:00:00. > :00:00.an international women's day that there is no other nation across the
:00:00. > :00:00.European Union that has lower unemployment for women and that
:00:00. > :00:17.nation is Wales. I hope he will recognise that. Questions to the
:00:18. > :00:20.Prime Minister. I am sure members across the whole House will wish to
:00:21. > :00:27.join me in marking International women's Day. As we celebrate the
:00:28. > :00:31.social and economic and cultural and political achievements of women here
:00:32. > :00:35.and around the world. But we also redouble our efforts to tackle the
:00:36. > :00:39.problem is that women all too often still face. Mr Speaker I had
:00:40. > :00:43.meetings with ministerial colleagues this morning with others and in
:00:44. > :00:50.addition I will have further meetings today. I join the Prime
:00:51. > :00:53.Minister in celebrating International women's Day. Since
:00:54. > :00:57.2010 conservatives and Government have a proud record of protecting
:00:58. > :01:02.and supporting both those at risk and the victims of domestic violence
:01:03. > :01:05.and abuse. I saw this myself when I joined my local police and I would
:01:06. > :01:13.like to thank them for the difficult job that they do. Too many women I
:01:14. > :01:16.still at risk and are still suffering. What more can the Prime
:01:17. > :01:24.Minister do to tackle this abhorrent crime? She raises a very serious
:01:25. > :01:28.issue and it is one of which have taken a particular personal interest
:01:29. > :01:32.and I attach very great personal importance of this issue. Tackling
:01:33. > :01:35.domestic violence and abuse is a key priority for the Government. What we
:01:36. > :01:39.have done already in Government I think has the potential to transform
:01:40. > :01:44.the way in which we think and tackle these terrible crimes when take
:01:45. > :01:49.place. We have already committed to bringing forward the legislation and
:01:50. > :01:53.today I have confirmed an additional ?20 million to support organisations
:01:54. > :01:57.working to tackle domestic violence and abuse. This means the total
:01:58. > :02:00.funding available for violence against women and girls strategy
:02:01. > :02:12.will be over ?100 million as Parliament. Jeremy Corbyn. Thank you
:02:13. > :02:15.very much. Could I start by wishing all women are very happy
:02:16. > :02:20.International women's Day today. I'm very proud that the Labour Party as
:02:21. > :02:29.more women MPs than all other parties combined. In this House. And
:02:30. > :02:39.as Shadow Cabinet of which half the members are women. A month ago, Mr
:02:40. > :02:46.Speaker, I raised the question of the leaked text between the leader
:02:47. > :03:00.of Sunni council and Government officials about social care. --
:03:01. > :03:05.Surrey. The Prime Minister responded by accusing me of peddling
:03:06. > :03:07.alternative facts. Could she explain the difference between his
:03:08. > :03:14.sweetheart deals and a gentleman 's agreement? The Conservative Party
:03:15. > :03:20.has taken a further measure relation to women in this House very recently
:03:21. > :03:35.and replaced a male Labour MP with a female Conservative. CHEERING. He
:03:36. > :03:41.has asked me about the issue in relation to Surrey County Council.
:03:42. > :03:47.He asked if there has been a particular deal with Surrey County
:03:48. > :03:53.Council that is not available to other councils? The answer to that
:03:54. > :03:58.is no. As I have said before the ability to raise social care
:03:59. > :04:03.precepts of 3% is available to every council. The issue of the retention
:04:04. > :04:09.of 100% of business rates is currently going to be available to a
:04:10. > :04:14.number of councils in April. Let's look at them, Liverpool, Manchester,
:04:15. > :04:21.London. What we know about those? They are all under Labour control.
