questions to the prime minister Catherine McKenna Thank You mr. speaker
this morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others in
addition to my duties in this house I shall have further such meetings later
today efrem a key role the government must
take responsibility for its role in the mess now left by Karelian thousands of
staff face unemployment SME suppliers face going bust but I'm concerned for
the 1,400 Korean apprentices some of whom I've met locally it's not good
enough to pass the book to CIT P so will the Prime Minister guarantee today that
every one of those apprentices will be able to complete their training and will
be paid well can I say to the Honourable lady that I recognize that of course
this has been a difficult time for a number of people and concerned about
their jobs about public services and about their pensions I want first of all
if I may mr. speaker to provide reassurance to all employees who are
working on public services before Karelian that they should continue to
turn up to work confident in the knowledge that they'll be paid for the
work that they're providing but of course the government is not running
Karelian the government is actually a customer of Karelian and our focus our
focus has been on ensuring that we are providing the public services that they
are continuing to be provided uninterrupted
to reassure workers on those public services that they'll get paid to
reassure the pensioners and spot mange all the supports there for them and yes
I'm coming on to the apprentices but it is important that government is
undertaking its role to ensure that the services it provides are continuing to
be provided and I can assure the Honourable lady that we are aware of the
clear issues around apprentices and that's why the minister with
responsibility for that will be looking very carefully at what actually
completes
Thank You mr. speaker what better way to start the year of Engineering than to
see manufacturing output at its highest level in a jetty on the earth can I
invite my right honourable friend to commit and confirm her government to
secure and support UK manufacturing and the important export it delivers I'm
very happy to give my honourable friend that commitment from the government and
he's absolutely right it's very very pleasing to see the figures at the ons
show produce last week which showed that production has now grown for eight
months the longest streak since 1994 manufacturing output is it's at its
highest since February 2008 and earlier this month we saw that productivity
growth has had its best quarter since 2011 that shows that our economy remains
strong that we're continuing to deliver secure better paid jobs and we will
continue to do that and supporting our manufacturing sector we call VIN
Thank You mr. speaker in the last six months the government has awarded more
than 2 billion pounds worth of contracts to Karelian it did so even after the
share price was in freefall and the company issued profit warnings why did
the government do that let me it might be helpful if I just set out for the
right honourable gentleman but a a companies a company's profit warning
means that it believes it will not make as much profit as it had expected to
make
the government the government did if it was the case if it was the case that the
government pulled out of contracts or indeed private-sector companies pulled
out of contracts whenever a profit warning was issued that would be the
best way to ensure that companies failed and jobs
it would also it would also for the government raise real issues about
providing continuing uninterrupted public services yes we did we did but we
did recognize that it was a severe profit warning and that's why we took
action in relation to the contracts that we issued and we ensured that all but
one of those contracts was a joint venture what does that mean it means
that there is another company available to step in the contract but I say to the
right honourable gentleman this wasn't just an issue of the government issuing
contracts actually we see that the labor run Welsh government issued the profit
warning last July only last week in the public sector a public sector body
announced that Karelian was their preferred bidder only last week was that
the government no it was Labor run lead City Council
mr. speaker
for the record leads have not signed a contract with Caribbean it's the
government it's the governor tubing handing out contracts it's the
government's responsibility to ensure Karelian is properly managed between
july mr.speaker between july and the end of last year the share price of Karelian
fell by 90 percent three profit warnings were issued unbelievably some contracts
rewarded by the government even after the third profit warning mr. speaker it
looks like the government was handing Karelian public contracts either to keep
the company afloat which clearly hasn't worked or it was just deeply negligent
of the crisis that was coming down the line
mr. mr. speaker I'm very happy to answer questions when the right on wouldn't
asked one he did it
mr. speaker I asked the government if they'd been negligent or not and they
clearly have been very negligent tor EMPs might shout mr. speaker but the
reality is as of today over 20,000 Karelian workers are very worried about
their future and for many of them the only recourse tonight is to phone a DWP
hotline the frailties were well-known hedge funds were betting against
Karelian since 2015 RBS banks state-owned making provision
against Karelian last year the government is supposed to protect
protect public money through Crown representatives who are supposed to
monitor these powerful corporations who get huge public contracts so why and
this is a question that the Prime Minister needs to answer and the
