Questions about the british economy, housing, and jobs. This is just over 30 minutes. Order. Questions of the Prime Minister. Thank you, mr. Speaker. In addition to my duties in this house, i shall have further beatings later today. Meetings later today. Christ during the general election, my bluecollar conservatives resonated very well with my constituency. They are very keen that the economic recovery carries on on track. Does my friend achieve agree with me that we must achieve lower taxation for working people in ensuring the lowest tax altogether to show we are truly at one nation government . First of all, i congratulate my friend on his return to the house with i think doubling his majority. There are a number of results in his part of yorkshire that i took an interest in and was pleased to see happen. He is absolutely right, at the heart of our plan is making work pay, that is the best way to help people out of poverty, the best way to give to the more security, creating jobs, cutting taxes, seeing increases in the minimum wage and legislating so that people working 30 hours on minimum wage dont pay income tax, that is our plan for working people. We all agree about the importance of Home Ownership and a Prime Minister has said he is going to increase it. Can you tell us since he became Prime Minister, has the percentage of people owning their own home gone up or gone down . It has been a challenging time for people to buy their own homes but what we are responsible for is almost 100,000 people able to buy their own homes, we call it the right to buy. Two schemes opposed by labor. The author is the answer is the percentage of people who own their own homes has fallen. He mentioned his plan to extend the right to buy, he has promised under this new scheme the replacement of sold off properties on a oneforone basis. He promised that on Council Homes in the last parliament. Can you remind us what he kept that promise . First of all if shes complaining about homeownership, will she confirm she will support the extension of the right to buy . Do you support that approach . A landmark manifesto commitment. Lets expand right to by the Housing Association but as ever the enemies of aspiration and the labour party will not support it. Harriet harman. We support more people owning their own home. Its not what happens under the last five years of him being Prime Minister. We support more people having an affordable home and wealth and that didnt happen under the last five years of him being Prime Minister either. He promised for every Council Homes sold, another one would be built. That did not happen. For every 10 sold theres only been one built, and less Affordable Housing means people have to be in more expensive private rented accommodations which means i hire housing benefit bill. Can he confirm that for every Affordable Homes sold and not replaced the housing benefit bill goes up . First of all we build more Council Homes in the last five years than were built under 13 years under the last labour government. Icpd honorable lady she can ask these questions about supporting homeownership ever as she enters the simple question, will you back Housing Association tenants been able to buy their homes yes or no . He broke his promise on replacement one for one of affordable Council Homes. He broke that promise and as a result housing benefits have gone up. And at the same time he says he wants to take 12 billion pounds out of welfare year so where is it coming from . Earlier this week his spokesperson confirmed the government would not make any changes to child benefit, thats a commitment for the whole of thethis parliament. Can he confirm that no . We made a very clear opposition on child benefit. I confirmed again as the dispatch box but lets be clear we are absolutely no answer from the labour party about Housing Association tenants. We are clear. They should have the right to buy. So we can now see the new labour backing of aspiration after election has lasted three weeks. Thats how long they did to aspiration to let me give her another chance. We see Housing Association tenants get the right to buy. What does she say . Well, his commitment not to cut child benefit during the course of this parliament has not even lasted a few days. Thats what his spokesperson said, and hes not been committed to it. Can he tell us about another issue of importance to families, which is what is going to rule out further cuts to working families tax credit . Again, we have said were freezing tax credits in the next two years because we need to get the deficit down and we want to keep peoples taxes down. But isnt it interesting that the whole of the last parliament, labour team europe and opposed every single spending reduction, every single welfare savings, and theyve learned absolutely nothing. They are still the party of more spending, more welfare, more debt. It is extraordinary the two people responsible for this great poverty of theirs one of them lost the election, the other one lost his seat, the messengers have gone but the message is still the same. He promised 12 billion pounds of welfare cuts, and i am asking, where those welfare cuts are coming from . Mr. Speaker, for the election it is about the promises, now theyre in downing street, it is about the delivery. The Prime Minister spent the last five years saying everything that was wrong was because of the previous Prime Minister when he cannot do that with the next five years because the less Prime Minister was him. I hope he will bear in mind, when things go wrong over the next Prime