:04:22. > :04:25.What he is actually asking me is why should a Conservative council have
:04:26. > :04:33.access to an arrangement that is predominantly currently available to
:04:34. > :04:37.Labour councils? Jeremy Corbyn. My question was about the arrangements
:04:38. > :04:46.between the Government and Surrey County Council. I'm recording has
:04:47. > :04:57.now emerged saying that the leader of Sunni County Council, David
:04:58. > :04:59.Hodge, -- Surrey. There was a gentleman 's agreement between him
:05:00. > :05:06.and the Government that meant they would not have to go ahead with the
:05:07. > :05:09.referendum. What deal was done with Surrey County Council? There is an
:05:10. > :05:18.acute social crisis that affects every County Council. 4.6 billion
:05:19. > :05:23.metres social care -- cuts metres social care since 2010. Can she save
:05:24. > :05:30.what's gentleman 's agreement is available to them? I think if we
:05:31. > :05:36.could just be a little patient and wait half an hour for the budget. He
:05:37. > :05:41.will actually find out what social care funding is available to all
:05:42. > :05:45.councils. If he is asking me if there was a special deal for Surrey
:05:46. > :05:51.that was not available to other councils the answer is no. If he is
:05:52. > :06:04.looking to uncover a conspiracy I suggest he just looks behind him. Mr
:06:05. > :06:10.Speaker, if all the arrangements are so clear and above board, will the
:06:11. > :06:14.Prime Minister place in the library of the House a record of all 121
:06:15. > :06:20.meetings that have been held between the Communities Secretary and the
:06:21. > :06:26.Chancellor with any council leader chair of social services anywhere in
:06:27. > :06:31.England? And can she explained if there is no special deal why Surrey
:06:32. > :06:34.is the only County Council to be allowed into the business rates
:06:35. > :06:46.retention pilot when it has been denied to others? The business rates
:06:47. > :06:52.retention pilot will be coming into force for a number of councils this
:06:53. > :06:57.April. That includes, as I have already said in answer to his
:06:58. > :07:01.earlier question, Liverpool and Greater Manchester and Greater
:07:02. > :07:09.London and some others. In 2019 in 2020 it will be available to 100% of
:07:10. > :07:13.councils. For 2018 and 2019 councils unable to apply to be part of
:07:14. > :07:21.further pilot, all councils across the country. The text said there was
:07:22. > :07:24.a memorandum about the standing. The Prime Minister said there was no
:07:25. > :07:40.deal and she is now include about this. -- and clear. -- unclear. Did
:07:41. > :07:45.she actually know what arrangements were made with Surrey County
:07:46. > :07:54.Council? Could the Prime Minister tell us how many new school places
:07:55. > :07:56.will be needed by 2020? Can I just say to the right Honourable
:07:57. > :08:02.gentleman that really he should listen to the answers I gave before
:08:03. > :08:08.a asked the next question. He said I did not answer the question about a
:08:09. > :08:15.special deal for Sally. I think I have answered a treatise but I would
:08:16. > :08:22.do it aforetime. -- aforetime. -- Surrey. There was no special deal
:08:23. > :08:33.for Sally that was not available for other councils. -- Surrey. She was
:08:34. > :08:38.asked why the is a crisis in school places and class sizes soaring
:08:39. > :08:44.thanks to her Government. What is the answer on the number of new
:08:45. > :08:46.school places needed? This Government has a policy about
:08:47. > :08:53.increasing the number of school places. But doing more than that. I
:08:54. > :08:57.want to increase the number of good school places so that every child
:08:58. > :09:02.has the opportunity to go to a good school. That is what the money we
:09:03. > :09:07.put it into education is about. It includes money for a new free
:09:08. > :09:12.schools. Those will be faith schools and universities skills and
:09:13. > :09:16.comprehensives and grammar schools. Mass schools. There will be a
:09:17. > :09:23.diversity because what I want is a good school place for every child.
:09:24. > :09:33.And parents to have a choice. -- mathematics schools. What he wants
:09:34. > :09:41.his pain and stabilitys take what they are given, good or bad. 420,000
:09:42. > :09:48.school places are needed. Nothing she says gets anywhere near to that.
