:00:00. > :00:00.manifesto was the most ambitious of all the main parties in terms of the
:00:00. > :00:07.roll-out of superfast broadband. He will be hearing more about it in
:00:08. > :00:20.the weeks to come. Order, questions to the Prime Minister.
:00:21. > :00:25.This I had the ministerial colleagues and others in addition to
:00:26. > :00:30.my duties in this House, and I shall have further such meetings later
:00:31. > :00:33.today to talk can I take the opportunity to wish you, Mr Speaker,
:00:34. > :00:42.and all members of the House a merry Christmas. In the light of the
:00:43. > :00:46.Foreign Secretary's display of chronic foot in mouth disease, when
:00:47. > :00:53.deciding on cabinet positions, does the Prime Minister now regret that
:00:54. > :00:56.placing F O by his name should have been an instruction, not a job
:00:57. > :01:04.offer? LAUGHTER
:01:05. > :01:12.Mr... LAUGHTER
:01:13. > :01:15.Order! There is far too much noise in the chamber. We've heard the
:01:16. > :01:21.question but I want to hear the Prime Minister's answer. Thank you,
:01:22. > :01:25.Mr Speaker. First of all, I join the honourable gentleman in wishing
:01:26. > :01:29.everybody happy Christmas. I will, of course, have an opportunity to do
:01:30. > :01:32.that on Monday when I'm sure the House will be as full for the Senate
:01:33. > :01:39.on the European council meeting. LAUGHTER
:01:40. > :01:42.-- statement on the European council meeting. I have to say that the
:01:43. > :01:52.Foreign Secretary is doing an absolutely excellent job. He is, in
:01:53. > :02:04.short, and F F S, a finer Foreign Secretary. Thank you, Mr Speaker.
:02:05. > :02:11.Maistre constituency has a really bright future ahead... I want to
:02:12. > :02:15.hear the voice of Cannock Chase! Thank you. Rugeley has a really
:02:16. > :02:22.bright future ahead but only if we are ambitious, bold and visionary in
:02:23. > :02:26.our redevelopment plans. Will my right honourable friend outline how
:02:27. > :02:31.the Government's industrial strategy can create the conditions which will
:02:32. > :02:36.help us build a sustainable local economy and highly skilled jobs for
:02:37. > :02:39.future generations? She is absolutely right that communities
:02:40. > :02:46.across this country have a bright future ahead of them, but we need to
:02:47. > :02:48.ensure that we create the conditions that future. That's why we will be
:02:49. > :02:53.producing a modern industrial strategy that will show how we can
:02:54. > :02:58.encourage strategic strengths of the UK, deal with our underlying
:02:59. > :03:02.weaknesses. It will enable companies to grow, to invest in the UK, to
:03:03. > :03:05.provide those jobs for the future, but we also need to make sure that
:03:06. > :03:16.that prosperity is spread across the whole of the UK and is prosperity
:03:17. > :03:19.for everyone. Jeremy Corbyn. Thank you, Mr Speaker. That I start by
:03:20. > :03:22.wishing yourself, Mr Speaker, and all members of the House and
:03:23. > :03:27.everyone who works in the House a very happy Christmas and a
:03:28. > :03:31.prosperous New Year. Sadly, Mr Speaker, our late colleague Jo Cox
:03:32. > :03:36.will not be celebrating Christmas this year with her family. She was
:03:37. > :03:41.murdered and taken from us. So I hope the Prime Minister - I'm sure
:03:42. > :03:45.she will - will join me in encouraging people to download the
:03:46. > :03:51.song which many members helped to create as a tribute to Jo's life and
:03:52. > :03:54.work and in everlasting memory of her. The right honourable gentleman
:03:55. > :03:59.is absolutely right to raise this issue. I'm sure everybody in this
:04:00. > :04:02.House, we should send a very clear message, download this single for
:04:03. > :04:06.the Jo Cox foundation. It is a very important cause and we all recognise
:04:07. > :04:10.that Jo Cox was a fine member of this House and would have carried on
:04:11. > :04:15.contributing significantly to this House and to this country, had she
:04:16. > :04:19.not been brutally murdered. I think the Chancellor is waving the VAT on
:04:20. > :04:24.this single. Everybody involved and it gave their services for free. I
:04:25. > :04:34.am having a photograph with them later this afternoon.
:04:35. > :04:36.LAUGHTER and, once again, let's just
:04:37. > :04:41.encourage everybody to download the single. The Prime Minister was of
:04:42. > :04:52.course referring, for the benefit of those referring outside, to the
:04:53. > :04:58.Parliamentary Rock band MP4. I applaud the work of MP4 but for the
:04:59. > :05:05.benefit of their quality, I am not a member of it! I thank her for that
:05:06. > :05:10.answer. Social care is crucial. It provides support for people to live
:05:11. > :05:14.with dignity. Yet Age UK research has found that 1.2 million older
:05:15. > :05:20.people are currently not receiving the care that they need. Will the
:05:21. > :05:27.Prime Minister AXA is a crisis in social care? -- is a crisis.
:05:28. > :05:31.Government I have consistently said that we recognise the pressures on
:05:32. > :05:38.social care so it might be helpful if I set out what the government is
:05:39. > :05:40.doing in social care. We recognise the precious. That is why the
:05:41. > :05:44.government is putting more money into social care and at the end of
:05:45. > :05:47.this Parliament, that will be billions of pounds extra. We have
:05:48. > :05:51.enabled the social care precept for local authorities. We recognise that
:05:52. > :05:56.there are immediate pressures on social care, that's why this will be
:05:57. > :05:59.addressed by my right honourable friend, the Secretary of State for
:06:00. > :06:02.communities and local and in the local government finance settlement
:06:03. > :06:09.tomorrow. But we also recognise that this is not just about money, it is
:06:10. > :06:13.about delivery. There was a difference in delivery across the
:06:14. > :06:16.country. We need to make sure reform takes place we see best practice in
:06:17. > :06:19.terms of integration of health and social care across the country but
:06:20. > :06:24.we also need to ensure that we have a longer term solution to give
:06:25. > :06:28.people the reassurance for the future that there is a sustainable
:06:29. > :06:32.system, which will ensure that they are receiving the social care that
:06:33. > :06:36.they need in old age, and that is what the Government is working on.
