22/06/2017 Thursday in Parliament

Hello, welcome to Thursday In Parliament.

Theresa May says tests are being carried out

on tower block cladding, following the Grenfell fire.

As a precaution, the Government has arranged to test cladding in all

relevant tower blocks. Shortly before I came to the Chamber, I was

informed that a number of these tests have come back as compost to

bowl. -- combustible. The Home Secretary, Amber Rudd,

warns the UK is entering We must do more to defeat ideologies

of hatred by turning towards British values. Churchill famously said,

courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it

takes to sit down and listen. But first - The Prime Minister has

revealed that tests have shown that cladding used on some high-rise

buildings is combustible. Theresa May was making a statement

to the Commons following the fire at the Grenfell Tower block

in West London last week. At least 79 people are

believed to have died, with hundreds more made

homeless and having lost It's estimated that 600 other

blocks in England have Mr Speaker, it should

never have happened. In a few moments, I will say how

we are going to discover why But as I said yesterday,

that initial failure was then compounded by the fact that the

support on the ground in the initial As Prime Minister, I have

apologised for that second failure and taking

responsibility for doing what we can It quickly became clear that

Kensington and Chelsea could not cope.

And it was right the Chief Executive Officer had

resigned, but it wasn't just about the steps taken

in the first few weeks, but what happened long

Each family had received a ?500,000 payment for food

So far, more than 700,000 had been paid out.

Mr Speaker, that people understand they can keep the

These grants are not loans and they will not be

Neither are they waiving any legal rights as a result of accepting this

The payments will be disregarded for means tested welfare

So no-one in receipt of benefits will see their

benefits cut if they accept emergency support.

And I would like to reassure people that we will not

use this tragic incident as a reason to carry

those involved or on those providing vital information to identify

victims or those assisting with the criminal investigation.

And new homes were being found for those left homeless.

Mrs May confirmed there'd be a public inquiry and hoped there'd

be an interim report as soon as possible.

In the meantime, safety checks had and were being carried out.

I should of course be careful on speculating

But as a precaution, the Government has

arranged to test cladding in all relevant tower blocks.

Mr Speaker, shortly before I came to the

Chamber, I was informed that a number of these tests have come

The relevant local authorities and local Fire Services

And as they speak, they are taking all possible

steps to ensure buildings are safe and to inform affected residents.

There is grief, there is anger, and there is also great

And I hope the whole house will join with me in

commending the community spirit and public support which helped

Every single one of those deaths could and should

The Grenfell Tower residents themselves had

raised concerns about the lack of fire safety in the block.

The Grenfell Action Group had warned, and I quote, "It is a truly

terrifying thought, but the Grenfell Action Group firmly

believes that only a catastrophic event will expose the ineptitude

the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation."

The Prime Minister said it is right that the CEO of Kensington and

It may be, but why aren't the political leaders of Kensington

and Chelsea taking responsibility as well for this

Mr Speaker, from Hillsborough to the child sex abuse

scandal to Grenfell Tower, the pattern is consistent.

Working-class people's' voices are ignored, there are concerns

We have to learn those lessons to make sure this tragedy is

a turning point in our whole attitude and never again do people

die needlessly in a towering inferno, living in poverty,

This needs to be about Parliament recognising the significance of what

We can never be as a country in this position again.

And I welcome the remarks of the Prime Minister

Let's make sure that social housing is something that we invest in.

The local MP said she spoke on behalf of a traumatised

and frightened community with little trust in authority.

She called for cuts in Fire Services to be reversed.

