Transcripts For CSPAN Prime Ministers Questions Prime Ministers Questions 20240712

Make it happen. We now come to the questions for the Prime Minister and we start with martin dockery. Mister speaker. Prime minister. Thank you, mister speaker. I had 18 ministerial colleagues and others in further such meetings later today. In the cages of the communist party of number 10. The government commercial was greeted with disbelief. Can the Prime Minister tell us does he agree previous inquiries have fostered a cultural grievance in the minority communities . I am someone who a brilliant feature about these issues and we will proceed with a new commission to look at racism and discrimination and it will be very thorough look at discrimination in health, education, the criminal Justice System and i know the house will say there are plenty of commissions and plenty of work but it is clear from the black lies matter march, all representations we have had, the more work needs to be done in this government is going to do it. We are sure to visit doctor jenkins. Thank you. Following the disgraceful events with folks defacing National Monuments and offending the memory of keith palmer what will the Prime Minister do to uphold British Values and carry out rule of law . Im grateful to my honorable friends and i can tell the house any incident of vandalism or attack on private property will be met with the full force of the law and perpetrators will be prosecuted and we are looking at new ways to legislate against vandalism of war memorials. The leader of the opposition. Can i start by welcoming the announcement of a major breakthrough in the treatment of coronavirus by uk scientists, fantastic news and we are behind it and i want to pay tribute to all of those involved. Can i welcome the Prime Ministers latest on Free School Meals, that is the right thing to do for the 1. 3 million children who will benefit. He is just one step in the fight against Child Poverty. I report last week on the Government Social Mobility Commission concluded there are 600,000 more children living in relative poverty in 2012. The report went on to say Child Poverty rates will increase to 5. 2 million by 2022. What does the Prime Minister think caused that . I am grateful, he is paying tribute to the efforts of the country impacting coronavirus but i can tell him this government is proud we set up universal Free School Meals and i am pleased we are going to deliver a food package to the poorest families in this country and that is the right thing to do but hes wrong in what he says about poverty, they declines in the government, there are 400,000 fewer families in 2010. I just read a direct quote from a government report, Government Commission produced last week which says it has gone up by 600,000. The social Mobility Commission, this anticipated rise in Child Poverty is not driven by forces beyond our control, he didnt reply. The report goes on to say this is real cause for concern. He might want to listen. The Commission Goes on, that it is they are really concerned these projections were made before the impact of covid19 which we expect to push more families into poverty. Im sure the Prime Minister would agree even higher Child Poverty rate had an intolerable outcome from this pandemic so what will he do to prevent it . The right honorable gentlemen talking about an anticipated rise rather than a rise that has taken place. A new concept is introduced into our deliberations. It is a reduction in poverty and of course we are concerned, the whole house will understand the government is concerned about the impact of coronavirus on the uk economy. Anyone with standards would acknowledge this government has invested massively in protecting the workforce of this country, 11 million jobs protected by the coronavirus, unlike anything done anywhere else in the world, 30 billion pounds worth of Business Loans and we intend to minimize the impact of coronavirus on the poorest kids in this country. One way we can do that is to encourage all kids who can go back to school to go back to school now, last week i asked whether he would say schools were safe, he him that hard and now hes trying to say schools are safe to go back to. Your witness. The Prime Minister, what the social mobility report said, talks about consistency in uturns, the government had 3 uturns last month, Immigration Health charges and meals, the question is whether to dispatch folks before or after, he argues about one brief one week. Hes an expert in that. Mister speaker, this isnt the only area the government is falling short, during this pandemic authorities were working on social care, homelessness, obtaining protective equipment, delivering food and essential supplies. On the 20 sixth of march the Community Secretary told Council Meetings directly, a letter in a speech, the government stands ready to do whatever is necessary to support councils in their response to coronavirus. The government has kept that promise . We put 3. 2 billion pounds extra into local government, we didnt hear an answer, did we . How can he talk about tackling the effect of coronavirus on the most disadvantaged, the most disadvantaged kids who need to go back to school, those are not going back to school. Lets hear it one more time. Will he say that schools are safe to go back to . Come on. This is the opposition question. If the Prime Minister wants to swap places i am very happy to do it now. Mister speaker, the Prime Minister, the only answer he gave was 3. 2 billion pounds, the question i asked is a lot of money. The conservative lead, the conservative lead local Government Authority said they will have a shortfall of 10 billion pounds this year. The Health Secretary heckles the conservative leader of Lancashire County council wrote a letter to the Community Secretary a month ago on the seventh of may and he said the phone nigel Financial Impact will be in excess of the 3. 2 billion provided to date. He went on to say we would like some assurance from you that all councils will be fully reimbursed from the cost of covid19, the Prime Ministers own counsel leaders, had known about this problem for months, why was he so slow to act . 3. 2 billion, we put another 1. 6 billion to support counsel and another 600 billion from my memory to get into social care. The reality, we dont want to talk about deprivation. I want kids to go back to school. The unions wont let him say the truth which is let him now say schools that are safe to go back to. [laughter] mister speaker, the Prime Ministers doesnt get how critical this is. They face a choice, between cutting Core Services or facing bankruptcy under section 114. Outcomes for local communities amid local services cant reopen. That will drive up poverty. That is something the Prime Minister doesnt tend to do. After them in this crisis, the government has it. The government has to take response ability and to something. Great respect to the right honorable gentlemen, i outlined what we are doing to support local governments in this country can be proud of these efforts. I think they can be very proud of the incredible there is some counsels that are not opening their schools when they could be opening their schools. Now is the moment to say to those labor counselors that is the state of kids to go back to year one, year 2 as they can. Will he now say it . The Prime Minister seems to complain that i ask questions that Prime Ministers questions. If you want to swap questions, okay. I want to return to the Prime Ministers other reason use her in, the immigration surcharge, following Prime Ministers question on the twentieth of may the government announced it would drop this deeply unfair charge, nothing has happened. The Royal College of nursing, Royal College of physicians ever into the Prime Minister. He must know about this. One doctor was quoted saying my colleagues have replied even yesterday, had to pay for himself, his wife and four kids, 6000 pounds, the hill office saying nothing has been implemented. These are people on the front line, the Prime Minister said he would act. I am grateful for an important conversation. It is vital people who are working on the frontline, that they get the support they need. Thats what they said a few weeks ago and nhs or care workers who have paid the surcharge since the 21st of may will be refunded and we are getting on with instituting the new arrangements the fastest we can. I welcome the Prime Ministers rejection of the extension to the brexit transition period. Have i asked him if he agrees with me the taking back control in january of 2021 will benefit the fishing communities. It certainly will, once again, independent coastal state. I know how brilliantly she campaigns for fisheries in grams he admires her to engage now that the people of grimsby can exploit the recapture of our spectacular natural marine wealth. Heading to scotland, ian blackburn. Thank you, mister speaker. Ratchford has shown more leadership in tackling poverty in a matter of days than the government has in the past decade of cuts but people struggling all year round and more needs to be done. This morning the grow Joseph Rowntree foundation and save the children published Research Showing Ongoing Health crisis causing 6 in 10 families to borrow money, 7 in 10 to cut back on essentials. 5 in 10 falling behind on rent on essential bills. An extra 20 pounds a week in Social Security support would prevent millions of families from having to make the choice of paying their bills or feeding their children. Will Prime Minister immediately uplift the child element of universal credit and Child Tax Credit by 20 pounds per week. This is a government that has done everything we can to help families in need to make sure nobody is penalized for doing the right thing during the crisis because i know how difficult it has been which is why we are rated universal credit by 1044 pounds benefiting 4 million families in this country but in all sincerity to the right honorable gentlemen we are fully aware that there will be tough times ahead and we stand by to do more where we can. Ian blackburn. 20 pounds a week to help families with children, that is what we are asking for. We are talking and it struck 20 pounds a week to stop families having to make the choice between paying their bills or feeding their children. Thats the harsh reality, this is a question of helping people survive. The tory government has seen a decade that has driven people into poverty click scrap Child Poverty targets. Rather than reversing the damaging policies that pushed millions into poverty the Prime Minister is more interested in finding money to spend on his own vanity project, a luxury vip plane, does he seriously think he wouldnt find 20 pounds a week to help families that are struggling to survive . Of course not, that is why we are investing in universal credit, employment support to say nothing of the novel schemes we have introduced such as Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which is a model the whole world is admiring. No other country put its arms around 11 million workers in the way the government has supported jobs, incomes across the whole of the uk, i hope he supports our measures. This morning with the social Market Foundation i publish my report titled unlock written which sets out 10 reforms the government put in place to help the crisis is behind us. Will the prime mister work with me to consider these ideas particularly my idea of a Recovery Fund for small and mediumsized businesses from the entire United Kingdom to reduce their debt burden and empower our recovery forward. I study the proposal with interest in what he speaks of and we will look at all kinds of imaginative ways to simulate a strong economic recovery and he should stand by what the chancellors announcing in the next couple weeks. Due to the covid19 crisis, tens of thousands face bankruptcy, millions of british people face redundancy. In britains hour of need will the Prime Minister put the practical imperative of saving jobs, rather than risking a bad deal or no deal due to the deadline set before coronavirus why didnt the Prime Minister fashion good oldfashioned british common sense give our economy the chance to breathe and accept the eus offer of a delay . There is another way of looking at it, people are sick of going on about brexit. When we come to the end of the transition period we will do things differently, response Economic Needs in a creative and constructive way of looking at regulation, ways in which we support in ways that we havent done before, very productive, lets not delay that moment. Lets get on with it. My right honorable friend is back in such robust form. He will be pleased to know that 50 of children in gloucester are back in school now but their education has suffered over the last few months which will he consider that doing two things, first, to ask all teachers to set all their children and pupils a catch up plan before the summer and secondly would he ask teachers to get a Recovery Plan so everybody can go back in september. It is crucial we do that, my right honorable friend the education secretary will be announcing you shortly, it is vital that kids catch up but even more vital that the kids who can go to school should go to school. It would be a fine thing if we heard from all sides of the house that schools are safe to go to rather than the wobble we heard from the opposition this morning. Thank you, mister speaker. The Steel Industry is essential to the uk economic vitality, in newport, the only found in the uk compared a key part in that recovery but 3 months into this, still with government liquidity support, it is critical to apply that to address it now. We take this issue in the Steel Industry very seriously. We are doing what we can to maintain uk steel production. It was always facing difficulties even before corona struck. I will look at particular needs of the concerns she raises and ensure that we do everything we can. We supported 9200 workers in her constituency through the furlough scheme. Coronavirus is underlying portends of bad infrastructure. Does the Prime Minister agree that extending existing relief on Business Rates could see the release to level up oral area is for telecommunication during the pandemic . Absolutely right which is why we provided business rate relief for investment, im happy to join my honorable friend, thanking the workers to the Communications Workers who kept going throughout the pandemic to put in that. I thank them with her. The Prime Minister free via sleaze states no correspondence or discussions with the secretary of state about westbury print works application. Will he confirm none of his officials or advisers had such correspondence or discussions with the secretary of state or his officials and advisers and publish all correspondence related to this matter when the cabinet secretary reports. I am grateful to the honorable gentlemen. I had no correspondence, but if there is anything to be said i think the right honorable gentlemen will be writing back. The reopening of nonessential shops has been very welcome boost to restart local retail. Can my right honorable friend stimulate the rest of the buckingham share economy. They are cutting unnecessary regulation, for a dedicated stimulus to Small Businesses where they are rightly renowned . I thank him for the way he campaigns in the constituency. What we are doing is obviously what we can to flex the social distancing rules but only as we make progress in driving incidents of the virus down. Everybody understands the tension the country is operating, the tradeoff we have to operate. We must defeat that virus but we are sticking to our plan and we will stick ruthlessly to our plan opening hospitality sectors on july 4th. In response to the efforts, the Prime Minister says they are for themselves that. Ive been aware of the issue recently, i can assure you we will be addressing it forthwith, applying for the furlough scheme has been and gone and there has been no announcement of support for shielding workers, is this another uturn, what was in the chamber last week. Bob stewart. It is good to see the Prime Minister looking fighting fit. Can i ask my right honorable friend where we are in the process of trying to stop repeated claims against service men and servicewomen involved in fatality shootings in the Northern Ireland campaign . I thank my right honorable friend. He is absolutely right and we are bringing forward legislation that focuses on protecting people, ensuring equal treatment in Northern Ireland for our veterans and for those who served overseas. 