19/10/2016 Prime Minister's Questions

Thank you, Mr Speaker, I know everyone will want to join me

in remembering those affectdd by Aberfan

It claimed the lives of 144 people, the vast majority of them children.

It caused devastation to the community, it is right that

would reflect on this important anniversary and recognise

the solidarity and resilience of the people of Aberfan

Mr Speaker, this morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues

and others and I will have further such meetings today in addition

Mr Speaker, may I associate myself with the sentiments

of the Prime Minister, I am of an age to remember those

black and white photographs, it affected everyone and we in this

Mr Speaker, as you might know it is my birthday today!

The Prime Minister has alre`dy given me a huge birthday

present by letting everyone know that we will be

out of the European Union no later than March 31 2019.

So could I press her for another present?

Her excellent policy of closing Victorian prisons and opening modern

Would she support the reopening of Wellingborough prison,

as part of this excellent programme, or would she rather just

I'm very happy to wish my honourable friend happy birthday,

I hope that Mrs Bone is going to treat the occashon

On the issue that he raises, the very serious issue

he raises about prisons, I welcome the fact that he `pplauds

the policy that we are following of closing out of date prisons

I hear the lobbying he's made in relation to Wellingborough,

I assure him that it is one of those sites being considered

but the Secretary of State will look at this very carefully and lake

I join with the Prime Minister in commemorating the disastdr

of Aberfan all those years `go when 118 children died,

Many in that community are still living with that tragedy

and they will live with that tragedy for the rest of their days.

I remember it well as a young person, growing up at

that time and watching collections for the disaster fund.

I think the BBC documentary presented by Hugh Edwards l`st night

was brilliant and poignant and serves to remind us all

Mr Speaker, one in four of ts will suffer mental health problems,

analysis by the Kings Fund suggests that 40% of mental health trusts

and six have seen their budgets cut for three years in a row.

Is the Prime Minister reallx confident that we are delivdring

May I first say to the right honourable gentleman that I am also

of an age where I remember those terrible scenes on television

I did not see the whole of the documentary by Huw Edwards

but the bits I saw I thought were very poignant as the rhght

And it is interesting that ht showed again the issue of those in power

not being willing to step up to the plate initially,

Obviously the result of the inquiry was very cle`r

In relation to the mental hdalth services, it is right

that we are introducing parhty of esteem for mental health

We have been waiting to come at long for this.

It is important that it is being done.

But we are investing more in mental health services,

Particularly increasing the number of children's beds overall

to the highest number in relation to mental health problems.

There is of course more for us to do in looking at mental health

but we have made an important start and that funding will be thdre,

Mr Speaker, I have a letter from Colin, a family member of his

has a chronic mental health condition and he like many others

with relatives going through this kind of crisis says this,

the NHS is so dramatically underfunded that so often it is left

to the underfunded police forces to deal

Indeed achieve Constable of Devon and Cornwall as this month

threatened legal action against the NHS because he hs forced

to hold people with mental conditions in police cells

because there are not enough and beds.

I simply ask the Prime Minister this,

if the government is committed to parity of esteem, why is this

trust and so many others facing an acute financial crisis

Can I say to Colin that we `ll in this House recognise

the difficulty that people have when they are coping with mdntal

health problems and can I commend those in this house

who have been prepared to stand up and refer

That has been an important signal to people with mental health

He raises the question of the interaction between

I'm very proud of the fact that when I was secretary I workdd

with the Department of Health to bring a change to the wax

in which police forces were dealing with people in mental health prices

-- crisis, so that we see those triage pilots out on the street

we see better NHS support being given to police forces

so the number of people who are having to be taken

to a police cell as a place of safety in some areas,

overall it has more than halved in some areas it has come down

This is a result of the acthon that this government has taken.

Mr Speaker, the reality is that no one with a mental health

condition should ever be taken to a police cell.

They should be supported in the proper way.

I do commend those Police and Crime Commissioners that have

ended that practice in their areas but the reality is that it hsn't

just Devon and Cornwall suffering cuts, Norfolk and Suffolk mdntal

health trust has had a cut for every one of its last three years

and I agree with the Prime Linister that members of this House openly

discussing mental health issues they have had is a great thhng

because we do need to end the stigma surrounding these conditions

But NHS trusts are in a financial crisis.

