:00:16. > :00:26.This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues
:00:27. > :00:29.and others, and in addition to my duties in this House,
:00:30. > :00:33.I shall have further such meetings today.
:00:34. > :00:36.People in Bristol South look forward to their share of the Government's
:00:37. > :00:39.promised three million apprenticeships
:00:40. > :00:42.yet question how this will happen on the eve
:00:43. > :00:55.have a delivery plan or is he making it up as he goes along?
:00:56. > :00:57.We achieved two million in the last Parliament,
:00:58. > :01:01.we are confident of achieving three million in this Parliament.
:01:02. > :01:04.We have a delivery plan, based on large companies continuing
:01:05. > :01:06.with their plans for apprenticeships.
:01:07. > :01:09.We want small companies to do more and the public sector to join
:01:10. > :01:11.in with larger plans and we regularly review progress
:01:12. > :01:24.Mr Speaker, many of my constituents get the train to central London
:01:25. > :01:29.every day for work and are concerned about terrorist threats posed
:01:30. > :01:42.Can my right honourable friend update the House on progress made
:01:43. > :01:45.on tackling the source of that threat in Iraq and Syria?
:01:46. > :01:47.It was very striking what Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said
:01:48. > :01:58.Domestically we are protecting counterterrorism policing
:01:59. > :02:01.and investing in counterintelligence and security services as we did
:02:02. > :02:06.Domestically we are protecting counterterrorism policing
:02:07. > :02:09.This is something we need to do domestically and overseas.
:02:10. > :02:13.I was appalled to see yesterday that the Labour Party has readmitted
:02:14. > :02:16.somebody to their party who says that the 9/11 suicide bombers must
:02:17. > :02:18.never be condemned, and belongs to an organisation that says
:02:19. > :02:23.that we defend Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.
:02:24. > :02:25.Those are appalling views and I hope the Leader of the Opposition
:02:26. > :02:28.will throw the person out of the party instead
:02:29. > :02:43.I hope the Prime Minister will join me in mourning the death
:02:44. > :02:47.today of the fifth Beatle, George Martin, and the wonderful
:02:48. > :02:51.music that will last for all time that he gave us.
:02:52. > :02:54.Last week the Prime Minister told the House we had a strong economy
:02:55. > :03:00.If the economy is so strong, why this week has he forced
:03:01. > :03:03.through a ?30 per week cut, hitting some of the poorest disabled
:03:04. > :03:12.First let me join him in what he said about George Martin,
:03:13. > :03:15.he was a massive figure, a giant in popular music
:03:16. > :03:20.and responsible for some tunes that will live for ever more.
:03:21. > :03:23.I'm only disappointed that he can't comment on my earlier point.
:03:24. > :03:26.It seems to me that we have a responsibility as party leaders
:03:27. > :03:30.He asked about the strength of the economy.
:03:31. > :03:33.We do face an uncertain international environment
:03:34. > :03:38.and all the experts warn of the danger we face.
:03:39. > :03:43.Yet today we have inflation at 0%, unemployment at 5%, our economy
:03:44. > :03:46.is growing, wages are growing and we are cutting the taxes that
:03:47. > :03:53.That, combined with reforming welfare, and we are doing that,
:03:54. > :03:56.is the way to get the deficit down, continue with growth
:03:57. > :03:59.and help deliver for working people in Britain.
:04:00. > :04:04.Mr Speaker, I do not believe that the majority of people in this
:04:05. > :04:10.country are content to see someone diagnosed with cancer today
:04:11. > :04:13.and unable to work next year reduced to poverty because of the cuts this
:04:14. > :04:21.The Chancellor has found another ?6.6 billion to reduce corporation
:04:22. > :04:27.Despite our corporation tax already being lower than any
:04:28. > :04:33.Today, Action for Children, the Children's Society
:04:34. > :04:37.and the National Children's Bureau show that local authority spending
:04:38. > :04:40.on children and young people has been cut by ?2
:04:41. > :04:49.Does this not show a wrong choice by the Prime Minister?
:04:50. > :04:52.Let's look at what has happened to corporation tax receipts
:04:53. > :04:57.That's the question because the point of setting tax
:04:58. > :05:03.rates is to raise money rather than make a political point.
