08/06/2016 Prime Minister's Questions

This morning, I had meetings with ministers and other colleagues and

in addition I will have other such meetings today.

Emily Davison died in 1913. Yesterday we commemorated women's

suffrage and the importance of votes for women. And women voting for

women. Thousands wanted to vote yesterday but due to massive

demand were unable to. the house on what he is doing to

ensure everyone has a chance to register their vote and can do

so in this vote for a generation? First of all, let me

join my honourable friend in remembering

what the suffragettes stood for. The fact that we achieved universal

suffrage in this country. On the issue she raises, I'm sure the whole

house will want to It's extremely welcome that

so many people want to take part in this massive democratic

exercise, in this vital decision for Last night there was record

demand on the website from people concerned they might not be

registered to vote in the referendum and this caused an overload of the

system. I am clear that people a statement, they urge

the Government... They will effectively extend

the deadline. To make sure

those who registered today, and who registered last night, will be able

to vote in the EU referendum. if the house recognise

and remembered the life of Muhammad Ali today,

not only the greatest in his chosen field but someone

who inspired so many. I had the honour of meeting his wife

in the 1980s. I think we should commend his

bravery in facing Parkinson's disease. On campaigning on

civil rights, We have all lost one of

the greatest. Yesterday, I met some workers

from Sports Direct to come to Parliament to give evidence about

the shocking behaviour of that company, nonpayment of the minimum

wage, a culture of intimidation and fear, on top of the insecurity and

exploitation of zero hours contracts. Philip wrote to me this

week on this issue and concerned about it, said, the scandalous

scourge of zero hours contracts, which is blighting the lives of many

already low-paid people. Will the Prime Minister do what some other

European countries have done and ban exploitative zero hours contracts

here? First let me join the Leader of the Opposition in

paying tribute to the He was a hero in the ring,

an enormous role model What he did it in terms of

breaking down barriers And I'm sure we all

try to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee at

this dispatch box though it's not always possible in the

circumstances we face. and the appalling practice of

not paying the minimum wage, I have heard it and this Government has

done more than any previous Government to crack

down on the nonpayment. 5,000 penalties since 2010, we

continue to name and shame eligible employers when the investigation

has been closed. Penalties for not paying

the minimum wage are at value of penalties last year was 15

times bigger than in 2010, so on top of our national living wage, we are

going after unscrupulous employers and making sure people get the deal

they deserve. On the issue of zero hours contracts, we ligislated

in the last Parliament to stop exclusive zero hours

contracts but we followed which said we shouldn't go further

than that and for some people, they want to have the choice

of those contracts. shows that Mike Ashley certainly

isn't Father Christmas. Indeed, he would make

Scrooge look like a good employer, but we should commend the unions

for exposing what went on and shows we must strengthen,

not weaken, workers' rights, particularly when there is criminal

activity involved. But his Government's Employment Minister

said that if we leave Europe, we could just half the burdens

of the European Union, Perhaps the Prime

Minister could help us. Does she speak on behalf

of the Government burdens, as she describes

them, of employment legislation, or on behalf

of whom does she speak? The Government is in

favour of staying in a reformed European Union because

we are stronger, safer and better off. For many people, one of the

reasons they will want to stay in the European Union is that they do

believe it provides an underpinning in terms of rights for workers and

employment rights. in addition that we in this

house have repeatedly gone over and above those rights, we have the

right to request flexible working for all workers since 2014, we went

well beyond the maternity leave EU directive, giving 52 weeks maternity

leave, given shared parental leave, eight days more annual leave for

