19/04/2017 Prime Minister's Questions

made it clear that her stands fully to stand up for Scotland's

membership of the United Kingdom and against a device of second

independence referendum. Mr Speaker, I am sure that members

across the house will wish to join me in offering our condolences to

the families and friends of Andrea Christie, who died following the

London attack, and Chris Bevington, who was among those killed in the

terrorist attack in Sweden, and our thoughts are also with the Army and

friends often -- of Hannah Bladon, murdered in Jerusalem last week.

This week, I had meetings with colleagues and others. I shall have

further such meetings later today. I would also like to join the Prime

Minister in offering the condolences of the people of south C and myself

to the individuals and their families. -- South Leicestershire.

Strong countries need strong economies. Strong countries need

strong defences. Strong countries need strong leaders. As the nation

prepares to go to the polls, as the nation prepares to go to the polls,

apart from my right honourable friend, who else in this house can

provide the leadership that is needed at this time?

My honourable friend is absolutely right. There are three things that a

country needs, a strong economy, strong defence and strong, stable

leadership. That is what our plans for Brexit and our plans for a

stronger Britain will deliver, and that's what the Conservative Party

will be offering at this election, and we will be out there, fighting

for every vote. Whereas the right honourable gentleman opposite would

bankrupt our economy, would weaken our defences and is simply not fit

to lead. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I concur with

the condolences the Prime Minister just sent to the families of those

three people who so sadly and needlessly died, and it's important

we recognise that as a cross-party proposal today. I think the Prime

Minister for that. We welcome the general election. But... But this...

But this is a Prime Minister who promised there would be one. --

there would not be won. A Prime Minister cannot be trusted. She says

it is about leadership, yet he is refusing to defend her record in

television debates. -- yet she is refusing. And it's not hard to see

why. The Prime Minister says we have a stronger economy. Yet... Yet she

can't explain why people's wages are lower today than they were ten years

ago, or why more households are in debt, 6 million people earning less

than the living wage, child poverty is up, pensioner poverty is up, so

why are so many people getting poorer? Well, I can assure the right

honourable gentleman, first of all, I would point out to the honourable

gentleman that I have been answering his questions and debating these

answers -- debating these matters every Wednesday that Parliament has

been sitting since I became Prime Minister, and I will be taking out

to the country in this campaign a proud record of a Conservative

government. A stronger, -- a stronger economy, and economy with

the deficit down, 30 million people with a tax cut, 4 million people

taking out an income tax altogether, record levels of employment and

?1250 more per year for pensioners. That's a record we can be proud of.

Mr Speaker, if she is so proud of her record, why won't she debate it?

Wages... Wages are falling. More children are in poverty but in the

last Tory manifesto, page 28, it said, we will work to eliminate

child poverty. They only eliminated the child poverty targets, not child

poverty. In 2010, they promised to eradicate the deficit by 2015. In

2015, they promised to eradicate the deficit by 2020. Austerity has

failed. So does the Prime Minister know which year the deficit will now

be eradicated? The right honourable gentleman, I know that it's taken...

I know that it's taken the right honourable gentleman a little time

to get the hang of these Prime Minister's Questions, but I have to

say to him that week in, week out, he stands up and asks me questions

and I respond to those questions, and what... Order, order. The Leader

of the Opposition must be heard and the Prime Minister must be heard.

Prime Minister. A stronger economy with a deficit two thirds down, but

people will have a real choice at this election. They will have a

choice between a Conservative government that has shown we can

build a stronger economy and a Labour Party whose economic policy

would bankrupt this country but what voters know is that, under Labour,

its ordinary working people who paid the price of the Labour Party. They

hate it with their taxes, -- they pay it with their taxes, with their

jobs and their children's futures. Only this year, the new Chancellor

pledged to eradicate the deficit by 2022. I do admire Tory consistency

but it's always five years in the future. Another Tory broken promise.

