:00:00. > :00:00.friend has made. Northern Ireland is a great place to do business, and as
:00:00. > :00:00.a Government we will continue to support but in all ways that we can,
:00:07. > :00:09.as well as all parts of the UK, too. The Speaker: Questions to the Prime
:00:10. > :01:01.Minister. People putting Labour Party posters
:01:02. > :01:04.on my home, photographing them and pushing them through my letterbox.
:01:05. > :01:10.Somebody even your naked on my office door. Hardly a kinder,
:01:11. > :01:22.gentler politics. -- somebody even if you were naked. -- urinated. It
:01:23. > :01:29.may be putting off people from serving in this place. My honourable
:01:30. > :01:34.friend is absolutely right to raise this issue, and she wasn't the only
:01:35. > :01:41.person that experienced this sort of intimidation during the election
:01:42. > :01:43.campaign. Particularly, I'm sorry to say, this sort of intimidation was
:01:44. > :01:49.experienced by female candidates during the election campaign. I
:01:50. > :01:56.believe that this sort of behaviour has no place in our democracy. And I
:01:57. > :02:01.think she's right. I think it could put good people off from serving in
:02:02. > :02:04.this house. We want more people to become engaged, more people to want
:02:05. > :02:09.to stand for election to this house, and I think particularly as I stand
:02:10. > :02:14.here and I see the plaque that has been dedicated to the late Jo Cox
:02:15. > :02:17.that we should all remember what Jo said, we are far more united and
:02:18. > :02:24.have far more in common with each other then the things which divide
:02:25. > :02:27.us. Mr Speaker, I welcome the announcement by the Crown
:02:28. > :02:32.Prosecution Service this morning that they are going to prosecute six
:02:33. > :02:36.people in relation to Hillsborough. This prosecution, the enquiry and
:02:37. > :02:40.this development only happened because of the incredible work done
:02:41. > :02:42.by the Hillsborough justice campaign, Andy Burnham, Steve
:02:43. > :02:49.Rotherham and other colleagues about this house, and I think we should
:02:50. > :02:55.pay tribute to all of those that spend a great deal of time trying to
:02:56. > :03:00.ensure there was justice for those that died at Hillsborough. Mr
:03:01. > :03:04.Speaker, 79 people died in Grenfell Tower. Our thoughts are with the
:03:05. > :03:08.families and friends of those that have died. Those still unaccounted
:03:09. > :03:18.for and those who are going to live with the trauma of this hoary thick
:03:19. > :03:22.-- horrendous and avoidable tragedy. Last Thursday, the Prime Minister
:03:23. > :03:26.said she expected to appoint a judge to chair the enquiry in the next few
:03:27. > :03:30.days. We haven't heard any more. Can she update the house when an
:03:31. > :03:39.appointment will be made and what will be the timetable for the
:03:40. > :03:43.enquiry. May I first of all I -- say that I think we are all welcoming
:03:44. > :03:48.but after so many years of waiting, the Hillsborough families and those
:03:49. > :03:51.different groups within Hillsborough, not just the Justice
:03:52. > :03:55.campaign, the family that came together and the work done by
:03:56. > :04:01.Margaret Aspinall and others, has been absolutely exemplary. And I'm
:04:02. > :04:05.sure obviously today will be a day of mixed emotions for them, that I
:04:06. > :04:12.welcome the fact that charging decisions have been taken. I think
:04:13. > :04:15.that is an important step forward. The right Honourable gentleman asked
:04:16. > :04:21.me to update him in regards Grenfell Tower. I would like to update the
:04:22. > :04:24.house on a number of aspects. We all know what an unimaginable tragedy
:04:25. > :04:35.this was and our thoughts will be with those who have been affected by
:04:36. > :04:39.it. As of this morning, the cladding in 30 areas has been tested and it
:04:40. > :04:45.has failed the combustibility test. Given the 100% failure rate, we are
:04:46. > :04:50.clear that they should not wait for test results but get on with the job
:04:51. > :04:53.of fire safety checks. You should take any action necessary and the
:04:54. > :04:59.government will support them in doing that. The community secretary
:05:00. > :05:03.has set up an independent advisory panel to advise on the measures that
:05:04. > :05:10.need to be taken, which is meeting this week. On the housing offer, 282
:05:11. > :05:17.good-quality temporary properties have been identified. 132 families
:05:18. > :05:19.have had their needs assessed, and 65 offers of temporary accommodation
:05:20. > :05:26.have already been made to families. The payment from the funds, those
:05:27. > :05:35.payments continue. As of this morning, nearly one point -- one 25p
:05:36. > :05:41.has been paid. We are giving an extra ?2 million to the local
:05:42. > :05:46.consortium of charities that has been doing so much important work.