full-time workers than the EU working time directive. I believe

this modern, compassionate Conservative government has an

excellent record on these things, underpinned by our membership of the

European Union. If it is a modern, compassionate Conservative

government, as he describes it, why does it have an employment minister

who wants to reduce the burdens, of employment

legislation and make work less secure? Could I quote one other

person who has given some opinions on these matters, he says, "I can't

guarantee every person currently in their current job

will keep their job." That was the member

for Surrey Heath who is the justice

minister, who seems equally relaxed So he has an employment minister

and a justice minister who want to reduce

what they describe as workers' protection

as a burden. As he knows, we are holding

a referendum, clear position, which is we are

stronger, safer and better off inside a European Union,

that is the advice we are giving the voters

in our country, but there are ministers

in the Government who in a personal capacity are campaigning on another

side of the argument. So I don't agree with what the

honourable member for Surrey Heath says, and I couldn't be

clearer about that, the Government has

a clear position. not only do he and I agree,

not only does the Conservative Government and the Labour Party

agree, but we also have the support of the Liberal Democrats, the

support of the Ulster Unionist Party, the support

of the Green Party, this is one occasion

when business is large and small and trade unions

are on the same side and I think we should celebrate that

and get out and campaign What I do celebrate is the work done

by trade unions all across Europe. Persuading the European

Union to bring in four weeks paid holiday, laws against sex

discrimination, rights for part-time But two weeks ago, I raised with

the Prime Minister the proposed amendment

to the workers' directive to close a loophole that

allows unscrupulous employers to exploit migrant workers and undercut

wages here. Will he now reply to my question and confirm that he will

argue in Europe for the amendment to close this loophole that allows this

exploitation to go on? I think I said last, we support the current

draft, we want to see this sorted out, we have been working with the

Dutch Prime Minister who is reading this work and we think an amendment

to this will be worthwhile. The current draft is good and we back

it. I'm pleased he is backing it but I hope he ensures it goes through.

There is another issue I raised with him a couple of weeks ago

and that is the anger that exists all over this country, indeed all

over the western world, about tax avoidance. I agree that we are more

likely to make progress inside the European Union than outside on tax

avoidance, but his members of the European Parliament have not been

supporting country by country tax transparency that would force

companies to publish their tax payments in each country in which

they operate. Will he now tell us when this is going to be supported

by his MEPs, when it will go through, to close down just one of

the many tax loopholes that exist at First of all, I would say that no

government has done more nationally that no government has

done more internationally to bring I made it my centrepiece of the G8,

we are now driving change support country by country reporting

and they have said that over and over again and I'm happy to

repeat that again. I'm really pleased that his MEPs support it, we

are all delighted about that, I'd hope they get round to voting for it

when the opportunity comes up because that would certainly help.

He will be aware that the Labour position is that we want to stay in

the European Union to improve workers's rights, tackle

exportation, drive down tax evasion and tax avoidance. But we are

concerned that these issues are not the priorities of members of his

government and his party, such as the member for Uxbridge, the member

for Surrey Heath They are seeking to try and destroy

any of the social advances made within the European Union. Does

he talk to them about this at any time and do they speak for

themselves or him and his government, and if they speak for

themselves, how are they ministers at the same time? And here I am

trying to be so consensual. I am doing my best. I could of course

mention that the honourable member for Edgbaston was out there

yesterday spinning for Nigel Farage. But I don't want to play that game.

