10/01/2018 Prime Minister's Questions


10/01/2018

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the Cabinet office to the Home

Secretary's work.

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Thank you Mr Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you Mr Speaker. I hope it is

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not too late to wish all members and

staff in the house a very happy New

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Year. Mr Speaker this morning I have

meetings with ministerial colleagues

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and others in addition to my duties

in this house I will have further

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such meetings later today.

I too

would like to wish members of staff

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a happy New Year. At least 1.4

million households across the UK

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have been victims of unfair

practices in the leasehold market

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including my constituent Emily

Martin. In advance of intended

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legislation what commitment will be

Prime Minister make to ensure Emily

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and thousands of people tied into

this scandal are compensated by

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developers now?

I say to the

honourable gentleman that we are

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concerned when we hear of unfair

practices taking place. I am sure

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the Housing Secretary will be happy

to hear of the particular case as an

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example of this. We are looking to

see what action the government can

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take to ensure people are secure in

their homes and that they are not

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subject to practices they should not

be subject to.

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Thank you Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, in

December when the Brexit secretary

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met Michel Barnier they hugged. In

that spirit would my right

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honourable friend the Prime Minister

passionately embrace, not me Mr

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Speaker, but would she passionately

embraced the agenda she set out last

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year to build a Briton fit for the

future, to encourage home ownership,

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to encourage education and life

chances and leave this country in a

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better place than when we find it?

I

have to say to my honourable friend

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he talks about passionate embraces

but I do not think he has ever had

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the kiss he once asked for! But if I

may say he's absolutely... He's

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absolutely right. We are determined

to deliver Britain which is fit for

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the future and that does mean we

need to get Brexit right but it

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means we need to do a lot more. He

references house-building and we are

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committed to building the homes this

country needs. That is why we have

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put 15 billion of new financial

support available over the next five

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years and why we scrap stamp duty

for 80% of first-time buyers. We are

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also improving school standards, 1.9

million more children in good or

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outstanding schools today and we are

protecting our natural environment.

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We are building a Briton which can

look to the future with optimism and

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hope.

Mr Speaker could I wish you

and all the house and all the staff

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a very happy New Year. Everyone is

agreed, yeah? Thank you.

CHUCKLES

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.

Mr Speaker, I know it seems a long

time ago, I know it seems a long

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time ago but just before Christmas I

asked the Prime Minister about the

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12,000 people left waiting more than

half an hour in the back of an

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ambulance at accident and emergency

departments. She told the house the

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NHS was better prepared for winter

than ever before. So what words of

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comfort does the Prime Minister have

two the 17,000 patients left waiting

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in the back of and allowances in the

last week of December? Is it that

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nothing is perfect by any chance?

I

fully accept that the NHS is under

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pressure over winter, it is

regularly under pressure at winter

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times. I have been very, I have been

very clear, I apologise to those

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people who have had operations

delayed and those people who have

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had admissions to hospital delayed.

But it is indeed the case that the

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NHS was better prepared this winter

than ever before and it might be

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helpful... Yes...

Order!

It might be

helpful if I let the house now some

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of the things which were done in

order to ensure that preparedness.

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More people than ever before having

flu vaccines, 2700 more acute beds

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being available since November. For

the first time ever, for the first

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time ever, we have seen GP, urgent

GP appointments are available across

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the Christmas period across this

country. More doctors specialising

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in treating the elderly in accident

and emergency. The right honourable

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gentleman mentions the last exchange

we had in this house. In our last

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exchange he said mental health

budgets have been cut. That is not

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right. Simon stevens from the

national health service has made

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clear that mental health spending

has gone up both in real terms and

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as a proportion of the overall

spending. So will he now apologise

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for what he previously said?

Mr

Speaker, the Prime Minister knows

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full well that budgets have been

raided and that many people who need

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help are not getting that help. And

Mr Speaker we saw on ITV news the

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other night that nurses are spending

the entire shift treating people in

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car parks because of backed up

ambulances. We know the Prime

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Minister recognises there is a

crisis in our NHS because she wanted

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to sack the Health Secretary last

week but was too weak to do it. And

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if the NHS is so well resourced and

so well-prepared, why was the

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decision taken last week to cancel

the operations of 55,000 patients

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during the month of January?

I say

to the right honourable gentleman...