:05:47. > :05:52.On the issue of the public enquiry, I expect to be able to name a judge
:05:53. > :06:00.soon. The process is that the Lord Chief Justice recommends the name of
:06:01. > :06:04.a judge. What we want to do is make sure as the process is going
:06:05. > :06:10.forward, the families, the survivors, have involvement. I thank
:06:11. > :06:14.the Prime Minister for that answer but I hope she is able to stick to
:06:15. > :06:16.her promise of everyone being rehoused within three weeks because
:06:17. > :06:21.at the moment it does not look anything like that target will be
:06:22. > :06:28.achieved. She, I hope, understand the fear that so many people have
:06:29. > :06:34.living in power blocs all around the country. In 2017, the all-party fire
:06:35. > :06:38.safety group said, today's buildings have a much higher content of
:06:39. > :06:41.readily available combustible material. There have been
:06:42. > :06:48.contradictory messages from the government. Can the Prime Minister
:06:49. > :06:53.give a clear answer, is cladding with a combustible core illegal and
:06:54. > :07:02.was the cladding of Grenfell Tower legal? The situation is, in relation
:07:03. > :07:07.to the cladding, the building regulations identify the cladding
:07:08. > :07:13.which is compatible and that which is noncompliant. My understanding is
:07:14. > :07:20.this particular cladding was not complying with the building
:07:21. > :07:23.regulations. This raises wider issues and it is important that we
:07:24. > :07:31.are careful in how we talk about this. There is a criminal
:07:32. > :07:34.investigation taking place and it is important that we allow the police
:07:35. > :07:40.to do that and take the decision that they need to take. But there is
:07:41. > :07:46.a much wider issue here. As we have seen from the number of buildings
:07:47. > :07:49.where the cladding has failed the combustibility test, from those
:07:50. > :07:54.samples sent in from local authorities already, this is a much
:07:55. > :07:59.wider issue, it is an issue that has been continuing for many years, for
:08:00. > :08:03.decades, in terms of cladding being put up in buildings. There are real
:08:04. > :08:06.questions as to how this has happened, why this has happened, and
:08:07. > :08:10.how we can ensure that it does not happen in the future. That's why I'm
:08:11. > :08:14.clear that in addition to the enquiry that needs to identify the
:08:15. > :08:19.specific issues for Grenfell Tower, what happened in relation to
:08:20. > :08:23.Grenfell Tower and who was responsible, we will also need to
:08:24. > :08:28.look much more widely at why it is that over decades, under different
:08:29. > :08:35.governments, under different councils, material has been put up
:08:36. > :08:40.on these power blocs that is noncompliant with building
:08:41. > :08:46.regulations. There is a very wide issue here. -- tower blocks. Last
:08:47. > :08:50.birthday the Prime Minister told the member for Leeds Central that she
:08:51. > :08:55.would make the results of the Grenfell Tower cladding testing
:08:56. > :09:00.public within 48 hours. I'm not sure if she has actually done that with
:09:01. > :09:05.her statement today. As of yesterday, and the Prime Minister
:09:06. > :09:11.has confirmed this, 120 high-rise blocks have had fire safety tests
:09:12. > :09:17.and feel Ben. -- failed them. What timetable has the Prime Minister set
:09:18. > :09:20.for such tests to be completed including schools and hospitals, and
:09:21. > :09:27.what plans does she have to compel the testing of high risers such as
:09:28. > :09:35.office blocks and hotels which may also have combustible cladding on
:09:36. > :09:39.them? If I can just say, my understanding was the police are
:09:40. > :09:45.going to make a statement and I think the police made a statement
:09:46. > :09:50.about the possession. In relation to the test, my message is a very
:09:51. > :09:56.simple one. As I said in my answer to his first question, what we are
:09:57. > :10:01.seeing two people is this is not a question of waiting for the tests.
:10:02. > :10:07.Don't wait until you've got a sample in. So far, 100% of the samples have
:10:08. > :10:13.proved to be combustible sole work on the assumption that you should be
:10:14. > :10:16.doing the test now. That's what we are telling people to do. Parts of
:10:17. > :10:23.the private sector are also doing their work but my response to all
:10:24. > :10:26.those who have buildings covered by this is do the fire safety checks
:10:27. > :10:34.with the Fire Service. Take any measures that are necessary and the
:10:35. > :10:41.government will support you in doing that. Since 2010 only a third of new
:10:42. > :10:47.schools have had sprinkler systems installed soap parents are quite
:10:48. > :10:53.rightly unsure about the safety of their children. A letter formally
:10:54. > :10:57.recommended that the government inform suppliers to consider
:10:58. > :11:03.retrofitting sprinklers. It was reported that 1% of council tower
:11:04. > :11:08.blocks had sprinklers fitted. Can the Prime Minister let us know what
:11:09. > :11:15.the government actually did to encourage retrofitting during the
:11:16. > :11:19.last four years? The government did ensure that local authorities were
:11:20. > :11:23.aware of the recommendations. They did act on that recommendation. But
:11:24. > :11:27.I say to the Right Honourable gentleman if we look at what has
:11:28. > :11:33.happened, and the identification of the issues in a number of tower
