Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The trustees of the British Coal staff superannuation scheme are campaigning to return a £2.3 billion investment reserve back to its members, many of whom are in Doncaster Central.
Will the Prime Minister ensure fairness and justice are delivered to BCSSS members at the upcoming Budget? Will he meet me and other coalfield MPs to discuss this matter further?
The Prime Minister assures that he is committed to righting historic wrongs for mining communities. Ministers have met BCSSS trustees on several occasions, including a forthcoming meeting scheduled for later today with the Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific commitment to returning investment reserve or meeting request
Ministers Have Met Trustees
Forthcoming Meeting
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The Health Secretary made comments on the BBC this morning about a 'toxic culture' in Downing Street that needs to change.
Is the Prime Minister aware of attacks on his Cabinet members and does he have full confidence in Morgan McSweeney, his chief of staff?
The Prime Minister denies authorising attacks on Cabinet members. He claims the team is delivering for the country, highlighting growth figures and private investment. He expresses full confidence in his team.
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Assessment & feedback
Full confidence in Morgan McSweeney or addressing toxic culture
Denies Authorising Attacks
Highlighting Achievements
Response accuracy
Q3
Direct Answer
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Context
Adult social care services in Sohan Joseph's constituency are in disarray due to dysfunction at Kent county council. A new fire risk has also emerged because there is no fully functioning fire authority.
Despite extra Government funding, adult social care services in my community are in disarray. My constituents also face a new fire risk because we do not have a fully functioning fire authority. This has all been caused by the dysfunction at Kent county council, because so many Reform councillors have been suspended for bad behaviour. Does the Prime Minister share my concern that Reform chaos is a risk to public safety?
My sympathy is with the people of Kent whose lives are being disrupted by the staggering incompetence of Reform. Kent county council was supposed to be the blueprint for what Reform would deliver across the country. Now we can see what that means: cutting local services, raising council tax and failing to protect the public. That is all Reform has to offer: grievance, division and total incompetence.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q4
Direct Answer
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Context
November marks the first ever Care Leavers Month, aimed at supporting young people who have grown up in care. A Reform councillor has made a vile comment about children in care.
This is Care Leavers Month, when we remember the resilience and brilliance of our young people who have grown up in care, and I was delighted to welcome a group of Southampton’s care leavers to share their views with the Under-Secretary of State for Education, my hon. Friend the Member for Whitehaven and Workington (Josh MacAlister), recently. But while this Labour Government are taking real action to support care leavers, a Reform councillor has disgracefully described children in care as “downright evil”. Will the Prime Minister and, I hope, the whole House join me in condemning Reform’s vile rhetoric, and will my right hon. Friend reassure us that this Labour Government will continue to support the protections and opportunities for all our care leavers?
November marks the first ever Care Leavers Month, and this is a time to recognise that every child deserves support to achieve their potential. Through our landmark Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are requiring every local authority to help care leavers find secure accommodation. It saddens me that the Opposition parties voted against it. The comments about children in care being “evil” are utterly appalling, and now that the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage) has heard them, I am sure that he will want to condemn them right now.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP visited the new diagnostic centre at Withington community hospital, where he saw solar panels and heat pumps being designed into the building.
Why has the government's programme failed to recognise the impact on organisations across Bristol South? In the week of COP, what more can we do to ensure that new public buildings have green energy designed into them?
The UK is leading on tackling climate change, delivering energy security, getting bills down and generating hundreds of jobs across the country. We are investing over £250 million to put rooftop solar on schools, hospitals and military sites across the country, which will deliver £400 million of savings to renew our public services.
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Assessment & feedback
Under Review
Exploring Options
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP highlighted the environmental tariffs imposed on customers using UK-produced renewable electricity compared to imported carbon fuel mains gas.
Successive Governments have imposed massive environmental tariffs on customers using UK-produced renewable electricity, but far less on imported carbon fuel mains gas. This is not fair. Will the Prime Minister acknowledge this injustice and commit his Government to addressing this?
I absolutely recognise the need to address the imbalance between electricity and gas prices. We are exploring options to create a fairer system, and I am happy for Ministers to keep the hon. Member updated on what we are looking at.
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Assessment & feedback
Under Review
Exploring Options
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP secured additional funding and emergency appointments for dental care in Amber Valley, but progress is needed on the contract negotiations with the British Dental Association.
