06/09/2017 Prime Minister's Questions

As we return from the summer recess, I'm shower thoughts of the House

will be the Vic tempts of the Barcelona terror attack. Mr Speaker,

awant to reassure the house the UK has ensured assistance in the form

of military and humanitarian resources are in place including in

the overseas territories who are preparing for Hurricane Irma. In

addition to my duties in this house, I will have meets later today.

Everyone agrees with my right honourable friend and the thoughts

she shares with those in the terror attack

Bears lone in a. As part of the process, it is imperative we

transfer there are many serious concerns about the means not the

ends of the EU withdrawal Bill. So, could my Right Honourable Friend

assure me she will look in particular at those amendments that

seek to change the EU withdrawal Bill so that it doesn't become an

unprecedented and unnecessary Government power grab? I'm grateful

to my Right Honourable Friend for raising this issue. I know, like me,

she wants to see an orderly exit from the EU and will be supporting

this bill which enables us not just to leave the EU but to do so in an

orderly manner with a functioning statute book. We will require

certain powers to make corrections to the statute book after the bill

becomes law because negotiations are ongoing. We'll do if through

secondary legislation. An approach that has been endorsed by the House

of Lords constitution committee. I would like to reassure my Right

Honourable Friend that as the bill goes through its scrutiny in this

House and the debate continues, we will listen very carefully to that

debate. I will be very happy to meet my right honourable friend to

discuss this further. THE SPEAKER: Jeremy Corbyn Mr

Speaker, I agree with the moment on what she just said about Barcelona.

The attack was appalling. We should think of the victims but also thank

the people of Barcelona for their wonderful community response to what

was a threat to all of them. I hope the whole House will join me of

thinking of the Vic tiffs of the terrible floods in Bangladesh,

Nepal, searer a Lee Yoann, and in Texas and our thoughts with those

facing Hurricane Irma in the United States. Every member of this house

should be concerned inflation is once again running ahead of people's

pay. This week, workers at McDonald's took strikes action for

the first time. The boss of McDonald's is sported to have earned

8. ?1.8 million does the Prime Minister back the McDonald's

workers' case for an end to zero hours contracts and decent pay? The

issue that has taken place in McDonald's is a matter for

McDonald's to deal with. The questions... Let's focus. Let's

focus on what the right honourable gentleman has raised which is, let's

focus on what he's raised on zero hours contracts. The number of

people on zero hours contracts is very small. There are people who

genuinely say as a proportion of the workforce who say it is a benefit to

them being on those contracts. For 13 years, the Labour Party was in

Government and did nothing about zero hours contracts. It is this

Conservative Government that has put the workers first and band exclusive

zero hours contracts. Mr Speaker, my question was about McDonald's and

the Chief Executive is paid 1,300 times as much as his staffment there

are 800,000 people approximately in Britain on zero hours contracts.

When she became leader, the Prime Minister pledged "I want to make

shareholder votes on corporate pay not just advisory but binding" and

she put it into her manifesto. That manifesto's been dumped or arc

I'veed. Like so much else in her manifesto, where was the tough talk

on corporate greed? Was it just for the election campaign? Or is it

going to be... Or is it going to be put into law? Well, I suggest to the

right honourable gentleman he looks at the action Conservative have

taken on this Irish you. We recently published our proposals on corporate

governance. It is Conservative who force companies to disclose board

pay. That's been done not by a Labour Government but the

Conservative Party who's been putting workers first. I note she

uses the worse advisory. Page 18 of the dumped manifesto says... The

next, says, Mr Speaker, the next to help

people struggling, Mr Speaker, to help people struggling to make ends

meet, many politicians have become convinced we need to cap energy

prices. Even the Prime Minister was briefly converted to this policy.

Last week, the profit margins of the big six energy companies hit their

highest ever level. I wonder if I could prevail on the Prime Minister

to stick to her own manifesto pledges on this matter as well?

Well, first of all, on the question of what we were doing on corporate

governance, I didn't use the word advisory. He needs to listen to my

answer and not just read out the statement... He's raised an

important issue. He's raised an important issue about energy prices.

We are concerned about the way that particular market is operating. We

expect the companies to treat customers fairly. That's why we've

been looking at the action that can be taken. Why the Business Secretary

has been doing that. He wrote to Ofgem in June asking them to advise

on what action they could take to safeguard customers. We're

particularly concerned about those who are the poorest customers who

are kept on these tariffs that do not give them value for money. So, I

agree, it's the Government that's doing something about it. Well, Mr

Speaker, if only that were the case. Ofgem's plans only will benefit 2.6

million customers. 17 million customers are short changed by the

big six energy companies. She could and should take action on it. Mr

Speaker, she's not the only one going back on her word...

When the members opposite have #k5u78ed down a little, I'd like to

say this, at last year's Sports Direct annual meeting, Mike Ashley

personally pledged to ban the use of zero hours contracts in his company.

A year on, they're still exploiting insecure hours workers with zero

hours contracts. Will the Prime Minister join me in now demanding

that Mr Ashley honour his words and ends zero hours contract in all of

his companies? I've said it is this Government that's taken action in

relation to zero hours contracts unlike the Labour Party. The right

honourable gentleman talks about manifestos and people going back on

their word. I might remind him in the Labour Party manifesto there was

a commitment to support Trident, our independent nuclear deterrent.

Shortly after the election, in private, he told people he didn't

agree with that. For years, the right honourable gentleman sat on

the Labour Party benches and didn't support Labour policy. Now he's

Labour Leader and he still doesn't support Labour policy. Mr Speaker, I

listened really carefully to what the Prime Minister said on this

occasion. I'm struggling to see the connection between what she just

said, Mike Ashley, Sports Direct and McDonald's! So, maybe she could now

answer the question, will she condemn what Sports Direct and

McDonald's are doing to their staff? It is quite straightforward. Yes or

no? Mr Speaker, today, thousands of nursing and other health care staff

are outside Parliament. They're demanding this Government scrap the

1% pay cap. Poor pay means experienced staff are leaving and

fewer people are training to become nurses. There's already a shortage

of 40,000 nurses across the UK. Will the Prime Minister please see sense

and end the public sector pay cap and ensure our NHS staff are

properly paid. We absolutely value the work of all

those working in the public sector, nurses, teachers and others who are

doing a good job for us day in, day out in what are often difficult and

harrowing circumstances. It might be helpful if I remind the House on

where we are on the issue of pay review bodies in public sector pay.

There are two reports still to be published and for the Government to

respond to for police and prison officers. Later, as always happens

every year, later in the autumn we'll publish the frame work for

2018/19 and continue to balance the need to protect jobs, public sector

workers and the need to ensure we're also protecting and being fair to

those who are paying for it, including public sector workers. I

say to the right honourable gentleman, what we have seen, what

he does in this House and outside this House is consistently stand up

and ask for more money to be spent on this that and the other. He can

do that in opposition. He asks consistently for more money

to be spent jockey can do that in opposition because he knows he

doesn't have to pay for it. The problem with Labour is that they do

it in government as well and when... As a result of the decisions the

Labour Party took in government... As a result of decisions the Labour

Party took in government, we now have to pay more on debt interest

ban on NHS paid. That's the result of Labour. The Prime Minister had no

problems finding ?1 billion to please the DUP, no problems

whatsoever. And NHS staff are 14% worse off than they were seven years

ago. Is she really happy that NHS staff use food banks? Warm words

don't pay food bills. Pay rises will help to do that. She must end the

public sector pay cap. The reality for working people is lower wages

and less job security, within work poverty now at record levels. So

will the Prime Minister clarifies and she evaded during the election

campaign? For those struggling to get by, whether employed,

self-employed, permanent or temporary, can the Prime Minister

categorically state today they will not see rises in the basic rate of

income tax, national insurance contributions or VAT? I can tell the

right honourable gentleman the help we have been giving to those who are

just about managing. We've taken 4 million B but out of paying income

tax altogether. We've given a tax cut to over 30 million people. We

see record numbers of people in employment in this country. We're

given the lowest earners the highest pay rise for 20 years by introducing

the national living wage. But you only get that with a strong economy.

We believe in sound money, he believes in higher debts. We believe

in making our economy strong so we can invest in our public services.

Labour's approaches reckless, ours is balanced. Our approach delivers a

strong economy, more money for public services, more jobs for

people and families, but you only get a strong economy and a better

future with the Conservatives. Thank you, Mr Speaker. As the Prime

Minister said, this Government has an outstanding record of job

creation with 3 million more people in work than seven years ago. It is

perfectly true that wage rises have not been as high as we would have

hoped but I'm proud that we gave that big boost to people at the low

end with a rise in the national living wage. What the right

honourable gentleman opposite does not understand, you can only have

sustainable rises in pay with increases in productivity. My

question to the Prime Minister is, will she instruct all of her

ministers to bring forward proposals for productivity rises in time for

the Chancellor to announce them at the budget? I thank my right Rory

Bourke friend and he has absolutely put his finger on its. Productivity

is absolutely crucial for the strength of our economy going

forward and improving that productivity. That is why we have

introduced our modern industrial strategy, which will boost

productivity and is also why we are introducing really good quality tech

Loughgall -- technical education in this country for the first time, to

ensure that young people have the skills they need to take the higher

paid jobs that will be created as a result of our industrial strategy.

Does the Prime Minister agree with me that immigration is essential to

the strength of the UK economy, as well as enhancing our diversity and

cultural fabric? As I have said on many occasions before, overall

immigration has been good for the UK. But what people want to see is

control of that immigration. That is what people wanted to see as a

result of coming out of the European Union. We're already able to

exercise controls in relation to those who come to this country from

outside the countries within the European Union and we continue to

believe as a Government that it is important to have net migration and

sustainable levels, which we believe to be in the tens of thousands,

because of the impact particularly on people on the lower end of the

income scale in depressing their wages. Mr Speaker, last October the

Prime Minister was forced into a humiliating U-turn on prose Poles --

proposals to force companies to disclose any foreign workers

employed. During the summer, 100 EU nationals resident in the UK

received to deportation notices in error, causing alarm to them and

many others. We need to cherish those who are here and not chase

them away. The Prime Minister must stop dancing to the tune of her

right-wing backbenchers and apologise for the disgraceful

treatment her Government has shown migrants in the UK. In the first

instance, will she pledged that international students will no

longer be included in the net migration figures? Can I just say to

the honourable gentleman back in relation to the error that was made

by the Home Office, every single one of those individuals was telephoned

with an apology. It shouldn't have happened in the first place but the

Government did telephone with an apology. Let me just say this to the

honourable gentleman. As I explain to my first answer to him, there is

a reason for wanting to ensure we can control migration. It is because

of the impact that that migration can have on people, on access to

services, on access to infrastructure but crucially, it

often hits those at the lower end of the income scale hardest and I

suggest that the honourable gentleman thinks about that impact,

rather than just standing up here and saying what he has done. Is

important we bring in controls, we want to want to continue to welcome

the brightest and the best here to the UK, and we continue to do so. I

know that my right honourable friend will be as alarmed and angered as

many at the decision of the Northern Ireland judicial authority to open

the so-called legacy cases involving past and present members of the

Armed Forces. These cases have been meticulously investigated and

represent just 10% of deaths in the troubles. A line really does need to

be drawn here. Does my right honourable friend agree that it is

wrong to single out any group for this kind of investigation, and that

the hundreds of thousands of people who served in Northern Ireland

should feel appreciated for the difficult job they did, not being

hounded into old age by investigations of this kind? Can I

first of all say to my right honourable friend that we are

unstinting in our admiration for the role that our Armed Forces played in

ensuring Northern Ireland's future would only ever be decided by

democracy and consent, and the overwhelming majority serve with

great distinction and we owe them a great debt of gratitude. But as part

of our work to implement the Stormont House agreement, we will

ensure that new supporters will be under obligations to be fair,

balanced and proportionate, which will make sure our veterans are not

unfairly treated or disproportionately investigated and

indeed reflect the fact that 90% of deaths in the troubles were caused

by terrorist and not the Armed Forces. But as he will appreciate,

the investigations by PSNI are, of course, a matter for them, as they

are independent of government. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister

will be aware of the death of my constituent Kim Briggs, who was

knocked over last year by a cyclist on an illegal fixed wheel bike with

no front brake. Does the Prime Minister agree with me that the law

on dangerous driving should be extended to include offences by

cyclists, and does she also agree with me that the 1861 offence of

wanton and furious driving, which the prosecution had to rely upon in

this case, is hopelessly outdated and wholly inadequate? Can I first

of all extend our sympathies to the family and friends of the honourable

lady's constituent who died in this tragic circumstances, and she has

raised an important issue. I think we should welcome the fact that they

were able to find legislation under which to make a prosecution but the

point is a general one about ensuring our legislation gives up to

date with events that take place ensure this is something the

Secretary of State for transport will look at. Living near a natural

green space is good for your physical and mental health but those

in the most deprived areas of the country are the least likely to do

so. My right honourable friend is committed to reducing inequality and

improving mental health. Can I ask her to read the new report published

by the Conservative environment network, masterminded by my

honourable friend, the Member for Taunton Deane, and ask to take on

board its recommendation to consider the environment across government

policy? The whole question of mental health is one that I know she has

campaigned on and has a particular interest in and it is interesting

that she has raised, and I welcome the fact she has raised this issue

of the health benefits of green space, which is becoming ever more

recognised and certainly, I know this is something that the

Conservatives network highlights in its report it up Defra will be

producing a 25 year environment plan. It will look at the evidence

in that report and it will focus on what can be done to ensure that the

benefits provided by access to green space are available to all segments

of society. Thank you, Mr Speaker. This summer, a third of all parents

across the country went without a meal to ensure that they can feed

their children during the school holidays. In Stoke-on-Trent, amazing

volunteers came together to provide over 10,000 meals for local kids.

I'm very proud of my constituents but I'm disgusted that this

Government, who have done nothing and turned a blind eye. How many

kids have to go hungry, how many parents have to go without food,

before this Prime Minister will do her job and act? Well, I have to say

to the honourable lady, I recognise an issue that she has raised about

children, particularly those who are normally able to access free school

meals during term time and the impact this has during the holidays,

is a matter that her writer Robert friend the Member for Birkenhead has

been taking up, together with colleagues in the APPG for hunger.

From the Government's point of view our focus remains on tackling the

root causes of poverty. This is what is important, not just the symptoms.

Nearly three quarters of children from workless families moved out of

poverty when their parents entered into full-time work and we see

record levels of employment under this government. That's why this is

so important. Ensuring that we get a strong economy and those jobs. But

I'm sure that ministers at the Department for Work and Pensions on

the Department for Education will be looking at the proposals the right

honourable member for Birkenhead has brought forward. The reductions in

unemployment, poverty and income inequality are some of our proudest

achievements in recent years. What more is the Government planning to

do to further the one nation principal and ensure a fairer

society still? Under this Government, we have seen income

inequality fall to its lowest level since 1986. The number of people in

absolute poverty is at a record low and we've got the lowest

unemployment rate since 1975. But he's right, there is more to do, and

that's why yesterday we announced a ?40 million for youth organisations

to boost the skills and life chances for young people who are living in

disadvantaged areas. I think that will have a transformational effect

on the lives of some of our most disadvantaged young people and will

help to achieve the fairer society that my honourable friend has

rightly referred to. Thank you, Mr Speaker. A few weeks ago, the

utterly shaming lack of mental health provision in this country was

condemned by our most senior family court judge, as he sought a bed for

a desperately ill teenage girl. The 17-year-old had been restrained no

fewer than 117 times in a place not fit to care for her. Does the Prime

Minister agree with me, in echoing the words of Sir James Mumby, that

the continued failure to tackle our nation's mental health crisis means

the state will have blood on its hands? I'm sure everybody across

this House was concerned to read of the circumstances of the individual

that she has referred to and the treatment that she had received. I

accept that we need to do more in relation to our mental health

services. That's precisely why the Government is putting more money

into mental health, it is why we have introduced a number of

programmes, particularly focusing on the mental health of young people,

it is why we have reduced by 80% the numbers of people being detained in

police cells because of their mental ill-health and, as I say, we've

increased the funding. But of course we need to do more. That's why we

are pushing forward on further change. We are pledged to reforming

outdated mental health laws and we've created targets to improve

standards of care. I agree mental-health is important. This

Government is focusing on it and putting more resources into it.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Given the importance of the fishing industry

around the whole of the UK and in particular in Banff and Buchan, can

I ask what discussions the government has had with

representatives of fishing in the north-east of Scotland as heart of

the ongoing EU negotiations? I recognise the importance of the

fishing industry to a number of parts of the UK, including my

honourable friend's constituency, and he is right to raise this point.

The Government is engaging with a range of fishing stakeholders,

including a meeting with the Scottish Fishermen's Federation,

which took place in July. We do value our fishing communities and

supporting them will be an important part of the action we will take as

part of the EU. We are working closely with the fishing industry. I

have met some fishermen and spoken to them over the summer about the

industry and we are working with fishermen and others who have a

stake in the industry to make sure we get this right when we leave the

EU. The Prime Minister will be aware of

our initiative last week to have devolution running immediately in

parallel with the talks process, an initiative welcomed by the opinion

in Northern Ireland. If, however, despite our best efforts and

agreement with all the other parties, Sinn Fein continues to

block the restoration of Government in Northern Ireland, will she

confirm to the House what her Government spokesperson said

yesterday evening about the future governance arrangements for Northern

Ireland, in particular, a welcome statement there will be no question

of joint authority or a role for Dublin? The right honourable

gentleman is right about the importance of the talks we have to

restore devolved administration in Northern Ireland. I'm happy to

confirm we'd not be looking at a joint authority. He will be aware...

In relation to the Government of the Republic of Ireland in north/south

co-ordination. The focus should be in trying to ensure we resolve the

current differences and see that devolved administration reasserted

in Northern Ireland. That is what would be best for the people of

Northern Ireland. Thank you Mr Speaker, by refusing to discuss free

trade, does the Prime Minister agree that the European Commission is

damaging the employment and economic interests of their own member

states? For ex-ample endangerings jobs in the German car industry?

Will the Prime Minister call on other heads of European Government

to prevail on the European Commission to end this act of wanton

economic self-harm and start free trade talks which are so clearly in

the interests of everybody? My Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of

State for exiting the EU was back in Brussels for the further rounds of

negotiations. Those have been productive. We do want to see the

discussions moving on to the future relationship. What this Government

has done and will continue to do is publish a set of position papers

setting out options and ideas for how that deep and special parter

inship can be taken forward in the future. This isn't just a question

of what suits the UK. It is in the interests of the European Union to

have that good, deep and special partnership. What action is the

Prime Minister taking to ensure that my constituents, many of whom are

paying in excess of ?5,000 to travel to London every year, get better

service, not the service the new plans under our Government

introduced. And under these plans, the people of Bedford will lose the

Intercity rail service?s Can I say to the honourable gentleman, if you

look at the record of this Government, we recognise the

importance of rail services. Oh, he says, no we don't. I suggest he

looks at the funding we are putting in to improving rail services across

this country. That is a sign of recognition we have of the

importance of those services. One person sleeping rough is one too

many. Our party's manifesto set out to end rough sleeping by the end of

this Parliament. Given the important role that charities play in this

task, will the Prime Minister join me in paying tribute to the

excellent charity Crisis, which is marking its 5th anniversary? Can I

first of all pay tribute to my honourable friend. This had is an

issue he cares about deeply and he co-chairs the APPG on ending

homelessness. He's right, we had a commitment to reduce rough leaping,

eliminating by 2027. ?50 million has been allocated to 2020 to tackle

homelessness and rough sleeping. I'm also happy to join with him in

paying tribute to Crisis as they mark their 5th anniversary. They've

been doing, over those 50 years, a very important job. I will be

hosting a reception for them to mark their 5th anniversary in Downing

Street later today. The University of Bradford makes a compelling case

for a medical school teaching all types of health professionals. Can

the Prime Minister confirm those universities where the need is the

most will be given the opportunity to set up medical schools? We are

pleased we'll be increasing the number of training places. That does

mean the Department of Health is looking at the whole question of

what places are available where and what new medical schools should be

set up. I'm sure the Secretary of State for Health will be interested

in hearing her pitch for Bradford to have a medical school. In the 1960

and 70s thousands of women were described a pregnancy test which

resulted in profound effects for the babies that followed, including my

constituent Charlotte Fensom who cares as a sister alongside elderly

parents of her brother Steve enwho was pro frownedly affected. Those

families now deserve justice and there should be a chance to launch a

public inquiry into this terrible scandal? My honourable friend has

raised an important issue. She's right to do so. We should recognise

the impact this had on those women who took this hormone pregnancy test

from the late 1950s into 1978. There is an expert working group set up

which is looking into this issue which is due to publish its findings

in the autumn. I would be happy to meet my honourable friend to discuss

this issue with her. Parents in my constituency are disappointed. Over

the summer, they sought to take advantage

THE SPEAKER: Order! An unseemly response. The honourable lady ask a

new member. She's highly articulate and she will be heard! The

honourable lady will be heard! Parents any my constituency are

disappointed. They sought to take advantage of the 30 hours childcare

but due to underfunding found it was not available and not free. Will the

Prime Minister apologise to parents across the country for false

advertising on what over wise would have been a welcome policy? What I

can tell the honourable lady is we are investing ?1 billion of extra

funding every year in early years entitlement. That includes 3 million

a year. This investment is based on work that was done, a plan by the

Department for Education which was described by the National Audit

Office as thorough and wide-ranging. There are important ways that

childcare providers can get more from their funding. The DFE is

offering to support them to do that. Our hourly funding rate is

significantly higher than the average cost of providing a place to

a three or four-year-old. I hope the honourable lady thinks this is

something this Government is delivering on. For the second year

running, planning the festival of engineering, this time with the

honourable member for South West Wiltshire. We hope to inspire 3,000

children to help challenge stereotypes of engineering careers

to help combat the local skills gap and in addition, to highlight

Wiltshire is a hub of engineerings design and technology. Would the

Prime Minister consider attending this wonderful event? Can I

congratulate my honourable friend for her initiative. She does raise

an important point. It is important we see more young people moving into

engineering. Pursuing careers in engineering and describes more

generally. The steps she's taking with our honourable friend is an

important part of this. We need to address those stereotypes. I'm

particularly keen to address women in engineering. We should see more

women. If my diary allows, I will be very happy to attend. Clinicians

don't believe it will be safe, commissioners and providers don't

believe it would be feasible. Isn't it now the time for ministers to

reverse the decision they took in 2011 to close the A department at

King George hospital? Can I say, we have been very clear that where

decisions are taken, we want those decisions to be taken at a local

level with clinical advice. That is what the Department of Health is

doing. As home sectsry, the Prime Minister was one of the first to

appreciate the alarming extent of child sexual exploitation and

respond to calls to set up the historic abuse inquiry. Does she

agree those who expose to root out the criminal perpetrators for the

horrific crimes they commit especially in the face of cultural

sensitivities should be encouraged and promoted not gagged? My

honourable friend has raised a very sensitive and important issue. As he

says, was an issue I took a particular interest in when I was

Home Secretary. Anyone who abuses a child must be stopped regardless of

race, age or gender. Child exploiltation happens in all areas

of the country. It can take many different forms. I'm clear and the

Government is clear political or cultural sensitivities must not get

in the way of pro venting and uncovering child abuse. The freedom

to speak out must apply to those in positions of responsibility,

including ministers and shadow ministers on both sides of this

House. If we turn a blind eye to this abuse, as has happened too much

in the past, then more crimes will be committed and more children will

be suffering in silence. Thank you. Glenfield's children's heart surgery

unit has some of the best outcomes in the country, including mortality

rates lower than the national average. One of the Professor'S says

proposals to Church of England children's heart surgery are

embarrassing and plucked out of thin air. Can I ask the Prime Minister to

ensure the final decision is made on the basis of sound clinical evidence

and when this House is sitting so MPs can question ministers about NHS

England's plans? The honourable lady is aware there are many ways MPs can

question ministers about plans. As I said in answer to one of her

honourable friends earlier. The decisions about the future structure

of the NHS, Sir veries and provision are being taken on the basis of

clinical needs and clinical evidence. Britain is among the

world's leading digital economies. As we leave the EU, technology will

be crucial to a successful Brexit from the Northern Irish border to

customs controls. Does the Prime Minister agree that Brexit can

kick-start a further wave of ding stall investment and working with

the industry, a Brexit technology task force could help her do that?

My honourable friend is right about the position the UK holds in

relation to science and innovation. We're already a leading destination.

We've some of the world's top universities, three of which are in

the world's top ten. We've more Nobel Prize winners than any country

outside of the United States. We've proud history of cutting edge rest

search, science and took nothingy. Brexit gives us an opportunity to

give a further kick-start to our position in relation to the digital

economy. We'll want to attract investment from all over the world

in relation to this and work with industry to ensure that can be done.

In her conference speech last year, the Prime Minister said existing

workers legal right will continue to be guaranteed in law as long Asim

aPrime Minister. Can the Prime Minister tell the House how long

that will be? Can I say to the honourable gentleman, that is a

commitment that I'm happy to stand by in relation to improving workers'

rights. That's something we've den doing as a Conservative Party and

something I'll continue to do as Prime Minister. Mr Speaker, tomorrow

is world awareness day which highlights this devastating muscle

wasting condition which affects young men. If as anticipated the

current development of a more reliable newborn screening test goes

ahead, psychological support must be readily available to any affected

families. Will the Prime Minister provide assurance to families that

NHS England will develop such a vital psychological support? This is

an important aspect of this terrible condition. I recognise the

importance of ensuring people can access appropriate psychological

support when they have a young family member diagnosed with this

serious health problem. In relation to the new screening test, I

understand muscular Diss fie UK is working with NHS England's advisory

groups to understand how best to meet the needs of parents and

careers following the diagnosis of this. I'm grateful to my Right

Honourable Friend for raising this issue.