:00:00. > :00:00.like to meet and discuss this further I am more than willing to do
:00:00. > :00:16.that. Questions to the Prime Minister.
:00:17. > :00:22.I am sure minsters will want to join me in wishing people around the
:00:23. > :00:28.world a happy St Patrick's Day on Friday. This morning I had
:00:29. > :00:33.ministerial meetings with my colleagues and will have further
:00:34. > :00:36.today With my Irish blood can I also wish a happy St Patrick's Day. Mr
:00:37. > :00:40.Speaker, I welcome the announcement from this Government that we will
:00:41. > :00:52.abide by the letter of our manifesto and also the spirit. CHEERS AND
:00:53. > :00:59.JEERS. MR THE Prime Minister AGREE WITH ME, THAT IN BALANCING THE BOOKS
:01:00. > :01:02.WE MUST SURE THAT WE HAVE A sustainable tax system in place. I
:01:03. > :01:06.would like to thank my honourable friend for this question. We made a
:01:07. > :01:10.commitment not to raise tax and we put our commitment into the tax
:01:11. > :01:12.lock. The measures we put forward in the Budget last week were consistent
:01:13. > :01:29.with those locks. But, as a number of my parliamentary
:01:30. > :01:33.colleagues have been pointing out in recent days, there is... THE
:01:34. > :01:38.SPEAKER: Order. This is intolerable, the answers from the Prime
:01:39. > :01:43.Minister... SHOUTS AND JEERS
:01:44. > :01:49.I do take a view on the importance of hearing the questions and the
:01:50. > :01:54.answers from the Prime Minister As a number of my Parliamently colleagues
:01:55. > :01:56.have been pointing out the trend towards greater self-employment
:01:57. > :02:00.creates a structural issue on the tax base on which we will have to
:02:01. > :02:03.act and we want to ensure that we maintain, as they have said,
:02:04. > :02:07.fairness in the tax system. So we are going to awhich the the report
:02:08. > :02:11.from Matthew Taylor on the future of employment, we will consider the
:02:12. > :02:17.Government's overall approach to employment status and rights to tax
:02:18. > :02:21.and entitledment. We will bring forward further proposals but we
:02:22. > :02:34.will not bring forward increases to ni. -- NICs later this this
:02:35. > :02:41.Parliament Can I wish everyone a very be happy St Patrick's Day for
:02:42. > :02:45.the 17th in my constituency, in Ireland and around the world. We
:02:46. > :02:50.have just heard the Prime Minister is about to drop the national
:02:51. > :02:58.insurance hike announced only a week ago. It seems to me like a
:02:59. > :03:04.Government in a the bit of chaos here. SHOUTS AND JEERS
:03:05. > :03:07.A Budget that unravels in seven days, a Conservative manifesto with
:03:08. > :03:12.a very pensive Prime Minister on the front page saying there would be no
:03:13. > :03:17.increase, a week ago an increase was announced. If they are to drop this
:03:18. > :03:22.increase, as they are indicating, then this is a time that she should
:03:23. > :03:26.thank the Federation of Small Businesses and all those that have
:03:27. > :03:33.pointed out just how unfair this increase would be. But, also, how
:03:34. > :03:40.big business evades an awful lot of national insurance through bogus
:03:41. > :03:43.self-employment. I have to say to the right honourable gentleman, I
:03:44. > :03:48.don't think he actually listened to the answer I gave to my honourable
:03:49. > :03:55.friend, the member from Bexhill and Battle. I normally stand at this
:03:56. > :03:59.despatch box and say I don't take any lectures from the honourable
:04:00. > :04:04.gentleman, when it comes to lectures on chaos, he'd be the first person I
:04:05. > :04:09.would turn to. Mr Speaker, I think the Prime Minister should offer an
:04:10. > :04:14.apology for the chaos that her Government has caused during the
:04:15. > :04:18.past week and the stresses caused to the 4.8 million self-employed people
:04:19. > :04:25.in this country. Will she offer that apology? Her friend, the member for
:04:26. > :04:30.Conway said so a week ago. It's time she joined in and said that as well.
:04:31. > :04:35.This measure, if carried through, will create a black hole in the
:04:36. > :04:44.Budget, what is she going to do to fill that black hole? If the right
:04:45. > :04:51.honourable gentleman is so concern about balancing the books, why is it
:04:52. > :05:07.Labour Party policy to borrow half a trillion pound and bankrupt Britain?