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Well, from the front bench the

Labour Party say apologise but

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actually, listen to the answer I

gave to his right honourable friend

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the Leader of the Opposition I have

made clear that I have already

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apologised to those whose operations

have been delayed and we will make

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sure that those operations are

reinstated as soon as possible. We

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are putting record funding into the

NHS and record funding into mental

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health. But he keeps on about the

preparations from the national

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health service, I was very pleased

last week to be able to go and say

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in person thank you to the staff at

Frimley health trust from both

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Frimley Park and webs Park hospitals

for the work that they have been

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doing to deliver for patients across

this period of pressure across the

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winter. Our NHS staff, and that is

not just doctors and nurses, it is

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support staff, administrative staff,

porters, it is everybody working in

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our national health service, they do

other than plastic job every day and

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they particularly do that when we

see these winter pressures -- they

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do a fantastic job every day. This

is what NHS providers said only last

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week. Preparations for winter in the

NHS have been more extensive and

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meticulous than ever before.

Mr

Speaker we all bank all NHS staff

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are what they do. But the reality is

that the 55,000 operations cancelled

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means that those 55,000 people join

the already 4 million waiting for

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operations within the NHS. Perhaps

the Prime Minister could listen to

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the experience of Vicky. Her

82-year-old mother spent 13 hours on

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a trolley in a corridor, that was on

top of the three hours between her

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first calling 999 and arriving at

hospital. Vicky says, and I quote,

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"Is a volunteer first responder from

Warwickshire heart service whose day

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job is in the army kept mum safe and

tell paramedic arrives". Her mother

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then suffered a heart attack just a

week before. This is not an isolated

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case. Does the Prime Minister really

believe the NHS is better prepared

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than ever for the crisis it is now

going through?

First of all can I

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say to the right honourable

gentleman that nobody wants to hear

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people having to experience what

Vicky and her mother experienced.

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And of course, we need to ensure

that we learn from these incidents.

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That's exactly what we do in the

national health service. I am very

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happy to ensure that that particular

case is look that if you would like

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to provide me with the details of

that particular case. But a week in

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and week out in the run-up to

Christmas and now today what the

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right honourable gentleman is doing

is giving the impression of a

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national health service which is

feeling everybody who goes to use

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the NHS. The reality and our NHS is

we are seeing 2.9 million more

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people now going to accident and

emergency. We are seeing over 2

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million more operations taking place

each year. Our national health

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service is something we should be

proud of. That is why it is a first

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class... It is a first-class

National Health Service that has

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been identified as the number-1

health system in the world. That

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means it's a better health system

than Australia, the Netherlands, New

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Zealand, Canada, Switzerland,

Sweden, France, and the United

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States of America!

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We are all proud on this side of the

house of the principal of the NHS,

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health care as a human right about

in the last year 565,000 people have

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spent time on trolleys when they

should be treated. The number of

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elderly people being rushed into A&E

from care homes has risen by 62%

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since the Tories took power. Care

Quality Commission figures suggest

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that nearly a quarter of homes need

improvement. Not only is this

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robbing older people of their

dignity, but it's putting pressure

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on A&E and Ambulance Services. So

why, instead of dealing with the

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social care crisis, as the Prime

Minister rewarded Health Secretary

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with a promotion and a new job

title?

Can I say to the right

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honourable gentleman that I think

there are many voices across the

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house, including those from his own

party, who have been encouraging me

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to ensure that we see better

integration between health and

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social care. I am pleased that we

have recognised this by making the

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Department of Health the Department

of Health and social care, and that

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has been recognised by Age UK, who

has said that this is a welcome and

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long overdue recognition of the

interdependence of health and social

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care but I saw for myself last week

at Ferney Park the good week that is

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being done by some hospitals up and

down the country, working with GPs

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and care homes and the voluntary

sector to ensure that elderly people

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can stay at home safely and do not

need to come into hospital, with all

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of the consequences of them coming

in to hospital beds. That is the way

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forward. That is what we want to do,

ensuring that we think that

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integration of health and social

care at the grassroots level. But

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the way right honourable gentleman

talks, you would think that the

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Labour Party had all the solutions

for the NHS. If the Labour Party...

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If the Labour Party have got all the

answers, why is it that we see

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funding being cut, targets not being

met in Wales, where the Labour Party

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is responsible?