:09:49. > :09:52.She proposes the flagship scheme to build the Royal schools the wrong
:09:53. > :09:56.place spending millions on vanity projects of grammar schools and free
:09:57. > :09:59.schools while people funding is falling in real terms. Is it not
:10:00. > :10:05.time that this colossal waste of money is addressed if it is doing
:10:06. > :10:09.nothing to help the vast majority of children and nothing to solve the
:10:10. > :10:14.crisis of school places and soaring class sizes. That is what every
:10:15. > :10:19.parent in this country once, not vanity projects from her Government.
:10:20. > :10:27.It is no vanity project want every child to have a good school place.
:10:28. > :10:31.The majority of free schools that have been opened have been opened in
:10:32. > :10:40.areas where there is a need for school places and the majority have
:10:41. > :10:44.been opened in areas of disadvantage with their help in the very children
:10:45. > :10:48.we want to see given the opportunity to get on in life. This is about a
:10:49. > :10:53.fairer society and on this budget gave what we see is we are securing
:10:54. > :10:57.the economy and labour want to weaken it. We are working for a
:10:58. > :11:03.fairer society, Labour opposed every single reform. We are fighting for
:11:04. > :11:08.the best deal for Britain. Labour are fighting among themselves. That
:11:09. > :11:20.is Labour, weak, divided and unfit to govern this great country. This
:11:21. > :11:31.week it is likely that sadly for people will suffer a stroke and
:11:32. > :11:38.Erewash. Given that their highly successful stroke strategy finishes
:11:39. > :11:47.this year will she publish our stroke strategy which will include
:11:48. > :11:51.outcomes for patients? I want to assure her that the NHS does want to
:11:52. > :11:56.continue to build on successes of the current stroke strategy. There
:11:57. > :12:02.have been huge improvements over the last decades in stroke care and we
:12:03. > :12:05.want to deliver our vision for truly world leading care. On a particular
:12:06. > :12:11.treatment universe do I understand the NHS has approved the use of
:12:12. > :12:14.mechanical plot retrieval in specific cases. It does rigorously
:12:15. > :12:23.on the quality of stroke care across the country so we can come good on
:12:24. > :12:27.promises. Include some of the fastest recoveries for strokes and
:12:28. > :12:35.heart attacks in Europe. Angus Robertson. An international women's
:12:36. > :12:42.day we wish all campaigners for equality well. Across Parliamentary
:12:43. > :12:48.Brexit committee has recommended the UK guarantee status of EU nationals
:12:49. > :12:57.working in the UK and act unilaterally necessary. They went to
:12:58. > :13:01.see that the current process is not fit for purpose and in the absence
:13:02. > :13:05.of any contrary resolution to relieve things that he felt by the
:13:06. > :13:09.estimated 3 million EU citizens resident in the UK it is untenable
:13:10. > :13:15.to continue with the system as it stands. Given the massive positive
:13:16. > :13:18.contribution that Europeans nationals make to this country what
:13:19. > :13:23.concrete plans that the premise that have to deal with this? As the right
:13:24. > :13:26.honourable gentleman knows we do want to have an earlier agreement
:13:27. > :13:31.which will enable us to guarantee the status of EU citizens living in
:13:32. > :13:38.the UK but also we need to gun to the status of UK citizens living in
:13:39. > :13:43.the European Union. The Home Office is looking at this and how they can
:13:44. > :13:50.improve the systems and simplify them.