The Prime Minister leaves a government that has increased

national debt by ?700 billion, more than every other Labour government

in history put together. Debt has risen every year that they have been

in office. We know that their economic plan was long-term. Does

the Prime Minister want to tell us how far into the long term it will

be before we get debt falling? The right honourable gentleman stand up

and he talks about debt. This is a Labour Party that will be going into

the election pledged to borrow an extra ?500 billion. And what does

that mean for ordinary working people? Well, I'll tell the right

honourable gentleman what it means that we know what Labour's lands

would entail, because we've been told either former Labour Shadow

Chancellor. -- Labour's plans. He said, if Labour were in power, you'd

have to double income tax, you'd have to double national insurance,

you'd have to double council tax and you'd have to double VAT as well

that Labour's plan for the economy. All that her government has

delivered, Mr Speaker, is more debt and less funding for schools and

hospitals. Schools funding has been cut for the first time in a

generation. The Prime Minister is cutting ?3 billion per year from

school budgets by 2020 fourth she says they have created a stronger

economy. So why are their tax giveaways to the richest

corporations, while our children's schools are starved of resources

that they need to educate our children for the future? He talks

about levels of funding into schools and the NHS. There are record levels

of funding going into schools and record levels of funding going into

the NHS. But let's just talk about schools, because it's not just a

question of funding, it's actually a question of the quality of education

provided in the schools. 1.8 million more children are in good or

outstanding schools under this Conservative government. That's 1.8

million more children with a better chance for their futures. What would

Labour give us? He same old, one size fits all, authority run

schools. No choice, good or bad, trust your luck. We don't trust to

luck and we won't trust the Labour Party. We will provide a good school

place for every child. Parents taking their children back to school

for the summer term, many will receive a letter from the school

begging for funds to buy books and to fund the school. The Conservative

manifesto promised the amount of money following your child into

school will be protected. It isn't. It's another Tory broken promise.

For the first time in its history, NHS funding per pupil, per patient

will fall this year. The NHS has been put into an all year round

crisis by this government. Why are more people waiting in pain, and

millions of elderly people not getting the care and the dignity

that they deserve? I'm proud of the record we have on the NHS. We see

more doctors, more nurses, more midwives, more GPs, more people

being treated in our National Health Service last year than ever before,

and record levels of funding going in the NHS. You only can do that

with a strong economy. What do we know we'd get from the Labour Party?

Bankruptcy and chaos. Mr Speaker, that's a very good reason why we

should have a debate about it. Because that is another Tory broken

promise, a broken promise of a Tory manifesto which said, they will

continue to spend more on the NHS in real terms say that to those waiting

in A departments, say that to those who can't leave hospital

because social care is not available. Mr Speaker, isn't the

truth that, over the last seven years, the Tories have broken every

promise on living standards, the deficit, yet, the National Health

Service and schools funding? -- debt, the NHS and schools funding.

Why should anyone believe a word they say over the next seven weeks?

I can assure the right honourable gentleman that I will be out

campaigning and taking to voters the message of the record of this

Conservative government, but crucially, of our plans to make

Brexit a success and to build a stronger Britain for the future, and

every vote for the Conservatives will make it harder for those who

want to stop me from getting the job done. Every vote for the

Conservatives will make me stronger when I negotiate for Britain with

the EU, and every vote for the Conservatives will mean that we can

stick out plan for a stronger Britain and take the right long-term

decisions for a more secure future for this country.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. For years, I have been campaigning for fairer

funding in Wiltshire schools. Will Prime Minister reaffirm her

commitment to this? And to a review of pupil premium to encompass other

forms of key disadvantage, such as being a health carer, mental health

problems and other bereavement? This way, we can create a country that

will work for everyone. My honourable friend raises an

important point. I know she has campaigned long and hard in her

constituency and worked hard on this and other issues. We want to ensure

young people irrespective of background at the opportunity to

make the most of their talents, and the point of our reforms is to end

the postcode lottery in school funding and support our plans for a

fairer society where success is based on merit not privilege. The

pupil premium is worth ?2.5 billion per year. It is an important part of

policy because it gives schools extra support for pupils from

disadvantaged backgrounds. But I think it is right that schools are

best placed to prioritise the needs of their pupils and can use their

funding to ensure they support any pupil facing disadvantage, financial

or otherwise. May I join in the condolences extended by the Prime

Minister and the leader of the Labour Party. Mr Speaker, the tone

and content of Democratic debates, including a general election, is

very important to all of us. Does the Prime Minister Trudeau political

opponents are not saboteurs, and all electric mainstream parties and

parliamentarians have a mandate, and that should be respected? -- elected

mainstream parties. In this House and in this Parliament, it is right

that we have proper debate and scrutiny of proposals put forward by

the Government, and that arguments on both sides of the House are

rightly challenged. And those discussions take place. But I said

to the right honourable gentleman that what the British able, the

people of the UK voted for last year, was for the UK to leave the

European Union. -- the British people. There is no turning back.