Mr Speaker, the

Prime Minister leads a government

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that is responsible for the funding

of national governments, such as in

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Wales. She knows full well what has

been cut from Wales. But she is, Mr

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Speaker, directly responsible, she

is directly responsible for the NHS

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in England, and giving the Health

Secretary a new job title will not

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hide the fact that 6 billion has

been cut from social care under the

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Tories. Part, Mr Speaker, part of

the problem with the NHS is that its

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funds have been increasingly

siphoned off into private companies,

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including in the Health Secretary's

area of Surrey foot

order! Calm

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yourself, Mr Sheldon. You are

supposed to be auditioning to become

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an elder statesman, but there are

many more auditions to come, on

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present evidence. Calm yourself, it

will be good for your health.

Even

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more money is being siphoned out of

NHS budgets and into private health

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companies. Even in the Health

Secretary's area of Surrey, the

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clinical commissioning group was

forced to pay money to Virgin Care

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because it didn't win a contract.

Will the Prime Minister sure

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patients that, in 2018, less NHS

money intended for patient care will

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be feathering the nests of

shareholders in private health

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companies?

First of all, an Wales,

this government has given more money

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to the Welsh government. It is a

decision of Labour in Wales to

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de-prioritise funding for the NHS in

Wales and, on the issue of the

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private sector and its role in the

health service, under which

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government was it that private

access and private use of the

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private sector in health sector no,

it wasn't. Iron order!

-- order! I

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say to the shadow secretary of state

for health, he is also supposed to

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be auditioning for something.

LAUGHTER

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He is normally a very amiable

fellow, but he is gesticulating in a

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very eccentric fashion. He must calm

himself. It isn't good for his

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image.

I say to the right honourable

gentleman, first of all, we have put

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more money into Wales, but the

Labour government in Wales has

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decided to de-prioritise funding for

the NHS, and the increase that was

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seen in private sector companies

working in the health service wasn't

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under the Conservative government

but under a Labour government, of

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which the right honourable gentleman

was a member.

My honourable friend,

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the Shadow Health Secretary, is

auditioning to be Health Secretary,

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and he shows real passion for our

NHS. Mr Speaker, under this

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government, virgin Care got £200

million worth of contracts in the

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last year alone. 50% up on the year

before. Mr Speaker, the Prime

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Minister needs to understand that it

is her policies that are pushing our

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NHS into crisis. Tax cuts for the

super-rich and big business are paid

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for... Yes, Mr Speaker, they are

paid for by longer waiting lists,

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ambulance delays, staff shortages

and cuts to social care. Creeping

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privatisation is dragging our NHS

down. He Health Secretary... The

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Health Secretary, during his

occupation of her office to keep his

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job, said, he won't abandon the

ship. Isn't an admission that, under

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his captaincy, the ship is indeed

thinking? -- sinking?

This

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government is putting more money

into the NHS, we have more doctors

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and nurses in the NHS, more

operations taking place on more

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people being treated in accident and

emergency. But we can only do that,

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we can only do that if we have a

strong economy. What would we see

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from the Labour Party? We have

turned the economy round from the

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recession that the Labour Party left

us with. What do we know... What do

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we know about the Labour Party's

economic policies? We were told all

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about them from the description from

the Shadow Education Secretary, icy

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isn't in her place on the front

bench today. -- who icy isn't in her

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place oh, I do apologise. No, I

didn't realise, Mr Speaker. I did

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not realise the Shadow Education

Secretary was herself undergoing

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medical treatment, and I apologise

unreservedly for that comment. But I

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have to say that she did describe

the economic policies of the Labour

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Party in unparliamentary terms,

including the word bust, but she did

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say that the Labour Party's economic

policy was high risk, which means

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high risk for taxpayers, high risk

for jobs in high risk for our NHS,

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and that's a risk we will never let

them take.

On a positive note on the

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NHS, my NHS Trust, Morecambe bay, is

turned around from being one of the

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worst trusts in the country to one

of the best. That was because of

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injections of huge amounts of cash,

but the staff there were amazing.

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They turned that hospital round.

Jackie Daniels...

Can I gently

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invite the honourable gentleman to

be sensitive to time. What we want

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is a long spiel but a short question

with a question mark at the end.

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Jackie Daniels received a game hood

for turning around Morecambe bay

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trust, very positive, along with the

staff -- received a damehood. Could

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the Prime Minister wish Jackie well?

I'm happy to join my honourable

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friend in paying tribute to the work

of the staff at the Morecambe Bay

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trust, and in particular to wish

Dame Jackie well and to pay tribute

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for the work she has done in turning

that trust around. It's another

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example of the huge gratitude we owe

to the NHS staff who worked so

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tirelessly on our behalf.

Can I wish

you, all staff and members a good

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New Year. The government's EU

Withdrawal Bill is simply not fit

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for purpose, and it must be changed.

