:00:00. > :00:00.made it clear that her stands fully to stand up for Scotland's
:00:00. > :00:00.membership of the United Kingdom and against a device of second
:00:00. > :00:23.independence referendum. Mr Speaker, I am sure that members
:00:24. > :00:28.across the house will wish to join me in offering our condolences to
:00:29. > :00:32.the families and friends of Andrea Christie, who died following the
:00:33. > :00:36.London attack, and Chris Bevington, who was among those killed in the
:00:37. > :00:44.terrorist attack in Sweden, and our thoughts are also with the Army and
:00:45. > :00:47.friends often -- of Hannah Bladon, murdered in Jerusalem last week.
:00:48. > :00:53.This week, I had meetings with colleagues and others. I shall have
:00:54. > :00:57.further such meetings later today. I would also like to join the Prime
:00:58. > :01:02.Minister in offering the condolences of the people of south C and myself
:01:03. > :01:04.to the individuals and their families. -- South Leicestershire.
:01:05. > :01:12.Strong countries need strong economies. Strong countries need
:01:13. > :01:23.strong defences. Strong countries need strong leaders. As the nation
:01:24. > :01:27.prepares to go to the polls, as the nation prepares to go to the polls,
:01:28. > :01:34.apart from my right honourable friend, who else in this house can
:01:35. > :01:46.provide the leadership that is needed at this time?
:01:47. > :01:51.My honourable friend is absolutely right. There are three things that a
:01:52. > :01:55.country needs, a strong economy, strong defence and strong, stable
:01:56. > :01:57.leadership. That is what our plans for Brexit and our plans for a
:01:58. > :02:04.stronger Britain will deliver, and that's what the Conservative Party
:02:05. > :02:08.will be offering at this election, and we will be out there, fighting
:02:09. > :02:12.for every vote. Whereas the right honourable gentleman opposite would
:02:13. > :02:26.bankrupt our economy, would weaken our defences and is simply not fit
:02:27. > :02:33.to lead. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I concur with
:02:34. > :02:37.the condolences the Prime Minister just sent to the families of those
:02:38. > :02:42.three people who so sadly and needlessly died, and it's important
:02:43. > :02:45.we recognise that as a cross-party proposal today. I think the Prime
:02:46. > :02:57.Minister for that. We welcome the general election. But... But this...
:02:58. > :03:03.But this is a Prime Minister who promised there would be one. --
:03:04. > :03:11.there would not be won. A Prime Minister cannot be trusted. She says
:03:12. > :03:18.it is about leadership, yet he is refusing to defend her record in
:03:19. > :03:25.television debates. -- yet she is refusing. And it's not hard to see
:03:26. > :03:34.why. The Prime Minister says we have a stronger economy. Yet... Yet she
:03:35. > :03:43.can't explain why people's wages are lower today than they were ten years
:03:44. > :03:50.ago, or why more households are in debt, 6 million people earning less
:03:51. > :03:58.than the living wage, child poverty is up, pensioner poverty is up, so
:03:59. > :04:06.why are so many people getting poorer? Well, I can assure the right
:04:07. > :04:13.honourable gentleman, first of all, I would point out to the honourable
:04:14. > :04:18.gentleman that I have been answering his questions and debating these
:04:19. > :04:22.answers -- debating these matters every Wednesday that Parliament has
:04:23. > :04:26.been sitting since I became Prime Minister, and I will be taking out
:04:27. > :04:32.to the country in this campaign a proud record of a Conservative
:04:33. > :04:41.government. A stronger, -- a stronger economy, and economy with
:04:42. > :04:44.the deficit down, 30 million people with a tax cut, 4 million people
:04:45. > :04:50.taking out an income tax altogether, record levels of employment and
:04:51. > :04:59.?1250 more per year for pensioners. That's a record we can be proud of.
:05:00. > :05:10.Mr Speaker, if she is so proud of her record, why won't she debate it?
:05:11. > :05:18.Wages... Wages are falling. More children are in poverty but in the
:05:19. > :05:24.last Tory manifesto, page 28, it said, we will work to eliminate
:05:25. > :05:28.child poverty. They only eliminated the child poverty targets, not child
:05:29. > :05:34.poverty. In 2010, they promised to eradicate the deficit by 2015. In
:05:35. > :05:39.2015, they promised to eradicate the deficit by 2020. Austerity has
:05:40. > :05:47.failed. So does the Prime Minister know which year the deficit will now
:05:48. > :05:54.be eradicated? The right honourable gentleman, I know that it's taken...
:05:55. > :05:58.I know that it's taken the right honourable gentleman a little time
:05:59. > :06:03.to get the hang of these Prime Minister's Questions, but I have to
:06:04. > :06:06.say to him that week in, week out, he stands up and asks me questions
:06:07. > :06:16.and I respond to those questions, and what... Order, order. The Leader
:06:17. > :06:21.of the Opposition must be heard and the Prime Minister must be heard.
