14/12/2016 Prime Minister's Questions


14/12/2016

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

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

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

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This I had the ministerial colleagues and others in addition to

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

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

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

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

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

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

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offer? LAUGHTER

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Mr... LAUGHTER

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

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

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

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

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

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on the European council meeting. LAUGHTER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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our redevelopment plans. Will my right honourable friend outline how

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

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

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future generations? She is absolutely right that communities

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

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

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producing a modern industrial strategy that will show how we can

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encourage strategic strengths of the UK, deal with our underlying

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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am having a photograph with them later this afternoon.

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LAUGHTER and, once again, let's just

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Government I have consistently said that we recognise the pressures on

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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communities and local and in the local government finance settlement

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

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about delivery. There was a difference in delivery across the

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

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

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

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people the reassurance for the future that there is a sustainable

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

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

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

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authorities and health services are delivering consistently, and there

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

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as recently as October that evidence suggests we have approached a

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

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shouldn't the Government take responsibility itself for the

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

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

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

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House... more money into social care in this

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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for tax giveaways to corporations, not mentioned in the Autumn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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many elderly people who are living in a very difficult situation

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

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Those people who are in hospital cannot be discharged because there

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

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

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

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

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honourable gentleman has quoted Newcastle council in the list that

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

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we saw in September virtually no delayed discharges, so elderly

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

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

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

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

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

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The worst performing council -- the difference between the worst

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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struggled to get to university College Hospital in London for drug

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

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

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

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

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

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a strike, address any residuals safety issues and give our

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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it. Civilians have suffered grievously with the bombing of

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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international humanitarian law, we require those to be properly

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

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

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

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counterterrorism links we have with Saudi Arabia, the intelligence we

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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it time that rather than having confrontational dialogues about

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

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

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

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

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support integrated health and social care and a sustainable way for

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Valley will meet the Russian ambassador tomorrow morning on

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

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

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

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

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

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

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cogent when we are equally unequivocal about the primacy of

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human rights and international humanitarian law when we need the

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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I absolutely join my honourable friend in congratulating everyone

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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medical support she is talking about, getting through to the

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

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

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vulnerable but also helping those who need the education and support

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

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

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on household goods are wrong. Companies like Brighthouse exploit

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

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

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are just about managing? Well, the honourable gentleman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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for more lorry parking spaces, more effective enforcement and

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ultimately, a ban on lorries parking in unauthorised places?

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

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

:23:56.:23:58.

too closely in their own constituencies. Can I assure her

:23:59.:24:02.

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

:24:03.:24:07.

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

:24:08.:24:11.

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

:24:12.:24:14.

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

:24:15.:24:19.

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

:24:20.:24:21.

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

:24:22.:24:26.

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

:24:27.:24:31.

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

:24:32.:24:37.

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

:24:38.:24:40.

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

:24:41.:24:46.

the Prime Minister take steps to introduce a universal service

:24:47.:24:51.

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

:24:52.:24:56.

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

:24:57.:24:59.

Minister recognise this is not acceptable and will she take

:25:00.:25:02.

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

:25:03.:25:09.

world. Well, I can assure the honourable

:25:10.:25:13.

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

:25:14.:25:17.

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

:25:18.:25:21.

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

:25:22.:25:23.

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

:25:24.:25:26.

strong commitments in relation to broadband and my right honourable

:25:27.:25:30.

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

:25:31.:25:36.

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

:25:37.:25:43.

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

:25:44.:25:47.

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

:25:48.:25:52.

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

:25:53.:25:56.

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

:25:57.:26:01.

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

:26:02.:26:07.

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

:26:08.:26:10.

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

:26:11.:26:16.

right anonymity if they are a suspect in criminal proceedings,

:26:17.:26:20.

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

:26:21.:26:24.

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

:26:25.:26:28.

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

:26:29.:26:35.

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

:26:36.:26:40.

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

:26:41.:26:44.

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

:26:45.:26:49.

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

:26:50.:26:53.

victims coming forward. This has been particularly of concern where

:26:54.:26:57.

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

:26:58.:27:02.

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

:27:03.:27:05.

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

:27:06.:27:08.

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

:27:09.:27:12.

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

:27:13.:27:15.

carefully. -- the college of policing.

:27:16.:27:19.

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

:27:20.:27:25.

to this issue to the media. The heartbreaking humanitarian crisis

:27:26.:27:28.

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

:27:29.:27:34.

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

:27:35.:27:37.

Minister agree with the right honourable member for Tatton, that

:27:38.:27:42.

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

:27:43.:27:46.

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

:27:47.:27:50.

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

:27:51.:27:56.

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

:27:57.:28:02.

fleeing persecution. Whether it is those surrendering themselves or

:28:03.:28:07.

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

:28:08.:28:12.

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

:28:13.:28:15.

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

:28:16.:28:23.

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

:28:24.:28:28.

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

:28:29.:28:33.