Minister the next five years, there is nobody responsible but him. First of all, we are still clearing up the mess our government left behind. The honorable lady asked for an example of a welfare cut. Let me give her one. We think we should cut the welfare cap from 26,000 pounds per household to 23,000 pounds per household. In her speech in reply to the gracious speech, it sounded like she was going to come out and support. So why not, thats the labour goes to approach this. We support a cut in welfare cap . The right honorable learned lady has had her six questions. [shouting] everyone should be clear about that your mr. Andrew mitchell. My right honorable friend will be well aware that there is considerable concern on both sides of the house at the proposition that britain might withdraw from the European Convention on human rights. Will he take the opportunity today to make clear that he is no plan for us to do so . We will make clear what we want which is a british judges making decisions in british courts. And also the British Parliament being accountable to the british people. Now, our plans set out in our manifesto dont involve us leaving the European Convention on human rights but lets be absolutely clear. If we cant achieve what we need, and im very clear about that, where weve got these foreign criminals and we cant send them all because of their rights to a family life, that needs to change, and i will absolute nothing and getting that done. [inaudible] i know were making tribute a little bit later. Its a stain on the conscience of europe the thousands and thousands of refugees have been nine in the mediterranean when many lives could have been saved. Does the Prime Minister agree that the role of the room navy of the Italian Coast Guard and the navies of other European Countries making a profound difference, however much more needs to be done including offering refuge and asylum to those who need it . First of all his right to mention Charles Kennedy and we will have those tributes right after my ministers questions. Hes right to praise the role of the royal navy in dealing with the tragedy of the mediterranean. The flagship of the royal navy has been playing it so the a key role in saving lives. But i would part company with him on his next suggestion to what we need to do in order to solve this crisis is two things. One, we need a government in libya that we can work with so its possible to return people to africa and stop this criminal trade taking place and second we need to break the link between getting on a boat and achieving residents and your. Thats what needs to be done. In the meantime everything britain can do as a moral and upstanding nation to save lives we will do and we should be proud that we are doing it. Angus robertson. Fifty years ago thats what United Kingdom did when offered refuge and asylum to those who are being pursued by the nazis and we all know about the transport and the children that were accepted and given refuge in the uk. Now in contrast, however, the uk has an appalling record on the resettlement on Syrian Refugees it is not prepared to cooperate with other european nations unaccepting refugees had been rescued in the mediterranean. Why does the Prime Minister think it is fair for sweden and for germany and other countries to accept these refugees while the uk turns its back on them . First of all i would take issue with the honorable gentleman that we have and asylum system and record of the giving people asylum in this country that we should be proud of, when people are fleeing torture and persecution they can find a home here in britain. But lets be clear. The vast majority of people who were setting off into the mediterranean are not Asylum Seekers but are people seeking a better life. Theyve been tricked and fooled by criminal gangs, and our role should be going after those criminal gangs, sorting out the situation in libya, turning back those boats were began and making sure with our generous aid budget that this government achieves that we use that money demanded the countries from which these people are coming. That is our responsibility of what im proud to fulfill. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Thanks to the careful financial stewardship of its government, yorkshire economy continues to grow with unemployment a fraction of what it was five years ago. Can the Prime Minister assured me that you that it will percolate right the way through the great county of yorkshire . Deliver a yorkshire powerhouse. I can certainly give my honorable friend that assurance. I mean he talks about the strength of yorkshire economy, the claimant count in his own constituency, the people claiming unemployment benefit come down by 74 since 2010. In terms of the Northern Powerhouse what we see is the linking up of the Great Northern cities as a counterpoint as a counterpoint to the strength of london. We are making Good Progress but certainly we want to see more money, more resources and more powers devolved to the city to if we take the york North Yorkshire and growth feel that is creating at least 3000 jobs allowing 4000 homes to be built. We make Good Progress but theres more to be done in this parliament. Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister rightly apologized for government which failed to address properly those claims and those of the families lives that were torn apart and those who lost their lives in the contaminated scandal. He also said in response to the question that they would deal with this as a matter of priority, if he was reelected to go to ask america update on his commitment to that and progress on the so that this is dealt with finally for all those people who have lost their lives and those who live with the damage caused by this scandal . Damage caused by this scandal . Im grateful to the honorable gentleman for raising this issue. All of us have come across people who through no fault of their own were infected with blood, with a there hiv or hepatitis c end effector is his consequences for them. In terms of what were going to do about it what i said there were before the election we made available 25 Million Pounds to help those families and will be a full statement by the government before the summer recess to make sure we do with us and the best way we possibly can. Mr. Speaker, a National Health [shouting] mr. Speaker, and National Health service fruit of the point of use was at the heart of the conservative general election campaign. Will the Prime Minister confirm that he will continue to deliver pashtun better and is response time, better access to cancer drugs and more funding . These make the nhs not only in the of the world but to my constituents. Im grateful for what he says. I can say to them under this government the nhs will remain free at the point of use and more to the point we are backing that Simon Stevens plan with an extra 8 billion pounds of spending, commitment that the Labour Party Still refused to me. Its not surprising when you look at the labour record in wales where they have cut the nhs in stark contrast to the decision we made to increase investment in the nhs. Thats why you see and the welsh nhs performance worst figures on a unique him on waiting times, on cancer. And i would urge the labour party in wales even at this late stage, change or approach. Did a uturn but the money into the nhs like we are doing in england. Thank you, mr. Speaker. The fragility of our economic recovery in my constituency is demonstrated by the impending closure of dixon with a loss of 500 jobs, and 8 million to the local economy. Will the Prime Minister into being to keep it working to save these jobs, or at the very least ensure that the Company Provides appropriate compensation and support for employees to secure alternative employment . I will look very closely at the case that he mentions it obviously everything the job center plus can do define employment for those people should be done. He talked about the fragility of the economy in his own constituency, the claimant count has actually fallen by a third over the last year. So there are jobs being made available but as i said where jobcenter plus network funny people work we will certainly make sure they do. The u. N. Secretarygeneral has described the refugee situation in jordan and lebanon as the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. What more can britain do in tandem with other countries to help relieve suffering . And to learn from the lessons of history to ensure that poorly resourced refugee camps doesnt become breeding grounds for extremism. I think the first thing we can do is to continue our investment using our aid budget that i think the second largest bilateral donor in terms of providing refugee support, refugee camps, whether in jordan or elsewhere in the region. We should continue with it but cleared the answer is to allow those people to go back home, the to iraq or to street. What we need is a government in both those countries that can represent and work with all other people. Theres some progress in iraq with the a body government and we need to make sure they can represent sunnis as well as she used to answer your this situation is far, far worse we should still be continue with the plan with others during the modern should opposition and tried to bring about a transition so we get rid of the assad regime and the site itself who is one of the biggest drivers of care in the region because of what hes done to his region. That is the strategy we should pursue for however long it takes. Can do Prime Minister inform the house when expects the uk to retain its aaa Credit Rating . First of all, can i welcome the honorable lady to her place and congratulate her on her election success. And if i might say i think the first question she asks which is about fiscal responsibility and sustainability, i take that as a sign of progress. [shouting] theres a leadership election. Throw your hat in the ring. In that one question shes made more sense than all the rest of them put together. Go for it. [laughter] [shouting] diversity in the point is a key part of my plan. Can the Prime Minister to my constituents [inaudible] can be concerned into court because he looked to welcoming another hightech company to the city. First volcanic and graduate my autocrine on her election success in for standing up already for portsmouth and all the work she did as a candidate and all the things i know she would as a member of parliament. We are committed to ensuring issues in the most effective way to deliver capability to create jobs and boost the growth in the region. I have to say i think developments in portsmouth are exciting, was that his ship servicing, welcoming the carriers when they come to portsmouth are whether its the center that is being constructed with the government supporter can also cannot can i just say how i think how good it is a portsmouth will be represented in this place by strong conservative women. Mr. Speaker, in the gracious speech by her majesty last week a government committed to legislating the agreement. Casinos that agreement has our support. It is an