14/12/2016 Prime Minister's Questions

manifesto was the most ambitious of all the main parties in terms of the

roll-out of superfast broadband. He will be hearing more about it in

the weeks to come. Order, questions to the Prime Minister.

This I had the ministerial colleagues and others in addition to

my duties in this House, and I shall have further such meetings later

today to talk can I take the opportunity to wish you, Mr Speaker,

and all members of the House a merry Christmas. In the light of the

Foreign Secretary's display of chronic foot in mouth disease, when

deciding on cabinet positions, does the Prime Minister now regret that

placing F O by his name should have been an instruction, not a job

offer? LAUGHTER

Mr... LAUGHTER

Order! There is far too much noise in the chamber. We've heard the

question but I want to hear the Prime Minister's answer. Thank you,

Mr Speaker. First of all, I join the honourable gentleman in wishing

everybody happy Christmas. I will, of course, have an opportunity to do

that on Monday when I'm sure the House will be as full for the Senate

on the European council meeting. LAUGHTER

-- statement on the European council meeting. I have to say that the

Foreign Secretary is doing an absolutely excellent job. He is, in

short, and F F S, a finer Foreign Secretary. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Maistre constituency has a really bright future ahead... I want to

hear the voice of Cannock Chase! Thank you. Rugeley has a really

bright future ahead but only if we are ambitious, bold and visionary in

our redevelopment plans. Will my right honourable friend outline how

the Government's industrial strategy can create the conditions which will

help us build a sustainable local economy and highly skilled jobs for

future generations? She is absolutely right that communities

across this country have a bright future ahead of them, but we need to

ensure that we create the conditions that future. That's why we will be

producing a modern industrial strategy that will show how we can

encourage strategic strengths of the UK, deal with our underlying

weaknesses. It will enable companies to grow, to invest in the UK, to

provide those jobs for the future, but we also need to make sure that

that prosperity is spread across the whole of the UK and is prosperity

for everyone. Jeremy Corbyn. Thank you, Mr Speaker. That I start by

wishing yourself, Mr Speaker, and all members of the House and

everyone who works in the House a very happy Christmas and a

prosperous New Year. Sadly, Mr Speaker, our late colleague Jo Cox

will not be celebrating Christmas this year with her family. She was

murdered and taken from us. So I hope the Prime Minister - I'm sure

she will - will join me in encouraging people to download the

song which many members helped to create as a tribute to Jo's life and

work and in everlasting memory of her. The right honourable gentleman

is absolutely right to raise this issue. I'm sure everybody in this

House, we should send a very clear message, download this single for

the Jo Cox foundation. It is a very important cause and we all recognise

that Jo Cox was a fine member of this House and would have carried on

contributing significantly to this House and to this country, had she

not been brutally murdered. I think the Chancellor is waving the VAT on

this single. Everybody involved and it gave their services for free. I

am having a photograph with them later this afternoon.

LAUGHTER and, once again, let's just

encourage everybody to download the single. The Prime Minister was of

course referring, for the benefit of those referring outside, to the

Parliamentary Rock band MP4. I applaud the work of MP4 but for the

benefit of their quality, I am not a member of it! I thank her for that

answer. Social care is crucial. It provides support for people to live

with dignity. Yet Age UK research has found that 1.2 million older

people are currently not receiving the care that they need. Will the

Prime Minister AXA is a crisis in social care? -- is a crisis.

Government I have consistently said that we recognise the pressures on

social care so it might be helpful if I set out what the government is

doing in social care. We recognise the precious. That is why the

government is putting more money into social care and at the end of

this Parliament, that will be billions of pounds extra. We have

enabled the social care precept for local authorities. We recognise that

there are immediate pressures on social care, that's why this will be

addressed by my right honourable friend, the Secretary of State for

communities and local and in the local government finance settlement

tomorrow. But we also recognise that this is not just about money, it is

about delivery. There was a difference in delivery across the

country. We need to make sure reform takes place we see best practice in

terms of integration of health and social care across the country but

we also need to ensure that we have a longer term solution to give

people the reassurance for the future that there is a sustainable

system, which will ensure that they are receiving the social care that

they need in old age, and that is what the Government is working on.

