PMQs

Question

The city-wide testing trial starting in Liverpool on Friday will cut the time to get results, cut the spread of the virus by identifying people who are infected but not showing symptoms, and vastly reduce both the number of people and the time involved in isolating. When does the Prime Minister think the results from this trial will be available and its benefits extended across the UK?

Question

Can I start with the elections in the United States? Whatever the results, will the Prime Minister join me in saying that it is not for a candidate to decide which votes do and do not count or when to stop counting? The next President must be the free and fair choice of the American people. Can I also express my revulsion at the terrorist attacks in Nice and Vienna? I am sure I speak for the whole House in saying that our thoughts are with all those affected. Of course, Mr Speaker, I join the congratulations on your one-year anniversary. Turning now to covid-19, on 21 September, when the Government's scientific advisers indicated that a circuit break would bring the virus back under control, the number of people who tragically lost their lives to covid-19 was 11. On Monday, 42 days later, the number of people who tragically lost their lives to covid-19 was 397—that is a staggering 35-fold increase. Does the Prime Minister understand the human cost of his delay in acting?

Question

I am sure that nobody wants a lockdown, but it is a question of timing. Had the decision been taken a few weeks ago to put in place a circuit break, it could have been done for two to three weeks and taken advantage of schools being closed over half term. Now the Prime Minister's proposed lockdown will be for at least four weeks, which means that businesses will be closed for longer and in the critical run-up to Christmas. Does the Prime Minister understand the economic cost of his delay in acting?

Question

The Prime Minister's delay in acting is a huge failure of leadership, and it is no good saying that there was support for the tier system. As he well knows, I looked at the evidence and made a decision three weeks ago that the right thing was a circuit break. The direction of travel and the number of infections, hospital admissions and, tragically, deaths have been clear for weeks. But we are where we are. Millions of people across the country are really concerned about the restrictions that will come into force at midnight tonight. I accept that we all have a duty to pull together and try to make this lockdown work, so I just want to ask some basic and direct questions on behalf of those millions of people. First, will the lockdown end on 2 December come what may, or will it depend on the circumstances at the time? People need to know that.

Question

I accept that there will be a vote in the House. That does not tell us anything; that is the process. I want to press the Prime Minister. Is he saying that if, by 2 December, the R rate has not come below 1 and is still rising, we will come out of lockdown come what may, with infection rates going up on 2 December? That does not seem sensible to me.

Question

If the Prime Minister does not fix Test and Trace in the next four weeks, we will face the same problems again. Only 20% of those who should isolate are doing so, and most people do not receive results within 24 hours. What is he going to do to fix this?

Question

Can we find a way to allow safe visits to alleviate isolation and despair? Will the Prime Minister work cross-party to establish a scheme?

Question

Does my right hon. Friend agree that easing congestion with the iPort in Don Valley will help trade flow through the country and support economic recovery?

Question

Will the Scottish Government receive full 80% furlough and payments for self-employed individuals under current eligibility criteria whenever requested?

Question

The Scottish Government have been waiting for clarity on whether Scotland will receive additional money as a result of increased spending from English local government, and there is also no clarity about whether the unlimited payments for business support in England will be made available on a similar demand-led basis. Will the Prime Minister clarify those two points now, and commit to confirming in writing to the Scottish Government today, that access to the furlough scheme will be there if they need it?

Question

Does the Prime Minister recognise the importance of places of worship to my constituents in Wolverhampton and the rest of the country? Does he agree that they should open as soon as practically possible, and will he commend the work that has been done in those places to make them covid-secure?

Question

If every vote is counted in the US election, it is likely that Joe Biden will be the victor. The Prime Minister has a major challenge to build relationships with any incoming Administration. Therefore, in the light of Joe Biden's entirely correct analysis of the impact on the Good Friday agreement of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill, how quickly will the Prime Minister recognise the inevitable and remove those clauses from the Bill?

Question

With the UK terror threat level now at severe following the horrific attacks in Paris and Vienna by cowardly Islamic State terrorists, the whole House joins the Prime Minister in heartfelt solidarity with our French and Austrian allies. Does he agree that here in the UK we must redouble our support for anti-extremism programmes such as Prevent, and does he share my concerns about UK-based TV channels such as the Islam Channel, which just this week was fined by Ofcom for giving airtime to extremist preachers who justify antisemitism, wife beating and female genital mutilation?

