Commons Sense

House of Commons · PMQs

PMQs

Wednesday 22 June 2022 · 26 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 7 Partly answered 9 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Chris Elmore (Labour) questioned the Prime Minister about appointing his spouse to a government post or royal household position.
  • Julie Marson asked the Prime Minister to redouble the Government's focus on initiatives that deliver economic, social, and fiscal value.
  • Keir Starmer (Labour) criticized the Prime Minister for the economic situation in Wakefield and the railway strikes.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chris Elmore Lab Bridgend
Standards & Ethics
Context

No specific background context provided.

Question

Has the Prime Minister ever considered the appointment of his current spouse to a Government post or to any organisation in one of the royal households? Be honest, Prime Minister—yes or no?

Answer from Boris Johnson

I know why Labour Members want to talk about non-existent jobs in the media—because they do not want to talk about what is going on in the real world. I am proud to say that we now have 620,000 more people in payroll employment than before the pandemic began, which would never have been possible if we had listened to the Leader of the Opposition.

Not addressed: The Prime Minister did not answer whether he has considered appointing his spouse to a Government post.

How: Changing Subject, Attacking Opposition

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Q2 Julie Marson
Economy Mental Health
Context

The UK is the global leader in social outcomes contracts, which can deliver public services across various areas.

Question

According to Big Society Capital, every £1 the Government have spent in this way has delivered £10 in further economic, social and fiscal value, including £3 in direct savings to Government. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the time is right for the Government to redouble their focus on this outcomes-led commissioning?

Answer from Boris Johnson

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to champion this type of approach, which makes a real difference to people's lives and people suffering from mental health issues, helping them to find a route back into work. That is why we are commissioning more initiatives through funds such as the life chances fund, helping those people in society who face the biggest barriers to have happy and productive lives.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Prime Minister did not commit to specific actions or figures for redoubling focus on outcomes-led commissioning.

How: General Support

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Q3 Keir Starmer Lab Holborn and St Pancras
Transport Democracy & Elections
Context

The Conservative candidate for Wakefield faces internal criticism within the party.

Question

Can I join the Prime Minister in his comments about Windrush, and pay tribute to everyone who is serving and has served in our armed forces? Can I also pay tribute to everyone standing for election tomorrow and in particular the plucky Conservative candidate for Wakefield? He is standing, even though his own colleagues think he is so useless that they held a vote of no confidence in him. Does the Prime Minister hold any personal interest in seeing if the public will vote for a Tory who even his own side do not think is up to it?

Answer from Boris Johnson

I have absolutely no doubt that the people of this country, and the people of Wakefield and of Tiverton and Honiton, would much rather vote for a solid Conservative Government than a Labour party and its enablers and acolytes in the Liberal Democrats—the karma chameleons of British politics—when the leader of the Labour party has not even got the gumption to speak out against the rail strikes that have caused so much damage to the people in the north of this country and up and down the country. There is unbelievable silence from the leader of the Labour party.

Not addressed: The Prime Minister did not answer whether he has a personal stake in the outcome of the Wakefield election.

How: Attacking Opposition, Changing Subject

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Q4 Keir Starmer Lab Holborn and St Pancras
Economy Transport
Context

The Prime Minister has crashed the economy and increased taxes.

Question

The Prime Minister has obviously not been to Wakefield recently. He has crashed the economy and he has put everybody's tax up. The last Tory he sent up to Wakefield was convicted of a sexual assault. That is not much of a pitch, Prime Minister. Talking of people not up to the job, while the Transport Secretary spends his time working on his spreadsheet tracking the Prime Minister's unpopularity, thousands of families have had their holiday flights cancelled, it takes forever to renew a driving licence or passport and now we have the biggest rail strike in 30 years. If the Prime Minister is genuine—[Interruption.]

Answer from Boris Johnson

This is the Government who love the railways and who invest in the railways. We are putting £96 billion into the integrated railway plan. I am proud to have built Crossrail, by the way, and we are going to build Northern Powerhouse Rail, but we have got to modernise our railways. It is a disgrace, when we are planning to make sure that we do not have ticket offices that sell fewer than one ticket every hour, that yesterday the right hon. and learned Gentleman had 25 Labour MPs out on the picket line, defying instructions—[Interruption.]