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

:28:34.:28:36.

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

:28:37.:28:39.

emergency UN Security Council meetings were those that we called

:28:40.:28:43.

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

:28:44.:28:47.

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

:28:48.:28:50.

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

:28:51.:28:55.

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

:28:56.:28:58.

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

:28:59.:29:02.

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

:29:03.:29:05.

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

:29:06.:29:11.

regime. Ment Thank you, Mr Speaker, I have

:29:12.:29:16.

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

:29:17.:29:21.

message from our honourable friend the member for Grantham and

:29:22.:29:26.

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

:29:27.:29:33.

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

:29:34.:29:36.

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

:29:37.:29:41.

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

:29:42.:29:44.

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

:29:45.:29:48.

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

:29:49.:29:50.

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

:29:51.:29:54.

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

:29:55.:29:59.

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

:30:00.:30:05.

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

:30:06.:30:11.

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

:30:12.:30:16.

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

:30:17.:30:20.

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

:30:21.:30:25.

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

:30:26.:30:31.

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

:30:32.:30:40.

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

:30:41.:30:45.

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

:30:46.:30:49.

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

:30:50.:30:53.

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

:30:54.:30:56.

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

:30:57.:31:00.

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

:31:01.:31:03.

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

:31:04.:31:08.

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

:31:09.:31:13.

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

:31:14.:31:20.

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

:31:21.:31:25.

face paying more with no veto because of the account of

:31:26.:31:29.

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

:31:30.:31:32.

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

:31:33.:31:37.

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

:31:38.:31:39.

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

:31:40.:31:44.

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

:31:45.:31:47.

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

:31:48.:31:51.

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

:31:52.:31:55.

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

:31:56.:32:01.

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

:32:02.:32:08.

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

:32:09.:32:12.

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

:32:13.:32:15.

actually arrested in unrelated matters. Despite representations

:32:16.:32:18.

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

:32:19.:32:24.

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

:32:25.:32:27.

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

:32:28.:32:34.

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

:32:35.:32:37.

that was completely without provocation and has bob devastating

:32:38.:32:41.

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

:32:42.:32:47.

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

:32:48.:32:52.

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

:32:53.:32:59.

the terrible injuries that he suffered at what my honourable

:33:00.:33:03.

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

:33:04.:33:08.

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

:33:09.:33:12.

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

:33:13.:33:18.

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

:33:19.:33:20.

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

:33:21.:33:26.

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

:33:27.:33:28.

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

:33:29.:33:38.

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

:33:39.:33:41.

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

:33:42.:33:47.

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

:33:48.:33:50.

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

:33:51.:33:54.

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

:33:55.:33:58.

sure everybody would recognise the significant of the Arbroath smokey

:33:59.:34:02.

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

:34:03.:34:09.

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

:34:10.:34:14.

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

:34:15.:34:22.

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

:34:23.:34:26.

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

:34:27.:34:33.

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

:34:34.:34:42.

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

:34:43.:34:48.

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

:34:49.:34:53.

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

:34:54.:34:57.

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

:34:58.:35:00.

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

:35:01.:35:07.

35th anniversary of the Penlee lifeboat tragedy and sending our

:35:08.:35:10.

sympathies to all those families affected but also to the local

:35:11.:35:13.

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

:35:14.:35:18.

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

:35:19.:35:23.

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

:35:24.:35:25.

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

:35:26.:35:31.

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

:35:32.:35:34.

on the sea and we pay tribute to them.

:35:35.:35:37.

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

:35:38.:35:42.

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

:35:43.:35:48.

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

:35:49.:35:51.

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

:35:52.:35:58.

report producedes by British Futures which suggests practical suggestions

:35:59.:36:00.

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

:36:01.:36:03.

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

:36:04.:36:07.

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

:36:08.:36:12.

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

:36:13.:36:16.

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

:36:17.:36:20.

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

:36:21.:36:24.

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

:36:25.:36:27.

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

:36:28.:36:43.

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

:36:44.:36:51.

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

:36:52.:37:01.

allowance for racial hatred. Earlier this week my right honourable

:37:02.:37:05.

friend, the Home Secretary, proscribed the Right Wing

:37:06.:37:07.

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

:37:08.:37:10.

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

:37:11.:37:15.

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

:37:16.:37:18.

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

:37:19.:37:24.

first country in Europe it adopt the International Haul cast Remembrance

:37:25.:37:26.

Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism.

:37:27.:37:32.

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

:37:33.:37:36.

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

:37:37.:37:40.

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

:37:41.:37:44.

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

:37:45.:37:49.

need better educational outcomes and transport. Having been overlooked

:37:50.:37:52.

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

:37:53.:37:57.

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

:37:58.:38:00.

in Bradford. -- of its young people.

:38:01.:38:09.

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

:38:10.:38:13.

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

:38:14.:38:17.

Bradford who are at good or outstanding schools since 2010.