These are not my words, these are

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the words of the honourable member

for East Renfrewshire. Does the

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Prime Minister agree with her

colleague that we must amend clause

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11, which is nothing more than a

power grab from Scotland?

The

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honourable gentleman knows full well

that we have said we will look to

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improve clause 11. Indeed, if he was

in his place when my right

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honourable friend, the Chancellor of

the Jack Stephens Ashbrook of the

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Chancellor of the Duchy of

Lancaster, answered questions

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earlier, he made it clear that we

would continue to look to amend

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clause 11. We are however, as we

discussed before Christmas, we are

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looking to work with the devolved

administrations to ensure we put the

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right frameworks in place so that,

when we come to bring any amendment

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forward, it is done in the best

possible way, in the interests of

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all concerned. I thought that has

been accepted by the SNP, but we

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will be looking to bring forward

amendments in the Lords.

That simply

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isn't good enough. The Secretary of

State for Scotland promised a power

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bonanza for Scotland and, crucially,

amendments would be tabled ahead of

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next week's debate. Yesterday it was

revealed that no amendments would be

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launched. The Tories always promised

Scotland everything and deliver

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nothing. The Prime Minister has one

last chance. Will she assure the

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house that these amendments will be

tabled ahead of next week, as

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promised?

The SNP say they want to

work with us on the frameworks, the

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future frameworks, and we are doing

exactly that. They say they want

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clause 11 amended, and we are doing

exactly that. My right honourable

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friend is intensifying his

discussions with the Scottish

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Government and, indeed, with Wales,

as part of this. We will be bringing

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forward amendments. At the

honourable gentleman says this is a

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government that never delivers for

Scotland. £2 billion extra as a

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result of the budget? That is

delivering for Scotland.

Speaking of

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delivering for Scotland, Eastleigh

and Clackmannanshire city regime

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deal is a massive investment in

Scotland's economy. -- Stirling and

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Clackmannanshire. With projects like

the UK institute for art and

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culture, and a national centre which

will have a UK wide impact. Will the

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Prime Minister confirmed to me today

now that the UK Government is ready

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to sign off the agreement with the

Scottish Government and the local

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councils so that we can get to work?

I am very happy to give that

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commitment to my honourable friend

and to say this is another example

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of this is a government delivering

for Scotland. I know the importance

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of this particular deal, Stirling

and Clackmannanshire. It will be

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transformative. My honourable friend

has transformed this cause --

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championed this cause since he was

elected, he is doing a great job for

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his constituents and we are working

to get agreement as quickly as

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possible.

I have been contacted by

11 constituents who are frightened

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and many of them suicidal because

they have been told by Ivor Hull or

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East Riding CCG that they're

desperately needed pain infusion

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treatment will be stopped. This is

the cruel reality of the NHS having

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to Russian treatment due to funding

cuts. Will the Prime Minister

0:23:170:23:23

personally intervene to ensure that

Hull and East Riding CCG review

0:23:230:23:26

their decision and guarantee them

the additional funding to allow them

0:23:260:23:32

to deliver it?

We are putting extra

money into the NHS. We are not

0:23:320:23:38

cutting funding for the NHS. CCGs

will be taking individual decisions

0:23:380:23:47

about how they apportion their

funding, but to stand up and suggest

0:23:470:23:51

we are cutting funding to the NHS is

plain wrong.

Telford is a rapidly

0:23:510:24:00

growing new town, where thousands of

new houses are built every year, and

0:24:000:24:05

people come to Telford to buy their

home on a new build estate and live

0:24:050:24:10

their dreams. But, for far too many,

the reality is unfinished communal

0:24:100:24:16

areas, an adopted roads,

non-compliance with section 106,

0:24:160:24:20

developers failing to take

responsibility, and the local

0:24:200:24:22

passing the buck. Colleagues across

the health see similar problems in

0:24:220:24:29

their constituencies. Will the prime

ministers agree to strengthen the

0:24:290:24:32

rights of homeowners on new build

estate so that people can come to

0:24:320:24:36

Telford or any other new-build area

and by a new-build home, confident

0:24:360:24:40

they can live their dream?