Will the Prime Minister commit to an adequate fund to enable emergency

services and particularly the London Fire Brigade to be fully funded to

carry out this work and reverse the cuts to the funding of Fire Services

that have made their lives so difficult? These people have quite

literally paralysed in their hands. In short, where is the funding? In

recent years, London has seen many high-quality high-rises being built,

often financed with hot foreign money and then left empty for years,

sometimes with the kitchens clingfilm and pristine. Where we all

understand there are occasions when the landlord will need to leave an

apartment empty from time to time, when brand-new properties are empty

for many years, to the prime ministers think it is rape to

discuss with her honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer

change in the taxation regime so that these people face punitive

taxation? My wife and I mentored and employed and encouraged a young

woman who lost her life with her mother on the 20th floor of Grenfell

Tower. On their behalf, and all the people that died, I urge the Prime

Minister to say something more about the criminal investigation that was

announced last week. She has talked about public enquiry, but she

understands that most people see this as a crime and they know that

rich and powerful organisations get away with crime. The criminal

investigation has been opened by the Metropolitan Police. The red

honourable gentleman invites me to comment on that in a whole variety

of ways will stop people know this is an operational matter for the

Metropolitan Police. It is for them to determine any point at which they

have evidence which could lead to prosecutions or two charges or

presentations. We must let the net do their job. Was cladding of the

type used in Grenfell Tower compliant with the fire safety and

building regulations applicable at the time when the rougher

abridgement was undertaken, yes or no?

Theresa May said the Fire Service and the building research

establishment had been looking at the cause of the fire

They expected to make the result of those tests public

The Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, has departmental

responsibility for housing in England, and he told the Commons

that there had to be a new approach towards social housing in the wake

Speaking in the continuing Queen's Speech debate,

Sajid Javid said a change of attitude was needed.

We all need to rethink our approach to social housing.

And we need to reflect on the way that successive

governments have engaged with and responded to social tenants.

We don't yet know for could have been Grenfell Tower at their home

had been listened to, but we do know that for far too

could have been Grenfell Tower at their home

had been listened to, but we do know that for far too

long their voices so if nothing else, let the legacy

of Grenfell Tower be that such voices will never

Does he actually accept and will he confirm now that since 2010,

governments record in building social homes is deplorable and has

shown in fact a 97% fall in social housing stocks?

Mr Deputy Speaker, there was a deplorable record on

building social homes, and that was the last

But of course, we have a Welsh Labour

Government in Wales that is committed to building 20,000 new

homes and is building new social housing

and council housing in

Would he also agree that lessons need to be

learned from Wales on a different approach to fire safety, and the

fact that we introduce measures that requires sprinkler systems to be

fitted in a new high-rise buildings and converted buildings?

There are a lot of lessons to be learnt from

I think when it comes to fire safety, we should learn lessons from

The honourable gentleman will also know that for

new buildings since 2007, it has also been a requirement to require

Labour's John Huey said there were still answers about the Government's

response to the Grenfell Tower fire. He also needs to make clear,

which the Prime Minister did not, if remedial work

is required in order to make these blocks safe,

and funding is required to do that, then

the Government will provide that funding to make sure those building

or made safe for the residents. We made it clear that we will pave

the testing. If there is a local authority, in terms of implementing

any necessary changes they need support and help, we will work

without local to provide it. Support, help and funding if they

need it, is that what the secretary is saying to this House, yes or no?

