13/12/2017 Prime Minister's Questions

he had been aware of. A change

helping people back into employment.

The honourable lady should support

the efforts to get people back into

work.

Order. Questions for the Prime

Minister.

This is the six month anniversary of

the Grenfell Tower fire. I will be

attended the service tomorrow and I

am sure I speak for members across

the House that it remains at the

forefront of our minds as a tragedy

that should never have happened.

Many who survived the fire lost

everything that night and I can

assure the House we continue to do

everything we can, to support those

affected, and take the necessary

steps to make sure it can never

happen again. Mr Speaker, this

morning I had meetings with

ministerial colleaguings and others

in addition to my duties I shall

have further such meetings today.

Mr

Speaker I think the Prime Minister

will be able to take to that

memorial service the thoughts and

prayers of every single member in

this House across all parties.

My right honourable friend said at

the end of the Brexit process

members of Parliament will have an

opportunity to vote on the deal. Can

she confirm that it is still her

intention to hold such a votesome

I am happy to confirm we will put

the final withdrawal agreement

between the UK and the EU, to a vote

in both Houses of Parliament before

it comes into force.

As we have said we expect the UK

Parliament to vote ahead of the

European Parliament, so we fully

expect Parliament to vote well

before March 2019. So to be clear,

the final deal will be agreed before

we leave, and right honourable and

honourable members will get a vote

on it. As my right honourable friend

the Secretary of State has said

today, we will bring forward,

withdrawal agreement and

implementation bill, to give the

withdrawal agreement domestic legal

effect, which will be subject to

full Parliamentary scrutiny. After

believe the withdrawal agreement

will be followed up by one or more

agreements and will introduce

further legislation where it is

needed to implement this into UK

law, providing yet another

opportunity for proper Parliamentary

scrutiny.

Thank you Mr Speaker, this week does

indeed mark six months since the

avoidable and tragic fire at

Grenfell Tower which took the lives

of 71 people and injured and

traumatised many more, I too will be

at the service tomorrow in memory of

them. But that fire also shone a

light on the neglect of working

class communities all over this

country. And since this Government

came to power, homelessness is up by

50%, rough sleeping has doubled.

Homelessness and rough sleeping have

risen every single year, since 2010.

Will the Prime Minister pledge today

that 2018 will be the year when

homelessness starts to go down?

Across this House, we don't want to

see anybody who is homeless or

anybody who is sleeping rough on our

streets. That is why the Government

is putting £500 million into the

question of homelessness. It is why

we backed the bill that was brought

forward by my honourable friend the

member for Brent, sorry for harrow,

and it is why we have ensured we are

putting into place a number of

projects that will deal with this

issue of rough sleeping. But I have

to say to the right honourable

gentleman that when we look at the

question Hoff housing we need to

look at ensuring that there are more

homes available to people, that we

are giving people support, to get

into those homes, that is why, in

the budget my right honourable

friend the Chancellor set out a

whole range of ways in which we will

be helping people to ensure they

have their own roof over their

heads. Compared to Labour, where

house billing went down by 45%.

Where the number of homes bought and

sold went down by 40%. And social

housing went down by 400,000.

Mr

Speaker, the last Labour Government

cut homelessness by two thirds

during its time in office. When

Labour left office the number of

children in temporary accommodation

was a lot less than it is now. I

asked the Prime Minister for a

pledge to reduce the amount of

homelessness next year, the pledge

was not forthcoming. 128,000

children will spend Christmas with

out a home to call their own. 60% up

on 2010. It is too late for this

Christmas, but will the Prime

Minister promise that by Christmas

2018, fewer children will be without

a home to call their own?

Again, we

of course want every child to wake

up in their own home, particularly

at Christmas, but, it is incredibly

important people know they can keep

a roof over their heads even in the

most desperate circumstances, that

is we are making sure that councils

can place families in a broader

range of homes if they fall into

these circumstances, so since 2011

councils have been able to place

families into private rented

accommodation so they can get a

suitable place sooner. We have

changed the law in relation to, so

families with children shouldn't

find themselves in B&B accommodation

except in an emergency. And through

implementing the homelessness rezhun

act we are making sure families at

risk can get support before they

find themselves homeless. I say to

the honourable gentleman, I have

been very clear, as I was a few

weeks ago, that this Government is

going to be a government that puts a

clear focus on housing, on building

the homes that people need, on

ensuring, on ensuring that people

are given help to get into those

homes, and also, on acting to

prevent homelessness before it

happens a. That is what we are

doing, that is what will make a real

difference to people's lives.