:05:04. > :05:06.And the fact is that corporation tax receipts are up by 20% under this
:05:07. > :05:10.Government so we have more money to spend on children, and children's
:05:11. > :05:16.Whereas if we put up tax rates, as he seems to be suggesting,
:05:17. > :05:22.That's the result, they care about making a political point,
:05:23. > :05:27.we care about raising revenue and providing good services.
:05:28. > :05:32.I asked, if there's more money available to be spent
:05:33. > :05:35.on children's services, why are there half a million more
:05:36. > :05:37.children in poverty in Britain because of the policies
:05:38. > :05:45.If we really have the strong economy the Prime Minister claims,
:05:46. > :05:49.why did the Chancellor warn last week, and I quote,
:05:50. > :05:53."We may need to make further reductions?"
:05:54. > :05:59.Who will they fall on, young people, women?
:06:00. > :06:04.Will he rule out attacking those groups?
:06:05. > :06:07.He will see the Budget next week when my right honourable friend,
:06:08. > :06:09.who has an excellent record of steering the economy,
:06:10. > :06:16.About those remarks on poverty, let me say what has
:06:17. > :06:24.There are 680,000 fewer workless households.
:06:25. > :06:31.80,000 households where someone is bringing home a wage,
:06:32. > :06:34.putting food on the table and, under us, paying less taxes.
:06:35. > :06:37.There are 40,000 fewer households where no member has ever worked
:06:38. > :06:41.and 480,000 fewer children living in workless households.
:06:42. > :06:47.That is about tackling child poverty by having a growing economy,
:06:48. > :06:50.growing real wages, falling taxes, and increased childcare -
:06:51. > :06:56.all things never delivered by Labour.
:06:57. > :06:58.Mr Speaker, the problem is the number of households
:06:59. > :07:04.suffering from in-work poverty because of the insecure jobs,
:07:05. > :07:09.because of zero-hours contracts, because of low wages.
:07:10. > :07:13.As he well knows, the poorest have paid the most for the cuts and women
:07:14. > :07:21.Mr Speaker, on 99 previous attempts to ask questions to the Prime
:07:22. > :07:25.Minister, I have been unclear or dissatisfied by the answers,
:07:26. > :07:36.So, on this auspicious 100th occasion, can I ask
:07:37. > :07:42.the Prime Minister to help a young man named Callum.
:07:43. > :07:44.Last week the Prime Minister told the Engineering Employers Federation
:07:45. > :07:53.Callum is a bright young man, wanting to make his way in the world
:07:54. > :07:58.Well, maybe the Prime Minister does as well...
:07:59. > :08:00.Will the government acknowledge the importance of sixth form
:08:01. > :08:08.colleges and post-16 education services in Britain?
:08:09. > :08:14.Let me congratulate the honourable gentleman on getting to 100 not out,
:08:15. > :08:19.that will be welcomed across the House.
:08:20. > :08:22.What I would say to Callum is what we are introducing
:08:23. > :08:25.is a situation where we uncap university places so as many people
:08:26. > :08:28.who want to go can go and we will introduce in this
:08:29. > :08:31.Parliament three million apprentices.
:08:32. > :08:35.That, combined with better funded sixth forms and further education
:08:36. > :08:39.colleges, means we've got a proper education system that can really
:08:40. > :08:46.Let me come back once more on child poverty, let me give
:08:47. > :08:51.800,000 fewer people in relative poverty than 2010.
:08:52. > :08:56.300,000 fewer children in relative poverty than in 2010.
:08:57. > :09:00.That is the Labour measurement used so when he gets to the Dispatch Box,
:09:01. > :09:06.he can tell us that he was wrong about child poverty.
:09:07. > :09:12.The Prime Minister seems to be answering the last question but one.
:09:13. > :09:18.If I could bring him back to the question from Callum,
:09:19. > :09:21.and point out that there has been a 10% cut in real terms in sixth
:09:22. > :09:27.form and further education and adult education has been cut by 35%
:09:28. > :09:31.during his time as Prime Minister, the construction output in Britain
:09:32. > :09:34.has shrunk for two consecutive quarters now.