Yes, I am

happy to say to my honourable

0:24:400:24:46

friend, of course, we recognise the

concern that she has raised. I think

0:24:460:24:50

it was a similar issue that the

honourable member for Weaver Vale

0:24:500:24:53

was racing in the first question he

asked. I understand it is Telford's

0:24:530:24:59

50th anniversary, I congratulate

Telford on that. We are committed to

0:24:590:25:04

legislating in relation to the

factors she has identified, because

0:25:040:25:07

it is only fair that freeholders

should have the same rights as

0:25:070:25:12

leaseholders to challenge the

service charges they are submitted

0:25:120:25:14

to.

On a scale between one to ten,

how does the Prime Minister think

0:25:140:25:19

that Brexit is going, with ten being

purposely, we know what we want to

0:25:190:25:24

achieve and how to get it, and one

being chaotic cluelessness? I know

0:25:240:25:28

what I would give the Prime

Minister, but what would she give

0:25:280:25:31

herself?

Can I say to the honourable

gentleman...

Order! Let me just say

0:25:310:25:46

to the honourable gentleman, who I

have known for a long time, I think,

0:25:460:25:50

when he comes to reflect on his

conduct, he will know he can do

0:25:500:25:54

better than that. Prime Minister.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can I say to

0:25:540:26:03

the honourable gentleman that I

think anybody who saw the success we

0:26:030:26:06

had in negotiating phase one of

Brexit and getting that sufficient

0:26:060:26:09

progress will say that actually this

is a government that knows what it

0:26:090:26:13

is doing, it's getting on with the

job and it's doing well.

0:26:130:26:24

Environmentalists across the UK were

absolutely delighted with the

0:26:240:26:27

announcement of cooperation with the

Woodland Trust to develop the new

0:26:270:26:29

northern forest. Will the Prime

Minister give assurances that plans

0:26:290:26:33

to create new landscapes will not

obscure the need to protect existing

0:26:330:26:39

areas of outstanding natural beauty,

come and will she confirm her

0:26:390:26:45

commitment to protect the Chilterns

AOM B as we pursue the government's

0:26:450:26:49

economic and housing development

plans?

I would like to congratulate

0:26:490:26:57

my honourable friend on becoming a

game. It is very well deserved. I

0:26:570:27:04

can assure her that we are

continuing to commit to root AONBs

0:27:040:27:13

and, as regards the Chilterns, I

enjoy walking in the Chilterns, I

0:27:130:27:16

recognise the value of that

particular environment, and we are

0:27:160:27:18

committed to protecting AONBs.

Thank

you, Mr Speaker. I was a teacher and

0:27:180:27:28

a head teacher for 34 years, so know

that I speak on behalf of thousands

0:27:280:27:34

of teachers and support staff when I

ask, Prime Minister, in light of the

0:27:340:27:38

recent announcement of a falling

teacher training applications by a

0:27:380:27:44

third, will the government listen to

professionals and fully and fairly

0:27:440:27:47

fund our schools and colleges, and

the toxic culture of targets and

0:27:470:27:55

tests, deliver a broad and balanced

curriculum, and most of all, return

0:27:550:28:00

the joy of teaching and learning

back to our classrooms?

Can I say to

0:28:000:28:07

the honourable lady that we are

putting record sums of money into

0:28:070:28:10

our schools. We are ensuring... More

than that, we are ensuring that we

0:28:100:28:19

are seeing increasing standards in

our schools. That is why today their

0:28:190:28:22

1.9 million more children in good or

outstanding schools than in 2010 and

0:28:220:28:28

I hope she would welcome that.

The

Prime Minister will be aware there

0:28:280:28:35

was great potential in the

south-west to increase prosperity

0:28:350:28:38

and productivity, and would she

confirm how her government will be

0:28:380:28:42

backing the south-west, in

particular, the need to invest in

0:28:420:28:47

roads, rail and digital

infrastructure?

My honourable friend

0:28:470:28:49

is right, and he is a great champion

for the needs of the south-west, and

0:28:490:28:52

we want to increase prosperity of

productivity there and across the

0:28:520:28:56

country, but we are taking some

particular steps. Obviously, across

0:28:560:29:03

the country, we are committing

significant sums of money in

0:29:030:29:08

relation to infrastructure

investment, road investment

0:29:080:29:09

strategy, and we are committed to

creating an expressway to the

0:29:090:29:11

south-west. I think this will be

part of an important development,

0:29:110:29:16

investing more than 400 million into

the rail network in the area, and

0:29:160:29:19

over 600,000 homes and businesses in

the south-west now have access to

0:29:190:29:25

superfast broadband, as a result of

our programme. There is more we can

0:29:250:29:28

do for the region and I look forward

to working with my honourable friend

0:29:280:29:30

in doing that.