What we have made clear is that if there is a local authority that need

support, including funding support, we will work with them to provide

funding support. I am grateful for that, I think the house is grateful

for that. Finally, it has taken probably a dozen questions to him

and to be Prime Minister and the leader of the house during the

course of the day to get that statement, but it is of course

welcome. You're watching Thursday in

Parliament with me, Alicia McCarthy. The response to the string of recent

terror attacks is to be examined by the former independent reviewer

of terrorism legislation, The recent attacks in London

and Manchester have claimed There was outrage after an attack

on an Ariana Grande Concert in Manchester at the end of May,

which happened as thousands of youngsters were streaming

out of the venue. The suicide bomber blew himself up

by detonating a device in the foyer The Home Secretary, Amber Rudd,

told MPs Mr Anderson would be reviewing the Government's

counter-terrorism strategy, to make sure the police

and the security services had We are entering a new phase

of global terrorism and many of the challenges that

we face are unprecedented. We now believe we are

experiencing a new trend We must do more to defeat

ideologies of hatred by turning people's minds away from

violence and towards pluralistic We must make sure that these

ideologies are not able We must do more to

force tech companies to take down terror-related content

from their platforms. And we must also do more

to identify, challenge and stamp out the extremism

that lurks in our communities. Doing more also means

asking difficult questions In light of the terrorist attacks

in London and Manchester, Britain's counterterrorism strategy will be

reviewed to make sure that the police and the security services

have what they need to keep us safe. In addition to this,

there will be a review of the handling of recent terror

attacks to look at whether lessons can be learned

about our approach. I'm pleased to announce

that David Anderson, former independent reviewer

of terrorist legislation, I noted the actions the Government

has taken in the Home Secretary's statement, and largely on this side

of the House, we support them. But we would warn

against an emphasis on more legislation rather than looking

at the issue of resources. We will look at all

legislative proposals that the Government brings forward

on their merits, but we believe that resources is at the heart of this,

not just new legislation. It is one thing to

talk about specialist policing and security resources,

but we cannot overstate, the importance

of neighbourhood policing. It is that neighbourhood

engagement at all levels, often in the what might seem

simple ways, that builds the confidence in communities of

officialdom and the Government and encourages people to come

forward with their information which may help us to stop future

terrorist activity happening. And we have said, and we

continue to say, it was wrong that since 2010, we have lost

20,000 in police numbers. During the election

campaign, the Prime Minister spoke of ripping up human

rights to fight terrorism. We'll be Home Secretary

confirmed that there is absolutely nothing

in the Human Rights Act or European Convention

on Human Rights that would prevent us

taking a robust approach to terrorism and therefore will she

confirm that there is no plans to tear up human rights

and that we can tackle terrorism and uphold the standards

of this society Ms Rudd didn't answer directly,

saying simply that the Government would provide the resources

necessary to keep the country safe. The Prime Minister, Theresa May

is in Brussels for talks It's her first European summit

since losing her Commons majority She'll be setting out her plans

to protect the rights of EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens living