:11:34. > :11:40.blocks so far, their -- there are various issues that lead to concerns
:11:41. > :11:43.about fire safety. If we look at Camden, one of the five blocks was
:11:44. > :11:50.considered to be habitable but four were not. That was not just because
:11:51. > :11:54.of the cladding, it was because of other issues in relation for example
:11:55. > :12:00.to the gas rise. These issues raised wider questions about the
:12:01. > :12:07.inspections that have taken place, about residents complaints, voices
:12:08. > :12:16.not being heard. That is an issue that has been raised at Grenfell
:12:17. > :12:20.Tower. It is also in Camden. This is a much wider question. A terrible
:12:21. > :12:24.tragedy took place. People lost their lives who should never have
:12:25. > :12:34.lost their lives. We need to look at what has happened over decades in
:12:35. > :12:38.this country. Building regulations have not been overhauled, local
:12:39. > :12:45.authorities, whilst asked to act upon them, have had their budgets
:12:46. > :12:52.cut by 40%. Under her predecessor, fire safety audits and inspections
:12:53. > :12:56.work at by a quarter. Fire authority budgets were cut by a quarter. Can
:12:57. > :13:03.the Prime Minister give an assurance to the house that the further 20%
:13:04. > :13:13.cut to the Fire Service planned by 2020 will be halted? I say to the
:13:14. > :13:16.right honourable gentleman that, in his reference to the building
:13:17. > :13:21.regulations, I think he has missed part of the point, which is that it
:13:22. > :13:26.is not just a question of what laws you have, it's how those are being
:13:27. > :13:33.applied, and that is the issue. We have the building regulations about
:13:34. > :13:37.compliant materials. The question is, why is it that, despite that, we
:13:38. > :13:42.have seen in local authority area after local authority area materials
:13:43. > :13:49.being put up that appear not to comply with those building
:13:50. > :13:53.regulations. And he talks about... That is what we need to get the
:13:54. > :13:57.bottom of, why is that fire inspections, that local authority
:13:58. > :14:05.inspections seem to have missed this essential issue. I think I can help
:14:06. > :14:13.the Prime Minister with this issue. When you cut local authority
:14:14. > :14:20.expenditure by 40%, you end up with fewer building control inspectors...
:14:21. > :14:26.SHOUTING. Order! It's pretty bad when people
:14:27. > :14:31.shout. For somebody to be sitting right by the Speaker's chair and
:14:32. > :14:34.shouting displays, let's say, a lack of wisdom which should not be
:14:35. > :14:40.repeated. Order. Every member in this chamber must and will be heard,
:14:41. > :14:48.however long the session has to run. Jeremy Corbyn. I was simply making
:14:49. > :14:51.the point, which seems to have upset a lot of members opposite, that when
:14:52. > :15:02.you cut local authority budgets by 40% we all pay a price in public
:15:03. > :15:06.safety. Fewer inspectors, fewer building control inspectors,
:15:07. > :15:12.planning inspectors. We pay a price. And, Mr Speaker, those cuts to the
:15:13. > :15:17.Fire Service have meant there are 11,000 fewer firefighters. The
:15:18. > :15:24.public sector pay cap is hitting recruitment and retention right
:15:25. > :15:26.across the public sector. What the tragedy of Grenfell Tower is exposed
:15:27. > :15:36.is a disastrous effects of austerity.
:15:37. > :15:44.RENEWED SHOUTING. Mr Speaker. This disregard for
:15:45. > :15:49.working-class communities, the terrible consequences of
:15:50. > :15:58.deregulation and cutting corners. I urge the Prime Minister to come up
:15:59. > :15:59.with the resources needed to test and remove planning, retrofit
:16:00. > :16:04.sprinklers, properly fund the Fire Service and the police so that all
:16:05. > :16:11.our communities can truly feel safe in their own homes. Mr Speaker, this
:16:12. > :16:19.disaster must be a wake-up call. CHEERING
:16:20. > :16:24.. The cladding of tower blocks didn't
:16:25. > :16:27.start under this government. It didn't start under the previous
:16:28. > :16:38.coalition government. The cladding of tower block began under the Blair
:16:39. > :16:44.government. The right honourable gentleman talks about local
:16:45. > :16:50.authority resources, and he talks about changes to the regulation. In
:16:51. > :16:56.2005, it was a Labour government that introduced the regulatory
:16:57. > :16:59.reform fire safety order, which changed the requirement to inspect a
:17:00. > :17:03.building on fire safety from the local fire authority, which was
:17:04. > :17:07.usually the Fire Brigade, to a responsible person. The legislation
:17:08. > :17:16.governing fire safety in tower blocks, and this was commented on by
:17:17. > :17:20.the lack in all house report into that fire, it criticised that 2005
:17:21. > :17:27.order which had been put in place by the Labour government. Order. The
:17:28. > :17:37.Prime Minister's answer must be heard. What approach and laws which
:17:38. > :17:39.took effect in 2006 ended the practice of routine fire
:17:40. > :17:44.inspections, passing the responsibility to councils. That is
:17:45. > :17:48.why I say to the right honourable gentleman, this should be an issue
:17:49. > :17:54.that across this house we recognise is a matter that has been developing
:17:55. > :17:57.over decades, is a matter that has occurred under governments of both
:17:58. > :18:01.colours, councils of all political persuasions, and is something which
:18:02. > :18:14.I would hope we would say we should come together and ensure that we...
:18:15. > :18:17.NOISE IN THE HOUSE. We get to the answers of why this
:18:18. > :18:24.has happened over the years, what has gone wrong and how we stop it
:18:25. > :18:28.from happening in the future. Order. Understandably, on this most solemn
:18:29. > :18:32.and sensitive matters, the front bench exchanges have been, perhaps
:18:33. > :18:37.inevitably and rightly, very pensive. I am now keen that all
:18:38. > :18:45.backbenchers scheduled to take part should have the opportunity. -- very
:18:46. > :18:48.comprehensive. Businesses in my constituency share the Prime
:18:49. > :18:50.Minister's desire to provide certainty for trade arrangements in
:18:51. > :18:54.the years immediately following our exit from the EU. In my right
:18:55. > :18:59.honourable friend confirm that any transitional arrangements will be
:19:00. > :19:04.for a strictly time-limited period and that any suggestion of ever
:19:05. > :19:07.retweeting deadlines or perpetual status quo would fall short of
:19:08. > :19:12.honouring the decision made by the people of this country to leave the
:19:13. > :19:15.EU? My honourable friend is absolutely right. For very practical
:19:16. > :19:20.reasons, when we know what the future relationship with the EU will
:19:21. > :19:24.be, we may need implementation periods. That will be to ensure that
:19:25. > :19:27.the practical arrangements can be put in place for that new
:19:28. > :19:32.relationship. But I am very clear that this doesn't mean unlimited
:19:33. > :19:34.transitional phase. We are going to leave the EU, that's what people
:19:35. > :19:42.wanted and that's what we will deliver. Can I welcome the
:19:43. > :19:44.announcement of the prosecutions on Hillsborough, and congratulate the
:19:45. > :19:50.families and all those involved in the many years of campaigning. Mr
:19:51. > :19:56.Speaker, the Scottish Secretary insisted that Scotland would see
:19:57. > :20:02.increased funding if the DUP secured money for Northern Ireland as part
:20:03. > :20:05.of a confidence and supply deal, insisting, quote, I'm not going to
:20:06. > :20:08.agree to anything that could be constructed as back door funding to
:20:09. > :20:14.Northern Ireland. Did the Prime Minister received any
:20:15. > :20:20.representations from the Scottish Secretary about the DUP deal, either
:20:21. > :20:24.before or after it was signed? I say to the honourable gentleman that, of
:20:25. > :20:27.course, when we look at what has happened in terms of funding for the
:20:28. > :20:31.rest of the UK, in the Autumn Statement last year, my right
:20:32. > :20:36.honourable friend, the Chancellor, set aside an infrastructure fund of
:20:37. > :20:40.?23 billion. We are putting more money into our NHS, more money into
:20:41. > :20:44.our schools, and of course there is an impact on Scotland as a result of
:20:45. > :20:50.that Autumn Statement. ?800 million extra spending is going to Scotland.
:20:51. > :20:53.As a result of the budget, ?350 million extra is going to Scotland.
:20:54. > :20:56.I don't remember when that money was announced the honourable gentleman
:20:57. > :21:03.complaining about more money should be going to Northern Ireland. But
:21:04. > :21:13.then, of course, he is a nationalist and not a unionist. Mr Speaker, the
:21:14. > :21:21.Prime Minister's failure to give a straight answer to that question
:21:22. > :21:25.speaks volumes. NOISE IN THE HOUSE.
:21:26. > :21:34.Order. Let's hear the fellow. Mr Ian Blackford. Thank you, Mr Speaker.
:21:35. > :21:37.The Prime Minister's failure to give a straight answer to that question
:21:38. > :21:45.speaks volumes and has only succeeded in piling more pressure on
:21:46. > :21:50.the Scottish Secretary, whose position looks less secure with
:21:51. > :21:55.every day that passes. The honourable gentleman's question, and
:21:56. > :22:04.I think he is reaching it, must be heard. I will give the Prime
:22:05. > :22:07.Minister one more opportunity. Did she receive any representations
:22:08. > :22:14.about the DUP deal from the Secretary of State for Scotland, yes
:22:15. > :22:15.or no? I can assure the honourable gentleman that I regularly receive
:22:16. > :22:21.representations from the Secretary of State for Scotland about matters
:22:22. > :22:25.relating to Scotland, including regular representations which point
:22:26. > :22:27.out that, if the Scottish Nationalists actually had the
:22:28. > :22:35.interests of Scotland at heart, they would want to remain part of the UK.
:22:36. > :22:40.Given that rail passengers in my constituency of Lewis are once again
:22:41. > :22:43.facing rail misery with an overtime ban and strike action looming, does
:22:44. > :22:47.the Prime Minister not agree with me that the only way to end the 18
:22:48. > :22:50.months rail misery for my constituents and all passengers on
:22:51. > :22:56.Southern Rail is for the unions to stop their strike and get back round
:22:57. > :23:00.the table? My honourable friend is absolutely right. Southern Rail
:23:01. > :23:03.passengers have experienced absolutely unacceptable delays and
:23:04. > :23:09.disruption to their service, and an expert report has found that the
:23:10. > :23:13.main cause of widespread disruption was union action. So, for the sake
:23:14. > :23:19.of the passengers, get round the table and solve this dispute. Can I
:23:20. > :23:23.thank the Prime Minister for coming to my constituency of Wrexham during
:23:24. > :23:31.the general election campaign? And for making a widely welcomed U-turn
:23:32. > :23:37.on the dementia tax. Can I invite the Prime Minister backs of Wrexham
:23:38. > :23:43.to make another announcement reversing her appalling cuts to
:23:44. > :23:52.police budgets, which my constituents want to see the back
:23:53. > :23:58.of? We are protecting police budgets, yes...
:23:59. > :24:04.NOISE IN THE HOUSE. We are protecting the least budgets.
:24:05. > :24:08.But we are, of course, making reforms to policing. That's why I
:24:09. > :24:11.introduced National Crime Agency, to deal with serious and organised
:24:12. > :24:15.crime that relates to crime on the streets. That is why we have put
:24:16. > :24:19.money into a new national cyber crime unit to ensure police can deal
:24:20. > :24:23.with the new sorts of crimes there are that they have to deal with. We
:24:24. > :24:27.are reforming policing, but the key to this is not that the number of
:24:28. > :24:35.police on the streets, but about what happens to crime, and crime has
:24:36. > :24:40.fallen to a record low. Mr Speaker, the Grenfell Tower tragedy shot and
:24:41. > :24:44.so many of us, because we all believe there is much that should
:24:45. > :24:50.never have happened, but to claim, the opposition front bench did,
:24:51. > :24:53.ahead of any enquiry, that, quote, residents were murdered by
:24:54. > :24:58.politicians, unquote, is grotesquely inappropriate. Would my honourable
:24:59. > :25:03.friend confirm that our government will get on with rebuilding lives
:25:04. > :25:07.and homes and progressing enquiries with urgency and nonpartisan calm? I
:25:08. > :25:12.think my honourable friend raises a very important point. What all of
:25:13. > :25:18.those affected by Grenfell Tower deserve is an enquiry that gets to
:25:19. > :25:24.the truth and provides them with the truth and with knowing who was
:25:25. > :25:28.responsible. We need to do that in a careful, calm and determined way and
:25:29. > :25:33.we need to use that same calm determination to make sure we get to
:25:34. > :25:36.the bottom of the wider issue of why it is that materials have been used
:25:37. > :25:42.in tower blocks around the country which appear to have been
:25:43. > :25:45.noncompliant with building regulations. There are real issues
:25:46. > :25:50.here and we are not going to get to the truth by pointing fingers. We
:25:51. > :25:56.will buy calm determination. Regarding the deal she has done with
:25:57. > :25:59.the DUP, is it true that on the one hand she is shelling out all of this
:26:00. > :26:04.extra money to secure their support while, on the other hand, she is
:26:05. > :26:07.still giving them tax payers' cash in the form of short to be in
:26:08. > :26:13.opposition? Is that what we get from this by Minister, no pay rise for
:26:14. > :26:18.nurses but double bubble for her friends in the DUP? -- is that what
:26:19. > :26:23.we get from this Prime Minister. Let's be clear about what the
:26:24. > :26:26.government has done in the agreement with the Democratic Unionist Party.
:26:27. > :26:32.As a result of the election, no party has a majority in this house.
:26:33. > :26:43.Yes. NOISE IN THE HOUSE.
:26:44. > :26:46.The party that had... The party that had the largest number of seats and
:26:47. > :26:50.the only party that can form an effective government is the
:26:51. > :26:58.Conservative Party. That's the right thing to do and that's what we've
:26:59. > :27:00.done. Does the Prime Minister share my concern that last year 50,000
:27:01. > :27:07.people were stopped at the controls at Calais, 150 people every day?
:27:08. > :27:11.Does that underline not only that we should keep those controls in place
:27:12. > :27:14.but we should consider the case for investing more in state-of-the-art
:27:15. > :27:20.technology and more border officers so we can win the war against people
:27:21. > :27:22.traffickers and keep our borders safe and secure? I say to my
:27:23. > :27:28.honourable friend at our border force officers do an excellent job
:27:29. > :27:32.at the juxtaposed controls and the work they do in his constituency.
:27:33. > :27:36.Particularly the work they are doing to stop illegal immigrants and the
:27:37. > :27:41.human traffickers. They have indeed, we have been investing in the system
:27:42. > :27:45.capabilities. 108 million has been invested in the last two years in
:27:46. > :27:49.new technology, and a further 71 million is earmarked for that in the
:27:50. > :27:52.current financial year. Of course, there are particular pressures on
:27:53. > :27:57.Dover. That's why we've invested more money to maintain security
:27:58. > :28:01.there, and to ensure the Calais camp remains closed, and we are meeting
:28:02. > :28:08.efforts upstream as well to ensure that we reduce the number of people
:28:09. > :28:14.trying to get to the UK illegally. The Foreign Office are putting extra
:28:15. > :28:19.money into the central Mediterranean route, for extra humanitarian
:28:20. > :28:22.support. I know the Prime Minister is well aware of the misery and
:28:23. > :28:32.suffering caused by reckless gambling. Following her recent own
:28:33. > :28:35.experience and the turmoil it has caused to her friends and
:28:36. > :28:41.colleagues, will she now commit to legislating against fixed odds
:28:42. > :28:45.betting terminals, because of so much hardship across our
:28:46. > :28:48.communities? As the honourable lady knows, a consultation was undertaken
:28:49. > :28:51.in relation to that particular issue, which the department for
:28:52. > :28:58.culture, media and sport are considering and we will announce a
:28:59. > :29:01.response in due course. In Fareham, 63% of voters chose the
:29:02. > :29:07.Conservatives, giving us a record share of the vote not seen since
:29:08. > :29:10.1935. Will my right honourable friend join me in reminding the
:29:11. > :29:19.chamber that this side won the election? Will she join me in
:29:20. > :29:25.thanking... Join me in thanking the good people of Fareham for placing
:29:26. > :29:29.their trust in the Conservatives, and in reassuring them that she is
:29:30. > :29:36.the best person to deliver a prosperity lead and successful
:29:37. > :29:39.Brexit? I am very happy to join her in thanking the good people of
:29:40. > :29:45.Fareham for re-electing a first-class Member of Parliament to
:29:46. > :29:49.represent them. She is absolutely right, of course. It was the
:29:50. > :29:53.Conservative Party that got the highest percentage share of votes in
:29:54. > :29:57.the election, the Conservative Party that got the most seats, 56 more
:29:58. > :30:00.than the Labour Party, and the Conservative Party that got more
:30:01. > :30:06.votes, and that's why we are an effective government. Thank you, Mr
:30:07. > :30:13.Speaker. Will the Prime Minister confirm that, last week, Britain's
:30:14. > :30:17.for most senior police officers, the commission of the Matt, the head of
:30:18. > :30:24.counterterrorism, the National Crime Agency and the police chiefs cancel
:30:25. > :30:27.all wrote to the government saying that counterterrorism, policing and
:30:28. > :30:34.protective security grant is being cut by 7.2 billion -- 7.2%? Doesn't
:30:35. > :30:37.that show contrary to what she just told the member for Wrexham, that
:30:38. > :30:45.her to protect police budgets is not being kept? -- that her promise to
:30:46. > :30:49.protect police budgets. We have protected counterterrorism policing.
:30:50. > :30:57.We have put money in. We have also put money in to an uplift, for an
:30:58. > :31:01.uplift in armed policing, and the commission of the Metropolitan
:31:02. > :31:05.Police has made the point that the Metropolitan Police are well
:31:06. > :31:10.resourced and have a wide diversity of tools that they can encounter in
:31:11. > :31:13.terrorism. That's the point, it's not just about the funding but
:31:14. > :31:16.ensuring they have the powers they need to deal with the terrorists.
:31:17. > :31:25.That's what we are determined to ensure.
:31:26. > :31:32.I was deeply alarmed to hear the announcement made from the Leader of
:31:33. > :31:47.the Opposition at the Glastonbury festival that he would abandon
:31:48. > :31:50.Trident. Would pro-government that provides -- would the payment to
:31:51. > :31:58.agree that it is only our party that can provide the safety the country
:31:59. > :32:02.needs? Can I welcome my honourable friend to this house. I'm sure he
:32:03. > :32:15.will be a fine representative of the constituency. And I join with him in
:32:16. > :32:19.seeing that in public Leader of the Opposition wanted to appear to
:32:20. > :32:28.support Trident but in private wanted to scrap it. It is only the
:32:29. > :32:46.Conservative Party that is clear about maintaining the deterrent.
:32:47. > :32:56.After being defeated by my honourable friend in Perth, this
:32:57. > :33:01.government has honoured the defeated candidate, Ian Duncan, with a job in
:33:02. > :33:04.the Scotland Office. Instead of this affront to democracy does she think
:33:05. > :33:09.she should stop treating the Scottish people with contempt and
:33:10. > :33:18.give the Scottish Government a seat at the Brexit negotiations table? We
:33:19. > :33:22.have, throughout the time, been working with and talking with the
:33:23. > :33:26.Scottish Government and other devolved administrations and we will
:33:27. > :33:34.continue to do that. I hope and trust that this means the Scottish
:33:35. > :33:45.Nationalists will be focused on issues that matter to Scotland
:33:46. > :33:49.rather than independence. If the Prime Minister aware of the current
:33:50. > :33:52.crisis in Venezuela and is this an example of how an experiment in
:33:53. > :34:06.socialist revolution can go horribly wrong? I have to say that I think
:34:07. > :34:13.he's made an extremely important point. When we are talking about
:34:14. > :34:16.trade deals in the future, the Leader of the Opposition and the
:34:17. > :34:24.Shadow Chancellor think the only good trade deals are with Venezuela,
:34:25. > :34:28.Cuba and North Korea. The brave men and women in our emergency services
:34:29. > :34:33.have consistently put the safety of others first. Especially in response
:34:34. > :34:38.to the terrible events we've seen in recent months. We pay tribute to the
:34:39. > :34:40.professionalism. That's why I believe it's important that we give
:34:41. > :34:47.them the resources they need to do their vital job. In Scotland it is
:34:48. > :34:58.outrageous that police and Fire Services are required to pay VAT,
:34:59. > :35:09.front line services paying ?35 million. Order, Mr cleverly. You are
:35:10. > :35:17.usually the embodiment of calm, repose and statesmanship. Take some
:35:18. > :35:27.sort of tablet, man. Thank you again, Mr Speaker. I repeat that. It
:35:28. > :35:31.is outrageous that Fire Services and police services must pay VAT and it
:35:32. > :35:40.cost them ?35 million last year alone. Now that the Prime Minister
:35:41. > :35:48.has found the magic money tree, will she... We got the gist of it. The
:35:49. > :35:51.Prime Minister. When the Scottish Government took the decision to
:35:52. > :35:57.merge police forces into a single force, they were told that this
:35:58. > :36:04.would lead to VAT being paid by Police Scotland. They were advised
:36:05. > :36:11.that was the position that they chose to go ahead with the merger.
