Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Child Q underwent a degrading strip search at her school two years ago, causing distress. The Minister for Crime and Policing failed to answer questions about the timing of his knowledge of the event.
The degrading strip-search of Child Q two years ago caused anger and distress across the country. When did the Prime Minister first hear about the strip-search at her school? Does he believe that dithering in responding to this case is acceptable?
The reports of the strip-search are deeply concerning. The Metropolitan Police has apologised, and the Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating. It would not be right to comment further.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a specific date or timeline regarding his knowledge of the incident.
It Would Not Be Right To Comment Further
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Q2
Direct Answer
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The community of Baldock and District is preparing to welcome Ukrainian refugee families. The scheme has already seen thousands of applications.
Does the Prime Minister agree with the open-hearted generosity shown by communities welcoming refugees from Ukraine? Will he continue to streamline the process?
The Prime Minister thanked those involved in the two schemes for welcoming Ukrainians. About 40,000 have applied to the Homes for Ukraine programme, with 150,000 families across the country offering support.
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Q3
Direct Answer
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Context
Eight hundred British workers at P&O were fired over Zoom, with replacements brought in from overseas on lower wages. The company received significant Government contracts.
With 800 loyal employees replaced by foreign agency staff on less than minimum wage, if the PM cannot prevent this, what is the point of his government?
The company's behaviour was condemned. Section 194 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act suggests they may have broken the law, leading to potential fines. Action will be taken under employment rights legislation.
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Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The Prime Minister did not take action despite advance warning of the firings via a memo sent to the Transport Secretary.
Given the Government had prior notice, why did they fail to intervene when they knew about these mass sackings?
The company should have notified the government 45 days before taking such action. They are now taking legal steps to protect mariners and ensure they receive the living wage.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not specify whether he understood or read the memo.
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Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
P&O has received over £38 million in government contracts since PM came to office, while parent company DP World is set for freeport funding.
Given P&O's contract and freeport opportunities, can the Prime Minister guarantee no more taxpayer money will be given until workers are reinstated?
The Government is reviewing contracts. They have lifted the living wage by £1,000 for all workers since 2015.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not guarantee no more funds until workforce issues are resolved.
Reviews Do Not Save Jobs
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Q6
Direct Answer
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Context
Despite PM admitting the law was unjustifiable two years ago, it remains legal to pay seafarers less than minimum wage in UK waters.
When will the Prime Minister fix the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 to ensure workers in UK exclusive economic zone are paid appropriately?
We will address defects in the National Minimum Wage Act to ensure everyone working in the UK EEZ is paid the living wage, similar to other workers.
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Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
P&O Ferries recently announced redundancies, sparking debate on fire and rehire practices. Several companies have used this practice to force employees into accepting reduced terms or face redundancy.
The problem is that the Prime Minister promised action two years ago but it did not happen; P&O took advantage of this gap. This follows a series of fire and rehire cases with profitable firms threatening workers for pay cuts. The Prime Minister claims to oppose fire and rehire, yet his party abstained from voting on its ban, failing to protect workers' rights.
The PM noted that Labour uses fire and rehire themselves. He argued UK law provides better protection for workers compared to EU laws, allowing changes to worker rights. The economy has recovered well post-pandemic with 600,000 more people employed now.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about concrete steps to address fire and rehire practices was not addressed
Changed Subject
Defended Uk Law
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Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
Following P&O's announcement, the Prime Minister's party abstained from voting on a ban. Workers are concerned about job security and seek stronger action.
The Prime Minister's party abstained from voting to ban fire and rehire and then claimed they would find new jobs for affected workers. This is insufficient; workers need their old positions back and want the PM to fight for their rights. 82,000 seafarers are worried about job security as other companies might follow P&O's example.
P&O cannot get away with its actions, but the PM defended the Government's handling of the pandemic. He highlighted job recovery post-pandemic, citing 600,000 more people employed now compared to pre-pandemic levels.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about measures against fire and rehire was not addressed
Changed Subject
Defended Pandemic Handling
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Q9
Partial Answer
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Context
The Government aims to make England smoke-free by 2030, but current trends suggest this may not be achieved. Encouraging young people from smoking and supporting smokers in quitting are crucial.
I support the Government's aim for England to be smoke-free by 2030, but we're on track to miss it. It is important to discourage young people from starting and help those who already smoke quit. Therefore, I propose raising the legal age of tobacco sales to 21 and imposing a levy on big tobacco companies' profits to fund £700 million in smoking cessation services.