in EU countries. While the Prime Minister was engaged

in Brexit negotiations, the House of Lords was debating

the implications of the Queen's speech

for international affairs. Brexit was uppermost

in many peers' minds too, with the Archbishop of Canterbury

calling for a cross-party position What makes this such

an exceptional time is that for perhaps only

the second or third time in a couple of centuries,

we find ourselves needing, as we come to Brexit, to redefine

our whole approach to foreign policy and what our place

should be in the world. Trade deals, custom

unions, single markets, financial passports,

not all are without use unless they are seen

as a means to serve individuals, Over the past few weeks,

it has felt as though we've been overwhelmed by a storm of events

that have tested our deepest values We are being tested not only

in how we handle security, but also diversity, integration,

social mobility and inequality. The aftermath of the horrific

fire at the Grenfell Tower in Kensington has

given us particular need There is no doubt that the response

from the emergency services and civic society has been,

and continues to be, remarkable. Communities have been

revealed as effective. Many though, including the Prime

Minister herself, have recognised that the support from the state has

been inadequate in its response to those urgently and

desperately in need. Such failure is ultimately

a failure of values. Lord West thought the Queen's speech

overstated the UK's strength. At paragraph 25,

the gracious speech states that ministers will ensure

that the United Kingdom's leading role on the world stage

is maintained and enhanced Our soft power is formidable

but it is as nothing if not backed by hard power

as has been true for decades. Indeed, it has been our

military capability that has allowed successive prime

ministers and foreign secretaries for those decades to stride the

world and punch above our weight. The implications for security

of Europe are severe. We and the United States,

and we should be proud of this, have actually ensured

Europe's defence And Lord Sterling -

who voted for Brexit - In the Queen's speech,

the gracious speech, the very first sentence is

"My Government's priority is I think that is a shocking word

to use in any aspect. Anybody that's done a business deal

knows that is not the word. If you really want to continue

in friendship and in partnership, like we're emphasising all the time,

you come to an agreement. You don't want to leave

for that table feeling... I could use stronger words,

that somehow or other I've got my leg over, I've got

the best out of it, etc. You carry on on the basis that

I want to do it again, Lord Bilimoria suggested that Brexit

might not happen at all. It is only a matter of time

that the people themselves will see that the Brexit

emperor has no clothes. And given the option

between a hard Brexit or a soft Brexit, the opinion of

the British people at that time will probably be, why not just stay

with what we've got? Which is the best of both worlds

and as President Macron has said, and as the rest of the EU

would welcome, it will be much better for us to end up staying

in the EU and there may well be Now let's go back to the Commons,

where the class of 2017 continued to make their first official

appearances in the Commons. Although MPs are allowed

to ask questions before making their first speech,

they still need to make a maiden before they can fully take part

in life at Westminster. Labour's new MP for Kensington Emma

Dent Coad is the member who represents the area

of the Grenfell Tower block, destroyed in the recent

catastrophic fire. The horror and fear of this

man-made catastrophe will be etched on all

our hearts for ever. I know this from the grief etched

on the faces of people in Ladbroke Grove, total strangers

approaching me for comfort, reassurance, a question,

a hug, to share their fears could be visited

upon our neighbourhood. And the burnt out carcass

of Grenfell Tower and all it represents glowers

over us, and the Red Cross managing a relief programme

in Kensington. I've seen housing

conditions that are shocking, homes growing toxic black mould,

five children squeezed on mattresses in one bedroom,

homework done in relays. Chronic health problems

such as asthma with children being carted off

to hospital at night. The simple day-to-day organisation

of clean clothes, food and personal cleanliness carried out

in the rotors to allow Child poverty in Kensington,

the same as child poverty in Lanark and Hamilton East,

25% in Kensington. The new Labour MP for

Enfield Southgate in London. Paid tribute to the courage

of members of emergency services, especially those involved in dealing

with the recent atrocities. The recent terror attacks

have been abhorrent and terrifying, but our emergency services

responded each and every time with the utmost courage

and professionalism. They deserve both our

praise and our gratitude. So too with the awful

tragedy at Grenfell Tower I know that all of London

grieves deeply for the family and friends of those

who sadly lost their lives and I join in thanking and praising

the brave people who ran towards danger

in London once again. Mr Speaker, I am

of Cypriot heritage. We were welcomed with tolerance

and warmth and that is what allowed me to be here today

in Parliament to give my maiden speech as a proud

new MP for Enfield Southgate. This is the same welcome

that people here extend to everybody from other nations living,

working and studying locally. I'm proud of our diverse,

tolerant and inclusive community that brings

out the best in people. John Lamont the new Scottish

Conservative MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk

reflected on Brexit. The challenges and opportunities

thrown up from Brexit for my constituents,

especially export businesses, farmers and fishermen will be

of fundamental importance I will work tirelessly

to ensure that we come out of this process stronger

and even more together The new Conservative Mp

for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, as is tradition,

praised his constituency. For me, it has the happy

advantage of being home. I did so in Marton in

Middlesbrough, a few hundred yards from the birthplace of

Captain James Cook and I can think of few better ambassadors for

a new global Britain than a man who actually discovered

large parts of the world. Now, Cook's cottage stands

in the grounds of Stewart Park which was in turn originally

the grounds of Marton Hall, home to Henry Bolckow,

the pioneering and master and Middlesbrough's first mayor

and member of Parliament. He was one of a generation

of industrialists who prompted Gladstone to prison

Middlesbrough The new MP for Aldershott

is a former soldier. Mr Speaker, anyone familiar

with my constituency will know that one figure

who literally towers over us is the Duke

of Wellington. The Iron Duke sits on horseback

in massive bronze relief And the Iron Duke,

never one to be over patient with politicians, I think

would have agreed with this nation's other greatest soldier turned

statesman, Sir Winston Churchill, who as a young cavalry officer lived

in Aldershot's cavalry barracks Churchill famously said,

"Courage is what it takes Courage is also what it takes

to sit down and listen. And on that note, Mr Speaker,

I will resume my place. but do join me on Friday night

at 11 for our round up of the week in Parliament,

when we'll be looking back at the Queen's speech and I'll be

talking to two of the class of 2017 about the challenges

facing this parliament. But for now from me,

Alicia McCarthy, goodbye.