agreement that was signed up to by all the five parties in Northern Ireland. Neither has it been reneged on certainly the reform [inaudible] does he agree with the second estate following the talks yesterday second estate, all the parties that signed up should not implement it . If they fail to do so will he take steps to preserve the integrity of that agreement . First of all let me agree with the right honorable gentleman that edward was party to those talks and they were exhausted and lengthy talks ending in an agreement everyone should implement that agreement in full and that agreement did include welfare reform. That is the first point and hes right. But whatever happens we need to make sure that Northern Ireland and the assembly has a sustainable and deliverable budget. Site hope even at this late stage people can look at what they can do to make sure that happens. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Last year saw record numbers of adoptions and prospective adoption but theyre still over 3000 children in care waiting to be adopted. Half of them having waited for over 18 months. What plans does my right honorable friend have to enable more children to be placed in a loving, Stable Family home sooner rather than later . I think my audible friend is absolutely to raise is that i think speeding up the rate at which adoptions a place, making sure more adoption can take place is key to getting more children a better start in life it over the last three years weve seen 63 increase in adoptions we have made progress but in the gracious speech and into building published today that are the plans to quit regional Regional Adoption Agency bring together the many agencies that are in this country i think thats a because it matters far more than a talk at a loving home the weather that home is actually in a particular county council area. Get on, create these agencies to make sure more adoptions take place. The uk Steel Industry is a Key Foundation industry for britain, but its in crisis. Will the Prime Minister join me and the rest of the Steel Industry to call upon the leadership in mumbai to correctly intervened on the situation and get the colleagues to get back around the table and avoid the worst crisis in the Steel Industry which we do pictures of potentially see and 35 your . I agree its important that government talks intensively to the leaders of the Steel Industry about what we can do to make sure safeguard the growth and jobs that growth and jobs that there had been in a stupendous over previous years which started those discussions and have discussions about the steps were taking for our highenergy Intensity Energy industries and to help we can give. But at the heart of a successful Steel Industry is always going to be a successful economy and a successful Construction Industry which is why we should stick to longterm economic plan. Mr. Speaker today [inaudible] there will be a high content in the uk in the supply chain and a commitment to pursue higher projects together in a sugar this confirms our ability to attract Chinese Investment and great new export opportunity. Does my right honorable friend share my hope that the Energy Secretary will soon agree the Development Consent order needed and also agree soon on the pricing of power from this exciting example of british innovation and engineering . My honorable friend is right to raise the specific case but also the general case of wanting to attract Chinese Investment into britain and weve seen Something Like this 73 increase between 20102013 and that is partly because this government has pursued Chinese Investment and attracted Chinese Investment into britain. On the specific case of the title tune its subject to a planning decision but i think it does have significant potential but i have seen some of the plans for myself and hope this is something we can make progress on and attract investment into the country to help make it happen is a winwin for both countries. Devolution of powers to our nation our region and great cities will be one of the things of this part but that does the Prime Minister except that londoners will accept tallies at the same powers that are being devolved to the Northern Powerhouse . I think its a very powerful point the honorable lady makes and theres been an ongoing discussion with the mayor of london about what more powers can be hes running london. Thats where he is and is doing a very, very good job of. [shouting] hes doing an excellent job. Very good. I think the honorable lady as right. And we have devolved powers to london we are very happy to go on having discussion about transport and about other economic powers to make sure under londoners create half a million more jobs over the last five years. Its a staggering performance and we want that to continue. Thank you, mr. Speaker your does the Prime Minister agree that any onshore wind farm report that already granted should not expected to receive any public subsidy . Im very glad to see my honorable friend back in his place. He campaigned very hard on this in the last parliament and in our manifesto we are very, very close it should be no more subsidies for the onshore wind farm. It is time to give local people and decisive say. That is what will happen in england come in wales, the subsidy regime will be changed because it is a reserve issue. I think his desire has been met. Thank you, mr. Speaker. The Prime Minister might be aware of the ongoing case of my constituent, doctor forward despite his immense contradiction to the music scene around the world the home