:00:00. > :00:00.aid to the people that need it most, that is something we are proud of,
:00:00. > :00:00.and absolutely, we stand tall in the world when we stand up for our
:00:00. > :00:07.obligations for the poorest in the world, that's effectively what we
:00:08. > :00:14.are doing the blue order, questions to the Prime Minister.
:00:15. > :00:37.They were Aysha Frade, Kurt Cochran, Leslie Rhodes and, of course, PC
:00:38. > :00:42.Keith Palmer. I am sure the house will join me in extending
:00:43. > :00:47.condolences to the families. The investigation continues and two
:00:48. > :00:51.people have been arrested and are in custody. This morning I had meetings
:00:52. > :00:57.with ministerial colleagues and I will have further such meetings
:00:58. > :01:01.later today. May I echo her sentiments and congratulate her also
:01:02. > :01:06.on all the good work done since last week. May I also congratulate the
:01:07. > :01:13.Prime Minister and government on triggering Article 50 today. I know
:01:14. > :01:17.this is a momentous action to the whole of the United Kingdom and
:01:18. > :01:23.while I like herself campaigned to stay in, we recognise the people
:01:24. > :01:27.have spoken and we offered the Ulster Unionist Party. Port in
:01:28. > :01:32.ensuring negotiations deliver the best for the whole of the UK and
:01:33. > :01:36.particularly for Northern Ireland. But could I ask the Prime Minister
:01:37. > :01:43.to confirm that in the extremely improbable event that a border poll
:01:44. > :01:47.should take place regarding the future of Northern Ireland within
:01:48. > :01:53.the United Kingdom during her premiership, that a government will
:01:54. > :02:00.fully support any official Remain campaign? Just as the government
:02:01. > :02:10.have done both in regard of the EU and indeed Scotland. The honourable
:02:11. > :02:14.gentleman is right. Today we do give effect to the democratic decision of
:02:15. > :02:20.the people of the United Kingdom who voted for us to leave the European
:02:21. > :02:24.Union. It was a call to make the United Kingdom a country that works
:02:25. > :02:29.for everyone not just the privileged few. We are within that fully
:02:30. > :02:35.committed to ensuring the unique interests of Northern Ireland are
:02:36. > :02:39.attracted and advanced as we establish our negotiating position.
:02:40. > :02:44.Our position is we strongly support the Belfast agreement including the
:02:45. > :02:47.principle of consent that Northern Ireland constitutional position is
:02:48. > :02:51.that the people of Northern Ireland to determine. We have a preference
:02:52. > :02:55.that Northern Ireland should remain part of the United Kingdom and we
:02:56. > :03:00.will never be neutral in expressing our support for that. That is
:03:01. > :03:08.because I believe fundamentally in the strength of our union. Pupils
:03:09. > :03:13.and parents deserve good schools and real choice in education including
:03:14. > :03:17.schools focused unashamedly on academic rigour. Can my right
:03:18. > :03:20.honourable friend tell us when the government will open applications
:03:21. > :03:25.for the new wave of free schools and can she confirmed they will be
:03:26. > :03:30.genuinely free to be run as they wish, serving the community and
:03:31. > :03:34.creating scores for everyone? My honourable friend is right. Schools
:03:35. > :03:38.should be free to be run as best suit them. We put autonomy and
:03:39. > :03:43.freedom in the hands of strong leaders and outstanding teachers so
:03:44. > :03:48.they can deliver an excellent education. We want to get out of the
:03:49. > :03:52.way of outstanding education providers to set up the types of
:03:53. > :03:56.schools parents want which is why we have set out plans to remove the ban
:03:57. > :04:00.on new grammar schools and restrictions on new faith schools.
