Mr speaker, i thank my honourable friend, who does a superb job of representing his constituents. My own footballing skills are. Legendary i can do it, mr speaker i enjoy it but the most important thing is to have a team that is united and that will deliver a great future for this country. That is what we offer, mr speaker. It is in sharp distinction to the labour party. Last night, more than 100 of them couldnt even be bothered to vote for a general election, which they are shortly back to contest. What kind of confidence is that in their leader, mr speaker. Speaks welsh. I dont think we will see your like again, but we will miss you in this house. Coming to the close of nine yea rs of house. Coming to the close of nine years of tory misrule, misinformation and broken promises, leading us in this merry dance is key Prime Minister, a load of misrule at this shambolic christmas election. But, mr speaker, my party has long been prepared for this election and in wales we have a simple choice. We can back my country by voting plaid cymru all we can back one of these deeply divided westminster parties who offer nothing but more brexit chaos. Will the Prime Minister be honest for once with wales . Theres only one way out of this chaos, isnt there . And that is to remain in the European Union. I thank the right honourable ladies for the beautiful welsh. I couldnt get all of the welsh. I couldnt get all of the welsh but i willjust remind her that the most important thing, the most important point that she might bearin most important point that she might bear in mind is that her constituents, the people of wales, voted to leave the European Union. That is what the people of this country that is what the people of this cou ntry voted that is what the people of this country voted for and what the majority of the constituents of the benches opposite voted for. It is high time they honoured that promise. Doctor caroline johnson. Thank you, mr speaker. Mr speaker, my constituents in north hike deal with some of the worst Traffic Congestion in the country and they tell me that completing lincolns bypass would make a huge difference to their lives. Can the Prime Minister confirm his government will support the building of this bypass . Ican support the building of this bypass . I can confirm that and i can thank her and i can confirm that and i can thank herand our i can confirm that and i can thank her and our candidate in lincoln, Kyle Mccartney who has campaigned for that bypass. Mr nigel dodds. Thank you, mr speaker. Can i on behalf of members of my party thank you for your service to this house. You came to us at a very turbulent and challenging time for this house and challenging time for this house and you have always been very assiduous in protecting the rights of backbenchers and smaller parties. We thank you for that and wish you well in your retirement. Mr speaker, in the dying days of this parliament, with the Prime Minister please do something for the victims of historical institutional abuse in Northern Ireland . I raised this at Northern Ireland . I raised this at Northern Ireland . I raised this at Northern Ireland questions. There is still time in this parliament to get this legislation through. The victims have been waiting for so long now. It is cross party and cioss long now. It is cross party and Cross Community support. Would he please act on that . I thank my right honourable friend full point he has made and he has campaigned very much on that issue. For the point. The government has fulfilled its promise to introduce legislation on the matter. As he knows, the right honourable friend, the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, has had productive meetings with representatives of the victims and survivors representatives of the victims and suivlvois groups. Representatives of the victims and survivors groups. The most powerful way of addressing this issue, as he knows, would be if we can all Work Together to get Stormont Executive back up and running to deal with the matter themselves. Sirjohn hay. Thank you, mr speaker. There could never be a more eloquent and articulate speaker. We will miss your style. You are remarkable and your remarkable encyclopedic detail and i will miss the literary references, mr speaker. Marcel brewster said. Laughter i want to hear about Marcel Proust the only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but have new eyes. And hard working british patriots are voted to leave the European Union with fresh eyes have in their sites the bourgeois liberal elite that is trying to steal brexit from them. So, will my right honourable friend. As he broadcasts on the wireless and elsewhere and people meet him in real life, too, in the coming days and weeks, simply evangelise this plain and straightforward message . Back brexit, back britain, back boris. Prime minister. There is only one way to take this country forward and thatis way to take this country forward and that is to get brexit done. I can tell him, he is a great campaigner for people in his constituency and across the country. If our government is returned, as i hope it will be, and i will work very hard to ensure that it is, the people of this country will be seen record investment in the nhs, they will be seen improvement in their wages, through the biggest expansion of the living wage in memory. And they will be seen reductions in the cost of living. It is one nation conservative policies that can be relied on to take this country forward. And it is that party that would take us backwards. Jo swinson. Thank you, mr speaker. And from the liberal democrat benches, can we wish you well . And