:36:12. > :36:20.Thank you very much. Today is the festival Day of Saint Alden is. What
:36:21. > :36:24.more can be done to protect persons of faith being persecuted for their
:36:25. > :36:32.faith, particularly students who are suffering large amounts of
:36:33. > :36:37.anti-Semitism? I am happy to recognise its. It is important.
:36:38. > :36:41.Sometimes we talk a lot about people being persecuted for their faith in
:36:42. > :36:53.countries abroad. We need to be very clear that sadly we do see people
:36:54. > :36:58.suffering attacks. The CST do a lot of work with students to support and
:36:59. > :37:00.I'm happy for that. We are supporting Muslim communities
:37:01. > :37:09.suffering from Islamophobic. There is no place for this in our society.
:37:10. > :37:17.The current Prime Minister recently visited my constituency. Upon being
:37:18. > :37:20.asked about the precarious situation facing the District Hospital and the
:37:21. > :37:25.Royal Infirmary she stated that people work scaremongering. And she
:37:26. > :37:30.used this opportunity to reassure my constituents that all services will
:37:31. > :37:32.be retained at both hospitals including a full accident and
:37:33. > :37:41.emergency provision? The honourable lady knows, I was asked, and I can
:37:42. > :37:48.confirm that Dewsbury accident and emergency is not closing. The
:37:49. > :37:54.service will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A majority of
:37:55. > :38:03.patients will see no change. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The repeated claim
:38:04. > :38:07.that spending ever increased amounts of money on foreign aid keeps this
:38:08. > :38:12.country safe has been shown by recent events to be utter nonsense.
:38:13. > :38:16.Can I tell the Prime Minister that spending more money on overseas aid
:38:17. > :38:21.does not make of the compassionate, it makes us look idiotic, when that
:38:22. > :38:30.money is much needed in the United Kingdom. Can she promised to slash
:38:31. > :38:35.the overseas aid budget, spend it on priorities in the UK? I hope she
:38:36. > :38:40.does not have a strange political aversion to pursuing policies that
:38:41. > :38:43.might be popular with the public. I can assure my honourable friend that
:38:44. > :38:48.I don't have that aversion but on this issue I do take a different
:38:49. > :38:52.view. I think it is important that given the position we hold, the
:38:53. > :38:58.state of our economy, one of the largest economies in the world, we
:38:59. > :39:04.recognise that we can help those around the world. We are seeing
:39:05. > :39:08.millions of people, particularly girls, being educated. I think
:39:09. > :39:11.that's important. I recognise what my honourable friend has said, that
:39:12. > :39:15.we have suffered from terrible terrorist attacks in the United
:39:16. > :39:24.Kingdom, are services have also foiled a number. Going back over
:39:25. > :39:28.recent years as well. I think it's important that we are able to use
:39:29. > :39:32.the money to ensure good governance in countries saw that we don't see
:39:33. > :39:38.the creation of spaces where terrorists are able to train. I must
:39:39. > :39:47.thank the Prime Minister and most of the Cabinet for visiting healing
:39:48. > :39:53.because my majority went up 50 times. 53,000 EU nationals reside in
:39:54. > :39:58.the London Borough of Ealing and they would like some clarity on this
:39:59. > :40:01.fair and generous offer of how much extra the applications are going to
:40:02. > :40:07.cost them and why it is that they are not going to be able to vote in
:40:08. > :40:10.local elections as they are now? I would say, I'm grateful she
:40:11. > :40:15.described it as a fear and generous offer. I think it is fair and
:40:16. > :40:17.generous for people to ensure that they are able to stay and they will
:40:18. > :40:32.have rights. A significant number of charities,
:40:33. > :40:39.including those having to look after the most vulnerable in our society,
:40:40. > :40:42.our under closure because of the National living wage and HMRC's
:40:43. > :40:51.insistent that there is six years back page despite the advice only
:40:52. > :40:53.changing last year. With the Prime Minister asked HMRC to suspend any
:40:54. > :40:58.actions until we find a workable solution. My honourable friend has
:40:59. > :41:02.raised a very important issue and it is one that he cares about
:41:03. > :41:07.particularly. It is through the National living wage that we are
:41:08. > :41:11.making sure that PSP. That pay is fair. But on this point, the
:41:12. > :41:14.Department of Health and the relevant department are looking at
:41:15. > :41:19.this carefully because they want to ensure that enforcement protects low
:41:20. > :41:25.paid workers in a proportionate manner. We've invested more money in
:41:26. > :41:30.social care. We need to look at this issue on a longer-term basis. I can
:41:31. > :41:38.assure him are looking at the specific issues. Does the Prime
:41:39. > :41:46.Minister think, like her Brexit secretary, it will be simple to
:41:47. > :41:50.deliver the free trade deal with the European Union. The Brexit secretary
:41:51. > :41:57.and I have said we think a comprehensive trade agreement is not
:41:58. > :42:00.just possible but will be easy over other third-party countries because
:42:01. > :42:09.we are operating on the same basis at the moment. Therefore, we are not
:42:10. > :42:14.negotiating in the same position as say, Canada or other countries. I