According to NHS providers, it seems to be the worst financial

crisis in NHS history, 80% of hospitals no endeavotrs that.

There was a time in 2010 when the NHS was in surplus.

I would like to remind him that what has happened with

We asked the NHS themselves to come up with a five-year plan

and say what extra funding was needed to deliver on it.

They came up with a five-ye`r plan led by Simon Stevens as chidf

He said it was ?8 billion that was needed and we are giving

?10 billion of extra funding to the NHS.

And I might remind the right honourable gentleman that,

at the last election, it wasn't the Conservative Party

that was refusing to guarantee funding for the NHS,

Mr Speaker, in six years, the NHS has gone from surplts

?3 billion was wasted on top-down reorganisation no one wanted

and yesterday at the select committee Simon Stevens madd it

clear that he does not belidve that NHS England has enough monex to get

Can I offer an analysis from the Care Quality Commission

which seemed to have quite ` good grasp of what's happening?

They say cuts to adult social care, and I quote,

translating to increased A attendances, emergency misshons

-- admissions and delays to people leaving hospital

the ability of a growing nulber of trusts to meet their performances

and their targets, will the Prime Minister also

address the reckless, counter-productive cuts madd?

At the time of the Autumn Statement last November he said

that their case for the NHS had been heard and actively supported.

The right honourable gentlelan raises the question of soci`l

care and the interaction between health and social c`re.

Over ?5 billion extra was ptt into the better care

fund precisely to deal with these issues.

Local authorities are able to raise about 2% of council tax to deal

with social care costs that they face.

But what is important is thd health service and local authoritids

working together to ensure that they are delivering thd best

possible service for people who require that social card.

I saw a good example of that at Salford Royal on Monday.

I want to see more such exalples across the NHS,

We have seen better care for patients.

We all want the government and the local NHS to work wdll

together but the problem is that local government funding has been

cut, 400,000 fewer people are receiving publicly-funddd social

care as a consequence, the NHS is having trouble

coping with the crisis, therefore unfortunately

there is bed blocking, where acute patients cannot leave

because there is no social care available for them down the line.

The issue is the funding crhsis in the NHS and in local govdrnment.

The published figures by thd NHS Trust show that the total ddficit

is 2.45 billion, but the chhef executive says this figure

The Government disguises the extent of the crisis

They are bailing out trusts in a crisis,

that is not a bad thing but why are they in a crisis

Next month, Mr Speaker, sustainability and transforlation

Many, all over the country, are alarmed by this,

because of the threat to accident and emergency departments.

Can the Prime Minister deal with this issue now by simply saying

there will be no downgrades and no closures of A departments

Over the course of this Parliament, the Government will be spending over

That is a record level of investment in our National Health Servhce.

But there is a key difference between the way he approachds this

We believe on this side of the house that, at local level,

people should be able to make decisions about the NHS,

that decisions should be led by clinicians,

which is typical of the Labour Party.

Well, Mr Speaker, top-down is what we got.

And it cost ?3 billion for a reorganisation

Mr Speaker, I started by asking the Prime Minister

All this government has produced is parity of failure.

Failing mental health patients, failing elderly people

who need social care, failing the 4 million

on the NHS waiting list, failing five times as many people

waiting more than four hours at A departments, and another

The society of acute medicines has it right,

I think, when it says, this funding crisis and the local

government funding crisis is leaving the NHS on its knees.

What has happened in the NHS over the last six years?

More patients being treated, more calls to the Ambulance Service,

more operations, more doctors, more nurses.

That is what has been happening in the NHS.

But let's just look at what his party's approach to the NHS is.

A former Shadow Health Secrdtary said it would be irresponsible

A former leader of the Labotr Party wanted to weaponise the NHS.

At every election, the Labotr Party claims that the Tories

After every election, we increase NHS spending.

At every election, Labour claim that the Tories will

At every election, in government, we have protected the NHS.

There is only one party that has cut funding for the NHS,

If the Prime Minister aware that research shows that infrastructure

investment most benefits arda is prepared to capitalise on it

with new associated possibilities in housing, skills and jobs?

Will she ensure that current opportunities are taken for inward

investment to preserve and reenergise essential

national industries, like one in the Yeovil area,

as we seek to capitalise on the dualling of the A303?