question is this why did the position of Crown Representative to Karelian remain
vacant during the crucial period of August to November when the profit
warnings were being issued the share price was in freefall and many people
were very worried
and I'm afraid I have to say to the right one we can move o cran I can I say
to the shadow foreign secretary I will indeed answer the question but I know
that she herself has praised Karelian in the past
can I say
can I say to the right honourable gentleman yes I mean there is obviously
now a crown representative who's been fully involved in the government's
response before the appointment of the crown representative to replace the one
that had previously been in place the government chief commercial officer and
the cabinet officer office director of markets and suppliers took over those
responsibilities so it was not the case that there was nobody from the
government who was looking at these issues that's a standard procedure it is
sure that there was oversight of krillions contracts with the government
during the appointment process of the crown representative well they clearly
weren't looking very well Karelian went into liquidation with debts we now
understand to be one point two nine billion a pension deficit of 600 million
and at the same time this company was paying out ever-increasing shareholder
dividends while the excessive bonuses to directors and today eight thousand
trillion workers on private sector contracts will no longer be paid the
chief executive is going to be paid however for another ten months one rule
for the super-rich another for everybody else can the Prime Minister are sure the
House today that not a single penny more will go to the chief executive or the
directors of this company I first say to the right honourable
gentleman that obviously this is a situation that is changing as decisions
are being taken but my understanding is that the that there are a number of
private sector contractors who have now come to an agreement and for the Synod
its management contractors have come to an agreement with the official receiver
that means that their workers will indeed continue to be paid I think it's
important that we say that that is the official receiver is doing their job and
working with those working with those companies he's raised the issue of
bonuses and of course people are concerned about this issue and want to
under rightly asking questions about it that's why we're making sure that the
official receivers investigation into the business dealings of the company is
fast tracks fast tracked that it looks into the conduct not just of current
directors but also of previous directors and their actions and that and the
official receiver does have the powers to ensure that that in reviewing
payments to executives where those payments are unlawful or unjustified he
can take action to recover those payments it's important that the
official receiver is able to do their job it's also important government's job
is to ensure that public services continue to be provided and that's what
we're doing the right honourable gentleman said earlier in one of his
questions it was the government's job to ensure that Karelian was properly
managed we were a customer of Karelian not the manager of Karelia
that's a very important difference and it is also important it's also important
that we have protected taxpayers from an unacceptable bailout of a private
company mr. speaker when Karelian went into
liquidation many contractors were still unpaid this company Karelian were
notorious late payers taking a hundred and twenty days to pay placing a huge
burden on small companies four times longer than the 30 days in the prompt
payment code that Karelian had indeed themselves signed up to so why did the
government allow a major government contractor to get away with this
will she commit to Labour's policy that abiding by the prompt payment code
should be a basic requirement for all future government contracts of course we
look at the behavior of companies that we contract with in relation to payments
this is this question of paid prompt payments has been one that has been
brought up in this house I have to say for as long as I have been in this house
and efforts and work is always being done on it but the right honourable
gentleman has raised an important point about the impact of karelians
liquidation on small companies that's why this morning the Business Secretary
and the City Minister held a roundtable with the banks to discuss credit lines
to small and medium sized enterprises and to make clear that SMEs are not
responsible for the collapse of Karelian the business secretary has also held
further roundtables today with representatives of small businesses
construction trade associations and trade unions workers unions to make sure
that we're on top of the potential effects on the wider supply chain it is
right that we look at those very carefully that we take this action and
it's also right that we do put in place through the DWP support for any workers
who do find themselves no longer employed as a result of this it's a bit
late for one subcontractor Flora tech owed 800,000 by Karelian have already
had to make some of their staff redundant because of the collapse but Mr
Speaker this isn't one isolated case of government negligence in corporate
failure it's a broken system
under this government under this government virgin and stagecoach can
spectacularly mismanaged the East Coast Main Line and be let off a two billion
pound payment capita and 8oz can continue to wreck the lives through
damaging disability assessments of many people with disabilities and win more
government funded contracts g4s promised to provide security at the Olympics
failed to do so and the army had to step in and save today these corporations mr.