:04:01. > :04:05.We do expect to announce the details of the next wave of free school
:04:06. > :04:11.applications following the publication of the White Paper. I
:04:12. > :04:15.want to begin by paying tribute to the emergency services as the Prime
:04:16. > :04:19.Minister did, across the country, especially those who responded to
:04:20. > :04:24.the Westminster attack and to those who turned out to help the victims
:04:25. > :04:28.of the new ferry explosion on Saturday. Our thoughts remain with
:04:29. > :04:33.the injured and those who have lost loved ones and we thank the police
:04:34. > :04:37.for their investigations. Could the Prime Minister assure Ross police
:04:38. > :04:45.will be given all support and resources to take them through this
:04:46. > :04:47.difficult period -- assure us? I joined the right honourable
:04:48. > :04:54.gentleman in praising the work of the emergency services, who have to
:04:55. > :04:58.deal with a wide range of incidents that take place. Our focus has been
:04:59. > :05:04.most recently on the attack last Wednesday. We should not forget that
:05:05. > :05:08.day in day out emergency services work on our behalf and often put
:05:09. > :05:14.themselves in danger as a result. I have kept in touch as has my right
:05:15. > :05:17.honourable friend the Home Secretary with the security services and
:05:18. > :05:23.Metropolitan Police on the investigation taking place into the
:05:24. > :05:26.attack last week and I am looking forward to security arrangements and
:05:27. > :05:31.I can assure him they have the resources they need to carry out
:05:32. > :05:36.vital work. Of course we all pay tribute to the police for the work
:05:37. > :05:42.they do but there are some problems that between 2015 and 2018 there
:05:43. > :05:47.will be a real terms cut in central government funding to police forces
:05:48. > :05:50.of 330 million. Can the Prime Minister assure the house the police
:05:51. > :06:00.all over the country have the necessary resources to do the job? I
:06:01. > :06:05.would remind him that what we have done is protected that police budget
:06:06. > :06:10.and of course the former Shadow Home Secretary, his colleague, the right
:06:11. > :06:17.honourable member, prior to the... At the Labour Party conference said
:06:18. > :06:22.savings can be found. The police say 5-10% is just about doable. We have
:06:23. > :06:26.protected the police budget. I have been speaking to police forces and
:06:27. > :06:32.they are cleared the work they are doing has the resources they need.
:06:33. > :06:38.The Police Federation survey recently undertaken reveals that 55%
:06:39. > :06:45.of serving police officers say morale is low due to the way in
:06:46. > :06:51.which funding has been treated. Front line policing is vital in
:06:52. > :06:56.tackling crime and terrorism. Since 2010, there are 20,000 fewer police
:06:57. > :07:00.officers, 12,000 fewer on the front line. I asked the Prime Minister
:07:01. > :07:07.again, will she think again about the cuts and guaranteed policing on
:07:08. > :07:11.the front line will be protected so every community can be assured it
:07:12. > :07:18.has the officers it needs in their community? I said we have protected
:07:19. > :07:23.those police budgets including of course the precepts they raise
:07:24. > :07:30.locally. Let's think about what has happened since 2010. Since 2010 we
:07:31. > :07:34.have seen crime is traditionally measured by the independent crime
:07:35. > :07:41.survey falling by a third to a record low, and that is the work of
:07:42. > :07:46.hard-working officers up and down this country. They have been backed
:07:47. > :07:49.by this government. We have made them more accountable through
:07:50. > :07:53.directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners and there has been
:07:54. > :07:56.reform, including reform of the Police Federation that was
:07:57. > :08:00.necessary, but we have ensured police have resources to do their
:08:01. > :08:12.job and we see crime at a record low. The Royal air forces preparing
:08:13. > :08:18.to fly typhoons from my constituency to Romania, to support Nato allies
:08:19. > :08:23.on the border with Russia. This is as President Putin is locking up
:08:24. > :08:28.political opponents and crushing calls for democracy. Will my right
:08:29. > :08:32.honourable friend confirm that as we leave the EU, the United Kingdom
:08:33. > :08:37.will continue to lead Nato in defending this vital border, and