:06:22. > :06:26.Prime Minister. A stronger economy with a deficit two thirds down, but
:06:27. > :06:30.people will have a real choice at this election. They will have a
:06:31. > :06:32.choice between a Conservative government that has shown we can
:06:33. > :06:36.build a stronger economy and a Labour Party whose economic policy
:06:37. > :06:43.would bankrupt this country but what voters know is that, under Labour,
:06:44. > :06:51.its ordinary working people who paid the price of the Labour Party. They
:06:52. > :06:58.hate it with their taxes, -- they pay it with their taxes, with their
:06:59. > :07:02.jobs and their children's futures. Only this year, the new Chancellor
:07:03. > :07:07.pledged to eradicate the deficit by 2022. I do admire Tory consistency
:07:08. > :07:13.but it's always five years in the future. Another Tory broken promise.
:07:14. > :07:19.The Prime Minister leaves a government that has increased
:07:20. > :07:24.national debt by ?700 billion, more than every other Labour government
:07:25. > :07:28.in history put together. Debt has risen every year that they have been
:07:29. > :07:34.in office. We know that their economic plan was long-term. Does
:07:35. > :07:41.the Prime Minister want to tell us how far into the long term it will
:07:42. > :07:45.be before we get debt falling? The right honourable gentleman stand up
:07:46. > :07:49.and he talks about debt. This is a Labour Party that will be going into
:07:50. > :07:56.the election pledged to borrow an extra ?500 billion. And what does
:07:57. > :08:00.that mean for ordinary working people? Well, I'll tell the right
:08:01. > :08:04.honourable gentleman what it means that we know what Labour's lands
:08:05. > :08:11.would entail, because we've been told either former Labour Shadow
:08:12. > :08:14.Chancellor. -- Labour's plans. He said, if Labour were in power, you'd
:08:15. > :08:19.have to double income tax, you'd have to double national insurance,
:08:20. > :08:27.you'd have to double council tax and you'd have to double VAT as well
:08:28. > :08:31.that Labour's plan for the economy. All that her government has
:08:32. > :08:36.delivered, Mr Speaker, is more debt and less funding for schools and
:08:37. > :08:41.hospitals. Schools funding has been cut for the first time in a
:08:42. > :08:45.generation. The Prime Minister is cutting ?3 billion per year from
:08:46. > :08:51.school budgets by 2020 fourth she says they have created a stronger
:08:52. > :08:57.economy. So why are their tax giveaways to the richest
:08:58. > :09:00.corporations, while our children's schools are starved of resources
:09:01. > :09:07.that they need to educate our children for the future? He talks
:09:08. > :09:12.about levels of funding into schools and the NHS. There are record levels
:09:13. > :09:17.of funding going into schools and record levels of funding going into
:09:18. > :09:20.the NHS. But let's just talk about schools, because it's not just a
:09:21. > :09:27.question of funding, it's actually a question of the quality of education
:09:28. > :09:30.provided in the schools. 1.8 million more children are in good or
:09:31. > :09:35.outstanding schools under this Conservative government. That's 1.8
:09:36. > :09:41.million more children with a better chance for their futures. What would
:09:42. > :09:45.Labour give us? He same old, one size fits all, authority run
:09:46. > :09:50.schools. No choice, good or bad, trust your luck. We don't trust to
:09:51. > :09:55.luck and we won't trust the Labour Party. We will provide a good school
:09:56. > :10:00.place for every child. Parents taking their children back to school
:10:01. > :10:02.for the summer term, many will receive a letter from the school
:10:03. > :10:09.begging for funds to buy books and to fund the school. The Conservative
:10:10. > :10:13.manifesto promised the amount of money following your child into
:10:14. > :10:18.school will be protected. It isn't. It's another Tory broken promise.
:10:19. > :10:25.For the first time in its history, NHS funding per pupil, per patient
:10:26. > :10:28.will fall this year. The NHS has been put into an all year round
:10:29. > :10:34.crisis by this government. Why are more people waiting in pain, and
:10:35. > :10:42.millions of elderly people not getting the care and the dignity
:10:43. > :10:47.that they deserve? I'm proud of the record we have on the NHS. We see
:10:48. > :10:53.more doctors, more nurses, more midwives, more GPs, more people
:10:54. > :10:56.being treated in our National Health Service last year than ever before,
:10:57. > :11:03.and record levels of funding going in the NHS. You only can do that
:11:04. > :11:10.with a strong economy. What do we know we'd get from the Labour Party?