speaker need to be shown the door we need our public services provided by
public employees with a public service ethos and a strong public oversight as
the ruins of Karelian lie around err will the Prime Minister act to end this
costly racket of the relationship between government and some of these
companies director Mike first will remind the
right honourable gentleman that a third of the Karelian contracts with the
government were met by the labor
what we want what what we want what we want is to provide good quality public
services delivered at best value to the taxpayer when waking sure in this case
that public services continue to be provided that the workers in those
public services are supported and taxpayers are protected but what Labour
opposed isn't just a role for private companies in public services but the
private sector as a whole the vast majority of people in this country in
employment are employed by the private sector but the Shadow Chancellor calls
businesses the real enemy the highest taxes in our peacetime history they
labor policies would cause a run on the pound this is a Labour Party that has
turned its back on investment on growth on jobs
a party double always put politics before people
mr. speak absolutely mr. mr. speaker can I thank the Prime Minister for visiting
team on Saturday
she had where she heard from local residents about the poor services
provided by the complacent Lib Dem Council people people should not have to
settle for second best so will she agree with me that we need
to unlock Sutton and indeed London's potential and may the third by giving
residents across London the opportunity to vote get great services and value for
money by voting conservatively I was I was very happy to join my
honourable friend on the doorsteps in g m-- and hear from people about the
issues about Liberal Democrats services in some ranchy particularly around the
rubbish bins I believe they're now up to six pins per household I'm beginning to
think they're trying to go for one bin for every Liberal Democrat member of
parliament but he's absolutely right the evidence is that conservatives deliver
better services at less off to the council taxpayer and while we're talking
about costs to the council taxpayer only last week Labour's then fire minister
announced with labour policy with support council tax are on every average
house a typical home by 320 people should know on a vote for labour
is a vote to pay more
Thank You mr. speaker can't the Prime Minister tell the house what a fish of
advice she has had on the impact of the UK economy from leaving the EU single
market and when she requested any such advice well I have to say to the
honourable gentleman but of course as we go through the brexit negotiations we
are constantly looking at the impact that decisions that are taken will have
on on our economy what we want to ensure is that we maintain good access a good
comprehensive free trade agreement with the European Union while also as leaving
the European Union we will be able to ensure that we get good free trade
agreements with other parts of the world in blackford Thank You mr. speaker
nineteen months after the EU referendum and the Prime Minister has not a shred
of Economic Analysis on the impact of leaving a single market on Monday the
Scottish government published its second analysis paper revealing some horrifying
facts leaving the single markets will cost each Scottish citizen up to 2,300
pounds a year any jobs have to be lost and how much of
a head well financial firepower we speak before this Prime Minister recognizes
the folly of leaving the single market the the Armel gentleman asked me for
economic analysis well I'll give him some economic analysis we saw the
figures this morning for GDP growth in Scotland in the third quarter GDP in
Scotland grew by nought point two percent in the rest of the United
Kingdom it grew by nought point four percent over the last year GDP in
Scotland under an SNP government in Scotland grew by nought point six
percent in the rest and the United Kingdom as a whole it grew by one point
seven percent my economic analysis one point seven percent is higher than
naught point six percent you're better off with a conservative governor
in rebelling of Mary Wilbur Prime Minister look up the case
of my late constituent and ban yacht who was badly injured by a fleeing
shoplifter she recently died partly because of his injuries at the young age
of 17 her claim to the criminal injuries conversational throat has been delayed
and the family fear but it may lapse completely will she join me and our
local paper Berlin news in supporting this case and once you make it clear
that the rights of victims should always be at the heart of our criminal policy
my honorable friend is right to put the case for the rights of victims and he's
absolutely right that we should always remember our victims I'm very sorry to
hear the case of his late constituent and barnyard and I know that the whole
house will want to join me in offering condolences to her family in this tragic
case of course as my honourable friend knows the criminal injuries compensation
Authority administers the criminal injuries Compensation Scheme and it
applies the rules independently of government but I'm sure my right
honourable friend the Justice Secretary will be happy to meet with my honourable
friend to discuss this case mr. tan Manjeet Singh DC mr. speaker after the
internationally embarrassing news of the Tory council leader from my neighbouring
windsor and maidenhead and his deplorable attitude with regards to the