:08:38. > :08:47.will she paid tribute to the Armed Forces who safeguard our democracy
:08:48. > :08:52.at home and abroad? I am very happy to join my honourable friend in
:08:53. > :08:57.paying tribute to the men and women of our Armed Forces, they are the
:08:58. > :09:05.best in the world and they worked tirelessly to keep us safe and we
:09:06. > :09:09.open every gratitude. Our commitment to collective defence and security
:09:10. > :09:15.through Nato is as strong as ever. We will meet our pledge to spend 2%
:09:16. > :09:21.of GDP wand expense every year of the decade and we plan to spend 178
:09:22. > :09:25.billion on equipment. She referred to work done by the Royal Air Force
:09:26. > :09:31.in relation to Romania. With Nato we deploy a battalion to Estonia and
:09:32. > :09:38.squadron to Poland and I think that shows our commitment to our
:09:39. > :09:41.collective security and defence. We associate ourselves with the
:09:42. > :09:44.condolences of the Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party and
:09:45. > :09:52.praise for the emergency and security services. After the
:09:53. > :09:57.appalling terrorist atrocity. Last year, the Prime Minister promised
:09:58. > :10:10.before she would trigger Article 50 on leaving the EU, she would secure
:10:11. > :10:15.a UK wide approach and agreement... Last year the Prime Minister did
:10:16. > :10:20.make that promise and promised there would be agreement with the
:10:21. > :10:24.governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland before triggering
:10:25. > :10:30.Article 50. The Prime Minister has now triggered Article 50 and she has
:10:31. > :10:38.done so without an agreement. There is no agreement. Why has she broken
:10:39. > :10:44.her promise and her word? I have been clear throughout and since the
:10:45. > :10:52.first visit that I made as Prime Minister to Edinburgh last July,
:10:53. > :10:55.which was we would work with the devolved administrations and develop
:10:56. > :11:00.a UK wide approach but in negotiations it would be a UK
:11:01. > :11:04.approach taken into the negotiations and it would be the United Kingdom
:11:05. > :11:08.government that took forward that position and I would remind him that
:11:09. > :11:22.Scotland is part of the United Kingdom. People will note the Prime
:11:23. > :11:26.Minister did not deny she would seek a UK wide approach and agreement
:11:27. > :11:32.with the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and there
:11:33. > :11:36.is no agreement. The Scottish Government was elected with a higher
:11:37. > :11:40.percentage of the vote with a bigger electoral mandate than the UK
:11:41. > :11:46.Government. Yesterday the Scottish Parliament voted by 69 to 59 that
:11:47. > :11:54.people in Scotland should have a choice about their future. After the
:11:55. > :11:57.negotiations with the EU are concluded, there will be a period
:11:58. > :12:02.for democratic approval of the outcome. That choice will be
:12:03. > :12:07.exercised in this Parliament, in the European Parliament, and in 27
:12:08. > :12:13.member states of the EU. Given that everybody else will have a choice...
:12:14. > :12:24.Will the people of Scotland have a choice... ? I say to the right
:12:25. > :12:30.honourable gentleman that we are taking forward the views of the
:12:31. > :12:37.United Kingdom into the negotiations with the European Union on the
:12:38. > :12:49.United Kingdom exiting the European Union. The Scottish Nationalist
:12:50. > :12:54.party consistently talks... Order! This is unseemly heckling. You are a
:12:55. > :12:57.distinguished QC. You would not behave like that in the Scottish
:12:58. > :13:06.courts. You would be chucked out. Prime Minister. The SNP consistently
:13:07. > :13:11.talks about independence as the only subject they wish to talk about. I
:13:12. > :13:16.said to him and his colleagues that now is not the time to be talking
:13:17. > :13:25.about a second independence referendum. On today of all days, we
:13:26. > :13:35.should be coming together as a United Kingdom to get the best deal
:13:36. > :13:40.for Britain. Improving vocational and technical
:13:41. > :13:44.education is vital to closing our productivity gap so can the Prime
:13:45. > :13:48.Minister assure me vocational education will enjoy equal status
:13:49. > :13:52.with academic education so that as we leave the EU, our young people
:13:53. > :13:57.can be equipped to build the high skilled economy of the future? My