But it is clear from statements made by the Scottish Nationalists and

others that they do want to use this House to try to frustrate that

process. I will be asking the British people for a mandate to

complete Brexit and to make a success of it. It's disappointing

the Prime Minister didn't take the opportunity to condemn the

intemperate language when describing either Democratic politicians. There

is heckling from the other side and the Prime Minister should take the

opportunity to underline something we should all agree on, that

describing people in the way we have read in some daily newspapers by

leading politicians is not acceptable. Most people know that

the reason why we are having a general election is because of the

woeful state of the Labour Party. If the Prime Minister is so confident

that her hard Brexit pro austerity, anti-immigration case is right, she

should debate it with opposition leaders during the campaign. We look

forward to the straight fight between the SNP and the Tories, can

the Prime Minister tell the people why she is running scared of a

televised debate with Nicola Sturgeon? First of all, can I say to

the right honourable gentleman, one of the crucial thing is we have in

this country that underpins democracy is a free press. I believe

that is important and that people in this chamber should stand up for the

freedom of the press. As for the TV debates, I can assure the right

honourable gentleman that I will be out there, campaigning in every part

of the United Kingdom, taking our proud record of a Conservative

government that has delivered for every part of the United Kingdom.

And I might suggest to the Scottish Nationalists that actually now is

the time for them to put aside... Wait for it. Now is the time for

them to put aside their tunnel vision on independence. And actually

explain to the Scottish people why, under the SNP, they are not putting

as much money into the health service as they have been given from

the UK. They are not exercising the powers they have been given, and

Scottish education is getting worse. It's time they got back to their day

job. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I also

welcome the announcement from the Prime Minister yesterday and I look

forward to the general election, and taking my positive message to my

constituents. Over the last two years, I have pressed for

first-class transport infrastructure in Cheadle, and this week I launched

a transport survey so my constituents can have their say on

what is needed to keep them moving and for us to be at the heart of the

Northern Powerhouse. Does my right honourable friend agree that

residents in Cheadle need to vote Conservative on June 8th to continue

getting investment in transport and infrastructure, not only in Cheadle

but across the Northwest? I absolutely agree with my honourable

friend on that point. I know she has been working very hard for her

constituents in Cheadle on this transport issue and others. It is

under this government that we are investing ?290 million to improve

transport links to Manchester Airport through Cheadle, and ?2.1

million committed to improving walking and cycling routes around

the Cheadle Hume district centre. That is why the choice is clear. If

you want to see that funding into infrastructure, we need a strong

economy and only the Conservatives can deliver that strong economy.

Because of the Prime Minister'schanges to education

funding, every school in the country will face real terms cuts.