:42:15. > :42:19.think we can achieve that and it will be good for the UK and good for
:42:20. > :42:25.the EU. With the Prime Minister agree that an opposition leader who
:42:26. > :42:29.claims to be all things to all men saying one thing to remain voters in
:42:30. > :42:37.London and quite another in leave voters constituencies is no kind of
:42:38. > :42:47.leader at all and maybe that is why he was rejected in the recent
:42:48. > :42:52.elections? I would like to welcome my honourable friend. I was very
:42:53. > :42:59.pleased to visit his constituency. Absolutely right. People want to
:43:00. > :43:04.know the position of the parties on this question. We are very clear
:43:05. > :43:10.that we want to see the country coming together and we want to
:43:11. > :43:21.deliver. It is what the government will do. Can I beg the Prime
:43:22. > :43:24.Minister at this crucial time to listen to the many friends we have
:43:25. > :43:31.in Europe and the world who fear that we are sleepwalking into a
:43:32. > :43:35.disastrous deal with Europe. They've no confidence in the three ministers
:43:36. > :43:40.in charge of the deal and believe our country is going to be deeply
:43:41. > :43:50.damaged, in terms of our economy and our fall in the world, if we don't
:43:51. > :43:55.get our act together. I have to say that the Brexit negotiations have
:43:56. > :44:00.started formally. There was a constructive and positive start with
:44:01. > :44:05.my right honourable friend, the Secretary of State for exiting the
:44:06. > :44:09.EU, and the commission's appointed negotiator. We've set up three
:44:10. > :44:15.working groups dealing with citizens rights, and a dialogue on the issue
:44:16. > :44:22.of the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. That is
:44:23. > :44:29.important. We've set out our objectives, published our
:44:30. > :44:37.objectives, we know the plan. The party that does not know the plan is
:44:38. > :44:42.his party. The Prime Minister was crystal clear on Monday that the
:44:43. > :44:46.reciprocal agreements should include the people of Gibraltar. On Tuesday
:44:47. > :44:51.the Spanish Foreign Minister sought yet again to suggest Spain should
:44:52. > :44:57.have unilateral veto. Will make it clear that this is pointless and
:44:58. > :45:03.counter-productive and our commitment is absolute. I thank my
:45:04. > :45:09.honourable friend for raising that issue. This government's commitment
:45:10. > :45:20.to Gibraltar has not changed and it will remain. Suicide rates in
:45:21. > :45:27.Northern Ireland, in my constituency, are some of the worst
:45:28. > :45:33.in Europe and the developed world. Clinicians have pointed to the
:45:34. > :45:40.legacy of 30 years of terrorism and violence and the awful legacy. Part
:45:41. > :45:45.of the money we are investing goes to health care. Isn't it time people
:45:46. > :45:50.recognised this is delivery for all of the people of Northern Ireland
:45:51. > :45:55.and is going to help some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged
:45:56. > :46:02.people in Northern Ireland? People should get behind it and welcome it.
:46:03. > :46:09.My right honourable friend makes a very important point on this. It is
:46:10. > :46:12.the case, as we said in the agreement, that we recognise the
:46:13. > :46:18.particular circumstances of Northern Ireland that have arisen as a result
:46:19. > :46:25.of its history. There will be mental health issues that arise as a part
:46:26. > :46:39.of that. It is important we put more into mental health across the UK. I
:46:40. > :46:46.visited a school in Bristol. As he says, the money is for the good of
:46:47. > :46:52.all people across Northern Ireland. I wonder if the Prime Minister has
:46:53. > :46:58.an opportunity to see the British attitudes survey which stated 75% of
:46:59. > :47:05.British people wanted to leave the EU. She will now that more than 80%
:47:06. > :47:11.of the British electorate voted for parties that want to leave the EU.
:47:12. > :47:18.She will know from her extensive canvassing that thousands of people
:47:19. > :47:25.tell me the referendum to say that the issue, just get on and leave the
:47:26. > :47:32.EU. Would she assure the house that she will make it her priority? What
:47:33. > :47:37.I've seen across the country is eyed unity of purpose for people.
:47:38. > :47:40.Regardless of how they voted in the referendum, their view is the
:47:41. > :47:51.decision has been taken, just deliver it. Thank you very much.
:47:52. > :47:58.With 9 million people in our country lonely all or most of the time, and
:47:59. > :48:02.loneliness as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, will
:48:03. > :48:08.the Prime Minister join with the honourable member for South Rebel
:48:09. > :48:12.and myself in encouraging members of the host to attend the Jo Cox
:48:13. > :48:17.loneliness event immediately after PMQs today to find out what all of
:48:18. > :48:22.us can do to tackle this blight in our society? The honourable lady has
:48:23. > :48:30.raised an important point and I would like to say the work you're
:48:31. > :48:37.both doing is excellent, I encourage members of the house to do what she
:48:38. > :48:43.says. We all recognise the impact loneliness has on health. We've been
:48:44. > :48:52.able to put some support into the programme. We are helping the skills
:48:53. > :49:00.of volunteers over 50 in looking at these issues. It's an important
:49:01. > :49:04.issue and honourable members should recognise the work. Order.