14/09/2016 Prime Minister's Questions

Let me start by paying tribtte to my right honourable friend, thd former

Member of Parliament for Whitney, David Cameron.

He has been a tremendous public servant both for his

constituency, but also for the country as a whole.

Under his leadership we saw the economy being

stabilised, more people in work than ever before, people on low hncomes

being taken out of paying tax altogether.

This Government will build on that legacy.

By extending opportunity to all parts of the

country.

Mr Speaker, this morning I had meetings with ministerial

colleagues and others, and H shall have further meetings today.

Last week, the Prime Ministdr could not tell us whether she was in

favour of staying in the single market. As an Edinburgh MP, can I

tell her how important the financial sector is to the Scottish economy? I

wonder if she can tell us whether she agrees with her Foreign

Secretary that passporting for financial services is guaranteed to

continue after the UK leads the European Union?

I am not going to give the honourable lady any

different answer from the answer I gave the House on many occasions

last week.

Which is that this Government will be working to ensure

the right deal for the Unitdd Kingdom in trade, in goods `nd

services. And that includes listening to the concerns of the

Scottish Government may wish to

raise, the Governments of Northern Ireland and Wales `s well.

We will be fully involved with the devolved administr`tions.

As I said last week, the best thing for the financial

sector in Edinburgh and the economy in Scotland is to be part of the

United Kingdom.

Marcus Fish.

Will my right honourable friend join me in

welcoming figures that show that

unemployment in my constitudncy has halved since 2010?

And crucially that youth unemployment has fallen

by 12% in the last year.

Will she promote the value of technical

skills and science and engineering,

in her push for all children to have a good education that dnables

them to go as far as their talent and hard work will take thel?

I am very happy to join my honourable

friend in welcoming the good

employment figures we have seen today. Unemployment has halved in

his constituency since 2010. That is because we have had an economic plan

and build a strong economy. He is absolutely right.

As we look to provide opportunities for young

people, we need to ensure wd

consider those for whom skills and a vocational education is the right

route. We want an education that is right for every child, so they can

actually get as far as their talents will take them.

Jeremy Corbyn.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am sure the whold House

will join me in paying tribtte to the police constable who was stabbed

several times yesterday in the line of duty while trying to arrdst a

rape suspect in Huyton.

Can we wish him well and a speedy recovdry.

I also wish the former Prime Minister well on his departure

from this House and well in his future life.

I hope the by-election will concentrate on the isstes of

education and his views on selection

in education.

I want to congratulate the Prime Minister. She has brought

about unity of Ofsted and the teaching unions. She has unhted

former education Secretary hs on both sides of the House. Shd has

truly brought about a new era of unity in educational thinking. I

wonder if it is possible for her this morning, within the quhet

confines of this House, to name any educational experts that back her

proposals on new grammar schools and more selection?

Mr Speaker, first of all, may I join the Right honour`ble

gentleman in paying tribute to the

police constable who was st`bbed in Knowsley?

One of the events that I usdd to look forward to going to

every year as Home Secretarx was the police bravery awards.

At that event we saw police officers who'd never

know when they start their shift what is going to happen to them

They run towards danger when other people would run away from ht. We

owe them a great tribute and our gratitude for that.

Now I am glad the right honourable gentleman has

raised the issue of education.

It enables me to point out that over the last six years we have seen

1.4 million more children in good or outstanding schools.

That is because of the changes that this Government

introduced.

It is because of the free schools, the academies,

headteachers being put in charge,

more choice for parents. Ch`nges which I know the right honotrable

gentleman opposes.

What I want to see is more good school places, I

diversity in provision of education in this country, so that we really

see opportunity for all and young people going as far as their talents

will take them.

Mr Speaker, I asked the Prime Minister if she could name

any experts who could help hn this policy.

Sadly she wasn't able to.

Can I quote one expert, his name is John and he is a teacher.

He wrote to me and said the education system

and teachers have made great strides

forward to improve quality `nd delivery of the curriculum.

And he says, why not fund all schools

properly and let us do the job? The

evidence of the effects of selection is this.

In Kent, which has a grammar school system, 27% of the

pupils on free school meals get five

good GCSEs, compared with 45% in London.

We're all for spreading good practice, but why does the

Prime Minister want to expand a system that can

only let children down?

Can I say to the right honotrable gentleman that he needs to stop

casting his mind back to thd 19 0s.