The Health Secretary

said that the government wanted to

0:29:300:29:35

be the best in the world for cancer

diagnosis, treatment and care.

0:29:350:29:42

Today, according to a memo from the

head of chemotherapy at Oxford

0:29:420:29:45

Churchill hospital, terminally ill

cancer patients will have their

0:29:450:29:51

chemotherapy cut because of a

massive shortfall in specialist

0:29:510:29:53

nurses. Would the Prime Minister

apologised to cancer patients and

0:29:530:30:00

their families for this appalling

situation?

I say to the honourable

0:30:000:30:04

lady that the trust has made clear

there are no plans to delay the

0:30:040:30:11

start of chemotherapy treatment or

reduce the number of cycles given to

0:30:110:30:14

cancer patients. What Simon seasons

Leeds Stevens has said is happening

0:30:140:30:20

is that, over the past three years,

the highest cancer survival rates

0:30:200:30:25

ever, and latest figures show an

estimated 7000 more people surviving

0:30:250:30:30

cancer, after successful NHS cancer

treatment compared to three years

0:30:300:30:33

prior, and we see 3200 more

diagnostic and therapeutic

0:30:330:30:39

radiographers than in 2010, so we

will continue to look at this and we

0:30:390:30:42

will continue to put the funding in

that enables us to improve treatment

0:30:420:30:45

for cancer patients.

With record

funding, our NHS is doing more than

0:30:450:30:54

ever, but when the UK is in the

bottom third of countries for heart

0:30:540:30:58

attack deaths, when we have

significantly worse survival for

0:30:580:31:00

strokes and in France and Germany,

and when our closest match for

0:31:000:31:05

cancer survival is Poland, isn't it

time to act across this house, back

0:31:050:31:14

this week by the Centre for Policy

Studies, to establish a royal

0:31:140:31:18

commission on health and social

care, in the 70th anniversary year

0:31:180:31:24

of our most cherished national

institution?

My honourable friend is

0:31:240:31:26

right that we need to continue to

look at the NHS and ensure that we

0:31:260:31:31

are continuing to improve the

performance in a variety of areas.

0:31:310:31:37

The independent Commonwealth fund

has been clear that the NHS is the

0:31:370:31:40

best health service in the world,

it's better than systems in Germany

0:31:400:31:43

and France in a list of other

countries that I quoted earlier, but

0:31:430:31:46

of course we need to do more to look

at what we can do, and that is why

0:31:460:31:52

we are putting in more funding and

looking at the better integration of

0:31:520:31:56

health and social care underground.

It's about making sure we make a

0:31:560:31:58

change now and doing that

integration now, because that is

0:31:580:32:01

when it will make a difference to

people.

The Prime Minister said

0:32:010:32:06

she'd reshuffled her ministers so

they looked more like the country

0:32:060:32:11

they seek to represent. I am not

quite sure about that, but in that

0:32:110:32:16

spirit, would she acknowledge the

massive problems we have with the

0:32:160:32:20

private rented sector, with absentee

private landlords? And will she

0:32:200:32:24

commit to come and visit Easington

to give her an appreciation of the

0:32:240:32:28

scale of the problems facing many

working-class communities? In the

0:32:280:32:32

spirit of goodwill, would she

support and give free passage to the

0:32:320:32:37

bill on homes fit for habitation

being promoted by my honourable

0:32:370:32:42

friend for Westminster North?

I say

to the honourable gentleman that I

0:32:420:32:48

have fond memories of the time I

spent in the north-east when I was a

0:32:480:32:52

candidate, but we do need to ensure

that we have a good private rented

0:32:520:33:02

sector in this country. I have to

say to him that the one set of

0:33:020:33:07

policies which would damage the

private rented sector is the set of

0:33:070:33:11

policies put forward by his Leader

of the Opposition.

I was delighted

0:33:110:33:17

to hear the Environment Secretary

last week confirming this

0:33:170:33:20

government's commitment to

supporting farmers after we leave

0:33:200:33:22

the EU. Can my right honourable

friend assure me that, when

0:33:220:33:30

designing a future system, the

unique needs of Scottish farmers and

0:33:300:33:33

crofters will be taken into account

in any such new system?

My

0:33:330:33:41

honourable friend is right that, as

we leave the European Union, we will

0:33:410:33:44

be able to put in place our own

policy of support for farmers. We

0:33:440:33:48

want that to be a policy that

recognises the particular needs of

0:33:480:33:52

farmers across all parts of the UK,

and that will include the needs of

0:33:520:33:56

farmers in Scotland. My constituency

office and local citizens advice

0:33:560:34:02

bureau are receiving ever-increasing

complaints about Pip claims.