:13:51. > :13:58.Since 2010, the Home Office has seen its full-time staff equivalent cut
:13:59. > :14:01.by 10%, so at current rates of processing applications for
:14:02. > :14:08.permanent residency, it would take the Home Office more than 50 years,
:14:09. > :14:11.50 years to deal with frequent to European -- 3.2 million European
:14:12. > :14:18.nationals in the UK. This is clearly totally unacceptable. Will the Prime
:14:19. > :14:21.Minister tell us how quickly she hopes to be able to guarantee all
:14:22. > :14:27.European nationals permanent residency? The honourable gentleman
:14:28. > :14:33.can't just stand up and say, because actually the Home Office is getting
:14:34. > :14:38.more efficient, it's been longer for answers to... It's got more
:14:39. > :14:42.efficient at dealing with these things. I don't know if he has ever
:14:43. > :14:49.heard about technology, but these days people apply online and they
:14:50. > :14:53.are dealt with online. Following the recent findings of a study of terror
:14:54. > :14:57.convictions in Britain, it is clear there are serious problems with how
:14:58. > :15:02.communities integrate into society, and the danger that this lack of
:15:03. > :15:07.integration will lead to acts of terror. With the Prime Minister
:15:08. > :15:12.update the house on the government counterterrorism strategy and the to
:15:13. > :15:16.these findings? It is a very serious issue that my honourable friend has
:15:17. > :15:20.raised. The government is taking a comprehensive approach to tackling
:15:21. > :15:23.terrorism, violent extremism at source, but also through our
:15:24. > :15:26.counter-extremism strategy looking at extremism more widely, and we
:15:27. > :15:31.want to defeat not just terrorism and violent extremism at extremism
:15:32. > :15:38.where every two Kurds. We will shortly publish a new
:15:39. > :15:43.counterterrorism strategy. -- wherever it occurs. This is backed
:15:44. > :15:46.up by additional investment in security and intelligence agencies.
:15:47. > :15:50.I am clear that the government is doing everything it can to tackle
:15:51. > :15:59.issues around integration, extremism and terrorism. I come from a
:16:00. > :16:03.Westminster hall debate on the half of my young constituent, Sam, who is
:16:04. > :16:08.11, who developed narcolepsy as result of receiving the pandemics
:16:09. > :16:13.vaccine to protect him from swine flu. Sanders mother is in the
:16:14. > :16:19.gallery. In these rare and devastating cases, the link between
:16:20. > :16:24.this vaccine and narcolepsy is proven, and yet families like this
:16:25. > :16:27.face long legal battles with the government. Will the Prime Minister
:16:28. > :16:30.today promise that no more of these disabled children will be hounded
:16:31. > :16:37.through the courts, apologised to the families concerned and also to
:16:38. > :16:42.oversee payments to support the children's long-term care needs? ...
:16:43. > :16:46.Can I first of all congratulate the honourable lady on securing a
:16:47. > :16:50.Westminster hall debate on this important topic. At the end of her
:16:51. > :16:55.questions, she refers to the issue of payments. Of course she realises
:16:56. > :16:59.that the vaccine damages payment scheme is not a compensation scheme
:17:00. > :17:03.but a one-off tax-free lump sum paid to help ease the burden of those who
:17:04. > :17:07.are disabled as a result of vaccination, and it is part of a
:17:08. > :17:12.range of support. She has raised a very specific case. Can I suggest to
:17:13. > :17:16.her that obviously she has had that Westminster hall debate, we want to
:17:17. > :17:20.ensure that the process is open and fair at every stage. DWP looks at
:17:21. > :17:25.every claim based on its own facts and, if she wants to provide me with
:17:26. > :17:29.the details, I am sure the Minister for disabled people, health and work
:17:30. > :17:36.will look into this specific case. Question for, sir. While I won't
:17:37. > :17:41.speculate on the statement that my right honourable friend, the
:17:42. > :17:46.Chancellor, will be making shortly, I can assure my honourable friend at
:17:47. > :17:52.the fundamentals of our economy are strong. Since 2010, employment in
:17:53. > :17:55.the West Midlands has risen by 215000 and private sector employment
:17:56. > :17:59.alone grew by 80,000 over the last year. We have also seen schools and
:18:00. > :18:05.police budget is protected and more doctors and nurses in his local
:18:06. > :18:09.hospitals. And we have also witnessed the post Brexit vote of
:18:10. > :18:12.confidence from Nissan, Boeing and Dyson, investing in other parts of
:18:13. > :18:18.the country but put my right honourable friend speak a little bit
:18:19. > :18:24.more about firms like jaguar Land Rover in the West Midlands? I am
:18:25. > :18:28.happy to say to my honourable friend that, in a wider sense, our plans
:18:29. > :18:32.for the Midlands engine show that we want an economy that works for
:18:33. > :18:38.everyone. We have already confirmed over 330 million in the growth deal
:18:39. > :18:41.funding, money going to the Midlands engine investment fund, the
:18:42. > :18:46.Birmingham rail hub, but it is important to recognise the best and
:18:47. > :18:49.being made in UK by companies like Jaguar Land Rover, who will be
:18:50. > :18:54.building their new range Rover model in Solihull. That is good news for
:18:55. > :18:58.the West Midlands and the British economy, and a sign of confidence
:18:59. > :19:05.Jaguar Land Rover has in the UK for the future. My Blackpool casework is
:19:06. > :19:09.now full of the anxieties DWP and Home Office are imposing on
:19:10. > :19:12.vulnerable constituents, including officials' attempts to overturn
:19:13. > :19:15.tribunal decisions protecting benefits and residents. They include
:19:16. > :19:19.a family settled here for eight years and a man with a severe brain
:19:20. > :19:24.injury. Can I ask the Prime Minister, if she wants people to
:19:25. > :19:28.respect exit means Brexit, shouldn't she respect that tribunal 's mean
:19:29. > :19:36.tribunal 's and not try and block them with grubby regulations,
:19:37. > :19:38.affecting 164,000 disabled people? If the honourable gentleman is
:19:39. > :19:43.referring to the decision that has been taken in relation to the courts
:19:44. > :19:48.and the personal independence payments, as I explained in this
:19:49. > :19:53.house last week, as has been explained by the Secretary of State,
:19:54. > :19:58.this is about restoring the system to the state that it was intended to
:19:59. > :20:02.be when Parliament agreed it. It was agreed by the coalition government,
:20:03. > :20:09.agreed by this Parliament after extensive consultation. A National
:20:10. > :20:11.Apprenticeship Week, it's important to recognise this government's
:20:12. > :20:16.commitment to investment and commitment to apprenticeships and
:20:17. > :20:19.skills. Would the Prime Minister look at encouraging a great
:20:20. > :20:24.commitment to degree apprenticeships as part of the strategy, as
:20:25. > :20:26.championed by businesses in my constituency like BAE Systems, who
:20:27. > :20:29.have been at the forefront of developing new programmes to its
:20:30. > :20:35.engineering degree apprenticeship scheme? My honourable friend raises
:20:36. > :20:39.a very important issue. As we look to the future, we want to insure
:20:40. > :20:42.that people in the UK have the skills they need for the economy of
:20:43. > :20:47.the future. Degree apprenticeships will be an important part of this.
:20:48. > :20:51.As he refers to, there are companies like BAE Systems which had been at
:20:52. > :20:56.the forefront of developing those new programmes, and I am pleased to
:20:57. > :20:59.say that overall, we look at and ships, the additional levy will take
:21:00. > :21:05.the total investment in England, 2.45 billion, double what was spent
:21:06. > :21:07.in 2010. That means it is more opportunities for young people to
:21:08. > :21:14.gain the skills they need for their future. Tomorrow, a memorial will be
:21:15. > :21:19.unveiled to those men and women who served our country in Afghanistan
:21:20. > :21:25.and Iraq. Does the Prime Minister agree that we should all pay tribute
:21:26. > :21:30.to their service and commemorate their sacrifice, not just with a
:21:31. > :21:35.memorial but through a commitment, to learn from the past and do better
:21:36. > :21:41.in the future? The honourable gentleman raises a very important
:21:42. > :21:44.point. This will be a significant ceremony, when this memorial is
:21:45. > :21:51.unveiled, and I think we should all across this house paid tribute to
:21:52. > :21:55.those whom that memorial will be recognising for the sacrifice they
:21:56. > :21:58.made. Those in our Armed Forces but also all those civilians who also
:21:59. > :22:03.worked to deliver aid and health care and education. It is important
:22:04. > :22:08.that we recognise the sacrifices made by our Armed Forces, and also
:22:09. > :22:11.by their families, and that is, it will be a significant moment
:22:12. > :22:14.tomorrow. We are very clear that we do need to learn the lessons from
:22:15. > :22:22.the past, and that is exactly what we will do. I was delighted with the
:22:23. > :22:25.Prime Minister's intervention in mental health in January, which I
:22:26. > :22:30.still feel is not had the attention it deserves. In Plymouth, we are
:22:31. > :22:33.completely reconfiguring our mental health services, because we
:22:34. > :22:36.understand that parity of esteem means nothing without parity of
:22:37. > :22:41.provision. Will the premise that come and visit us in Plymouth, come
:22:42. > :22:45.and see the pioneering work we are doing, perhaps in National Mental
:22:46. > :22:51.Health Week in May where I'm hoping Plymouth will take a national lead?