:38:18.:38:22.

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

:38:23.:38:26.

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

:38:27.:38:29.

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

:38:30.:38:33.

today from an incredibly moving and powerful private session with the

:38:34.:38:38.

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

:38:39.:38:42.

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

:38:43.:38:46.

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

:38:47.:38:52.

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

:38:53.:38:55.

with the Secretary of State for Pensions. These people are

:38:56.:38:59.

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

:39:00.:39:04.

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

:39:05.:39:08.

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

:39:09.:39:12.

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

:39:13.:39:15.

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

:39:16.:39:23.

absolute horrific nature of the crime of modern slavery, than

:39:24.:39:25.

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

:39:26.:39:32.

have gone through the horrendous, dehumanising experiences very often

:39:33.:39:36.

and it is absolutely right that the Government brought forward the

:39:37.:39:38.

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

:39:39.:39:46.

Victim Support is provided and the international referral member you

:39:47.:39:49.

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

:39:50.:39:51.

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

:39:52.:39:55.

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

:39:56.:39:58.

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

:39:59.:40:02.

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

:40:03.:40:08.

deal with people, sensitively and sympathetically in an appropriate

:40:09.:40:12.

way. Thank you I don't think the Prime

:40:13.:40:16.

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

:40:17.:40:19.

passengers and businesses in Brighton and beyond are suffering.

:40:20.:40:23.

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

:40:24.:40:30.

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

:40:31.:40:33.

apparently has no intention of acting to deal with this utterly

:40:34.:40:40.

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

:40:41.:40:45.

freeze fares for long-suffering passengers?

:40:46.:40:47.

Well, first of all my right honourable friend the Transport

:40:48.:40:51.

Secretary has been taking steps in relation to the general performance

:40:52.:40:56.

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

:40:57.:41:00.

specifically tackle the issue and bring a rapid improvement to

:41:01.:41:04.

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

:41:05.:41:08.

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

:41:09.:41:12.

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

:41:13.:41:18.

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

:41:19.:41:22.

lady raises the question of the current strievenlingt there is only

:41:23.:41:25.

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

:41:26.:41:29.

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

:41:30.:41:32.

strike because it is passengers who suffer.

:41:33.:41:40.

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

:41:41.:41:43.

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

:41:44.:41:49.

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

:41:50.:41:54.

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

:41:55.:41:58.

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

:41:59.:42:00.

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

:42:01.:42:05.

elderly people? Well, my right honourable friend

:42:06.:42:09.

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

:42:10.:42:14.

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

:42:15.:42:17.

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

:42:18.:42:20.

honourable friend the Communities' Secretary will be making the

:42:21.:42:24.

statement on the local government finance settlement tomorrow. We need

:42:25.:42:29.

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

:42:30.:42:32.

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

:42:33.:42:36.

sustainable system of care that gives people the comfort of knowing

:42:37.:42:40.

they will be cared for in their old age.

:42:41.:42:43.

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

:42:44.:42:49.

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

:42:50.:42:54.

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

:42:55.:42:59.

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

:43:00.:43:03.

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

:43:04.:43:09.

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

:43:10.:43:19.

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

:43:20.:43:27.

funding and thousands ofp hospital advice its cancelled. Yesterday the

:43:28.:43:32.

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

:43:33.:43:35.

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

:43:36.:43:38.

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

:43:39.:43:42.

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

:43:43.:43:47.

give it the money it needs this side of Christmas?

:43:48.:43:51.

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

:43:52.:43:53.

will be making a statement tomorrow on the local Government finance

:43:54.:43:56.

settlement. I suggest the right honourable gentleman wait for that

:43:57.:44:05.

statement. Back in 2010, the overseas aid

:44:06.:44:09.

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

:44:10.:44:14.

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

:44:15.:44:19.

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

:44:20.:44:24.

Government priority should be to look after the elderly, vulnerable

:44:25.:44:28.

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

:44:29.:44:31.

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

:44:32.:44:35.

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

:44:36.:44:40.

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

:44:41.:44:42.

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

:44:43.:44:47.

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

:44:48.:44:51.

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

:44:52.:44:55.

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

:44:56.:44:58.

those who are in different circumstances across the world. I

:44:59.:45:04.

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

:45:05.:45:09.

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

:45:10.:45:13.

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

:45:14.:45:17.

people around the world who are living off an incredibly difficult

:45:18.:45:20.

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

:45:21.:45:25.

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

:45:26.:46:39.

Statement, the Secretary of State education, secretary Justine

:46:40.:46:43.

Greening. With permission I would like to make

:46:44.:46:49.

a statement on the second stage of consultation on the government

:46:50.:46:51.

proposals to create a national funding formula for a schools,

:46:52.:46:57.

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

:46:58.:47:01.

comment has protected the core schools budget in real terms

:47:02.:47:06.

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

:47:07.:47:10.

distributed now needs to be

:47:11.:47:11.

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