0:34:020:34:09

Assessments are being refused and

65% of claims are overturned at

0:34:090:34:11

tribunal. This means that tribune is

taking longer, anything between four

0:34:110:34:16

seven months. Can I ask the Prime

Minister if she agrees that the

0:34:160:34:21

assessment service is flawed, and

what she can do to help avoid

0:34:210:34:23

unnecessary stress and hardship

being caused to my constituents and

0:34:230:34:28

those across the country?

I

understand the point the honourable

0:34:280:34:34

gentleman is taking about ensuring,

as we want to, that these

0:34:340:34:37

assessments are conducted as well as

they can be, and that people are

0:34:370:34:40

getting the awards that they in fact

should be getting and are entitled

0:34:400:34:44

to. In fact, since we introduced the

personal independence payment, we

0:34:440:34:50

have carried out around 2.9 million

assessments. 8% of those have been

0:34:500:34:56

appealed, but only 4% of those

decisions are changed following an

0:34:560:34:59

appeal, and in the majority of cases

it's because new evidence is

0:34:590:35:02

presented at the Peel than was

presented when the original case was

0:35:020:35:07

put forward. -- presented at the

appeal. The DWP continues to look at

0:35:070:35:12

ensuring that, when assessments are

made, they are done properly and

0:35:120:35:15

people get the right results.

My

constituent Justin Bartholomew was

0:35:150:35:24

just 25 when he committed suicide

late last year. His family are

0:35:240:35:28

convinced is intake of high energy

drinks over 15 cans a day, increased

0:35:280:35:33

his anxiety and contributed to his

death. Given the increased safety

0:35:330:35:38

concerns around the high energy

drink market and the actions of

0:35:380:35:41

people like Jamie Oliver and

Waitrose, would the Prime Minister

0:35:410:35:45

consider introducing a national ban

on the sale of these energy drinks

0:35:450:35:49

for the under 16 's?

My honourable

friend has raised a tragic case, and

0:35:490:35:53

I know the thoughts and sympathies

of the whole house will be with

0:35:530:35:57

family and friends of Justin

Bartholomew. We have introduced the

0:35:570:36:00

soft drinks industry levy and

recognise that the issues around

0:36:000:36:03

drinks that are high in sugar, and

we know that those drinks can be

0:36:030:36:07

damaging to children's health. We

are supporting schools and parents

0:36:070:36:11

to make healthier choices and to be

able to identify those through

0:36:110:36:16

clearer labelling and campaigns, but

this is an issue that the Department

0:36:160:36:19

of Health and social care will

continue to look at, and they will

0:36:190:36:23

continue to look at the scientific

evidence in relation to these

0:36:230:36:25

drinks.

I have a constituent that

escaped an abusive relationship and

0:36:250:36:31

has been passed from pillar to post

between a support agency and new

0:36:310:36:36

child maintenance service. After

four and half years, she has been

0:36:360:36:41

told by the CMS that she has to

start the process all over again

0:36:410:36:44

and, on top of that, they are

insisting she passes on a personal

0:36:440:36:48

and bank details to her ex-partner

to receive payment. We were promised

0:36:480:36:53

agreed to help me resolve this

problem, -- will the Prime Minister

0:36:530:36:57

agree to help me resolve this, and

look at the system that is allowed

0:36:570:37:02

this situation to develop?

I

recognise that there are

0:37:020:37:08

arrangements in place which would

ensure that an individual would not,

0:37:080:37:11

as I understand it, have to pass

their bank details on directly. The

0:37:110:37:15

fact that her constituent has been

asked to do that should be looked

0:37:150:37:19

into, and I'm sure that if she

passes those details to the

0:37:190:37:22

appropriate department they will

look into it.

Does the Prime

0:37:220:37:27

Minister welcomed the findings of

the social research survey that the

0:37:270:37:30

majority of Scots believe the rules

on trade and immigration should be

0:37:300:37:35

the same in Scotland as in the rest

of the UK? It looks like they agree

0:37:350:37:39

we are better together.

