0:00:00 > 0:00:00Commission and the UK makes it absolutely clear that the Belfast
0:00:00 > 0:00:05Agreement remains in tact and all of it is part of the -- will remain
0:00:05 > 0:00:07intact.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34And the house will join me in KGB to Dean sprouting in Iraq, his death
0:00:34 > 0:00:38was not the cause of enemy activity. The house will join in offering
0:00:38 > 0:00:40condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time.
0:00:40 > 0:00:51Yesterday, winning one the right to vote. I know the whole house, well,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54from a sedentary position, Labour say someone, I'm pleased to say that
0:00:54 > 0:00:57universal suffrage did come for women ten years later under a
0:00:57 > 0:01:07Conservative government. But I'm sure Mr Speaker, the whole house
0:01:07 > 0:01:11will want to join me in marking the heroic and tireless struggle that
0:01:11 > 0:01:14led to women having the vote because it forever changed our nation's
0:01:14 > 0:01:17future. Mr Speaker, this morning I had meetings with ministerial
0:01:17 > 0:01:20colleagues and others, in addition to my duties in this house, I shall
0:01:20 > 0:01:27have further such meetings later today.My constituent, Natasha,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30suffers from Hank Hanley anaemia, a debilitating disease which carries
0:01:30 > 0:01:34with it a high risk of cancer. Natasha was on lifetime disability
0:01:34 > 0:01:40living allowance which was removed following her T20 assessment. When
0:01:40 > 0:01:43she appealed, she was told because she has a degree she does not need
0:01:43 > 0:01:46as much support. I'm sure the Prime Minister is aware that disease and
0:01:46 > 0:01:54cancer are no respect is of disability and qualifications. --
0:01:54 > 0:01:56following her PIP assessment. I'm asking the Prime Minister what
0:01:56 > 0:02:02urgent action she will take to improve the quality and the standard
0:02:02 > 0:02:06of PIP assessments?Obviously, the DWP is constantly looking at the
0:02:06 > 0:02:09standard of PIP assessments that are being made. I'm sorry to hear the
0:02:09 > 0:02:12case the honourable lady has set out, I think those people would be
0:02:12 > 0:02:15very concerned at hearing that case and I'm surprised at the judgment
0:02:15 > 0:02:19that was given in relation to that individual, can I suggest she sent
0:02:19 > 0:02:24in the detail and I will make sure it is looked into?Mr Speaker, my
0:02:24 > 0:02:29right honourable friend will be aware of the Ukip led Thanet
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Council's broken election promise to support the reopening of minced and
0:02:33 > 0:02:37airport. On the basis that the site was to be redesignated as mixed use
0:02:37 > 0:02:41with thousands of houses, the plan was sensibly rejected by local
0:02:41 > 0:02:47councillors and I salute them for doing so. And she give me her
0:02:47 > 0:02:51assurance that Thanet should now be given as miserable a time as
0:02:51 > 0:02:55necessary, perhaps under a new administration. -- as reasonable
0:02:55 > 0:02:59time is necessary, perhaps under a new administration, to get it right.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03My honourable friend is right to raise this matter on behalf of his
0:03:03 > 0:03:06constituents. I understand that Thanet District Council has not
0:03:06 > 0:03:10adopted a local plan since 2006. That is why my right honourable
0:03:10 > 0:03:13friend the Housing Secretary has written to the District Council to
0:03:13 > 0:03:16begin the formal process of considering intervention and this is
0:03:16 > 0:03:21a very serious step which shows that the council has not been doing what
0:03:21 > 0:03:25it should be doing in relation to a local plan so my right honourable
0:03:25 > 0:03:28friend the Secretary of State is now considering whether to intervene and
0:03:28 > 0:03:35he will be making an announcement in due course.Jeremy Corbyn.Thank you
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Mr Speaker, I joined the Prime Minister in paying tribute to
0:03:39 > 0:03:44captain Dean Sprouting from Jarrow on his death and his family,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47hopefully they will accept our condolences after this terrible
0:03:47 > 0:03:51incident. It is of course the anniversary of women first getting
0:03:51 > 0:03:55the right to vote in 1918. I pay tribute to all those that campaign
0:03:55 > 0:03:59all over the country to achieve that right. We should understand that our
0:03:59 > 0:04:03rights come from the activities of ordinary people doing extraordinary
0:04:03 > 0:04:08things to bring about democracy and justice within our society. And
0:04:08 > 0:04:11those women that suffered grievously, being force-fed in
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Holloway prison in my constituency, and those that suffered so much,
0:04:14 > 0:04:19need to be remembered for all time. Working-class women as well as many
0:04:19 > 0:04:22other women fought for that right and it is one we should all be proud
0:04:22 > 0:04:28of. Mr Speaker, with crime rising, does the Prime Minister regret
0:04:28 > 0:04:34cutting 21,000 police officers?Can I first of all said to the right
0:04:34 > 0:04:38honourable gentleman that we should be saluting all of those who were
0:04:38 > 0:04:40involved in that struggle to ensure that women could get the right to
0:04:40 > 0:04:48vote. I was very pleased yesterday to have an opportunity to meet Helen
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Pankhurst, the great granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and to see
0:04:51 > 0:04:55that the memory is being kept going and as I said yesterday in my
0:04:55 > 0:05:01speech, I myself heard about the fight by the suffragettes from my
0:05:01 > 0:05:05late godmother, whose mother was a suffragette and both of whose
0:05:05 > 0:05:09parents knew the Pankhurst family. He raises the issue of police
0:05:09 > 0:05:13numbers and crime. What we actually have seen from the crime survey is
0:05:13 > 0:05:22that crime is now down at record low levels. That is what has been
0:05:22 > 0:05:25achieved and it has been achieved by a Conservative government that at
0:05:25 > 0:05:31the same time has been protecting police budgets.Jeremy Corbyn.Mr
0:05:31 > 0:05:36Speaker, recorded crime is up by a fifth since 2010. Violent crime is