Can the Prime Minister update me on the progress of the contract negotiations with the British Dental Association and the timescale that the Department is working to?
I am determined to rebuild NHS dentistry. I can confirm that discussions are under way with the sector, including the British Dental Association, on fundamental reform of the dental contract.
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Assessment & feedback
Underway
Fundamental Reform
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP raised the issue of unfit pharmacy owners, such as Sarbjit Jhooty, who have severely neglected patients and staff in West Dorset.
Jhoots Pharmacy has been responsible for repeated closures, leaving staff unpaid and residents without access to vital medicine. Will the Prime Minister make time in the parliamentary schedule for emergency legislation to give the Government and regulators powers to pay staff, tackle improper pharmacy owners and directors, and ensure that scandals like this can never happen again?
I thank the hon. Member for raising this very serious issue. The Care Minister has convened representatives from across the industry to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
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Assessment & feedback
Convening
Resolving
Response accuracy
Q9
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP highlighted the importance of palliative care provided by hospices, which have been left reliant on donations and charity for far too long.
Will the Prime Minister consider broader reform to put hospice funding on a sustainable footing, and will he ensure that Ministers meet me to explore every option to keep Garden House hospice open?
I am pleased to tell my hon. Friend that £100 million has now been passed to Hospice UK, and we are also investing over £3 million in researching palliative and end-of-life care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
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Assessment & feedback
Passing Funds
Investing
Response accuracy
Q10
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP raised the issue of biological males being housed in women’s prisons and mixing with the women in the daytime without adequate supervision.
Will the Prime Minister ensure that biological males are moved out of women’s prisons immediately?
The Supreme Court ruling must be implemented in full and at all levels. I will ensure that the particular examples she has raised are looked into and that she gets a proper reply on them.
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Assessment & feedback
Full Implementation
Looking Into
Response accuracy
Q11
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP invited the Prime Minister to join her for a stroll on the new promenade in Rhyl, highlighting the investment and revitalisation efforts.
Will the Prime Minister agree that only with two Labour Governments working together can we restore pride in our Welsh seaside towns?
I am proud to be putting power and resources directly back in the hands of local people. That £20 million can be used for revitalising their high street—a cause that I know is crucial to many residents.
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Assessment & feedback
Revitalisation Efforts
Crucial Cause
Response accuracy
Q12
Partial Answer
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Context
The Aveta birth centre at Cheltenham General Hospital was temporarily closed for labour and births in 2022. There will be no decision about reopening until spring next year.
I am concerned that four years is far too long to ask local mums-to-be to wait, and I want to reassure constituents that the temporary downgrade made under the Conservatives will not be made permanent under this Government.
Our starting point is that we must always ensure that every mother is heard and understood, and gets the quality of care that is needed. The independent national maternity investigation and local health needs assessment are due to report in spring next year, as the hon. Gentleman says. It is right that the recommendations of both are closely considered in any decision for Cheltenham. I will ensure that he is kept updated as that rolls out.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to reassessing or reopening the Aveta birth centre specifically
Will Closely Consider Recommendations
Response accuracy
Q13
Partial Answer
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Context
A new veterans group in Stevenage, The Muster Point, was founded by Stuart Mendelson and Steve Black. Last week, a continuous 72-hour vigil was held at the Stevenage war memorial.
I pay tribute to a new veterans group in Stevenage, The Muster Point, which was founded by Stuart Mendelson and Steve Black. Last week, I joined them in a continuous 72-hour vigil at Stevenage war memorial, where veterans shared stories of family and friends lost in war. But veterans deserve more than just our tributes, so will the Prime Minister commit to working with veterans in Stevenage and across the UK in delivering this Government’s new veterans strategy in full?
One of the greatest honours in this role is meeting and thanking our armed forces for their service, which we have been able to do during the course of this weekend and week. Our ambition is to bring the armed forces covenant fully into law in the next armed forces Bill, and we will do so. We are also renewing the contract with those who served through our veterans strategy, including Homes for Heroes, and a new network of support centres connecting charities and services with veterans.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not explicitly commit to working with Stevenage's veterans group in full implementation
Will Bring The Armed Forces Covenant Fully Into Law
Renewing The Contract With Those Who Served
Response accuracy
Q14
Partial Answer
Every week we hear of a brutal murder, rape or stabbing, far too often perpetrated by someone who should not be in our country to begin with. Does the Prime Minister agree that, for cases in which the guilt is so undeniable, the crime so monstrous and the evil so irredeemable, the reintroduction of the death penalty for both foreign and domestic criminals should be put to the British people in a legally binding referendum?