office lasting effect to try to [inaudible] can be Prime Minister to the house by people like doctor from dont seem to be welcomed in this country because of if the Prime Minister cant run an immigration policy that works is gone and i know it opened up the road that would be very happy to do so. Connect and gradually the honorable gentleman on his election. Im not aware of the specific case evasive but i will look at it urgently after Prime Ministers questions and see what i can do. Peter bone. Mr. Speaker, with the Prime Minister agreed that one of the ways forward in the European Union is to have two pillars for the first countries that want a single currency, a common fiscal policy and ever closer Political Union . The second building countries that want none of those but instead want a free trade area a Common Market . I think my honorable friend makes a good point. One of the arguments they held in europe at the moment is to try to get them to accept what is already the case, which is that our countries like britain at the heart of the Single Market but not involved in the agreement are more likely to join a. Not involved in the single currency and in my view, should never join it. We should accept this sort of flexibility is here to stay and i think the challenge for europe is to build a European Community that is flexible enough for the single currency country to be happy that their problems and issues can be sorted out but flexible enough for countries like britain at the heart of the Single Market but not wanted to be part of the ever closer union can also be comfortable with their membership. That is the aim of my renegotiation and it will be followed by a referendum. I welcome the Prime Ministers confirmation there will be no cuts in conditions which are benefits. Will also confirm the commitment he made during the election so thatll be no cuts in the benefits paid for disabled people . At what weve actually done is increase the benefits paid to disabled people by bringing in the personal independence payment which is actually more generous to those who are most disabled. Can i say how much i enjoyed meeting with him during to generate election were we both addressed the festival of life in xo center in his constituency . I dont know about him but it is certainly the only time in my life ive talked to 45,000 people in my life and i suspect the same thing goes for him. The Prime Minister preferred to libya earlier on. We have exchanged views and had many debates on libya since our military involvement in that country in 2011. And yet the situation is getting worse and worse. What new steps and initiatives easy going to bring in conjunction with allies egypt and italy to ensure that this situation is resolved . I think my honorable friend is right to raise this. There will be discussions at the g7 and germany this weekend. Weve got to position where special representative from the United Nations has been bringing everybody together to try and form a National Unity government. We need to give everything we can to support that process because then there is some prospect of libya having a government from a government and then close some security and from security can flow the ability to start a deal with his migrant crisis in the way i was discussing earlier. Free social houses wanted to be sold to generate enough revenue to build one new one. Leaving one and half a thousand families in new york without a home for well over two years but isnt this what the Prime Minister means by aspiration . First of all let me welcome the honorable lady to the house and congratulate her on her election victory. The are two things were doing to provide these replacement houses. One is for every Housing Association sells a home it has been received and is able to build a new house. But also we are making sure that councils so often the most expensive Council Houses they have when they become vacant in parts of london are Council Houses with over 1 Million Pounds and you can build many, many more houses. Whats clear, whats clear from this question time is on this side of the house we understand homeownership aspiration people wanting to get on. The Party Opposite are for the most catastrophic election defeat in his cant even begin to spell announcer on cspan. Org, you can find asked videos of Prime Minister questions. On wednesday, the house of commons members reflected on the life and career of former liberal democrat leader Charles Kennedy, who died earlier this week at the age of 55. He was elected to parliament in 1983 at 23 years old. He served as leader of the liberal democrats. This begins with remarks from speaker of the house. I informed the house yesterday that they were been opportunity today for members to pay tribute to the right honorable Charles Kennedy. I hope with the house partial understanding, deploy the chairs prerogative to begin that process. Charles kennedy spent almost his entire adult life life as a member of parliament. He was assuredly at home in this place, yet perhaps happiest beyond it. He was a man of deep progressive principles, but a man also blessed with the popular touch. He was a good talker, but an even better listener. Above all and perhaps most strikingly, charles had the ability to reach out to millions of people of all political persuasions across the country who were untouched by come and in many cases actively hostile to politics. In this seminal sense, therefore, charles was the boy next door of British Public life. We salute him. We honor his memory, and we send today our sincere heartfelt and