:13:58. > :14:04.honourable friend has raised an important issue. It is essential for
:14:05. > :14:09.young people we give vocational and technical education the right esteem
:14:10. > :14:14.and focus because it is essential in addressing the productivity gap. We
:14:15. > :14:19.want to deliver a world leading technical education system to create
:14:20. > :14:23.genuine options that are equal in esteem, two options for young people
:14:24. > :14:28.in esteem. In the budget, the Chancellor announced a significant
:14:29. > :14:34.package of investment to represent the most ambitious post-16 reform
:14:35. > :14:38.since the introduction of A-levels. We will invest an extra half ?1
:14:39. > :14:44.billion in Ingham's technical education and introduce maintenance
:14:45. > :14:50.loans or those studying high-level technical qualifications at
:14:51. > :14:55.institutes of technology. The Treasury Select Committee says that
:14:56. > :15:00.having to fill in a tax return every three months means that many smaller
:15:01. > :15:04.companies face disaster. The Federation of small business says
:15:05. > :15:10.the extra cost is likely to be annually ?2700 a year. This is
:15:11. > :15:18.another burden on business from this government. She got it wrong on
:15:19. > :15:19.national Insurance, is she going to backtrack now on tax returns, as
:15:20. > :15:27.well? Perhaps the honourable gentleman
:15:28. > :15:30.should have listened to the announcement the Chancellor made in
:15:31. > :15:33.the budget where he indicated he would be delaying the introduction
:15:34. > :15:39.of this for the smallest businesses below the VAT threshold for a year.
:15:40. > :15:42.But I think it is right that HMRC does try to move to a greater
:15:43. > :15:48.digitisation of the way in which it operates. I think that will enable
:15:49. > :15:51.it to give a better service to those people who are completing their
:15:52. > :15:57.forms, and we should always remember that aspect of what is being
:15:58. > :16:00.proposed. I welcome the additional money the Government has given for
:16:01. > :16:06.adult social care, but it is important we also look at long-term
:16:07. > :16:11.solutions for the. Will the Prime Minister look at issues with how the
:16:12. > :16:15.system works with Northampton county council and Northampton General
:16:16. > :16:22.Hospital? I say to my honourable friend but I'm grateful that he is
:16:23. > :16:26.welcome for the extra money, the ?2 billion going to social care and out
:16:27. > :16:31.by the Chancellor. This shows we have recognised the pressures and
:16:32. > :16:34.demands on social care, but it is also important that we ensure best
:16:35. > :16:39.practice is delivered across the whole of the country, it isn't just
:16:40. > :16:41.about money, so we are trying to find a long-term sustainable
:16:42. > :16:44.solution which will help local authorities to learn from each other
:16:45. > :16:47.and raise standards across the system, and we will bring forward
:16:48. > :16:51.proposals in a green paper later this year to put the state funded
:16:52. > :16:56.system on a more sustainable and long-term footing. As Home
:16:57. > :17:00.Secretary, the Prime Minister clearly didn't protect police
:17:01. > :17:07.budgets. Last week she told me four times, we have protected the schools
:17:08. > :17:14.budget. Does she still stand by that statement? We have protected schools
:17:15. > :17:21.budgets, and we are putting record funding into schools. Today, Mr
:17:22. > :17:26.Speaker, the Public Accounts Committee says the Department of
:17:27. > :17:30.Education that it does not seem to understand the pressures that
:17:31. > :17:36.schools are already under. And they went on to say that funding per
:17:37. > :17:41.pupil is reducing in real terms, and goes on to say schools budgets will
:17:42. > :17:51.be cut by ?3 billion, equivalent to 8%, by 2020. Is the Public Accounts
:17:52. > :17:57.Committee wrong on this? What we see over the course of this Parliament
:17:58. > :18:00.is ?230 billion going into our schools. But what matters is the
:18:01. > :18:06.quality of education that we see in our schools. 1.8 million more
:18:07. > :18:09.children in good or outstanding schools, and a policy from this
:18:10. > :18:14.Government to ensure that every child gets a good school plays. Mr
:18:15. > :18:20.Speaker, the daily experience of many parents who have children in
:18:21. > :18:25.schools is that they get letters from the schools asking for money.