:11:11. > :11:14.Bankruptcy and chaos. Mr Speaker, that's a very good reason why we
:11:15. > :11:24.should have a debate about it. Because that is another Tory broken
:11:25. > :11:27.promise, a broken promise of a Tory manifesto which said, they will
:11:28. > :11:33.continue to spend more on the NHS in real terms say that to those waiting
:11:34. > :11:36.in A departments, say that to those who can't leave hospital
:11:37. > :11:44.because social care is not available. Mr Speaker, isn't the
:11:45. > :11:47.truth that, over the last seven years, the Tories have broken every
:11:48. > :11:54.promise on living standards, the deficit, yet, the National Health
:11:55. > :11:58.Service and schools funding? -- debt, the NHS and schools funding.
:11:59. > :12:03.Why should anyone believe a word they say over the next seven weeks?
:12:04. > :12:10.I can assure the right honourable gentleman that I will be out
:12:11. > :12:14.campaigning and taking to voters the message of the record of this
:12:15. > :12:16.Conservative government, but crucially, of our plans to make
:12:17. > :12:22.Brexit a success and to build a stronger Britain for the future, and
:12:23. > :12:26.every vote for the Conservatives will make it harder for those who
:12:27. > :12:30.want to stop me from getting the job done. Every vote for the
:12:31. > :12:35.Conservatives will make me stronger when I negotiate for Britain with
:12:36. > :12:39.the EU, and every vote for the Conservatives will mean that we can
:12:40. > :12:42.stick out plan for a stronger Britain and take the right long-term
:12:43. > :12:49.decisions for a more secure future for this country.
:12:50. > :12:57.Thank you, Mr Speaker. For years, I have been campaigning for fairer
:12:58. > :13:01.funding in Wiltshire schools. Will Prime Minister reaffirm her
:13:02. > :13:06.commitment to this? And to a review of pupil premium to encompass other
:13:07. > :13:10.forms of key disadvantage, such as being a health carer, mental health
:13:11. > :13:14.problems and other bereavement? This way, we can create a country that
:13:15. > :13:18.will work for everyone. My honourable friend raises an
:13:19. > :13:22.important point. I know she has campaigned long and hard in her
:13:23. > :13:26.constituency and worked hard on this and other issues. We want to ensure
:13:27. > :13:30.young people irrespective of background at the opportunity to
:13:31. > :13:34.make the most of their talents, and the point of our reforms is to end
:13:35. > :13:37.the postcode lottery in school funding and support our plans for a
:13:38. > :13:44.fairer society where success is based on merit not privilege. The
:13:45. > :13:48.pupil premium is worth ?2.5 billion per year. It is an important part of
:13:49. > :13:52.policy because it gives schools extra support for pupils from
:13:53. > :13:55.disadvantaged backgrounds. But I think it is right that schools are
:13:56. > :14:01.best placed to prioritise the needs of their pupils and can use their
:14:02. > :14:08.funding to ensure they support any pupil facing disadvantage, financial
:14:09. > :14:10.or otherwise. May I join in the condolences extended by the Prime
:14:11. > :14:18.Minister and the leader of the Labour Party. Mr Speaker, the tone
:14:19. > :14:21.and content of Democratic debates, including a general election, is
:14:22. > :14:27.very important to all of us. Does the Prime Minister Trudeau political
:14:28. > :14:31.opponents are not saboteurs, and all electric mainstream parties and
:14:32. > :14:36.parliamentarians have a mandate, and that should be respected? -- elected
:14:37. > :14:41.mainstream parties. In this House and in this Parliament, it is right
:14:42. > :14:44.that we have proper debate and scrutiny of proposals put forward by
:14:45. > :14:49.the Government, and that arguments on both sides of the House are
:14:50. > :14:51.rightly challenged. And those discussions take place. But I said
:14:52. > :14:56.to the right honourable gentleman that what the British able, the
:14:57. > :15:01.people of the UK voted for last year, was for the UK to leave the
:15:02. > :15:08.European Union. -- the British people. There is no turning back.