:06:37. > :06:39.There is a short-term issue, there is a medium-term need to make local
:06:40. > :06:42.authorities and health services are delivering consistently, and there
:06:43. > :06:48.is a long-term solution we need to find. Care Quality Commission warned
:06:49. > :06:51.as recently as October that evidence suggests we have approached a
:06:52. > :06:55.tipping point so instead of passing the buck on to local government,
:06:56. > :06:59.shouldn't the Government take responsibility itself for the
:07:00. > :07:03.crisis? Could the Prime Minister take this opportunity to inform the
:07:04. > :07:10.House exactly how much was cut from the social care budget in the last
:07:11. > :07:12.Parliament? We have been putting more money into social care in this
:07:13. > :07:17.House... more money into social care in this
:07:18. > :07:20.We have been putting more money into social care and health. We recognise
:07:21. > :07:24.the pressures that exist and that's why we will be looking at the
:07:25. > :07:29.short-term pressures that exist in relation to social care. But you
:07:30. > :07:33.cannot look at this question as simply being an issue of money in
:07:34. > :07:38.the short term. It is about delivery, it is about reform, it is
:07:39. > :07:43.about the social care system working with the health system. That's why
:07:44. > :07:47.this is an issue that is being addressed not just by the Secretary
:07:48. > :07:51.of State for communities and local and but also the Secretary of State
:07:52. > :07:53.for Health. But if we are going to give people the reassurance that
:07:54. > :07:57.they need in the longer term that their social care needs will be met,
:07:58. > :08:01.this isn't just about looking for a short-term solution, it's about
:08:02. > :08:06.finding a way forward that can give a sustainable system of social care
:08:07. > :08:11.for the Prime Minister doesn't seem to be aware that 4.6 billion was cut
:08:12. > :08:16.from the social care budget in the last Parliament. And that her talk
:08:17. > :08:23.of putting it on to local government ought to be taken for what it is, a
:08:24. > :08:29.con. To % of council tax is clearly a nonsense. 95% of councils use this
:08:30. > :08:34.social care precept and it raised less than 3% of the money they
:08:35. > :08:39.planned to spend on adult social care. Billions seem to be available
:08:40. > :08:44.for tax giveaways to corporations, not mentioned in the Autumn
:08:45. > :08:48.Statement, underfunded, and many elderly people left isolated and in
:08:49. > :08:53.crisis because of the lack of government funding of social care.
:08:54. > :08:58.We see many councils around the country that have taken the benefit
:08:59. > :09:04.of the social care precept and have, as a result, seen more people being
:09:05. > :09:08.able to access social care and needs being met. Sadly, there are also
:09:09. > :09:11.some councils across the country, some Labour councils, who haven't
:09:12. > :09:15.taken the opportunity, where we do see a worse performance in relation
:09:16. > :09:20.to social care. But he once again refers to the issue of money. I
:09:21. > :09:22.might remind him that at the last election, the then Shadow Chancellor
:09:23. > :09:27.said that if Labour were in government there would be not a
:09:28. > :09:36.penny more for local authorities and also that when recently asked about
:09:37. > :09:38.spending more money on social care, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary
:09:39. > :09:43.said when he was asked where the money would come from, "Ooh, well,
:09:44. > :09:52.we're going to have to come up with a plan for that". Mr Speaker, this
:09:53. > :09:58.government has cut social care and she will knows it and she well knows
:09:59. > :10:01.the effect of that. She also well knows that raising council tax has a
:10:02. > :10:07.different outcome in different parts of the country. For example, if you
:10:08. > :10:12.raise the council tax in Windsor and Maidenhead, you get quite a lot of
:10:13. > :10:17.money. If you raise a council tax precept in Liverpool or Newcastle,
:10:18. > :10:22.you get a lot less. Is she saying that older people, frail, elderly,
:10:23. > :10:29.vulnerable people are less valuable in our big cities than they are in
:10:30. > :10:34.wealthier parts of the country? Mr Speaker, this crisis is a crisis for
:10:35. > :10:37.many elderly people who are living in a very difficult situation
:10:38. > :10:43.because of this. It is also a crisis for the National Health Service.
:10:44. > :10:47.Those people who are in hospital cannot be discharged because there
:10:48. > :10:54.is nowhere for them to go to, so I'll ask her again - the crisis
:10:55. > :10:56.affects individuals, families and it affects the national Health Service,
:10:57. > :11:01.so why doesn't she do something really bold - cancel the corporation
:11:02. > :11:09.tax cut and put the money into social care instead? The right
:11:10. > :11:12.honourable gentleman has quoted Newcastle council in the list that
:11:13. > :11:17.he set. I have to say, Newcastle council is one of the councils where
:11:18. > :11:20.we saw in September virtually no delayed discharges, so elderly
:11:21. > :11:25.people were not being held up in hospital and they didn't need to be
:11:26. > :11:28.and when they didn't want to be, so what this shows is that it is
:11:29. > :11:33.possible for councils to deliver on the ground. So you see councils like
:11:34. > :11:38.Newcastle and Torbay doing that, and you see councils like evening not
:11:39. > :11:45.using the social care precept and a different result it can -- Ealing.
:11:46. > :11:48.The worst performing council -- the difference between the worst
:11:49. > :11:51.performing council and the best is a 20 fold difference. That is not
:11:52. > :11:57.about the difference of funding but about the difference of delivery.