1 Million People with no resource to public funds cannot access the universal credit safety net. I agree with the point that hardworking families should have help of one kind or another. Will he deliver help, will he suspend the street restrictions before the School Summer holidays of destitute families can claim the meal vouchers . They should be eligible for those, those with no recourse to public funds have access as i said repeatedly in this chamber to Coronavirus Job Retention Schemes, income support schemes, the measures we have introduced to protect renters, the mortgage holiday to those who needed and whether individuals are working long enough in the uk, enough insurance contributions were made that they are entitled to employment and support allowance, no recourse to public funds sounds like just that but it is a term of art. There are many ways we support the poorest and neediest in the country. We will continue to do so. Can i welcome efforts by Companies Like facebook to make the internet a safer and less misleading place . I know my right honorable friends will agree that we cannot leave Online Platforms to regulate themselves so can i urge him to allow no further delay in bringing forward the government response to the online consultation and legislation which will enable this country to play a Global Leadership role in this . Im grateful to my right honorable friend in the interest he has taken, they are theres a real risk during the lockdown, terrible things going on behind closed doors in this country, on the internet. We had the cell phone matter in number 10 recently and we are working at pace on new legislation against that. The behavior hasnt been bad enough, with qualifications of something similar. Clarifies matters to follow deadlines but also to stop companies keeping workers with numbers in a spreadsheet. Im concerned about the behavior of some companies and many will have received similar representations from their own constituents. I dont want to single any out but it is important to recognize the taxpayer has gone to huge lengths to put our arms around uk business. They should do what they can to look after their workers in difficult times, those workers will stand them in good stead when the economy turns up again. The incredible quality, the industrial revolution, now at risk of being lost which will my honorable friend support me to protect and preserve this landmark by creating Industrial Heritage part, new green jobs and immortalize history from the pits to the pots . I congratulate my honorable friend of chatterley whitfield for the ambition of what he just outline for heritage park, it is a proposal he needs to work up in more detail and look at it with interest. 25 has been withdrawn for all the best wishes, looking for speedy recovery and return to the house. Does the Prime Minister agree that as our country email is from this crisis we have an opportunity to be bold in putting innovation at the center of the response for sectors like green energy and Financial Solutions like social impact as a tool in delivering leveling up agenda. Yes, she may not believe it but as mayor of london we pioneered special impact to tackle the most entrenched to give value to companies in dealing with this terrible problem and proud to say those social impact bond schemes to tackle huge progress. The number of rough speakers has been a scar on our consciences. It has gotten much better over the crisis but we must make sure it does not recur. Final question. Farmers in my constituency produce beef product in which consumers our farmers demonstrate traceability. Their efforts are undermined by labeling legislation in this country which is allows any beef in the world to be labeled a british beef as long as it is packaged in this country. Of the Prime Minister is serious about maintaining beef standards especially in light of future trade of agents will be close that loophole . Yes, mister speaker. Of what the right honorable sentences is the case and im sure he knows whereof he speaks i can only say must be one of those things that is currently governed by the laws of the eu to which he is bound to return an independent scholarship the catastrophe ever arise and we on the side of the house take advantage of the freedoms we have won and the british people decided to take back to make sure scottish be farmers have the protection of their needs. Vulnerable members partitioning to get the next item in safer arrival in the next suspending the house with clicks you have been watching Prime Ministers questions. Is next question time wednesday, june 24th and you can see live on cspan two or watch it sunday night at 9 00 eastern on cspan. You can go to cspan. 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