:18:26. > :18:28.One parent, Elizabeth, wrote to me to say she has received a letter
:18:29. > :18:33.from her daughter's school asking for a monthly donation to top up the
:18:34. > :18:39.reduced funds that her school is receiving. This Government's cuts to
:18:40. > :18:42.schools are betraying a generation of our children. If the Prime
:18:43. > :18:48.Minister is right, then the parents are wrong, the teachers are wrong,
:18:49. > :18:54.the IFF is wrong, the National Audit Office is wrong, the education
:18:55. > :18:56.policy Institute is wrong and now the Public Accounts Committee, which
:18:57. > :19:01.includes eight Conservative members in it, is also wrong. So which
:19:02. > :19:06.organisation does back the Prime Minister's view on education
:19:07. > :19:10.spending in our schools? I would say to the right honourable gentleman
:19:11. > :19:14.that as I have just said to him, we said we would protect school
:19:15. > :19:17.funding, and we have. A real terms protection for the schools budget.
:19:18. > :19:24.We said we would protect the money following children into schools, and
:19:25. > :19:29.we have, it reaches ?42 billion as pupil numbers rise in 19/ 20. But it
:19:30. > :19:34.is also about the quality of education children are receiving.
:19:35. > :19:37.1.8 million more children in good or outstanding schools than under the
:19:38. > :19:42.Labour government. But I also say this, because time and time again,
:19:43. > :19:45.the gentleman stands up in PMQs and asks questions which would lead to
:19:46. > :19:50.more spending. Let's look at what he has done recently. On the 11th of
:19:51. > :19:56.January, more spending. On the 8th of February, more spending. On the
:19:57. > :20:01.22nd of February, more spending. On the first and the 8th of March, more
:20:02. > :20:06.spending. On the 15th and 22nd of March, more spending. Barely a PMQs
:20:07. > :20:12.goes by that he doesn't call for more public spending. When it comes
:20:13. > :20:16.to spending money that they haven't got, Labour simply can't help
:20:17. > :20:20.themselves. It's the same old Labour, spend today and give
:20:21. > :20:21.somebody else the Bill tomorrow. Well, we won't do that to the next
:20:22. > :20:37.generation. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I'm sure
:20:38. > :20:40.everyone in the House will want to join me in paying tribute to the
:20:41. > :20:45.thousands who worked in munitions factories in both world wars. Often
:20:46. > :20:48.in very dangerous conditions. And they produced a vital equipment for
:20:49. > :20:51.the Armed Forces that helped us to victory. I'm sure my honourable
:20:52. > :20:56.friend will recognise that for practical reasons it is not possible
:20:57. > :20:59.to pursue individual awards, but I know that the Department for
:21:00. > :21:02.Business would be happy to work with him to look at further ways to
:21:03. > :21:07.recognise the collective effort of former munitions workers. I thank my
:21:08. > :21:10.right honourable friend for that answer. These ladies found that the
:21:11. > :21:17.chemicals in the shells turned their skins yellow, and they were
:21:18. > :21:19.nicknamed canary girls. I know my right honourable friend is
:21:20. > :21:22.exceptionally busy at the moment, but could she find just a few
:21:23. > :21:26.moments in her diary to meet me and some of these canary girls to
:21:27. > :21:30.recognise their service? I would be very happy to do that. I would be
:21:31. > :21:35.very happy to meet some canary girls. As I said, they did work
:21:36. > :21:39.which was vital to the war effort. They did work which in one sense was
:21:40. > :21:42.absolutely routine, but in another sense was extremely dangerous, and I
:21:43. > :21:49.think we should recognise the efforts that they put in. Thank you,
:21:50. > :21:55.Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister will be aware that the Welsh Labour
:21:56. > :22:00.government has established a children's funeral fund. Many
:22:01. > :22:03.leading funeral providers have also indicated that there will be no
:22:04. > :22:08.charges for children and young people's funerals. I know the Prime
:22:09. > :22:11.Minister is a compassionate woman, and I know she understands the