:09:35. > :09:39.Is this not a sign that this economic recovery has been
:09:40. > :09:46.Let me first confirm that we have protected 16-18 education
:09:47. > :09:56.We want to see every part of our economy growing and it is,
:09:57. > :09:58.unlike so many in what is a difficult and dangerous
:09:59. > :10:04.Yet if you look at our construction plans, because we have a strong
:10:05. > :10:09.economy we can commit to HS2, the biggest road programme
:10:10. > :10:13.since the 1970s, the largest rail programme since Victorian times
:10:14. > :10:15.and together with huge infrastructure projects in energy
:10:16. > :10:20.Those things are only possible because we have a strong
:10:21. > :10:27.His spending plans are a risk to the nation's finances,
:10:28. > :10:32.his tax plans a risk to every family in the country and we know
:10:33. > :10:34.what he wants, which is to put up taxes on people
:10:35. > :10:42.That's the plan and it would wreck this country's finances.
:10:43. > :10:45.Mr Speaker, we have the construction industry in recession at a time
:10:46. > :10:50.when there is an acute need for new housing.
:10:51. > :10:59.Construction apprenticeships have fallen by 11% since 2010.
:11:00. > :11:02.We have the lowest rate of house building since the 1920s,
:11:03. > :11:08.Will the Prime Minister look again at this issue, stop the cuts
:11:09. > :11:11.to skills training and the cuts to investment that are holding back
:11:12. > :11:15.this country, holding back the skill ambitions of so many young people
:11:16. > :11:21.and invest in them and invest in our future?
:11:22. > :11:24.I have to pick up the right honourable gentleman
:11:25. > :11:27.on his statistics because we have seen a massive boost to
:11:28. > :11:31.apprenticeships and apprenticeship funding under this Government.
:11:32. > :11:36.Two million in the last Parliament, three million in this one.
:11:37. > :11:41.House-building under Labour fell by 45% and has since increased
:11:42. > :11:46.by two thirds, over 7,000 new homes delivered since 2010
:11:47. > :11:51.and now completions are up, housing starts at the highest level
:11:52. > :11:56.since 2007, last year they nearly doubled the low point of 2009.
:11:57. > :11:58.They wrecked the economy, created that instability,
:11:59. > :12:01.we have been building a strong economy and that is what
:12:02. > :12:13.Unemployment in Sherwood has halved since 2010.
:12:14. > :12:20.Given that the Chancellor will make his Budget statement next
:12:21. > :12:23.week, can the Prime Minister assure the House he will continue
:12:24. > :12:24.to support quality education, employment generation
:12:25. > :12:26.and infrastructure to get to jobs, so maintaining a Conservative
:12:27. > :12:33.My honourable friend is right, the school improvement programme
:12:34. > :12:36.we are driving forward combined with uncapping university places
:12:37. > :12:39.and investing in apprenticeships is giving people a ladder
:12:40. > :12:41.of opportunity to make the most of their lives and the most
:12:42. > :12:45.of the employment opportunities clearly being created in this
:12:46. > :12:48.country where there are two million more people in work.
:12:49. > :12:51.I know he has a particular interest in his constituency,
:12:52. > :12:53.and extending the Robin Hood line, and is meeting with
:12:54. > :12:58.Just the sort of infrastructure project this Government wants
:12:59. > :13:05.Mr Speaker, the refugee crisis is the biggest issue facing
:13:06. > :13:15.Is the Prime Minister ashamed that a UK Government programme,
:13:16. > :13:18.we now know that in Folkestone trafficking victims were locked up
:13:19. > :13:22.without food, asylum seeking children were forced
:13:23. > :13:25.to sleep on concrete floors, patients with diarrhoea denied
:13:26. > :13:27.access to showers and a naked woman was allegedly beaten
:13:28. > :13:35.Is the Prime Minister ashamed of this?
:13:36. > :13:38.Well, I will look very carefully at the points the right
:13:39. > :13:42.I would say that our asylum system is fair and Britain,
:13:43. > :13:45.down the ages, has given people asylum who are
:13:46. > :13:55.When it comes to the issue of resettling Syrian refugees,
:13:56. > :13:58.it was instructive at this week's European Council with the chart
:13:59. > :14:00.showing how many countries have actually resettled Syrian refugees.
:14:01. > :14:02.Britain has done far better than any other
:14:03. > :14:10.This week the Scottish Refugee Council called for an investigation
:14:11. > :14:13.into allegations about the way asylum seekers are treated
:14:14. > :14:19.They want the Home Office to commission an independent inquiry
:14:20. > :14:23.into claims of substandard housing and dehumanising treatment
:14:24. > :14:27.of refugees by the private company contracted to provide accommodation
:14:28. > :14:34.Will he commission that investigation?