Mr Speaker, the sad reality is that

one in 100 children in this country

are homeless at any one time. It is

a national disgrace, and it is

getting worse. And for all she says

about the private rented sector, can

I just quote from a letter I

received from Rachel this week.

Lives.

Mr Speaker, the sad reality is that

one in 100 children in this country

are homeless at any one time. It is

a national disgrace, and it is

getting worse. And for all she says

about the private rented sector, can

I just quote from a letter I

received from Rachel this week. She

says "I have a knot in my stomach,

every New Year period, when we are

due to sign a new tenancy agreement.

After renting the same flat for ten

years, never being in arrears and

keeping the property in good order,

we were given notice to quit out of

the blue." Will the Prime Minister

help people like Rachel and back

secure three year tenancies for all

private renters?

Well, I say to the

right honourable gentleman, that if

I think he was present in the

chamber when the budget was given to

this chamber, and that is why

precisely why we said that we are

looking at ways in which we can

encourage longer term tenancies. The

point is, what is important, what is

important is ensuring that people

have the ability to have the

accommodation they need, that they

want and on the basis they, that is

right for them. That is why, as I

say, we are dealing with this issue

of longer term tenancies but he

talks about renting, people renting

their homes, and his response on

renting is to bring in rent

controls. Rent controls have never

worked. They result in reducing the

number of homes available for people

who want to be able to have

accommodation and a roof over their

own head. It is not just me that

says that Labour Party party policy

won't help people who are renting.

Renting. Shelter say they won't help

people who are renting.

Mr Speaker, evictions by private

landlords have quadrupled since

2010. There is not security in the

private rented sector and the Prime

Minister well knows it. She also

promised one for one replacement of

council housing sold off through

right to buy. But just one in five

council homes have been replaced.

Hundreds of thousands of people are

on housing waiting lists. Will the

Prime Minister apologise for what

she said and tell the house when she

will deliver this one for one

replacement?

And as the right

honourable gentleman knows we are

increasing the flexibilities to

enable councils to build homes, we

have put more money into affordable

housing, he talks about the right

the buy. What a contrast, we want to

give people the opportunity to buy

their own home, the Labour Party

would take that opportunity away

from them. What do we see, what do

we see on housing? The shadow

Housing Minister, the shadow Housing

Minister recently said that fewer

people owning their own home is not

such a bad thing. Well, I have to

say to the right honourable

gentleman, that what he is offering

to people on housing, if you live in

a council home he will take eye your

right to buy. If you are looking to

rent sheller say his policies will

harm you. It is only the

Conservative that will deliver the

homes this country needs.

If only it were true Mr Speaker.

Under the Tories, the home ownership

has fallen by 200,000. Under Labour,

it rose by one million. And 40% of

all homes sold through right to buy

are now in the private rented

sector. The latest figures Mr

Speaker, show that a quarter of all

privately rented homes are not up to

decent standards. Meaning many

families are living in homes with

damp, that are not secure, or very

poorly insulated. Does the Prime

Minister support homes being fit for

human habitation?

Of course we want

homes to be fit for human

habitation, can I just remind the

right honourable gentleman that the

number of homes failing to meet the

decent homes standard is down by 49%

since the peak under the Labour

Government. And while I am... While

I am talking about the record of the

Labour Government, statutory

homelessness, statutory homelessness

peaked under the Labour Government

is down by over 50% since then. It

is this Government that is

delivering for people on housing, it

is his Government that Labour failed

to deliver over 13 years.

I would

just remind the Prime Minister, Mr

Speaker, that under Labour, a

million homes are brought up to

decent standard. I would assume from

what she said she will be here on

19th January to support my

honourable friend the member for

Westminster North's bill to make

privately rented homes fit for human

habitation.