The PM thanked Bob Blackman for his support on smoking reduction. He noted Javed Khan OBE is reviewing smoking in England, suggesting this review might consider proposed measures.
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Assessment & feedback
No commitment was given to the specific proposals of raising the age limit or levying tobacco companies' profits
Deferred Answer
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Q10
Partial Answer
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Inflation is at a record high, causing significant financial strain on families. The SNP Government in Scotland has doubled the Scottish child payment and raised benefits by 6%.
This morning, we have official confirmation that inflation is at its highest level in 30 years, but families do not need official confirmation to know that the cost of food and energy is now at a price they simply cannot afford. The very people who bore the brunt of the health pandemic are now being hammered by the poverty pandemic. This is not just a cost of living crisis—this is an emergency. That is why, in Scotland, the SNP Government are doubling the Scottish child payment and raising the benefits they control by 6%—that is double the rate the Chancellor has proposed for the benefits that he has control over. So this is a very simple question for the Prime Minister: if he truly understands that this is an emergency, will he match the Scottish Government's commitment and lift all benefits by 6%?
I thank the right hon. Gentleman very much. We all recognise that global inflation is causing a real cost of living crisis, not just here, but around the world; in the United States, inflation is now running at more than 8%, and we are at the levels in other European countries. We are doing everything we can to help people. The Chancellor has put another £9.1 billion into reducing the costs of energy for families.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about matching Scottish Government's 6% benefits increase was not directly addressed
We Are Doing Everything We Can To Help People
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Q11
Partial Answer
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Inflation is at a record high, causing significant financial strain on families. The Chancellor has £20 billion to spend but is not using it to support those in need.
Of course, we want to make sure we open our doors in Scotland and welcome refugees, and that we have that generosity of spirit—but we will leave that there for now. I say to the Prime Minister that inflation is at 6% and increasing. We need to make sure that those who are the most vulnerable have that increase in benefits that they need in order to pay for fuel. The Chancellor needs to ditch the official photographer and listen to Martin Lewis. Family finances are at breaking point; they cannot tighten their budgets any more. These families have no room to manoeuvre, but the truth is that the Chancellor does. Lower borrowing and increased taxes mean that he is sitting with £20 billion to spend today. But instead this Chancellor is making a political choice: the choice to push people further into hardship by hiking taxes, cutting universal credit, and giving companies free rein to slash workers' pay through fire and rehire. So the test for the Prime Minister is this: will the Government use the full £20 billion they are sitting on to scrap the national insurance tax hike and put money into people's pockets, or will he simply make this Tory poverty pandemic even worse?
I just advise Mystic Meg over there that he has only 10 minutes to wait before he will have the answer to that question.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about using £20 billion was not addressed, instead deflected with a vague response about timing
Advising On Waiting For An Answer
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Q12
Direct Answer
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The number of people fleeing Putin's invasion has doubled to 3.5 million and is expected to rise further.
I warmly welcome the improvements to our national Ukraine refugee response, but in the weeks since these improved measures, numbers fleeing Putin's invasion have sadly doubled to 3.5 million, and are expected to go even higher. Does the Prime Minister agree that our response must still move much faster, with a shift to processing applications in the UK and cutting the red tape and bureaucracy, so we can match the scale of Europe's worst humanitarian crisis since the second world war?
My hon. Friend is right that we will see many more people coming here. He is right that the instincts of this country are to be as generous as possible. That is why we have made sure that applications can now be processed online very quickly, so people can come here with their passports.
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Q13
Partial Answer
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Context
Many rural households rely on unregulated fuels such as heating oil, liquefied petroleum gas, and solid fuel which are causing hardship.
While Ofgem can cap rising gas and electricity bills, other fuels such as heating oil, liquefied petroleum gas and solid fuel remain unregulated. Many households in rural Scotland depend on such fuels. There are also areas awash with energy, both on and offshore, yet with huge and rising numbers of people in fuel poverty. Will the Prime Minister regulate and cap such fuels, to alleviate hardship and end the perversity of energy-rich Scotland but fuel-poor Scots?
The hon. Gentleman is right that energy-rich Scotland and the hydrocarbons that we have in this country should be used to help the British people. We should not be needlessly reliant on oil and gas from Putin's Russia.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about regulating unregulated fuels was not directly addressed, instead focused on hydrocarbons
Right That Energy-Rich Scotland
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Q14
Direct Answer
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There is a vibrant Ukrainian community in Huddersfield who are collecting medical supply donations to send to Ukraine and surrounding nations.