congratulate you oii wish you well . And congratulate you ona wish you well . And congratulate you on a decade, particularly as a modernising speaker, from topicality of debates, to promoting diversity within the staff of the house, two reforms to support parents who are mps will stop you have helped to drag this institution out of the past so it can face the future to reforms to support parents who are mps. At this general election, vote rs mps. At this general election, voters deserve better than a choice between the two tired old parties. And in the tv debates. People deserve to hear from a leader who wants to stop brexit and build a better future. Will the Prime Minister commit today to take part in those three way debates . Or is he going to run scared of debating a girly swot . Going to run scared of debating a girly swot . The people of this country want their promises kept. I am not disposed to believe in the promises of a liberal democrat when their leaflets in london say they wa nt to their leaflets in london say they want to revoke the result of the referendum and the leaflets in the south of the country dont mention brexit at all thats the liberal democrats bunch of hypocrites, the lot of them they stand for nothing but a policy of dither and delay and indecision. And to take this country forward , indecision. And to take this country forward, with fantastic environmental policies, fantastic policies on education of a kind that i think will appeal to all her constituents, she should join this party, vote for this government and support us at the general election. Thank you, mr speaker. If i may, can ijoin with the tributes from across the house to your service and your speakership . Even though our 30 year friendship notwithstanding, i havent agreed with everything you havent agreed with everything you have done recently, but i have been a big supporter of yours in the chair, you have championed the backbenchers and allowed the chamber to hold the executive to account in a very good way. Can ijust say, the best of luck and good wishes to your family. Thank you. When my right honourable friend were standing for the leadership of our great party, he spoke about ending the witchhunt of our Northern Ireland veterans. He said we need to end unfair trials of people who had served queen and country. He said the persecution of veterans facing historical allegations over troubles in Northern Ireland has got to stop. Given there was nothing in the queens speech, can he give a clear manifesto undertaken that if hes re elected as Prime Minister for the conservative government, he will bring forward legislation as quickly as possible to end awful injustice . Yes, mr speaker. Ithank as possible to end awful injustice . Yes, mr speaker. I thank my honourable friend for everything he has done to campaign on that issue. As he knows, the consultation on the new legislation was only concluded a few days ago. I can certainly give him the reassurance that we will be bringing forward legislation to ensure that there are no unfair prosecutions of people who served this country faithfully and well, when there is no new evidence being provided. The Prime Minister said, at the start that i had demonstrated that i was stretching time. And i wouldnt want to disappoint him. Two final contributions from colleagues who i know are leaving the house. Mr ronnie campbell. Thank you, mr speaker. Mr speaker, ive been in this parliament for 32 years and ive seen many speakers in the chair. I must say, youve been the best. As we say in the north east, youre a. Cannae laddie. Cannae laddie. The waspi women were given a bad deal in their pensions. As the Prime Minister got any plans to put that wrong right . First of all, mr speaker, can i also paid tribute to the honourable gentleman as he leaves this house. I want to repeat my congratulations to all honourable members who are standing down and the service they have given. On the specific issue he races for the waspi women, it is a very difficult issue and very highly emotionally charged. We have done our best to try to satisfy that group and another £1 billion i think has been allocated to the support of waspi pensioners. I would allocated to the support of waspi pensioners. Iwould remind honourable members opposite who are chuntering at me that under the labour party, i seem to remember that female pensions went up by 75p that was their approach to pensions rights for women. Mr speaker, we are indeed looking at what more we can do to satisfy that issue. But it is, as he knows, a very difficult issue. Thank you, mr speaker. Can i wish you well and can i add to the plaudits that have been made to you by thanking you for the way youve represented my fathers old constituents in buckingham. Youve been assiduous in that. Many years ago, the Prime Ministerwas campaigning in newbury to help get me elected. He was asked by the newbury weekly news whether there was any chance of him becoming Prime Ministerand he said he was any chance of him becoming Prime Minister and he said he thought there was more chance of being decapitated by a frisbee. Can i say that i take great delight and continue to take great delight that he has defied those odds . If he can commit to me here today to continue this countrys bold ambition on ocean conservation, where we are a world leader. I thank my right honourable friend for all the service he has given this government and this country. I remember vividly campaigning with him, on one occasion, we were interrupted by a dog show i seem to remember. He has also done particularly important work in conserving oceans. And he has helped to ensure that this country has