We are investing in infrastructure like the A303.

It is important that local communities embrace

I know that my honourable friend has been putting together ideas

for Yeovil and I'm sure he will share those with Mike

-- my right honourable friend, the Communities Secretary.

I join the Prime Minister and the leader of the Labour Party

in remembering the Aberfan disaster and my thoughts are with

Thousands of innocent civilhans have now been killed by Saudi

Can the Prime Minister give the House assurance that those

civilians have not been killed by Paveway 4 missiles,

partially manufactured in Scotland, under licence from her government

I congratulate the right honourable gentleman on his election as deputy

I say to him, as he knows, we have one of the toughest regimes

in the world in relation to arms exports.

When these allegations arisd, we have been pressing,

I have pressed in the past and my right honourable fridnd

the Foreign Secretary has pressed the Foreign Secretary,

-- has pressed the Saudi government to investigate and learn lessons.

It is beyond doubt that the Saudi air force is bombing Yemen,

flying planes made in Britahn, by pilots trained by

Britain and dropping missiles made in Britain.

I asked her a direct question and she couldn't answer it.

Can she give this house and the assurance that civilians

have not been killed by Pavdway 4 bombs being dropped on Yemen

which are partially manufactured in Scotland under

If she doesn't know the answer to that question, how can

she possibly in good conscidnce continue selling them

In response to the right honourable gentleman, the point

We press for proper investigations into what has happened on those

incidents before we reach a decision or conclusion on what has h`ppened

We have a very strong elation chip with Saudi Arabia.

It is for this country in tdrms of dealing with counterterrorism

What matters when incidents happen which caused concern is

A few weeks ago, I thought H'd successfully bought four tickets

online for one of my favourhte bands, Green Day, only to bd told

the tickets were unavailabld and the gig sold out.

Within minutes, I could buy the tickets on another site

It turned out the ticket site had been the victim of an attack

by organised touts who resold the ticket inflated prices.

Will the Prime Minister asked her ministers to give close

consideration to my amendment to be digital economy act which would make

the computerised harvesting of tickets for resale in offence?

Similar legislation exists dlsewhere and it would go a long way

to protecting consumers and genuine music fans.

I thank my honourable friends for raising this issue.

I'm sure he isn't the only lember of this house who has had that

experience and certainly not the only person, as people will know

from their constituency mailbags, to have had this experience.

As part of the consumer rights act, a review of online ticket

Professor Michael Waterson introduced a report on that.

It has produced a number of recommendations, some

for the industry to be able to better protect itself,

but the government will be looking at the recommendations of that very

carefully to see what can bd done to address the issue he talks about.

The child abuse enquiry needs to regain the trust of survhvors.

In September, the Home Secrdtary said she had no information

about Syria's leadership fahlings but on Monday she told the house

she had known about serious problems since July.

senior Home Office officials were briefed in April this xear

She set up the enquiry and pointed the chair.

She was the individual responsible for the enquiry's success.

She was the Home Secretary hn April and she was the only person

Can she now finally tell us when she personally learned

of the serious problems devdloping in this enquiry and why

it was that she took no action at all?

Can I say, I recognise that the honourable lady has taken

a particular interest in thhs issue and I'm sure she will recognise

as I hope other members of this house do, why

For too long, people who had been subjected to child...

For too long, people who had been subjected to child sexual

abuse had their voices unheard and they felt

That is why it is very important that the enquiry is able to continue

I have to say to the honour`ble lady that one of the important

aspects of this is that, over the years, too many people have

had concerns that people in positions of power have

intervened to stop them from getting justice.

There were stories around about the enquiry and about

individuals related to the dnquiry but the Home Secretary cannot

intervene on the basis of stspicion, rumour, or hearsay.

She refers to the statement made yesterday in this house.

She refers to the statement made yesterday in this house

about information being discussed with the director-general

She will also have noted that that conversation

was asked to be confidential, and as far as I'm aware

I think it is important for us to recognise that,

when the Home Office was officially informed of hssues,

It's now for the enquiry to get on and deliver

Having been born and growing up in south Wales and as a forler

Secretary of State for Wales, can I associate myself

with the heartfelt tributes that have been paid by the front bench

to the community of Aberfan and throughout this house.

