House of Commons · General Debate
20 October 2021 · 19 other contributors
Opened by Rachael Maskell Labour (Co-op) York Central
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Rachael Maskell raised concerns about prime minister in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Asked about the Prime Minister’s engagements for Wednesday 20 October. Highlighted issues surrounding women's safety, citing tragic events and lack of confidence in police responses to violence against women. Called for steps from the Government to ensure women with lived experience can lead on this work.
Expressed concern about parents of prematurely born children and highlighted the Prime Minister's commitment to neonatal leave and pay. Asked the Prime Minister to meet him to discuss how quickly such legislation could be passed.
Paid tribute to Ernie Ross and James Brokenshire, highlighting the need for collaborative action against violent extremism. Criticised the delay in presenting an online safety Bill despite the worsening damage caused by harmful content online. Called on the Prime Minister to commit to bringing forward the Second Reading of the online safety Bill before the end of the year.
Starmer reiterated his demand for stricter action against violent extremism online, urging the Government to work in a collegial manner to tackle this issue comprehensively.
Blunt questioned Johnson about research barriers to psilocybin and similar compounds, highlighting their potential benefits for mental health conditions.
Blackford criticised the UK Government's decision on carbon capture in Scotland and demanded support for tidal stream energy projects as a renewable source, stressing its economic potential compared to nuclear.
Saville-Roberts proposed devolving powers over the Crown Estate to Wales as a means of decentralising wealth and investment, aiming for net zero emissions.
Clarke-Smith questioned the housing requirement targets set by local councils, emphasising the importance of accurate data in levelling up initiatives.
Called for the Prime Minister to acknowledge and reflect on the Clarkston disaster, which occurred 50 years ago in East Renfrewshire, resulting in 22 deaths and over 100 injuries.
Acknowledged the Clarkston disaster and expressed condolences to those affected. Emphasised the importance of preventing such tragedies from happening again.
Highlighted failures in Greater Manchester Police, including underreporting of crimes, and called for a review of internal culture to address a 'culture of denial and secrecy'.
Supported the call for Greater Manchester Police to urgently review its internal culture and expressed willingness to consider reforming whistleblowing laws.
Paid tribute to former MPs and raised concerns about rising living costs and the scrapping of the universal credit uplift, urging the Prime Minister to reconsider this decision.
Discussed measures taken by the Government to reduce heating costs, including increasing warm home allowance and providing local councils with additional funding. Emphasised the importance of rising wages.
Called for amendments to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824 in order to assist homeless individuals without criminalising them.
Agreed with the need to reconsider the Vagrancy Act and supported efforts to combat homelessness, highlighting successes during the pandemic.
Condemned attacks on NHS staff at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and called for immediate steps to protect them.
Joined the condemnation of attacks on NHS staff and mentioned toughening sentences for those who assault or harass public servants.
Acknowledged the efforts of parliamentary staff dealing with abusive emails, phone calls, and hostile correspondence on behalf of MPs.
Acknowledged the invaluable work done by parliamentary staff who deal with anger, intemperate behaviour, and abuse in their daily lives.
Government Response
Acknowledged the importance of women's safety and committed to tackling systemic problems in the criminal justice system. Agreed to meet with Luke Hall to discuss neonatal leave and pay legislation. Committed to bringing forward an online safety Bill before Christmas, including criminal sanctions for directors of platforms failing to crack down on extremism. Johnson responded to each question with a mix of reassurance about government measures and commitment to further action. He emphasised the importance of tackling extremism through cooperation, highlighted investments in renewable energy and carbon capture, and reaffirmed support for the fishing industry.