0:05:36 > 0:05:42up by 20% and during the period the Prime Minister was Home Secretary,
0:05:42 > 0:05:47£2.3 billion was cut from police budgets. Her Majesty 's Inspectorate
0:05:47 > 0:05:52of Constabulary warns neighbourhood policing risks being eroded and the
0:05:52 > 0:05:56shortage of detectives is at a national crisis. Does the Prime
0:05:56 > 0:06:02Minister think the Inspectorate is scaremongering?The right honourable
0:06:02 > 0:06:05gentleman mentions the issue about recorded crime. One of the
0:06:05 > 0:06:07challenges we have seen in the police in recent years is ensuring
0:06:07 > 0:06:13that we get proper recording of particularly certain tribes of crime
0:06:13 > 0:06:16-- types of crime and I'm pleased to say we have seen improvements in the
0:06:16 > 0:06:19last seven or eight years in the recording by police of certain types
0:06:19 > 0:06:25of crime. He also talks about the issue of police budgets. As I have
0:06:25 > 0:06:29said, this is a government that is actually protecting police budgets
0:06:29 > 0:06:34and I might remind the right honourable gentleman that the Labour
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Party's former Shadow Home Secretary, now the police and crime
0:06:38 > 0:06:41commission for greater Manchester, Intel said the police could take an
0:06:41 > 0:06:48up to 10% cut in their budgets.Mr Speaker, the Inspectorate also found
0:06:48 > 0:06:53that the police are failing to properly record tens of thousands of
0:06:53 > 0:06:56offences and in addition to the gutting of 21,000 police officers,
0:06:56 > 0:07:04the government has also cut 6700 police community support officers.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08The Chief Constable of Bedfordshire says, "We do not have the resources
0:07:08 > 0:07:11to keep residents safe. The position is a scandal"
0:07:11 > 0:07:13to keep residents safe. The position is a scandal". Too many people don't
0:07:13 > 0:07:17feel safe and too many people aren't safe. We have just seen the highest
0:07:17 > 0:07:23rise in recorded crime for a quarter of a century. The Chief Constable of
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Lancashire said, "The government's police cuts have made it much more
0:07:26 > 0:07:33difficult to keep people safe". Is he wrong?Can I say to the right
0:07:33 > 0:07:37honourable gentleman, on the issue of recording crime, he mentions Her
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Majesty 's Inspectorate of Constabulary, it is precisely
0:07:39 > 0:07:43because when I was Home Secretary, I asked the Inspectorate of
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Constabulary to look at the recording of police crime to make
0:07:45 > 0:07:49sure that police forces were doing it properly and indeed, some changes
0:07:49 > 0:07:54were made as a result of that so we now see the better recording of
0:07:54 > 0:08:01crime. We also see £450 million extra being made available to the
0:08:01 > 0:08:05police but what have we also seen over the last few years? The
0:08:05 > 0:08:09creation of the National Crime Agency, our police forces taking
0:08:09 > 0:08:13more notice of helping to support vulnerable victims, doing more on
0:08:13 > 0:08:17modern slavery, doing more domestic violence, taking issues seriously
0:08:17 > 0:08:24that they were not taking seriously before.Mr Speaker, if you ask the
0:08:24 > 0:08:27Inspectorate and look at unrecorded crime and they tell you what is
0:08:27 > 0:08:31going on, the least you could do is act on what they tell you. Mr
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Speaker, if I could quote something at the Prime Minister, it might
0:08:35 > 0:08:38sound familiar to her, "The first duty of the government is to protect
0:08:38 > 0:08:44the public and keep them safe. I have to say to the government they
0:08:44 > 0:08:47are not putting enough focus on police resources". If you cast their
0:08:47 > 0:08:52rise to the bar back benches of the Conservative Party, she will see the
0:08:52 > 0:08:55member for Shipley. That is what he said about her government and what
0:08:55 > 0:09:02it is doing. Gun crime, Mr Speaker, has increased by 20% in the last
0:09:02 > 0:09:08year. The Chief Constable of Merseyside said recently, "Have I
0:09:08 > 0:09:12got sufficient resources to fight gun crime? No, I haven't"
0:09:12 > 0:09:13got sufficient resources to fight gun crime? No, I haven't". Does the
0:09:13 > 0:09:18Prime Minister think he is crying wolf?The right honourable gentleman
0:09:18 > 0:09:20can't get away from the fact that what the government is doing is
0:09:20 > 0:09:25protecting police budgets, in fact, not just protecting police budgets,
0:09:25 > 0:09:31but increasing with £450 million extra. What we are also doing is
0:09:31 > 0:09:35ensuring that our police have the powers that they need to do the job
0:09:35 > 0:09:39that we want them to do. I seem to remember the right honourable
0:09:39 > 0:09:41gentleman does not have that good record when it comes to increasing
0:09:41 > 0:09:49the powers for the police to do their job.Mr Speaker, since 2015,
0:09:49 > 0:09:55direct government funding to the police has fallen by £413 million.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59The Chief Constable of the West Midlands, Dave Thompson, said, "The
0:09:59 > 0:10:02current flat cash settlement for policing means force budgets will
0:10:02 > 0:10:05fall in real terms"
0:10:05 > 0:10:07policing means force budgets will fall in real terms". As well as
0:10:07 > 0:10:09police cuts, other public service cuts are clearly contributing to the
0:10:09 > 0:10:14rise in crime. 3600 youth workers have lost their jobs. 600 youth
0:10:14 > 0:10:21centres have closed and been boarded up. Probation service cut and
0:10:21 > 0:10:25privatised. Re-offenders committing more offences. When it comes to
0:10:25 > 0:10:30tackling crime, prevention and cure our two sides of the same coin. So
0:10:30 > 0:10:38why is the government cutting both prevention and cure?I have to say
0:10:38 > 0:10:42to the right honourable gentleman, we have put in place various pieces
0:10:42 > 0:10:45of work on anti-knife crime, on serious violence, on issues like
0:10:45 > 0:10:51domestic violence but I come back to the point I made in the last
0:10:51 > 0:10:54response, the Leader of the Opposition, the right honourable
0:10:54 > 0:10:59gentleman voted against changing the law so that anyone caught carrying a
0:10:59 > 0:11:06knife for a second time would face a custodial sentence. He has called