There is a short-term issue, there is a medium-term need to make local

authorities and health services are delivering consistently, and there

is a long-term solution we need to find. Care Quality Commission warned

as recently as October that evidence suggests we have approached a

tipping point so instead of passing the buck on to local government,

shouldn't the Government take responsibility itself for the

crisis? Could the Prime Minister take this opportunity to inform the

House exactly how much was cut from the social care budget in the last

Parliament? We have been putting more money into social care in this

House... more money into social care in this

We have been putting more money into social care and health. We recognise

the pressures that exist and that's why we will be looking at the

short-term pressures that exist in relation to social care. But you

cannot look at this question as simply being an issue of money in

the short term. It is about delivery, it is about reform, it is

about the social care system working with the health system. That's why

this is an issue that is being addressed not just by the Secretary

of State for communities and local and but also the Secretary of State

for Health. But if we are going to give people the reassurance that

they need in the longer term that their social care needs will be met,

this isn't just about looking for a short-term solution, it's about

finding a way forward that can give a sustainable system of social care

for the Prime Minister doesn't seem to be aware that 4.6 billion was cut

from the social care budget in the last Parliament. And that her talk

of putting it on to local government ought to be taken for what it is, a

con. To % of council tax is clearly a nonsense. 95% of councils use this

social care precept and it raised less than 3% of the money they

planned to spend on adult social care. Billions seem to be available

for tax giveaways to corporations, not mentioned in the Autumn

Statement, underfunded, and many elderly people left isolated and in

crisis because of the lack of government funding of social care.

We see many councils around the country that have taken the benefit

of the social care precept and have, as a result, seen more people being

able to access social care and needs being met. Sadly, there are also

some councils across the country, some Labour councils, who haven't

taken the opportunity, where we do see a worse performance in relation

to social care. But he once again refers to the issue of money. I

might remind him that at the last election, the then Shadow Chancellor

said that if Labour were in government there would be not a

penny more for local authorities and also that when recently asked about

spending more money on social care, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary

said when he was asked where the money would come from, "Ooh, well,

we're going to have to come up with a plan for that". Mr Speaker, this

government has cut social care and she will knows it and she well knows

the effect of that. She also well knows that raising council tax has a

different outcome in different parts of the country. For example, if you

raise the council tax in Windsor and Maidenhead, you get quite a lot of

money. If you raise a council tax precept in Liverpool or Newcastle,

you get a lot less. Is she saying that older people, frail, elderly,

vulnerable people are less valuable in our big cities than they are in

wealthier parts of the country? Mr Speaker, this crisis is a crisis for

many elderly people who are living in a very difficult situation

because of this. It is also a crisis for the National Health Service.

Those people who are in hospital cannot be discharged because there

is nowhere for them to go to, so I'll ask her again - the crisis

affects individuals, families and it affects the national Health Service,

so why doesn't she do something really bold - cancel the corporation

tax cut and put the money into social care instead? The right

honourable gentleman has quoted Newcastle council in the list that

he set. I have to say, Newcastle council is one of the councils where

we saw in September virtually no delayed discharges, so elderly

people were not being held up in hospital and they didn't need to be

and when they didn't want to be, so what this shows is that it is

possible for councils to deliver on the ground. So you see councils like

Newcastle and Torbay doing that, and you see councils like evening not

using the social care precept and a different result it can -- Ealing.

The worst performing council -- the difference between the worst

performing council and the best is a 20 fold difference. That is not

about the difference of funding but about the difference of delivery.

Councils work very hard to try to cope with a 40% cut in their budgets

across the whole country and the people that pay the price are those

who are stuck in hospital, who should be allowed to go home, and

those that aren't getting the care and support they need. This is a

social care system that deep in crisis. The crisis is made in

Downing Street by this government. The former chair of the health

select committee, Stephen Doll, says the system is inadequately funded.

The current chair of the health select committee says, "The issue

can't be ducked any longer because of the impact it's having not just

on vulnerable people but also on the NHS". Why can't the Prime Minister

listened to those in local government, to the King's Fund, the

NHS Confederation, her own council leaders, and recognise this social

care crisis forces people to give up work to care for loved ones because

there isn't a system to do it, makes people stay in hospital longer than

they should and leads people into a horrible, isolated life when they

should be cared for by all of us through a properly funded social

care system? Get a grip and funded properly, please. -- fund it

properly. The issue of social care is, indeed, one that has been dogged

by governments for too long. That is why it is this government, it is

this government, that will provide a long-term, sustainable system for

social care that gives reassurance to people. But when he talks about

governments docking social care, let's look about 13 years of Labour

in government. They said in 1997 that they would sort it in their

manifesto. They had a royal commission in 1999, a green paper in

2005, the Wanless Report in 2006. In 2007, they said they'd sorted. In

2009, they had another green paper. 13 years and no action whatsoever.

