Including former white house strategist steve bannon, former cia director David Petraeus and senator tom cotton. Live coverage on 12 15 p. M. Eastern time on cspan3, cspan. Org, or live coverage on the cspan radio app. On wednesday, Prime Minister theresa may talked about her program known in the u. K. As universal credit. This is about 35 minutes. Questions for the Prime Minister. Number one, mr. Speaker. Thank you. Minister. Mister mcveigh. Question number one. The Prime Minister. Mister speaker, i am sure members across the house will wish to join me in marking antislavery day. I am determined to bring it to an end. I have meetings with ministerial colleagues in addition, i will have further meetings later today. Can the Prime Minister reaffirm her governments commitment to the Northern Powerhouse . Could she set out specific schemes . The honorable lady has never been silenced and as far as i am concerned she never will be. The importance of the north will be heard. And could the Prime Minister set out the schemes to prioritize, would she agree with the in tune with the leader of the oppositions Political Correctness and marxism, north korea . We have a lot of questions to get to and i went to hear youve got to contain yourself, we have 32 questions Prime Minister. My right honorable friend referred to the voice of the north being heard and it has been heard by the conservative government. That is why it is a conservative government that remains committed to the Northern Powerhouse and conservative government putting in the investment in skills and infrastructure into the Northern Powerhouse and backing this across the north as i saw in the northwest, 60 Million Pounds for the north looking at the Northern Powerhouse rail putting that part of 13 million Infrastructure Investment going in. They recognize the importance for everyone across the whole country. Jeremy corbin. Thank you, mister speaker, i joined the Prime Minister and recognizing antislavery day recognizing safe trade is one of the most grotesque kinds and we must be resolved to drive out slavery in any form whatsoever. I hope the Prime Minister will join me, the solidarity of support for the people of somalia, horrific terrorist atrocity last weekend. I welcome todays fall in unemployment. But, mister speaker, but, mister speaker, the same figures show that real wages are lower today than they were ten years ago, most people in work are worse off. Does the Prime Minister really believe falling wages are a sign of a Strong Economy . Can i join the right honorable gentlemen expressing our concern at the terrible terrorist attacks that took place the killed 300 people and many hundreds were injured. Terrorism in somalia understands the stability of africa and we will work with the International Community to bring stability to somalia and that part of africa and part of that is dealing with terrorist threat they face. The right honorable gentlemen, i think, may be first in the house of commons today. It is the First Time Since i became Prime Minister the was welcomed unemployment. It is good news that more people are in work. It is good news the Unemployment Rate is at its lowest level in 40 years. That does mean more money being taken in wages by people to their families and asked about the cost of living and i tell you what he has done in relation to costofliving, 30 Million People have been given a tax cut worth of thousand pounds every year. We have given the low pay for the National Living wage the highest pay in 20 years and for those who take full entitlement, it is worth 5000 pounds per child per year to every family. That is what we are doing to help with costofliving. Mister speaker, i wonder if the Prime Minister could answer a question. A question i asked was about falling wages and this week, mister speaker, christine, a worker in a village shop, wrote to me saying i am worse off. I cannot afford to my car which i struggled to buy, on the road. I need my car to attend appointments, job hunt for a better position and take my son to activities. We dont have a luxurious lifestyle and dont want one, we just want to feel secure. When millions of workers are having to rely on the benefits system just to make ends meat, isnt that a sign not of a Strong Economy but a weak economy . I recognize people in this country find it difficult, i recognize that. That is why, that is why, that is why it is so important for the government to take steps to help people with the costofliving with costs they find themselves facing week in and week out. Why the measures i just listed for the right honorable gentlemen in taxcut and natural living wage, it is important for frozen fuel duty, we have insured some people with lowest pay, paying income tax altogether. We are going to introduce an energy price tax, all about helping people. It is all about helping people with the costofliving but you can only do that if you have a Strong Economy and you only get a Strong Economy with a conservative government. Jeremy corbin. People struggling to make ends meat, privatesector rental evictions up, wages down, universal credit in shambles. Is christine wrong or is she just an example what it is like living in modern britain . Mister speaker, last week i asked the Prime Minister to scrap the unfair charges on the universal credit helpline. Today she finally bowed to that pressure. But the fundamental problems of universal credit remain. The 6week ways, rising indebtedness, rent arrears and evictions. Will the Prime Minister pause universal credit and fix the problem before pressing ahead with the rollout . It is absolutely right. [cheers] she is an aspiring states woman, conduct yourself with due decorum. Calm. Again, maybe the honorable lady should take it up, the Prime Minister. I suggest listen to the whole sentence. We are going to change in relation to the telephone charge. This is i said last week, we were listening to a number of folks to be made. It was right to have done this now because theres a lot of evidence, i