Commons Sense

House of Commons · PMQs

PMQs

Wednesday 17 June 2020 · 14 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 14 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Keir Starmer welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement on the coronavirus treatment and free school meals, praising the latter as vital for child poverty relief.
  • The Prime Minister acknowledged the additional funding for local government and the measures to protect jobs, but disagreed with Starmer on the issue of poverty increase.
  • The Prime Minister stated that NHS or care workers who have paid the immigration health surcharge since May 21 will be refunded.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Keir Starmer Lab Holborn and St Pancras
NHS
Context

UK scientists announced a major advancement in the treatment of coronavirus.

Question

Can I start by welcoming the announcement of a major breakthrough in the treatment of coronavirus by UK scientists? That is really fantastic news. We are all behind it and I pay tribute to all those involved.

Answer from Boris Johnson (Prime Minister)

I am grateful to the right hon. and learned Gentleman for what he said about dexamethasone, and I am glad that he is finally paying tribute to the efforts of this country in tackling coronavirus.

Answered
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Q2 Keir Starmer Lab Holborn and St Pancras
Education Children & Families
Context

The Prime Minister announced a reversal on free school meal policy.

Question

Can I also welcome the Prime Minister's latest U-turn, this time on free school meals? That was the right thing to do and it is vital for the 1.3 million children who will benefit. It is just one step in the fight against child poverty.

Answer from Boris Johnson (Prime Minister)

I am very pleased that we are going to be able to deliver a covid summer food package for some of the poorest families in this country and that is exactly the right thing to do. But I must say that I think he is completely wrong in what he says about poverty.

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Q3 Keir Starmer Lab Holborn and St Pancras
Economy Children & Families
Context

A Government report indicated a projected rise of 600,000 children living in relative poverty.

Question

The Prime Minister says that poverty has not increased. I have just read a direct quote from a Government report, which says that it has gone up by 600,000. What does the Prime Minister think caused that?

Answer from Boris Johnson (Prime Minister)

What we are talking about is what has actually happened, which is a reduction in poverty. I can tell him that of course this Government have invested massively in protecting the workforce of this country, with 11 million jobs protected by the coronavirus job retention scheme.

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Q4 Keir Starmer Lab Holborn and St Pancras
Children & Families Local Government
Context

The Prime Minister recently had three policy reversals.

Question

This is not the only area where the Government are falling short. The Government have had three U-turns in the last month. First, we had the immigration health charges; then we had MPs' voting; and then we had free school meals. Does the Prime Minister believe that the Government have kept their promise?

Answer from Boris Johnson (Prime Minister)

We put £3.2 billion extra into local government to tackle coronavirus, but I must say that we did not hear an answer, did we Mr Speaker? How can the right hon. and learned Gentleman talk about tackling the effects of coronavirus on the most disadvantaged?

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Q5 Keir Starmer Lab Holborn and St Pancras
Local Government
Context

Council leaders have expressed concern over a £10 billion shortfall.

Question

The Conservative-led Local Government Association has said councils will face a £10 billion shortfall. The leader of Lancashire County Council wrote to the Communities Secretary on 7 May asking for assurance that all councils will be fully reimbursed for costs related to covid-19. Keir Starmer inquired why the Prime Minister had been slow to act.

Answer from The Prime Minister Boris Johnson

We have put in additional funding beyond £3.2 billion, including £1.6 billion for frontline services and another £600 million to social care. The Government is proud of the investments made and local government's work during the crisis.

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Q6 Keir Starmer Lab Holborn and St Pancras
Care & Healthcare Workers NHS
Context

The Government announced on May 20 that the charge would be dropped, but nothing has happened yet.

Question

Following Prime Minister's questions on May 20, the Government announced they would drop the immigration health surcharge for NHS and care workers. Despite letters from several organisations and quotes from a doctor stating that some have still paid, when will action be taken?

Answer from The Prime Minister Boris Johnson

NHS or care workers who have paid the surcharge since May 21 will be refunded. The Government is instituting new arrangements as fast as possible.

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Q7 Bim Afolami Con Essex Wickens
Economy Business & Trade
Context

Afolami published a report titled 'Unlocking Britain', proposing various reforms to aid economic recovery post-crisis.

Question

Would the Prime Minister agree to work with me and consider my ideas, such as a recovery fund for small and medium-sized businesses across the UK to help reduce their debt burden and provide equity?

Answer from The Prime Minister Boris Johnson

I have studied my hon. Friend's proposals with interest. He is an expert in what he speaks of and we will certainly look at all kinds of imaginative ways in which we can stimulate a strong rebound, a strong economic recovery. He should stand by for what the Chancellor is going to be announcing in the next few weeks.

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Q8 Edward Davey Lib Dem Kingston and Surbiton
Economy Brexit
Context

The UK faces significant economic challenges due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, with many businesses at risk of bankruptcy.