:22:52. > :22:55.I know this is an issue that my honourable friend has championed and
:22:56. > :22:59.it is close to his areas of concern. It's important, as he talks about
:23:00. > :23:03.parity of esteem, which the government has introduced, and more
:23:04. > :23:06.money is going into mental health provision than ever before, and I
:23:07. > :23:14.would be delighted to see work being done in Plymouth, provided my dowry
:23:15. > :23:16.-- my diary allows. In my constituency of Burnley, primary and
:23:17. > :23:23.secondary schools are severely underfunded. Maintained nursery
:23:24. > :23:27.schools are struggling to survive. Why at this time, when we cannot
:23:28. > :23:30.adequately fund the schools we already have, is the Prime Minister
:23:31. > :23:35.is digesting spending millions of pounds creating new grammar schools
:23:36. > :23:40.that will only help a minority of children? This is as unfair as the
:23:41. > :23:46.new funding formula and it will do nothing to help social mobility.
:23:47. > :23:49.Let's be clear about what the government has done, there are
:23:50. > :23:55.record amounts of funding going into education in this country. It was a
:23:56. > :23:59.Conservative led government that introduced a pupil premium. It is a
:24:00. > :24:02.Conservative led government that has protected because schools budget.
:24:03. > :24:07.When it comes to new money that will be going into schools as a result of
:24:08. > :24:10.today's announcements, that money is not about a return to a binary
:24:11. > :24:15.system of grammar schools and secondary moderns. That isn't what
:24:16. > :24:22.we are going to do. We are ensuring that there is a diversity of
:24:23. > :24:24.provision, so, yes, some grammar schools, but comprehensives, faith
:24:25. > :24:29.schools, universities calls, maths schools. I want a good school place
:24:30. > :24:35.for every child, and more than that, the right school place for every
:24:36. > :24:41.child. On this International Women's Day, it is fantastic that we have
:24:42. > :24:46.the highest female employment rate on record, the highest percentage of
:24:47. > :24:52.women on FTSE 100 boards on record, the gender pay gap is at the lowest
:24:53. > :25:05.on record, and we have an amazing female Prime Minister.
:25:06. > :25:09.CHEERING AND JEERING. However, Mr Speaker, I am sure the
:25:10. > :25:14.Prime Minister will agree there is still much more to do, in particular
:25:15. > :25:18.supporting women back to work after a career break. Can my right
:25:19. > :25:25.honourable friend outline what government is going to do to level
:25:26. > :25:29.the playing field? I thank my honourable friend for her question.