Manchester is hit harder than anywhere outside London... With

Chorlton high school and another in my constituency each losing the

equivalent of over 30 teachers. So I asked the Prime Minister the same

question a head teacher asked me. What would the Prime Minister cut to

balance the books? What subjects which you choose to sack teachers

from? As the honourable gentleman knows, there are record levels of

funding going into our schools. Everybody across this House has

recognised for many years that the current funding formula is not fair

across the country. And it's necessary for us to look for a

fairer funding formula. We have consulted on that and will be

responding to that consultation. But I say to the honourable gentleman,

as he faces up to the election, I note that last year he failed to

back, he opposed the leader of his party... If he wasn't willing to

support him as leader of his party, why should his voters support him as

leader of the country? Thank you, Mr Speaker. The only way

to fund crucial infrastructure is with a strong economy. To that end,

does my right honourable friend agree that the St James link road in

Northampton would help with traffic flow in the town and on the

development in the enterprise zone, and will the next Conservative

government continue to support me as the MP in backing the scheme? My

honourable friend is absolutely right that you need to have a strong

economy to be able to fund that crucial infrastructure. That's why,

since 2015, we have increased annual investment in economic

infrastructure by almost 60%, ?22 billion by 2021, including ?2.6

billion for improvements in transport projects. I am happy to

see the link road proposal being put forward by his local LEP, which I

think will improve access to business and unlock development in

the area. My honourable friend has worked hard to see this happen and I

am sure he will continue to campaign on issues like that which matter so

much to his constituents. Recent changes to housing benefit

entitlement for 18-21 olds will affect 195 young people in Merthyr

Tydfil. The Government is constantly challenging people to leave benefits

for the world of work, but we are concerned these changes will be a

major barrier to learning and training for youngsters who do not

have a safe and secure environment at home. Does the Prime Minister

agree we should do everything we can to help young people in the job

market, including offering financial support for housing? And will she

pledged to strengthen the guidelines so no more young people risk falling

through the net and ending up on the streets? The principle behind what

is being done in terms of the change in housing benefit is right, which

is to say it's only fair that people who are not able to make decisions

when they are on benefits, that they wouldn't be able to make when they

are in work. But it is right that we ensure for those young people for

whom staying at home, for whom there is a particular difficulty are

supported through the system, so significant exceptions have taken

place, and we recognise that need. Closed question, Mr Philip

Hollobone. I would be happy to visit the Kettering constituency in future

if my diary allows. I suspect in the next few weeks I will be visiting

quite a few constituencies. Life for ordinary working families is harder

than many people at Westminster realise. You have a job but not

necessarily job security. You are just about managing but you are

worried about the cost of living and getting your kids into a good

school. You are doing your best and a Conservative government will do

all it can to make sure you have more control over your life. Mr

Speaker, these were the inspiring words of the Prime Minister when she

took office last July. Will the Prime Minister come to Kettering,

Britain's most average town, and repeat these, her core beliefs?

Because if she does so, I know she will be warmly and widely acclaimed

as the Prime Minister this country needs for the next five years.

Well, my honourable friend is absolutely right to highlight

ordinary working families who do rely on the Government to provide

stability and certainty for them. And that's what this Conservative

government has done. We have supported jobs through significant

new investment in skills. We have invested in public services like

childcare and the NHS. And we have enhanced consumer protections. I am

happy to repeat the words I said outside Downing Street on July 13th

last year, but it's Conservatives in government that have delivered

strong and stable leadership and that is the message I will take to

the country during this election. Does the Prime Minister support the

people of Darlington when they oppose the downgrading of their A

and maternity services? They want an answer they can trust, Prime

Minister. Is it yes or no? The proposals for the configuration of

health services in local areas is a matter that is being determined by

local permissions in the best interests of services in the local

area. But I am interested, the honourable lady refers to the views

of her constituents in Darlington. She has said, the Leader of the

Opposition, the leader of her party, my constituents in Darlington have

made it clear to me they cannot support the Labour Party under your

leadership. How can they possibly support him as leader of the

country? Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can I welcome

the fact that because the Conservatives have managed the

economy so well, there is record funding... In East Sussex, for

example, some of the best performing schools in the country, they are set

to receive an increase of 3%. However in Lewes in my constituency,

many small, normal primary schools are set to see a reduction. Could

the Prime Minister look at the issue of rural primary school funding so

we can even out fairer distribution of the money? She is absolute right

to point out the record levels of funding going into schools. It is

also the case, as I said earlier, that there has been over the years a

general acceptance across this House that the current system of funding

is not there in certain parts of the country. That is why we want to end

the postcode lottery and look at a system that is fairer and more

up-to-date. A system that will support our plan for a society where

progress is based on merit, not privilege. I am happy to look at the

concerns, I recognise small rural schools have particular issues and I

am happy to look at those two ensure we get funding right and we can

spread the money as fairly as possible. Every school in my area is

facing a massive budget cut. Why is a child there worth less than a

child in Tory heartlands in the South? We currently have a situation

where there are significant sums of money going into children in certain

schools, sometimes double the amount of money going to a child in another

school. We need to find a fairer system. We have consulted on that

system and we will be responding to that system. But I note from the

honourable gentleman about what he has said about his leader, the

leader of his party, the Leader of the Opposition. He said, he's not

fit to rule. The public see this is a man who doesn't take

responsibility serious lie. And he can't take the party forward other

than in a divisive way. -- serious and dry. If we can't take the party

forward, how can he hope to take Small businesses provide the lion's

share of jobs in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The difficulties of