:05:08. > :05:13.? Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, coming from a Government that proposes to
:05:14. > :05:17.borrow more between now and 2020, than the entire borrowing of all
:05:18. > :05:24.Labour governments put together, we don't need lectures from them on
:05:25. > :05:30.this. I hope that in his statement later today, the Chancellor will
:05:31. > :05:33.address the question of injustice of many people forced into bogus
:05:34. > :05:57.self-employment by unscrupulous companies. Because many of them
:05:58. > :05:58.force their workers to become self-employed, thus avoiding
:05:59. > :06:00.employers' national insurance contributions. It is a grossly
:06:01. > :06:01.unfair system, where those in self-employment pay some national
:06:02. > :06:05.insurance, employers do not benefit from it. That is a gross injustice
:06:06. > :06:07.that has to be addressed. The right honourable gentleman obviously
:06:08. > :06:09.hadn't noticed that one of the first things I did when I became Prime
:06:10. > :06:13.Minister was to commission Matthew Taylor from the RSA to conduct a
:06:14. > :06:17.review to look at the employment market, to look at employment rights
:06:18. > :06:20.and status, precisely because we recognise that the employment market
:06:21. > :06:25.is changing. He talks about the self-employed. Let's look at what we
:06:26. > :06:28.have done for the self-employed. Our increase in personal allowance means
:06:29. > :06:33.they now keep more of their earnings. They will have access to
:06:34. > :06:36.both tax-free childcare and 30 hours of free childcare, just like
:06:37. > :06:42.employees and now they have access to the new state pension worth over
:06:43. > :06:45.?1,800 more a year. But what we know from the Labour Party's policies is
:06:46. > :06:54.that their policies would bankrupt Britain, they put firms out of
:06:55. > :06:59.business and people out of jobs. We have a Government U-turn, no apolicy
:07:00. > :07:03.and we have a Budget that -- apology and we have a Budget that falls most
:07:04. > :07:07.heavily on those with the least broad shoulders. Cuts to schools,
:07:08. > :07:11.cuts to social care and cuts to people with disbabilities. That is
:07:12. > :07:22.the agenda of her Government and everybody knows it. I'm not sure - I
:07:23. > :07:25.don't think the right honourable gentleman has quite got the hang of
:07:26. > :07:34.this. He is supposed to ask questions to me when he stands up.
:07:35. > :07:44.Let's talk... THE SPEAKER: Order. Order. Let's hear the answer, Prime
:07:45. > :07:50.Minister. He talks about schools. What have we done? We've protected
:07:51. > :07:54.the core schools budget. We introduced the pupil premium. This
:07:55. > :07:58.budget delivers money for over 100 new schools, delivering on good
:07:59. > :08:02.school places for every child this. Budget delivers on skills for young
:08:03. > :08:08.people. We want them to be equipped for the jobs of the future. The
:08:09. > :08:11.Budget delivers ?500 million for technical education and on social
:08:12. > :08:16.care, we recognise the pressure on social care. This Budget delivers ?2
:08:17. > :08:19.billion more funding for social care. Funding that wouldn't be
:08:20. > :08:27.available with Labour's economic policies. Mr Speaker, it would be a
:08:28. > :08:30.very good idea if the Prime Minister listened to headteachers all over
:08:31. > :08:37.the country, desperately trying to work out how to balance the books in
:08:38. > :08:41.their schools, losing teachers, losing teaching assistants, losing
:08:42. > :08:47.support for their children because the schools' budgets are being cut.
:08:48. > :08:50.She knows that, we all know that, everybody out there knows that. They
:08:51. > :08:57.also know that according to IFS figures, average working families
:08:58. > :09:01.will be 1,400 pounds worse as a result of her Budget that was
:09:02. > :09:06.produced last week. Can she say what she is doing to help the worst-off
:09:07. > :09:09.and poorest in our society, rather than continuing cutting local
:09:10. > :09:14.government expenditure, schools expenditure and underfunding social
:09:15. > :09:19.care? I'll tell the right honourable gentleman what we have delivered for
:09:20. > :09:25.the low paid. We have frozen VAT and fuel duty and every basic rate
:09:26. > :09:29.taxpayer have had a tax cut of at worst ?1,000 and we have taken 3
:09:30. > :09:34.million people out of paying income tax altogether. That's what we have
:09:35. > :09:38.done for the low paid. On schools we now see 1.8 million children in good
:09:39. > :09:41.or outstanding schools. I want a good school place for every child.
:09:42. > :09:45.We have done it with free schools and academies and the changes we
:09:46. > :09:48.have brought forward in edge education, all opposed to the Labour
:09:49. > :09:52.Party. Now they want to oppose us giving a good school place for every
:09:53. > :09:57.child. What do we know about the Labour's policies? Let's see what
:09:58. > :10:00.the former Shadow Chancellor, the member for Nottingham East said,
:10:01. > :10:03."Labour's policies would mean doubling national insurance,
:10:04. > :10:07.doubling VAT and doubling council tax as well." That wouldn't help the
:10:08. > :10:16.low paid or ordinary working families.