When it comes to housing Mr Speaker,

this Government has been an absolute

disgrace. After seven years, more

people are living on the streets,

more families in temporary

accommodation, more families in

homes not fit for human habitation,

and fewer people owning their own

home. When is this Government going

to get out of the pockets of

property speculators and rogue

landlords, and get on the side of

tenants and people without a home of

their own this Christmas.

Under Labour, House building down,

homes built and sold down, social

housing down... I will tell him one

thing that went up under the last

Labour government, the number of

people on the social housing waiting

list. 1.74 million people waiting

for a home under a Labour

government. We have delivered over

346,000 new, affordable homes since

2010. More affordable homes have

been delivered in the last seven

years than in the previous seven

years under a Labour government. We

are building more homes. Last year

we saw 217,000 more homes being

built in this country. That is

a record for the last 30 years. It

is the Conservatives that are doing

what is necessary. Labour will

produce failure for this country

once again. It is the Conservatives

that is delivering the standard of

living that people need.

A

14-year-old constituent of mine lost

both her arms and legs at the age of

six when she was a victim of

meningitis. I was one of many MPs

campaigning for the meningitis

vaccine to be introduced into the

NHS. Isabel is on the way to

becoming one of the UK's most

proficient junior gymnasts, one of

the most talented trampoline lists

in the country. She was recently

handed the pride of sports award as

a young achiever. Will the Prime

Minister join me in congratulating

Isabel in receiving this prestigious

national award?

I'm very happy to

congratulate Isabel on receiving

this award and on her sporting

achievements, but also on her

incredible bravery. She is an

inspiration to all of us. My

honourable friend has mentioned

about the meningitis vaccine, and

she is one of those campaigning on

this issue. Meningitis can be a

devastating disease, so we have

taken steps to increase the

availability of the vaccine. In

September 2015 we became the first

country to have a meningitis B

vaccination programme. It is

necessary that Public Health England

continues to raise awareness of the

symptoms, and its campaigns are

reaching hundreds of thousands of

parents. The NHS has been running a

programme to vaccinate teenagers,

school leavers and university

freshers against four different

strains of meningitis. I think my

honourable friend can be pleased

with the work she did in relation to

this.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. In

2008, we collectively bailed out the

Royal Bank of Scotland at a cost of

£45 billion. In 2017, the Royal Bank

of Scotland are paying us back by

turning their backs on 259 of our

communities. Given we are the

majority shareholder, will the Prime

Minister step in and tell the Royal

Bank of Scotland to stick to their

commitment and not close the last

bank in town?

I think the honourable

gentleman knows that the decision to

close branches is a commercial

decision for banks, without

intervention by the Government. We

do recognise the impact this has on

communities, and the Secretary of

State for Scotland raised concerns

on this issue in his meeting with

RBS. More people are banking online,

which is having an impact, but we do

want to ensure that all customers

can access over-the-counter

services, so we have established the

access to banking standard, which

commits banks to carry out a number

of steps before closing branches.

The post office has also reached an

agreement with thanks to allow more

customers to use post office

services. We recognise the impact of

this on communities.

The Prime

Minister should be summoning Ross

McEwan in to see her. We will not

accept towns and villages up and

down the United Kingdom losing tank

services. There are 30 towns in

Scotland where the last bank will be

going. This is not acceptable. Will

she summon Ross McEwan and will she

tell the Royal Bank of Scotland this

must be reversed?

The decisions on

opening and closing branches is a

commercial matter for the banks, as

I say. This is an issue for the

Secretary of State, that he has

raised with the Royal Bank of

Scotland. But what is important is

that services are available to

individuals, which is why those are

being provided and alternatives are

available. I would also say that an

awful lot more people are banking

online these days, not requiring the

use of a branch. We want to ensure

that vulnerable customers

particularly, who don't have access

to online banking, are able to have

services provided, which is what we

are doing with the access to banking

standard and our work with the post

office.

In 2015, the heart of

England Trust will trust got into

major trouble due to poor

management. In response, the

management of universities hospitals

Birmingham was brought in to take

charge. As a result, services and

patient care have in improved

dramatically. Would the Prime

Minister join me in praising this

turnaround and agree that we must

support good management in the NHS.

Can I say to my honourable friend

that I am happy to join him in

paying tribute to the work that's

been undertaken by University

hospitals Birmingham? We do want to

see strong management across the

NHS. I understand there are a number

of practical and financial issues

still to resolve, and I would

encourage all of those involved to

make progress on this issue, but I

congratulate all those NHS staff who

have worked hard to ensure that

improvement takes place.