Global Leadership in establishing Marine Conservation areas around the planet. This country, as you know, protects one of the vast expanses of the oceans of the vast expanses of the oceans of any country. It is thanks to the work of my right honourable friend that we put that issue at the forefront of our politics, protecting marine life and protecting marine life and protecting not just the fish protecting marine life and protecting notjust the fish but protecting marine life and protecting not just the fish but the penguins as well. As you will know, one third of the worlds emperor penguins are british laughter he has done a signaljob, mr speaker, protecting those penguins. And i thank him for it. Order just before we proceed with the numberof just before we proceed with the number of statements that need to be made, i would like to like the Prime Ministerand made, i would like to like the Prime Minister and colleagues for their ca rd minister and colleagues for their card and generous personal remarks which are greatly appreciated. I wa nt which are greatly appreciated. I want to thank staff of mine past and present who have given of their time to be here today for the last Prime Ministers questions that i chair. All of them are people who have worked with me for a significant period of time. We have had fantastic relations are data graphic bond and i usually appreciate the fa ct bond and i usually appreciate the fact that they have bothered to turn up fact that they have bothered to turn up on this occasion. I usually appreciate. I would like to thank my wife and our three children for the support, stoicism and fortitude which they have displayed through thick and thin over the last decade. I will never forget it i double always be grateful for it. Applause. It may also be for the convenience of the house for me to make a short statement about dissolution guidance, the draft guidance from ever standing and not standing is available on the intranet. It will be finalised after dissolution is confirmed. On the course of today answers to frequently asked questions will also be published, these will include an answer to the point of order raised by the right honourable gentleman, the member for northallerton, on monday because learning arrangements remembrance sunday. Colleagues, iam learning arrangements remembrance sunday. Colleagues, i am very pleased to announce the appointment of Patricia Hillis as the new speakers chaplin. She was selected following a fair, open and competitive recruitment process. Trisha, she likes to known, is currently cannon pastor at saint pulse cathedral. Where she leads on diverse city and inclusion, and goodness knows there is a piquancy about this today, on the churchs response in times of disaster. In particular she was part of the team at st pauls which brought together the National Memorial Service Following the gre nfell tower disaster. Working alongside the brive families and survivors and local faith and other groups. As we know, that avoidable disaster has caused intense grief, pain and anger among those affected in the committee. Born in kuala lumpur to an indian motherat committee. Born in kuala lumpur to an indian mother at a british father, Tricia Hillas moved to the uk with herfamily father, Tricia Hillas moved to the uk with her family in 1951, formerly a social worker she specialised in supporting individuals and families diagnosed with hiv and aids, helping them deal with complex multiple challenges with dignity. Married to andrew who is head of the Youth Offending Service for southwark, she will be priest in charge of sick mary at hale in the city of london. Iam also mary at hale in the city of london. I am also proud to say that she will be the second female speakers chaplin from a bm year background. She replaces our dear friend. The reverend rose hudson well can. Who leaves on thursday to become. I am so leaves on thursday to become. I am so proud to say there is, leaves on thursday to become the first black bishop of dover. While her start date remains to be agreed, i hope when she takes up the post, probably early year, the house will enjoy working with. When these matters have been properly discussed with the usual channels, the start of the general debate on the report of the g re nfell tower general debate on the report of the Grenfell Tower enquiry, i will ask you how to observe a minutes silence to reflect on that tragic event and those whose the question is is on the order paper. Question we will now have a minutes silence to reflect on the grenfell tragedy and the lives lost. Thank you, colleagues. We now come toa thank you, colleagues. We now come to a general debate on the report of the Grenfell Tower enquiry. I call the Grenfell Tower enquiry. I call the Prime Minister to move. Before i begin, let me say i will be making quite a lengthy speech this afternoon reflecting on the very comprehensive nature of the report, s0 comprehensive nature of the report, so if honourable members will bear with me, i am sure i will address many issues on which they may be planning to intervene. Mr speaker, the bereaved, the survivors and the members of the North Kensington communityjoining members of the North Kensington Community Joining us in members of the North Kensington communityjoining us in the galleries today, each have their own story to tell, their own perspective on what happened at grenfell. But over the past 2. 