I'd want to stress the unity of purpose, particularly over tax

evasion, because there is a serious point here. What we have in prospect

in the European Union, in part because of British action is the

idea of saying that if large foreign multinationals want to invest

in the European Union, they will have to report

their country-by-country tax arrangements, not just in Europe

but all over the world. Now, that could drive a huge change

in some of these very large companies where there

are great concerns and I hope that he and I can unite and say this

would be a good thing an agenda in Europe,

it wins for our citizens. The Prime Minister has repeatedly

stated that he secured changes to Will he now confirm that on the

3rd of June, the voters are not guaranteed any treaty change to EU

nor, as no treaty change was achieved despite a promise to

deliver international agreement It is a sign he's

losing the argument. I know he has strong

views about this issue and so do I,

but on the specific point, I'm afraid he's not correct. In the

renegotiation we secured the vital treaty changes, one on getting

Britain out of ever closer union, and on the protection for our

currency. I don't except for one minute that in any way supporting

Britain being a member of a reformed European Union is turning our

country down. I think if you love your country you really

want it to be strong your country, you want opportunities

for young people, you don't want to act in a way that could

lead to its break-up to see is not Nigel Farage's little

England, I want to see a strong Britain in Europe. Last week,

thousands of dead from both sides in the battle of Jutland were

remembered in conversions. The Prime Minister joined

the Princess Royal, President of Germany and the First Minister,

with thousands of people on Orkney to remember the tragedy. European

cooperation emerged from both world wars as the best way to secure

peace. Does the Prime Minister agree that we should never take peace and

security for granted and that it is a strong reason to remain

in the European Union? I think the right honourable

gentleman is right about this. There were very memorable scenes as

we stood on that cemetery ground and in

the background the British and

German frigates together was a sight I am not going to forget, as we

commemorated and remembered how many I want to be clear about this.

The words World War III have never passed my lips,

let me reassure everyone about that, but can we really

take for granted... security and stability we enjoy

today, when we know our continent has been wracked by so many

conflicts in the past? I would always give

the greatest credit to Nato for keeping the peace but I think it has

always been a Conservative view the European Union has played its role

as well. This is not about World War Three

but the reality on facts that there have been at wars on the European

continent, but outside the European They have happened in the Balkans,

Ukraine, the Caucasus, it is also a fact there have never,

ever been any examples, not one single example of armed conflict

between member states of the European Union. Will the Prime

Minister take the time, the little time that is left ahead of the

European referendum, to stress the positive advantages of cooperation,

of peace and of stability to us all, not just the single market all the

rights we have as citizens, peace and prosperity is an advantage to us

all and that is why we should remain in the European Union.

I think the strongest argument for the Government's position of wanting

us to stay is we will be better off, that that market a 500 million

people is absolutely essential for our businesses. I think the argument

I was just making that we would be stronger in the world, in terms of

getting things done for Britain and our citizens is important, but the

argument that we are safer and more secure because of the European Union

is a means for dialogue between countries that were previously

adversaries and something I will never forget. However frustrating it

can get around that table with 27 other prime ministers and

presidents, you never forget these were countries previously in

conflict. Now we talk, discussed, argued and decide that is a far

better way of doing things. If my constituents in the coalfields

of Nottinghamshire are to share in the economic success driven by this

government, they have to have access to employment via good quality

public services. Can the Prime Minister give me any assistance in

my campaign to open the Robin Hood to Linux, to extend it to various

vintages so we can get them on a train into a job? -- extend the

line? Quality infrastructure is vital for our economy and I am

pleased to say following representations from my honourable

friend and others, the Department for Transport have revised the

project so lines like the Robin Hood line can benefit from government

money to kick-start the man get them going.

In 2003, the current Prime Minister and most of today's cabinet joined

Tony Blair and his Cabinet at the time in joining the war in Iraq.