want people to know they can get their advice without being worried about it. The gentleman talk about universal credit. Why have we introduced universal credit . It is a simpler system that encourages people to get into the workplace. It is a system that is working, people getting into work and causing universal credit wont tell those people helped by growing to universal credit, getting into the workplace and bringing home more pay for their families. There is a long list of people urging the Prime Minister to pause universal credit including citizens advice bureau, the trust, john major and 2 dozen of her own back centuries. They can vote to pause universal credit. Public sector pay cut is causing real suffering and staff shortages. Last week secretary announced the nhs packet was scrapped but when asked if the nhs is going to get extra money to fund any agreed payraise he replied that is something i cant answer right now. This is right now. The Prime Minister is here right now. How about an answer right now . As i say to the right honorable gentlemen and the house in the past the way in which we vote the whole question of Public Sector pay is through the workers pay review bodies, they reported for this current year. They did that against what was set by government, the blanket of 1 in relation to Public Sector pay, for the 201819 year we have changed. What we have done is to ensure the respectability in the system for that period but perhaps i could explain Something Else to the right honorable gentlemen. All his years in parliament, theres one thing he failed to recognize. Government has no money of its own. Government gets money. [shouting] order you are becoming over excitable again, younger man, calm yourself, no need for excessive gesticulations. The Prime Ministers reply will be heard however long it takes. Government has no many of its own. It collects money in taxes from businesses and people to pay to spend on the nhs and the Services People need. If businesses arent growing, if people arent in where government doesnt have the money to spend on schools and hospitals and of course the only way you ensure those businesses are growing and those people are in jobs, the government has the money to spend on schools and hospitals and nhs pay, when a conservative government jeremy corbin. The primus has no problem finding 1 billion pounds, she needs to make it clear, mister speaker to the nhs workers what payraise is being offered, when they will receive it and what funding is being provided and what cuts she is proposing to make elsewhere in order to deal with that. Mister speaker, young people are in record levels of debt. This Week Financial Conduct Authority warned of, quote, a pronounced buildup of indebtedness among the Younger Age Group to fund essential living costs. Is in this yet another sign, not a Strong Economy but a weak economy . Prime minister. I have to say to the right honorable gentlemen, the deficit the labor government left us was unsustainable. Since then. [shouting] since then, we have indeed found money for the people of Northern Ireland. We also found as i was explaining earlier 20 billion pounds to give a taxcut of 30 Million People and 38 billion pounds, about helping ordinary working people. When it comes to students and young people, one we know is we shouldnt be racking up debt today like labor proposed but they have to pay off tomorrow. Jeremy corbin. Interesting she talks about what happened ten years ago. Her former friend George Osborne said earlier this week did gordon brown caused the subprime crisis in america . No. He went on to say broadly speaking the government did what was necessary in a very difficult situation. [shouting] under this Prime Minister, we have a weak economy. Uk growth is the worst among the 10 largest eu economies. We are the only major economy where wages are lower today than they were 10 years ago. Even without risks posed by this government on gold brexit negotiations. The home secretary keeps the two protagonist apart. We now have week growth, falling productivity, falling investment, falling wages. How does the Prime Minister have the nerve to come here and talk about a Strong Economy when figures show the exact opposite . I have to say to the right honorable gentlemen, the lapd says about the United Kingdom we have the most Efficient Health care system, fiscal sustainability has improved, steps have been taken to improve educational outcomes and jobs and earnings are good. That is what the oecd says about the Strong Economy of the conservative government. The way to get a weak economy is to borrow 500 billion pounds by the labour party, the way to get a weak economy is to ensure that you are promising spending after spending after spending, and people have to pay for that. The only way to get money for public services, the only way we can get tax cuts for the cost of living, get our debt down and deal with labors position the first way. Thank you, mister speaker, following the flaccid response, welcome announcement, help charges, to work hard and get on it. All welfare claims will be completely free to all claimants. It is useful to do that, the secretary announced we make the decision to change universal credit help line to a free phone number and tell my honorable friend by the end of the year, extending three phone numbers to all their phone lines, welcomed and helpful to all of those. Thank you, mister speaker. Will the Prime Minister what was unable to do in the chamber yesterday and rule out a no deal scenario and leaving the eu . What we are doing is working for the best possible deal the United Kingdom, but it would be irresponsible of government to not prepare for all possible scenarios. Can i point out what the secretary said yesterday, a no deal is unthinkable. I agree with the secretary. Brexit has contributed to a rise in inflation squeezing household budgets. Getting further in britain today. To the northeast of england, with the governmentfunded the analysis. Mister speaker, the