Does the

Prime Minister agree that the

resignation of lurve Kerslake does

put the Government on a... --

resignation of Lord Kerslake. In my

constituency, it is disgraceful that

people have to travel at least 15

miles to get to the nearest A&E.

Can

I say to him that I think Lord

Kerslake made the right decision in

stepping down as chairman of King's

College Hospital? I'm not surprised

the Labour Party are interested in

this, given that Lord Kerslake is a

key adviser to the Labour Party. If

I can say to the honourable

gentleman, he might care look at

what NHS improvement said about

King's College Hospital. The

financial situation at Kings has

deteriorated seriously over recent

months, and we have now placed the

trust in special measures. It is not

acceptable for organisations to run

up such significant deficits when

the majority of the sector is

working extremely hard to hit their

financial plans, and in many cases

have made real progress. They called

the situation the worst in the NHS.

Perhaps it's no surprise that noble

lord Kerslake is advising the Labour

Party on matters of debt and

deficit.

At the end of their first

and successful term, will my right

honourable friend congratulate the

teachers, parents and students of

the Newark free school, a school

designed to raise standards and

performance of schools. Would she

agree with me that Conservatives,

great teaching like this is not just

about education, it is a daily

battle for social justice, and we

will never be distracted from that?

My honourable friend is right.

First, I'm very happy to join him in

congratulating those who were

involved in setting up this

much-needed free school. I know my

honourable friend will ensure the

school provides young people in his

constituency with an excellent

education, despite the school being

opposed by the party opposite. My

honourable friend is right, this is

not just a question of education,

it's a question of social justice. A

good quality education opens the

door to the future for the lives of

those young people. That's why it's

so important to ensure the quality

of education is there to give young

people the best start in life.

Tonight, this House will hopefully

have the chance to vote on my new

clause 22 to the EU Withdrawal Bill,

which would give Parliament the

power, at a future date, to

determine whether we leave the

single market by coming out of the

European Economic Area. It doesn't

dictate how honourable members

should then votes, but it does

ensure proper, democratic oversight.

Shouldn't it be our sovereign

parliament, and not the Prime

Minister, that decides our country's

economic future?

First, as I

indicated earlier in response to the

member for Cheshire and Amersham,

this parliament will have the

opportunity to vote on withdrawal

arrangements. Can I say that the

honourable lady says it should be

parliament that makes the decision

about our membership of the single

market. This parliament gave that

decision about membership of the

European Union to the people of this

country. It is the people of this

country that voted to leave the

European Union, and this government

will deliver for them.

Mr Speaker,

today thousands of profoundly

disabled children are denied the

opportunity to enjoy a day out with

their families simply because there

isn't an adequate changing room. The

stories of parents at the Dales

School in my constituency deeply

moved me, so can I ask the Prime

Minister to consider updating our

building regulations, and ensure all

relevant buildings voluntarily

install changing facilities to give

these children the opportunities

they deserve?

My honourable friend

is right to raise this very

important issue, which might seem

such a small issue, but actually is

very important in the lives of those

disabled children, to enable them to

lead the life they want to lead. I

agree that the provision of changing

places can make a real difference to

disabled children and their carers.

I understand the Department for

Communities and Local Government has

been working hard for this. I'm sure

that the Communities Secretary will

be happy to discuss this matter

further with my honourable friend.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. This week,

the right reverend bishop of

Stafford wrote to the Conservative

Stoke on Trent City Council to plead

not to cut £100 million from the

homelessness support budget. Does

the Prime Minister agree that the

measure of society can be found in

the way we treat our vulnerable

people, and will she join his calls

to the city to not cut the

homelessness support budget, and

will she agreed to fund local

government properly so it can play

its part in dealing with

homelessness?

We don't want to see

people without a roof over their

head. That's why we are working in a

number of ways to deal with this

situation, and why we are committed

to cutting rough sleeping in half by

2022, and eliminating it by 2027. We

are dedicating over £1 billion to

cutting homelessness and rough

sleeping. That is to tackle what we

agree is something we don't want to

see on our streets.