Question

Due to the covid crisis, tens of thousands of British businesses face bankruptcy and millions of British people face redundancy. Will the Prime Minister put saving jobs ahead of his Brexit ideology, rather than risking a bad deal or no deal due to coronavirus? Why not show good common sense and accept the EU's offer of an extension?

Answer from The Prime Minister Boris Johnson

I put it to the right hon. Gentleman that there is another way of looking at it. The first point is that the people of this country are heartily sick of us going on about Brexit. They wanted to get it done and we got it done and we are going to move forward. When we come to the end of the transition period, we will be able to respond to our economic needs in a creative and constructive way.

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Q9 Jessica Morden Lab Newport East
Economy Employment
Context

Steel companies are waiting for Government liquidity support to help with the ongoing crisis.

Question

A strong UK steel industry is essential for recovery. Will the Prime Minister commit to addressing the need for Government liquidity support now?

Answer from The Prime Minister Boris Johnson

I am very grateful to the hon. Lady, because we take the issue of the UK steel industry seriously. We are doing everything we can to maintain UK steel production and I will make sure that I look at the particular needs of the concern that she raises in Newport East. We have supported 9,200 workers in her constituency through the furlough scheme.

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Q10 Selaine Saxby Lib Dem Conservative
Economy Science & Technology
Context

Improving broadband infrastructure is essential for the UK's economic recovery.

Question

Coronavirus has underlined the importance of improving broadband. Does the PM agree that extending business rate relief for new full-fibre infrastructure could help level up rural areas? Will he thank telecommunications workers for their efforts during the pandemic?

Answer from The Prime Minister Boris Johnson

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That is why we have provided 100% business rate relief for all new fibre investment. I am very happy to join her in thanking telecommunications workers for their amazing work. Many of them have kept going throughout the pandemic to put in that broadband infrastructure.

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Q11 Tulip Siddiq Lab Holborn and St Pancras
Employment
Context

Siddiq questioned the PM about his promise to address the issue of newly shielded people who may not be entitled to furlough funds after the deadline has passed.

Question

Since then, the deadline for applying for the furlough scheme has been and gone, and there has been no announcement about the support for shielding workers. Is this yet another U-turn, or has the Prime Minister just forgotten what he said in the Chamber last week?

Answer from The Prime Minister Boris Johnson

No. The furlough scheme should be available for everybody.

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Q12 Stephen Timms Lab East Ham
Immigration Benefits & Welfare
Context

Timms pointed out that one million people cannot access universal credit due to the 'no recourse to public funds' restriction and asked if this could be suspended during the crisis.

Question

Will he deliver help by suspending the “no recourse to public funds” restriction for the duration of this crisis, and do it before the school summer holidays, so that destitute families can at least claim the free school meal vouchers he announced yesterday?

Answer from The Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Of course they should be eligible for those, but as I have said to the right hon. Gentleman repeatedly in the Chamber, those who have no recourse to public funds do have access to the coronavirus job retention scheme, the self-employment income support scheme, the measures that we have introduced to protect renters and the mortgage holiday for those who need it. When an individual has been working for long enough in the UK and enough national insurance contributions have been made, they may also be entitled to employment and support allowance.

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Q13 Alan Brown SNP Clydebank and Rutherglen
Taxation Employment
Context

Brown mentioned that an agency in BA's supply chain, Shorterm, did not pay staff during the crisis claiming they were awaiting clarification from HMRC about furlough. Workers have been made redundant after 10 weeks with no income.

Question

Will the Prime Minister ensure that HMRC clarifies the matter and considers an extension to the furlough deadline? If Shorterm is found to be bluffing, what will he do to stop companies treating workers like numbers on a spreadsheet?

Answer from The Prime Minister Boris Johnson

I am concerned about the behaviour of some companies, and many colleagues in the House will have received similar representations from their constituents. I do not want to single anyone out, but it is important that companies recognise that the Government —the taxpayer—have gone to huge lengths to help and to put our arms around UK business. They should do what they can as well to look after their workers in very difficult times, because those workers will stand them in good stead when the economy turns up again.

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Q14 Alistair Carmichael Lib Dem Orkney and Shetland
Brexit Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Carmichael mentions the importance of high-quality beef produced in his constituency, stressing the necessity for clear traceability.

Question

He notes that current UK labelling laws allow beef from any country to be labelled as British if packaged here and asks whether the Prime Minister will take action on this issue to maintain food standards post-Brexit.

Answer from The Prime Minister (Boris Johnson)

Johnson acknowledges Carmichael's concern but suggests it is governed by EU laws and implies Scotland would revert to the EU if it were independent. He states this side of the House intends to use Brexit freedoms to protect Scottish beef farmers.

Answered

Not addressed: The loophole in labelling legislation

How: Implied Reference To Eu Laws, Suggestion Of Returning To Eu If Scotland Were Independent

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