I think my

honourable friend has raised an

0:37:390:37:45

important point. People across the

UK want to see controlled

0:37:450:37:49

immigration, and that is people in

Scotland as well as the rest of the

0:37:490:37:52

UK. As we leave the we will be able

to introduce our own immigration

0:37:520:37:57

rules and control that immigration

to Britain from Europe. The only

0:37:570:38:02

point of differentiation is that we

have a Scotland only shortage

0:38:020:38:09

occupation list to recognise the

particular labour market needs in

0:38:090:38:13

Scotland but, for the most part,

that has matched the UK wide

0:38:130:38:17

shortage occupation list, and I

think that shows this is an issue

0:38:170:38:21

for the whole UK and we need the

same policy approach.

In March 2005

0:38:210:38:26

in an interview, the Prime Minister

said, not getting things done and

0:38:260:38:32

seen people's lives hurt by

government bureaucracy makes her

0:38:320:38:33

depressed. In light of this comment,

can the Prime Minister tell me

0:38:330:38:39

whether she considered it reasonable

and acceptable for the DVLA to

0:38:390:38:43

withhold my constituent, Mr Coleman

toss license for over 18 months, is

0:38:430:38:50

despite evidence showing he was fit

and able to drive, as she has not

0:38:500:38:54

responded to my letter the 5th of

December?

I will ensure that the

0:38:540:38:59

honourable lady receives a response

to that letter. She has raised a

0:38:590:39:03

particular case in this house and

I'll need to look at the details,

0:39:030:39:05

and I will respond to the letter.

Last week, 230 job losses were

0:39:050:39:16

announced in my constituency, which

is devastating for Loftus and the

0:39:160:39:22

community, where the mine is the

largest employer. Local members are

0:39:220:39:28

agreed it would be incredibly

helpful if some of the funds

0:39:280:39:32

remaining for the 2015 SSI rescue

package could be we furnished to

0:39:320:39:38

support people here? Will the Prime

Minister agreed to look into this

0:39:380:39:40

with the Business Secretary and will

she commit that agencies will do

0:39:400:39:45

everything they can to support

people affected?

My honourable

0:39:450:39:50

friend is right to raise this case

and it's obviously a worrying time

0:39:500:39:52

for the workers affected by the

announcement for Cleveland potash,

0:39:520:39:57

and I say to him that we will be

helping people find other work in

0:39:570:40:03

supporting people affected through

the DWP's rapid response service,

0:40:030:40:06

and we will coordinate with the Tees

valley combined authority to ensure

0:40:060:40:09

that we are working together to get

the best possible support and make

0:40:090:40:14

sure that support is aligned. The

department for business, energy and

0:40:140:40:18

industrial strategy will look at the

situation is the specific issue he

0:40:180:40:21

has raised.

Ava has been a foster

carer for years. When her privately

0:40:210:40:28

rented home failed the electrical

certificate needed to continue

0:40:280:40:32

fostering, a landlord evicted her

because he didn't want to do the

0:40:320:40:37

repairs. So now she and the kids are

living in council temporary

0:40:370:40:41

accommodation in a converted

warehouse in the middle of a working

0:40:410:40:45

industrial estate in Mitcham, and

the same council who plays her there

0:40:450:40:49

are going to withdraw her right to

foster because her accommodation

0:40:490:40:54

isn't good enough. Can the Prime

Minister tell Ava, kids in care who

0:40:540:41:02

need foster carers and the

overworked British taxpayer how this

0:41:020:41:07

makes sense?

0:41:070:41:09

As the honourable lady sets it out,

it doesn't appear to make sense we

0:41:090:41:14

will be losing somebody who has been

a foster carer. I would pay tribute

0:41:140:41:20

to the work her constituent has done

in foster caring. We owe a debt of

0:41:200:41:26

gratitude to those who care as

foster parents and I'm sure has she

0:41:260:41:30

has raised this, the local council

will want to look at this again.

0:41:300:41:43

Thank you, Mr Speaker. While most of

us were celebrating over New Year,

0:41:430:41:53

the crews of Poole-based tug and the

lifeboats were battling seas and

0:41:530:41:58

70mph winds off the coast of Dorset

to prevent a cargo ship from being

0:41:580:42:02

blown on to the rocks. Thanks to the

skill of the tug's crew and the tow

0:42:020:42:09

was fixed. Will she join me in

praising those involved, not least

0:42:090:42:22

the volunteers.

I'm happy to do

that. Both the tug crews and those

0:42:220:42:31

in the RNLI. Those volunteers in the

RNLI do a fantastic job around the

0:42:310:42:37

coastlines and we owe them a huge

debt of gratitude.

0:42:370:42:41

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