:15:09. > :15:12.But it is clear from statements made by the Scottish Nationalists and
:15:13. > :15:16.others that they do want to use this House to try to frustrate that
:15:17. > :15:21.process. I will be asking the British people for a mandate to
:15:22. > :15:26.complete Brexit and to make a success of it. It's disappointing
:15:27. > :15:30.the Prime Minister didn't take the opportunity to condemn the
:15:31. > :15:36.intemperate language when describing either Democratic politicians. There
:15:37. > :15:38.is heckling from the other side and the Prime Minister should take the
:15:39. > :15:44.opportunity to underline something we should all agree on, that
:15:45. > :15:47.describing people in the way we have read in some daily newspapers by
:15:48. > :15:51.leading politicians is not acceptable. Most people know that
:15:52. > :15:56.the reason why we are having a general election is because of the
:15:57. > :16:01.woeful state of the Labour Party. If the Prime Minister is so confident
:16:02. > :16:07.that her hard Brexit pro austerity, anti-immigration case is right, she
:16:08. > :16:09.should debate it with opposition leaders during the campaign. We look
:16:10. > :16:15.forward to the straight fight between the SNP and the Tories, can
:16:16. > :16:18.the Prime Minister tell the people why she is running scared of a
:16:19. > :16:27.televised debate with Nicola Sturgeon? First of all, can I say to
:16:28. > :16:30.the right honourable gentleman, one of the crucial thing is we have in
:16:31. > :16:34.this country that underpins democracy is a free press. I believe
:16:35. > :16:39.that is important and that people in this chamber should stand up for the
:16:40. > :16:43.freedom of the press. As for the TV debates, I can assure the right
:16:44. > :16:48.honourable gentleman that I will be out there, campaigning in every part
:16:49. > :16:52.of the United Kingdom, taking our proud record of a Conservative
:16:53. > :16:56.government that has delivered for every part of the United Kingdom.
:16:57. > :16:57.And I might suggest to the Scottish Nationalists that actually now is
:16:58. > :17:11.the time for them to put aside... Wait for it. Now is the time for
:17:12. > :17:15.them to put aside their tunnel vision on independence. And actually
:17:16. > :17:18.explain to the Scottish people why, under the SNP, they are not putting
:17:19. > :17:23.as much money into the health service as they have been given from
:17:24. > :17:26.the UK. They are not exercising the powers they have been given, and
:17:27. > :17:28.Scottish education is getting worse. It's time they got back to their day
:17:29. > :17:41.job. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I also
:17:42. > :17:45.welcome the announcement from the Prime Minister yesterday and I look
:17:46. > :17:52.forward to the general election, and taking my positive message to my
:17:53. > :17:56.constituents. Over the last two years, I have pressed for
:17:57. > :17:59.first-class transport infrastructure in Cheadle, and this week I launched
:18:00. > :18:03.a transport survey so my constituents can have their say on
:18:04. > :18:07.what is needed to keep them moving and for us to be at the heart of the
:18:08. > :18:13.Northern Powerhouse. Does my right honourable friend agree that
:18:14. > :18:19.residents in Cheadle need to vote Conservative on June 8th to continue
:18:20. > :18:24.getting investment in transport and infrastructure, not only in Cheadle
:18:25. > :18:28.but across the Northwest? I absolutely agree with my honourable
:18:29. > :18:31.friend on that point. I know she has been working very hard for her
:18:32. > :18:39.constituents in Cheadle on this transport issue and others. It is
:18:40. > :18:42.under this government that we are investing ?290 million to improve
:18:43. > :18:45.transport links to Manchester Airport through Cheadle, and ?2.1
:18:46. > :18:48.million committed to improving walking and cycling routes around
:18:49. > :18:53.the Cheadle Hume district centre. That is why the choice is clear. If
:18:54. > :18:57.you want to see that funding into infrastructure, we need a strong
:18:58. > :19:03.economy and only the Conservatives can deliver that strong economy.
:19:04. > :19:06.Because of the Prime Minister'schanges to education
:19:07. > :19:09.funding, every school in the country will face real terms cuts.
:19:10. > :19:17.Manchester is hit harder than anywhere outside London... With
:19:18. > :19:22.Chorlton high school and another in my constituency each losing the
:19:23. > :19:26.equivalent of over 30 teachers. So I asked the Prime Minister the same
:19:27. > :19:30.question a head teacher asked me. What would the Prime Minister cut to
:19:31. > :19:37.balance the books? What subjects which you choose to sack teachers
:19:38. > :19:38.from? As the honourable gentleman knows, there are record levels of
:19:39. > :19:49.funding going into our schools. Everybody across this House has
:19:50. > :19:53.recognised for many years that the current funding formula is not fair
:19:54. > :19:56.across the country. And it's necessary for us to look for a
:19:57. > :20:01.fairer funding formula. We have consulted on that and will be
:20:02. > :20:05.responding to that consultation. But I say to the honourable gentleman,
:20:06. > :20:09.as he faces up to the election, I note that last year he failed to
:20:10. > :20:14.back, he opposed the leader of his party... If he wasn't willing to
:20:15. > :20:15.support him as leader of his party, why should his voters support him as
:20:16. > :20:26.leader of the country? Thank you, Mr Speaker. The only way
