PMQs

Question

When I was a spear carrier in the Brexit referendum campaign led by my right hon. Friend, we assured the British people that a trade deal was entirely achievable, so may I urge him to make one last effort? Surely that deal is achievable, because we have no intention of lowering our standards, but the EU should know this: if, consistent with national security, he cannot secure that deal for us, this parliamentary party will back him to the hilt, because strength comes with unity.

Question

I join the Prime Minister in his comments about the vaccine roll-out. It was fantastic to see the first person, Margaret Keenan, receive the vaccine yesterday. It is a huge national effort, and I want to thank everybody who has been involved with it. Mr Speaker, I also want to thank you and the House authorities for enabling me to participate today, notwithstanding the fact that I am self-isolating. A year ago, the Prime Minister stood on the steps of Downing Street and promised the country “a permanent break from talking about Brexit”. Can the Prime Minister tell us: how is that going?

Question

It is Camden, not Islington. The Prime Minister starts straightaway by deflecting—it is the same old, same old, whether on covid or Brexit. Twelve months ago, he told the British people that he had an “oven-ready deal”. He did not say he had half a deal or that the next stage would be very, very difficult. In fact, he faced the British people and told them, before the election, that the chances of no deal were “absolutely zero”. The Chancellor, as he is now, obviously took him at his word, because the Chancellor said in the run-up to the election: “We won't need to plan for no-deal because we…have a deal.” So a year on, why should anyone who trusted the Prime Minister when he said he had a deal, including his Chancellor, apparently, believe a word he says now?

Question

Oh, I see. Apparently, “Get Brexit done” just meant the first part of it—the easy bit. I do not remember that being written on the bulldozer at the time. Last September, the Prime Minister actually hit the nail on the head when he said that leaving without a deal would be a “failure of statecraft”. It would be—it would be a total failure—and it will be the British people who pay the price. Does the Prime Minister agree with his own spending watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility, that the cost of that failure—of leaving the EU with no deal—would be higher unemployment, higher inflation and a smaller economy?

Question

Yesterday INEOS, a major employer in this country, announced that it will not build the new Grenadier car in Bridgend and will move production to France instead, resulting in hundreds of skilled jobs lost. Can the Prime Minister tell us how many more British jobs have to go overseas before he gets on with delivering the Brexit deal that he promised?

Question

The Government knew months ago that they needed 50,000 customs agents trained and ready from 1 January—deal or no deal. Can the Prime Minister tell the House how many of the 50,000 agents will be in place on 1 January?

Question

Will the PM end this charade? In that uncertainty, will he get the deal that he promised and allow the country to move on?

Question

Will my right hon. Friend consider starting construction from the north? This would be good for jobs in the north and connectivity with the east midlands, all driving the levelling-up agenda.

Question

Why is Scotland being shafted by this double dealing? Can the Prime Minister explain to Scottish businesses why this is fair?

Question

Why has the government's programme failed to recognise the impact on organisations across Bristol South? Members of his Scottish branch office told him how unfair and damaging it would be to deny Scotland's access to the EU single market and customs union while at the same time delivering it for Northern Ireland. The former Scottish Tory constitution spokesperson said that it would be the end of the Union.

Question

I am supporting “Turn on the Subtitles”—a campaign led by my Bishop's Stortford constituent Henry Warren. There is a wealth of evidence that default same-language subtitling can have a dramatic effect on children's literacy, particularly for disadvantaged children. I know that that is a great priority for the Prime Minister, given the potential impact of covid on the attainment gap. Will he support a Government consultation to turn on the subtitles in order to really explore this potentially transformative opportunity?

Question

Last week, we learned that UK Export Finance has been approached to back the east African crude oil pipeline. This is a climate catastrophe that will produce emissions equivalent to all the UK's annual flights. Not only that, but a recent response to one of my written parliamentary questions confirmed that UKEF has six more fossil fuel projects under consideration. Ahead of the climate ambition summit this weekend, how can the Prime Minister claim any climate credibility while ploughing public money into dirty fossil fuel projects overseas?

Question

Will my right hon. Friend confirm that our future immigration policy will welcome law abiding citizens of other countries to our country, and that those who come to this country and are subsequently convicted of serious crimes, including rape and murder, should expect to be removed from this country to keep our citizens safe?

Question

Why does the Prime Minister think we have now seen 15 consecutive polls showing majority support for Scottish independence?