It is now one

year since I was sworn in as an MP.

During the last year, the biggest

issue in my postbag has been the

provision of broadband to rural

areas. The Government has invested

heavily in this area, but many are

still struggling with slow

connections. Would my right

honourable friend reassure my

constituents that we will do

everything to ensure that everybody

gets superfast broadband, and nobody

is left behind?

Can I congratulate

my honourable friend, not only on

her election a year ago yesterday,

but also on her re-election earlier

this year. And on her year in this

House. She's raised an issue that is

a matter of concern to many rural

areas across the country, and we do

remain committed to universal

broadband coverage of at least 10

megabits so that no home or business

is left behind. Superfast broadband

is available to over 90% of premises

in Lincolnshire, and we have

committed over one billion pounds

for next generation digital

infrastructure. I can reassure her

we have not forgotten any community

across the UK. We recognise the

importance of broadband to

communities, and we are working to

ensure we deliver further.

In 2016,

the then Home Secretary launched the

ending violence against women and

girls strategy, emphasising the need

for an national network of domestic

violence refuges. In 2017, Women's

Aid save the Government is proposals

for short-term housing threatens

this network. Will the Prime

Minister support Women's Aid and

step in to save our refuges?

I recognise the importance of

dealing with domestic violence, we

ring-fenced funding to support the

victims, we have continued to

ring-fence that funding, we have

also made a number of step, we will

be introducing a new laws, we have

introduced the coercive criminal act

of coercive control, we have

introduced changes that have

improved the support for people

suffering from domestic violence, we

are proposing a new funding model in

relation to the provision of housing

homes for people who have suffered

from domestic violence and there is

a good reason for wanting to see a

change, which is to make this more

responsive to the needs of the

individuals, at a time of crisis in

their lives, to make the system work

better because at the moment the

funding isn't responsive enough to

their needs in local area, they have

to worry about meeting housing costs

themselves, at this time of crisis,

and access relies on welfare claims

and eligible. We are proposing a new

model that frees women from worrying

about meeting the housing costs

themselves and the funding available

will remain the same.

Will she give her personal assurance

they and their families will have

the right to remain after Britain

leaves the European Union?

I, first

of all I am happy to join her. They

do do incredible work, and it is

right we recognise the contribution,

that EU nationals are making in this

sector, but also across our economy,

and our society. That is why we want

people to be able to stay and we

want families to be able to stay

together and that is why I am

pleased that the arrangements that

we have and were published in the

joint progress report between the

United Kingdom and the European

Union last Friday, show very clearly

on citizens rights that where people

have made that life choice to be

here, we will support them and

enable them to carry on lovelying

their lives as before.

In her

answers so far the Prime Minister

has shown she hasn't got a clue

about the concerns of... Today, and

on the 14th June she said that

no-one and no community would be

left behind but the Doncaster market

towns have been told their NatWest

branches are to close. That is two

more on top of a record-breaking 700

branch closures this year and that

is despite the Big Four banks

delivered 13.5 billion half year

profits. Will the Prime Minister

admit that the Government's access

to banking protocol has failed to

keep a single branch open, and will

she restore the bank Levy and use

some of it to stop communities

losing their last bank branch.

Can I say to the right honourable

lady, first of all I have responded

to the leader of the Scottish

National Party in relation to

closures. But, I think, also she and

others need to accept that people's

behaviour in relation to banking

branches has changed over the years,

and there is less demand but we have

the access to banking standard in

place, she referred to the Levy, let

us be very clear there is a bank

Levy there is a corporation tax

surcharge for banks and this

Government is raising more money

from the banks than the Labour

Government ever did.

Would my right

honourable friend join me in

congratulating the UK's community

found disagrees who have just

reached the notable milestone

distributing £1 billion to local

communities across the country,

should she agree the community

foundations are perfect example of

her shared society, and that funds

from dormant assets, once available

should be provided to them, to

continue their very important work.

I am happy to join him in

congratulating community foundations

across the UK, I was pleased to be

able to have a meeting with the

chief executive of the Berkshire

foundation a couple of weeks a, I

know from what my honourable friend

said across communities across the

country these are an important

contributor to the shared, an

example of the shared society adds

he say, and I understand dormant

accounts scheme has already

distributed over 362 million for the

benefit of good causes and there has

been a report on possible expanding

the scheme that would have the

potentially significantly build on

the success of the current scheme.