5 years, they have been united in their fight to uncover the truth. It is not a fight they would ever have chosen. But it is one that they have taken up with determination, with dedication and with great dignity. Yet their exceptional tenacity in seeking justice has not always been matched by their faith justice has not always been matched by theirfaith in justice has not always been matched by their faith in the systems ability to deliver. This is no surprise. After all, they have been let down many times before. Too often, overlooked and ignored in the months and years before the tragedy and shamefully filed by the institutions that were supposed to serve them in the days and weeks after it. Since then, the survivors, the bereaved and the local community have endured one unbearable milestone after another. The funerals, the anniversaries, giving and hearing evidence at the public enquiry, the painful process of building a new life in a new home, without loved ones and without treasured possessions, and in the publication of this report today. All this while carrying with them the unimaginable trauma suffered that night. I am very much aware that night. I am very much aware that no report, no words, no apology will ever make good the loss suffered or the trauma experienced. But i hope that the findings being published today and the debate we are holding this afternoon will bring some measure of comfort to those who suffered so much. They asked for the truth, we promised them the truth, we owe them the truth. And today, the whole country, the whole world is finally hearing the whole world is finally hearing the truth about what happened at g re nfell the truth about what happened at grenfell terror on the 14th of june 2017. At grenfell terror on the 14th of june 2017. At Grenfell Tower. When the sun rose that morning it revealed an ugly scar of black smoke, cutting across an otherwise clear blue summer across an otherwise clear blue summer sky, and on the streets of North Kensington, a scene of horror and desperation. Shortly before one oclock that morning, a faulty fridge freezer had started a small fire in the kitchen of a flat on the fourth floor of the 2a story g re nfell tower. Fourth floor of the 2a story Grenfell Tower. The resident of that flat did everything right. He raised the alarm, called the fire brigade, alerted his neighbours, within five minutes firefighters arrived to deal with what appeared to be a routine incident. And in the normal course of events, the fire would have been contained, extinguished, and that would have been that. But what happened that night was anything but normal. And so, even before firefighters began to tackle the blaze on the inside of the tower, unbeknown to them, flames were already beginning to race up the outside. Just seven minutes after the first firefighters entered the kitchen on the fourth floor, a resident on the 22nd dialled 999 to report the blaze at her level, almost 200 feet higher up. By 1 27am, one whole side of the building was ablaze, dense smoke and searing flames visible across the capital began wrapping around the tower, penetrating its heart. And by 1 30am, less than three quarters of an hour after it began, it was clear to those watching below that the inferno was completely out of control. Grenfell tower filled at night with almost 300 souls in its 129 flats beyond saving. The fire that shocked the nation and the world that morning took the lives of 72 men, women and children. The oldest, known simply as sheila, was a poet, artist and great grandmother who had brought joy a poet, artist and great grandmother who had broughtjoy to many and seen and experienced much in her 84 yea rs. And experienced much in her 84 years. The youngest, logan gomez, had never even seen his own parents. He was stillborn hours after his mother made a narrow escape from the choking noxious smoke. Many who lived together died together. Husbands and wives, parents and children, were found in each others arms. Those who survived so everything they owned reduced to dust and ash. Wedding dresses, replaceable photographs, beloved childrens toys, all gone. And the true scale of the trauma, the impact of the fire not only on those who survived but those who lost loved ones 01 survived but those who lost loved ones or who witnessed its destruction is unlikely ever to be known. Grenfell represented the biggest loss of life in a single incident in the uk since the hillsborough tragedy 28 years previously. However, my predecessor as Prime Minister, the right honourable member for maidenhead, was determined that there would be no repeat of the travesty that followed that disaster which saw the friends and families of those who died forced to fight the establishment tooth and nail, year after yea r, establishment tooth and nail, year after year, decade after decade, to secure justice for their loved ones. That is whyjust 15 days after the tragedy, the then Prime Minister appointed one of our most experienced and respected former judges, to lead a rigorous public and completely independent enquiry into happened. Sir martin has today published his report on the first phase of that enquiry covering the events of the 14th ofjune. The cause of the fire and its rapid spread, the way in which Emergency Services and others handled the immediate response. As the sponsoring minister under the terms of the inquiries act 2005, i this morning lead copies before parliament of that report. I was in no doubt that the house should have the opportunity to debate it on the day of publication. Grenfell was a national tragedy, and this is a report of Great National importance. However, i recognise that sir martin has produced a very substantial piece of work, almost 1000 pages across four volumes, the vast majority of honourable and right honourable members will not yet have had
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