Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question stems from concerns about the government's handling of covid restrictions and its recent controversial decision to appoint individuals who received fixed penalty notices for breaking lockdown laws into positions of power.
The people I serve will commemorate Remembrance Day. Bermondsey was home to the poppy factory, providing work for injured veterans over 100 years ago. My constituents Charlotte and Lorraine were unable to see their mothers in their final days due to covid restrictions. Can this Prime Minister promise today that he will use his power of veto to ensure no one who received a fixed penalty notice is rewarded with a seat in the House of Lords?
What I can say is that this Government, during covid, ensured we protected people's jobs, supported the NHS, and rolled out Europe's fastest vaccine program.
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Assessment & feedback
The question specifically asked about using veto power for House of Lords appointments but was not addressed. Instead, general support actions were mentioned.
Changed Subject
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Q2
Partial Answer
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This question arises from a desire to accelerate progress towards net zero, improve energy security and create economic opportunities by leveraging floating offshore wind technology.
Welcoming commitments made at COP27, I urge the government to support floating offshore wind development in the Celtic Sea. Can you ensure that decisions now being taken mean that the economic value and jobs of this new industry will stay here in the UK?
I praise my right hon. Friend for highlighting the incredible potential of floating offshore wind technology to help us move to net zero. The Crown Estate's leasing process is expected to deliver more seabed leases for many more projects.
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Assessment & feedback
The question asked for full commitment but received only praise and confirmation of Crown Estate's work.
Praise
Confirmation
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Q3
Direct Answer
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Context
The question follows from a resignation due to inappropriate behaviour, leading to questions about the integrity of those holding positions of power.
We remember all who paid the ultimate price. The Member for South Staffordshire told a civil servant to 'slit your throat'. How does the Prime Minister think the victim felt when he expressed great sadness at his resignation?
Unequivocally, the behaviour complained of was unacceptable. It is right that the right hon. Gentleman resigned. I believe people in public life should treat others with consideration and respect.
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Q4
Direct Answer
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Context
Continuing the discussion on the resignation due to inappropriate behaviour, there are questions about whether the PM regrets giving such individuals positions of power.
The Member for South Staffordshire spent years courting ideas that he could intimidate others. The truth is simple: he is a pathetic bully, but he would never have got away with it if people like the Prime Minister did not hand him power. Does the PM regret his decision to make him a Government Minister?
I obviously regret appointing someone who has had to resign in these circumstances, but I think what the British people would like to know is that when situations like this arise, they will be dealt with properly.
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Q5
Partial Answer
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The PM's handling of the resignation due to inappropriate behaviour is under scrutiny for showing a lack of decisive action against bullies.
Everyone knows someone like the Member for South Staffordshire: a sad middle manager getting off on intimidating those beneath him. But everyone also knows someone like the Prime Minister who hides behind bullies. What message does he think it sends when, rather than take on the bullies, he lines up alongside them and thanks them for their loyalty?
The message is that integrity in public life matters. It is right that the right hon. Member has resigned, and why there is a rigorous process to examine these issues.
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Assessment & feedback
The question asked for specific messaging but was answered with general principles about integrity without addressing specifics of lining up with bullies.
Praise
General Principles
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Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
Concerns arise over the effectiveness of windfall taxes on companies like Shell, which reported record profits.
The problem is that the PM could not stand up to a run-of-the-mill bully. He has no chance of standing up to vested interests on behalf of working people. Take Shell, which made £26 billion in profits this year. How much has it paid under his so-called windfall tax?
I was the Chancellor who introduced an extra tax on oil and gas companies. The right hon. and learned Gentleman talks about working people, but he voted against legislation to stop strikes disrupting public services.
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Assessment & feedback
The question asked for specifics on Shell's windfall tax payment which was not addressed.
Changed Subject
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Q7
Partial Answer
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Further scrutiny over the windfall tax policy, particularly in light of Shell's reported record profits.
I am against all those causing chaos. There was no answer to the question because the answer is nothing. Shell has not paid a penny in windfall tax. Why? Because for every £1 it spends on digging for fossil fuels, he hands them a 90p tax break, costing the taxpayer billions. Will he find a backbone and end his absurd oil and gas giveaway?
What the Labour party will never understand is that it is businesses investing that creates jobs in this country. On this side of the House, we support businesses to invest to create jobs because that is how we create prosperity and support strong public services.
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Assessment & feedback
The question asked for specifics on windfall tax payment but was answered with broad statements about job creation without addressing Shell's non-payment issue.
Changed Subject
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Q8
Partial Answer
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The MP criticises the Prime Minister for perceived weaknesses in handling security threats, leadership challenges, and economic issues.
There is only one party that crashed the economy and they are all sitting there on the Government Benches. The Prime Minister lacks the strength to address these issues properly.
The right hon. Member for Islington North was thought to be a security threat. The government is focused on strengthening the economy and supporting people with energy bills, while tackling illegal migration.
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Assessment & feedback
The question about ending oil and gas giveaways, scrapping non-dom tax breaks, and stopping subsidies for private schools was not addressed directly.
Changing The Subject To Criticise Labour
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Q9
Direct Answer
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Today is the 84th anniversary of Kristallnacht, an event marked by destruction of synagogues and Jewish businesses, and murder of Jews.
On this day commemorating Kristallnacht, will my right hon. Friend condemn antisemitism in all its forms? He also congratulates the Holocaust Educational Trust on their work to ensure we never forget what happened during the Holocaust.
Antisemitism has no place in our society. The Government adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism, and survivors' testimonies are valued by the House.
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Q10
Partial Answer
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The MP refers to the loss of a Cabinet Minister and concerns over appointments to the House of Lords.
We remember nuclear test veterans seeking justice. The Prime Minister's judgment is poor, as evidenced by recent events. Will he now remove from his Cabinet someone who is prioritising a position in the House of Lords?
I am not going to comment on speculation around such lists. Any list would follow normal procedures and processes that are in place.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific question about removing the Secretary of State from the Cabinet was not answered directly.
Referring To 'Normal Procedures'
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Q11
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP criticises a Secretary of State for Scotland planning to become a Lord, undermining democracy in Scotland.
This looks very corrupt. The PM should sack someone who is prioritising a position in the House of Lords over Scottish democracy. Does he now put a stop to his predecessors stuffing the Lords with cronies?
What the Secretary of State and I are jointly focused on is working constructively with the Scottish Government to deliver for the people of Scotland. I am pleased to be meeting the First Minister tomorrow.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific question about removing from Cabinet those planning lordships was not answered directly.
Changing Subject To Cooperation With Scottish Government
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Q12
Direct Answer
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Social media platforms are being used by criminal gangs to recruit people for illegal immigration. The Online Safety Bill is intended to address this.
Criminal gangs openly use social media to recruit people into the country in small boats. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that the Online Safety Bill will require platforms to take action against such content?
The Online Safety Bill will require platforms to remove and limit illegal content and activity online, including assisting illegal immigration. The Government look forward to bringing it back in due course.
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Q13
Partial Answer
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The PM is rebuilding the Tories' economic credibility after his predecessor's actions. A Bloomberg interview mentioned disputes with OBR forecasts.
Britain's economic prospects are worsened by being outside the EU trading bloc, as per OBR forecasts. Who does he agree with—the OBR or his Tory Minister?
Brexit offers opportunities to trade more globally, and many Welsh farmers are benefiting from new markets. This is what we will deliver.
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Assessment & feedback
The question about agreeing with OBR forecasts was not answered directly.
Focusing On Positive Outcomes Of Brexit
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Q14
Partial Answer
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The MP notes excessive housing targets that pressure councils to approve environmentally damaging development. She recalls the Prime Minister's promise during a summer visit to abolish these targets.
Excessive housing targets are placing greater and greater pressure on councils to approve development that damages our environment. When the Prime Minister came to Finchley over the summer, he said that he wanted to abolish those targets. Will he use the Report stage of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill to bring forward Government amendments to do that?