:14:35. > :14:37.We're very happy for these issues to be properly investigated.
:14:38. > :14:41.The Home Affairs Select Committee in this House of Commons has just
:14:42. > :14:45.done a report into the way that asylum, housing is commissioned.
:14:46. > :14:48.Of course, if the Scottish Parliament wants to carry out those
:14:49. > :14:51.investigations, of course the United Kingdom Government
:14:52. > :15:03.What we need to do is make sure that when we take people,
:15:04. > :15:06.in, we make sure they're properly housed, properly look after,
:15:07. > :15:08.their children at schooled, because that's the sort of generous
:15:09. > :15:14.I welcome the Government's excellent See Potential initiative
:15:15. > :15:23.to encourage employers to hire ex-offenders.
:15:24. > :15:25.Speaking as someone who myself employs a female ex-offender,
:15:26. > :15:28.via the excellent Working Chance charity, could the Prime Minister
:15:29. > :15:30.assure the House of his commitment to ensuring that employers
:15:31. > :15:33.in the public, private and charity sectors all play their part
:15:34. > :15:36.in providing greater opportunities for ex-offenders?
:15:37. > :15:38.Well, I absolutely agree with my honourable friend
:15:39. > :15:41.and I salute what he has done to help ex-offenders.
:15:42. > :15:46.Of course, if people are applying for a job,
:15:47. > :15:49.they have at some stage to declare the criminal record that they have
:15:50. > :15:51.and the offences they may have committed.
:15:52. > :15:54.The question is, do they have to do it absolutely at the CV stage?
:15:55. > :16:03.We believe in this idea of banning the box, and the civil service
:16:04. > :16:07.is going to introduce this, so that you don't have to put that
:16:08. > :16:09.information on the initial CV, you might at least get the chance
:16:10. > :16:11.of an interview, so you're not ruled out.
:16:12. > :16:16.When we talk about life chances for people in our country and giving
:16:17. > :16:19.sometimes people a second chance to make a go of their life,
:16:20. > :16:21.we're putting our money where our mouth is.
:16:22. > :16:25.If the British people vote to leave the European Union,
:16:26. > :16:27.will the Prime Minister resign - yes or no?
:16:28. > :16:39.It is very much to the Government's credit that over 2 million jobs have
:16:40. > :16:49.But nearly 1 million of those have gone to non-UK EU nationals.
:16:50. > :16:53.Does the Prime Minister agree with me that the EU's free movement
:16:54. > :16:57.of people is damaging UK nationals employment prospects and has
:16:58. > :17:01.contributed to the 1.6 million British people remaining unemployed?
:17:02. > :17:06.And this has not been compensated for by equivalent level jobs
:17:07. > :17:12.in other European countries for UK nationals.
:17:13. > :17:15.The point I make to my honourable friend is actually, if you look
:17:16. > :17:18.at the figures over the last five years, two thirds of the rise
:17:19. > :17:21.of employment over the last five years has been made up by jobs
:17:22. > :17:32.Where I would agree with her is, in combination with the welfare
:17:33. > :17:35.reform we've introduced for EU citizens and the tougher control
:17:36. > :17:37.of migration from outside the EU, we should see welfare reform
:17:38. > :17:40.in the UK as the flip side of migration control.
:17:41. > :17:43.We want to make sure it always pays for British people to train up,
:17:44. > :17:45.to do the jobs that are being made available.
:17:46. > :17:47.So we should see immigration control and welfare reform,
:17:48. > :17:50.together with a growing economy, as the way of getting more
:17:51. > :17:56.Does the Prime Minister agree with me that it's very important
:17:57. > :17:59.that we make the positive case for Britain remaining in the EU?
:18:00. > :18:04.Each of us get ?1,200 back for every ?120 we put in,
:18:05. > :18:08.we have lower prices and choice in shops and we have easier
:18:09. > :18:10.travelling for holidays and businesses.
:18:11. > :18:14.Can the Prime Minister explain how our membership of the EU
:18:15. > :18:20.benefits so many aspects of our lives?