0:11:06 > 0:11:12for much shorter sentences for those who break the law and he might want
0:11:12 > 0:11:16to reflect on the fact that when there was a Conservative mayor in
0:11:16 > 0:11:20London, knife crime went down. Now there is a lay-by mayor in London,
0:11:20 > 0:11:28knife crime is going up.Jeremy Corbyn.-- and labour mayor in
0:11:28 > 0:11:33London.Mr Speaker, I am very clear that crime is of course wrong but
0:11:33 > 0:11:40the way you deal with it is by an effective probation service, is by
0:11:40 > 0:11:46community service orders, is by the rehabilitation of offenders. And
0:11:46 > 0:11:51what she said goes to the heart of the Prime Minister's record. She, Mr
0:11:51 > 0:11:56Speaker, was Home Secretary physics years. Crime is up, violent crime
0:11:56 > 0:11:59rising, police numbers down and Chief Constable saying they no
0:11:59 > 0:12:06longer have the resources to keep communities safe. After seven years,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10seven years of cuts, will the Prime Minister today admit that her
0:12:10 > 0:12:14government's relentless cuts to police, probation services and
0:12:14 > 0:12:22social services have left us less safe? The reality is, you can't have
0:12:22 > 0:12:30public safety on the cheap.Well, the right honourable gentleman
0:12:30 > 0:12:32really needs to reflect on what Labour would be doing if they were
0:12:32 > 0:12:42in government. You can only pay for our public services if you have a
0:12:42 > 0:12:48strong economy and what would we see, what would we see with the
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Labour Party? Well, we don't need to ask ourselves what we would see with
0:12:51 > 0:12:55the Labour Party because the Shadow Chancellor's adviser told us that
0:12:55 > 0:13:00the weekend. He said this, "We need to think about the obvious problems
0:13:00 > 0:13:04which might face a radical Labour government, such as capital flight
0:13:04 > 0:13:06for a run on the pound"
0:13:06 > 0:13:08government, such as capital flight for a run on the pound". That's what
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Labour would do, bankrupt Britain and the police would have less money
0:13:11 > 0:13:21under Labour than under the Conservatives.Thank you Mr Speaker.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25Travelling around the country and meeting people from diverse
0:13:25 > 0:13:29communities, members of the Jewish and Muslim community have raised the
0:13:29 > 0:13:34point for the coroner's act to specifically take into account
0:13:34 > 0:13:37people's faith considerations, as in their faith, loved ones must be
0:13:37 > 0:13:41buried within 24 hours. Will the Prime Minister join me and the
0:13:41 > 0:13:44honourable member for Maidstone and faith communities to look at this
0:13:44 > 0:13:48important matter.Can I say to my honourable friend, I would like to
0:13:48 > 0:13:51thank him for raising this point because he's doing so on behalf of
0:13:51 > 0:13:55communities across the country and he does so from a unique position
0:13:55 > 0:13:58with his own experience and understanding of these issues. It is
0:13:58 > 0:14:04important that we take into account specific requirements of someone's
0:14:04 > 0:14:06faith, especially when they have lost a loved one and are grieving
0:14:06 > 0:14:11and I know that although, as he will be aware, coroners are an
0:14:11 > 0:14:13independent judicial office, I understand the Ministry of Justice
0:14:13 > 0:14:17is speaking to the Chief coroner about this point, to see what more
0:14:17 > 0:14:20can be done and I am sure my right honourable friend the Lord
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Chancellor will be happy to meet and discuss this issue further with my
0:14:23 > 0:14:25honourable friend.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Yesterday it was announced that ten Royal Bank of Scotland branches in
0:14:34 > 0:14:40Scotland have been -- that were earmarked for closure are to be
0:14:40 > 0:14:44reprieved, news for which I am grateful, on the back of community
0:14:44 > 0:14:51pressure under the leadership shown by the Scottish National Party.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55On three occasions I have asked the Prime Minister at Prime Minister 's
0:14:55 > 0:15:02questions to bring Ross McEwan entered ten Downing St. For the
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Prime Minister to accept responsibilities given that we on
0:15:05 > 0:15:10RBS. Well the Prime Minister Colin Ross McEwan and join us and call for
0:15:10 > 0:15:17all the branches to remain open? -- call in Ross McEwan?As I have said
0:15:17 > 0:15:21before of course it is important for customers, especially those
0:15:21 > 0:15:26vulnerable, to be able to call on the services they need. I welcome
0:15:26 > 0:15:29the decision from the Royal Bank of Scotland, and commercial decision
0:15:29 > 0:15:32for them. But if the right honourable gentleman is so keen on
0:15:32 > 0:15:44ensuring that communities and people perhaps in remote communities have
0:15:44 > 0:15:46access to the services they need, they should ask himself why it is
0:15:46 > 0:15:49the Scottish government has been such a failure in ensuring people in
0:15:49 > 0:15:51remote communities have broadband access to online banking. They need
0:15:51 > 0:15:53to get their act together because quite simply Scotland under the Nats
0:15:53 > 0:16:01is getting left behind.Mr Speaker, that was pathetic. The Prime
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Minister hasn't answered. We have saved the banks. Yesterday we
0:16:05 > 0:16:08celebrated the achievements of the suffragette movement, which was
0:16:08 > 0:16:12about democracy, equality and fairness for women. However today in
0:16:12 > 0:16:18the United Kingdom, 3.8 million women are not receiving the pension
0:16:18 > 0:16:22they are entitled to. A vote in this house last November received
0:16:22 > 0:16:30unanimous cross-party support, 288 to zero, calling on the Government
0:16:30 > 0:16:35in London to do the right thing. Will the Prime Minister do her bit
0:16:35 > 0:16:41for gender equality, and end the injustice faced by 1950s women?I
0:16:41 > 0:16:44say to the right honourable gentleman that as people are living
0:16:44 > 0:16:48longer it is important that we equalise the retirement leader
0:16:48 > 0:16:53pension age between men and women and we are doing that and doing it