What we will be doing, what we will be doing is ensuring that wd are

able to provide good school places for the one

and a quarter of a million children who are in schools that are

failing, inadequate or need improvement. Those children and the

parents of those children know, they

are not getting the education that is right for them and the

opportunities that they need. When we look at the impact of gr`mmar

schools, if you look at att`inment for a disadvantaged and

non-disadvantaged children, the attainment gap in grammar schools is

virtually zero. It isn't in other schools. It is opportunity for young

people to go where their talents will take them. I know that the

right honourable gentleman believes in equality of outcome. I bdlieve in

equality of opportunity. He believes in levelling down. We believe in

levelling up. CHEERING.

Mr Speaker, equality of opportunity is not segregating children at the

age of 11!

So let me quote the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which

says those in selected areas who do not pass the 11 plus, do worse than

they would have done in a comprehensive system. The Sdcretary

of State for Education suggdsted on Monday, that new grammar schools may

be required to set up feeder primary schools in poorer areas.

Will the children in these feeder primaries get automatic

places in the grammar school?

Will they be subject to seldction?

What we are doing is setting up a more diverse education systdm that

provides more opportunities.

LAUGHTER

And what the right honourable gentleman

appears to be defending is the situation we have at the molent

where there is selection in our school system but it is seldction by

house price. I think we want to ensure that children have the

ability to go where their t`lents take them.

Can I just gently remind the right honourable gentlelan. .

He went to a grammar school.

I went to a grammar school.

It is what got us where we are today.

But my side...

My side might be rather happier about that than his.

Mr Speaker, the two things the Prime Minister and I have in common is we

can both remember the 1950s, and we can both remember going to ` grammar

school. My point is simply this every child, every child should have

the best possible education they can have. We don't need and nevdr should

divide children at the age of 1 , a life changing division, where the

majority end up losing out. I notice she did not answer my questhon about

feeder primary schools.

On Monday, the Secretary of State for Education said,

we have not engaged much in the reform of grammars.

But the Government would now start the process.

Can the Prime Minister confirm whether existing gr`mmar

schools, like those in Kent and

Buckinghamshire, will now bd instructed to widen their admission

policy by the Government?

The right honourable gentleman is right that

what we are looking and consulting on is it diversity provision in

education. We want to make sure that all grammar schools actuallx do the

job that we believe is important, which is providing opportunhties for

a wide range of pupils. There are many examples across the cotntry of

different ways that is done through selective education. But he talks

about good education for evdry child. That is what our polhcy is

about.

There are one and a quarter million children today, who

are in schools that are not good or outstanding. There are parents today

who fear that their children are not getting the good education to enable

them to get on in life. I bdlieve in the education that is right for

every child. It is the Labotr Party that has stifled opportunitx,

stifled ambition in this cotntry...

It is the Labour Party that is willing members of the Labotr Party

will take the advantages of a good

education for themselves, and pull up the ladder behind them for other

people.

I am sorry that the Prime Mhnister was unable to help anyone in Kent

of Buckinghamshire in the answer to my question and presumably

she will have to return to ht, but, it is not about putting up ladders

it is about providing a ladder for every child.

Let me quote her a critic of grammar schools.

There is a kind of hopelessness about the demand to bring b`ck

grammars, an assumption that this country will only ever be able

to offer a decent education the a select few, the quote

goes on to say, I want the Conservative Party to rhse

above that attitude.

Not my words, those of the former right honourable member for Whitney.

Isn't he correct, that what we need investment in all of our school

a good school for every child, not this selection at the age of 11.

What we need is a good school for every child

and that is what we will be delivering with the policy

that we have announced.

And with that policy, we will see, we will see universities

expanding their support for school, we will see more faith

schools being set up, we will see independent schools

increasing their support for schools in the state sector,

a diversity of provision of education is what we immddiate

to ensure good school places for every child.

That good school place is important so young peopld

can take opportunities, and get into the workplace

and I notice I think this is the right honourable

gentleman's fifth question.

He hasn't yet welcomed the employment figures todax.

More people, more people in work than ever before, wages

rising above inflation, that is more people with a pay

packet, more money in those pay packets what would Labour offer

More taxation and misery for working family, it is only the Consdrvative

Party that knows you can only build an economy that works for everyone

when even has an opportunity for work.

Mr Speaker, of course I welcome anyone that has managed to get

a job, I welcome those people that have managed to get jobs and keep

themselves and their families together.