attracting credit, rising operational costs and red tape make

running a small business increasingly difficult. What can the

Prime Minister do to help these small businesses so that they can

continue to be the engine of rural economies like west Cornwall's? My

honourable friend is absolutely right that small businesses are the

engine of the economy. I know he has been a champion for small businesses

in his constituency, and he recognises that, if we are going to

insure we can create those jobs, we want to encourage small businesses.

That is why at the budget the Chancellor provided ?435 million to

support businesses in England facing the steepest business rate

increases. It is why we have cut business rates by nearly ?9 million,

we will do over the next five years, and why we have listened to small

businesses and given an extra year to prepare for making tax discs --

making tax digital for over 3 million businesses. I recognised the

importance of small businesses in Cornwall and I look forward to

visiting Cornwall and being able to talk to him and others about the

importance of small businesses in there. Can I join with the Prime

Minister, with the expressions of condolence led by the Prime Minister

early on? This election can change the direction of our country, from

the consequences of potential hard Brexit outside the single market to

the future of our NHS and social care. Our schools and our

environment. The British public deserve to hear the party leaders

set out their plans and debate them publicly, but the Prime Minister has

refused to take part in televised leaders debates. The Prime Minister

and I, back in 1992, debated publicly, forcibly and amicably when

we were both candidates together. Indeed, Mr Speaker, the Prime

Minister called out the then incumbent, who didn't show up for

the debate. Why will she not debate those issues publicly now? What is

she scared of? I can assure the honourable gentleman that I will be

debating these issues publicly across the country, as well every

single member of the Conservative team. We will be taking a proud

record of the Conservative government but, more than that, we

will be taking our plans for the future of this country, for making

Brexit a success in delivering a stronger Britain. He talks about the

possibility of changing the future of this country. What do we know

that the leader of Labour, the Lib Dems and the Scottish Nationalists

have in common? Corbynite, Farron and sturgeon. They want to unite

together and divide our country and we will not let them do it. The

government wishes to pursue a national industrial strategy.

Cumbria has some specific strengths, such as tourism, agriculture,

nuclear among others, but also some weaknesses. In the next parliament

would the Prime Minister agree that any industrial strategy must take

into account regional and subregional factors, and would she

be receptive to a Cumbrian strategy that works within a national one? My

honourable friend 's body to an important part of our plans for the

future of Britain, the modern industrial strategy. We want an

economy that works for everyone, that delivers good, high skilled,

high-paid jobs and create conditions for a competitive, world leading

business to prosper in the UK. But he is right, as we look at that

industrial strategy, we need to look at the particular factors in parts

of the country. He has long been a champion not just for Carlisle but

for Cumbria, and I recognise the need, as does the business

department, as we look at that industrial strategy to tailor it

according to the needs of particular areas. The Prime Minister yesterday

said she was calling a general election because Parliament was

blocking Brexit but but three quarters of MPs and two thirds of

the laws voted for Article 50, so that isn't true, is it? A month ago,

she told her official spokesman to rule out an early general election,

and that wasn't true either, was it? She wants us to believe that she is

a woman of her word. Isn't the truth that we can't believe a single word?

Order, order. The house is rather overexcited. The question has been

heard. The answer will be heard. Prime Minister. This house and this

Parliament voted to trigger Article 50, but the Labour Party made it

clear that they were thinking of voting against the final deal. The

Scottish Nationalists... The Scottish... The Scottish

Nationalists... The Scottish Nationalists have said that they

will vote against the legislation necessary to leave the European

Union. The Liberal Democrats say they are going to grind government

to a standstill, and the House of Lords have threatened to stop us

every inch of the way I think is right now to ask the British people

to put their trust in me and the Conservative Party to deliver on

their vote last year, a Brexit plan that will make a successful this

country and deliver a stronger, fairer global Britain in the future.