It was a tragedy that was unparalleled and it

Can the Prime Minister in her own words step up

to the plate and reconfirm her commitment to Wales and to dnsuring

that her government works with the Welsh government,

particularly after leaving the EU, to maintain the levels of investment

that are so vital to the long-term social and economic developlent

of the valleys communities and the rest of Wales?

I say to my right honourabld friend that as a former Secretary of State

for Wales she is well aware of the impact the Aberfan dhsaster

had on south Wales and thosd local communities and,

as I said in my opening rem`rks these events were tragic

and the thoughts of the whole house are with those who were

I can give that commitment she is asking for of this

government to Wales and working with the Welsh government.

I am clear this government is going to deliver a country that

The Wales Bill will transfer a historic transfer of powers

It will allow the Welsh government to focus on the job

of transforming the Welsh economy, and we are talking to the Wdlsh

government about how we are going to go forward

in relation to negotiations for leaving the EU.

Can I appeal to colleagues to speed up.

Can there be a single member of this house who does not have reason to be

grateful to those heroes of our high street, the community pharm`cist.

And can there be any member of the public who is not

as bemused as I am by the f`ct that the government is proposing

a 12% cut in the community pharmacy budgets, leading potentiallx

Will the Prime Minister tod`y express her support for comlunity

pharmacy and have another look at this divisive, corrosive,

Well, I think everybody in this house recognises

of community pharmacies up and down the country,

but it's also right that we look at how we are spending NHS loney.

That is why the government is looking at this issue.

If the honourable gentleman supports community pharmacies,

perhaps he ought to have a word with his right honourable friend,

the Leader of the Opposition, because his policy is to colpletely

nationalise the health systdm, lock, stock and barrel,

GP surgeries, Macmillan nurses and community pharmacies.

Next week, this government will finally make a decision

on airport capacity in the south-east, something that

eluded three of her predecessors and will help boost trade.

Does the Prime Minister agrde that on this issue substance

Will she outline her timetable for implementation?

He is right, this month this government will take a decision

on the appropriate site for expanded airport capacity in the south-east.

This is a subject that's been debated, discussed,

This government will take a decision.

But there is a formal process that has to be undertaken,

so the government will identify its preferred option of sitd.

That will go to a statutory consultation.

The government will consider the results of that and bring

forward an airports national planning statement on which

Does the Prime Minister agrde that any move to close the historic

barracks at Fort George would not only be a poor military dechsion

after 250 years of service but a betrayal of the Black Watch

and a slap in the face to the Highlands?

I say to the honourable gentleman that I recognise the strength

No decisions on Fort George or other locations have been taken

and the Ministry of Defence will engage with all parties

impacted by any decisions that it takes of this sort,

My right honourable friend has been expressing some reluctance to submit

even the broad plans for future negotiations with the EU to this

house because of worries it might weaken her government's negotiating

Has she noticed that this wdek one or more Brexiteer members

of her Cabinet have been brhefing the newspapers copiously on every

proposal being put forward hn papers to the relevant Cabinet comlittee

by their colleagues, and launching political att`cks

on their Cabinet colleagues who seem to disagree with them?

Will she take firm action to stop this process,

and will she also agree that the proper approach

is parliamentary scrutiny of the broad strategy

once her government has reached agreement on what it should be?

I say to my right honourabld friend that the government is very clear

that the vote on June the 23rd was a vote to ensure that wd had

control of movement of people from the EU into the UK,

but also we want to see the best possible access for businesses

for trading in goods and services with and operating within

That is what the government will be aiming for and we will

There are going to be lengthy negotiations over the coursd

Parliament will have its sax in a variety of ways,

not least in relation to the Great Repeal Bill.

Some of my constituents havd had their tax credits suddenly

stopped by Concentrix and h`ve been accused of being in a relathonship

with previous tenants of their homes, who they have

In some cases, they have bedn accused of being in a relathonship

with members of their own f`milies and told to prove they are not.

This Kafka-esque situation is causing deep distress

and hardship among working mothers in my constituency.

Is this what the Prime Minister means by being on the side

What is she going to do to put it right?

The right honourable lady raises an issue

which is of concern to membdrs across this house, i.e.

making sure that those who are being assessed

are being assessed properly and the right decisions are taken.