:18:21. > :18:21.I think the honourable lady makes an important
:18:22. > :18:26.In all the arguments about single markets and sovereignty,
:18:27. > :18:28.and all the rest of it, we can sometimes lose some
:18:29. > :18:31.of the simple consumer benefits of being a member
:18:32. > :18:35.The things she mentions about cheaper air travel,
:18:36. > :18:38.ease of travel, not having any tariffs, these are things
:18:39. > :18:41.that we take for granted now, but simply weren't the case
:18:42. > :18:46.I agree, that's a strong part of the very positive case
:18:47. > :18:48.that we should make for remaining in the EU.
:18:49. > :18:57.But with her own constituency in mind, I also think we should
:18:58. > :18:59.point to the enormous success of the British car industry,
:19:00. > :19:02.which now employs and is responsible for over 140,000 jobs.
:19:03. > :19:03.That is a great European success story.
:19:04. > :19:06.A lot of those cars go to the European market
:19:07. > :19:08.and we want to make sure that continues, tariff-free.
:19:09. > :19:17.Our security is guaranteed under Nato and this Government's action
:19:18. > :19:20.to meet our 2% commitment is most welcome.
:19:21. > :19:24.I recently visited RAF Odiham in my constituency
:19:25. > :19:28.where the chinooks, which do so much for the United Kingdom
:19:29. > :19:33.Will my right honourable friend look at plans to improve the quality
:19:34. > :19:36.of accommodation for airmen and airwomen in RAF Odiham,
:19:37. > :19:41.which I am sure he agrees they deserve?
:19:42. > :19:43.I thank my honourable friend for that question.
:19:44. > :19:48.Let me, through him, pay tribute to the Chinook pilots
:19:49. > :19:50.and all the crews who service those helicopters.
:19:51. > :19:53.I think I visited Afghanistan something like 13 times,
:19:54. > :19:55.over the last few years, and their bravery,
:19:56. > :19:57.their professionalism, their brilliance in flying,
:19:58. > :20:01.often at very low levels, is absolutely remarkable.
:20:02. > :20:03.They've rightly been decorated and commended for the work they do.
:20:04. > :20:06.We have got an upgrade programme for the Chinooks,
:20:07. > :20:09.which will mean new helicopters replacing part of the existing fleet
:20:10. > :20:17.I think I'm right in saying, some ?2 million has been spent
:20:18. > :20:19.on RAF Odiham but, if more is needed, we'll make
:20:20. > :20:21.THE SPEAKER: Catherine McKinnell.
:20:22. > :20:25.In 1949, aged 11 months, my constituent William Bradney
:20:26. > :20:29.He has worked from the age of 15, he continues to work at 67,
:20:30. > :20:36.but following a clearly flawed PIP assessment he's set
:20:37. > :20:39.to lose his Motability car, potentially within three weeks.
:20:40. > :20:42.He says it will leave him unable to leave the house
:20:43. > :20:46.Will the Prime Minister urgently review his case and the case
:20:47. > :20:50.of 14,000 disabled people who have lost this essential lifeline?
:20:51. > :20:54.I will certainly have a look at the case because what we have
:20:55. > :20:57.found so far with personal independence payments is actually
:20:58. > :20:59.we are spending more money on disability,
:21:00. > :21:01.rather than less money on disability.
:21:02. > :21:04.But I'll look very carefully at the case.
:21:05. > :21:08.The whole point about PIP compared to DLA is there is more of a proper
:21:09. > :21:13.medical assessment process to find out what is required.
:21:14. > :21:17.Through her can I also say to her constituent that I'm sure he,
:21:18. > :21:20.like others, will welcome that we are so close to eradicating
:21:21. > :21:24.polio entirely from our world and this Government is committed
:21:25. > :21:27.to going the extra mile and making that happen.
:21:28. > :21:35.Schools in South Suffolk were delighted this week to see
:21:36. > :21:38.the publication of the Government's consultation on fairer funding.
:21:39. > :21:42.Given that the first part of this consultation will focus on the core
:21:43. > :21:45.principles, does my right honourable friend agree with me,
:21:46. > :21:48.one of those principles must be to recognise that rural schools face
:21:49. > :21:51.unique and unavoidable costs that are not well funded under
:21:52. > :21:59.I certainly agree with my honourable friend that it is right
:22:00. > :22:01.that we are examining this formula and trying
:22:02. > :22:04.I think that everyone can see now that the figures
:22:05. > :22:06.between the best-funded schools and the worst-funded schools,
:22:07. > :22:11.I also agree with him, it will be vital the specific needs
:22:12. > :22:14.of schools in rural areas are properly considered.