Order! Mr Speaker, today a constituent of mine from shore who

struggled to get to university College Hospital in London for drug

trials. Across Sussex, thousands of others will be unable to get to

work, school and college because Affleck Aslef -- Aslef object to

their drivers operating doors. Aslef drivers are driving tens lick trains

on the same rails. And the Prime Minister give her assurance that

everything will be done at the ACAS talks today to end this nonsense of

a strike, address any residuals safety issues and give our

constituents their lives back? He is right to raise this issue. This is

an appalling strike. He's right to raise the discrepancy in attitude of

Aslef. We've seen driver only operated trains on rail networks in

the UK for decades. They are on the Thameslink train. I hope that the

talks at ACAS are going to lead to an end to this strike but, actually,

I've got a suggestion for the Leader of the Opposition. I think the

Leader of the Opposition could do something to help members of the

public. The Labour Party is funded by Aslef. Why doesn't he get on the

phone and tell them to call the strike of immediately? Angus

Robertson. We join with the leader of the Labour Party and with the

Prime Minister in wishing great success to the Jo Cox single that's

available for download on Friday. I'm sure we're all going to download

it. Civilians have suffered grievously with the bombing of

hospitals opt all, of schools, of markets. The United Nations believes

that 60% of civilian casualties are caused by air strikes. In the last

24 hours, the United States has stopped the supply of provisional

guided munitions to Saudi Arabia to bomb Yemen. When will the UK follow

suit? As the right honourable gentleman knows, we do have a very

strict regime of export licences in relation to weapons here in the UK.

We exercise that very carefully and in recent years, we have indeed

refused export licences in relation to arms, including two Yemen and

Saudi Arabia. The US government has just said, and I quote, "Systematic,

endemic problems in Saudi Arabia's targeting drove the US decision to

halt a future weapons sale involving precision oil guided munitions". The

Saudis have UK supplied missiles, made in Scotland. The UK has

licensed ?3.3 billion of arms to Saudi Arabia since the beginning of

the bombing campaign. What will it take for the UK to adopt an ethical

foreign policy when it comes to Yemen? As the right honourable

gentleman knows, the intervention in Yemen is a UN backed intervention.

As I've said previously, where there are allegations of breaches of

international humanitarian law, we require those to be properly

investigated. We do have a relationship with Saudi Arabia. The

security of the Gulf is important to us and I would simply also remind

the right honourable gentleman that, actually, Saudi intelligence, the

counterterrorism links we have with Saudi Arabia, the intelligence we

get from Saudi Arabia, has saved potentially hundreds of lives here

in the UK. Mr Speaker, one of my constituents has just had to move to

residential care because no carers could be found to support her in her

own home. She's at the sharp end of a crisis in social care that is as

much about inadequate funding as it is about a shortfall in our very

valued social care workforce. I'm looking forward to hearing what

immediate further support will be provided for social care but isn't

it time that rather than having confrontational dialogues about

social care funding, all parties work together across this House to

look for a sustainable, long-term solution for funding of both

integrated health and social care? My honourable friend is right to

raise the issue of looking at a sustainable way in which we can

support integrated health and social care and a sustainable way for

people to know that in the future they are going to be able to have

the social care they require. As I said earlier in response to the

Leader of the Opposition, we recognise the short-term pressures

on the system but I think it is important for us to look at those

medium and longer term solutions if we are going to be able to address

this issue and I was very pleased to be able to have a meeting with my

honourable friend to discuss this last week and I look forward to

further such meetings. Can I tell the Prime Minister that the

cross-party delegation led by the right honourable member for common

Valley will meet the Russian ambassador tomorrow morning on

Aleppo, and we will reflect and amplify, in precisely the sort of

terms that she and the Foreign Secretary have used, about Russia,

the Assad regime and Iran, not least because we want to protect those who

have heroically struggled to save lives in that city who are now going

to be at particular risk because of the witness they can give. But does

she accept that many of us believe that those sort of messages are more

cogent when we are equally unequivocal about the primacy of

human rights and international humanitarian law when we need the

Gulf states? We do raise the issues of human rights when we meet the

Gulf States but he's absolutely right in relation to the role that

Russia is playing in Syria. There is a very simple message to President

Putin. He has it within his own hands to be able to actually say to

the Assad regime that enough is enough in Aleppo, we need to ensure

that humanitarian aid is there for people and the people who have, as

he says, been heroically saving the lives of others, ensure that they

have their security ensured. I'm sure that is a message she and

others will be giving to the Russian ambassador. It is an President

Putin's hands. He can do it - why doesn't he?

Will the Prime Minister thank me in enjoying the many people it from

this House who Sung for Syrians. It was created in order to pay the

salaries of the medical staff in Aleppo. Since our hospital was shut

two weeks ago, bombed two weeks ago, we have been buying pros thetedic

limbs with all of our money. -- prosthetic limbs. We have a waiting

list of 30,000 people. What can we do to target our humanitarian aid it

make sure it gets to the most vulnerable people in Syria, the old,

very young and people who are too injured to move? Well, first of all,

I absolutely join my honourable friend in congratulating everyone

who took part in Singing for Syrians. I'm sure the whole House

would welcome the work that that group is doing and the money that is

being put to extremely good use, that is being raised. She raises, I

think, the House was struck by the number of people she referred to

being on the waiting list for prosthetic limbs. Of course, in

terms of our humanitarian aid support for Syria, which is the

biggest humanitarian effort that the United Kingdom has made, of course

we are giving money to the refugees who have fled from Syria, we're

also, of course, working diplomatically to try to reduce the

suffering, to try to make sure that we can see the sort of aid and

medical support she is talking about, getting through to the

citizens of Aleppo. But we will continue to ensure that our

humanitarian aid is being put to good use, helping those who are

vulnerable but also helping those who need the education and support

to be able, in due course, to rebuild Syria when we see a stable

and secure Syria. Mr Speaker, rip-off interest rates

on household goods are wrong. Companies like Brighthouse exploit

families, who have no other way to furnish their homes. So, will the

Prime Minister look at capping these interest rates, to help those who

are just about managing? Well, the honourable gentleman

raises an important issue and I recognise there are many people who

are just about managing, who are struggling to get by, who did find

themselves actually having to revert to support from companies who do,

sadly, as we see, charge the sort of interest rates he is talking about.

Of course action has been taken in relation to some of these activities

in the past. But I will look at the issue he raised.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Across the country, and particularly in Kent,

lorry fly park something a blight. It's antisocial and dangerous. Will

my right honourable friend, the Prime Minister, support my campaign

for more lorry parking spaces, more effective enforcement and

ultimately, a ban on lorries parking in unauthorised places?

Well, I recognise the concern my honourable friend has raised. This

is one I think is shared by many Kent MPs, who see this problem only

too closely in their own constituencies. Can I assure her

that the Government shares the desire to ensure that we don't see

this fly parking of lorries across Kent, that we do provide suitable

lorry parking facilities in Kent. I know that my right honourable

friend, the minister for roads, is looking at this issue very carefully

indeed. I recognise it from my time as the Home Secretary, the pressure

at particular times that can be put on the roads and villages and towns

in Kent, in relation to this. It is something that Government is working

on and we will find a solution. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Now we know, courtesy of the Government's own infrastructure

watchdog, that mobile coverage in the UK is worse than Romania, will

the Prime Minister take steps to introduce a universal service

obligation, in the Highlands, it is fair typical to get the message, no

signal. It would often be better to use carrier pigeons. Will the Prime

Minister recognise this is not acceptable and will she take

responsibility? It's time to connect the Highlands to the rest of the

world. Well, I can assure the honourable

gentleman that the issue of decent mobile coverage isn't one that only

affects the Highlands. There are some other parts of England, Wales

and Northern Ireland that also get affected by it, but the Government

has very strong commitments in relation to this. We have very

strong commitments in relation to broadband and my right honourable

friend, the Culture Secretary, will be delivering on those.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, money cannot compensate somebody who

has been charged accused of a very similar offence and then finds the

details of that are in the press, along with their name. Nothing can

restore, in truth, their reputation, after it has been thrashed in those

circumstances. In 2011 I tried it change the law in a private member's

bill. Today, Sir Bernard Hogan how said now is the time to introduce

new legislation. Would the Prime Minister, agree to at least consider

changing the law, so that everyone, with a few exceptions, should have a

right anonymity if they are a suspect in criminal proceedings,

until such time as they are charged? Quite right. I recognise the

interest that my honourable friend has taken in this particular issue.

As she will know, it is one that has been debated on a number of

occasions in this House. The general assumption is that somebody should

not be named before the point of charge but there is an allowance for

the police to be be able to raise somebody's name if it is a case

where they believe that doing that will help, perhaps, to find other

victims coming forward. This has been particularly of concern where

it is matters of sexual violence, of rain, for example, or where they

believe -- of rape, for example, or where they believe the naming of the

individual will help in the detection of the crime. But this is

a delicate issue. I recognise the concern my honourable friend has

shown. The college of politician is looking at this issue very

carefully. -- the college of policing.

They are Go going to deliver new guidance in the new year in relation

to this issue to the media. The heartbreaking humanitarian crisis

and genocide in Syria, continues to take place as the world watches on

impotently, yet there is still no end in sight. Does the Prime

Minister agree with the right honourable member for Tatton, that

what is happening in Syria is a failure of Western leadership and

does she agree with me, that what is now urgently required, is what our

dear friend, Jo Cox called for, nearly a year ago, and that is - a

UK-led strategy to protect civilians. Whether it is those

fleeing persecution. Whether it is those surrendering themselves or

those that are still besieged? We must all take responsibility for

decisions we have taken, whether we take those decisions sitting around

National Security Council table or indeed this House, in taking the

decision that it did in 2013. The honourable lady raises the question

of a UK-led action in relation to the protection of civilians. It is

the UK that has been pressing for action inside the United Nations'

Security Council, working with the French, the two most recent

emergency UN Security Council meetings were those that we called

for. The most recent of those took place yesterday. As I'm sure the

honourable lady will know, there have been six UN Security Council

resolutions which have been vetoed by Russia. The most recent also

vetoed by China. We are continuing to work with the United Nations, but

if we are to get a solution that works on the ground, then it has to

be a solution that is actually bought into by other countries and

it has to be a solution that Russia is going to buy into as well as the

regime. Ment Thank you, Mr Speaker, I have

received a message from Nick from Grantham. Actually it was a text

message from our honourable friend the member for Grantham and

Stanford. For the avoidance of doubt this is one text message he is

willing to be read in public. Mr Speaker, getting rid of his tumour

and making a swift return to this place and nothing matters more to

him than that, than ensuring around the clock emergency services are

restored had his local hospital in gran that. Will my right honourable

friend the Prime Minister, receive the petition he has organised,

ensure that the passionate views of his constituents are heard and,

above all, reassure people, in this rural area, that they will always

have access to safe, emergency care for them and their families?

Well, can I first of all, I'm sure that the thoughts of the whole House

are our honourable friend, the member for Grantham and Sandford and

can I wish him the very best for his recovery as he goes through this

illness. And I recognise the strength of feeling that he has

about the emergency services in his local hospital. I believe that there

are also concerns that are shared by ou new honourable friend, the member

for Sleaford and I can assure my honourable friend the member for

Grantham and Sandford, that the process that is taking place in

looking at the development of local services, is about listening to

local people, hearing the local voice and about ensuring that the

services available to local people in their area are the right services

for that area and that can be delivered safely and securely for

local people. Thank you, Mr Speaker. At the last

election, the Conservative Party manifesto said, "We will help local

authorities keep council tax low for hard-working tax payers and ensure

residence will continue to veto rises comboep "Tax payers in my area

face paying more with no veto because of the account of

Government's failure to tackle the social care crisis, so will the

Prime Minister now admit her pledge on council tax has been bane donned.

I have to say obviously we put the social care precept in place, in

recognition of the pressures on social care but I'm pleased to say

we have seen many examples over the country, of good local authorities,

actually ensuring they were keeping council tax down, including may I

say the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead which cut council tax,

for six years running. Mr Speaker, on 14th August, my

constituents George Lowe and Ben Barker were the victims of a vicious

knife attack in eye nappia. George Lowe sadly died later that day from

his injuries. The two culprits fled to northern Cyprus where they were

actually arrested in unrelated matters. Despite representations

made by the Foreign Office, one of these men was recently able to

simply walk free and it is feared the second man will follow

shortedly. Will the Prime Minister do all she can to help bring justice

for George Lowe and Ben Barker for what was an horrific, vicious attack

that was completely without provocation and has bob devastating

for both of their families? -- and has been. I'm sure all of us across

the House would want to send our deepest sympathies to the family of

George Lowe and our best wishes for a full recovery for Ben Barker from

the terrible injuries that he suffered at what my honourable

friend said was a violent and unprovoked attack. The previous time

this case was raised by the relevant Government was during by the Foreign

Secretary during his visit to Cyprus and he clearly set out his desire to

see those guilty brought to justice. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office

will continue to offer support to those familiar lanes we'll continue

to raise this issue and I'm sure the Foreign Office will keep my

honourable friend informed of any developments. . Many food and drink

projects have benefited a European scheme, with a guarantees the Prime

Minister can give us that we'll continue to get that protection,

should we end up leaving the EU? Well, first of all, of course,

issues like that are ones that we will be needing to address as we

look at the arrangement that is will be in place, following the EU I'm

sure everybody would recognise the significant of the Arbroath smokey

and, indeed other products around the UK. But, can I just say to the

honourable gentleman, at the end there, he should "should we leave

the EU." I can tell him we will be leaving the EU.

Thank you, Mr Spearer, on December 19th, 35 years ago, 16 people lost

their lives in ferocious storms off the coast of West Cornwall. Eight

lives were men who launched their lifeboat to rescue the crew of the

Union Star. 35 years later, this tragedy still haunts the village and

many people mark this referry year. Would the Prime Minister join with

me in marking this day, and pay credit to those men and women who

risk their lives for those in peril on the sea. I thank my honourable

friend for raising this issue. I absolutely join him in marking the

35th anniversary of the Penlee lifeboat tragedy and sending our

sympathies to all those families affected but also to the local

communities who were affected, as he has set out. Finally I'm sure

everybody in this House would want to pay tribute to the RNLI. The

tireless work they do. It is an island. It is important we have that

security and safety around our shores. The RNLI work tirelessly to

protect people, who, as my honourable friend say are in peril

on the sea and we pay tribute to them.

The Prime Minister knows that I and colleagues from all parties across

this House are keen to guarantee the rights of some 3 million EU and EA

citizens in this country. This will be the largest administrative task

the Home Office has ever undertaken. Could I encourage her to look at the

report producedes by British Futures which suggests practical suggestions

on how the Home Office can implement this and possibly encourage the Home

Secretary to update us on any progress made? Well, I say to the

honourable lady I'm keen to ensure we can protect the rights of EU

citizens living here but I'm also keen that UK citizens' rights for

those living in the EU are protected. The home Serbs I think is

aware of the proposals that have been put forward and is looking at

them very carefully. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. In October,

hundreds of people from -- the Home Secretary Hundreds of people from

across European attended a neo-Nazi in my constituency. What steps is

the what happens taking about this? Can we make it clear there is no

allowance for racial hatred. Earlier this week my right honourable

friend, the Home Secretary, proscribed the Right Wing

Organisation National action, which means being a member of or inviting

support for that organisation will be a criminal efence. I think it is

important we take every step we can to stop racial hatred in this

country. I was pleased to announce on Monday, that Britain will be the

first country in Europe it adopt the International Haul cast Remembrance

Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism.

Yesterday, I met with the CEO of Providence Financial, one of two

FTSE 100 companies in Bradford, yes, outside of London right in the heart

of the North and being in my condition constituencicy. We agreed

that for Bradford to fulfil the potential of its young #350e78 we

need better educational outcomes and transport. Having been overlooked

for so long, can I invite the Prime Minister to come and meet the

leaders of my great city and pave the way for long overdue investment

in Bradford. -- of its young people.

The honourable lady is right to talk about what is needed that's why I'm

pleased the say there has been an increase of 16,000 people in

Bradford who are at good or outstanding schools since 2010.

We are taking control of quality education but I want it make sure

there are enough good school places for children across the council and

this is' what our education consultation is B I came to PMQs

today from an incredibly moving and powerful private session with the

DWP Select Committee, talking and listening to four Vic tilts of

modern slavery who are living in safe houses. I don't think I will

ever forget it in my life. Please would the Prime Minister take her

enshoes yachl -- victims. -- please would she take her passion and work

with the Secretary of State for Pensions. These people are

vulnerable. When thee come to job centres their back cases are not

understood. The same as women and survivors of domestic violence they

need to be fast-tracked F ever they need the state to step up and

support them, please can we do more? My honourable friend is absolutely

right. I think nothing brings home to one more than anything else, the

absolute horrific nature of the crime of modern slavery, than

actually sitting down hearing the testimony of a Vic ti. These people

have gone through the horrendous, dehumanising experiences very often

and it is absolutely right that the Government brought forward the

Modern Slavery Be a. It is right that we have been looking at how

Victim Support is provided and the international referral member you

nichl and a number of steps and we'll work with the DWP. My

honourable friend refers to job centres but it isn't just job

centres. We need to ensure that those in authority who come into

contact with people who have been the victims of modern slavery, are

able it recognise those signs and are able to treat it in the way and

deal with people, sensitively and sympathetically in an appropriate

way. Thank you I don't think the Prime

Minister has any idea of the level of suffering and pain that rail

passengers and businesses in Brighton and beyond are suffering.

And it is not just on strike days. This has been going on for well over

18 months. So, given the failure of her passive Transport Secretary who

apparently has no intention of acting to deal with this utterly

incompetent company, will she sack him, strip DCR of the franchise and

freeze fares for long-suffering passengers?

Well, first of all my right honourable friend the Transport

Secretary has been taking steps in relation to the general performance

of southern railway. We've stepped in to invest ?20 million to

specifically tackle the issue and bring a rapid improvement to

services. We announced the delay repay 15 from 11th December for

whole of Southern which will make it easier for passengers to complam

exceptcation. We've nounsed a refund for a month's travel. So we have

been looking at that wider issue. -- we've announced. But the honourable

lady raises the question of the current strievenlingt there is only

one body responsible for the current strike, ASLEF. This is a strike from

the trade union and she should be standing up and condemning that

strike because it is passengers who suffer.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, the ?1.5 billion additional funding for the

Bether care fund is both needed and welcome. But, the problem is, that

this money is not available until 2019. Will my Right Honourable

Friend look at seeing whether some of this funding can be drawndown

earlier than, that in order to alleviate the pressure on social

care in areas such as Devon, where there is a very high level of

elderly people? Well, my right honourable friend

raises an important point bht short-term pressures there are on

social care. Thass' why the Government has been looking at what

measures can be taken to alleviate the short-term pressures. My right

honourable friend the Communities' Secretary will be making the

statement on the local government finance settlement tomorrow. We need

to look at the medium-term delivering issues and longer term

assurance to provide to people in order to ensure we have a

sustainable system of care that gives people the comfort of knowing

they will be cared for in their old age.

Can I join colleagues who have earlier on urged people in this

house and beyond to go out and buy the Jo Coxp foundation single by the

excellent MP 4 not just available in download but in hard copy for those

of us who prefer that kind of thing. Every day, Mr Speaker, since Brexit

result on 23rd June, seems to have been a good day to bury bad news.

The worst news is in our social care and health system. The daily wave of

tragedies indignatory tis and near posts, the short fall in social care

funding and thousands ofp hospital advice its cancelled. Yesterday the

NHS and social care said they needed more money and the Chancellor of the

Exchequer did not offer a single extra money for health or social

care within the Autumn Statement. Which of the two does she agree

with? Will she take this opportunity to provide health and social care,

give it the money it needs this side of Christmas?

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

will be making a statement tomorrow on the local Government finance

settlement. I suggest the right honourable gentleman wait for that

statement. Back in 2010, the overseas aid

budget was around ?7 billion a year. By 2020, it will have more than

doubled to over ?15 million a year. The short fall in social care

funding by 2020 is estimated at about ?2.5 billion. Surely the

Government priority should be to look after the elderly, vulnerable

and disabled people in our own country, before we hand money over

to other countries? Will the Prime Minister take some of that money, a

small amount of that increase from the overseas aid budget and spend it

on elderly, vulnerable and disabled people in our own country? Surely

charity begins at home? I think it is absolutely right that

the Government is taking steps in relation to the pressures on social

care here in the United Kingdom but I would say to my honourable friend,

I think it is also important for us that we do take consideration of

those who are in different circumstances across the world. I

think that the record that this Government has of ensuring that 0.7%

of our GDP is spent over overseas aid is a record second to none. I

think we should all be proud of the help and support we are giving to

people around the world who are living off an incredibly difficult

circumstance. So we look after old people here in the UK, we also take

that moral responsibility for people around the world seriously as well.

Statement, the Secretary of State education, secretary Justine

Greening. With permission I would like to make

a statement on the second stage of consultation on the government

proposals to create a national funding formula for a schools,

copies of which can be found on the government website. Since 2010, this

comment has protected the core schools budget in real terms

overall. But the system by which schools and high needs funding is

distributed now needs to be