The Department for Work and Pensions is looking at the process

of what should be done and how both assessment should be taken.

I say to her that I hoped she would welcome the fact that this

government has said that for those with long-term conditions that

are not going to improve, we will not be putting them

through the regular assessmdnts they had under her

The first nuclear science ddgree apprenticeship with apprenthceships

from EDF at Hinkley Point and the Ministry of Defence has just

been launched at the Bridgewater and Taunton College.

It is at the forefront of the government's

It combines academic study with practical work, experidnce

Does the Prime Minister agrde with me that this is exactlx

the kind of business-led cotrse we need to forge ahead

I absolutely agree with my honourable friend.

Can I commend Bridgwater and Taunton College for the steps

that they are taking, working with business,

ensuring that the courses are available.

It is exactly what we want to see, and we do want to see a

regeneration of our expertise in the nuclear industry.

The Prime Minister is celebrated her 60th birthdax

Yet she is denying that samd choice to many of my constituents,

women like Christine of Sprhngburn, who has worked every bit as hard

as the Prime Minister but whll have to now work an extra six ye`rs.

When will she do the right thing and give the Waspi women

so that they can also make the choices that she has enjoyed?

The honourable lady knows that we have transition

arrangements in place, that action was taken

by the government to ensure that the period of time

that the pension age change would be no more than 18 months

compared to the previous tiletable and for 81% of women affectdd

by the 2011 change it will be no more than 12 months.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, the unemployment figures results

today are fantastic news yet I worry about the economic volatility that

could come as a consequence of Brexit, potentially infl`tion

rising and the cost of living going up for people on modest wages.

Does the Prime Minister agrde we need to keep as many people

in employment as possible and need to make the right decision on tax

credits, could I urge you to look at those cuts embedded in universal

credit and make sure we know what it will do to people trying to get work

My right honourable friend hs right to say this,

I'm very proud of the record that the government

of getting more people into work so that there are now hundrdds

of thousands fewer households with no work income coming

That is extremely important and the point of universal credit

is to be able to ensure that the transition from benefits

into work is a transition that means that people do have a benefht

Whereas the previous system meant that for some people

they were better off on bendfits, we want to see people in work

and that is what the system is there to encourage.

I've been asking questions for 15 months and this government

is appalling for child policy and rape laws.

From one feminist to another, how can the Prime

vulnerable women to the tratma of proving that the third child has

We have been very clear that women with a third child as a restlt

of rape would not be subject to the limit being considerdd

I absolutely recognise that the honourable lady is making

a point on how this would affect individuals who have been

That is why the government is taking its time,

is considering this, consulting on this at the moment

and looking at how we can m`ke sure we do this in the right way.

of the Commonwealth in terms of trade, will the Prime Minister

give her support to the first ever meeting of Commonwealth trade

ministers in the UK next ye`r and will she commit when shd goes

to India next month to perstade the Indian Prime Minister

I am happy to encourage all leaders to attend the event when it

I can assure my right honourable friend that we are looking

at the possibility of trade deals in relation to the Commonwe`lth

and I too applaud that first ever meeting of

which is an important step as we look to forging

a new global role in the world, ensuring we are making a success

Local commissions are clear that the removal of 24 hour

maternity services in my arda will cost lives and this

is a decision the government will have to make.

Will the Prime Minister ple`se commit to visiting my

constituency to see the effdct of the decision upon West Ctmbrian

I say to the honourable gentleman, this is not the first time

he's raised his concerns in relation to this hospital.

Can I say that the point of the way in which we are approaching this

is that decisions are taken and generated from the local level.

It is at the local area that they will look at servhces

necessary to people to ensure they can provide the servicds needed

and safe services for peopld of his constituency

The tragic murder of one prhsoner and the critical wounding of two

others in Pentonville Prison last night brings startlingly

Will the Prime Minister givd the Secretary of State for Justice

full support in commissioning a thorough and complete

review of the operational, managerial capacity of leaddrship

of the service which has significantly failed to address this

This is a matter which is one of the very first issues

that my right honourable frhend the Justice Secretary raised with me

which was the question of vholence in prisons and safety in prhsons.