homeless around the royal wedding and the recent put-downs to the prime
minister in our government by President Trump can the Prime Minister confirm
whether she actually wants an invite to be extended for the royal wedding and a
state visit to the very stable genius from the US mr. speaker seems to be
copying all the buzz words from this not so strong and stable government
the honorable gentleman knows that we have a special and enduring relationship
with the United States an invitation to President Trump for a state visit has
been extended I have to say to the Honorable gentleman I'm not responsible
for invitations for the royal wedding for to take place but he did he did
reference he did reference the robber of windsor and maidenhead counsel i just
think he should be aware that the robber has taken a number of actions to support
vulnerable residents including those who are homeless the establishment of an
emergency night shelter for which is open 365 days a year
a day service product a ch2 that providing support services to vulnerable
residents a comprehensive seven day a week service for the homeless all those
at risk of homelessness and he's also they implied applied the severe weather
emergency protocol they offered accommodation to i think 32 homeless
people on the streets of whom 21 took up those that accommodation and 11 did not
Prime Minister cancer can strike anyone no matter where they live in the UK the
sunrise appealing corn will raise three million pounds since the year 2000 to
fund equipment and buildings for cancer care but proposals by the NHS could see
radiotherapy Services moved from Cornwall to Devon this would see many
constituents I'm going to travel hundreds of miles to access treatment
many times a week these proposals are unacceptable to my constituents and the
vast majority of people in Cornwall does the Prime Minister agree with me that
travel time should be taken into account we're making these decisions and will
she join me in encouraging the people of Cornwall to respond to the NHS
consultation my raise is an important point we do want to ensure that patients
get the best cancer services we want to see them getting access to treatment and
ensuring that they get that in a timely fashion of course the length of time it
takes them to travel to that treatment is an important issue here that's why we
are establishing radiotherapy networks that will review access issues and
service provision on a regular basis and address any shortcomings in the area and
that's backed up by 130 million pounds for new and upgraded radiotherapy
machines but he's absolutely right that these decisions should be taken
primarily at a local level and I would join him in encouraging the people in
Cornwall to respond to the consultation
mr. speaker last week my constituent Carol's
son had a mental health crisis he was admitted to the nearest available
psychiatric adult bed in West Sussex 450 mile round-trip from his home and family
in Manchester the lack of mental health beds is a national crisis and scandal so
when will the Prime Minister turn her warm words on mental health into actions
to solve the practical Honorable generally I'm sorry to hear the
experience of his constituent we are turning the words that we put on in
terms of the priorities mental health into action is the more for us to do yes
that's why we're continuing to put an emphasis on this we do see more people
being able to access mental health services every day we've increased the
number of people having access to therapies we've increased the funding
that is available for mental health there is more for us to do but we're
putting more money in and we're taking more action on mental health than any
previous government so Desmond Swain
right honourable jasmine is extremely alert and I'm in there too what he's
gonna say sir Desmond a question keeps me awake at night
how will companies be encouraged to follow her lead
in the way that Iceland has done I'm very pleased to say that we've seen
Iceland this week making a commitment to be plastic free we've seen other
companies actually making commitments to ensure that any plastics they use are
recyclable by in a number of years and I'm very happy to join myeloma
girlfriend in saying we will be encouraging companies to follow
Iceland's lead will also be consulting on how the tax system or the
introduction of charges could further reduce the amount of waste we create and
we're launching a new plastics Innovation Fund backed up by additional
funding that the government's investing in research and development to ensure
that we do really reduce the amount of plastic that issues and leave this
planet this land in an environment in a better state than we found it
we can all learn about brevity myself included from the right honourable
gentleman David Linder Thank You mr. speaker Marvell Earth has profound
mental health difficulties she was put on to universal credit in January 2016
and subsequently received at 276 the sanction a judge recently ruled that
that sanction was wrong and it's been without funds well the prime minister
tto we come to Margaret's case above all though she apologized the Mongol I'm
obviously I'm sorry to hear the case that the Honorable gentleman has set out
I'm very happy to ensure that that case is properly looked into
Andrew Jenkins
following transport for the North's announcement on northern powerhouse rail
were the Prime Minister confirm a government's commitment to investing in
northern transport infrastructure and ensuring that the northern powerhouse