Mr Speaker, can I remind the Prime

Minister of June 2nd 1997 when I

heard her make a very competent

maiden speech in which she stressed

the importance of vocational

practical education for young people

in our country, is she wear there is

now a crisis -- crisis for

apprenticeships, a 62% fall in

apprenticeship starts? Many

independent excellent trainers going

out of business, a FE college in

dire financial straits. Will she

break a few heads, crack a few eggs

and get this sorted?

We see growing

number going into apprenticeships,

we are putting £500 million into

technical education to ensure for

the first time this country has

first class technical education, I

called for it 1997, in 2017 I am

delivering.

As an enthusiastic member of the

women and equalities committee, I

aim to be a strong champion for the

equality of women, and I aspire to

the title of honorary sister as best

towed on you Mr Speaker, so will the

Prime Minister join me in

congratulating Ruth Cook on her

appointment as chief executive of

collar Ron group, the largest

housing association in the country,

proving that exceptional women can

get the top job in housing and

politics.

I am very, I am very very happy to

agree with honourable friend and to

congratulate her on her appointment

for the clarion group. It shows that

women can take on senior job, I have

to say he is aspiring to an accolade

that I don't think the right

honourable friend member for

Camberwell and Peckham has given to

me, despite being only it could

second female Prime Minister in this

country and one day, maybe the

Labour sisterhood will manage to get

a female leader of the Labour Party.

Assessing the impact of leaving the

European Union on the different

sectors of the UK economy, is surely

basic spade work for thing in, yet

the Brexit secretary said none of it

has been done why not?

It isn't the

case no work has been done in

looking at the, as the right

honourable gentleman knows from the

over 800 pages of analysis that have

been published.

The Prime Minister

has made clear that Brexit means

Brexit. When it comes to the closure

of Grantham A&E now the trust

believes it has recruited enough

doctors does she agree with me that

temporary means temporary?

Can I

say, I know my right honourable

friend has been a strong champion on

his constituents, I know he will

agree with me the first priority

must be to ensure patient safety and

that is why a report was

commissioned. I understand NHS

improvement will, are continuing to

work closely with the trust and I am

sure the Health Secretary will be

happy to discuss the detail with him

In the run to Christmas people will

take on extra seasonal work to earn

extra cash but many employers will

be offered unpaid trial work with a

job doesn't exist. It is affecting

tens of thousands up and down the

UK, but I have a bill coming to end

unpaid trial shift, will she ensure

this is the last Christmas of this

exploitation and give Government

backing for it?

We already have a

legal position in this country in

relation to the payment of the

national minimum wage, and ensuring

people are paid for the work they

do.

Given the Scottish National

Party has an extra £2 million to

play with, will the Prime Minister

join me in calling on the film to

rule out higher taxes for

hard-working Scots

This is a very

real test of the First Minister and

Government in Scotland as to whether

they are willing to recognise, last

week I recall, or in previous weeks

we have had strange claims being

made by the Scottish Nationalists in

this House about the I impact of

decisions on Scotland but he is

right. £2 billion extra going into

Scotland. Let us watch carefully how

the SNP Government choose to spend

that money.

Last week I tabled a

written question to the Chancellor,

asking for the evidence behind his

extraordinary claim to the Treasury

Select Committee, that disabled

workers are responsible for the UK's

productivity problem, last night I

received his written answer. Up sur

-- unsurprisingly there is no

evidence for that claim. So

disgracefully, since he has declined

to express regret, will the Prime

Minister take back control and order

the Chancellor to withdraw his

remark and apologise for inaccurate

and offensive comments.

The Chancellor did not express the

views she claimed he was expressing,

this is a government that values the

contribution that disabled people

make, to our society and to our

economy in the workplace n is a

government that is working to ensure

that we can see more disabled people

getting into the workplace. We have

had some success, there is more to

do but we will continue to work, to

ensure those disabled people who

want to work are able to do so.

I

sponsored an event in this place for

the United Kingdom -- UN, the draw

the line campaign which helped 6,000

women and girls to have a better

life. One in four women in the UK

and 70% of girls around the world

will expect to see physical or

sexual violence in their life. Can

this Prime Minister confirm this

Government will continue to lead the

world, on tackling trafficking and

exploitation?