:11:58. > :12:00.Councils work very hard to try to cope with a 40% cut in their budgets
:12:01. > :12:04.across the whole country and the people that pay the price are those
:12:05. > :12:08.who are stuck in hospital, who should be allowed to go home, and
:12:09. > :12:12.those that aren't getting the care and support they need. This is a
:12:13. > :12:17.social care system that deep in crisis. The crisis is made in
:12:18. > :12:21.Downing Street by this government. The former chair of the health
:12:22. > :12:27.select committee, Stephen Doll, says the system is inadequately funded.
:12:28. > :12:30.The current chair of the health select committee says, "The issue
:12:31. > :12:36.can't be ducked any longer because of the impact it's having not just
:12:37. > :12:39.on vulnerable people but also on the NHS". Why can't the Prime Minister
:12:40. > :12:43.listened to those in local government, to the King's Fund, the
:12:44. > :12:49.NHS Confederation, her own council leaders, and recognise this social
:12:50. > :12:53.care crisis forces people to give up work to care for loved ones because
:12:54. > :12:57.there isn't a system to do it, makes people stay in hospital longer than
:12:58. > :13:00.they should and leads people into a horrible, isolated life when they
:13:01. > :13:06.should be cared for by all of us through a properly funded social
:13:07. > :13:12.care system? Get a grip and funded properly, please. -- fund it
:13:13. > :13:16.properly. The issue of social care is, indeed, one that has been dogged
:13:17. > :13:21.by governments for too long. That is why it is this government, it is
:13:22. > :13:25.this government, that will provide a long-term, sustainable system for
:13:26. > :13:30.social care that gives reassurance to people. But when he talks about
:13:31. > :13:42.governments docking social care, let's look about 13 years of Labour
:13:43. > :13:47.in government. They said in 1997 that they would sort it in their
:13:48. > :13:55.manifesto. They had a royal commission in 1999, a green paper in
:13:56. > :14:01.2005, the Wanless Report in 2006. In 2007, they said they'd sorted. In
:14:02. > :14:14.2009, they had another green paper. 13 years and no action whatsoever.
:14:15. > :14:19.Order! Mr Speaker, today a constituent of mine from shore who
:14:20. > :14:24.struggled to get to university College Hospital in London for drug
:14:25. > :14:27.trials. Across Sussex, thousands of others will be unable to get to
:14:28. > :14:34.work, school and college because Affleck Aslef -- Aslef object to
:14:35. > :14:41.their drivers operating doors. Aslef drivers are driving tens lick trains
:14:42. > :14:44.on the same rails. And the Prime Minister give her assurance that
:14:45. > :14:47.everything will be done at the ACAS talks today to end this nonsense of
:14:48. > :14:54.a strike, address any residuals safety issues and give our
:14:55. > :14:59.constituents their lives back? He is right to raise this issue. This is
:15:00. > :15:03.an appalling strike. He's right to raise the discrepancy in attitude of
:15:04. > :15:08.Aslef. We've seen driver only operated trains on rail networks in
:15:09. > :15:14.the UK for decades. They are on the Thameslink train. I hope that the
:15:15. > :15:17.talks at ACAS are going to lead to an end to this strike but, actually,
:15:18. > :15:21.I've got a suggestion for the Leader of the Opposition. I think the
:15:22. > :15:25.Leader of the Opposition could do something to help members of the
:15:26. > :15:30.public. The Labour Party is funded by Aslef. Why doesn't he get on the
:15:31. > :15:46.phone and tell them to call the strike of immediately? Angus
:15:47. > :15:50.Robertson. We join with the leader of the Labour Party and with the
:15:51. > :15:54.Prime Minister in wishing great success to the Jo Cox single that's
:15:55. > :15:59.available for download on Friday. I'm sure we're all going to download
:16:00. > :16:05.it. Civilians have suffered grievously with the bombing of
:16:06. > :16:10.hospitals opt all, of schools, of markets. The United Nations believes
:16:11. > :16:14.that 60% of civilian casualties are caused by air strikes. In the last
:16:15. > :16:21.24 hours, the United States has stopped the supply of provisional
:16:22. > :16:26.guided munitions to Saudi Arabia to bomb Yemen. When will the UK follow
:16:27. > :16:30.suit? As the right honourable gentleman knows, we do have a very
:16:31. > :16:37.strict regime of export licences in relation to weapons here in the UK.
:16:38. > :16:43.We exercise that very carefully and in recent years, we have indeed
:16:44. > :16:49.refused export licences in relation to arms, including two Yemen and
:16:50. > :16:55.Saudi Arabia. The US government has just said, and I quote, "Systematic,
:16:56. > :17:02.endemic problems in Saudi Arabia's targeting drove the US decision to
:17:03. > :17:09.halt a future weapons sale involving precision oil guided munitions". The
:17:10. > :17:14.Saudis have UK supplied missiles, made in Scotland. The UK has
:17:15. > :17:18.licensed ?3.3 billion of arms to Saudi Arabia since the beginning of
:17:19. > :17:21.the bombing campaign. What will it take for the UK to adopt an ethical
:17:22. > :17:30.foreign policy when it comes to Yemen? As the right honourable
:17:31. > :17:35.gentleman knows, the intervention in Yemen is a UN backed intervention.