materializes I'm very happy to give that commitment to the northern powerhouse
and to giving the great cities across the North of the transport
infrastructure that they need in order to be able to develop that northern
powerhouse we are spending a record 13 billion pounds to transform transport
across the north we've made transport for the north the first ever statutory
sub-national transport body and back that up by 260 million pounds of
government funding they've published their draft strategic plan for
consultation and I would hope that all members with an interest in this issue
would engage in that consultation make sure their views in their constituents
views are heard karamaneh His Holiness Pope Francis has
a sweet condemned hostility to migrants in communities across Europe must open
themselves without prejudice to the rich diversity of immigrants as a committed
Christian with the Prime Minister Glee with Pope Francis the hostility to
migrants is a sin is that this country has a fine record over over not just
decades but centuries of welcoming refugees and ensuring that people can
come to this country and make their home in that cut this country and that is
what we will continue to do Smith
john war boys is likely to be one of the worst sex attackers our country has ever
known when he was in court he denied his guilt he was continuing to deny his
guilt up until two years ago he dismissed his crimes as banter and only
last year he was deemed too dangerous to be put into open release conditions the
short sentence he has served is an insult to his victims and shows a
contempt for justice does the Prime Minister agree with me that the decision
must now be judicially reviewed and that the police should immediately reassess
those cases which were not tried in court well I thank my honorable friend
for raising this and this is a case that is rightly raised deep concern among the
public but also across all members across this house as my honourable
friend will know the parole board is right the independent of government and
even in sensitive cases such as this we must ensure that that independence is
maintained and we don't prejudice decisions but they have although they've
decided to prove his release with stringent license conditions my right
honorable friend the Justice Secretary has made clear she is taking legal
advice on the possibility of a judicial review of this decision and it is also
the case that the right the Justice Secretary said he'll be conducting a
review to look at options for change in this issue of transparency of decisions
by the parole board because public protection is our top priority and I
think often people are concerned when they see decisions of the parole board
being taken and they're not aware of the reasons behind that there are there may
be limits to what can be done but I think it's right that we look into this
case and question this issue of transparency dr. Lisa Cameron
many thanks mr. speaker my constituents informed me that she had been repeatedly
raped and beaten by her ex-partner requiring an injunction much to her
harder her bank could not close their joint accounts unless she attended with
the perpetrator when banks are left to their discretion women's lives at risk
well the Prime Minister ensured policy to protect survivors is included in the
pending domestic violence bill well the Honourable lady clearly raises a very
distressing case and we want to ensure that we do give proper support to all
those who have been subject to domestic violence or to abuse of the kind that
Mike the Honourable lady has referred to the Home Secretary will be issuing
consultation shortly on the proposed domestic violence legislation this will
be an opportunity for issues such as this to be raised
Dameon more mr. speaker a brutal attack occurred in my constituents over the
weekend where Cassie Hayes a young woman tragically died will the Prime Minister
extend her sympathies to the family of Cassie as Welling as well as paying
tribute to the hard work of the emergency services who attended the
scene all right can I say to animal friend I was I
obviously he told me about this very distressing case last night and this is
a horrific case and I do extend my sympathies and I'm sure the whole house
extend their sympathies and condolences to Cass his family and friends at this
at this tragic in that has occurred I also congratulate the emergency services
on the action that they have taken but also I think from the description while
my friend gave to me last night I think we should also have some thought and
care for all those who will sadly witnesses to this particular incident
through no fault of their own other than happening to be in a
particular premises at a particular time David Simpson Thank You mr. speaker the
Prime Minister will be aware that Northern Ireland has not had a
government now for over a year decisions need to be taken to protect
our house education and local communities does the
Prime Minister agree that in the absence of a government being formed it is
imperative that her government takes the decision to appoint direct drill
ministers as soon as possible so that a budget can be put forward to
deal with this urgent problem we are committed to reestablishing fully
functioning inclusive devolved administration that works for everyone
in Northern Ireland I don't underestimate the challenges
that remain involved here but we still believe that a way forward can be found
on an agreement can be reached and I would say it's imperative therefore that