She raises a very

important issue once again, this

Government introduces the modern

slave react. It is continuing to

work not only to increase our

ability to deal with the

perpetrators of these crimes but

also to provide support for the

victim, I want a world in which

women and girls have the confidence

to be able to be what they want to

be, and know they won't be subject

to exploitation, to violence, to

trafficking, to slavery, slavery

applies to men as well but I think

our commitment as a government to

ending violence and exploitation of

women and girls is absolute.

Thank you Mr Speaker, last week it

was announced that my wonderful city

of Coventry had been successful in

its bid to become UK City of Culture

2021. We are bursting with pride.

Will the Prime Minister join me in

congratulating every one who was

instrumental in this great

achievement and which Coventry

success, prosperity, hope and some

fun in the next few years up to

2021, and beyond.

Can I say that I will join her in

congratulating Coventry, on being

selected as City of Culture as she

will be aware from exchanges that

have taken place, there will be a

number of honourable MEPs of this

house who are disappointed because

their cities have not achieved that

particular status but I am happy to

congratulate all those involved in

putting the bid together, and

ensuring that Coventry is that city

of churl, including the mayor for

the West Midlands.

,

Mr Speaker the Prime Minister and

I have many things in common,

including if I may say being proud

of being called bloody difficult

women. My Right Honourable and

learned friend member for be cobs

field is not in that category for

many reasons. He is obviously a man,

he is a respected seasoned

Parliamentarian and like many on

these benches has been for many

decades loyal to his party, nobody

wants to be disloyal or to bring

about more disunity, the Prime

Minister says she wants a meaningful

vote on Brexit, before we leave the

European Union, even at this last

moment would she be so good as to

accept the Right Honourable and

learned gentleman's amendment in the

spirit of unity for everybody here

and in the country.

My right

honourable friend makes an important

point about the concerns people have

had in this house about having a

meaningful vote on this particular

issue before we complete the deal.

As I is set out in the earlier

answer I gave to my right honourable

friend, that is what we will have,

we will ensure that there is a

meaningful vote on this, in this

House, there will be of course be an

opportunity for Parliament to look

at the withdrawal agreement and

implementation bill, this, the fact

that there will be that meaningful

vote has been set out an confirmed

by the Brexit secretary in a written

ministerial statement today. We were

clear that we won't commence any

statutory instruments until that

meaningful vote has taken place, but

as currently drafted what the

amendment says, is that we shouldn't

make any of those, put any of those

arrangements into place, until the

withdrawal agreement and

implementation bill has reach the

statute book. That could be at a

very late stage in the proceedings,

which could mean that we are not

able to have the orderly and smooth

exit from the European Union that we

wish to have.

You are on! The honourable gentleman

is trying to overcome his natural

reticence. I know he is a shy

fellow, but I'm trying to encourage

them.

Mr Speaker, not 1p to fit

sprinklers to Birmingham's 213 tower

blocks from government. Now the city

is suffering the biggest cuts in

local government history, is to

suffer another £100 million further

funding cut, yet made in hand is the

least hard-hit of any local

authority in Britain. How can the

Prime Minister justify one law for

her own constituency and another law

for her own constituency?

Can I say

that of course the local government

settlement has yet to come before

this House. We have been very clear

in relation to fire safety

arrangements and any action that

needs to be taken by local

authorities, that they should

discuss this with the Department for

Communities and Local Government. We

will ensure it is possible for the

Nasa street safety work to be under

an taken.

2017 marks the 100th

anniversary of the foundation of the

women's Royal navy service. Will the

Prime Minister join with me in

marking the outstanding service of

women for over 100 years in the

Royal Navy, but also the Royal Air

Force and the Army? Will she

welcomed the fact that they are no

longer restricted to dibs on shore,

but can take part in every aspect of

the service?

It is right then when

marking the centenary for the

Women's Royal Naval Service, we

recognise the contribution women

have made across our Armed Forces,

and it's important they can now

contribute across all aspects of

work in the armed services and are

no longer restricted to jobs on

shore. This is an important step

forward and strengthens our Armed

Forces, and I