Any attack is to be condemned. It is absolutely right, and we are determined to ensure, that there is a criminal justice response in relation to attacks, however they are carried out and whoever they are carried out by. But reintroducing the death penalty is not the answer to this. It did not work when it was in place. It led to the death of people who, it turned out, were in fact innocent. What we must do, as we are doing, is improve the criminal justice response in this country.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not support a referendum on reintroducing the death penalty
Improving The Criminal Justice Response
Response accuracy
Q15
Partial Answer
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Context
Four years ago, a private Member’s Bill was introduced to ban the sale of plastic-containing wet wipes. The previous Government did not implement this quickly enough.
I introduce a private Member’s Bill to ban the sale of wet wipes with plastic in them four years ago. The previous Government dragged their feet, but these wet wipes cause fatbergs in our sewers, put millions of pounds on our water bills for all constituents and pollute rivers and seas. This Government promised to bring in the ban, and they are doing so now. Will the Prime Minister join me in celebrating a Labour promise delivered, and share the message that we should always bin wet wipes and other wipes, not flush them?
I commend my hon. Friend who has been a long-standing campaigner on this important issue. The public are right to be furious about how the last Government allowed sewage to pour into our lakes, rivers and seas. Alongside tough new powers to combat pollution, this ban will put an end to plastic wet wipes that litter our beaches, clog up our sewers and harm wildlife.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not explicitly celebrate the Labour promise delivered
Public Fury Over Sewage
New Powers To Combat Pollution
Response accuracy
Q16
Partial Answer
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Context
Lloyds bank has closed branches in Brecon, Presteigne, Ystradgynlais, and Pontardawe despite making billions in profits.
Lloyds bank has more than 31,000 customers in my constituency, yet many of them, particularly the elderly and the vulnerable, are struggling to get out their own cash. That is because Lloyds has closed its branches in Brecon, Presteigne, Ystradgynlais, and before the end of this month in Pontardawe, despite making billions in profits and paying its CEO £5 million. Will the Prime Minister write to Lloyds bank and ask it to keep that last branch in Pontardawe open?
I am grateful to the hon. Member for raising that, and I will look at the particular example he has raised. As he will know, we are rolling out hubs. Some of those are already in place and there are more to come, and I will happily update him on where they are likely to be.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not explicitly commit to writing to Lloyds Bank
Looking At The Example
Rolling Out Hubs
Response accuracy
Q17
Partial Answer
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Context
Lilly Cliff, a 19-year-old suffering from anorexia, has been placed on an end-of-life care pathway by Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS foundation trust despite National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines stating eating disorders are not terminal illnesses.
Following the work of the eating disorders all-party group, I was horrified to hear that 19-year-old Lilly Cliff, who suffers from anorexia, has been placed on an end-of-life care pathway after Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS foundation trust obtained a Court of Protection ruling to withdraw her treatment. The decision directly contradicts guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and the statement from the Minister for Care in September that eating disorders are not a terminal illness. Will the Prime Minister urgently review that case to ensure Lilly and her family receive the support they need and that Lilly is given every possible chance to recover and live?
I will look at this specific case and raise it with my team as a matter of urgency to ensure that all relevant guidelines are being followed and to provide the necessary support for Lilly Cliff and her family.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not explicitly commit to an urgent review
Raising It With My Team
Response accuracy
Q18
Direct Answer
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Context
Keir Starmer expressed concern about a specific case involving Lilly, who is suffering from an eating disorder and has not received adequate care.
My thoughts are with Lilly and her family. The details that my hon. Friend raises are deeply concerning. I know that he has raised this with Health Ministers and I will ensure that he gets a swift response. He is a powerful advocate for change, and I share his determination that everyone with an eating disorder gets the care and support that they need.
My thoughts are with Lilly and her family. The details that my hon. Friend raises are deeply concerning. I know that he has raised this with Health Ministers and I will ensure that he gets a swift response. He is a powerful advocate for change, and I share his determination that everyone with an eating disorder gets the care and support that they need.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy