25/01/2017 Prime Minister's Questions

Order, questions to the Prime Minister, Helen Jones!

Number one, Sir.

The Prime Minister.

As the response from the whole House showed, we all do indeed

all welcome the Speaker of the Burmese Parliament

and his colleagues to see our deliberations today.

I am also sure that the whole House will join me in sending our thoughts

to the police officer who was shot in Belfast over the weekend,

and to his friends and family.

PSNI do a superb job in keeping us safe and secure,

and they have our fullest support.

Mr Speaker, this morning I had meetings with ministerial

colleagues and others.

In a addition to my duties in this House, I will further such

meetings later today, and later this week I will travel

to the United States for with President Trump.

May I join the Prime Minister in sending good wishes to the

police officer who was shot in Belfast.

They are the best drivers on social mobility, 99% are rated

good or outstanding, and 65% of their places

are in the most deprived areas of this country.

So why is the Prime Minister introducing cuts that

threaten the very existence of maintained nursery schools?

Is it not true that, when it comes to social mobility,

her actions speak far louder than her words?

I want to ensure, and this Government wants to ensure,

that we see good quality education at every age and at every stage

for children in this country.

That is why we are looking at improving the number

of good school places, but she talks about my record

speaking louder than words.

Can I just point out to the honourable lady

that I was very proud, as chairman of an education

authority in London in the 1990s, to introduce nursery school places

for every three and four year old whose parents wanted one?

The Prime Minister laid out a clear and bold plan for Brexit

in her speech last week.

Honourable...

Honourable members...

Honourable members, quite rightly, want an opportunity

to scrutinise that plan.

Does the Prime Minister agree that the best way of facilitating

that scrutiny would be a Government White Paper,

laying out our vision for a global Britain, based on free trade

in goods and services, that will be to the benefit of us

and other European countries?

Well, my honourable friend raises the question

of Parliamentary scrutiny.

I have been clear, as have senior ministers, that we will ensure that

Parliament has every opportunity to provide that scrutiny on this

issue as we go through this process.

But I recognise, I set out that bold plan for a global Britain last week,

and I recognise there is an appetite in this House to see that plan set

out in a White Paper.

In response to my honourable friend's question, I can

confirm to the House that our plan will be set

out in a White Paper to be published to this House.

Jeremy Corbyn!

Mr Speaker, I join the Prime Minister in condolences,

in expressing the condolences, I am sure, of the whole House

to the family of the police officer who lost his life over the weekend

in Northern Ireland.

Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister has wasted 80 days between the time

of the original judgment and the appeal, and is now

finally admitting today, after pressure from all sides,

that there is going to be a White Paper.

Could we know when this white paper is going to be available to us?

And why it has taken so long to get it?

LAUGHTER

Prime Minister!

Can I say to the right honourable gentleman,

he asked for debates, I was very clear there would always

be debates in this House, and there will continue to be.

He asked for votes, the House voted overwhelmingly

for the Government to trigger Article 50 before the end

of March this year.

He asked for a plan, I set out, as my honourable friend

for Croydon South said, a clear plan for a bold

future for Britain.

He and others asked for a White Paper, I have been clear there

will be a White Paper.

But I am also clear that the right honourable gentleman

always asks about process, about the means to the end.

I and this Government are focusing on the outcomes.

We are focusing...

We are focusing on a truly global Britain, building a stronger

future for this country, the right deal for Britain and

Britain out of the European Union.

Jeremy Corbyn!

Mr Speaker, my question wasn't complicated, it's just asked

when the White Paper will come out!

And will it be published before or at the same time

as the bill that is apparently about to be published?

Mr Speaker, last week, I asked the Prime Minister

repeatedly to clarify whether her Government is prepared

to pay to secure tariff-free access to the single European market.

She repeatedly refused to answer the question,

so I will ask her again.

Is her Government ruling out paying a fee for tariff-free access

to the single market, or the bespoke customs union

that she outlined also in her speech?

Can I first of all say to the right honourable gentleman,

in his reference to the timing issue, these are two

separate issues.

The House has overwhelmingly voted that Article 50 should be triggered

before the end of March 2017.

Following the Supreme Court judgment a bill will be

provided for this House, and there will be the proper

debate in this chamber and the other place on that bill.

There is then the separate question of publishing the plan

that I have set out, a bold vision for

Britain for the future.

I will do that in a White Paper, and the right honourable gentleman

knows that one of our objectives is the best possible

free trade arrangement with the European Union,

and that is what we will be out there negotiating for.

Jeremy Corbyn!

Some of this is very worrying to many people in this House,

but more importantly, it is worrying to many others.

For instance, the chief executive of Nissan was given assurances

by her Business Secretary about future trade arrangements

with Europe, but now says they will have to re-evaluate the situation

about their investments in Britain.

The Prime Minister, Mr Speaker, is threatening the EU that

unless they give in to her demands, she will turn Britain into a bargain

basement tax haven off the coast of Europe.

We on this side of the House are very well aware

of the consequences that would have, the damage it would do to jobs

and living standards and our public services.

Is she now going to rule out the bargain basement threat

that was in her speech at Lancaster House?

Prime Minister!

I expect us to get a good deal for trading relationships

with the European Union, but I am also clear that we will not

sign up to a bad deal for the United Kingdom.

And as to the threats that the right honourable gentleman claims

about what might happen, and he often talks about this,

he uses those phrases, talking about workers' rights,

perhaps he should listen to his former colleague,

the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who has today said,

"To give credit to the Government, I don't think they want to weaken

"workers' rights," and he goes on to say, "I have seen no evidence

"from the conversations I have had with senior members

"of the Government that that is their aspiration

"or their intention or something they want to do."

As usual with Labour, the right hand is not

talking to the far left!

Jeremy Corbyn!

The evidence of what the Tory party and this Government really thinks

about workers' rights was there for all to see yesterday.

A private member's bill under the ten minute rule bill

by a Tory MP to tear up parts of the International Labour

Organisation Convention, talking down my friend the member

for Grimsby's bill to protect European workers' rights that have

been attained in this country.

That is the real agenda of the Tory party!

Mr Speaker, what the Prime Minister is doing is petulantly aiming

a threat at our public services with her threats

about a bargain basement Britain.

Is her priority our struggling NHS, those denied social care,

children having their school funding cut, or is it once

again further cuts in big business taxation to make the rich

even better off?

Prime Minister!

I would simply remind the right honourable gentleman on the issue

of workers' rights that I have been very clear that this Government

will protect workers' rights, indeed we have a review of modern

employment law to ensure that legislation is keeping up

with the modern labour market.

One of the objectives I set out in my plan for our negotiating

objectives was to protect workers' rights.

But he talks about threats to public services.

I will tell him what the threat to public services would be,

a Labour government borrowing 500 million extra pounds!

That would destroy our economy and mean no funding

for our public services.

Jeremy Corbyn!

The threat to workers' rights, Mr Speaker, is there every day.

Six million earning less than the living wage.

Many people, nearly a million, on zero hours contracts,

with no protection offered by this Government.

They are offering, once again, the bargain basement alternative.

Will the Prime Minister, Mr Speaker, also take this opportunity today

to congratulate the 100,000 people who marched in Britain last weekend

to highlight women's rights after President Trump's inauguration,

and express their concerns about his misogyny?

Because many have concerns, Mr Speaker, that in her forthcoming

meeting with President Trump, she will be prepared to offer up

for sacrifice the opportunity for American

companies to take over parts of our NHS or our public services.

Will she assure the House that in any trade deal, none of those

things will be offered up as a bargaining chip?

Prime Minister!

Again, I would point out to the honourable gentleman

that it is this Government that introduced the national living wage.

And that this Government has made changes to zero-hours contracts.

But on the issue of my visit to the United States of America,

on the issue of my visit, I am pleased that I am able to meet

President Trump so early in his administration.

That is a sign of the strength of the special relationship

between the United Kingdom and the United States of America,

a special relationship on which he and I intend to build.

But can I also say to the Leader of the Opposition, I am not afraid

to speak frankly to a President of the United States.

I am able to do that because we have that special relationship.

A special relationship that he would never have

with the United States.

Jeremy Corbyn!

Mr Speaker, we would never allow Britain to be sold off on the cheap.

How confident is she of getting a good deal for global Britain

from a president who wants to put America first, buy American

and build a wall between his country and Mexico?

Mr Speaker, Article 50 wasn't about a court judgment

against this Government, what is signified was the bad

judgment of this Government, the bad judgment of prioritising

corporate tax cuts over investment in national health and social care.

The bad judgment of threatening European partners whilst offering

a blank cheque to President Trump!

The bad judgment of wanting to turn Britain into a

bargain basement tax haven.

So will she offer some clarity and some certainty and withdraw

the threats to destroy the social structure of this country by turning

us into the bargain basement she clearly threatens?

We will be out around the world with the EU, America and other

countries negotiating good trade deals for this country

to bring prosperity.

The right honourable gentleman wants to talk about Brexit.

I have to say to him, he is the leader of the party,

he can not agree with his Shadow Chancellor about Brexit.

The Shadow Chancellor can't agree with the shadow Brexit secretary,

the shadow Brexit secretary disagrees with the Shadow Home

Secretary and the Shadow Home Secretary has to ring up the leader

and tell him to change his mind.

He talks about us standing up for Britain, they can't

speak for themselves, they'll never speak for Britain.

SHOUTING AND JEERS

Thank you Mr Speaker.

On the 27th December, another young woman lost her life

driving through the West Country on the A303.

In the past decade, more than 1,000 people have been killed

or injured on that road.

For 40 years, governments have promised to dual the lethal parts

of the road where they become two and three and back again with no

and back again with no central reservation.

The queues on the road are also legendary.

I know the Government is commited to an upgrade, but can

the Prime Minister assure us that the proposed tunnel

under Stonehenge will not hold up essential work elsewhere and we'll

soon see cones on the road and spades in the ground?

Well my honourable friend raises an important issue.

He is absolutely right to do that.

I can assure him we are working generally to improve

the safety of our roads.

He refers specifically to the issue of the A303 and the tragic incident

that happened on the 27th of December.

We've committed to creating a dual carriageway on the A303

from the M3 to M5.

I understand Highways England have launched a consultation

into the route under Stonehenge and my honourable friend will want

to look closely at that issue.

This is all part of our ?2 billion investment in road improvements that

will improve connections in the southwest but I can

assure him that we have road safety at the forefront of our mind.

I begin by wishing everybody a very happy Burns Day and of course

extending congratulations to the Scotsman newspaper

which is celebrating its bicentenary today.

Yesterday, the Government lost in the Supreme Court, and today,

we have a very welcome U-turn on a White Paper

in regards to Brexit.

So, in the spirit of progress for Parliament, in advance

of meeting President Trump, will the Prime Minister tell

Parliament what she wants to achieve in a UK-US trade deal?

Can I join the right honourable gentleman in his good wishes

for a happy Burns Day to everybody and also in recognising

the bicentenary of the Scotsman.

I'm sure everybody in the house would join me in that.

What do we want to achieve in terms of our arrangements

with the United States?

It is very simple.

We want to achieve an arrangement that ensures the interests

of the United Kingdom are put first, and that is what I will be doing.

And that we see a trade arrangement with the United States -

as we will be looking for with other parts of the world -

that can increase our trade, bring prosperity and growth

to the UK, and my aim for this Government is to ensure

that economy works for everybody in every part

of the UK.

The European Union, which we are still part of,

has amongst the highest food safety standards anywhere in the world,

and we are proud on our continent to have public

national health systems.

The United States, on the other hand, is keen to have health systems

which are fully open to private competition.

They want to export genetically modified organisms, beef raised

with growth hormones and chicken meat washed with chlorinated water.

Will the Prime Minister tell President Trump that she is not

prepared to lower our food and safety standards, or to open

health systems for privatisation, or does she believe that this

is a price worth paying for a UK-US trade deal?

We will be looking for a UK-US trade deal that improves trade

between our two countries, that will bring prosperity

and growth to this country, that will ensure we can bring jobs

to this country as well.

I can assure the right honourable gentleman that, in doing that,

we will put UK interests and UK values first.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Historic per capita spending in our regions,

including Yorkshire, when compared to London is up to 40%

lower for our local authorities, up to 50% lower for our schools

and up to 60% lower for our transport prospects.

Does the Prime Minister agree that if we want to build a country

that works for everyone, we need a fair funding deal

that works for everyone?

I recognise the issues my honourable friend has raised.

I can assure him our commitment in relation to the northern parts

of England, including Yorkshire, is absolutely clear.

We want to back business growth across the north.

We are backing the Northern Powerhouse to help the great cities

and towns of the North pool their strength

and take on the world.

Yorkshire LEPs have received an additional ?156 million

in Government funding this week, and we are spending a record ?13

billion on transport across North.

As a result, there are more people in work in Yorkshire and the Humber

than ever before, and the employment rate is at a record high.

That's good news for people in the region and good news

for the economy as a whole.

The European Medicines Agency provides a single drug licencing

system for 500 million people, and results in the UK having drugs

licensed six to 12 months ahead of countries

like Canada and Australia.

Yesterday, the Health Secretary stated that the UK

will not be in the EMA.

Can the Prime Minister confirm this, and explain how she'll prevent

delayed drug access for UK patients?

Well, there are a number of organisations that we are part

of as members of the European Union, and as part of the work

that we are doing to look at the United Kingdom in the future

when we have left the European Union, we look

at the arrangements we can put in place to relation

to those issues.

-- in relation.

We want to ensure that we continue to have, the pharmaceutical industry

in this country is a very important part of our economy

as is the ability of people to access these new drugs,

I can assure the honourable lady that we are looking seriously

at this and will ensure we have the arrangements we need.

Too few British entrepreneurs are connecting with the capital

they need to start and grow.

As part of her industrial strategy, which will be looking

at access to capital, will the Prime Minister order a review

of the Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Seed Enterprise

Investment Scheme

in the hope they can be simplified, helping to create the pools

of buccaneering capital that British industry needs?

My honourable friend raises an important issue, and he has long

been a champion of entrepreneurship in this country.

I can tell him that, in the industrial strategy,

we are committed to providing the best environment for business.

The Treasury has established a patient capital review, for example.

There is a panel that is looking at barriers that exist

to long-term investment.

and we are also increasing investment from venture

capital by the British Business Banks by ?400 million, and that

will unlock ?1 billion of new finance.

The Treasury will publish a consultation in the spring

looking at these issues and I'm sure my honourable friend will

wish to contribute.

Four and a half years ago, my constituents Chris and Lydia Leek

were on a family holiday on the Greek island of Zante

when their son Jamie was hit and killed by a speeding motor bike.

It was his ninth birthday.

The rider was convicted, but has appealed against his sentence

and to date remains a free man.

Will the Prime Minister agree to meet with Chris and Lydia

to discuss how they can finally secure justice for Jamie?

I say to the honourable lady I'm very happy to look at this case.

I mean, it is a tragic case she has described and our thoughts must be

with Chris and Lydia at the terrible loss that they have experienced.

To the issues of what is happening, in terms of the Greek

Criminal Justice System, of course, that is a matter

for the Greek authorities.

But we will, I will look seriously at this case and see

if there is anything that the Foreign Office can do

in relation to this.

President Trump has repeatedly said that he will bring back torture

as an instrument of policy.

When she sees him on Friday, will the Prime Minister make clear

that in no circumstances will she permit Britain to be

dragged into facilitating that torture, as we were after

September 11th?

I can assure my honourable friend that we have a very clear

position on torture.

We do not sanction torture.

We do not get involved with that and that will continue

to be our position.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

70% of my constituents voted Remain.

15% are citizens of other EU countries and almost all don't

trust her Government to negotiate a deal that secures the future

prosperity of London and the UK.

Will she give this House a veto on the deal she does,

or will she put that deal back to a referendum of

the British people?

I say to the honourable gentleman...

people voted differently across the country.

There are parts of the country that voted to Remain and there are parts

of the country that voted to Leave.

What we now do is unite behind the result of

the vote that took place.

We come together as a country, we go out there, we make a success

of this and we ensure that we build that truly global Britain that

will bring jobs to his constituency and for his constituents.

Mr Speaker, this week, Milton Keynes celebrates its 50th birthday.

We have been the most successful of new cities and have one

of the highest rates of economic growth.

Will the Prime Minister agree that Milton Keynes has a great future

and will be central to delivering this Government's ambitions?

Well, can I join my honourable friend in marking Milton Keynes'

50th birthday?

And also I understand he has secured

a Westminster Hall debate later today on this subject.

I congratulate him on having done that.

I think Milton Keynes is a great example of what you can achieve

with a clear plan and with strong, local leadership.

We are providing, as he knows, additional funding

for the East-West rail project.

I know he supported that through chairing its APGG

The honourable gentleman has raised an issue,

which is a different gauge on the railways

here and on the continent -

which has been, obviously, an issue for some considerable time.

We want to encourage freight on rails.

We have been encouraging freight on rail and we'll continue to do so.

Thank you, very much, Mr Speaker.

The Ministry of Cake in my constituency of

Taunton Deane, a ?30 million

turnover company has recently been bought by a French company called

Mademoiselle Desserts.

They trade across Europe, Ministry of Cake, and into China.

Does this not demonstrate, Prime Minister, and would you agree

with me that it demonstrates the confidence in our economy

in that a European company has bought in?

It demonstrates that we can unlock global trade and it demonstrates

that the South West is a terrific place to do business?

I absolutely agree with my honourable friend.

I think the investment that she has referred to of a French company

into a company in her constituency shows the confidence that people

have in our economy for the future.

It shows the fundamental strengths of our economy.

And it also shows that we can unlock global trade and, of course,

the south-west is a very good place to do business.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Robert Burns once wrote, "Whatever damages society

or any least part of it, that is my measure of iniquity.

Would the Prime Minister agree that that this description applies

perfectly to the detention fast track system recently found

to be illegal by British courts under which 10,000 asylum seekers

were denied a fair trial and some of whom where

probably unlegally deported to death and torture?

I say to the honourable gentleman the issue of the detained fast track

system in the asylum system is one that I looked

at when I was Home Secretary

and we did make a number of changes on how we operate it

but it was built on a strong principle - which is if there

is somebody whose case for asylum is such that they are almost certain

to be refused that asylum, then we want to be ensure they can

be removed from the country as quickly as possible,

hence the detained fast track.

I would like to ask my friend, the Prime Minister, if she would

assist in trying to get an enterprise zone in my

constituency as part of the industrial strategy.

It turns out that the Labour Council and Labour county council,

who were talking about an enterprise zone-esque project in the area,

have not applied for any funding whatsoever.

Would my right honourable friend please assist me in this endeavour?

Well, can I say to my honourable friend, I know what a champion

for his constituency it is.

And I'm sure that the Chancellor and the Business Secretary will look

at the issue that he has raised.

I also say how sad it is that Labour councils are not willing to put

forward proposals to increase the prosperity and economic

growth in their area.

Order.

Closed question.

Mr Patrick Grady.

Thank you.

Question 11.

I will meet the First Minister and leaders of the devolved

administrations at the joint ministerial committee on Monday,

but, of course, we regularly engage with the Scottish Government

on a number of issues.

When she does eventually meet with the First Minister, will she confirm

whether she supports the principle of the Scotland Act that whatever

is not reserved is devolved, and will she be able to tell

what powers will come to the Scottish Parliament

in the event of Brexit?

Can she confirm that the Great Repeal Bill will not be

the great power grab?

I have been very clear, echoed yesterday by the Secretary

of State for Exiting the European Union, that no powers

that no powers that are currently devolved will be taken back

to the UK Government.

What we will be looking at, and what we will be discussing

with the devolved administrations, is how we deal with those powers

which are currently in Brussels when they come back

to the United Kingdom, and what we want to ensure,

we want to ensure - that those powers are dealt

with so that we can maintain

the important single market of the United Kingdom.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

It is currently an offence to assault a police officer,

an immigration officer or a prison officer,

but it is not a specific offence to assault an NHS worker,

whether a doctor, nurse or paramedic.

Does the Prime Minister agree with me that we should consider

extending a specific offence to these people to make it

absolutely clear that the public will not tolerate violence

towards our hard-working members of the NHS?

My honourable friend raises an important point,

of course we condemn assaults on anybody and any

violence that takes place,

but the Secretary of State for Health has heard

the case that he has put

and will be happy to look at the issue he has raised.

When she intrduces a UK agricultural policy,

because we're out of the Common Agricultural Policy,

will the Duke of Westminster still received ?407,000 year,

will the Duke of Northumberland still receive ?475,000 a year,

and will the Earl of Iver still receive ?915,000 a year

from the British taxpayer?

The honourable gentleman seems to know a lot about these ducal

matters, most interesting.

I will be fascinated by the reply.

Let's hear it!

Prime Minister.

One of the tasks that we will have, and the honourable gentleman

is right, when we leave the European Union, is to decide

what support is provided to agriculture as a result

of being outside of the Common Agricultural Policy.

I can assure him that we are taking the interest of all parts

of the UK into account

when we look into that system and what it should be in the future.

Ah, yes, Hampshire knight, I think!

Sir Gerald Howarth.

Last weekend, the Secretary of State for Defence made a very

welcome visit to Ukraine, where he said that freedom

and democracy are not tradable commodities.

As we mark the 25th anniversary of relations between our two

Parliaments, could I invite my right honourable friend to declare

the continued support of the UK for the maintenance

of an independent sovereign state in Ukraine, which has been subjected

to the most outrageous annexation of part of its providence by Russia?

I am very happy to join my honourable friend

in confirming our commitment to the independent

sovereign state of the Ukraine.

The Foreign Secretary has been doing a lot of work with other

Foreign Ministers on this particular issue, we do provide significant

support to Ukraine, and I hope soon to be up to meet

President Poroshenko

and talk about the support we provide.

Pat McFadden.

Last week, the Prime Minister said that Parliament would get a vote

on the final deal between the UK and the European Union.

Could she set out for the house what would happen

if Parliament said no to the terms of that deal?

Would she, in those circumstances, negotiate an alternative deal,

or would her no deal option be

falling back on WTO rules, which means 10% tariffs on cars,

20% on food and trick, and a host of other barriers

to trade, investment and prosperity in the UK?

Prime Minister.

As I also said in my speech, I expect we will be able to negotiate

a good deal in terms of trade with the European Union, because it

would be in our interests and those of the European Union as well.

There will be a vote on the deal for this Parliament, but then,

if this Parliament is not willing to accept a deal that has

been decided and agreed by the United Kingdom Government

with the European Union, I have said that if there is no deal,

we will have to fall back on other arrangements.

Mr Speaker, a great pleasure to welcome my honourable friend

the Prime Minister and her Cabinet to Sci-Tech Daresbury

earlier this week,

and I welcome the Government's industrial strategy to bring high

skill, high wage jobs to help close the North-South divide,

and the message is that Britain is open for business.

I thank my honourable friend and I and the whole Cabinet

were very pleased to be able to visit Daresbury,

pleased to be able to sit down and meet with small businesses

on that particular site to hear the support they have

for what the Government is doing in the industrial strategy.

Britain is open for business, we will be trading around the world,

a global leader in free trade - bringing jobs, economic growth

and prosperity to every part of this country.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

We are now aware of the hundreds of thousands of women who marched

in behalf of women's rights last weekend.

In this House, we have been lobbied by members of the Women

Against State Pension Inequality, and many MPs have lodged petitions

asking the Government to act.

Can the Prime Minister tell us how many MPs have lodged such petitions?

I have to say to the honourable gentleman that I think the number

of petitions presented in this Parliament is a matter

for the House authorities, but what he also knows

is the Government has already taken

action, in relation to the issue of women's pensions, to reduce

the changes that will be experienced by women and putting

extra money into that.

Following her excellent EU speech last week,

will the Prime Minister consider unilaterally guaranteeing the rights

of EU citizens living and working in the UK?

This isn't just the decent thing to do but, by taking

the moral high ground, it will be a source of strength

going forward in the negotiations, and we can always return

to the issue of non-reciprocation by the EU if necessary later

in those negotiations.

I recognise the concern that my honourable friend has raised

in relation to this issue, but my position remains the same

as it always has been.

I expect and intend, and want to be able to guarantee the rights

of EU citizens living in the United Kingdom,

but as the British Prime Minister it is only right that I should give

consideration to the rights of UK citizens living elsewhere

in what will be the remaining 27

member states of the EU, and that's why I wanted that

reciprocal arrangement.

As I said in my speech last week, I remain open to this being an issue

we negotiate at a very early stage.

A good number of other states want that, some don't,

but I'm hoping we will be

able to do it at an early stage.

Dr Lisa Cameron.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

As chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for disability,

we recently compiled an important report into the Government's pledge

to halve the employment gap.

Research shows this pledge will not be met for 50 years.

To date, no minister has met with the APPG

to discuss the report.

Will the Prime Minister place people with disability at the heart

of policy and ensure that her ministers engage

with the APPG and its recommendations?

The honourable lady raises an important issue about disabled

people in the workplace.

It is one we are aware of, and as we see the number of people in...

unemployment going down, and it does change the

ratios to an extent but the Secretary of State is looking

very seriously at how we can ensure that we are seeing more disabled

people in the workplace, and I am sure he will have seen that

request she has made.

Can I welcome the Prime Minister meeting with the president

of Turkey on Saturday, when we can show our solidarity

in the fight against terrorism, we can deepen our trading relationship,

and can the Prime Minister also seek support for a united and independent

Cyprus, free from Turkish troops?

I thank my honourable friend for raising the important issues

that I will be discussing with President Erdogan,

and with the Prime Minister of Turkey when I meet

them on Saturday.

He raises the issue of Cyprus.

I am hopeful that the talks will be able to continue

to come to a solution.

I think we're closer to a solution than we have been before.

I have already spoken to the Prime Minister

and President Erdogan about the need to ensure that we are creative

in thinking and finding a solution for this,

and I had a further telephone call with Nicos

Anastasiades over the weekend about this very issue.

We stand ready, as a guarantor, to play our part in making sure

we can see a successful conclusion of these talks, and see

that reunification of Cyprus, which people have been working

for, for some time.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I join the Prime Minister in wishing a speedy recovery

to the police officer who was shot and injured in my constituency

in North Belfast on Sunday night.

Thankfully, he was not killed, but that was not the intention

of the terrorists, of course.

It is very clear, Mr Speaker, that the political instability

brought about by Sinn Fein's collapse of the Assembly

is in no-one's interest, and it is also clear

that their intention is to try to rewrite the past.

Will she make it very clear that the legal persecution of police

officers and soldiers who did so much to bring peace

to Northern Ireland will not be allowed to continue?

I say to the right honourable gentleman that, as he indicates,

the political stability in Northern Ireland has been hard

earned over some considerable time, and none of us want to see

that thrown away.

He raises the issue of the current situation, where there are a number

of investigations by the PSNI into former soldiers

and their activities in Northern Ireland,

and I think it's right that we recognise that the majority

of people who lost their lives did so as a result of terrorist

activity, and it is important that the terrorist activity

is looked into.

That's why one of the issues that my right honourable friend,

the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, is looking

at is this legacy question and how that can take place in future.

Social care provided by Labour-led Derbyshire County Council in my area

is failing miserably.

Serious errors in process have led to, quite frankly,

shameful consequences for some of my most vulnerable constituents.

It is clearly not about funding, as they sit on reserves

of about ?233 million.

Will my right honourable friend instigate an urgent review of social

care practice at the county council, because the people of

Derbyshire deserve better?

Prime Minister.

My honourable friend has made an important point

in relation to this issue, which is that successive social care

is not wholly about funding, but the practice on the ground,

and that is why we are very clear that it is important to see that

integration between social and health care at a local level,

and local authorities should be playing their part

in delivering that.

And this is an issue that we need to see addressed

for the longer term as well.

Frankly, it has been ducked by governments for too

long in this country, and that's why this Government is determined

to bring forward a sustainable programme in the future.

Ed Miliband.

CHEERING

It brings...

The right honourable gentleman never knew he was quite that popular!

Ed Miliband!

I was going to say, Mr Speaker, it brings back memories, actually!

Can I say to the Prime Minister, as the first foreign leader

to meet President Trump, she carries a huge responsibility

on behalf not just of this country but the whole international

community in the tone that she sets?

Can I ask her to reassure us that she will say to the President

that he must abide by and not withdraw from the Paris

Climate Change treaty, and in case it is helpful,

can she offer the services of UK scientists to convince the President

that climate change is not a hoax invented by the Chinese?

Prime Minister!

Well, I recognise the role the right honourable gentleman has played

in looking at this issue of climate change, and I hope he recognises

the commitment this Government has shown to this

issue of climate change

with the legislation we have put through,

and the changes that we have brought about in terms of the energy

sector and uses of different forms of energy.

The Obama administration obviously signed up to the Paris

Climate Change agreement, we have now done that,

I would hope that all parties would continue to ensure

that the climate change agreement is put into practice.