:25:30. > :25:32.When I stood on the steps of Downing Street last July and I talked about
:25:33. > :25:36.a country which works for everyone, I meant that, and that is why we are
:25:37. > :25:44.taking a number of measures, including an International Women's
:25:45. > :25:49.Day today, and we will be setting up a new fund to help mothers returning
:25:50. > :25:52.to work after a long career break. Return ships are important. They are
:25:53. > :25:55.open to both men and women, but we should all recognise that the
:25:56. > :26:00.majority of those who take time out of a career are women who are
:26:01. > :26:02.devoting themselves to motherhood for a period. Often, getting back
:26:03. > :26:07.into employment is difficult for them, they find it closed. That is
:26:08. > :26:11.why it makes economic sense, but it is also right and fair for these
:26:12. > :26:17.women that we provide for these return ships to enable them to get
:26:18. > :26:20.back the workplace. Everyone agrees that early years education is
:26:21. > :26:24.crucial for the welfare and future of our children fostered however,
:26:25. > :26:29.nurses in my constituency tell me that the funding for 30 hours of
:26:30. > :26:34.free childcare is not sufficient and not enough, and many of them will be
:26:35. > :26:41.forced to close. What steps will Prime Minister take to ensure that
:26:42. > :26:43.those nurses -- those nurseries do not close? The honourable lady talks
:26:44. > :26:51.about the 30 hours which is being introduced. We have introduced 15
:26:52. > :26:56.hours of free childcare every week for all four-year-olds already. 15
:26:57. > :26:59.hours for disadvantaged two-year-olds, and help with up to
:27:00. > :27:06.70% of childcare costs or people on low incomes. We will spend a record
:27:07. > :27:10.?6 billion on childcare support by the end of this Parliament. It is
:27:11. > :27:13.this Conservative government, it is Conservatives in government that
:27:14. > :27:18.have the record of supporting parents in relation to childcare
:27:19. > :27:24.needs. Does my right honourable friend agree that it is indefensible
:27:25. > :27:29.for the Labour police and crime commission in West Yorkshire to be
:27:30. > :27:33.raising the council tax precept when he has ?120 million in reserves and
:27:34. > :27:39.overspent this year -- understood this year's budget by ?4 million?
:27:40. > :27:45.The decision about what to do with the police precept on council tax is
:27:46. > :27:48.a matter for the directly elected police and crime commission in West
:27:49. > :27:52.Yorkshire, as it is in every area that has one, but I would always
:27:53. > :27:56.encourage those commissioners to look at ways of introducing
:27:57. > :28:00.efficiencies into their forces before looking to introduce local
:28:01. > :28:04.taxes. I think what we have seen over the last six years is that
:28:05. > :28:11.police forces can find sensible savings and reduce crime at the same
:28:12. > :28:18.time. Mr Speaker, you will know that the Royal College of Physicians have
:28:19. > :28:22.found that 40,000 people die prematurely each year from diesel
:28:23. > :28:31.pollution, at a cost of ?20 billion to the UK economy, and YouGov have
:28:32. > :28:35.found that 47% of diesel drivers are willing to switch given the right
:28:36. > :28:40.tax incentive. Will she commits to a fiscal strategy and a new clean air
:28:41. > :28:44.act to put us on a new, cleaner, healthier trajectory, taking global
:28:45. > :28:52.leadership, rather than being dragged into the courts over basic
:28:53. > :28:55.EU air quality standards? As the honourable gentleman will know, we
:28:56. > :28:58.are looking at the measures we need to introduce to improve air quality.
:28:59. > :29:02.There have been imprudent in recent years, but we need to go further,
:29:03. > :29:06.and that is what the government is looking out across the apartment,
:29:07. > :29:12.together with the department for food and rural affairs, and they pay
:29:13. > :29:16.most attention to that, because it is their remit. We will bring
:29:17. > :29:23.forward proposals on air quality in due course.
:29:24. > :29:27.International Women's Day is a chance to reflect on how governments
:29:28. > :29:34.and democracies across the world serve women. Will my honourable
:29:35. > :29:46.friend confirm that when it comes to female primer ministers, it is 2-0
:29:47. > :29:52.to the Conservatives? -- prime. I am grateful to my honourable friend for
:29:53. > :29:56.having pointed that out, which I refrain from doing earlier in
:29:57. > :30:00.response to questions, but I think it is very telling that the Labour
:30:01. > :30:05.Party spent a lot of time speaking about rights for women, giving
:30:06. > :30:09.support to women, getting women on, whereas the Conservative Party is
:30:10. > :30:20.the party in this House that has provided two female prime ministers.