0:16:53 > 0:16:58faster -- Villa pension age between men and women. We are giving greater
0:16:58 > 0:17:04protection to the women involved and an extra £1 billion has been put in
0:17:04 > 0:17:07to ensure no one will see their pension entitlement changed by more
0:17:07 > 0:17:10than 18 months. That was a real response to the issue that was being
0:17:10 > 0:17:18addressed, but I think if he wants to talk about equality, then he has
0:17:18 > 0:17:23to recognise the importance of the equality of the state pension age
0:17:23 > 0:17:32between men and women. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I never
0:17:32 > 0:17:40thought I would see the day when where I read the Leader of the
0:17:40 > 0:17:47Opposition follows -- where I lead. There is clearly hope for them yet.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49LAUGHTER Last year the Government advertised
0:17:49 > 0:17:55for the post of disability Commissioner. Lord Shinkwin, my
0:17:55 > 0:17:59noble friend, applied for the position and was appointed. Yet only
0:17:59 > 0:18:03a few weeks later he was told by the equality and human rights commission
0:18:03 > 0:18:08that the post had been abolished altogether. Was the Prime Minister
0:18:08 > 0:18:12consulted about that decision? Does she agree with the decision to
0:18:12 > 0:18:16abolish that post, and if not can I urge her to urge the commission to
0:18:16 > 0:18:20reinstate the post of disability Commissioner and reinstall Lord
0:18:20 > 0:18:27Shinkwin to his rightful place on it?Can I thank my honourable friend
0:18:27 > 0:18:33for raising this point? Firstly, can I say I have known the noble Lord,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Lord Shinkwin, for many years and he has been a valiant champion for the
0:18:36 > 0:18:39rights of disabled people over those years and I think his own experience
0:18:39 > 0:18:44and the example he set in his work in public life, and particularly in
0:18:44 > 0:18:50the other place, are a fine example of how disabled people can actually
0:18:50 > 0:18:54be standing up, speeding up, and ensure they are taking their
0:18:54 > 0:18:59rightful place in public life -- speaking up. The HRC is an
0:18:59 > 0:19:04independent body and it was their decision to abolish the disability
0:19:04 > 0:19:09Commissioner. The question is what is being done to help disabled
0:19:09 > 0:19:13people and how can we ensure we are helping disabled people? That is why
0:19:13 > 0:19:16we are committed to tackling the injustices that disabled people
0:19:16 > 0:19:20face. We are spending over £50 billion a year on benefits to
0:19:20 > 0:19:23support disabled people and people with health conditions, a record
0:19:23 > 0:19:28high. But of course we do want to ensure and I would urge the HRC to
0:19:28 > 0:19:31ensure that in their work they are paying proper attention to the needs
0:19:31 > 0:19:35and rights of disabled people, because that is an important part of
0:19:35 > 0:19:46their remit.Mr Speaker, my constituent's son was killed by a
0:19:46 > 0:19:49learner driver taking a lesson. With one in four young drivers being
0:19:49 > 0:19:54involved in an accident within the first two years of starting to
0:19:54 > 0:19:58drive, and 400 deaths or serious injuries on our roads involving
0:19:58 > 0:20:02young drivers each year, will the Prime Minister meet with me and my
0:20:02 > 0:20:07constituents to hear their story and consider the introduction of a
0:20:07 > 0:20:13graduated licensing system for the UK as they have another countries?
0:20:13 > 0:20:15The honourable lady has obviously raised an important issue and I will
0:20:15 > 0:20:20certainly look at the request that she has made. And I will also ask
0:20:20 > 0:20:24the Department for Transport to look at this as an issue. As she says
0:20:24 > 0:20:27there are too many people who suffer a loss and tragedy at the hands of
0:20:27 > 0:20:31learner drivers in these circumstances and we will certainly
0:20:31 > 0:20:37look at that. The Royal Marines are the most
0:20:37 > 0:20:42adaptable of our elite infantry, central to our amphibious capability
0:20:42 > 0:20:45and they provide much of our special forces. Does the Prime Minister
0:20:45 > 0:20:48agree with me that producing them further at this stage would be
0:20:48 > 0:20:53inconsistent with this Government's strong record on defence and
0:20:53 > 0:20:57security? Can I say to my honourable friend
0:20:57 > 0:20:59that the Royal Marines do indeed play a vital role in defending our
0:20:59 > 0:21:03country and I pay tribute to them for all that they do.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07Detecting the UK is of course our priority and as my honourable friend
0:21:07 > 0:21:13will know, we have in place a review, and organising defence
0:21:13 > 0:21:17programme, about ensuring the defence capabilities we have meet
0:21:17 > 0:21:20the rapidly changing and evolving threats that we face. I think that
0:21:20 > 0:21:25is the right thing for us to do, but of course any comments that have
0:21:25 > 0:21:28been made, any suggestions made, about cuts to defence or purely
0:21:28 > 0:21:31speculative. I would remind my honourable friend and other members
0:21:31 > 0:21:34of this House that in fact we are committed to increasing our spending
0:21:34 > 0:21:41on defence.In offering him best wishes for his birthday on Sunday, I
0:21:41 > 0:21:46call Mr Dennis Skinner.I didn't know about that.
0:21:46 > 0:21:51LAUGHTER I don't celebrate things like that.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55I don't think you should celebrate age.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Anyway... LAUGHTER
0:21:57 > 0:22:02There are another group of people that need help, and they are the
0:22:02 > 0:22:06people who work in the National Health Service. And what they told
0:22:06 > 0:22:13me last week was the best period that they ever experienced was in
0:22:13 > 0:22:24the Labour Government when they had the money increased from £33 billion
0:22:24 > 0:22:35in 1997 to £100 billion in 2010. That was a golden period. Why did
0:22:35 > 0:22:42they do it? How did they do it? The Chancellor of the Exchequer but 1%
0:22:42 > 0:22:51on the national insurance, and in hypothecation terms it went directly
0:22:51 > 0:22:57to the health service, and it is called long-term stability. Under
0:22:57 > 0:23:00this Government they don't know whether they are coming or going. It
0:23:00 > 0:23:18is high time this Government did the same as we did between 97 and 2010.
0:23:20 > 0:23:27Yes, and happy birthday, Dennis. Can I say to the honourable
0:23:27 > 0:23:30gentleman, he says why were the Labour Party in that position of
0:23:30 > 0:23:34being able to spend more on public services. I will tell him. Because
0:23:34 > 0:23:40the Conservative Government had left the golden economic legacy.
0:23:40 > 0:23:50a golden economic legacy.
0:23:52 > 0:23:58Regardless of how popular you are... Thank you, Mr Speaker. The
0:23:58 > 0:24:03Conservative lead District Council have refused the proposed expansion
0:24:03 > 0:24:09of the enormous logistics part in -- Logistics Park in my constituency.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13Given the Prime Minister's recent welcome remarks about sustainable
0:24:13 > 0:24:17developments, will she please arrange for me to meet the relevant
0:24:17 > 0:24:23Government ministers to discuss the creation of a national planning
0:24:23 > 0:24:27framework for the future location of these enormous Logistics Park 's?My
0:24:27 > 0:24:33honourable friend has raised an important point, and obviously it is
0:24:33 > 0:24:37a matter of considerable interest to his constituents. Of course we need
0:24:37 > 0:24:40the right balance between enabling development and growth to take place
0:24:40 > 0:24:43while continuing to protect and enhance our natural environment. And
0:24:43 > 0:24:48the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to achieving that
0:24:48 > 0:24:50sustainable development, but regarding the very specific issue
0:24:50 > 0:24:56about these logistics parks, I'm sure one of the ministers from
0:24:56 > 0:25:00housing and communities and local Government, indeed possibly my right
0:25:00 > 0:25:02honourable friend the Housing Secretary, will be happy to meet and
0:25:02 > 0:25:08discuss it with them. Is the Prime Minister were ever
0:25:08 > 0:25:12Universal Credit claimant forgets their username or password they must
0:25:12 > 0:25:15attend a face-to-face interview at the job centre to have them reset?
0:25:15 > 0:25:18The Secretary of State can't give a date when this will be fixed so will
0:25:18 > 0:25:22the Prime Minister to commit to know for the job centre closures until
0:25:22 > 0:25:31Universal Credit claimants can access basic online functions as a
0:25:31 > 0:25:36available with HMRC?I'll ask the Secretary of State responsible to
0:25:36 > 0:25:42look carefully at identifying a date when that change will be made.
0:25:42 > 0:25:48Mr Speaker, according to statistics around 3400 people in my
0:25:48 > 0:25:51constituency last year were diagnosed with cancer. Cancer
0:25:51 > 0:25:55survival rates have meant there are 7000 people alive today who may not
0:25:55 > 0:26:00have been if the rates of 2010 were still in place. Does my right
0:26:00 > 0:26:04honourable friend see this as a testament to the NHS and that she
0:26:04 > 0:26:08recognised...Well, I absolutely agree with my honourable friend. It
0:26:08 > 0:26:13is very good news there are 7000 more people alive today. Cancer
0:26:13 > 0:26:16sufferers alive today, than would have been had we simply continued in
0:26:16 > 0:26:21the way we were in 2010. I am very happy to join him in welcoming the
0:26:21 > 0:26:26news. Cancer survival rates have increased year-on-year. Of course,
0:26:26 > 0:26:30we want them to increase even further.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34Last year we had 7 million more diagnostic tests than in 2010 and
0:26:34 > 0:26:40290,000 patients started treatment for cancer, 57,000 more than in
0:26:40 > 0:26:432010, but he is absolutely right. We should welcome the improvement that
0:26:43 > 0:26:48has been made, we should congratulate and thank the NHS staff
0:26:48 > 0:26:51for all they have been doing, but there is more for us to do and that
0:26:51 > 0:26:56is why we are backing up our plans for cancer with a further £600
0:26:56 > 0:27:01million to implement the cancer strategy for England.
0:27:01 > 0:27:07The Prime Minister, as we have just heard, continues to be in denial
0:27:07 > 0:27:11about the rising level of crime and following police numbers. Despite
0:27:11 > 0:27:15her repeated assurances budgets have not been protected for my local
0:27:15 > 0:27:19police force, with 80 million and 1000 police officers lost already.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Will she meet with me and a delegation of small businesses that
0:27:22 > 0:27:27do so much for my local economy yet have seen significant rises and
0:27:27 > 0:27:35Brechins in crime as a result of these Tory cuts?-- break-ins.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Obviously I will look at his request but for those concerned about the
0:27:38 > 0:27:41way in which policing is being undertaken in their area, they
0:27:41 > 0:27:45should actually speak to the local police, who make operational
0:27:45 > 0:27:50decisions about what is happening. We protected overall police spending
0:27:50 > 0:27:55and we continue to protect it, and indeed more money is being put into
0:27:55 > 0:27:59the police. I remind the honourable gentleman that it was a Labour
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Shadow Home Secretary who said that the police budgets could be cut by
0:28:02 > 0:28:1110%. NHS figures show that in the
0:28:11 > 0:28:17south-west NHS funding, the growth in NHS funding, is 2.2% less than
0:28:17 > 0:28:21the national average. It is also true that it is more challenging in
0:28:21 > 0:28:24the south-west with an ageing demographic and sparsity. Does the
0:28:24 > 0:28:31Prime Minister agree with me that providers in the south-west, that
0:28:31 > 0:28:35they deserve their fair share of NHS funding, and will she take action to
0:28:35 > 0:28:40address this inequality?