This is historically factual and Will not the judgment

of Chilcott be discredited if the report fails to recognise

that the then Prime Minister honestly and genuinely believed that

his actions, given the information available, was the right thing to do

at the time? What I would say to the right honourable lady, and I

remember very powerful speeches she made at the time with all the

concerns she had for the people in Iraq, and particularly the Kurds, we

should wait for the Chilcot Report and what it has to say. I have no

idea what is in it, all I do know is its publication is coming quite

soon. The European Union recently admitted

it has a black hole in its finances of around ?19 billion. 18 months ago

my right honourable friend said he won't not pay the EU the surcharge,

effectively a final British taxpayers, yet he later was forced

to pay up. What reassurance with my right honourable friend give the

House that hard-working British taxpayers will not be forced to pay

money in this black hole of our nation votes to stay in the European

Union and would he accept our only option is for our constituents to

vote to Leave the EU? The reassurance I can

give my right honourable friend is we fixed

the European budget for a seven-year

period between 2014-2020 and we fixed the total for that

budget that was lower than the previous seven year

period and means European budgets are going to

go down and not up. This is a very important

point, the overall ceiling of spending is determined

by all 28 Prime Ministers and There is a veto over changing it,

just as there is a veto The only person who

can give up British rebate is the British Prime Minister

and as I long as I'm standing here and am Prime Minister there

is absolutely no prospect of that Now, I will, as he ended his

question with a remark, I will end mine with a remark -

there is no expert that is saying we would make a saving from

leaving the EU. The only black hole

there would be would be in our public finances because we

would have a smaller economy, lower tax receipts, so we would

have to cut spending or put up taxes to

make up for the fact. It's time buses like trains

provided audio and visual This would benefit not just those

who are blind or deaf, I have asked the transport

minister on this subject. Could the Prime Minister commit his

government to sign up to an amendment to the Buses Bill

which would provide I will look very closely

at what he says. I think I am right in saying

the Buses Bill is a devolved matter, so it affects issues in England

rather than issues in Scotland. But let me look carefully at what he

says because we want to make sure disabled people can properly use

the bus services we have. My right honourable

friend will be aware it is five years since

the announcement by Pfizer to scale

down operations. Since then with enterprise

zone status there has been a renaissance of high-tech

businesses on site with employment levels now up to nearly

the previous position. He has previously promised a trip

to South Thanet, can I ask once more to see the success

in my constituency? To answer that offer

and say I would like to go. I remember very well it was early

in 2010 when Pfizer made I think there were real concerns

this would lead to an exit of jobs and investment

in my right honourable friend's I want to pay tribute

to David Willetts, who did a great job working with others,

including a local MP, to get businesses to locate

in the constituency and to show there is

very strong pharmaceutical and life sciences industry in our country,

With industrialists like Glaxo and Hitachi saying if we left

the EU jobs would be lost, the Brexit economist

revealed their strategy means manufacturing

Would the Prime Minister join me...in calling

on the Brexit leaders to say how many other people's jobs they would

sacrifice on the altar of their own political ambitions?

I think the honourable lady makes an important

point, which is one of the

reasons why international companies like Hitachi invest here

is because we are members of the single market.

What the head of Hitachi said this week about

wanting us to be the European headquarters, to manufacture those

trains in the north-east and sell all over Europe and how that might

not be possible if we were to leave was an incredibly powerful

So in my clear view, jobs come first, and if people want to

vote for jobs, they should vote for Remain on the 23rd of June.

Speaking at many universities, colleges and schools across England,

and also through organisations organised by the universities

UK, University UK and the Russell group

I have been struck by the strong interest young people have in

Does the Prime Minister agree with me that Britain

should take a firm lead in the European Union to promote the

interests of young people and for their careers, research and

opportunities in the future generally?

I think our universities have been pretty much unanimous in recommended

we vote to stay in the EU, I think that is partly because of the

opportunities young people will have of being in the single market of 500

Also our universities do well from research

funding which is helping to create the businesses and jobs of the

future, where we contribute 11% of the budget, we received 16% of

Staying in Europe is good for students

good for young people's opportunities and good for science

Yesterday the defence committee, Admiral Lord West, commented the

Ministry of Defence had effectively run out of money for shipbuilding.

Given reports another vessel had to be escorted out of British waters

overnight, does the Prime Minister agree that the delay in building new

frigates is causing problems and it is essential

the money is allocated to deliver this programme in full

It is certainly not the case that this country in any way

has run out of money, or run out of ambition

We are currently building the two largest ships the Royal Navy has

ever had and we are shortly going to be commissioning the Type 26

programme, as well as the offshore patrol vessels.

The point I would make to the honourable member is

there is only one way we could threaten shipbuilding on the Clyde

and that would be to pull out of the United Kingdom

and see the jobs be decimated as a result.