:20:27. > :20:30.to fund crucial infrastructure is with a strong economy. To that end,
:20:31. > :20:33.does my right honourable friend agree that the St James link road in
:20:34. > :20:38.Northampton would help with traffic flow in the town and on the
:20:39. > :20:41.development in the enterprise zone, and will the next Conservative
:20:42. > :20:47.government continue to support me as the MP in backing the scheme? My
:20:48. > :20:51.honourable friend is absolutely right that you need to have a strong
:20:52. > :20:56.economy to be able to fund that crucial infrastructure. That's why,
:20:57. > :21:01.since 2015, we have increased annual investment in economic
:21:02. > :21:06.infrastructure by almost 60%, ?22 billion by 2021, including ?2.6
:21:07. > :21:09.billion for improvements in transport projects. I am happy to
:21:10. > :21:12.see the link road proposal being put forward by his local LEP, which I
:21:13. > :21:16.think will improve access to business and unlock development in
:21:17. > :21:20.the area. My honourable friend has worked hard to see this happen and I
:21:21. > :21:28.am sure he will continue to campaign on issues like that which matter so
:21:29. > :21:33.much to his constituents. Recent changes to housing benefit
:21:34. > :21:38.entitlement for 18-21 olds will affect 195 young people in Merthyr
:21:39. > :21:41.Tydfil. The Government is constantly challenging people to leave benefits
:21:42. > :21:45.for the world of work, but we are concerned these changes will be a
:21:46. > :21:49.major barrier to learning and training for youngsters who do not
:21:50. > :21:52.have a safe and secure environment at home. Does the Prime Minister
:21:53. > :21:56.agree we should do everything we can to help young people in the job
:21:57. > :21:59.market, including offering financial support for housing? And will she
:22:00. > :22:04.pledged to strengthen the guidelines so no more young people risk falling
:22:05. > :22:08.through the net and ending up on the streets? The principle behind what
:22:09. > :22:13.is being done in terms of the change in housing benefit is right, which
:22:14. > :22:18.is to say it's only fair that people who are not able to make decisions
:22:19. > :22:22.when they are on benefits, that they wouldn't be able to make when they
:22:23. > :22:27.are in work. But it is right that we ensure for those young people for
:22:28. > :22:31.whom staying at home, for whom there is a particular difficulty are
:22:32. > :22:36.supported through the system, so significant exceptions have taken
:22:37. > :22:44.place, and we recognise that need. Closed question, Mr Philip
:22:45. > :22:49.Hollobone. I would be happy to visit the Kettering constituency in future
:22:50. > :22:56.if my diary allows. I suspect in the next few weeks I will be visiting
:22:57. > :22:58.quite a few constituencies. Life for ordinary working families is harder
:22:59. > :23:05.than many people at Westminster realise. You have a job but not
:23:06. > :23:08.necessarily job security. You are just about managing but you are
:23:09. > :23:13.worried about the cost of living and getting your kids into a good
:23:14. > :23:16.school. You are doing your best and a Conservative government will do
:23:17. > :23:20.all it can to make sure you have more control over your life. Mr
:23:21. > :23:24.Speaker, these were the inspiring words of the Prime Minister when she
:23:25. > :23:31.took office last July. Will the Prime Minister come to Kettering,
:23:32. > :23:35.Britain's most average town, and repeat these, her core beliefs?
:23:36. > :23:39.Because if she does so, I know she will be warmly and widely acclaimed
:23:40. > :23:46.as the Prime Minister this country needs for the next five years.
:23:47. > :23:50.Well, my honourable friend is absolutely right to highlight
:23:51. > :23:54.ordinary working families who do rely on the Government to provide
:23:55. > :23:59.stability and certainty for them. And that's what this Conservative
:24:00. > :24:02.government has done. We have supported jobs through significant
:24:03. > :24:07.new investment in skills. We have invested in public services like
:24:08. > :24:11.childcare and the NHS. And we have enhanced consumer protections. I am
:24:12. > :24:16.happy to repeat the words I said outside Downing Street on July 13th
:24:17. > :24:19.last year, but it's Conservatives in government that have delivered
:24:20. > :24:24.strong and stable leadership and that is the message I will take to
:24:25. > :24:29.the country during this election. Does the Prime Minister support the
:24:30. > :24:35.people of Darlington when they oppose the downgrading of their A
:24:36. > :24:42.and maternity services? They want an answer they can trust, Prime
:24:43. > :24:46.Minister. Is it yes or no? The proposals for the configuration of
:24:47. > :24:49.health services in local areas is a matter that is being determined by
:24:50. > :24:56.local permissions in the best interests of services in the local
:24:57. > :25:01.area. But I am interested, the honourable lady refers to the views
:25:02. > :25:06.of her constituents in Darlington. She has said, the Leader of the
:25:07. > :25:09.Opposition, the leader of her party, my constituents in Darlington have
:25:10. > :25:14.made it clear to me they cannot support the Labour Party under your
:25:15. > :25:15.leadership. How can they possibly support him as leader of the
:25:16. > :25:24.country? Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can I welcome
:25:25. > :25:28.the fact that because the Conservatives have managed the
:25:29. > :25:32.economy so well, there is record funding... In East Sussex, for