:22:12. > :22:18.importance of a children's funeral fund. Will she agree to work with me
:22:19. > :22:23.to establish this fund to bring some comfort to bereaved parents in their
:22:24. > :22:26.darkest hour? I pay tribute to the honourable lady who has been
:22:27. > :22:32.campaigning tirelessly on this issue, and obviously it is not just
:22:33. > :22:34.a passionate campaign, but she has spoken on many occasions moving in
:22:35. > :22:40.this House about her personal experience which she has brought to
:22:41. > :22:44.bear on this issue. I welcome the decision taken by the co-operative
:22:45. > :22:47.funeral company to waive the fees on this. There is some financial
:22:48. > :22:51.support available, we are looking at this issue on the problems faced by
:22:52. > :22:55.parents, and at what more can be done through a cross government
:22:56. > :22:58.piece of work, and I ask the Minister for the Cabinet office who
:22:59. > :23:03.is meeting on that piece of work to meet with us and talk about the
:23:04. > :23:07.idea. As the Prime Minister will know, the budget gave an extra ?200
:23:08. > :23:10.million to the Welsh Labour government in order to provide
:23:11. > :23:14.business rate relief. Will the Prime Minister agree with myself and the
:23:15. > :23:18.leader of Monmouthshire council that Welsh Labour must now commit to
:23:19. > :23:22.spending that money on supporting Welsh businesses and giving the same
:23:23. > :23:28.level of support that has been provided in England by this
:23:29. > :23:32.conservative Government? I say to my honourable friend he is absolutely
:23:33. > :23:34.right. As he said at the budget, my right honourable friend the
:23:35. > :23:40.Chancellor announced a ?200 million boost to the Welsh budget. They will
:23:41. > :23:43.be able to use that money to support their own priorities, but the people
:23:44. > :23:46.of Wales can send a clear signal about these priorities by voting for
:23:47. > :23:51.Conservative councillors like Peter Fox on the 4th of May. And I have to
:23:52. > :23:56.say it is the UK Government actions to support working families
:23:57. > :24:02.throughout the country that will make sure Wales benefits. The
:24:03. > :24:06.Foreign Secretary jury be EU referendum campaign urged people to,
:24:07. > :24:12.and I quote, take back control of huge sums of money, ?350 million per
:24:13. > :24:17.week, and spend it on our priorities such as the NHS. The Prime Minister
:24:18. > :24:23.will trigger article 50 today. Can the Prime Minister confirm precisely
:24:24. > :24:26.when she wants to fulfil the promise made by her Cabinet colleagues who
:24:27. > :24:34.is sitting on the front page smirking at the British public?
:24:35. > :24:56.Order, order, Boris is sitting perfectly comfortably, there is an
:24:57. > :24:59.air of repose about the fellow! Prime Minister.
:25:00. > :25:05.I am very happy to tell the honourable lady that when this
:25:06. > :25:08.country leaves the European Union, we will have control of our budget
:25:09. > :25:15.and we will decide how that money is spent. With modification, schools in
:25:16. > :25:18.my constituency welcome the National funding formula, and given the
:25:19. > :25:23.Leader of the Opposition's intervention, I hope my next
:25:24. > :25:28.question doesn't land me on the naughty step, but given that
:25:29. > :25:32.Stockport schools and other schools have been at the bottom of the
:25:33. > :25:37.funding pile for years, and have less scope for efficiencies, would
:25:38. > :25:42.my right honourable friend consider giving immediate support to them? As
:25:43. > :25:47.my honourable friend is saying, what we are doing is aiming to end the
:25:48. > :25:52.postcode lottery of schools funding, and schools funding is at a record
:25:53. > :25:57.high. In relation to the minimum funding level, as I have said
:25:58. > :26:00.before, the DFE have heard representations on the issue on this
:26:01. > :26:05.national funding formula and will be considering those. There have been a
:26:06. > :26:10.lot of responses to that, but it is a historic and complex reform but
:26:11. > :26:14.there has been general agreement for many years that reform is needed, we
:26:15. > :26:21.want to get this right which is why we are carefully considering it.