:17:36. > :17:38.As I've said previously, where there are allegations of breaches of
:17:39. > :17:44.international humanitarian law, we require those to be properly
:17:45. > :17:46.investigated. We do have a relationship with Saudi Arabia. The
:17:47. > :17:52.security of the Gulf is important to us and I would simply also remind
:17:53. > :17:55.the right honourable gentleman that, actually, Saudi intelligence, the
:17:56. > :17:59.counterterrorism links we have with Saudi Arabia, the intelligence we
:18:00. > :18:06.get from Saudi Arabia, has saved potentially hundreds of lives here
:18:07. > :18:09.in the UK. Mr Speaker, one of my constituents has just had to move to
:18:10. > :18:14.residential care because no carers could be found to support her in her
:18:15. > :18:17.own home. She's at the sharp end of a crisis in social care that is as
:18:18. > :18:23.much about inadequate funding as it is about a shortfall in our very
:18:24. > :18:28.valued social care workforce. I'm looking forward to hearing what
:18:29. > :18:31.immediate further support will be provided for social care but isn't
:18:32. > :18:35.it time that rather than having confrontational dialogues about
:18:36. > :18:41.social care funding, all parties work together across this House to
:18:42. > :18:46.look for a sustainable, long-term solution for funding of both
:18:47. > :18:49.integrated health and social care? My honourable friend is right to
:18:50. > :18:55.raise the issue of looking at a sustainable way in which we can
:18:56. > :18:58.support integrated health and social care and a sustainable way for
:18:59. > :19:01.people to know that in the future they are going to be able to have
:19:02. > :19:04.the social care they require. As I said earlier in response to the
:19:05. > :19:07.Leader of the Opposition, we recognise the short-term pressures
:19:08. > :19:10.on the system but I think it is important for us to look at those
:19:11. > :19:14.medium and longer term solutions if we are going to be able to address
:19:15. > :19:16.this issue and I was very pleased to be able to have a meeting with my
:19:17. > :19:23.honourable friend to discuss this last week and I look forward to
:19:24. > :19:26.further such meetings. Can I tell the Prime Minister that the
:19:27. > :19:28.cross-party delegation led by the right honourable member for common
:19:29. > :19:34.Valley will meet the Russian ambassador tomorrow morning on
:19:35. > :19:37.Aleppo, and we will reflect and amplify, in precisely the sort of
:19:38. > :19:42.terms that she and the Foreign Secretary have used, about Russia,
:19:43. > :19:46.the Assad regime and Iran, not least because we want to protect those who
:19:47. > :19:51.have heroically struggled to save lives in that city who are now going
:19:52. > :19:55.to be at particular risk because of the witness they can give. But does
:19:56. > :19:58.she accept that many of us believe that those sort of messages are more
:19:59. > :20:02.cogent when we are equally unequivocal about the primacy of
:20:03. > :20:06.human rights and international humanitarian law when we need the
:20:07. > :20:10.Gulf states? We do raise the issues of human rights when we meet the
:20:11. > :20:14.Gulf States but he's absolutely right in relation to the role that
:20:15. > :20:19.Russia is playing in Syria. There is a very simple message to President
:20:20. > :20:23.Putin. He has it within his own hands to be able to actually say to
:20:24. > :20:27.the Assad regime that enough is enough in Aleppo, we need to ensure
:20:28. > :20:32.that humanitarian aid is there for people and the people who have, as
:20:33. > :20:36.he says, been heroically saving the lives of others, ensure that they
:20:37. > :20:45.have their security ensured. I'm sure that is a message she and
:20:46. > :20:47.others will be giving to the Russian ambassador. It is an President
:20:48. > :20:51.Putin's hands. He can do it - why doesn't he?
:20:52. > :20:57.Will the Prime Minister thank me in enjoying the many people it from
:20:58. > :21:01.this House who Sung for Syrians. It was created in order to pay the
:21:02. > :21:06.salaries of the medical staff in Aleppo. Since our hospital was shut
:21:07. > :21:10.two weeks ago, bombed two weeks ago, we have been buying pros thetedic
:21:11. > :21:15.limbs with all of our money. -- prosthetic limbs. We have a waiting
:21:16. > :21:20.list of 30,000 people. What can we do to target our humanitarian aid it
:21:21. > :21:23.make sure it gets to the most vulnerable people in Syria, the old,
:21:24. > :21:28.very young and people who are too injured to move? Well, first of all,
:21:29. > :21:31.I absolutely join my honourable friend in congratulating everyone
:21:32. > :21:34.who took part in Singing for Syrians. I'm sure the whole House
:21:35. > :21:39.would welcome the work that that group is doing and the money that is
:21:40. > :21:43.being put to extremely good use, that is being raised. She raises, I
:21:44. > :21:47.think, the House was struck by the number of people she referred to
:21:48. > :21:51.being on the waiting list for prosthetic limbs. Of course, in
:21:52. > :21:56.terms of our humanitarian aid support for Syria, which is the
:21:57. > :22:02.biggest humanitarian effort that the United Kingdom has made, of course
:22:03. > :22:05.we are giving money to the refugees who have fled from Syria, we're
:22:06. > :22:09.also, of course, working diplomatically to try to reduce the
:22:10. > :22:12.suffering, to try to make sure that we can see the sort of aid and
:22:13. > :22:16.medical support she is talking about, getting through to the
:22:17. > :22:20.citizens of Aleppo. But we will continue to ensure that our
:22:21. > :22:24.humanitarian aid is being put to good use, helping those who are
:22:25. > :22:29.vulnerable but also helping those who need the education and support
:22:30. > :22:34.to be able, in due course, to rebuild Syria when we see a stable
:22:35. > :22:41.and secure Syria. Mr Speaker, rip-off interest rates
:22:42. > :22:44.on household goods are wrong. Companies like Brighthouse exploit
:22:45. > :22:50.families, who have no other way to furnish their homes. So, will the
:22:51. > :22:55.Prime Minister look at capping these interest rates, to help those who
:22:56. > :22:58.are just about managing? Well, the honourable gentleman
:22:59. > :23:01.raises an important issue and I recognise there are many people who
:23:02. > :23:08.are just about managing, who are struggling to get by, who did find
:23:09. > :23:12.themselves actually having to revert to support from companies who do,
:23:13. > :23:16.sadly, as we see, charge the sort of interest rates he is talking about.
:23:17. > :23:20.Of course action has been taken in relation to some of these activities
:23:21. > :23:28.in the past. But I will look at the issue he raised.