:25:33. > :25:36.example, some of the best performing schools in the country, they are set
:25:37. > :25:41.to receive an increase of 3%. However in Lewes in my constituency,
:25:42. > :25:45.many small, normal primary schools are set to see a reduction. Could
:25:46. > :25:49.the Prime Minister look at the issue of rural primary school funding so
:25:50. > :25:54.we can even out fairer distribution of the money? She is absolute right
:25:55. > :25:58.to point out the record levels of funding going into schools. It is
:25:59. > :26:02.also the case, as I said earlier, that there has been over the years a
:26:03. > :26:06.general acceptance across this House that the current system of funding
:26:07. > :26:10.is not there in certain parts of the country. That is why we want to end
:26:11. > :26:14.the postcode lottery and look at a system that is fairer and more
:26:15. > :26:19.up-to-date. A system that will support our plan for a society where
:26:20. > :26:24.progress is based on merit, not privilege. I am happy to look at the
:26:25. > :26:28.concerns, I recognise small rural schools have particular issues and I
:26:29. > :26:31.am happy to look at those two ensure we get funding right and we can
:26:32. > :26:40.spread the money as fairly as possible. Every school in my area is
:26:41. > :26:45.facing a massive budget cut. Why is a child there worth less than a
:26:46. > :26:54.child in Tory heartlands in the South? We currently have a situation
:26:55. > :26:58.where there are significant sums of money going into children in certain
:26:59. > :27:04.schools, sometimes double the amount of money going to a child in another
:27:05. > :27:08.school. We need to find a fairer system. We have consulted on that
:27:09. > :27:14.system and we will be responding to that system. But I note from the
:27:15. > :27:17.honourable gentleman about what he has said about his leader, the
:27:18. > :27:24.leader of his party, the Leader of the Opposition. He said, he's not
:27:25. > :27:27.fit to rule. The public see this is a man who doesn't take
:27:28. > :27:32.responsibility serious lie. And he can't take the party forward other
:27:33. > :27:34.than in a divisive way. -- serious and dry. If we can't take the party
:27:35. > :27:45.forward, how can he hope to take Small businesses provide the lion's
:27:46. > :27:48.share of jobs in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The difficulties of
:27:49. > :27:52.attracting credit, rising operational costs and red tape make
:27:53. > :27:54.running a small business increasingly difficult. What can the
:27:55. > :28:00.Prime Minister do to help these small businesses so that they can
:28:01. > :28:06.continue to be the engine of rural economies like west Cornwall's? My
:28:07. > :28:10.honourable friend is absolutely right that small businesses are the
:28:11. > :28:14.engine of the economy. I know he has been a champion for small businesses
:28:15. > :28:20.in his constituency, and he recognises that, if we are going to
:28:21. > :28:26.insure we can create those jobs, we want to encourage small businesses.
:28:27. > :28:29.That is why at the budget the Chancellor provided ?435 million to
:28:30. > :28:34.support businesses in England facing the steepest business rate
:28:35. > :28:37.increases. It is why we have cut business rates by nearly ?9 million,
:28:38. > :28:41.we will do over the next five years, and why we have listened to small
:28:42. > :28:47.businesses and given an extra year to prepare for making tax discs --
:28:48. > :28:50.making tax digital for over 3 million businesses. I recognised the
:28:51. > :28:53.importance of small businesses in Cornwall and I look forward to
:28:54. > :28:55.visiting Cornwall and being able to talk to him and others about the
:28:56. > :29:05.importance of small businesses in there. Can I join with the Prime
:29:06. > :29:10.Minister, with the expressions of condolence led by the Prime Minister
:29:11. > :29:17.early on? This election can change the direction of our country, from
:29:18. > :29:21.the consequences of potential hard Brexit outside the single market to
:29:22. > :29:25.the future of our NHS and social care. Our schools and our
:29:26. > :29:32.environment. The British public deserve to hear the party leaders
:29:33. > :29:36.set out their plans and debate them publicly, but the Prime Minister has
:29:37. > :29:41.refused to take part in televised leaders debates. The Prime Minister
:29:42. > :29:48.and I, back in 1992, debated publicly, forcibly and amicably when
:29:49. > :29:57.we were both candidates together. Indeed, Mr Speaker, the Prime
:29:58. > :30:04.Minister called out the then incumbent, who didn't show up for
:30:05. > :30:10.the debate. Why will she not debate those issues publicly now? What is
:30:11. > :30:14.she scared of? I can assure the honourable gentleman that I will be
:30:15. > :30:17.debating these issues publicly across the country, as well every
:30:18. > :30:22.single member of the Conservative team. We will be taking a proud
:30:23. > :30:25.record of the Conservative government but, more than that, we
:30:26. > :30:29.will be taking our plans for the future of this country, for making
:30:30. > :30:33.Brexit a success in delivering a stronger Britain. He talks about the
:30:34. > :30:38.possibility of changing the future of this country. What do we know
:30:39. > :30:44.that the leader of Labour, the Lib Dems and the Scottish Nationalists
:30:45. > :30:49.have in common? Corbynite, Farron and sturgeon. They want to unite
:30:50. > :30:57.together and divide our country and we will not let them do it. The
:30:58. > :31:04.government wishes to pursue a national industrial strategy.