The Government are committed to making home ownership a reality for a new generation, and we must build homes in the right places, where people want to live and work, but, as my right hon. Friend knows and as I have said, I want those decisions to be taken locally, with greater say for local communities rather than distant bureaucrats. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is happy to meet her to discuss how best to make that a reality.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific use of Report stage and amendments to abolish housing targets was not addressed
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Q15
Partial Answer
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In February, the MP informed the Chancellor of Exchequer that due to his incompetence in the job, children in the constituency were going to bed with no food or heat.
Does the Prime Minister remember back in February, when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer, that I informed him that, due to his incompetence in that job, the children in my constituency were going to bed that night with no food in their tummies and no heat in their homes. What will he now do as Prime Minister to make sure that, in every community in our country, children are not in that situation in this hard winter ahead?
The absolute best way to ensure that children do not grow up in poverty, which is something that none of us wants to see, is to ensure that they do not grow up in a workless household. The record under these Governments is that 700,000 fewer children are growing up in workless households. That is because Conservative Governments create jobs for people, and that is the best anti-poverty strategy that we have.[Official Report, 14 November 2022, Vol. 722, c. 4MC.]
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Assessment & feedback
Specific action to ensure children do not go without food or warmth during the winter was not addressed
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Q16
Direct Answer
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The MP visited a bridging hotel housing 77 Afghan refugees, many of whom held highly skilled jobs back in Afghanistan.
On Friday, I visited a bridging hotel in my constituency that currently houses 77 Afghan refugees as local organisations search for permanent accommodation for them following the success of Operation Pitting. Many of the refugees I met held highly skilled jobs back in Afghanistan, including a doctor, an international athlete and Government Ministers. Can the Prime Minister assure the House that our Government will do more to support those highly skilled individuals in entering the UK workforce?
It is nice to hear from my hon. Friend again this week. I can reassure him that we are completely committed to supporting Afghan refugees into the employment opportunities here in the UK. The Department for Work and Pensions has a full programme in place, and I can also tell him that our Refugee Leads Network brings together refugee organisations and the DWP to connect those refugees with employment opportunities. I look forward to seeing the fruits of that programme with him in the near future.
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Q17
Partial Answer
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Five years ago, the Government launched a review into the security risk posed by 'golden visas' for mainly wealthy Russian and Chinese nationals. They promised to publish results.
Five years ago, the Government belatedly launched a review into the security risk posed by handing thousands of mainly wealthy Russian and Chinese nationals so-called golden visas so that they could live in Britain. They also promised to publish the results of that review. Why have they not?
We did review and indeed end the visa that the right hon. Gentleman is raising. The Home Office is currently considering the right way to replace that visa with something that is more sustainable and protects our security interests. I will be happy to have the Home Secretary write to him with an update on that process.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific question about publishing review results was not addressed
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Q18
Partial Answer
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The UK has a workforce shortage, yet millions of parents are unable to work at full tilt and childcare providers are closing due to policies being a 'maddeningly expensive muddle'.
The UK has a workforce shortage, yet millions of parents are unable to work at full tilt and childcare providers are going belly-up due to policies' being a maddeningly expensive muddle of a mess. Will my right hon. Friend please confirm that, after decades of ineffective tinkering and endless policies, he will be the man to give us proper childcare reform?
I am pleased to say that we have announced ambitious new plans to improve the cost, the choice and the availability of childcare to benefit hundreds of thousands of parents across the country. That includes measures to increase the number of children that can be looked after by each staff member and making it easier for people to become childminders. We will respond to all those proposals in very short order.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific confirmation of bringing proper childcare reform was not addressed
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Q19
Partial Answer
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Schools and colleges are struggling to make ends meet due to policies that have failed. Some schools have scrapped mental health counsellors, teaching assistant vacancies, and school trips.
I know the Prime Minister has been very busy failing to stand up to bullies, but in the real world schools and colleges across the country looking after actual children are struggling to make ends meet. One London headteacher has scrapped plans for mental health counsellors, a headteacher in Twickenham is no longer filling teaching assistant vacancies and another is axing school trips. Will the Prime Minister give pupils and parents a cast-iron guarantee that in next week's autumn statement there will be no real-terms cuts to school and college budgets?