the parties reengage in intensive discussions aimed at resolving the
outstanding issues so that the Assembly can meet and an executive can be formed
we do recognize however that we have a responsibility to ensure political
stability and good governance in Northern Ireland and obviously as I say
our priority is on ensuring that we can work with the parties to re-establish
the devolved government in Northern Ireland but we recognize the need to
ensure that more than Ireland can continue to to operate and that public
services can continue to be provided Thomas
earlier response to my colleague and member for North Cornwall the NHS again
this government are investing in further 130 million pound into radiotherapy
treatment for rare and less common cancers can she confirm to my and
reassure all my constituents that there is no need for existing radiate good
radiotherapy services in Sunset Centre to be moved in order to deliver this
cancer treatment for rare cancers well as I as I said in relation to the
earlier question for my honourable friend we do recognize the importance of
ensuring that people have access to these treatments that they require and
we do recognise the issues that people sometimes face in relation to travelling
to those the centres where these services are available this is primarily
a decision to be taken at local level and as I did earlier I would encourage
people to take part in the consultation to respond to the consultation so that
local views can truly be heard and taken into account they can Thank You mr.
speaker my constituents Chris Robinson has to wait 52 weeks for her pain relief
treatment instead of the 18 weeks that a properly funded NHS would deliver how
much longer will it take for the prime minister to sort things out
can I say to the honorable gentleman that we are putting more money as he
knows into the National Health Service in the autumn budget the Chancellor of
the Exchequer put a further 2.8 billion pounds into the National Health Service
but if we are looking at the issues of treatment across the National Health
Service we have to be very clear that while Labor's answer is always just more
money this is about ensuring that all hospitals across the NHS are operating
and matching in accordance with best practice we have world-class hospitals
in our NHS we want to ensure they are all world-class to the Bayeux Tapestry
given the visitors to London who wish to see two sides chucking things that each
other are already very well catered for by the gallery in this chamber could I
ask the prime minister to put in a very good word for Battle Abbey in East
Sussex where viewers can not only see the tapestry but look through the window
and see the rolling East Sussex countryside where sadly the Normans gave
the Saxons six of the best
so I say to my own Wilfred I think it is it is very significant that the peyote
Bayeux Tapestry is going to be coming to the United Kingdom and that people are
going to be able to see this I hear the bitch that she is put in I have to say
to him that from a sedentary position on the front bench my right honourable
friend the Home Secretary and member for Hastings also put in for this particular
issue I'm sure we'll be looking very carefully to ensure that the maximum
number of people could take benefit of seeing this travesty
verax Norris Thank You mr. speaker the Prime Minister pledged to consign
slavery to the history books however the National Audit Office says the Home
Office sir hasn't set out how a reduction will be measured the Home
Office doesn't set clear anti-slavery activity the Home Office doesn't know
what activities going on across government and the Home Office doesn't
monitor business compliance with the modern slavery Act is the Prime Minister
satisfied with that analysis of her flagship policy and what action will the
government be taking it is this government a nice Home Secretary that
introduced the modern slavery Act
it is this government that has improved has improved the response the response
to victims the response from police in catching perpetrators we see more cases
now being brought to prosecution than we have done before we see more victims
willing and able to come forward and having the confidence to come forward
have we dealt with the problem of course there are still problems out there but
we want to ensure as my right honourable friend the International Development
Secretary said yes they earlier in international development questions not
just that we take action here in the United Kingdom though we work with
countries where the women are being trafficked into this into this country
and we also work with other countries to eliminate modern slavery across the
world and that's exactly what we're doing Dorie apprentice members across
his house have sung for Syrians last week in it left a clinic and two
kindergarten that we support were bombed by Syrian government destroyers will the
Prime Minister join me in praying tribute to the bravery of the staff of
the hands up foundation who continue to work there and also in reassuring
ordinary Syrians that in the seventh year of this terrible war that we
haven't forgotten them say to my little friend she has been a great champion for
charities working in Syria and particularly for the singing for Syrians
and I am very happy to join her in praising the bravery of all those
working for the hands up foundation but also others working for other charities
in the region doing valuable and important work we continue to make every