I am so proud to represent a vibrant Ukrainian community in Huddersfield and Colne Valley. This Friday, at the Ukrainian club in Huddersfield, they will be collecting medical supply donations to send to Ukraine and the surrounding nations. Will the Prime Minister join me in thanking all our community in West Yorkshire, who have rallied round their Ukrainian neighbours and friends, and will he continue to put the UK at the forefront of donations of not only humanitarian and medical supplies, but the military aid that is allowing the Ukrainian people to fight so bravely against Putin and his cronies?
I thank the Ukrainian community in Yorkshire for everything they are doing and, of course, Ukrainian communities up and down the country and the people of this country as a whole. I am proud that we are the biggest bilateral donor, I think, other than the United States, of aid to Ukraine.
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Q15
Partial Answer
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The Football Association is refusing to move the semi-final between Liverpool and Manchester City from Wembley, with no trains available, resulting in a large number of fans having to travel by road. There are concerns about the FA's selection criteria for football club ownership.
The Football Association is refusing to move the semi-final between Liverpool and Manchester City from Wembley. There are no trains from the north-west that day, which means 50,000 or 60,000 people will have to go by road—bad for the fans and bad for the environment. Unfortunately, this is typical of the insensitivity of the FA, who thinks that fit and proper people to run our football clubs are Russian kleptocrats and people who are wanted for human rights abuses. Does the Prime Minister agree that now is the time to legislate to set up an independent regulator for football, with fan involvement?
I thank the hon. Gentleman very much. I am not going to comment on the travel arrangements for the particular match—[Interruption.] The deputy Leader of the Labour party shouts for me to secure her a train. I am sure the FA will have heard the message that the hon. Gentleman has given. What I can say is that I do agree with my hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford (Tracey Crouch), who has just conducted a review on the matter, that we should indeed have an independent regulator for football.
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Assessment & feedback
Specifics of legislative action or timeline were not addressed
Does Not Provide Concrete Details About Legislation
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Q16
Partial Answer
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The removal of US steel tariffs has been welcomed, but there is a need for further government measures to address the high energy costs affecting the UK steel industry.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is a great champion for steel, and we have just had brilliant news on the removal of the US steel tariffs. Will he reaffirm the commitment he made at the Dispatch Box on 31 January that the Chancellor will bring forward a package of measures on our steel energy costs? If the Chancellor is not able to make good on that commitment today, will he ensure that he does so as soon as he can?
I agree with my hon. Friend passionately, and I think that it is vital that we undo the damage done by the insane policies of the previous Labour Government, which whacked up the cost of energy for British industry, including steel. I will be bringing forward a British energy security strategy that will address the needs of British steel, British ceramics and the whole of British industry.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific timeline or package details were not provided
References Previous Government'S Policies
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Q17
Partial Answer
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Bradford is shortlisted for the UK City of Culture 2025, but there are concerns about Transport Secretary's decision regarding Bradford in the integrated rail plan.
I am sure the Prime Minister will share my delight that Bradford has been shortlisted to be the UK city of culture 2025 and will want to offer his support for our bid—it would bring immense benefits and kudos to Britain's youngest city. With over 120 languages spoken across the city, with its unique cultural heritage and diversity and, let us not forget, the amazing food, and as the birthplace of David Hockney and the Brontës, Bradford has it all—apart from Government support. One practical way in which the Prime Minister could help is by reversing the Transport Secretary's snub to Bradford in the integrated rail plan. So will the Prime Minister look again at this issue and commit to delivering a real northern powerhouse rail, including a stop in Bradford city?
I congratulate Bradford on being shortlisted in the way that that wonderful city has been, but I think the hon. Lady is wrong about what the integrated rail plan said, because already it commits to cutting the journey times from Leeds to Bradford from 20 minutes to 12 minutes, if I remember correctly. And we continue to look at ways of making sure that high-speed rail goes direct to Bradford.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not explicitly commit to reversing the snub or delivering a stop in Bradford city
Claims Existing Commitments
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Q18
Direct Answer
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Context
Events in Ukraine have led to higher energy costs, rising food prices and inflationary pressures.