:10:17. > :10:22.Mr Speaker, the difference is, we want a good school and a good place
:10:23. > :10:28.for every child in every school in every community. Selective
:10:29. > :10:33.education, reintroduction of grammar schools does not achieve that. We
:10:34. > :10:39.want a staircase for all. Not a ladder for the few which is what the
:10:40. > :10:45.Conservatives policies actually are. What she hasn't addressed, also, is
:10:46. > :10:49.the unfairness of a Budget that cuts tax at the top end, continues to
:10:50. > :10:54.introduce corporation tax, encourages bogus self-employment.
:10:55. > :10:59.What she has to do is address the issues of injustice and inequality
:11:00. > :11:03.in our society and a Government that is dedicated towards widening the
:11:04. > :11:07.gap, not helping the hard-up or those that are working self-employed
:11:08. > :11:15.to try to make ends meet and not getting access to any benefits at
:11:16. > :11:20.the same time. Inequality has gone down under this Government. This
:11:21. > :11:24.Budget shows that the top 1% of earners will actually be
:11:25. > :11:27.contributing 27% in terms of the income they are providing. But let
:11:28. > :11:31.me address the issue, also, of schools. You see the problem with
:11:32. > :11:40.what the right honourable gentleman says is that on every single
:11:41. > :11:54.education policy that this Government has brought forward, that
:11:55. > :11:56.has been delivering more good school places for children, the Labour
:11:57. > :11:59.Party has opposed it and they continue to oppose it. Because the
:12:00. > :12:02.Labour Party's approach is that parents will take what they are
:12:03. > :12:04.given, good or bad. We believe in listening to parents. If he looks
:12:05. > :12:07.ahead to what his policies would produce for this country, half a
:12:08. > :12:12.trillion pounds of borrowing, 500 billion more borrowing under the
:12:13. > :12:15.Labour Party. More taxes, more spending, more borrowing, a bankrupt
:12:16. > :12:19.Britain that wouldn't give money for public services or help ordinary
:12:20. > :12:22.working families. It's the Conservative Party that is helping
:12:23. > :12:27.ordinary working families. It is the Labour Party that is failing to
:12:28. > :12:35.address the needs of the people of this country. Inhe is just sitting
:12:36. > :12:43.there and going on protest marches. Thank you, Mr Speaker. As the tax
:12:44. > :12:52.changed, I changed my question. May I congratulate my right honourable
:12:53. > :13:01.friend on proposing the most radical reform of technical education in a
:13:02. > :13:05.generation and also delivering fair funding for all our schools but may
:13:06. > :13:10.I also her, as part of that consultation, to ensure a minimum
:13:11. > :13:15.level of appropriate funding for all schools?
:13:16. > :13:20.I thank my honourable friend, because he's raised an important
:13:21. > :13:24.point. One of the issues with addressed in the budget is to put
:13:25. > :13:28.more money into skills training, further education and technical
:13:29. > :13:31.education for young people. I think one of the most important things we
:13:32. > :13:35.can do is equip young people for the jobs of the future so they can get
:13:36. > :13:38.on in life. We are investing an extra half ?1 billion a year in
:13:39. > :13:43.England's technical education system to do this. My honourable friend has
:13:44. > :13:48.referred to the issue of a minimum funding levels. The Education
:13:49. > :13:52.Secretary confirmed last month that the DFE have heard representations
:13:53. > :13:56.on this issue and are considering the issues. But in relation to the
:13:57. > :14:02.funding formula, it is complex and has needed addressing for some time.
:14:03. > :14:09.We will look at it carefully. We once had a Prime Minister who
:14:10. > :14:12.said that the lady's not for turning. My, goodness. Isn't it
:14:13. > :14:18.welcome that the Prime Minister today has announced that she is
:14:19. > :14:28.returning with her screeching, embarrassing U-turn? Only days
:14:29. > :14:34.remain until the Prime Minister is going to invoke Article 50 on
:14:35. > :14:40.leading the European Union. And last July, she promised to secure a UK
:14:41. > :14:44.wide approach - an agreement between the devolved administrations between
:14:45. > :14:48.Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the UK Government before
:14:49. > :14:55.triggering Article 50. So when will be Prime Minister announced the
:14:56. > :14:59.details of the agreement? As I said to the Right Honourable
:15:00. > :15:02.gentleman yesterday, and to others asking the questions on the
:15:03. > :15:06.timetable, we will trigger Article 50 by the end of March. There will
:15:07. > :15:11.be an opportunity for further discussions with the devolved
:15:12. > :15:14.administrations over that period. When the right honourable gentleman
:15:15. > :15:18.looks at the issue of membership of the European Union, and his view of
:15:19. > :15:23.Scotland not being a member of the United Kingdom, I say this to him.