Question

I hope that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor now regret their decision not to extend free school meals to cover half-term and will join the richly deserved praise for all those community groups, councils and, indeed, businesses that stepped up to stop our nation's children going hungry last week. Will the Prime Minister now commit to do the right thing at Christmas and extend free school meals to cover that period too?

Question

The Prime Minister will remember watching the new electric London taxi being made in my constituency. He will be pleased to hear that the company has this week started production of a van, but this year has been tough for the automotive sector, with manufacturing output at its lowest level for 25 years. It would benefit massively from the certainty of knowing that components and vehicles will be able to move free of tariffs between the UK and countries of the European Union from the new year. Can the Prime Minister provide good news about concluding a deal with the EU to the sector, its workers and their families?

Question

The Government will be aware that domestic abuse has risen dramatically through the pandemic, with Refuge reporting a 50% increase in hotline use. The Employers' Initiative on Domestic Abuse highlights major dangers for people working from home. Before another English lockdown begins, will the Prime Minister produce a well-resourced plan to address this issue? Will he join me and South Wales police as an Employer's Initiative member to show that no one should live with violence at home?

Question

The Government has acknowledged the importance of supporting disadvantaged children. Will my right hon. Friend give an assurance that we will do whatever it takes to make up for lost ground and never again contemplate closing schools?

Question

SAGE suggested a circuit breaker over six weeks ago, but the Prime Minister has ignored this advice. What will he say to families expecting 12,000 deaths due to his inaction?

Question

Can the Prime Minister confirm that the transition team will work to prevent traffic congestion in Dover, and continue progressing with plans to upgrade Brenley Corner junction and access into Dover along the A2?

Question

Will 80% furlough be available to specific regions beyond December 2nd, should they need to lock down because of increasing infections?

Question

Does the Prime Minister agree that maintaining our commitment to spend 2.4% of GDP on research and development by 2027 will be essential for achieving his vision?

Question

My constituent Rikky Wilson is one of the excluded from grant support despite having built a private coach business with 18 employees and £1 million in turnover before covid. Buses might be just a photo-op for the Prime Minister, but they matter in the north and in Northern Ireland which has announced special funds. Will he do the same? Will he also write to me to explain how we can protect those threatened by personal debt guarantees?

Question

Northern communities have been subject to restrictions for months with disproportionate effects on livelihoods. The importance of the levelling-up agenda is stark; will the Government fast-track infrastructure spending, including Northern Powerhouse Rail and a new train station in Cheadle? Will they formulate a northern economic recovery plan?

Question

Will the Prime Minister commit to undertaking a UK-wide independent review of experiences related to the 1984 miners' strike, including political interference and reconciliation efforts?

Question

Will my right hon. Friend join me in thanking teachers across Elmet and Rothwell, and does he share my frustration that half the laptops remain unused? What can be done to get Leeds City Council to distribute these resources?

Question

Why should people in Greater Manchester receive less help from the government if they go back into tier 3 after December 2nd, given that workplace closures lead to income loss?

Question

When will a decision be made on enabling shorter quarantine periods for covid-negative air passengers, and will he look favourably on this proposal?

Question

Will the Prime Minister condemn Dominic Cummings for undermining public health messaging, facing planning violations, and owing a large unpaid council tax bill?

Question

Levelling up will matter more than ever as we emerge from the pandemic next year, and I was delighted to see the first town deals announced last week. They will deliver transformative investment for places such as Darlington. Will my right hon. Friend prioritise rapid decision making in the cases of Middlesbrough and Loftus, which have applications pending for this vital fund?

Question

While those of us with higher political morals than Captain Hindsight on the Opposition Front Bench have sought to do our collective best during recent times, what does my right hon. Friend believe are the views regarding antisemitism, following the recent Equality and Human Rights Commission report, that the current Leader of the Opposition—a knight of the realm, no less—holds now? Does my right hon. Friend believe that they are any different from those the right hon. and learned Gentleman displayed when serving the right hon. Member for Islington North?

Question

Happy anniversary, Mr Speaker. This week, the Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee stated that centralised contact tracing will always be less effective than a locally driven model. Given the fact that in Wales track and trace cost £32 a head, is run by local authorities and works, whereas the English system cost £1700 a head, is run centrally and does not, when will the Prime Minister introduce a more effective track and trace system driven by local authorities?