:22:15. > :22:17.That's why our consultation proposes that we should direct additional
:22:18. > :22:20.funding to small schools in sparsely populated areas.
:22:21. > :22:25.Mr Speaker, to follow up the question from my right
:22:26. > :22:27.honourable friend, the Leader of the Opposition,
:22:28. > :22:35.Official figures show 12,000 vacancies in construction are hard
:22:36. > :22:40.to fill due to a lack of skilled applicants.
:22:41. > :22:43.Can the Prime Minister explain why the number of construction
:22:44. > :22:50.apprenticeships have fallen under him?
:22:51. > :22:55.The point is, we are building more houses, we're investing more
:22:56. > :22:56.in construction, we're training more apprentices.
:22:57. > :22:59.The money is there from the Government and now we're
:23:00. > :23:02.going to have the apprenticeship levy on the larger businesses that
:23:03. > :23:15.can make sure we can fund apprenticeships long through this
:23:16. > :23:16.through this Parliament.
:23:17. > :23:19.The Prime Minister will be aware of a recent tragic fatality
:23:20. > :23:22.on the A17 in Terrington St Clement in my constituency.
:23:23. > :23:25.Whilst we must await the result of a full inquest and the police
:23:26. > :23:33.inquiry, does he agree with me that it's vital that the local parish
:23:34. > :23:35.council is fully consulted when it comes to looking
:23:36. > :23:38.I have heard about this tragic accident and I'm sure,
:23:39. > :23:40.on behalf of everyone, we should send our sympathies
:23:41. > :23:51.I think he's right to say that in so many of these cases the parish
:23:52. > :23:54.council has a lot of expertise about areas of roads that aren't
:23:55. > :23:56.safe and things that could be done and, of course,
:23:57. > :23:59.they should be listened to in this and other cases.
:24:00. > :24:00.THE SPEAKER: Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods.
:24:01. > :24:03.On Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day and just yesterday
:24:04. > :24:06.Members opposite, rightly, were keen to celebrate women
:24:07. > :24:10.Why has then has this Government introduced cuts to public services,
:24:11. > :24:12.a freeze to child benefit and reductions in work-related
:24:13. > :24:17.benefits that have left mothers ?13 billion worse off?
:24:18. > :24:21.The one thing I share with the honourable lady
:24:22. > :24:23.is it was right to celebrate Mother's Day, I shared it
:24:24. > :24:26.with my mother, but I think I've probably said enough
:24:27. > :24:32.Also, it was a privilege to welcome to Number Ten yesterday some
:24:33. > :24:35.inspirational women from all walks of life,
:24:36. > :24:44.I'm not saying this Government has sold all of these problems,
:24:45. > :24:47.I'm not saying this Government has solved all of these problems,
:24:48. > :24:49.but we've got more women in work, they're getting higher pay,
:24:50. > :24:51.they're paying lower taxes, they're getting more childcare
:24:52. > :24:53.and they're retiring with better pensions.
:24:54. > :24:55.When it comes to the things that Government needs to do,
:24:56. > :24:57.actually we're appointing more women to senior positions,
:24:58. > :25:00.The honours system is now properly reflecting women.
:25:01. > :25:02.Someone shouted out, "what about the pay gap?"
:25:03. > :25:04.The pay gap is now at its lowest published level.
:25:05. > :25:09.We have abolished the pay gap for the under 40s.
:25:10. > :25:12.When it comes to protecting women, this is the Government that
:25:13. > :25:15.This is the Government that introduced the duty to report
:25:16. > :25:21.This is the Government that set out a specific
:25:22. > :25:25.We introduced Claire's Law so that people can find out
:25:26. > :25:30.I accept there's more to be done, but let me say this to the Labour
:25:31. > :25:35.One thing you could help with, no more segregated political meetings.
:25:36. > :25:38.Let us end the process of having people with bigoted religious views
:25:39. > :25:43.treating women as second-class citizens.