:15:24. > :15:26.He is comparing membership of an organisation that we've been a
:15:27. > :15:33.member of four 40 years with our country. We have been one country
:15:34. > :15:38.for over 300 years. We have fought together, we've worked together,
:15:39. > :15:42.we've achieved together. And constitutional gameplaying must not
:15:43. > :15:44.be allowed to break the deep bonds of our shared history, and our
:15:45. > :16:05.future together. The Prime Minister can wag her
:16:06. > :16:11.finger as much as she likes. Last year, she made a promise. She
:16:12. > :16:15.promised an agreement. I asked her about it yesterday. She didn't
:16:16. > :16:22.answer. I asked her about it now. She hasn't answered. When will she
:16:23. > :16:27.reach an agreement? Not discussions, an agreement with the Scottish
:16:28. > :16:41.Government before triggering Article 50.
:16:42. > :16:45.HECKLING I recognise the passions. Calm yourself, I'm perfectly capable
:16:46. > :16:47.of doing that without your assistance. The right honourable
:16:48. > :16:53.gentleman will be heard, however long it takes. Carry on, Mr
:16:54. > :16:56.Robertson. The Prime Minister promised an
:16:57. > :17:00.agreement. There is not an agreement. When will there be an
:17:01. > :17:04.agreement? Because does she not understand that if she does not
:17:05. > :17:10.secure an agreement before triggering Article 50, if she is not
:17:11. > :17:13.prepared to negotiate on behalf of the Scottish Government and secure
:17:14. > :17:20.membership of the single European market, people in Scotland will have
:17:21. > :17:28.a referendum, and we will have our...
:17:29. > :17:34.We have been in discussions with the Scottish Government and other
:17:35. > :17:39.devolved administrations about the interest that they have. As we
:17:40. > :17:42.prepare as the United Kingdom government to negotiate a deal on
:17:43. > :17:48.behalf on the whole United Kingdom. A deal which will be a good deal,
:17:49. > :17:52.not just for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but for the people
:17:53. > :17:56.of Scotland as well. And as we go forward in negotiating that deal, I
:17:57. > :18:03.think the right honourable gentleman should remember this - Scotland will
:18:04. > :18:08.be leaving the European Union. It will leave the European Union either
:18:09. > :18:11.as a member of the United Kingdom, or were independent, it's very clear
:18:12. > :18:16.with the document that it would not be member of the European Union.
:18:17. > :18:20.What we need now is to unite, to come together as a country and to
:18:21. > :18:34.ensure that we can get the best deal for the whole of the United Kingdom.
:18:35. > :18:39.This government is working with councils and other partners to grow
:18:40. > :18:47.the economy. But despite being in the prosperous south-east, the Isle
:18:48. > :18:56.of Wight is 339th out of 379 in the UK competitive index. Will my right
:18:57. > :19:01.honourable friend ensure that more growth funding is targeted at rural
:19:02. > :19:05.areas, like the islands, with many small and micro businesses, to
:19:06. > :19:13.deliver a country that works for all?
:19:14. > :19:18.My honourable friend speaks well on behalf of his constituents, and he's
:19:19. > :19:20.right to do that. I know that he has consistently put forward the unique
:19:21. > :19:25.characteristics of the Isle of Wight. We've already been able to
:19:26. > :19:31.support the island's economy through the local growth deal for the
:19:32. > :19:39.Solent, and supporting the Isle of Wight rural SME programme. I want to
:19:40. > :19:43.make sure that we make the best of the diverse strength of Britain's
:19:44. > :19:47.cities, regions and Islands. I'm sure that on the island, the
:19:48. > :19:50.business community will work together to create the best possible
:19:51. > :19:57.conditions. It is our two single market that are
:19:58. > :20:00.the backbone for our economy. And yet the Prime Minister wants to rip
:20:01. > :20:06.us away from one, and they want to break up the other. Can she tell me,
:20:07. > :20:09.is it really a price worth paying, the risky and reckless approach she
:20:10. > :20:15.is taking to Brexit, to foster the break-up of Britain?