:23:29. > :23:32.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Across the country, and particularly in Kent,
:23:33. > :23:36.lorry fly park something a blight. It's antisocial and dangerous. Will
:23:37. > :23:42.my right honourable friend, the Prime Minister, support my campaign
:23:43. > :23:46.for more lorry parking spaces, more effective enforcement and
:23:47. > :23:51.ultimately, a ban on lorries parking in unauthorised places?
:23:52. > :23:55.Well, I recognise the concern my honourable friend has raised. This
:23:56. > :23:58.is one I think is shared by many Kent MPs, who see this problem only
:23:59. > :24:02.too closely in their own constituencies. Can I assure her
:24:03. > :24:07.that the Government shares the desire to ensure that we don't see
:24:08. > :24:11.this fly parking of lorries across Kent, that we do provide suitable
:24:12. > :24:14.lorry parking facilities in Kent. I know that my right honourable
:24:15. > :24:19.friend, the minister for roads, is looking at this issue very carefully
:24:20. > :24:21.indeed. I recognise it from my time as the Home Secretary, the pressure
:24:22. > :24:26.at particular times that can be put on the roads and villages and towns
:24:27. > :24:31.in Kent, in relation to this. It is something that Government is working
:24:32. > :24:37.on and we will find a solution. Thank you, Mr Speaker.
:24:38. > :24:40.Now we know, courtesy of the Government's own infrastructure
:24:41. > :24:46.watchdog, that mobile coverage in the UK is worse than Romania, will
:24:47. > :24:51.the Prime Minister take steps to introduce a universal service
:24:52. > :24:56.obligation, in the Highlands, it is fair typical to get the message, no
:24:57. > :24:59.signal. It would often be better to use carrier pigeons. Will the Prime
:25:00. > :25:02.Minister recognise this is not acceptable and will she take
:25:03. > :25:09.responsibility? It's time to connect the Highlands to the rest of the
:25:10. > :25:13.world. Well, I can assure the honourable
:25:14. > :25:17.gentleman that the issue of decent mobile coverage isn't one that only
:25:18. > :25:21.affects the Highlands. There are some other parts of England, Wales
:25:22. > :25:23.and Northern Ireland that also get affected by it, but the Government
:25:24. > :25:26.has very strong commitments in relation to this. We have very
:25:27. > :25:30.strong commitments in relation to broadband and my right honourable
:25:31. > :25:36.friend, the Culture Secretary, will be delivering on those.
:25:37. > :25:43.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, money cannot compensate somebody who
:25:44. > :25:47.has been charged accused of a very similar offence and then finds the
:25:48. > :25:52.details of that are in the press, along with their name. Nothing can
:25:53. > :25:56.restore, in truth, their reputation, after it has been thrashed in those
:25:57. > :26:01.circumstances. In 2011 I tried it change the law in a private member's
:26:02. > :26:07.bill. Today, Sir Bernard Hogan how said now is the time to introduce
:26:08. > :26:10.new legislation. Would the Prime Minister, agree to at least consider
:26:11. > :26:16.changing the law, so that everyone, with a few exceptions, should have a
:26:17. > :26:20.right anonymity if they are a suspect in criminal proceedings,
:26:21. > :26:24.until such time as they are charged? Quite right. I recognise the
:26:25. > :26:28.interest that my honourable friend has taken in this particular issue.
:26:29. > :26:35.As she will know, it is one that has been debated on a number of
:26:36. > :26:40.occasions in this House. The general assumption is that somebody should
:26:41. > :26:44.not be named before the point of charge but there is an allowance for
:26:45. > :26:49.the police to be be able to raise somebody's name if it is a case
:26:50. > :26:53.where they believe that doing that will help, perhaps, to find other
:26:54. > :26:57.victims coming forward. This has been particularly of concern where
:26:58. > :27:02.it is matters of sexual violence, of rain, for example, or where they
:27:03. > :27:05.believe -- of rape, for example, or where they believe the naming of the
:27:06. > :27:08.individual will help in the detection of the crime. But this is
:27:09. > :27:12.a delicate issue. I recognise the concern my honourable friend has
:27:13. > :27:15.shown. The college of politician is looking at this issue very
:27:16. > :27:19.carefully. -- the college of policing.
:27:20. > :27:25.They are Go going to deliver new guidance in the new year in relation
:27:26. > :27:28.to this issue to the media. The heartbreaking humanitarian crisis
:27:29. > :27:34.and genocide in Syria, continues to take place as the world watches on
:27:35. > :27:37.impotently, yet there is still no end in sight. Does the Prime
:27:38. > :27:42.Minister agree with the right honourable member for Tatton, that
:27:43. > :27:46.what is happening in Syria is a failure of Western leadership and
:27:47. > :27:50.does she agree with me, that what is now urgently required, is what our
:27:51. > :27:56.dear friend, Jo Cox called for, nearly a year ago, and that is - a
:27:57. > :28:02.UK-led strategy to protect civilians. Whether it is those
:28:03. > :28:07.fleeing persecution. Whether it is those surrendering themselves or
:28:08. > :28:12.those that are still besieged? We must all take responsibility for
:28:13. > :28:15.decisions we have taken, whether we take those decisions sitting around
:28:16. > :28:23.National Security Council table or indeed this House, in taking the
:28:24. > :28:28.decision that it did in 2013. The honourable lady raises the question
:28:29. > :28:33.of a UK-led action in relation to the protection of civilians. It is
:28:34. > :28:36.the UK that has been pressing for action inside the United Nations'
:28:37. > :28:39.Security Council, working with the French, the two most recent
:28:40. > :28:43.emergency UN Security Council meetings were those that we called
:28:44. > :28:47.for. The most recent of those took place yesterday. As I'm sure the
:28:48. > :28:50.honourable lady will know, there have been six UN Security Council
:28:51. > :28:55.resolutions which have been vetoed by Russia. The most recent also
:28:56. > :28:58.vetoed by China. We are continuing to work with the United Nations, but
:28:59. > :29:02.if we are to get a solution that works on the ground, then it has to
:29:03. > :29:05.be a solution that is actually bought into by other countries and
:29:06. > :29:11.it has to be a solution that Russia is going to buy into as well as the
:29:12. > :29:16.regime. Ment Thank you, Mr Speaker, I have
:29:17. > :29:21.received a message from Nick from Grantham. Actually it was a text
:29:22. > :29:26.message from our honourable friend the member for Grantham and
:29:27. > :29:33.Stanford. For the avoidance of doubt this is one text message he is
:29:34. > :29:36.willing to be read in public. Mr Speaker, getting rid of his tumour
:29:37. > :29:41.and making a swift return to this place and nothing matters more to
:29:42. > :29:44.him than that, than ensuring around the clock emergency services are
:29:45. > :29:48.restored had his local hospital in gran that. Will my right honourable
:29:49. > :29:50.friend the Prime Minister, receive the petition he has organised,
:29:51. > :29:54.ensure that the passionate views of his constituents are heard and,
:29:55. > :29:59.above all, reassure people, in this rural area, that they will always
:30:00. > :30:05.have access to safe, emergency care for them and their families?
:30:06. > :30:11.Well, can I first of all, I'm sure that the thoughts of the whole House
:30:12. > :30:16.are our honourable friend, the member for Grantham and Sandford and
:30:17. > :30:20.can I wish him the very best for his recovery as he goes through this
:30:21. > :30:25.illness. And I recognise the strength of feeling that he has
:30:26. > :30:31.about the emergency services in his local hospital. I believe that there
:30:32. > :30:40.are also concerns that are shared by ou new honourable friend, the member
:30:41. > :30:45.for Sleaford and I can assure my honourable friend the member for
:30:46. > :30:49.Grantham and Sandford, that the process that is taking place in
:30:50. > :30:53.looking at the development of local services, is about listening to
:30:54. > :30:56.local people, hearing the local voice and about ensuring that the
:30:57. > :31:00.services available to local people in their area are the right services
:31:01. > :31:03.for that area and that can be delivered safely and securely for
:31:04. > :31:08.local people. Thank you, Mr Speaker. At the last
:31:09. > :31:13.election, the Conservative Party manifesto said, "We will help local
:31:14. > :31:20.authorities keep council tax low for hard-working tax payers and ensure
:31:21. > :31:25.residence will continue to veto rises comboep "Tax payers in my area
:31:26. > :31:29.face paying more with no veto because of the account of
:31:30. > :31:32.Government's failure to tackle the social care crisis, so will the
:31:33. > :31:37.Prime Minister now admit her pledge on council tax has been bane donned.
:31:38. > :31:39.I have to say obviously we put the social care precept in place, in
:31:40. > :31:44.recognition of the pressures on social care but I'm pleased to say
:31:45. > :31:47.we have seen many examples over the country, of good local authorities,
:31:48. > :31:51.actually ensuring they were keeping council tax down, including may I
:31:52. > :31:55.say the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead which cut council tax,
:31:56. > :32:01.for six years running. Mr Speaker, on 14th August, my
:32:02. > :32:08.constituents George Lowe and Ben Barker were the victims of a vicious
:32:09. > :32:12.knife attack in eye nappia. George Lowe sadly died later that day from
:32:13. > :32:15.his injuries. The two culprits fled to northern Cyprus where they were
:32:16. > :32:18.actually arrested in unrelated matters. Despite representations
:32:19. > :32:24.made by the Foreign Office, one of these men was recently able to
:32:25. > :32:27.simply walk free and it is feared the second man will follow
:32:28. > :32:34.shortedly. Will the Prime Minister do all she can to help bring justice
:32:35. > :32:37.for George Lowe and Ben Barker for what was an horrific, vicious attack
:32:38. > :32:41.that was completely without provocation and has bob devastating
:32:42. > :32:47.for both of their families? -- and has been. I'm sure all of us across
:32:48. > :32:52.the House would want to send our deepest sympathies to the family of
:32:53. > :32:59.George Lowe and our best wishes for a full recovery for Ben Barker from
:33:00. > :33:03.the terrible injuries that he suffered at what my honourable
:33:04. > :33:08.friend said was a violent and unprovoked attack. The previous time
:33:09. > :33:12.this case was raised by the relevant Government was during by the Foreign
:33:13. > :33:18.Secretary during his visit to Cyprus and he clearly set out his desire to
:33:19. > :33:20.see those guilty brought to justice. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office
:33:21. > :33:26.will continue to offer support to those familiar lanes we'll continue
:33:27. > :33:28.to raise this issue and I'm sure the Foreign Office will keep my
:33:29. > :33:38.honourable friend informed of any developments. . Many food and drink
:33:39. > :33:41.projects have benefited a European scheme, with a guarantees the Prime
:33:42. > :33:47.Minister can give us that we'll continue to get that protection,
:33:48. > :33:50.should we end up leaving the EU? Well, first of all, of course,
:33:51. > :33:54.issues like that are ones that we will be needing to address as we
:33:55. > :33:58.look at the arrangement that is will be in place, following the EU I'm
:33:59. > :34:02.sure everybody would recognise the significant of the Arbroath smokey
:34:03. > :34:09.and, indeed other products around the UK. But, can I just say to the
:34:10. > :34:14.honourable gentleman, at the end there, he should "should we leave
:34:15. > :34:22.the EU." I can tell him we will be leaving the EU.