That is why my right honour`ble friend is looking across-thd-board

at the action needed to be taken and has announced extra mondy

for the staff in prisons because she recognises

One in every 1,000 pupils h`s three meals in grammar schools.

Does the Prime Minister agrde with me that this tiny numbdr

is flimsy evidence base on which to create a new

Wouldn't she be better lookhng at the real evidence of how

I want to see every child gdtting the education that's right for them,

I want to see every child able to get on as far as their t`lents

That is why we need to increase the number of good

If you look at the gap in attainment between those

who are from disadvantaged backgrounds and those

who are not in grammar schools it is virtually zero.

That's not the same in other schools.

I say to the honourable ladx that I think it is wrong

that we have a system in thhs country where we have a law that

prevents the opening or expansion of good schools.

Will her ministers and the Secretary of State work with her

to try to reduce the amount of ivory trade and trade

of organs of endangered species throughout the world,

to try to lead by example from this country?

My honourable friend raises an important issue, this

is something the government has been taking up and I can assure her not

only has my right honourabld friend the Foreign Secretary heard her

he has promoted that this is an issue the government

The pottery industry is witnessing a modest renaissance partly

through EU exports and action on Chinese ceramic dumping.

The previous prime minister said he would make sure that the ceramic

industry's voice is heard and we would get a good negotiation.

What is this Prime Minister doing to make sure that Stoke-on-Trent

ceramic manufacturers maint`in tariff-free access to the ET

in the face of protectionist dumping?

I say to the honourable gentleman that I am very pleased to wdlcome

the renaissance in the ceralics industry that he refers to.

His constituency has a long,standing history and tradition in ceramics.

What are we doing as we go through the negotiations

We will ensure that this cotntry has the best possible access to trade

with and operate within that European market.

Many constituents have exprdssed concern to me about anti-Selitism.

I'm sure that every member of this house will agree that we should

show zero tolerance to anti-semitism.

Does the Prime Minister also agree that all parties should not allow

a situation to arise where it appears that

an environment is created where anti-Semitism is tolerated?

I absolutely agree with my honourable friend that this house

should send a clear message that we will not

I have been concerned about the rise we have seen in the number

of anti-Semitic incidents in this country.

We should ensure that those incidents are properly investigated

and dealt with and give that clear message that we

But that has to be every political party in this chamber.

And I ask the right honourable gentleman,

the Leader of the Opposition, given the report of the seldct

committee of this house about anti-Semitism

and the approach to anti-Selitism in the Labour Party,

he needs to think very carefully about the environment

being created in the Labour Party in relation to anti-Semitisl.

We are now one month from the inquest into

The West Midlands police have set aside for themselves a fund

the bereaved families have no legal funding.

Please intervene and show the Birmingham families the same

compassion that was shown to the Hillsborough families.

The right honourable gentlelan may be aware that the Birminghal

families have been encouragdd to apply and I believe they have

applied to the Legal Aid Fund for the exceptional funds.

That was as I understand wh`t happened after the 7/7 bombhngs

The Home Secretary has made clear her expectation that

We await the decision from the Legal Aid Fund.

We hope that decision be a positive one.

Why build a new runway at Hdathrow when we could deliver one at Gatwick

in half the time for half the cost and for a fraction

Can I assure my right honourable friend that no decision has been

taken on the site of airport expansion in the south-east.

As she will know from her previous background, the Davis Commission

said that airport capacity should be expected, the Davis Commisshon

identified three sites all of which they said would be

I feel it is fitting that we finish with a questhon

Could I first thank the Prime Minister and the Leader

of the Opposition and other members for their comments on the Aberfan

disaster and the resilience and quiet dignity shown

On Friday morning at 9:15, on the anniversary of the dhsaster,

the people of that communitx along with communities of Wales

will mark that disaster with one minute's silence.

Could I ask the Prime Minister if she would support that moment

of silence being marked as the disaster affected

communities across the country, if not the world, that that moment

I say to the honourable gentleman, I know the Secretary of State

for Wales will attend the mdmorial in his constituency on Frid`y.

I think it is appropriate that we all mark and show otr

respect for those who lost their lives and the families

who suffered as a result of the Aberfan tragedy that

It was, as we said earlier, a terrible tragedy not just

and I think it is right that we recognise that and mark it.