commodity. Order order the speaker is gesticulating rather noisily. He should calm himself. Lets hear mister blackburn. Engaging the people in this country are going to pay and economic price. Mister speaker. The analysis from the government points out people in the northeast of england suffer from a hard brexit. What is the analysis . Order. When i say to the honorable gentlemen i know what i am doing, trying to help the honorable gentlemen but he must help himself. I honorable gentlemen has completed his question. No . A last sentence and it had better be very brief. What is the governments analysis of the impact of brexit on a no deal scenario . Can i say to the right honorable gentlemen, he once again stand up and talks about the scottish economy making reference to scotland, sorry that in his rather lengthy question he did not make any reference to the fact since 2010 a quarter of 1 million more people in scotland are in work as a result of the actions of the government. Now we hear backbenchers, the backbenchers must be heard. The Prime Minister pointed out in answer to the first question a powerhouse initiative has done a great deal to help the economy in northern areas, coastal communities are in need of further investment and support, we established a project toward private sector which includes expertise of members including a former chancellor and former head of the civil service. Good the Prime Minister give support to the initiative for a deal for all these things that might provide a model for other areas. I am grateful to my honorable friend for raising this. There are issues regeneration plans by the project board and i welcome a strong private publicsector approach and partnership being put forward and my honorable friend is playing an active role, with meetings from the Community Secretary and my honorable friend the powerhouse minister and encourage the board continue engagement with officials about details of the plan. At the general election both parties committed to an energy price. The government has published the bill for which i believe there is strong cross party support. Will the 14 million customers see the Energy Prices come down this winter and if not when will the Prime Minister get on to the legislation to ensure this is the last where customers can be ripped off . I welcome the fact the honorable lady says she and others will support the legislation. It is important we take action with Energy Prices, draft legislation for millions of households for customers and initially 2020, we will be able to extend on an annual basis, we sent an Important Message to the industry. I hope they make changes even before we get the legislation. The Prime Minister, expressing in the house yesterday including by ministers the implication for systems principle in hong kong as recent refusal of the authorities to disallow ben rogers, will the Prime Minister confirmed the government will work with the hong kong and the chinese authorities to ensure the democratic freedoms in the one country two systems principle our honored and preserved. My honorable friend is right the we want to ensure that principle of one country and two systems continues to operate on the specific issue she has raised, my right honorable friend informs me the Foreign Office has raised this issue in hong kong and continue to do so. I refer to registers of interest, people in my constituency devastated by an accident of job losses this week, clarity on a trading relationship with the eu was needed before the country could be in a position to consider future investments. Plenty to say to each other about brexit, but what about the 400 workers in the runup to christmas. We never went to see people in the position of losing their jobs and support people who do lose their Jobs Available to them through the gwb to get back into the labor market and back into work. We are in the process of a negotiation on brexit. We will need the European Union in march 2019 and we are negotiating the best deal for the United Kingdom. We indicated we want implementation period after that deal has been negotiated to make sure businesses can have certainty about the rules they operate in the future but one thing is certain, we will leave the eu in march 2019. It is in the statute books which is a good piece of legislation. Could the Prime Minister confirmed the Community HouseHomebuilding Fund for Group Housing project is still available, does she agree writing service plots of land at scale is a good way to fix the broken Housing Market . He has campaigned on this particular area and a great deal of expertise in it and is right, if we are going to fix our broken Housing Market we need to build more homes and housing white paper they make more land available, to give the tools they need, a roundtable with House Builders and others looking at how we can ensure we unlock the potential of the Housing Market and im sure my right honorable friend the Community Secretary will discuss specific issues he raised with him. You said universal credit is working. I wonder what you would say to my constituents, who claimed universal credit for a short time over two years ago and been working ever since suddenly got a letter in august demanding he read pay 366 pounds, despite spending hours on the phone line, being charged, 100,000 months was taken out of his wages meaning he incurred bank charges. Will you take personal responsibility so no more claimant suffer injustice and debt as fred has . I take no responsibility for these matters myself, the honorable lady will advised, the Prime Minister may wish to respond. As i indicated the changes to be made in relation to the phone line, i repeat to the honorable lady universal, the evidence shows on universal credit more people are getting into the workplace than jobseekers alone. Universal credit is about helping people get into the workplace and ensuring that they earn more and keep more of what they are learning and that is what they are. My right honorable friend aware