:26:22. > :26:25.After nine months of this Prime Minister's approach to Brexit,
:26:26. > :26:29.Northern Ireland is deadlocked, the Welsh are alienated, Scotland is
:26:30. > :26:35.going for a referendum, the English are split down the middle and Brexit
:26:36. > :26:40.MPs are walking out of Commons committees because they don't like
:26:41. > :26:42.home truths. Has the Prime Minister considered in terms of invoking
:26:43. > :27:01.Article 50 that now is not the time? What the UK Government is doing in
:27:02. > :27:04.invoking article 50 is putting into practice the Democratic vote of the
:27:05. > :27:09.British people on the 23rd of June last year in a referendum. There was
:27:10. > :27:14.a referendum in 2014 in Scotland when the Scottish people voted to
:27:15. > :27:16.remain part of the United Kingdom. I suggest The right honourable
:27:17. > :27:24.gentleman and his colleagues put that into practice! Mr Speaker,
:27:25. > :27:29.three quarters of my constituent Umag voted to leave the European
:27:30. > :27:33.Union. Does the Prime Minister agree with me that as she triggers article
:27:34. > :27:38.50, it marks a watershed moment, not only for this country's control of
:27:39. > :27:42.immigration and our sovereignty, but also for listening to the views of
:27:43. > :27:50.people who were forgotten for far too long? I absolutely agree with my
:27:51. > :27:58.honourable friend. Not only are we putting into place the views of the
:27:59. > :28:02.British people as set out in that referendum on the 23rd of June last
:28:03. > :28:06.year, but crucially that was not just a vote about leaving the EU. It
:28:07. > :28:10.was a vote about changing this country for the future, and this
:28:11. > :28:13.Government has a clear plan for Britain that will change this
:28:14. > :28:17.country, that will see us with a more global outlook, a stronger
:28:18. > :28:29.economy, a fairer society and a more united nation. The people expect the
:28:30. > :28:33.Prime Minister to follow her party's manifesto and abide by a majority
:28:34. > :28:39.vote of this Parliament. So why does she say that the First Minister of
:28:40. > :28:48.Scotland should do the opposite? What I say is that at this point in
:28:49. > :28:57.time Dodge at this point in time as we face this historic moment of
:28:58. > :29:03.facing Article 50 and this country's relationship with the European
:29:04. > :29:09.Union, now is the time for us to pull together and not, part. On
:29:10. > :29:13.Friday, thousands of people will be up and down this country raising
:29:14. > :29:23.funds and awareness of brain tumour research. Many of these people will
:29:24. > :29:29.know people someone who have suffered from a brain tumour. It is
:29:30. > :29:33.a bigger cancer killer of children and adults under 40. Will the Prime
:29:34. > :29:36.Minister join me in commending all these people raising awareness and
:29:37. > :29:41.funds and see what more we can do to raise funding for brain tumour
:29:42. > :29:45.research? This is an important area, and I believe in this area the UK
:29:46. > :29:49.does have a good record of research on brain tumours, and that is
:29:50. > :29:54.important, but he is absolutely right. The people who are raising
:29:55. > :29:57.funds for this important cause should be commended, as he says many
:29:58. > :30:01.of them will have had personal experience in one way or another of
:30:02. > :30:05.brain tumours, and I think it is important that we recognise that
:30:06. > :30:10.there are many killers out there which don't often receive the
:30:11. > :30:12.publicity and support of others, and we should recognise their
:30:13. > :30:18.importance, and commend those who are raising funds.