effort to achieve our goals in Syria that is of course defeating the scourge
of - but it's also ensuring that we achieve a political settlement that ends
the suffering and that provides stability for all Syrians and the wider
region and we continue to provide a significant humanitarian assistance two
point four six billion pounds to date are you saying mr. speaker Kandee prime
minister told me why the failed Wakefield Academy trust was allowed to
take over schools in Bradford even though there
were concerns as far back as 2015 around the trust and can she give me assurance
is here today that the hundreds of thousands of pounds taken from schools
in my constituency one of the poorest in the country will be returned immediately
we have authority to make sure that children across the country receive a
great education whether in the north or the south and of course seven of our 12
opportunity areas in providing that support are in the north and the
Midlands that's the front line of our approach to tackling inequality and
education outcomes we are taking forward he's concerned about Northland schools
we are taking forward recommendations from the northern powerhouse school
strategy and as regards funding by putting record levels of funding into
our schools have announced increased funding for our schools over the next
two years I own local charities will be holding a meeting to discuss how we can
fight the problem of loneliness in our community at the national level what is
the prime minister doing to implement the important recommendations of the Joe
Cox Commission on loneliness has raised a very important issue and he's
absolutely right that for too many people loneliness is the sad reality of
their modern life and we know loneliness has an impact not only in people's
mental health but also on their physical health as well I'm very pleased that
later today I'll be hosting a reception for the Joe Cox foundation looking at
this issue of loneliness in number 10 Downing Street I think the work that Joe
Cox started that has been continued by my honourable friend the member for
South Ripple and the Honourable lady who's the lead West thank you is a very
important very important work and I'm pleased to say that the government has
appointed a minister for loneliness I think this is an important step forward
it shows that we do reckon of course there's more to do but it shows that we
recognize the importance of this issue and I pay tribute to all those in this
house with champion decision mr. speaker universal credit was meant
to remove benefit traps but the Department for Education wants to base
eligibility for free school meals on an income threshold so if a family earning
just below the threshold gets a small pay rise or and increase in hours
they'll immediately lose the benefit of the school meals and end up much worse
off it's a far worse benefits at than anything in the old benefit system
surely one department should not be torpedoing the aim of getting rid of
benefit traps the government aims in this way knows that we believe that
universal credit is a better system it's a simpler system the benefits it
replaced and also it encourages people to get into workplace and and ensures
that the more they earn the more they keep but our proposals mean that once
universal credit is fully rolled out actually we will see 50,000 more
children eligible for free school meals than under the old system Koster Thank
You mr. speaker can I welcome the great speech that the Prime Minister gave last
Thursday on the environment it is right that the Prime Minister and indeed this
party supports companies that promote sustainable growth but does the Prime
Minister also agree with me that any commercial development must take now
into account the needs of the environment can I say to my honourable
friend I thanked him for the comments he made about the speech but what it was
about was the 25 year environment plan that the government has published I
think this is very important steps that we have taken to ensure that we do leave
this our environment in a better state than when we when we came into it I also
agree with him that actually all too often people see economic growth or
protection of the environment as opposites they are not and it is
absolutely possible for us to ensure we are protecting our environment while
producing that economic growth not least because of the innovative technologies
that we can be developing to ensure that we are protecting our environment and
they Lisa ball Roberts from all of our if the people of Wales
have been taking back control since 1999 but the eel withdrawal rule below will
put our powers back under lock and key in Westminster my colleague stefano asam
is today proposing a welsh continuity bill to ensure our powers are at liberty
when this plight camry bill wins a majority in our assembly will the prime
minister support it and respect Wales's serenity that purple trail of what is
happening in the evening with drawl bill is simply wrong we are working with the
devolved administration's to ensure that we deal with the issues that have been
raised around tours 11 and the question of powers that need to improve a at UK
level to ensure our internal market but deep will be a powers will be devolved
and extra powers will be devolved to the devolved administration's we continue to
work with the devolved administration's on this and we will be bringing forward
amendment to Clause 11 in the House of Lords but we want to ensure that that
meets the needs of the UK and of the devolved administration's thank you