We have significantly increased funding going into schools over the next two years, but on top of that it was important to this Government to help those children who were left behind in terms of their education opportunities during the pandemic. That is why we invested £5 billion in helping those children to catch up, including unveiling the most comprehensive programme of tutoring this country has ever seen. It is closing the attainment gap and disproportionately benefiting disadvantaged children, and is something that I know all colleagues will get behind.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific guarantee about real-terms cuts in Autumn Statement was not addressed
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Q20
Partial Answer
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Over 400 asylum seekers are housed in two neighbouring hotels, putting local services under immense strain. There was a productive meeting with the Immigration Minister yesterday.
Despite a productive meeting with the Immigration Minister yesterday, the Home Office continues to house over 400 asylum seekers in two neighbouring hotels in my constituency. It is clear from my meetings with GPs and Derbyshire police that that huge influx of people in such a small area is putting local services under immense strain. Before services in Erewash hit breaking point, will my right hon. Friend commit to an immediate reduction in asylum seekers concentrated in one place, and will he intervene to set a timetable for permanent closure of accommodation centres at that location?
Let me give my hon. Friend my absolute cast-iron commitment that we want to get to grips with this problem. The best way to resolve it is to stop criminal gangs profiting from an illegal trade in human lives and the unacceptable rise in channel crossings, which is putting unsustainable pressure on our system and local services. She has my reassurance that the Home Secretary and I are working day and night to resolve the problem—not just to end the use of expensive contingency accommodation, but for more fundamental reform, so that we can finally get to grips with the issue, protect our borders and end illegal migration.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific commitment about reducing asylum seeker concentration or setting a timeline was not addressed
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Q21
Partial Answer
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The Prime Minister's short premiership has seen one minister resign. There are concerns about another minister who needs to be removed.
Under the Prime Minister's short premiership, he has had one Minister resign and one who urgently needs to be sacked. Can the Prime Minister clarify to the House and the rest of the country when the scheduled programme of integrity, professionalism and accountability will begin?
It is precisely because I want a Government characterised by integrity, professionalism and accountability that my right hon. Friend the Member for South Staffordshire (Sir Gavin Williamson) was right to resign, and it is right that we have an independent process. That is the type of Government I will lead. When situations like this arise, we will deal with them properly, and that is what we have done.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a specific timeline or programme for integrity, professionalism, and accountability
When Situations Like This Arise, We Will Deal With Them Properly
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Q22
Partial Answer
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The MP participated in the poppy appeal and recognized its importance.
Will the Prime Minister join me in thanking all the poppy appeal volunteers across the country and in my constituency for their work to ensure that we always remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice? Will the Prime Minister or perhaps the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, the hon. Member for Plymouth, Moor View (Johnny Mercer) visit Watford to meet our heroic veterans to whom we owe so much?
My hon. Friend is a fantastic champion for Watford, and it is a pleasure to join him in thanking the Royal British Legion's poppy appeal volunteers in Watford and across the country. There is no greater sacrifice than those who lay down their lives in the service of our nation, so I am proud, as many others are, to support the poppy appeal and to honour our veterans.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm a visit to Watford by the Prime Minister or Johnny Mercer
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Q23
Direct Answer
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The MP highlighted issues with access to GP appointments and A&E services.
If the Prime Minister or any member of his many households became unwell, would he start ringing the GP surgery at 8 o'clock each morning to not get an appointment, would he go off to accident and emergency and wait 12 hours to be seen, would he call an ambulance that would not come, or would he use some of his £750 million—unearned wealth—to pay privately and see somebody there and then?
Let me put on record my thanks to the fantastic team at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, who have provided excellent care to my family over the years. The hon. Gentleman is right to highlight the issue of people waiting unacceptably long for treatment that they need. That is why we have put record funding into the NHS to help with backlogs and waiting times this winter, and it is why the Health Secretary and the Chancellor are discussing how best to deliver the reforms we need.