:30:21. > :30:25.Will the Prime Minister gave an undertaking that any new Scotland
:30:26. > :30:28.Act will only be drafted after full consultation with the people of
:30:29. > :30:36.Scotland and with the consent of the Scottish Parliament? I will just say
:30:37. > :30:39.to the honourable lady, I am not sure whether she is referring to
:30:40. > :30:42.discussions currently taking place about the powers that might be
:30:43. > :30:46.available to devolved administrations once we have left
:30:47. > :30:50.the EU but she knows full well we undertake full discussions with the
:30:51. > :30:54.Scottish Government on measures which are reserved matters and on
:30:55. > :31:00.measures where we are negotiating on behalf of the whole United Kingdom.
:31:01. > :31:06.Thank you, Mr Speaker. A business in my constituency operates out of a
:31:07. > :31:10.small market town and also has offices in Seattle and Sydney. It
:31:11. > :31:20.employs 24 people providing high-quality IT jobs, with high-tech
:31:21. > :31:25.fast rural broadband and telephone communication. This is the answer,
:31:26. > :31:29.the recipe, for growing our rural economy. Will my right honourable
:31:30. > :31:35.friend undertake to Government does all it can to fill the blank spots
:31:36. > :31:41.in our rural areas? I can assure my honourable friend we very much want
:31:42. > :31:43.to ensure we are doing that. My right honourable friend Secretary of
:31:44. > :31:46.State for Defence culture, media and sport is looking at our digital
:31:47. > :31:49.strategy and ensuring broadband is available in rural areas and indeed
:31:50. > :32:02.at good speeds in other areas that might be less rural than my
:32:03. > :32:11.honourable friend's constituency. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I do not know
:32:12. > :32:15.whether members are cheering, because it is Friday or because of
:32:16. > :32:25.the popularity of the right Honourable gentleman. Mr Tim
:32:26. > :32:28.Farron... You are too tight. International Women's Day we stand
:32:29. > :32:33.with women and girls across the world and not we should not take for
:32:34. > :32:37.granted the progress made. Yesterday we had hundreds of families of
:32:38. > :32:41.soldiers who died in Iraq and Afghanistan have been denied seats
:32:42. > :32:47.at tomorrow's unveiling of the memorial to our fallen trips.
:32:48. > :32:50.Inviting a relative of each of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan would
:32:51. > :32:53.have taken up fewer than a third of the 2000 seats at that event. Would
:32:54. > :32:59.she now apologise to those families for what I should is a careless
:33:00. > :33:02.oversight and rectify that mistake immediately so that bereaved
:33:03. > :33:08.families can come to pay respects to their fall loved ones? Well, can I
:33:09. > :33:10.reassure the honourable gentleman that charities and groups
:33:11. > :33:14.representing the bereaved were asked to put forward names of attendees
:33:15. > :33:17.and we look forward to welcoming them so we can publicly acknowledge
:33:18. > :33:22.the sacrifice their loved ones made on our behalf. Over half of those
:33:23. > :33:26.attending tomorrow are current or former members of the Armed Forces.
:33:27. > :33:28.No one from the bereaved community has been turned away and everyone
:33:29. > :33:33.who has a plight has been successful but I am reassured that, and I
:33:34. > :33:36.reassure, if any bereaved families wish to attend the Ministry of
:33:37. > :33:51.Defence will make every effort to make sure they can do so. Order.
:33:52. > :33:58.Before I call the Chancellor of the Exchequer I remind all members that
:33:59. > :34:03.copies of the budget resolutions will be available in the office at
:34:04. > :34:09.the end of the Chancellor's speech. I also remind honourable members it
:34:10. > :34:18.is not the norm to intervene on the Chancellor of the Exchequer or the
:34:19. > :34:23.Leader of the Opposition. I know call the Chancellor of the
:34:24. > :34:25.Exchequer, the Right Honourable Philip Hammond. Thank