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Let me say to my honourable friend that the National for me which is
0:28:43 > 0:28:46the basis for calculating funding does take into account a large
0:28:46 > 0:28:52number of factors including being rural and the demographics which
0:28:52 > 0:28:56other factors he has suggested needs to be considered. NHS Curnow saw an
0:28:56 > 0:28:59increase in their funding this year and will see a further increase in
0:28:59 > 0:29:05their funding next year, taking funding to over £760 million. This
0:29:05 > 0:29:07is part of our commitment to ensuring we are putting extra
0:29:07 > 0:29:12funding in the NHS but of course, we continue to look at ensuring the
0:29:12 > 0:29:16distribution of that funding takes account of all the factors that need
0:29:16 > 0:29:23to do.Leila Moran.Thank you, Mr Speaker, under the 1824 rate --
0:29:23 > 0:29:26vagrancy act, rough sleeping is illegal and the act was used nearly
0:29:26 > 0:29:292000 times last year to drag homeless people before the courts.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32Scotland and Northern Ireland have already repealed it is so will the
0:29:32 > 0:29:37Prime Minister support my bill that consigned this heartless Dickensian
0:29:37 > 0:29:43law to the history books across the whole of the UK?What we are doing
0:29:43 > 0:29:45is recognising we need to take action in relation to rough
0:29:45 > 0:29:50sleeping. That is why we are putting more money into projects to reduce
0:29:50 > 0:29:55rough sleeping and indeed, projects like housing first, which are being
0:29:55 > 0:29:58put into place in a number of places in the country to ensure that we can
0:29:58 > 0:30:02provide for those rough sleeping. None of us want to see rough
0:30:02 > 0:30:07sleepers on the street. That is why the government is taking action.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Thank you, Mr Speaker. Today is the anniversary of the signing of the
0:30:10 > 0:30:18Maastricht Treaty. We have come a very long way. May I congratulate my
0:30:18 > 0:30:24right honourable friend on her approach to the customs union? May I
0:30:24 > 0:30:30also mention the fact that in the liaison committee last December, I
0:30:30 > 0:30:36warned her about ultimatums from the EU and again in my question only
0:30:36 > 0:30:39last week. Would she be given to be very robust when discussing these
0:30:39 > 0:30:44matters in the Brexit committee as I am sure she will be, in order to we
0:30:44 > 0:30:53repudiate any of these EU threats?I can assure my honourable friend the
0:30:53 > 0:30:55first, I suspect that at the time that the legislation was going
0:30:55 > 0:31:00through in this house, there were not many who would have thought that
0:31:00 > 0:31:03my honourable friend would be standing up recognising the signing
0:31:03 > 0:31:07of the anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty. I suspect he only feels able
0:31:07 > 0:31:10to do so because we are coming out of the European Union and I can
0:31:10 > 0:31:14assure you we will be robust in our arguments. As I have said right from
0:31:14 > 0:31:17the very beginning, we will hear noises find all sorts of things
0:31:17 > 0:31:21being said about positions being taken. What matters is the positions
0:31:21 > 0:31:25we take in the negotiations, as we sit down and negotiate the best
0:31:25 > 0:31:28deal. We have shown we can do that. We did it in December and we are
0:31:28 > 0:31:35going to do it again.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Kirklees Council, who serve
0:31:35 > 0:31:41my constituency, have already had their budget cut by nearly £200
0:31:41 > 0:31:47million, with a possible £45 million of cuts to come. Which of the
0:31:47 > 0:31:51following things would the Prime Minister recommend they cut next?
0:31:51 > 0:31:55Care for an older person with dementia, emptying the bends,
0:31:55 > 0:31:59providing hot school meals for vulnerable children, libraries,
0:31:59 > 0:32:04leisure centres or museums, or supporting the 24% of children
0:32:04 > 0:32:11living in poverty? Your choice, Prime Minister.I would have thought
0:32:11 > 0:32:15that the honourable lady should have been welcoming the improvements that
0:32:15 > 0:32:19have taken place in her constituency. She should have
0:32:19 > 0:32:22welcomed them any more children who are in good for outstanding schools
0:32:22 > 0:32:27as a result of this government -- be many more children. She should have
0:32:27 > 0:32:30welcomed the extra help landing and more people...The Prime Minister is
0:32:30 > 0:32:35in the middle of giving her answer, order, members must not shout at the
0:32:35 > 0:32:41Prime Minister when she's giving her answer. OK.Thank you, Mr Speaker.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44Recent reports have suggested the European Commission is asking that
0:32:44 > 0:32:49we enter into certain limited legally binding agreements in
0:32:49 > 0:32:53relation to bits of our exit in isolation. Could the Prime Minister
0:32:53 > 0:32:57confirm it remains the government's policy that nothing is agreed until
0:32:57 > 0:33:01everything is agreed and therefore, we will only enter into a legally
0:33:01 > 0:33:05binding agreement in relation to the entire exit agreement and not just
0:33:05 > 0:33:12part of it as Jamaatmy honourable friend is right and it was reflected
0:33:12 > 0:33:15in the joint report that was published in December that nothing
0:33:15 > 0:33:18is agreed until everything is agreed. The negotiations that are
0:33:18 > 0:33:23now taking place firstly, to put greater detail into the definition
0:33:23 > 0:33:27of the implementation period, and we expect to do that by the March
0:33:27 > 0:33:31European Council. Alongside that, there is looking at the legal basis
0:33:31 > 0:33:34of the withdrawal agreement which of course will have to come to this
0:33:34 > 0:33:40parliament for agreement for both the withdrawal agreement and the
0:33:40 > 0:33:45implementation built in due course. At that stage, I would expect to
0:33:45 > 0:33:48have the future relationship set out in a way so people are able to look
0:33:48 > 0:33:53at the whole package when they come to make the decision.Sir Vincent
0:33:53 > 0:33:57cable.The Prime Minister knows that one of the key objectives of
0:33:57 > 0:34:02American trade negotiators in any future deal after Brexit is to
0:34:02 > 0:34:07secure access for American companies to business in the NHS. Can she give
0:34:07 > 0:34:12an absolute guarantee that in those negotiations, the NHS will be
0:34:12 > 0:34:16excluded from their scope? And can she confirmed that in her
0:34:16 > 0:34:19conversations with President drunk, she has made it absolutely clear to
0:34:19 > 0:34:22him that the NHS is not for sale question mark -- with President
0:34:22 > 0:34:27Trump.I want to say to the right honourable gentleman that we are
0:34:27 > 0:34:30starting the discussions with the American administration, firstly
0:34:30 > 0:34:35looking at what we can do to increase trade between the US and UK
0:34:35 > 0:34:38already, even before a possibility any free trade agreement and he does
0:34:38 > 0:34:40not know what they are going to say their requirements for the free