Mr Speaker, the beauty of a referendum is that every voter has

an equal voice, every vote carries equal weight and members

of Parliament have no moral or political

Does my right honourable friend accept

the referendum is not a consultation but an instruction to Parliament

Is it not incumbent on all of us to accept in

advance that Remain would mean remain and Leave would mean leave,

and any attempt to short-change or distort the verdict of the British

people would be a democratic outrage?

I think my right honourable friend is absolutely right.

We have asked the British people for their opinion and

we should treat their decision as an instruction to deliver.

I know many people would like me to be a bit

more nuanced in what I think, to say there are two options, they both

have some merit, it is a balanced decision.

That might have made my life easier but the problem is, I

I very strongly believe we are better off if we stay

in and that is why the Government is saying so clearly to the British

people and I am saying clearly, better off stronger and safer, but

in the end it is the British people's decision.

Only last week the Prime Minister was rightly extolling the virtues of

the EU as a means to tackle pollution.

Yet over recent months the UK Government has led

efforts to water down a key EU directive aimed

at reducing the number of people who die every

year from breathing in

What we're doing in our own country is making sure we improve our air

quality, go for these clean air zones and we have seen a major

reduction in particulates in the air over the last two years and we

What the Prime Minister said today I think is

right, we have to go and

But I remember what you said yesterday about notifying

members if they are going to be in the constituency.

Can I say to the Prime Minister, a group

of Leave campaigners will be descending

And will the Prime Minister be able to join as and

given what he has just said, would he confirm that

if the country votes to Leave, he would be able to stay

on as Prime Minister and negotiate the exit?

I am very sorry I won't be able to meet my honourable friend.

I am making an appearance on the Andrew

Marr programme on Sunday, but I would recommend he goes

to the Fleece pub in Whitney and spends

as much time and money there rather than anything else.

Will we have a decision into the Davies Report

and does he stand by his word, personally, no ifs, no buts,

I absolutely stand by what I said, that we will have a decision

by this in the summer and we do need to decide.

Next week the national Parliamentary prayer breakfast will take place

in Westminster Hall when 600 people will gather, yet also this

week we hear of a Christian union being banned from holding prayer and

Reportedly on the grounds of the government's

Does the Prime Minister agree such action was never intended?

Of course, what my honourable friend says is right.

I will not be able to attend the prayer breakfast.

I know it is a very good event and brings a

lot of people together and means a lot to Christians around our

The point she makes about the Prevent duty being misused, I

haven't heard of that exact example, but it is clearly ludicrous.

People do need to exercise some common

sense in making these judgments because it is quite clear that was

Every day around 6,000 people, many children, take on new caring

responsible providing unpaid care for a family member or friend.

Yet many carers say they feel abandoned

by everyone, including the

Will the Prime Minister pledge his Government to do much better

for the 9500 carers in my constituency and the many across the

I pay tribute to the carers across our country for

the selfless work they do, for the immense amount

of money they save taxpayers every year.

But above all, for the love and commitment they give to the people

What we have done is try to help by increasing

the number of carers' breaks, because many carers

will say the one thing they need to go on caring is an

We should continue to work on all those things to help our carers.

The largest single source of employment and wealth in my

constituency is the London based financial services market.

Does the Prime Minister agree with me that

the opportunity to continue trading freely in a 500 million single

market in financial services, with completed

capital markets union is

an unparalleled and optimistic opportunity for my constituents and

one though no sensible businessman would turn his back on?

My honourable friend makes an important

point and here it is worth understanding what the single market

It means a financial services company based in the UK effectively

has a passport to trade in 27 other EU countries.

If we are to leave and if we leave the single market, we

So by definition, many of the firms would

have to relocate at least some of their staff into another European

HSBC have said they would have to scrap 1,000 jobs.

JP Morgan said they would have to scrap 4,000 jobs.

Lloyd's came out and said many jobs in insurance would be under threat.