The horrifying effects of events in Ukraine must be central to our focus, and we should do all possible to stand together in support. A war in Europe also has challenging domestic outcomes, with higher energy costs, rising food prices and effects on supplies and inflation and across the economy in general. Does the Prime Minister agree that this is a time when we need to come together as a nation common and that anyone seeking to weaponise Putin's deliberate and calculated consequences of the war will only undermine the unity of our nation at a time when Europe is in crisis?
I thank my right hon. Friend very much for what he has said. One of the most important things that has confounded Vladimir Putin has not only been the heroic resistance of the Ukrainians but the unity of the rest of the world and, I must say, so far, the relative unity—the important unity—of this House.
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Q19
Direct Answer
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New data has revealed that more than 2,300 men were exposed to dangerous radiation in UK nuclear weapons tests, far more than previously believed.
The Prime Minister has been very supportive of nuclear testing veterans, so I am sure that he will be shocked that, today, has uncovered 140 pages of data previously hidden in the footnote of a 1988 Government report. There is now concern that the High Court and this House may have been inadvertently misinformed in 2008, when told that only 159 men in UK nuclear weapons tests were exposed to dangerous radiation, when today's data shows exposure numbers were actually 2,314. Will the Prime Minister urgently investigate this and arrange to meet personally in Downing Street with my constituent, her grandad and other nuclear testing veterans to bring an end to this national scandal?
I thank the hon. Member very much for bringing those facts—new facts—to the attention of the House, and I know that my office has already been in touch with the group concerned to make sure that we have a proper meeting. I hope very much that she will be there, and we will be able to discuss all the issues that she has raised.
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Q20
Partial Answer
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Jewish students on university campuses are experiencing record levels of antisemitic attacks, including allegations of being marked down by professors.
May I begin, as chair of the all-party group on surrogacy, by thanking the Government, and the Home Secretary in particular for her work in bringing Ukrainian surrogates to safety here? Sadly, in my role as chair of the all-party group against antisemitism, the news is not so positive. We have recently heard from Jewish students who are suffering record antisemitic attacks on university campuses, including allegations of their work being marked down by their own professors. This is completely outrageous, and one would expect the National Union of Students to be on their side, but instead of helping the students it has been inviting somebody who is engaged in antisemitic conspiracy theories—a rapper—to a conference. Will the Prime Minister do everything in his power to ensure that campuses are a safe place for British Jewish students?
Our universities have, for far too long, been tolerant of casual or indeed systematic antisemitism. I hope that everybody understands the need for change—for rapid and irreversible change—but it is also important that we have an antisemitism taskforce devoted to rooting out antisemitism in education at all levels.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific actions or timelines not provided
Calls For Change Without Specifying Concrete Steps
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Q21
Partial Answer
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P&O Ferries sacked 800 seafarers, while the government announced over 1,100 DWP job losses and 42 centre closures affecting thousands more jobs.
Last week, P&O Ferries sacked 800 seafarers on the spot. The same day, the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced over 1,100 DWP job losses and 42 centre closures risking a further 7,000 jobs, including 1,300 in the north-east. Why will the Prime Minister not act to protect local communities from losing real high-quality jobs?
I renew my sympathies with the case of the P&O workers, and I have explained to the House what we are doing, and we will do that. We have doubled the number of work coaches and employment is climbing.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific ask about protecting jobs was not directly addressed
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Q22
Partial Answer
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The DVLA is facing significant delays in issuing driving licences, causing problems for constituents.
Will the Prime Minister make it clear at the Dispatch Box that the service from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency falls significantly below what we expect, and will he ask the Transport Secretary to meet me, and any other Members of this House—we may need a big room—to explain how we can help the agency out of the hole in which it has put itself?
Yes. We need to make sure that the DVLA is given every possible encouragement and support to expedite the supply of driving licences.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific ask about meeting MPs was not directly addressed
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Q23
Partial Answer
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A former Minister claimed the Prime Minister was entertained at bunga bunga parties hosted by a Russian oligarch, raising concerns about potential blackmail.
Given that his many weaknesses could leave him open to blackmail, why does the Prime Minister think that MI6 may not entirely trust him?
Last week, I was not here to benefit from one of the hon. Gentleman's elaborately confected questions. I admire his style, but I am afraid that I simply fail to detect any crouton of substance in the minestrone of nonsense that he has just spoken.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific ask about trustworthiness was not addressed
Personal Insult
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Q24
Partial Answer
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Context
Wrexham is shortlisted for the city of culture and is the first Welsh town to be so.