:31:05. > :31:07.Cumbria has some specific strengths, such as tourism, agriculture,
:31:08. > :31:12.nuclear among others, but also some weaknesses. In the next parliament
:31:13. > :31:15.would the Prime Minister agree that any industrial strategy must take
:31:16. > :31:18.into account regional and subregional factors, and would she
:31:19. > :31:24.be receptive to a Cumbrian strategy that works within a national one? My
:31:25. > :31:28.honourable friend 's body to an important part of our plans for the
:31:29. > :31:32.future of Britain, the modern industrial strategy. We want an
:31:33. > :31:37.economy that works for everyone, that delivers good, high skilled,
:31:38. > :31:42.high-paid jobs and create conditions for a competitive, world leading
:31:43. > :31:46.business to prosper in the UK. But he is right, as we look at that
:31:47. > :31:50.industrial strategy, we need to look at the particular factors in parts
:31:51. > :31:54.of the country. He has long been a champion not just for Carlisle but
:31:55. > :31:57.for Cumbria, and I recognise the need, as does the business
:31:58. > :32:00.department, as we look at that industrial strategy to tailor it
:32:01. > :32:08.according to the needs of particular areas. The Prime Minister yesterday
:32:09. > :32:11.said she was calling a general election because Parliament was
:32:12. > :32:18.blocking Brexit but but three quarters of MPs and two thirds of
:32:19. > :32:24.the laws voted for Article 50, so that isn't true, is it? A month ago,
:32:25. > :32:29.she told her official spokesman to rule out an early general election,
:32:30. > :32:33.and that wasn't true either, was it? She wants us to believe that she is
:32:34. > :32:50.a woman of her word. Isn't the truth that we can't believe a single word?
:32:51. > :33:00.Order, order. The house is rather overexcited. The question has been
:33:01. > :33:08.heard. The answer will be heard. Prime Minister. This house and this
:33:09. > :33:13.Parliament voted to trigger Article 50, but the Labour Party made it
:33:14. > :33:19.clear that they were thinking of voting against the final deal. The
:33:20. > :33:25.Scottish Nationalists... The Scottish... The Scottish
:33:26. > :33:29.Nationalists... The Scottish Nationalists have said that they
:33:30. > :33:33.will vote against the legislation necessary to leave the European
:33:34. > :33:37.Union. The Liberal Democrats say they are going to grind government
:33:38. > :33:41.to a standstill, and the House of Lords have threatened to stop us
:33:42. > :33:46.every inch of the way I think is right now to ask the British people
:33:47. > :33:50.to put their trust in me and the Conservative Party to deliver on
:33:51. > :33:54.their vote last year, a Brexit plan that will make a successful this
:33:55. > :34:03.country and deliver a stronger, fairer global Britain in the future.
:34:04. > :34:06.Mr Speaker, I see rats and fly-tipping as a result of beans
:34:07. > :34:15.having not been emptied for up to three weeks across Lib Dem Ryan
:34:16. > :34:17.Sutton. -- Lib Dem run Sutton. That follows a shambolic change to refuse
:34:18. > :34:25.collections. Does my right honourable friend agree that
:34:26. > :34:29.accepting greater delegated powers, elected councillors must plan
:34:30. > :34:31.changes carefully and take full responsibility as accountable
:34:32. > :34:38.representatives when things go wrong? I don't know about the
:34:39. > :34:40.howling of derision coming from the opposition benches, because my
:34:41. > :34:44.honourable friend raises an important point on an issue that
:34:45. > :34:48.actually matters to people up and down the country, and it is our goal
:34:49. > :34:53.to dues littering in England to make sure that our high streets and
:34:54. > :34:56.villages, our parks and green places, that they are pleasant. We
:34:57. > :35:01.have published the first ever national litter strategy for England
:35:02. > :35:07.and we are supporting comprehensive and frequent bin collections, but
:35:08. > :35:10.from what he says, that the Liberal Democrats run Sutton council is
:35:11. > :35:13.doing, it shows that the Liberal Democrats charge the highest council
:35:14. > :35:22.taxes but, under the Lib Dems, you pay more and you get less. Will the
:35:23. > :35:25.Prime Minister join the Scottish Government, North Ayrshire Council
:35:26. > :35:33.and all Ayrshire local authorities and pledge today to support the
:35:34. > :35:36.Ayrshire growth deal, requiring ?250 billion of investment targeted to
:35:37. > :35:42.regenerate Ayrshire and improve the lives and prospects of all the
:35:43. > :35:46.people of Ayrshire? -- ?250 million. Is the honourable lady will know, we
:35:47. > :35:50.have already shown our commitment to growth deals in Scotland from the
:35:51. > :35:53.deals that have been agreed. I understand the Secretary of State
:35:54. > :35:56.for Scotland has met with the Scottish Government to discuss the
:35:57. > :35:58.growth deal for Ayrshire she has referred to, and we are in
:35:59. > :36:03.discussion about it. We have already shown our commitment through the
:36:04. > :36:11.deals that have already been struck, for example, for Aberdeen. As part
:36:12. > :36:17.of Southend's celebrations as the alternative city of culture, on the
:36:18. > :36:20.morning of Monday the eighth -- Monday the 1st of May, stilt walkers
:36:21. > :36:28.will book nonstop from Southend to number ten Downing St to raise money
:36:29. > :36:31.for the region -- the music meant project to help people with Downing
:36:32. > :36:34.-- people with learning difficulties and a charity for child refugees.