:20:16. > :20:19.The honourable gentleman is wrong when he uses the term that I want to
:20:20. > :20:27.rip the United Kingdom away from the single markets. What we wanted
:20:28. > :20:30.you... No, this is... I'm sorry to say to honourable members on the
:20:31. > :20:34.Labour benches, this is the same answer that I have given
:20:35. > :20:39.consistently in this house. We want to ensure that we get a good free
:20:40. > :20:43.trade agreement which gives us the maximum possible access to the
:20:44. > :20:49.single market to enable us to trade with the single market and operate
:20:50. > :20:52.within the single market. Can I welcome the support of
:20:53. > :20:57.business rates, which is being given by the budget to local high streets,
:20:58. > :21:00.which also crucially valued in places like my constituency in
:21:01. > :21:04.Barnet. With the Prime Minister agree that we can give more help to
:21:05. > :21:07.small businesses if we can secure the international agreement that we
:21:08. > :21:12.need to ensure that all big businesses pay their taxes?
:21:13. > :21:16.This is a very important issue. It's one on which I think this government
:21:17. > :21:22.has a record of which we can be proud. Of course, there's more to
:21:23. > :21:26.do. We have, since 2010, in the work we've done on tackling tax evasion,
:21:27. > :21:31.avoidance and noncompliance, we have secured an additional 140 billion in
:21:32. > :21:35.compliance yields since 2010. Internationally we've driven the
:21:36. > :21:40.global agenda and we now have several companies signed up to the
:21:41. > :21:47.global exchange. -- global exchange information. We have pushed for the
:21:48. > :21:51.G7 nanograms eight. -- G7 and G8. There is more to be done and I want
:21:52. > :21:53.to see an economy that works for everyone. That means that the
:21:54. > :22:00.company should be paying their tax as well as everybody.
:22:01. > :22:03.An answer to my honourable friend from Murray, the Prime Minister
:22:04. > :22:12.called for respect. But that is a two-way street. The Scottish
:22:13. > :22:17.Government's compromise proposal has been ignored in these negotiations.
:22:18. > :22:22.Where is your respect? The proposal has not been ignored.
:22:23. > :22:26.It has been discussed by ministers. There are many areas within that
:22:27. > :22:30.proposal on which we agree. As I've said before, such as on ensuring our
:22:31. > :22:40.securities and maintaining and protecting workers' rights.
:22:41. > :22:44.Colchester Hospital's A department has excellent staff but suffers from
:22:45. > :22:48.poor layout and patient flow. Does the Prime Minister agree with me
:22:49. > :22:52.that the ?100 million set aside for triage in the budget last week will
:22:53. > :22:55.allow hospitals like mine to address this issue and improve patient
:22:56. > :22:59.outcomes? My honourable friend is right to
:23:00. > :23:02.recognise, and we should all recognise, the hard work and
:23:03. > :23:08.dedication of our excellent staff throughout the NHS. What we're
:23:09. > :23:11.seeing in the NHS is that A are treating more people than ever
:23:12. > :23:17.before. We are spending half ?1 trillion on the NHS in England
:23:18. > :23:20.during this Parliament. The NHS will see that increase in its funding of
:23:21. > :23:27.?10 billion in real terms. But there is an issue about the consideration
:23:28. > :23:32.of A, and enabling changes to take place to help the flow, and to help
:23:33. > :23:36.in dealing with patients as they come in. That's why my right
:23:37. > :23:41.honourable friend the Chancellor announced last week 425 million in
:23:42. > :23:46.new capital investment in the NHS, which includes 100 million to help
:23:47. > :23:49.manage the demand on A services, enabling hospitals to make changes
:23:50. > :23:56.to ensure that people are treated in the most appropriate way possible.
:23:57. > :23:59.Over 200 staff at the pension fund in my constituency face an uncertain
:24:00. > :24:05.future as they have been told they have to relocate to other areas over
:24:06. > :24:08.the next few years. Does the Prime Minister realise the impact this has
:24:09. > :24:12.on staff and the local economy? Will she meet me and representatives of
:24:13. > :24:17.the workforce to see what can be done to save the pension centre?
:24:18. > :24:29.I recognise the concern raised for staff at that particular pension
:24:30. > :24:33.office. I recognise this is an issue. I'm sure it is an issue which
:24:34. > :24:36.the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions will look at very closely.
:24:37. > :24:41.But of course the Government is looking to ensure that we both use
:24:42. > :24:43.our resources effectively, but also provide the proper and appropriate
:24:44. > :24:50.service for the recipients of those particular benefits.
:24:51. > :24:55.Last weekend, thousands of people across Lincolnshire came to the
:24:56. > :24:58.races in my constituency to enjoy the racing and the delicious local
:24:59. > :25:06.food - including award-winning Lincolnshire sausages. As the
:25:07. > :25:09.Government prepares to strike new trade deals, international trade
:25:10. > :25:14.deals, will my right honourable friend ensure that the high
:25:15. > :25:19.standards we expect of our food producers and farmers will be met
:25:20. > :25:25.and maintained in these deals, and will this government continued to
:25:26. > :25:29.back British farming? I can assure my honourable friend
:25:30. > :25:33.that we will certainly do that. I remember when I visited her prior to
:25:34. > :25:37.the general election in 2015, sampling some of the excellent
:25:38. > :25:40.Lincolnshire sausages that has come from her constituency. But we do
:25:41. > :25:44.have an opportunity to build a new future for our food and farming
:25:45. > :25:48.industry when we leave the European Union. We will maintain high
:25:49. > :25:52.standards of food safety and animal welfare, that will be a priority.