0:34:40 > 0:34:44trade agreement, we will go into the negotiations to get the best
0:34:44 > 0:34:51possible deal for the UK.Mr Speaker, a recent report by open
0:34:51 > 0:34:56doors highlights the top countries that suffer horrific persecution
0:34:56 > 0:35:01against Christians. We need to take action and send a signal to other
0:35:01 > 0:35:05nations. These are countries that are often associated with luxury
0:35:05 > 0:35:09holidays. Will the Prime Minister consider it a marking a specific
0:35:09 > 0:35:12fixed percentage of international aid to go towards tackling religious
0:35:12 > 0:35:19persecution?Yes, well, I have to say to my honourable friend that
0:35:19 > 0:35:24this is an issue that I of concern to many members of this house and I
0:35:24 > 0:35:35was pleased a matter of weeks ago to meet Father Daniel from miniver and
0:35:35 > 0:35:38Idlib, who talked about the very real persecution is congregation
0:35:38 > 0:35:42were suffering and had suffered in the past. He presented me with a
0:35:42 > 0:35:46Bible which was burned, which had been rescued when a church had
0:35:46 > 0:35:53actually been set on fire. This is a real issue. We are, all of our aid
0:35:53 > 0:35:56is distributed on the basis of need to ensure civilians are not
0:35:56 > 0:36:01disconnected against on the basis of race, ethnicity or religion. --
0:36:01 > 0:36:04discriminated against. We are working with governments, the
0:36:04 > 0:36:06international community and the UN to support the rights of minorities
0:36:06 > 0:36:10and that our aid reaches those in need but we will of course further
0:36:10 > 0:36:18explore Whatmore support we can give -- what more support we can give to
0:36:18 > 0:36:21work against persecution of religious minorities.The Prime
0:36:21 > 0:36:25Minister will be aware that all free trade agreements involve some custom
0:36:25 > 0:36:28checks and therefore infrastructure at frontiers which would be
0:36:28 > 0:36:32completely incompatible with maintaining an open border between
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Northern Ireland and the republic. As the Cabinet subcommittee has
0:36:35 > 0:36:38apparently today finally got around to discussing this, could the Prime
0:36:38 > 0:36:42Minister explain to the house why she is so opposed to the UK
0:36:42 > 0:36:47remaining in a customs union with the EU when not only would this be
0:36:47 > 0:36:51better for the British economy than a vague deep and special
0:36:51 > 0:36:54partnership, whatever that is but would help to ensure that the border
0:36:54 > 0:37:00remains as it is today which is everybody wants? Wright UK is
0:37:00 > 0:37:03leaving the European Union. That means we are leaving the single
0:37:03 > 0:37:07market. We are leaving the customs union.If we were full members of
0:37:07 > 0:37:10the customs union, we would not be able to do trade deals around the
0:37:10 > 0:37:13rest of the world and we are going to have an independent trade policy
0:37:13 > 0:37:18and do those deals. He asks me about customs arrangements but I have to
0:37:18 > 0:37:20say to him that I suggest he looks to the paper that was published by
0:37:20 > 0:37:28the government last summer.Thank you Mr Speaker. Headway, the brain
0:37:28 > 0:37:34injury charity, says that a family recent had to pay £1500 over 15
0:37:34 > 0:37:42weeks for hospital car parking charges, Clic Sargeant said families
0:37:42 > 0:37:49that have children with Baghdad to pay £100, despite the government
0:37:49 > 0:37:52misses, hospital staff, nurses and Borders have to pay car parking
0:37:52 > 0:37:56charges, given unanimous motion last week in the House of Commons, will
0:37:56 > 0:37:59my honourable friend address this social injustice and abolish
0:37:59 > 0:38:05hospital car parking charges once and for all?I recognise this is an
0:38:05 > 0:38:09issue my honourable friend has been campaigning on for some time. As he
0:38:09 > 0:38:15says in his question, we have of course set strong guidance -- sent
0:38:15 > 0:38:18strong guidance to hospital trusts on the issue of car parking charges
0:38:18 > 0:38:23and we of course look to ensure that those are being met. Of course,
0:38:23 > 0:38:25individual hospitals are taking their own decisions in relation to
0:38:25 > 0:38:31this matter but I think it is right the government has set very clear
0:38:31 > 0:38:37guidelines to hospitals as to how they approach this.Mr Speaker, the
0:38:37 > 0:38:42Prime Minister has done much to tackle modern slavery but my
0:38:42 > 0:38:46constituent was trafficked here as a child, sold at least once on the
0:38:46 > 0:38:51long journey and then forced to work in the dark in a cannabis factory
0:38:51 > 0:38:55for years. Now the Home Office is proposing to send him back to
0:38:55 > 0:39:00Vietnam. Will the Prime Minister intervened, not just in this case
0:39:00 > 0:39:07but in this complex and confused area of the law?I recognise as the
0:39:07 > 0:39:10honourable lady says that there are cases which are complex in terms of
0:39:10 > 0:39:14the legal application. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary
0:39:14 > 0:39:18has heard the case the honourable lady as set out and I'm sure we will
0:39:18 > 0:39:22look at that particular issue, both the individual case but also the
0:39:22 > 0:39:28wider point that the honourable lady is making. I am sure we all want to
0:39:28 > 0:39:33ensure that actually, as we know, the best possible solution for this
0:39:33 > 0:39:35is people like her constituent not to be trafficked into the UK in the
0:39:35 > 0:39:41first place to be working in cannabis factories.Like many, I'm
0:39:41 > 0:39:44delighted to note the good progress made in lifting the ban on beef
0:39:44 > 0:39:48exports to China. What is my right honourable friend doing to ensure
0:39:48 > 0:39:53that we are able to export Scotch beef and other Scottish products
0:39:53 > 0:40:00like whiskey to other parts or all parts of the world?Can I say to my
0:40:00 > 0:40:03honourable friend I was very pleased when I was in China last week, we
0:40:03 > 0:40:09were able to work with the Chinese government towards that opening up
0:40:09 > 0:40:13of the Chinese market, particularly to beef products and also to dairy
0:40:13 > 0:40:18products, which are two key issues for the UK. But also, I'm pleased to
0:40:18 > 0:40:21say the Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association was on the
0:40:21 > 0:40:26business delegation with me and was doing everything that she does most
0:40:26 > 0:40:32ably to promote the interests of Scotch whiskey and of course, the
0:40:32 > 0:40:37answer to his question is what we are doing is making sure we can have
0:40:37 > 0:40:40an independent trade policy, developing trade deals around the
0:40:40 > 0:40:43rest of the world which means that good Scottish products and indeed
0:40:43 > 0:40:48good products from the rest of UK can be sold around world.Mr
0:40:48 > 0:40:55Speaker, the centuries-old UK in, a world-class company, Britain's third
0:40:55 > 0:40:58biggest engineering company is facing a hostile takeover by
0:40:58 > 0:41:01Melrose, leading to break up, sell-off, closures and redundancies.