This is a concrete example of why the single market matters.

I would make the point, because this doesn't

just affect his constituency but two thirds of jobs are outside London

and this accounts for 7% of our economy.

So when experts warn of effects on jobs and growth and livelihoods

in our country this is a classic example

of why they are right to make that case.

Does the Prime Minster agree that a vote to leave on the 23rd

blow for the British steel industry? Would he agree to meet with me in

order to discuss a number of decisions being made in the context

of the sale process, imminent decisions that will have a huge

impact on thousands of jobs in my constituency?

as is the Business Secretary, to help in what

we can to secure a future for Tata, and that sales process is

progressing. We are better off inside the European Union for steel

because together, as one of 28 countries, we are better able to

stand up, whether it is to the Chinese or Americans, over dump

steel. Where we put in place those dumping tariffs you can see 99%

reductions in the quantity of Chinese steel in this category is

being imported into the EU. We still face a difficult situation, there is

massive overcapacity but we are definitely better off as part of

this organisation, fighting for British steel workers' jobs.

address an issue that the Remain campaign has fudged and that is our

present immigration policy, in all truthfulness, cannot control the

numbers coming in from the EU for the benefit of our public services

but actually discriminates against the rest of the world, outside the

Having spent my evening yesterday with Mr Farage, I'm

confused about what it was that the Leave

they wanted less immigration but now seem to want more immigration

from outside the EU into our country.

and work here for four years before you get full access to our welfare

system, no more something for nothing, people pay in before they

get out and then we should focus on proper controls on migration from

outside the EU on which we have made some progress and we can do more.

That's the right answer, but the alternative,

system, they have twice as much immigration per head as we have here

in the UK. That's not the right answer for Britain.

the end of his time in office... President Obama reflected... His

worst mistake was the catastrophe in Libya. What was the Prime Minister's

is clearly close to the end of your time in office so that doesn't

I'm sure the honourable lady is delighted to receive such a cheer.

I was delighted to welcome my right honourable friend the Prime Minister

to my constituency, to Faversham, last week to visit our largest local

We heard that having a strong and stable economy is vital

for the ongoing success of Britain's oldest brewery.

Does my right honourable friend agree that leaving

the European Union would put in jeopardy that strong economy

and with British businesses, British jobs in British livelihoods?

My friend is right, Shepherd Neame, which I think

is the oldest brewery in the country, they could not have

been clearer about wanting to stay in a reformed European Union

because they want a strong and successful economy,

they want to be part of a single market and they recognise that

is in our interests and I know that she and I very much enjoyed

the pint of Spitfire that we had at 10.30 in the morning.

The things we have to do to win this argument.

But we have absolute commitment to carry it through.

Given the number of people who have been travelling from all parts

of the United Kingdom, I am including Scotland,

Given Leicester's success in the Premiership, Northern Ireland

Will the Prime Minister ensure, a more serious note,

given the number of visitors and the security threats

and all the rest of it, that the British Embassy and staff

are fully resourced to deal with and the problems

I am grateful for the right honourable member for

This is one issue where the House will want all the home

nations to stay in Europe for as long as possible.

That is something...

Our first game is England - Russia and I will be watching very

carefully to check we get very strong support.

The honourable gentleman makes a very important point which is this

Half a million people are planning to leave the United Kingdom to go

We have set out very clear travel advice because people do need

to know that obviously there is a significant terrorist

threat in France today and there is a potential

We have set out very clearly the threat level in

The threat level for the tournament is severe and people

The French security operation is enormous.

77,000 police and gendarmes, 10,000 military personnel,

We are providing additional counter-terrorism and public order

support to the French including deployment of additional police

on trains into France, more UK Border Force outbound

checks, and we are also helping with sniffer dogs and any other

We all want to see a great celebration of European football.

I think it's brilliant that Northern Ireland have made it

And of course Wales and of course England.

And I look forward to, in the breaks in this campaign,