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Q24
Partial Answer
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The MP mentioned a £300 million regeneration project for Blackpool that requires relocation of an existing court complex.
Blackpool is due to benefit from a £300 million private sector-led regeneration project that will deliver thousands of new jobs for my constituents over the years ahead. To deliver this ambitious new project, we need support with a £40 million package to relocate the existing court complex that currently occupies the site. Various Secretaries of State have been supportive of the project so far, so can the Prime Minister give me an update on when we can receive some good news on how we can get this project off the ground?
May I join with my hon. Friend in recognising the importance of the Blackpool Central regeneration project to the town's levelling-up ambitions? I can tell him that my right hon. Friend the Justice Secretary and the Housing Secretary are in the process of resolving this issue for him and how best we can relocate the court complex.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a specific timeline or update on support for the project
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Q25
Partial Answer
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The MP expressed concerns about high energy costs and low demand affecting the steel industry.
It is a critical time for our steel industry, which is hit by massive energy costs and low demand at a time when we need to support our industry to adapt to build the green technologies we will need. Does the Prime Minister agree that our sovereign capability and our national security are dependent on a strong UK steel industry? If so, will the Government not sit on their hands? What is the Prime Minister's plan for steel?
I am proud of our track record. Not only were we pleased to support one steel company in south Wales that needed our assistance during coronavirus but we have provided more than £2 billion to support energy-intensive industries, including steel, with high energy bills.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a specific plan for supporting the steel industry beyond previous actions
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Q26
Partial Answer
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The MP highlighted concerns about high fuel prices charged by Morrisons in Bridport compared to other towns.
Supermarkets such as Morrisons are abusing their dominant market position on fuel by charging up to 20p a litre more in Bridport than other towns in the region, thus preventing West Dorset residents from benefiting from the reduction in market price, which is unusual these days. Will the Prime Minister meet me to discuss what action can be taken against those commercial predators who harm our local residents in that way?
As Chancellor, I was pleased to cut fuel duty by 5p a litre—the biggest-ever cut—to help motorists in our country. I recognise the concerns that my hon. Friend raises, which is why we asked the Competition and Markets Authority to conduct an urgent review of the market.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm a meeting or specific actions against supermarkets abusing fuel pricing
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Q27
Partial Answer
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Local food banks are running out of supplies, prompting concerns about the government's support for the most vulnerable. There is a specific concern over a £3 billion tax break for non-domiciled individuals who do not permanently reside in Britain but profit from it.
Tomorrow, I will be delivering food bank collection crates across my constituency, because our food banks are running out of food once more. Does the Prime Minister understand the despair my constituents feel that he is doing so little for the poorest in Britain by refusing to cancel the £3 billion tax break for non-doms who profit from our country but will not make it their home?
I am proud of my and this Government's track record in supporting the most vulnerable in our society, and that will always continue. It is a bit rich to hear that from the right hon. Gentleman—the first person to remind us what happens when the economy is crashed by a Labour Government.
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Assessment & feedback
Cancellation of the £3 billion tax break for non-domiciled individuals
It Is A Bit Rich To Hear That From The Right Hon. Gentleman—The First Person To Remind Us What Happens When The Economy Is Crashed By A Labour Government.
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Q28
Partial Answer
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There are expectations that the freeport plan in Felixstowe and Harwich will deliver economic benefits, particularly to a deprived ward in the constituency of Clacton. The questioner seeks government support for this initiative.
The British people are relying on our party and the Government to fulfil their promises on levelling up. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the Felixstowe and Harwich freeport plan will be judged as a historic failure unless it succeeds in levelling up a deprived ward in my constituency? Will he join me in Clacton to kick-start that plan? Will he also commit to come to the tendering showcase currently in the Jubilee room until 2.30 this afternoon?
That sounds like an appealing invitation. I agree with my hon. Friend that levelling up has to deliver for communities in every corner of the United Kingdom, including southern coastal communities. He knows that I am a champion of freeports, and I look forward to working with him to see how we can best realise their benefits in his area.
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Assessment & feedback
Commitment to attend events in Clacton
That Sounds Like An Appealing Invitation.
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