:30:19. > :30:25.Can the Prime Minister said what she is doing to ensure national and
:30:26. > :30:30.local government prioritise the purchasing and buying of British
:30:31. > :30:40.goods and services, although the Home Secretary on police vehicles,
:30:41. > :30:44.does not give us cause for optimism. We have been encouraging the
:30:45. > :30:49.procurement of British goods and services. He asked what we can do
:30:50. > :30:55.for local authorities, if people want local authorities to take their
:30:56. > :31:01.best interests to heart, they should vote Conservative. Can I ask... I
:31:02. > :31:08.congratulate the Prime Minister and invoking Article 50. Does she agree
:31:09. > :31:13.this needs to be the end of the phoney war and posturing and focus
:31:14. > :31:16.now on the detail for every industry, centre and community to
:31:17. > :31:24.get a bespoke deal we can all get behind? I agree with my honourable
:31:25. > :31:28.friend. Now is the time to come together and be united across this
:31:29. > :31:36.House and country to ensure we work for the best deal for the United
:31:37. > :31:40.Kingdom and best future for us all. The Prime Minister has rightly
:31:41. > :31:44.emphasised her determination to deliver for all constituent parts of
:31:45. > :31:48.the United Kingdom on this historic day and while others are content to
:31:49. > :31:53.moan, we want to see that delivery happen and we are confident she will
:31:54. > :31:58.make that happen. In Northern Ireland, where some have walked away
:31:59. > :32:02.from responsibilities in terms of devolution, we want devolution up
:32:03. > :32:07.and running to have a functioning government and we have set no
:32:08. > :32:12.preconditions. If others continue to stay away from devolution and walk
:32:13. > :32:15.away, will she pledged to work more closely with those of us in this
:32:16. > :32:21.House to defend and protect the interests of Northern Ireland? We
:32:22. > :32:25.say that we all want to work together to ensure we can protect
:32:26. > :32:30.the best interests of Northern Ireland. I think that ensuring we
:32:31. > :32:34.have strong devolved government in Northern Ireland is important for
:32:35. > :32:38.the future and so we can build on the significant progress made in
:32:39. > :32:42.recent years for the people of Northern Ireland and I urge all
:32:43. > :32:47.parties to come to the talks with a view to finding a way through so
:32:48. > :32:52.that Northern Ireland once again can be restored to devolved government.
:32:53. > :32:58.With the Prime Minister agree social media companies need to take action
:32:59. > :33:01.to remove extremist and hate material from platforms and to foot
:33:02. > :33:08.the Bill for the police who are currently doing their dirty work at
:33:09. > :33:12.the taxpayers' expense? This question of working with the
:33:13. > :33:16.companies to ensure extremist material is removed as quickly as
:33:17. > :33:21.possible is one that is not new. Through the counterterrorism
:33:22. > :33:27.internet referral unit we have the process to enable the police to take
:33:28. > :33:32.material down. 250,000 pieces of material have been taken down since
:33:33. > :33:36.2010 and there has been increase in that activity in the last couple of
:33:37. > :33:41.years. I know the Home Secretary will be meeting companies this week
:33:42. > :33:46.to talk to them about this important issue. We do not want extremist
:33:47. > :33:50.material on the internet, what we want to see is companies taking
:33:51. > :33:58.action to remove material encouraging hate and division. Late
:33:59. > :34:02.on Saturday night, a massive explosion devastated new ferry in my
:34:03. > :34:08.constituency. We are thinking of those who were hurt. It is a miracle
:34:09. > :34:13.more people were not injured. The community faces dereliction. All the
:34:14. > :34:17.Prime Minister join with me in thanking all of those who looked
:34:18. > :34:21.after my community over the weekend and recent days, and will she
:34:22. > :34:27.arrange a meeting with the Secretary of State who can discuss how the
:34:28. > :34:33.government can help us to rebuild New Ferry. I am happy to do those
:34:34. > :34:39.things. I commend and thank all of those who worked hard in the
:34:40. > :34:44.emergency services and others to support her community when this
:34:45. > :34:48.devastating explosion took place. That work will continue. There will
:34:49. > :34:53.be support I am sure being given to the community in the future and I am
:34:54. > :34:58.happy to ask the Secretary of State to meet her and discuss how that
:34:59. > :35:06.community can be rebuilt and overcome the impact of this
:35:07. > :35:20.explosion. Order. Statement, the Prime Minister.
:35:21. > :35:25.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Today, the government acts on the democratic
:35:26. > :35:32.will of the British people. It acts on the clear and convincing position
:35:33. > :35:36.of this House. A few minutes ago in Brussels, the United Kingdom's
:35:37. > :35:38.permanent representative to the EU handed a letter to the president of
:35:39. > :35:39.the European Council on