:25:53. > :25:57.Any trade deals we enter into will need to be right for consumers,
:25:58. > :26:00.businesses, farmers. They will need to ensure our food safety,
:26:01. > :26:04.environmental protection and the animal welfare standards I've just
:26:05. > :26:09.referred to. We recognise the need for certainty for businesses and
:26:10. > :26:15.have provided guarantees for support for farmers up to 2020. We will
:26:16. > :26:18.continue to back British farmers. The UK has one of the worst
:26:19. > :26:24.performing currencies in the world. It has a trade deficit of ?133
:26:25. > :26:29.billion, and a national debt approaching ?1.7 trillion. Does the
:26:30. > :26:40.Prime Minister really believe that the UK can afford to be an
:26:41. > :26:48.independent country? If he wants...
:26:49. > :26:53.Honourable members on those benchers are very overexcited individuals. I
:26:54. > :26:56.want to hear the Prime Minister's reply.
:26:57. > :27:01.If he wants to talk about figures in relation to the UK economy, the UK
:27:02. > :27:06.economy is the world's sixth-largest economy. The Government has reduced
:27:07. > :27:10.the deficit by two thirds. If he cares to look at the employment
:27:11. > :27:21.figures we see today, employment at a record high, and unemployment
:27:22. > :27:28.which hasn't been lower since 1975. Today is the Ides of March. Yet
:27:29. > :27:33.again, Brutus opposite missed badly. So can the Prime Minister take the
:27:34. > :27:37.opportunity to stick the knife into the ridiculous European Court that
:27:38. > :27:42.ruled yesterday that employers can ban their staff from wearing signs
:27:43. > :27:44.of religious or political belief, and reiterate that reasonable
:27:45. > :27:54.freedom and expression should never be snuffed out politically. We have
:27:55. > :27:57.a strong tradition in this country of freedom of expression. It's the
:27:58. > :28:01.right of all women to choose how they dress, and we don't intend to
:28:02. > :28:06.legislate on this issue. He's raised to be broader issue of symbols, but
:28:07. > :28:09.this case came up in relation to the wearing of the Vale. There will be
:28:10. > :28:15.times when it's right for Israel to be asked to be removed, perhaps in
:28:16. > :28:17.border security law courts. Institutions can make their own
:28:18. > :28:22.policies, but it is not for government to tell women what they
:28:23. > :28:23.can and cannot wear. We want to continue the tradition of freedom of
:28:24. > :28:34.expression. Our First Minister was voted with
:28:35. > :28:37.the largest vote in Scottish parliamentary history on a manifesto
:28:38. > :28:43.which stated that the Scottish Parliament... THE SPEAKER: The
:28:44. > :28:48.question will be heard. Thank you, Mr Speaker, I will start again. Our
:28:49. > :28:51.First Minister was elected with the largest vote in Scottish
:28:52. > :28:54.parliamentary history, on a manifesto pledge which stated that
:28:55. > :29:00.the Scottish Parliament should have the right to hold an independence
:29:01. > :29:04.referendum if there was a significant and material change of
:29:05. > :29:08.circumstances like Scotland being taken out of the EU guest our will.
:29:09. > :29:12.My question to the Prime Minister is simple - does she agree that
:29:13. > :29:16.Government's should stick to their manifesto promises and if so, she
:29:17. > :29:21.cannot object to the First Minister sticking to hers?