of the wonderful work my constituency greeting, is she aware of the critical problem for elephants that are being slaughtered, 20,000 here, what is she going to do about that . My honorable friend raises an important point. Those in the constituency doing this valuable work, we did set proposals on ivory sales that will bring an end to the poaching of elephants, that will put the uk front and center of global experts to end the global trade in ivory. People are concerned about this issue and ivory shouldnt be seen as a commodity for financial gain. What we are proposing will make a real difference. Universal credit is not a benefit for jobseekers, for those that cannot work on my constituents have run out of austerity, proposing to rollout universal Credit System in my constituency over christmas. The toughest Financial Times for residents. My question is this. Is the rollout a matter of gross incompetence or calculated cruelty . Prime minister . We have been rolling out universal credit and have done so, listening to people about concerns being raised. We are seeing better performance from the dwp. The honorable lady is shaking her head. The speakers show the performance in terms of getting payment to people on time has increased substantially. More people we want to ensure all those who need those payments are able to get those payments but the fundamental reason moving to universal credit, simpler system, she may not want to listen to this but there is a reason for universal credit. I am determined to get through the ventures but when questions are asked the answers must be heard. Today is exceptionally noisy and we are not setting a very good example to our dutch friends. Im sure they do it much better. The questions will be heard and the Prime Ministers answers will be heard. The Prime Minister. I find it say to the honorable lady the purpose for universal credit is straightforward simplest system that helps people to keep more and earn more and encourage more people to work and that is what it is doing. Victoria prentice. Mister speaker, it is great to have the Prime Minister back in her usual fine voice. Will she join with me in encouraging members of the house who have demonstrated what good voices they have in encouraging them to in their own constituency, the situation on the ground in syria gets ever more desperate and the foundation who do great work have an ever increasing list. The Prime Minister. We all recognize the desperate situation in syria and that is why we are proud of the record we have as a country for the humanitarian aid we have given to syria and refugees from syria and that is 2. 46 billion committed in 2012 which is the largest ever response to humanitarian crisis but im happy to join my honorable friends in encouraging members of the house to support the Syrian Initiative and various events throughout the country. Another Important Initiative focused as humanitarian aid is in helping people who are in a desperate situation in syria. Sprinklers save lives, city Council Plans to retrofits bricklayers in all the highrise locks but this government wont provide a penny to support them. The Prime Minister promised we cannot and will not ask people to live in unsafe homes. How safe would she feel living on the 20th floor of st. George court in my constituency with one staircase and no sprinklers . Much has been said in this house about the issue of sprinklers. A number of aspects have to be looked at in relation to safety of tower blocks and it is not the case that sprinklers are the only issue to be addressed or the only solution to ensuring the safety of those tower blocks. In relation to the expenditure by her local counsel, it is up to the council to make decisions, we have been very clear discussions have taken place with local authorities. The Mental Health of service men, women and their families is gaining the attention it deserves. Will the Prime Minister join me in welcoming the initiative between the Royal Foundation and ministry of defense and support across the Armed Forces Family . I am very happy for what my honorable friend referred to, Mental Health is an issue we need to address more carefully and with greater attention across the public in general but the issue of Mental Health concerns is a very real challenge we have to take because they put themselves on the line and we owe it to them. Southampton Housing Association tells me 65 of the tenants on universal credit averaging 700 pounds hampering associations ability to get on with building new houses. Is it just get on with it or is there something more positive to say . We are indeed getting support to Housing Associations to build more homes which is why couple weeks ago we announced 2 billion pounds going to Housing Associations to do exactly that. Will my right honorable friend agree that with the death of teddy taylor the country has lost an outstanding parliamentarian, great constituency member of parliament and true patriots and what my right honorable friend agree with me that if he was alive today he would be delighted to learn the outgoing labor mayor of south end plus three counselors of all joined the conservative party . Prime minister. Can i join my honorable friend in recognizing the great contribution teddy taylor made in his time in the house standing for differences including that but i say to my honorable friend one of my abiding memories, we had to evacuate because he said the fire alarm off by smoking when he wasnt supposed to in his office but i welcome the former labor mayor and counselor who joined the conservative party, we welcome them to the conservative party and look forward to working with him. Thank you, mister speaker. The failure to fund schools adequately is hurting children in my constituency. In lancashire, for teen Million Pounds, 828, can the Prime Minister explained to me how this is going to help with aspiration . I will tell the honorable lady what is helping. The government is putting record funding into our schools and secondly