Mr Speaker, I see rats and fly-tipping as a result of beans

having not been emptied for up to three weeks across Lib Dem Ryan

Sutton. -- Lib Dem run Sutton. That follows a shambolic change to refuse

collections. Does my right honourable friend agree that

accepting greater delegated powers, elected councillors must plan

changes carefully and take full responsibility as accountable

representatives when things go wrong? I don't know about the

howling of derision coming from the opposition benches, because my

honourable friend raises an important point on an issue that

actually matters to people up and down the country, and it is our goal

to dues littering in England to make sure that our high streets and

villages, our parks and green places, that they are pleasant. We

have published the first ever national litter strategy for England

and we are supporting comprehensive and frequent bin collections, but

from what he says, that the Liberal Democrats run Sutton council is

doing, it shows that the Liberal Democrats charge the highest council

taxes but, under the Lib Dems, you pay more and you get less. Will the

Prime Minister join the Scottish Government, North Ayrshire Council

and all Ayrshire local authorities and pledge today to support the

Ayrshire growth deal, requiring ?250 billion of investment targeted to

regenerate Ayrshire and improve the lives and prospects of all the

people of Ayrshire? -- ?250 million. Is the honourable lady will know, we

have already shown our commitment to growth deals in Scotland from the

deals that have been agreed. I understand the Secretary of State

for Scotland has met with the Scottish Government to discuss the

growth deal for Ayrshire she has referred to, and we are in

discussion about it. We have already shown our commitment through the

deals that have already been struck, for example, for Aberdeen. As part

of Southend's celebrations as the alternative city of culture, on the

morning of Monday the eighth -- Monday the 1st of May, stilt walkers

will book nonstop from Southend to number ten Downing St to raise money

for the region -- the music meant project to help people with Downing

-- people with learning difficulties and a charity for child refugees.

Would my right honourable friend arranged on the morning of Tuesday

the 2nd of May for somebody on her behalf to receive the stilt walkers

and accept from Southend's town crier the proclamation that, in

this, the 125th anniversary of the founding of the borough, Southend be

declared a city? Can I say to my honourable friend that, when I first

heard this issue of the stilt walkers, I thought it sounded a bit

of a tall order myself. But I am sure they will be making great

strides as they approach Downing Street, and we will look carefully

at that. I am pleased to hear what he says about Southend's

celebrations but also the efforts being made to raise money for

important causes, and we will certainly look into what can be done

in Downing Street when they arrive. Will the Prime Minister give a

guarantee that no Tory MP who is under investigation by the police

and the legal authorities over election expenses in the last

general election be a candidate in this election because, if she won't

accept that, this is the most squalid election campaign that has

happened in my lifetime? I stand by all the Conservative MPs who are in

this house and who will be out there, standing again, campaigning,

campaigning for a Conservative government that will give a brighter

and better future for this country. I am proud that my party in

government has ensured that we fulfil in this country our

commitment to Nato, to spend 2% on defence, and our commitment to the

UN, to spend 0.7% of GDP on overseas aid. Will my right honourable friend

please omit a future Conservative government to do the same? -- please

commit. My right honourable friend is correct. We have committed to

meet our Nato pledge of 2% being spent on defence every year this

decade. We are to bring on it. We have a 36 billion defence budget,

rising to almost 40 billion by 20-21, the biggest in Europe and the

second-largest in Nato. We are meeting our commitment to spend 0.7%

of GM eye on overseas development assistance, and I can assure my

honourable friend that we remain committed as a Conservative Party to

ensuring that we ensure for the defence and security of this country

and work for a stronger world. Schools in Westchester already

underfunding by ?400 per pupil on average before the new fair funding

formula came in, and now every school in Chester is cutting staff

and racing class sizes. That is the education budget. Can she explained

the house why is it that the national fair funding formula

provides neither fairness nor funding? As I have said in this

chamber before, we need to look at the funding formula. We have

published proposals and consulted on them and, in due course, the

government will respond to those proposals for fair funding. I was

interested to see the honourable gentleman being interviewed

yesterday and being asked whether he would put a photograph of his leader

on the election literature, and he said that the only photo he wanted

on his literature was his own. He wasn't prepared to support the

leader of his party.