:29:22. > :29:26.I, of course, recognise that there was a vote that took place in the
:29:27. > :29:36.Scottish Parliament and the First Minister was returned as the First
:29:37. > :29:40.Minister of a minority Government. But I would refer the honourable
:29:41. > :29:46.lady to two other votes that took place. The Scottish people were
:29:47. > :29:58.given the opportunity to vote to whether or not they wished to remain
:29:59. > :30:01.in the United Kingdom. They choose that Scotland should remain part of
:30:02. > :30:04.the United Kingdom. That was described by the right honourable
:30:05. > :30:08.member for Gordon, as a once in a generation vote. And the other vote
:30:09. > :30:11.to take note of is that on June 23rd last year, the people of the United
:30:12. > :30:18.Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, and that is what we are going
:30:19. > :30:21.to do. Mr Speaker, with 80% of SMEs reluctant to export, does my right
:30:22. > :30:28.honourable friend agree that the prospect of Brexit gives those firms
:30:29. > :30:31.a golden opportunity to use the great British entrepreneurial spirit
:30:32. > :30:36.to go out into the world, particularly those firms in
:30:37. > :30:40.Scotland, to go out into the world and to sing? My honourable friend is
:30:41. > :30:43.absolutely right about this. Small businesses and the intren airs are
:30:44. > :30:46.essential for an economy that is working for everyone. --
:30:47. > :30:51.entrepreneurs. But the opportunity that comes from Brexit is to see
:30:52. > :30:54.those firms going out across the world, exporting across the world
:30:55. > :30:58.and doing the trade deals that will be of benefit to them and their
:30:59. > :31:03.communities and of benefit to our economy. We divoont to encourage
:31:04. > :31:08.more businesses to go out there. That's exactly what my right
:31:09. > :31:11.honourable friend the Secretary of State for International trade is
:31:12. > :31:13.doing. This is anp important part of building a stronger, fairer Britain
:31:14. > :31:19.for the future. -- an important part. Thank you, Mr Speaker. HRMC
:31:20. > :31:24.employed over 1,000 staff in my Livingston constituency. Despite
:31:25. > :31:27.widespread criticism from the NEO or Public Accounts Committee and the
:31:28. > :31:31.staff at Livingston being most engaged and productive this Prime
:31:32. > :31:35.Minister's Government is determined to move jobs from Livingston toad
:31:36. > :31:39.inborough whose staff don't want to move and rental costs would be
:31:40. > :31:45.higher. And to compound this, another 400 jobs are to go at
:31:46. > :31:49.another Livingston site. Will the Prime Minister change her mind on
:31:50. > :31:53.the is jobs in Livingston and meet with me to make sure that vital
:31:54. > :32:00.public sector jobs to Livingston will stay there. The HRMC are
:32:01. > :32:04.relocating 170 outdated offices to 13 large and modern regional
:32:05. > :32:07.centres. These new centres will be equipped with the digital
:32:08. > :32:11.infrastructure and facilities needed to build a more highly-skilled and
:32:12. > :32:15.flexible workforce to enable modernisation of ways of working, to
:32:16. > :32:19.make tax collection more efficient and effective and it'll bring
:32:20. > :32:29.significant improvements to HMRC's customer services.
:32:30. > :32:43.-- HRMC's. People moo my can constituent voted
:32:44. > :32:54.in favour of Brexit and I was proud to be here in the House on Monday to
:32:55. > :32:59.vote no sport withdrawal of the EU bill. Can my honourable friend, the
:33:00. > :33:02.Prime Minister confirm that she shares my commitment that Brexit
:33:03. > :33:03.should work in the best interests of everyone in our country?
:33:04. > :33:07.THE SPEAKER: Prime Minister? I think, I have to say be... THE
:33:08. > :33:11.SPEAKER: Order. I say to the honourable gentleman for pert and
:33:12. > :33:13.North pertshire. Order, order, the for Perth ander North Perthshire.
:33:14. > :33:17.The honourable gentleman was shouting from beyond the bar, which
:33:18. > :33:22.is very disorderly, on top of the fact that a few moments ago he was
:33:23. > :33:27.gesticulating in a most eccentric manner. I'm becoming concerned about
:33:28. > :33:28.the honourable gentleman, he must now calm himself. The Prime
:33:29. > :33:33.Minister. Thank you, Mr Speaker. My honourable
:33:34. > :33:35.friend is absolutely right. She had, as she said a condition
:33:36. > :33:39.constituencicy that voted overwhelmingly to leave the European
:33:40. > :33:42.Union. The point is that the people of the United Kingdom voted by a
:33:43. > :33:47.majority to leave the European Union. As we do, that we will be
:33:48. > :33:50.ensuring that the deal we achieve in our negotiations, will be the right
:33:51. > :33:54.deal for the United Kingdom, the whole of the United Kingdom and for
:33:55. > :34:00.people across the UK, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern
:34:01. > :34:06.Ireland. Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister's
:34:07. > :34:11.just done a ?2 billion Budget U-Turn in the space of a week. Last year
:34:12. > :34:17.the Government did a ?4 billion U-Turn in the space of five days. Is
:34:18. > :34:28.that why they want to abolish Spring Budgets? Because they just keep
:34:29. > :34:33.ripping them up? I welcome the measure that is were
:34:34. > :34:37.in this Spring Budget, to improve school places for children in this
:34:38. > :34:44.country, to ensure that we put money... THE SPEAKER: Mr Fabricant
:34:45. > :34:47.you are another eccentric fellow shouting loudly but you mustn't
:34:48. > :34:51.shout down your own Prime Minister. Let's hear the Prime Minister. Thank
:34:52. > :34:56.you, Mr Speaker, I welcome the measures in the Spring Budget to
:34:57. > :34:59.ensure that we are putting money... LAUGHTER
:35:00. > :35:03.Money into schools, into skills and into social care and I would've
:35:04. > :35:06.thought The Right Honourable lady would accept that money into
:35:07. > :35:13.schools, skills and social care is good for this country.