0:41:01 > 0:41:07That would be to make a mockery of industrial strategy. Can I ask the
0:41:07 > 0:41:10Prime Minister this, that government has the power to intervene because
0:41:10 > 0:41:17of the defence work carried out by GKN? Will the Prime Minister act in
0:41:17 > 0:41:23the national interest and block this unwanted takeover?I can say to the
0:41:23 > 0:41:25honourable gentleman that of course the business department will be
0:41:25 > 0:41:28looking closely and have been following closely the issue he has
0:41:28 > 0:41:32raised and I can assure him that I and the government as a whole will
0:41:32 > 0:41:38always act in the UK national interest.With the largest
0:41:38 > 0:41:41undeveloped brownfield sites in the country located in my constituency
0:41:41 > 0:41:45at Stanton, will my right honourable friend explain to the house at the
0:41:45 > 0:41:51new housing infrastructure fund will help residents buy a new home?Can I
0:41:51 > 0:41:54say to my honourable friend that I think the housing infrastructure
0:41:54 > 0:41:57fund is a very important development, one of the major
0:41:57 > 0:42:00complaints that constituent often have and residents have when they
0:42:00 > 0:42:04see the possibility of development in their area is lack of
0:42:04 > 0:42:07infrastructure. What the housing infrastructure fund enables is
0:42:07 > 0:42:10infrastructure to be built and put in place so it can support of
0:42:10 > 0:42:15elements in a way that helps support local residents. -- support
0:42:15 > 0:42:19developments. I'm pleased the announcement of nearly £900 million
0:42:19 > 0:42:21which the Housing Secretary announced last week, we are seeing
0:42:21 > 0:42:25real interest in the housing infrastructure fund, which is making
0:42:25 > 0:42:28a difference and enabling more homes to be built and more of her
0:42:28 > 0:42:33constituents to be able to buy her own -- their own homes.My
0:42:33 > 0:42:38constituent is 58, she has the beauty, four pins in her leg, a
0:42:38 > 0:42:43walking frame and is just out of hospital after having clot her long
0:42:43 > 0:42:47billy dragged along, she got exactly do the job centre, having found the
0:42:47 > 0:42:50government posted on Friday, will she apologise for not having told
0:42:50 > 0:42:54any of the constituency Bridgestone whose job centres were being closed,
0:42:54 > 0:42:58will she refund my constituent the £10 she spent on a taxi and Wilshere
0:42:58 > 0:43:02apologise for this absolutely ridiculous situation?I say to the
0:43:02 > 0:43:06honourable lady that yes, we are seeing some job being closed in
0:43:06 > 0:43:09Scotland. There's not going to be any decrease in the level of service
0:43:09 > 0:43:13offered to the people of Scotland. We are increasing the number of work
0:43:13 > 0:43:17coaches across the country. What we are doing is ensuring that we can
0:43:17 > 0:43:24continue to provide a good service to the people of Scotland.Thank
0:43:24 > 0:43:27you, Mr Speaker. Intimidation on social media is a growing issue for
0:43:27 > 0:43:32many people across the country and yesterday, highlighted especially
0:43:32 > 0:43:36for women standing for election. Can my right honourable friend update us
0:43:36 > 0:43:39on the progress being made and does she agree we should take no lessons
0:43:39 > 0:43:43from a party whose Shadow Chancellor has called for violence against
0:43:43 > 0:43:53women?Yes, can I say to my honourable friend that I think this
0:43:53 > 0:43:57issue is a particularly important one. I announced yesterday, I said
0:43:57 > 0:44:00yesterday, as indeed my right honourable friend the Home Secretary
0:44:00 > 0:44:05said at the weekend, we are consulting on a new offence of
0:44:05 > 0:44:09intimidation of election candidates and campaigners. That follows the
0:44:09 > 0:44:14report from the committee about the degree to which intimidation was
0:44:14 > 0:44:20done to at the last election, particularly women, BME and LGBT
0:44:20 > 0:44:25candidates. This is an absolute disgrace, it has no part in our
0:44:25 > 0:44:29public life and I would urge the Shadow Chancellor once again come he
0:44:29 > 0:44:34keeps refusing to do this, to apologise to the Secretary of State
0:44:34 > 0:44:38for Work and Pensions for saying she should be lynched.Order.