the reports in our education system, 160,000 children go to outstanding schools in members area, an increase of 40,000 since 2010. Will go to outstanding schools the government is providing. Earlier this year i opened a stateoftheart manufacturing Training Facility at further education college. On friday i opened a new training center, now that unemployment is at a record low, will the government submit to private and Public Sector trainers to increase productivity . My honorable friend is right, increasing productivity is a key aim of the government, important for our economy for the future investing in schools is a key part of that. Im pleased my honorable friend has been so active in his constituency for changes we are making for the new level skills and emphasis we are putting, 500 Million Pounds in Technical Education will increase the schools. The trust for the latest property profile shows levels of homelessness have risen by 82 in the last two years and the eviction rate is the highest in the capital. Can the Prime Minister tell me what help she will give my constituents . They are in work, in the private sector. What hopes can she give them that they can achieve reasonable aspiration for themselves and their children to live in a safe, secure, affordable home . I will tell you the honorable lady, precisely why i meet with Housing Associations and others in number 10 downing street to encourage a faster rate of building houses so that more people can reach their aspiration of a safe and secure home. Why we are putting 500 Million Pounds into dealing with the issue of homelessness but it is all very well her standing up here and asking the government what we are doing, we are putting more money into housebuilding, she should ask the mayor of london what he is doing. Yesterday the director general, Internet Companies have an ethical responsibility to deal with terrorist material online. Previously indicated if they dont meet this challenge she will consider regulation. Are these regulations necessary, they will be robust. Im happy to give my honorable friend that confirmation but before we get to that, important work is done by the home secretary to ensure they come to gather, looking at how they can deal with this material on the internet. It is a real issue we need to address. I was pleased with president macron at the United NationsGeneral Assembly this year to hold any event represented by 70 countries and representatives of all the Major Tech Companies dealing with this issue. We need to Work Together but i want Tech Companies to recognize social and moral responsibility to do something about it. Thank you, mister speaker. The premise to may have noticed she will be aware of the honorable member who is not in this place, in barcelona doing his other job today of all days. What signal does she think the sense to hardworking members of the public . I trust the honorable gentlemen notified the intention to raise this question. The Prime Minister. I constituents will be very pleased they have a conservative member of parliament leading their interests and i can say, i can say to the honorable gentlemen, the scottish conservative members are doing more for scotland than scottish nationalists. What is the matter with you . You eat home produced food, you are a respected farmer, you are normally of a taciturn disposition, i dont know what has come over you. Cheer up, cheer up with Mister Philip davis. Along with the smp, the Labour Party Said they would not accept a deal with the eu under any circumstances at all, they will pay whatever final bill the eu demands and any conditions they insisted upon. Does the Prime Minister agree with me no one with an ounce of common sense would enter a negotiation by the labour party in the s p, is a capitulation. My honorable friend put it very well indeed, you dont take the staff of the labour party, my honorable friend says the rejection of no deal means they wouldnt set a deal at any price, whatever damage that was due to the economy and we will not do that. David crosby. In lancashire, more redundancies in manchester. What has happened . Has it gone flat . Will the Prime Minister reach out like he did in Northern Ireland . As i indicated, the government is committed to Northern Powerhouses and putting money into the Northern Powerhouse to encourage Economic Growth through the money we are putting into infrastructure. There are a number of cases he raised, the issue was raised by honorable friends earlier and continuing to work throughout the process to do what we can to protect United Kingdom jobs and have done with what we are doing with others but what matters is to ensure we have the economy that can see more jobs being created and 3 million more people in work today. Respectful and committed family relationships reduce property, improve wellbeing and help the government to live within its means and a key part of the country that works for everyone. Will the Prime Minister implement the proposals on recently published family manifesto. A question on this issue, he is absolutely right and we are looking at what more we can do to ensure benefits that he has said, this is an issue on which my honorable friend commented into this house and i welcome the valuable contributions he made on this issue. Last never forgotten, dennis skinner. Is the Prime Minister aware the Fracking Company has been accused on the outskirts of the state of creating a massive deterioration in the water supply . Will she as Prime Minister investigate this matter and call upon to halt the process once the investigation takes place . I say to the honorable gentlemen he raised an issue im sure will be properly looked into but underlying this, ensuring we are able to get a secure and safe supply of energy into the future and that is why the fracking is continuing and we support shale gas exploration, he raised a particular issue that will be looked into appropriately. You have been watching Prime Ministers questions from the british house of commons