:35:14. > :35:18.Thank you Mr Speaker, would the Prime Minister join with me in
:35:19. > :35:21.welcoming the news today that Sergeant Blackman's murder
:35:22. > :35:23.conviction has been downgraded to manslaughter, in part, thanks to the
:35:24. > :35:31.release of previously unheard evidence. This is fantastic news for
:35:32. > :35:34.his wife Claire, who lives in my constituency and who has complained
:35:35. > :35:37.so unstintingly on this and my honourable friend the member for
:35:38. > :35:41.South Dorset who I believe is turning to the chambers provided a
:35:42. > :35:44.very worthy advocate for this case and I commend his hard work. And
:35:45. > :35:48.would the Prime Minister agree with me that within the correct legal
:35:49. > :35:52.framework, those who defend our peace, protect our world from evil,
:35:53. > :35:57.be treated with fairness and understanding and given the adequate
:35:58. > :36:01.resources, including for mental health support they deserve. THE
:36:02. > :36:06.SPEAKER: I'm extremely grateful. Prime Minister. We respect the
:36:07. > :36:09.court's decision, the Ministry of Defence will be looking closely at
:36:10. > :36:12.the judgment but I can assure the House that the Ministry of Defence
:36:13. > :36:15.has cooperated fully at each stage of Sergeant Blackman's case and will
:36:16. > :36:18.continue to provide support to the family as they have done since the
:36:19. > :36:23.charges were first brought. What I would just say on a generalp point
:36:24. > :36:26.is that our Royal Marines have a worldwide reputation as one of the
:36:27. > :36:29.world's elite fighting forces. They make an incredible contribution to
:36:30. > :36:34.our country and we should pay tribute to them all for that. The
:36:35. > :36:37.Disasters Emergency Committee have launched its East Africa crisis
:36:38. > :36:41.appeal. In the context of that crisis, does the Prime Minister
:36:42. > :36:48.share my concern that President Trump is considering major cuts to
:36:49. > :36:52.spending by the United States on aid? Will this Government take every
:36:53. > :36:57.opportunity to press the Americans to remain fully part of the global
:36:58. > :37:00.humanitarian system? I can assure the right honourable gentleman we
:37:01. > :37:03.recognise the severity and urgency of the crisis that is taking place
:37:04. > :37:06.in the East Africa. More than 20 million people face the risk of
:37:07. > :37:11.dying from starvation because of war and drought and again it is this
:37:12. > :37:15.country that is leading the way in delivering life-saving support.
:37:16. > :37:23.We've announced we'll match pound for pound the first ?5 million
:37:24. > :37:25.donated by the public to the Disasters Emergency Committee's new
:37:26. > :37:29.appeal and I can assure him we take every opportunity to ensure that
:37:30. > :37:33.countries around the world recognise the importance of international aid,
:37:34. > :37:39.the importance of supporting countries when we see terrible,
:37:40. > :37:44.terrible disasters like this famine coming to place and it is the UK's
:37:45. > :37:48.record on what we do on this, that enables us to say to others that
:37:49. > :37:54.they should do more. Henry Smith? It is my honour to
:37:55. > :38:01.chair the all parliamentary group on blood cancer and today we launched
:38:02. > :38:05.an inquiry into greater awareness of the condition can I take assurance
:38:06. > :38:08.from my honourable friend that the additional ?10 billion going into
:38:09. > :38:11.the NHS in this Parliament will in some way be spent on ensuring we
:38:12. > :38:15.tackle this third biggest cancer killer? High honourable friend is
:38:16. > :38:19.right to raise a subject like that, which is a cancer of which many
:38:20. > :38:23.people have not heard much and probably are not awhich are of that
:38:24. > :38:27.as a particular issue. I can assure him that -- aware of that particular
:38:28. > :38:30.issue. I I can assure him what the NHS is doing. Over recent years we
:38:31. > :38:39.have seen a significant improvement in cancer survival rates. We have
:38:40. > :38:44.seen significant improvement in the increase of the number of people who
:38:45. > :38:47.are being referred on because of potential cases of cancer and the
:38:48. > :38:48.number of people being treated for cancer