he should go back
:28:45. > :28:48.to Downing Street, call in the Cabinet Office minister and get this
:28:49. > :28:51.scandal sorted out. The only point I would make to the honourable
:28:52. > :28:57.gentleman is, I'm sure all of those in the Royal Mint in Wales would
:28:58. > :29:00.want to contest the fact that they make the finest medals in the United
:29:01. > :29:04.Kingdom and I'm sure the competition between them and Birmingham is very
:29:05. > :29:08.intense. I'll certainly take away what he says. I wasn't aware of this
:29:09. > :29:11.issue but I'm always in favour, where we can make something in
:29:12. > :29:19.Britain, we should make something in Britain. A recent investigation
:29:20. > :29:22.carried out by my local newspaper, the Derby Telegraph, uncovered
:29:23. > :29:27.reports of alleged experiments carried out on children by medics at
:29:28. > :29:32.a medical facility in Derbyshire during the 1960s and 1970s. Can I
:29:33. > :29:36.ask the Prime Minister to ensure that a thorough investigation into
:29:37. > :29:39.this situation is now undertaken? I'm very happy to give my honourable
:29:40. > :29:43.friend that assurance. She is absolutely right to raise this. They
:29:44. > :29:47.are very serious allegations and it's vital that the full facts are
:29:48. > :29:50.considered. My understanding is that the police, the local authority and
:29:51. > :29:53.NHS working together and there's an inquiry process under the Derby
:29:54. > :29:57.safeguarding children board in line with its procedures. I would
:29:58. > :30:03.encourage anyone who knows anything about this to come forward and give
:30:04. > :30:08.evidence to that board. The Syrian ceasefire is extremely fragile.
:30:09. > :30:14.There are reports that Russia is continuing to attack anti-Assad
:30:15. > :30:20.rebels, not Daesh, and that Islamic terrorists and weapons continue to
:30:21. > :30:24.pass into Syria across the Turkish border. What is the British
:30:25. > :30:28.Government doing to ensure the ceasefire is properly monitored and,
:30:29. > :30:33.in particular, to reduce serious tensions between Russia and our Nato
:30:34. > :30:38.ally Turkey? The honourable lady is absolutely right to raise this. The
:30:39. > :30:42.cessation of hostilities is an important step forward, imperfect
:30:43. > :30:45.though it is, and it does enable the possibility of political
:30:46. > :30:48.negotiations starting next week. She asks service and agree what we are
:30:49. > :30:51.proud to admit it is properly enforced stop we are working with
:30:52. > :30:57.the Americans and Russians to make that happen. I've got a European
:30:58. > :31:02.conference call with Vladimir Putin later this week to reinforce these
:31:03. > :31:06.points. Even though the ceasefire is imperfect, it is progress that we
:31:07. > :31:10.have it. Not every group is included in the ceasefire but basically there
:31:11. > :31:15.aren't the attacks that were taking place on the moderate opposition,
:31:16. > :31:18.which is welcome, and it is also enabled us with others to get aid
:31:19. > :31:24.into communities that desperately need it, including through airdrops
:31:25. > :31:28.and convoys. So I wouldn't put too much optimism into the mix right now
:31:29. > :31:35.but this is progress and we should work on it. Two weeks ago I visited
:31:36. > :31:40.a refugee Cap and the surrounding area on the Jordanian/Syrian border,
:31:41. > :31:43.primarily to assist health care services. I was struck by the
:31:44. > :31:50.remarkable resilience the quite significant pressure. Would
:31:51. > :31:54.the Prime Minister meet with me to discuss further what Britain can do
:31:55. > :31:59.to enhance health care services on the ground, both for the Syrian
:32:00. > :32:02.refugees and the wider Jordanian community? I'm very happy to meet
:32:03. > :32:06.with my honourable friend to discuss this. It is an extra ordinary sight,
:32:07. > :32:09.that refugee camp, because of the scale of the endeavour under way.
:32:10. > :32:13.Britain can be proud of what we've done in terms of the direct aid
:32:14. > :32:18.we've given and also the London conference that raised $11 billion
:32:19. > :32:21.for these refugee camps. I know he's got a long-standing interest on what
:32:22. > :32:25.we can do to make sure facilities are delivered quickly, including on
:32:26. > :32:28.occasions using military facilities, and I think there may be
:32:29. > :32:31.opportunities for that but we also need to make sure the emergency
:32:32. > :32:35.response from NGOs and the knighted nations is as fast as it can be when
:32:36. > :32:39.crises like this happen in the future. As the Prime Minister
:32:40. > :32:46.struggles with certain elements in his party over Europe, does he ever
:32:47. > :32:50.think that on an inspirational Prime Minister -- think back on an
:32:51. > :32:53.inspirational Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, who faced difficulties but
:32:54. > :32:58.stood up to the rebels in his own party and secured a yes vote for
:32:59. > :33:02.staying in Europe, and will he join with me because Harold Wilson's
:33:03. > :33:06.Centenary of his birth is next week and could be celebrated across all
:33:07. > :33:12.parties, a great innovative Prime Minister. I do feel a natural
:33:13. > :33:16.sympathy for anyone who has had this job. Irrespective of what side of
:33:17. > :33:22.the house we're on. I think he did do some important things and the
:33:23. > :33:30.honourable gentleman has some important things. I wish his family
:33:31. > :33:33.well on this important day and I think we approach things in
:33:34. > :33:37.different ways but one thing we would have agreed about is Britain's
:33:38. > :33:48.future is better off in a reformed EU. I'm sure the whole house will
:33:49. > :33:54.join me in expressing our condolences to Neil and Jennifer
:33:55. > :34:00.Burdett, the parents of two-year-old Fay, who died on Valentine's Day of
:34:01. > :34:04.meningitis B. Since they's death, 815,000 people have signed a
:34:05. > :34:09.petition calling for the Government to vaccinate more children against
:34:10. > :34:12.meningitis B. I'm proud that the UK is the first country to have a
:34:13. > :34:15.vaccination programme for meningitis B but could my right honourable
:34:16. > :34:18.friend make sure the government looks at what more can be done to
:34:19. > :34:24.prevent more children like fei dying from this disease? On behalf of the
:34:25. > :34:28.whole house, let me extend my sympathies and condolences to Faye's
:34:29. > :34:31.parents and all those who have had children suffering from this
:34:32. > :34:34.terrible disease. By Robert friend is absolutely right, we were the
:34:35. > :34:39.first country in the world to have this vaccination programme, which is
:34:40. > :34:40.based on the advice of the joint committee on vaccination and
:34:41. > :34:45.immunisation who recommended targeting the vaccine to protect the
:34:46. > :34:50.infant at highest risk. The incidence of highest risk it does
:34:51. > :34:53.occur in babies at five months and of the 276 children contracting
:34:54. > :34:57.meningitis B last year, over 100 were one year of age but she makes
:34:58. > :35:00.important points. We need to look at all the evidence carefully, as do
:35:01. > :35:04.the expert bodies that advise us, recognising that Britain is already
:35:05. > :35:05.taking some important steps forward by being the first country to
:35:06. > :36:33.vaccinate in this way. Order. Urgent question, Mr Owen
:36:34. > :36:35.Smith. May I ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to make
:36:36. > :36:46.a statement on the Government's review of the state pension age? Mr
:36:47. > :36:48.Iain Duncan Smith. Yesterday, Mr