Will the Prime Minister congratulate Wrexham on being shortlisted for the city of culture, and on being the first Welsh town to be so?
Not only is Wrexham shortlisted for the city of culture, but it is the city of vaccines. Without the AstraZeneca vaccines bottled in Wrexham, we literally would not be where we are today.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific ask about cultural status was ignored
Changing Subject
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Q25
Partial Answer
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The Chancellor's failure on covid fraud has cost the country £11.8 billion, equivalent to the amount that national insurance will increase in the coming year.
Does the Prime Minister think it is fair to demand that working people pay the bill for the Chancellor's failures?
This Government made sure that we got the personal protective equipment and supplies needed in record time. Under the last Labour Government, there was £23 billion lost in fraud every year.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific ask about fairness of NI increase was not addressed
Personal Insult
Changing Subject
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Q26
Partial Answer
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Dr Hilary Cass highlighted the need for more research into why so many young girls are presenting with gender distress.
Will my right hon. Friend agree to meet me and other concerned colleagues to discuss how we can constructively support those young people who are experiencing gender distress?
I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend. We must recognise that when people want to make a transition in their lives, they should be treated with the maximum possible generosity and respect.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific ask about meeting was not directly addressed
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Q27
Partial Answer
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The Prime Minister met the chairman of P&O owners DP World to discuss setting up a freeport in London. Last year, the Foreign Secretary also met DP World.
If the Prime Minister wants to remove the latest suspicion of his conflicts of interest, will he tell his Dubai millionaire friends that if they want contracts to run freeports here, they must reinstate P&O workers and guarantee the jobs of DP World workers too?
I have one overwhelming interest, which is to protect and preserve the jobs and livelihoods of the British people. We will ensure that we continue to attract overseas investment in record ways.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific ask about reinstating P&O workers was not directly addressed
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Q28
Partial Answer
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Context
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the expulsion of Asians from Uganda, an event where British people opened their homes for them. This generosity is being shown again with those fleeing Ukraine.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the expulsion of Asians from Uganda. Under Ted Heath's Government, people across the country opened up their homes for many of those Asians who then settled and became part of the fabric of our great nation. That British generosity is again being seen as people open up their homes for those fleeing Ukraine and coming to our country. May I urge the Prime Minister to pick up those files from 50 years ago, wipe off the dust and take on board those positive lessons so that we can ensure that the Homes for Ukraine scheme has maximum success?
Yes, I think the whole country can be proud of the way the UK welcomed people fleeing Idi Amin's Uganda. Several Members of the House, including the Home Secretary herself and her family, were beneficiaries of that scheme and that moment. This country is overwhelmingly generous to people fleeing in fear of their lives and will continue to be so.
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Assessment & feedback
The PM did not directly address how historical lessons can improve current refugee policies for Ukraine.
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Q29
Partial Answer
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Context
P&O, owned by the Government of Dubai, sacked over 800 British workers via Zoom to be replaced with foreign agency workers earning less than two pounds an hour.
Eight hundred British workers were sacked over Zoom by P&O, owned by the Government of Dubai, to be replaced with foreign exploited agency workers on less than two quid an hour. The Prime Minister can pass an instrument now to close the loophole so that the national minimum wage applies on UK international routes. Is he going to stand up for British workers or the oil state dictator Dubai?
I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman's question. I knew he was going to ask it and he was right to ask it. We are going to make sure that everybody working in the UK exclusive economic zone gets paid the living wage, and we will do it as fast as we possibly can with the Opposition's assistance.
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Assessment & feedback
The PM did not commit to a specific timeline or action plan for enforcing minimum wage on UK international routes but stated intentions to ensure fair wages.
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Q30
Partial Answer
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Context
P&O Ferries sacked over 800 workers, impacting the local community in Kent.
I welcome the Prime Minister's commitment to take legal action to hold P&O Ferries and DP World to account. I again call on them to reverse their action and reinstate the workers. Dover and Kent are already badly affected by this business, including on the roads and in the business community. Will he meet me to discuss specific support for our affected area, including the A2 upgrade for national transport links and an east Kent enterprise zone to cover and include the port of Dover?
My hon. Friend is right in what she says about P&O and about the 800 workers. I will make sure that she gets all the meetings she needs to make sure that we continue with all our fantastic investments in Dover, whether transport, education or otherwise.
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Assessment & feedback
The PM did not commit to specific support measures but stated willingness to meet and discuss further.
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