The problem is, that there `re now almost a million of them

on zero hours contract, who do not know what they

are going to be paid from one week the the other.

In order to help her with the expertise on the rdform

of secondary schools, could I quote to her

the Chief Inspector of Schools who said the notion that thd poor

stand to benefit from the rdturn of grammar schools strikes le

as tosh and nonsense.

Isn't all this proof that the Conservative Party's green

paper addressing none of thd actual crises facing our schools sxstem.

Real terms cut in schools btdget, 500,000 pupils in supersize classes,

a crisis in teacher recruitment and retention.

Rising number of unqualified teachers in classrooms,

vital teaching assistants losing their jobs, isn't thhs

the case of a government he`ding backwards, to a failed

segregation for the few, and second class

schooling for the many.

Can't we do better than this?

Well, I have to say, I have to say to the right

honourable gentleman, that he has got some

of his facts wrong.

Plain and simple.

They, we have more teachers in our schools today, than hn 2 10.

We have more teachers joining the profession than leaving it.

We have fewer pupils in supersize classes,

than there have been previotsly but I simply say this to thd right

honourable gentleman, first of all, that he has opposed

every measure that we have introduced to improve the qtality

of education in this countrx.

He has opposed measures that increase parental choice,

that increase the freedom for head teachers to run their school,

he has opposed to opportunity for people o set up free school

they are leading to improvelents in our education system

and we will build on those with our new policies.

But I recognise to the, for the right honourable gentleman,

this may very well be the l`st time that he has an opportunity

to face me, across this despatch box.

Certainly...

Certainly if his Members of Parliament have anything

to do with it.

I accept that he and I don't agree on everything, well,

I accept that he and I don't agree on everything, well,

probably we don't agree on `nything, but I must say to him

that he has made his mark.

Let us just think of some of the things that the right

honourable gentleman has introduced.

He wants coal mines without mining them, submarines without sahling

them and he wants to be Labour leader without leading them.

One thing we know, who ever is Labour leader,

after their leadership election it will the country that loses.

Can I just point out to the House that progress today at this

Question Time session has bden absurdly slow, absurdly slow.

And I ask, order, I ask the House, on behalf of our constituents

to show some respect for those colleagues who want to question

the Prime Minister.

And I am determined to get down the list.

Craig Williams.

Thank you.

Students from Cardiff schools and UK schools attended the recordhng

of the British Holocaust survivors giving their testimony

for future generation.

It was a moving experience for them and a stark

reminder to fight racism, anti-Semitism and hatred

in all forms, as part of thhs vital education effort

of which I know my right honourable friend is a supporter

is the establishment of a n`tional memorial to the Holocaust,

could my right honourable friend update us on this.

I am grateful.

He is right that we need to ensure that we never forget the horrors

of the Holocaust and the lessons that must be learned from that.

It is right that we have agreed this national memorial,

next to Parliament on Victoria garden, that is an important

place for it to be.

The community's secretary will launch a competition

for the design of that them mall and included among that

will be the possibility of a learning centre,

which will ensure that therd will be those opportunities for young people

and others truly to learn that the lessons from

the Holocaust and to learn about the atrocities

that took place.

Last week the Prime Minister was one willing or unable to give

assurances about remaining in the European single markdt.

Today she has been unwilling or unable to give assurances

to the financial sector about protecting the passporting

of financial services, meanwhile, millions

from across the United Kingdom depend on freedom of movement

across the EU for business and for pleasure, they face

the prospect of having to apply and possibly pay for visas,

is the Prime Minister in favour of protecting visa free travel?

Yes or no?

There was a very clear mess`ge from the British people at the time

of the referendum vote on Jtne 3rd, that they wanted...that thex wanted

to see an end to Freeman as it operated, they want to see control

of the free movement of people from the European Union,

into the UK, and that's what we will deliver.

Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister and the UK Government are totally

unwilling to tell us the trte cost of Brexit and what their negotiating

position will be, in contrast there is a different tune

from the European Union union, there knew any away

for Guy Verhofstadt said it is wrong that Scotland might be

taken out of the EU when it voted to stay.

Does she agree with Mr Verhofstadt and the Scottish Government

who want to protect Scotland's place in Europe?

I have to say to the right honourable gentleman,

it is all very well him askhng that question but only two years ago

only two years ago, he didn't want to protect Scotland's place

in the European Union because he wanted Scotland to leave thd UK

And on all of these questions, whether it is the question

of the referendum, for leavhng the European Union, the refdrendum

on independence in Scotland, or questions in this House,

the right honourable gentlelan seems to think that if he asks

the question all the time, he will get a different answer.

I won't work for me and I won't work for the Scottish people.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Freedom of speech is a fundamental British value

which is undermined by so-c`lled safe spaces in our universities

where a sense of entitlement by a minority of students that

means that their wish not to be offended shuts down debate.

As students around the country return to their places of ldarning,

at the start of this new ac`demic year, does my right honourable

friend agree that universitx is precisely the place for lively

debate, and that fear of being offended must not

trump freedom of speech.

Well, I absolutely agree with my honourable friend,

we want our universities not just places of learning but placds

where there can be open debate which is challenged

and where people can get involved in that.

I think everybody is finding this concept of safe

spaces extraordinary.

We want to see that innovathon of thought taking place,

that is how we develop as a country, as a society, and as an economy

and I agree with my right honourable friend.

Mr Speaker, nine-year-old Mohammed is one of thousands of child

refugees alone in Syria, his parents fled the countrx

believing he was dead and h`ve resettled in my constituencx

of Midlothian.

In March, he was identified as being alive,

he has been kidnapped, beaten and left for dead before

being refound again.

He lives in fear of daily attacks or sexual violence and assatlt.

Will the Prime Minister agrde to meet with me to review the steps

the Government could take to reunite Mohammed with his devastated

family, and provide him with the support required to help

overcome his ordeal.

I am not aware of the details of the individual case.

The Home Secretary has heard him, I am sure if he would like to write

to the Home Secretary, there are rules that enable family

reunion to take place and also we are as a country,

have committed to take a nulber of children who are particularly

vulnerable, potentially vulnerable from sexual violence

from the region round Syria, to ensure that we can resettle them

in the UK and take them out of that fear that they are seeing,

but my right honourable fridnd the Home Secretary will look at it

if he cares to write to her.

What assurance can my right honourable friend give that

whatever criteria comes to guide our immigration

system, it will be fairer than the present system?

It will no longer discrimin`te against peoples from outsidd the EU,

as the present system does.

As I mentioned earlier in response to a question,

it is the case that one aspdct of the vote on the 23rd Jund

was that people wanted us to control movement from the European Tnion

into the UK, and of course, we are already able to control

movement from outside the European Union

into the United Kingdom, and we intend to, details

of the system we will introduce for EU citizens are currently

being worked on, but I can assure my honourable friend

we will have the ability to control movement from the EU,

and movement from outside the EU, and therefore bring that grdater

degree of fairness that I think people were looking for.

How can she try and justify reducing the House of Commons to 600,

while the House of Lords now have 820 members and by 2020 even more.

Is this her idea of democracy in the 21st century?

I have to say, of course, the House of Commons voted for that

reduction in the number of members of Parliament.

I think people wanted to sed that.

But I would gently remind hhm when he refers to the House

of Lords, and changes in thd House of Lords, that it is this Government

that has introduced the rethrement procedure for the House of Lords

that has seen a reduction in the number of members

of the House of Lords.

The NHS five year forward vhew states that in future we will see

more care delivered locally.

Does the Prime Minister think that in line with that,

the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG ought to consider the ilportance

of local care when assessing the future of the Princess of Wales

minor injuries unit in Ealing?

My right honourable friend hs right.

The five year plan does include that proposal for local,

more local input in terms of care at a local level

and it is absolutely right that in looking at,

for example, the future of linor injuries units, local peopld

should be considered and local concerns be

taken into account.

I understand there is to be a meeting in Ealing to conshder this

and I hope my honourable frhends and her constituents will bd able

to make their views known at that meeting.

Tomorrow, I will be helping to launch a programme

at the engineering company ADI Group.

To boost the interest of 14-16-year-olds

in engineering skills.

No doubt the Prime Minister would like to join me

in congratulating ADI Group but would she take it from le

that her words of congratul`tion would mean rather more

if they were not accompanied by cuts of between 30% and 50%

in apprenticeships funding,

a programme which the Institute of the Motoring Industry has

described as a car crash.

Well, I, of course, am happx to commend the company he h`s

referred to, and, of course, the West Midlands are an important

driver in terms of engineerhng skills in this country,

but I simply don't recognisd the situation he has set out

in relation to apprenticeshhps.

We have seen two million apprenticeships created

over the last six year, we are committed, as a government,

to seeing more being created.

That's giving young people opportunities,

like the young people I met when I went to Jaguar Land Rover,

to learn a skill to get into a job, to get into the workplace and to get

on where their talents will take them.

Does the Prime Minister agrde that the life chances of many

children, particularly in the poorest areas,

are limited through living in chaotic and unstable households,

and would she kindly look

at the all-party Parliament`ry children centre's report produced

which recommends family hubs in local communities and other

solutions to this issue, with a view to

considering it further?

Thank you.

Can I commend my right honourable friend on the work

she is doing on the all party Parliamentary group.

The question of that stable background, that family background

that young people are brought up in is an important issue

and she has been a champion for families and for family life.

Can I say to her I have set up a policy route with,

led my right honourable fridnd the member for Mid Norfolk,

I will ask him to look carefully at the report that has

come out of the all party Parliamentary group.

On Monday, the Parliamentarx advisory group on carbon capture

published their report about the potential of CCS

to create thousands of jobs, save the country billions and play

a major role in meeting UK emission reduction targets.

CCS is critical to Teesside.

Can the Prime Minister tell the House when the Government

will publish its long-awaitdd new strategy?

Thank you, thank you.

Can I first of all say, that the issue of climate change

and reducing emissions and our energy policy are vdry

important to this Government, we have a fine record in thhs area

and we will be continuing to do that.

But, on the issue of carbon capture and storage,

this has been looked at cardfully in the past.

One of the key issues round is the cost,

we will continue to invest in the development of CCS,

we are developing over 120 lillion to develop the technology,

through innovation support with the aim of reducing its costs,

and so we will continue to look at the role it can play.

I know that schools have to make the best use of their resources

therefore I was shocked to learn that schools in the north-wdst

are charged ?27 million for their water charges.

Will the Prime Minister agrde with me that schools are important

community hubs and will the Government make representation

to Ofwat to change the bandhng guidance so schools are considered

community assets, rather than classified in the same way

as big business?

Can I commend those who plax a role as school governor,

she is right schools need to think carefully about how

they use their resources.

The approach does change but we are looking at the gtidance

to water companies, in relation to how they can deal with schools

and whether they could be looking at schools and using more

concessionary rates in relation to schools.

Thank you very much.

The Prime Minister may be aware of last week's BBC Spotlight

programme on what was seriots allegations of corruption and fraud

round the sale of properties in Northern Ireland.

Can the Prime Minister confirm what agencies

will be investigating those and if the National Crime Agency

will be involved, and will ` report be publicly published in dud course?

I have to say to the honour`ble gentleman on the specific

issue he has raised, if I may, I will come back

to the details on that mattdr.

As he knows, the National Crime Agency does operate

in Northern Ireland on a slhghtly different basis, and it will be

necessary for the issues where they are being looked

into to ensure that the appropriate skills and capability

are brought to bear.

I will write him a detailed answer to his question.

Will the Prime Minister give her full and enthusiastic

support to the Presidents as they reach a crucial stage

of their negotiations which we hope will deliver a negotiated sdttlement

for a free and united Cyprus?

I am happy to join my right honourable friend in what she says.

It is important, I think everybody across the House

will wish these talks well, and hope they have a

successful conclusion.

It has been two years since the Prime Minister set up

the child abuse inquiry, it's on to its fourth

chair and last week, the outgoing chair said it had

become inherently unmanageable.

Since the Prime Minister appointed Dame Lowell Goddard to her position,

will she insist she comes bdfore this House to explain herself?

Surely child abuse survivors deserve an explanation.

On the process point, it is not for the Prime Minhster

to insist who attends beford a committee of this House.

I understand Dame Lowell Goddard has been invited to attend

the committee.

What I would say on the child abuse issue, she and I share,

we share across this House, many honourable members,

a desire to see these issues of appalling crimes of child abuse

being looked into it.

It is important that the inpuiry, she has set up the enquiry,

many aspects of this which are already in place

and operating, and I am verx pleased that Alexis Jay has take on the job.

She will do it very well and we will have answers

to questions that so many h`ve been asking for too long.

Thank you.

Child sexual exploitation is an issue that affects many comlunities.

Does the Prime Minister agrde that shining a light on the events

of the past is the best way to learn lessons in the future,

and will she agree to an independent review of child sexual

exploitation in Telford?

I think my honourable friend has just shown the cross-party's concern

that there is on this issue of child abuse and child sexual exploitation.

It is right as my right honourable friend says that we are abld to look

into the abuses of the past and the crimes of the past,

there will be important lessons we need to learn from that `s to why

institutions that were supposed to protect children

failed to protect them.

It is for the authorities in Telford to look specifically at how

they wish to address these issues in Telford,

but I am sure the Home Secrdtary has heard her comments and I am

sure she will want to take that up with her.

Following the successful Hillsborough independent panel,

will the Prime Minister now look at setting up a similar revhew

of the biggest treatment disaster in the history of the NHS -

the contaminated blood scandal.

Victims are still waiting for answers and justice, 35 years on.

The honourable lady raises very important point in relation

to contaminated blood.

I will take the point she h`s made and away and consider it.

Obviously, as she will know, the reasons and the backgrotnd

which let to the Hillsborough independent panel.

I recognise that the concern people have about contaminated blood

and will consider the point she has made.

The Prime Minister will be `ware of coverage regarding a report to be

published by Dame Louise Casey, the government integration staff.

The report will speak of Brhtish laws,

culture, values, and tradithon such as Christmas being threatendd by

political correctness from council officials.

Will the Prime Minister takd this opportunity to send a loud `nd clear

message that the best way to secure a harmonious society is not only

for mainstream Britain to rdspect minority traditions such as Diwali

and Eid, but also that council officials appreciate that mhnority

communities should respect the views and traditions of

mainstream Britain.

And that means Christmas is not "Winterval", and Christmas trees

are not "festive trees".

I do agree with my honourable friend.

I'm not going to comment or pre empt the findings of Louise Casex's

work and her review which is an important piece of work.

I will join him in saying that what we want in our society

is tolerance and understandhng, but we also want minority

communities to be able to rdcognise and stand up for their tradhtions.

We also want to be able to stand up for our traditions generallx

as well, and that includes Christmas.

Would the Prime Minister look very carefully at the calls

from the Royal British Legion and Poppy Scotland

for a new questions to be added to the next Census so we can better

meet the needs of our serving personnel in the armed forcds,

veterans and their families?

And in Northern Ireland, where such a massive contribution

is made to the armed forces in terms of recruitment and service,

would she look at funding under the Armed Forces Covenant

so there is equitable funding across all regions

of the United Kingdom?

I say to the right honourable gentleman that I am pleased

it was this government that introduced the military covdnant

and has recognised the importance of that bond and that link

with those who are serving in the armed forces,

but also the importance in terms of veterans in our armed forces

I have not seen the request.

That will certainly be lookdd at by the Cabinet Office

when considering the next Cdnsus.

Does she agree that the cooperation between Russia and the Unitdd States

in respect of Aleppo sets a very important precedent,

and it is in the British national interests to redevelop links

with Russia and then we may be able to solve many more

problems in that region?

The agreement reached betwedn Russia and the United States

about Syria is important, and I think everybody in thhs House

will want to see that working, being put into practice

and actually working on the ground.

I would say there have been a number of occasions where we have seen

what appear to be steps forward and sadly it has not been

possible to implement them.

I hope this will be different this time and I hope it will

mark an important step.

In relation to Russia, we should have no doubt

about the relationship we should have with Russia.

It is not a business as usual relationship.

I made that very clear when I was responding

to the report on the murder of Litvinenko.

We should continue with that position.

Can I join with my right honourable friend, the Leaddr

of the Opposition, the Prime Minister, Jane Kennedy,

the Police and Crime Commissioner on Merseyside, in commending

the tremendous bravery of the police officers involved

in the stabbing incident in my constituency yesterdax?

And also, despite that, they apprehended the suspect.

Will the Prime Minister acknowledge that the police, often in vdry

dangerous circumstances, are being asked to do more `nd more

with fewer and fewer resources?

Once again, I join the right honourable gentleman in recognising

the work of the individual police constable, as he

says, apprehending...

The three police constables, I apologise, in apprehending

while being under attack.

Our police officers bravely go where others would not go in order

to protect the public.

They do so much in the line of duty.

But also when they are off duty as well, they are prepared to go

and face danger in order to protect us.

On the issue of resources, I would simply remind him

that we have protected police budgets over the period

of the comprehensive spending review settlement,

in the face of a proposal from his front bench

that we should cut them by 4% to 10%.

Order!