Question

Staffordshire is currently in tier 3, so unfortunately, due to restrictions, many local businesses are either unable to open or having to operate differently, which is having a significant impact on my constituents' lives and livelihoods. So will the Prime Minister commit to providing sufficient testing in Staffordshire to help us to get out of tier 3 as soon as possible, and will he assure me that he will do all he can to support businesses and protect jobs in Stafford, as well as creating new employment opportunities for young people after 31 December?

Question

I am concerned about the use of GDP as an abstract measure for understanding prosperity. With a 15% drop in UK GDP due to the pandemic, we have lost 184,000 car sales relative to Germany and 100,000 compared to France. Behind these numbers are jobs and businesses. How does the Prime Minister explain this economic performance?

Question

I commend my right hon. Friend's clean, green industrial revolution plan and ask for his support in delivering a 26-hectare renewable energy manufacturing hub at Oldside in the port of Workington, continuing our promises from last year when I turned Workington blue.

Question

I ask him, on behalf of those who want to see an independent Scotland: could he please take a bow and accept our many thanks?

Question

Three and a half years since the Grenfell fire, 3.6 million leaseholders still live in potentially dangerous properties. The £1 billion set aside for remediation expires on 31 December this year but will be insufficient to cover costs. Will my right hon. Friend set out what plan there is for next year? Will he guarantee that leaseholders will not have to pay a penny towards the cost of replacing unsafe cladding?

Question

Analysis shows only one in six pupils on free school meals will benefit from current catch-up programmes. Does the Prime Minister agree this is not good enough and can he explain why we are in this situation nine months after schools reopened?

Question

I wonder whether my right hon. Friend, were he to find a small gap in his very busy diary, would join me on a visit to the Black Country Living Museum, where I would introduce him to a plate of Black Country battered chips and a pint of Holden's Golden Glow, all after he has reviewed the arrangements that the museum has made to become a covid vaccination centre.

Question

Mr Speaker, I know you are a strong supporter of the Falkland Islands. The Falkland Islands face the prospect of their fisheries exports to the European Union being subject to tariffs of between 6% and 18% from 1 January. Fisheries exports to the EU account for more than 40% of the islands' GDP, and up to 60% of their Government's revenue. This poses a serious challenge to the Falkland Islands. Will the Prime Minister raise this matter when he meets with the President of the European Commission later?

Question

The Prime Minister is aware of the continuing concern in rural communities, such as those in North East Hertfordshire, about intentional unauthorised development where caravans suddenly appear on land without planning permission. Many of my constituents and I support proposal 24 in the planning White Paper, which proposes new powers for councils to tackle this. Will the Prime Minister put his authority behind it so these changes can be made as soon as possible?

Question

Could the Prime Minister kindly explain to the people of tier 3 Birmingham, with a population of over 1 million and where almost 2,000 have lost their life, why he has not considered them a priority for receipt of the vaccine?

Question

Conservative colleagues across Derbyshire have been working very hard on our bid for community testing to help us tackle covid. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that the bid from Derbyshire County Council receives the resources and attention we need to help us in our fight to get out of tier 3?

Question

Real-terms pay cuts for millions of public sector workers, an insulting 37p increase in benefit levels and broken promises on minimum wage increases show that the Prime Minister wants to pay for this crisis on the backs of the working class. Would it not be fairer to impose a windfall tax on the wealth of the super-rich and on those who have made super-profits out of the covid crisis, including those who won contracts because of their links to top Tories?

Question

It has been almost 12 months since I and many of my colleagues were elected to this House for the first time, and it was a great privilege to deliver my maiden speech on Second Reading of the Environment Bill and be on the Bill Committee for this landmark piece of legislation. Does my right hon. Friend agree that protecting the environment is not only a moral duty but presents an economic opportunity, including the creation of jobs for my constituents in Meriden?

Question

Many constituents, especially those emanating from the Punjab and other parts of India, were horrified, as I was, to see footage of water cannon, tear gas and brute force being used against peacefully protesting farmers. However, it was heart-warming to see those very farmers feeding those forces who had been ordered to beat or suppress them. What indomitable spirit—it takes a special kind of people to do that. Will the Prime Minister convey to the Indian Prime Minister our heartfelt anxieties and our hopes for a speedy resolution to the current deadlock? Does he agree that everyone has a fundamental right to peaceful protest?

Question

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn is at the heart of our local community, but it is in need of urgent modernisation. Most recently, cracks in the concrete roof have led to the closure of the physiotherapy gym. With his enthusiasm for building hospitals, can my right hon. Friend offer the people of west Norfolk hope and back our bid to build our future hospital?