:25:44. > :25:46.I think you should all take the pledge,
:25:47. > :25:57.The UK still has relatively poor superfast broadband and far too many
:25:58. > :26:06.Great work has been done, but what will my right honourable
:26:07. > :26:11.friend be discussing with his right honourable friend,
:26:12. > :26:16.the Chancellor, in advance of the Budget Statement next week,
:26:17. > :26:19.in how we can improve coverage further, particularly for rural,
:26:20. > :26:27.I think my honourable friend is absolutely right to raise this.
:26:28. > :26:30.Since 2010, we have nearly doubled the number of homes and businesses
:26:31. > :26:35.We are on track for the 90% and 95% target, but there's clearly more
:26:36. > :26:40.I think this is something for members right across the House.
:26:41. > :26:42.10 years ago, I think we were all rather guilty of leading
:26:43. > :26:45.campaigns against masts and all the rest of it.
:26:46. > :26:48.Our constituents now want coverage for their Internet,
:26:49. > :26:51.they want coverage for mobile phones.
:26:52. > :26:54.We need to make sure that we change the law,
:26:55. > :26:56.in all the ways necessary, to make sure the wayleaves
:26:57. > :26:59.are granted, that the masts are built, we increase coverage
:27:00. > :27:02.and make sure everyone is connected to the information superhighway.
:27:03. > :27:18.76% of the cost of a bottle of whisky is tax.
:27:19. > :27:20.Last year the Government's 2% cut in duty increased revenue
:27:21. > :27:25.Will the Prime Minister accept that one of our greatest products
:27:26. > :27:28.is taxed too much and will he join with me and the Scotch Whisky
:27:29. > :27:30.Association in calling for a further 2% reductin in duty
:27:31. > :27:33.My right honourable friend, the Chancellor and I,
:27:34. > :27:35.have consistently backed Scotland, Scottish whisky
:27:36. > :27:41.On the day that the profit and loss account comes out for Scotland,
:27:42. > :27:44.you can see there is a ?15 billion gap that Scotland would face
:27:45. > :27:47.if it was outside the United Kingdom.
:27:48. > :27:50.I dread to think what taxation would be have to be levied,
:27:51. > :27:53.not just an whisky, but on petrol, on work,
:27:54. > :28:00.That's the prospect of life outside the United Kingdom and that's why
:28:01. > :28:03.I'm so glad we voted to stay together.
:28:04. > :28:11.The Government has just presented three White Papers to Parliament
:28:12. > :28:16.under their self-imposed legal duty to provide information under
:28:17. > :28:25.The Minister for Europe, during the proceedings
:28:26. > :28:28.between the two Houses, undertook to me that the Government
:28:29. > :28:31.information under that Act would certainly,
:28:32. > :28:35.as he put it, be accurate and impartial.
:28:36. > :28:38.The three recent White Papers are not.
:28:39. > :28:43.My right honourable friend is the enforcer of the ministerial
:28:44. > :28:48.code, which demands ministers give accurate information to Parliament.
:28:49. > :28:51.Will my right honourable friend issue instructions
:28:52. > :28:54.to Foreign Office Ministers to review and correct these White
:28:55. > :29:03.First of all, let me say to my honourable friend,
:29:04. > :29:06.we believe in the sovereignty of Parliament.
:29:07. > :29:08.Parliament dictated that these documents would be published
:29:09. > :29:10.and that's why they're being published.
:29:11. > :29:14.On the question of their content, their content has been prepared
:29:15. > :29:16.by civil servants, under all the appropriate codes.
:29:17. > :29:20.If he doesn't agree with some of the content, I would say to him
:29:21. > :29:22.and other colleagues - challenged the content.
:29:23. > :29:27.Stop having an argument about the process.
:29:28. > :29:35.The Prime Minister's notes will indicate to him that I raised
:29:36. > :29:38.the question of the National Wildlife Crime Unit earlier this
:29:39. > :29:42.year, I'm delighted to report that its funding has now been
:29:43. > :29:54.I read it on my website, so it must be true!
:29:55. > :29:58.As my mother used to say, it never hurts to say thank you,
:29:59. > :30:07.Can I ask him on a similar matter, how his manifesto commitment
:30:08. > :30:12.to outlaw the use of wild animals in circuses is progressing?
:30:13. > :30:17.Can I thank him for raising such effective questions
:30:18. > :30:24.On circuses and wild animals, we have a manifesto commitment.