:34:23. > :34:26.Thank you, Mr Spearer, on December 19th, 35 years ago, 16 people lost
:34:27. > :34:33.their lives in ferocious storms off the coast of West Cornwall. Eight
:34:34. > :34:42.lives were men who launched their lifeboat to rescue the crew of the
:34:43. > :34:48.Union Star. 35 years later, this tragedy still haunts the village and
:34:49. > :34:53.many people mark this referry year. Would the Prime Minister join with
:34:54. > :34:57.me in marking this day, and pay credit to those men and women who
:34:58. > :35:00.risk their lives for those in peril on the sea. I thank my honourable
:35:01. > :35:07.friend for raising this issue. I absolutely join him in marking the
:35:08. > :35:10.35th anniversary of the Penlee lifeboat tragedy and sending our
:35:11. > :35:13.sympathies to all those families affected but also to the local
:35:14. > :35:18.communities who were affected, as he has set out. Finally I'm sure
:35:19. > :35:23.everybody in this House would want to pay tribute to the RNLI. The
:35:24. > :35:25.tireless work they do. It is an island. It is important we have that
:35:26. > :35:31.security and safety around our shores. The RNLI work tirelessly to
:35:32. > :35:34.protect people, who, as my honourable friend say are in peril
:35:35. > :35:37.on the sea and we pay tribute to them.
:35:38. > :35:42.The Prime Minister knows that I and colleagues from all parties across
:35:43. > :35:48.this House are keen to guarantee the rights of some 3 million EU and EA
:35:49. > :35:51.citizens in this country. This will be the largest administrative task
:35:52. > :35:58.the Home Office has ever undertaken. Could I encourage her to look at the
:35:59. > :36:00.report producedes by British Futures which suggests practical suggestions
:36:01. > :36:03.on how the Home Office can implement this and possibly encourage the Home
:36:04. > :36:07.Secretary to update us on any progress made? Well, I say to the
:36:08. > :36:12.honourable lady I'm keen to ensure we can protect the rights of EU
:36:13. > :36:16.citizens living here but I'm also keen that UK citizens' rights for
:36:17. > :36:20.those living in the EU are protected. The home Serbs I think is
:36:21. > :36:24.aware of the proposals that have been put forward and is looking at
:36:25. > :36:27.them very carefully. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. In October,
:36:28. > :36:43.hundreds of people from -- the Home Secretary Hundreds of people from
:36:44. > :36:51.across European attended a neo-Nazi in my constituency. What steps is
:36:52. > :37:01.the what happens taking about this? Can we make it clear there is no
:37:02. > :37:05.allowance for racial hatred. Earlier this week my right honourable
:37:06. > :37:07.friend, the Home Secretary, proscribed the Right Wing
:37:08. > :37:10.Organisation National action, which means being a member of or inviting
:37:11. > :37:15.support for that organisation will be a criminal efence. I think it is
:37:16. > :37:18.important we take every step we can to stop racial hatred in this
:37:19. > :37:24.country. I was pleased to announce on Monday, that Britain will be the
:37:25. > :37:26.first country in Europe it adopt the International Haul cast Remembrance
:37:27. > :37:32.Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism.
:37:33. > :37:36.Yesterday, I met with the CEO of Providence Financial, one of two
:37:37. > :37:40.FTSE 100 companies in Bradford, yes, outside of London right in the heart
:37:41. > :37:44.of the North and being in my condition constituencicy. We agreed
:37:45. > :37:49.that for Bradford to fulfil the potential of its young #350e78 we
:37:50. > :37:52.need better educational outcomes and transport. Having been overlooked
:37:53. > :37:57.for so long, can I invite the Prime Minister to come and meet the
:37:58. > :38:00.leaders of my great city and pave the way for long overdue investment
:38:01. > :38:09.in Bradford. -- of its young people.
:38:10. > :38:13.The honourable lady is right to talk about what is needed that's why I'm
:38:14. > :38:17.pleased the say there has been an increase of 16,000 people in
:38:18. > :38:22.Bradford who are at good or outstanding schools since 2010.
:38:23. > :38:26.We are taking control of quality education but I want it make sure
:38:27. > :38:29.there are enough good school places for children across the council and
:38:30. > :38:33.this is' what our education consultation is B I came to PMQs
:38:34. > :38:38.today from an incredibly moving and powerful private session with the
:38:39. > :38:42.DWP Select Committee, talking and listening to four Vic tilts of
:38:43. > :38:46.modern slavery who are living in safe houses. I don't think I will
:38:47. > :38:52.ever forget it in my life. Please would the Prime Minister take her
:38:53. > :38:55.enshoes yachl -- victims. -- please would she take her passion and work
:38:56. > :38:59.with the Secretary of State for Pensions. These people are
:39:00. > :39:04.vulnerable. When thee come to job centres their back cases are not
:39:05. > :39:08.understood. The same as women and survivors of domestic violence they
:39:09. > :39:12.need to be fast-tracked F ever they need the state to step up and
:39:13. > :39:15.support them, please can we do more? My honourable friend is absolutely
:39:16. > :39:23.right. I think nothing brings home to one more than anything else, the
:39:24. > :39:25.absolute horrific nature of the crime of modern slavery, than
:39:26. > :39:32.actually sitting down hearing the testimony of a Vic ti. These people
:39:33. > :39:36.have gone through the horrendous, dehumanising experiences very often
:39:37. > :39:38.and it is absolutely right that the Government brought forward the
:39:39. > :39:46.Modern Slavery Be a. It is right that we have been looking at how
:39:47. > :39:49.Victim Support is provided and the international referral member you
:39:50. > :39:51.nichl and a number of steps and we'll work with the DWP. My
:39:52. > :39:55.honourable friend refers to job centres but it isn't just job
:39:56. > :39:58.centres. We need to ensure that those in authority who come into
:39:59. > :40:02.contact with people who have been the victims of modern slavery, are
:40:03. > :40:08.able it recognise those signs and are able to treat it in the way and
:40:09. > :40:12.deal with people, sensitively and sympathetically in an appropriate
:40:13. > :40:16.way. Thank you I don't think the Prime
:40:17. > :40:19.Minister has any idea of the level of suffering and pain that rail
:40:20. > :40:23.passengers and businesses in Brighton and beyond are suffering.