:36:35. > :36:38.Would my right honourable friend arranged on the morning of Tuesday
:36:39. > :36:43.the 2nd of May for somebody on her behalf to receive the stilt walkers
:36:44. > :36:51.and accept from Southend's town crier the proclamation that, in
:36:52. > :37:00.this, the 125th anniversary of the founding of the borough, Southend be
:37:01. > :37:04.declared a city? Can I say to my honourable friend that, when I first
:37:05. > :37:09.heard this issue of the stilt walkers, I thought it sounded a bit
:37:10. > :37:12.of a tall order myself. But I am sure they will be making great
:37:13. > :37:17.strides as they approach Downing Street, and we will look carefully
:37:18. > :37:19.at that. I am pleased to hear what he says about Southend's
:37:20. > :37:22.celebrations but also the efforts being made to raise money for
:37:23. > :37:27.important causes, and we will certainly look into what can be done
:37:28. > :37:37.in Downing Street when they arrive. Will the Prime Minister give a
:37:38. > :37:44.guarantee that no Tory MP who is under investigation by the police
:37:45. > :37:51.and the legal authorities over election expenses in the last
:37:52. > :37:58.general election be a candidate in this election because, if she won't
:37:59. > :38:09.accept that, this is the most squalid election campaign that has
:38:10. > :38:12.happened in my lifetime? I stand by all the Conservative MPs who are in
:38:13. > :38:18.this house and who will be out there, standing again, campaigning,
:38:19. > :38:26.campaigning for a Conservative government that will give a brighter
:38:27. > :38:33.and better future for this country. I am proud that my party in
:38:34. > :38:38.government has ensured that we fulfil in this country our
:38:39. > :38:43.commitment to Nato, to spend 2% on defence, and our commitment to the
:38:44. > :38:50.UN, to spend 0.7% of GDP on overseas aid. Will my right honourable friend
:38:51. > :38:55.please omit a future Conservative government to do the same? -- please
:38:56. > :39:00.commit. My right honourable friend is correct. We have committed to
:39:01. > :39:04.meet our Nato pledge of 2% being spent on defence every year this
:39:05. > :39:08.decade. We are to bring on it. We have a 36 billion defence budget,
:39:09. > :39:13.rising to almost 40 billion by 20-21, the biggest in Europe and the
:39:14. > :39:19.second-largest in Nato. We are meeting our commitment to spend 0.7%
:39:20. > :39:23.of GM eye on overseas development assistance, and I can assure my
:39:24. > :39:28.honourable friend that we remain committed as a Conservative Party to
:39:29. > :39:40.ensuring that we ensure for the defence and security of this country
:39:41. > :39:44.and work for a stronger world. Schools in Westchester already
:39:45. > :39:47.underfunding by ?400 per pupil on average before the new fair funding
:39:48. > :39:52.formula came in, and now every school in Chester is cutting staff
:39:53. > :39:59.and racing class sizes. That is the education budget. Can she explained
:40:00. > :40:01.the house why is it that the national fair funding formula
:40:02. > :40:09.provides neither fairness nor funding? As I have said in this
:40:10. > :40:13.chamber before, we need to look at the funding formula. We have
:40:14. > :40:17.published proposals and consulted on them and, in due course, the
:40:18. > :40:21.government will respond to those proposals for fair funding. I was
:40:22. > :40:23.interested to see the honourable gentleman being interviewed
:40:24. > :40:29.yesterday and being asked whether he would put a photograph of his leader
:40:30. > :40:32.on the election literature, and he said that the only photo he wanted
:40:33. > :40:33.on his literature was his own. He wasn't prepared to support the
:40:34. > :40:37.leader of his party.