:30:25. > :30:27.We didn't manage to meet it in the last Parliament.
:30:28. > :30:31.We license these things so strictly that I think we are now talking
:30:32. > :30:36.Two, thank you very much, but we are committed to legislating
:30:37. > :30:50.Later today, colleagues from across the House and I will be
:30:51. > :30:51.launching the all-party parliamentary group
:30:52. > :30:55.Will my right honourable friend join me in welcoming the work
:30:56. > :30:58.of organisations around the country, including Nash the Hope Centre
:30:59. > :31:06.in my own constituency and pledge that, as a Government,
:31:07. > :31:09.we will do all we can to help homeless people and to address
:31:10. > :31:12.the causes of homelessness so we can end this problem once and for all.
:31:13. > :31:15.I certainly welcome my honourable friend and the launch of this
:31:16. > :31:19.We need to work both on rough sleeping, where we face particular
:31:20. > :31:23.There are some good operations under way to try to deal with that
:31:24. > :31:26.and on homelessness, at the heart of which is the need
:31:27. > :31:30.That is why we have an ?8 billion housing programme to build 400,000
:31:31. > :31:33.houses and we hope to build, by the end of this Parliament,
:31:34. > :31:46.A friend of mine works a 39-hour week, including Sundays and bank
:31:47. > :31:51.Can the Prime Minister imagine his shock when he discovered
:31:52. > :31:54.that he would lose money as a result of the introduction
:31:55. > :32:00.That's because to introduce it, B are cutting allowances.
:32:01. > :32:03.As a result, he's going to take home ?50 a week less,
:32:04. > :32:08.or ?2,600 a year, after the hourly rate goes up.
:32:09. > :32:11.Can the Prime Minister and his Chancellor, in their Budget
:32:12. > :32:15.next week, ensure that nobody working on a shop floor takes
:32:16. > :32:24.We want to see people take home more moneyt and that is why we introduced
:32:25. > :32:27.the national living wage, which will be at ?9 by 2020.
:32:28. > :32:31.We're cutting the taxes of people like the friend to whom
:32:32. > :32:34.the honourable lady refers, who will be able to earn ?11,000
:32:35. > :32:40.from the 1st April before paying any taxes at all.
:32:41. > :32:46.A recent study led by Imperial College has shown that
:32:47. > :32:47.biomass, is progressed through the contracts
:32:48. > :32:50.for difference, could save bill payers and the Treasury
:32:51. > :32:54.This is an industry that supports thousands of jobs in the Humber
:32:55. > :32:56.and in the constituencies of my honourable friends
:32:57. > :33:01.Can the Prime Minister look at this as a sustainable business model?
:33:02. > :33:03.The biomass comes from the US and Canada.
:33:04. > :33:07.Will he look at this so we can try and get it into the CfD programme?
:33:08. > :33:11.I will this, but what we all have to realise is the levy control
:33:12. > :33:13.framework, the extra amount of money that we're prepared to put
:33:14. > :33:15.into renewable energy is a finite amount and,
:33:16. > :33:26.in the end, we have to make sure that what we get is cost effective.
:33:27. > :33:31.Electricity and that we go green at the lowest cost. That is the aim,
:33:32. > :33:38.but I will look carefully at what my honourable friend. Bare Gardiner. It
:33:39. > :33:43.used to be said that an English family's home was their castle, but
:33:44. > :33:48.following the Government's Housing Bill, new tenants in social housing
:33:49. > :33:52.will be on fixed three to five-year contracts. Does the Prime Minister
:33:53. > :33:56.think that it's right that a student beginning their secondary education
:33:57. > :34:05.may face eviction at the very time they come up to their GCSE's and
:34:06. > :34:09.A-levels. We want more people for their home genuinely to be their own
:34:10. > :34:12.which is why we are extending the right-to-buy from council tenants to
:34:13. > :34:15.Housing Association tenants so this millions of people will be able to
:34:16. > :34:19.own their home. We want to make sure that social house something is there
:34:20. > :34:22.are fo the people who need it most. No current tenant is going to be
:34:23. > :34:26.affected. That is why we think this house Housing Bill will see more
:34:27. > :34:30.homes built, more homes owned, more homes rented and will be good for
:34:31. > :34:35.housing in our country. THE SPEAKER: Order.