:40:24. > :40:30.And it is not just on strike days. This has been going on for well over
:40:31. > :40:33.18 months. So, given the failure of her passive Transport Secretary who
:40:34. > :40:40.apparently has no intention of acting to deal with this utterly
:40:41. > :40:45.incompetent company, will she sack him, strip DCR of the franchise and
:40:46. > :40:47.freeze fares for long-suffering passengers?
:40:48. > :40:51.Well, first of all my right honourable friend the Transport
:40:52. > :40:56.Secretary has been taking steps in relation to the general performance
:40:57. > :41:00.of southern railway. We've stepped in to invest ?20 million to
:41:01. > :41:04.specifically tackle the issue and bring a rapid improvement to
:41:05. > :41:08.services. We announced the delay repay 15 from 11th December for
:41:09. > :41:12.whole of Southern which will make it easier for passengers to complam
:41:13. > :41:18.exceptcation. We've nounsed a refund for a month's travel. So we have
:41:19. > :41:22.been looking at that wider issue. -- we've announced. But the honourable
:41:23. > :41:25.lady raises the question of the current strievenlingt there is only
:41:26. > :41:29.one body responsible for the current strike, ASLEF. This is a strike from
:41:30. > :41:32.the trade union and she should be standing up and condemning that
:41:33. > :41:40.strike because it is passengers who suffer.
:41:41. > :41:43.Thank you, Mr Speaker, the ?1.5 billion additional funding for the
:41:44. > :41:49.Bether care fund is both needed and welcome. But, the problem is, that
:41:50. > :41:54.this money is not available until 2019. Will my Right Honourable
:41:55. > :41:58.Friend look at seeing whether some of this funding can be drawndown
:41:59. > :42:00.earlier than, that in order to alleviate the pressure on social
:42:01. > :42:05.care in areas such as Devon, where there is a very high level of
:42:06. > :42:09.elderly people? Well, my right honourable friend
:42:10. > :42:14.raises an important point bht short-term pressures there are on
:42:15. > :42:17.social care. Thass' why the Government has been looking at what
:42:18. > :42:20.measures can be taken to alleviate the short-term pressures. My right
:42:21. > :42:24.honourable friend the Communities' Secretary will be making the
:42:25. > :42:29.statement on the local government finance settlement tomorrow. We need
:42:30. > :42:32.to look at the medium-term delivering issues and longer term
:42:33. > :42:36.assurance to provide to people in order to ensure we have a
:42:37. > :42:40.sustainable system of care that gives people the comfort of knowing
:42:41. > :42:43.they will be cared for in their old age.
:42:44. > :42:49.Can I join colleagues who have earlier on urged people in this
:42:50. > :42:54.house and beyond to go out and buy the Jo Coxp foundation single by the
:42:55. > :42:59.excellent MP 4 not just available in download but in hard copy for those
:43:00. > :43:03.of us who prefer that kind of thing. Every day, Mr Speaker, since Brexit
:43:04. > :43:09.result on 23rd June, seems to have been a good day to bury bad news.
:43:10. > :43:19.The worst news is in our social care and health system. The daily wave of
:43:20. > :43:27.tragedies indignatory tis and near posts, the short fall in social care
:43:28. > :43:32.funding and thousands ofp hospital advice its cancelled. Yesterday the
:43:33. > :43:35.NHS and social care said they needed more money and the Chancellor of the
:43:36. > :43:38.Exchequer did not offer a single extra money for health or social
:43:39. > :43:42.care within the Autumn Statement. Which of the two does she agree
:43:43. > :43:47.with? Will she take this opportunity to provide health and social care,
:43:48. > :43:51.give it the money it needs this side of Christmas?
:43:52. > :43:53.The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
:43:54. > :43:56.will be making a statement tomorrow on the local Government finance
:43:57. > :44:05.settlement. I suggest the right honourable gentleman wait for that
:44:06. > :44:09.statement. Back in 2010, the overseas aid
:44:10. > :44:14.budget was around ?7 billion a year. By 2020, it will have more than
:44:15. > :44:19.doubled to over ?15 million a year. The short fall in social care
:44:20. > :44:24.funding by 2020 is estimated at about ?2.5 billion. Surely the
:44:25. > :44:28.Government priority should be to look after the elderly, vulnerable
:44:29. > :44:31.and disabled people in our own country, before we hand money over
:44:32. > :44:35.to other countries? Will the Prime Minister take some of that money, a
:44:36. > :44:40.small amount of that increase from the overseas aid budget and spend it
:44:41. > :44:42.on elderly, vulnerable and disabled people in our own country? Surely
:44:43. > :44:47.charity begins at home? I think it is absolutely right that
:44:48. > :44:51.the Government is taking steps in relation to the pressures on social
:44:52. > :44:55.care here in the United Kingdom but I would say to my honourable friend,
:44:56. > :44:58.I think it is also important for us that we do take consideration of
:44:59. > :45:04.those who are in different circumstances across the world. I
:45:05. > :45:09.think that the record that this Government has of ensuring that 0.7%
:45:10. > :45:13.of our GDP is spent over overseas aid is a record second to none. I
:45:14. > :45:17.think we should all be proud of the help and support we are giving to
:45:18. > :45:20.people around the world who are living off an incredibly difficult
:45:21. > :45:25.circumstance. So we look after old people here in the UK, we also take
:45:26. > :46:39.that moral responsibility for people around the world seriously as well.
:46:40. > :46:43.Statement, the Secretary of State education, secretary Justine
:46:44. > :46:49.Greening. With permission I would like to make
:46:50. > :46:51.a statement on the second stage of consultation on the government
:46:52. > :46:57.proposals to create a national funding formula for a schools,
:46:58. > :47:01.copies of which can be found on the government website. Since 2010, this
:47:02. > :47:06.comment has protected the core schools budget in real terms
:47:07. > :47:10.overall. But the system by which schools and high needs funding is
:47:11. > :47:11.distributed now needs to be