Not addressed: The Prime Minister did not address issues related to economic management or transportation.

How: Attacking Opposition, Changing Subject

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Q5 Keir Starmer Lab Holborn and St Pancras
Policing & Resources Transport
Context

There are significant rail strikes ongoing.

Question

I am surprised the Prime Minister is giving me advice about my team. If I do need advice, let us say, about a £100,000 job at the Foreign Office, I will ask him for a recommendation.<br/><br/>There you have it, Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister of this country and his Transport Secretary have not attended a single meeting, held a conversation or lifted a finger to stop these strikes. But I did note that on Monday they found time to go to a lavish ball, where the Prime Minister sold a meeting with himself for £120,000 to a donor. If there is money coming his way, he is there. When it comes to the country, he is nowhere to be seen. Rather than blame everyone else, why does he not do his job, get round the table and get the trains running?

Answer from Boris Johnson

We are making sure that we do everything we can to prevent these strikes. As the right hon. and learned Gentleman knows, it is up to the railway companies to negotiate—that is their job. We spent £16 billion looking after the railways throughout the pandemic. That has cost every household £600. We know why he takes the line he does; we know why he will not condemn the strikes; and we know why, even now, he does not have the gumption to call out his MPs who are going out to support the pickets. The reason his authority is on the line in this matter is that the Opposition take £10 million from the unions. That is the fee that he is receiving for the case he is failing to make.

Not addressed: The Prime Minister did not provide any concrete plans or actions to stop rail strikes.

How: Attacking Opposition, Changing Subject

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Q6 Keir Starmer Lab Holborn and St Pancras
Employment Transport
Context

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury said there is a “society-wide responsibility” for people to take a pay cut. The right hon. Member for North East Cambridgeshire (Steve Barclay), chief of staff, is trying to change the law to get bankers' bonuses increased.

Question

The Prime Minister cannot help himself. There is a huge problem facing the country, and all he is interested in doing is blaming everyone else. Can he not hear the country screaming at him, “Get on with your job!”? While he blames everyone and anyone, working people are paying the price. This week, his Chief Secretary to the Treasury said that there is a “society-wide responsibility” for people to take a pay cut. At the same time, his chief of staff, the right hon. Member for North East Cambridgeshire (Steve Barclay), is trying to change the law to get bankers' bonuses increased. So come one, only one of them can be right: is it his Chief Secretary to the Treasury, who says that every worker needs a pay cut, or is it his chief of staff, who says that every banker needs a pay rise?

Answer from Boris Johnson

Actually, under this Government, 5 million public sector workers are getting a pay rise. We have increased the living wage by £1,000 and we have increased universal credit so that people get £1,000 more. Thanks to the fiscal firepower that we have, we are putting £1,200 more into every one of the 8 million most vulnerable households in the country. That is what we can do because of the tough decisions that we have taken. But meantime, what we are also trying to do is cut the cost of transport, which is a big part of people's weekly outgoings, by reforming our railways. That is what we are trying to do, but the right hon. and learned Gentleman is standing with the strikers and lifting the cost of transport for everybody. That is the reality.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Prime Minister did not address the contradiction between his Chief Secretary's statement on pay cuts and chief of staff's push to increase bankers' bonuses.

How: General Support, Changing Subject

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Q7 Keir Starmer Lab Holborn and St Pancras
NHS Economy Employment
Context

The Prime Minister's chief of staff has stated that removing the cap on bankers' bonuses reflects a new approach, which Keir Starmer criticizes as prioritizing financial interests over workers.

Question

Pay rises for city bankers, pay cuts for district nurses—that is the new approach. I did not see that on any leaflets in Wakefield. But this has not come from nowhere, because according to the Financial Times, on 7 June last year, the Prime Minister was directly lobbied for the cap to be lifted. Rather than help working people, he has rolled over on bankers' bonuses, has he not?

Answer from Boris Johnson

What we are actually doing, thanks to the decisions we have taken, is putting more money into the pockets of people up and down the country—£1,200 more for the 8 million most vulnerable households. The reason we can do that is because we took the tough decisions necessary to come out of the pandemic faster than any other European country.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Prime Minister did not address whether he was swayed by lobbyists in lifting the cap on bankers' bonuses.

How: Under Review, Working With Partners

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Q8 Keir Starmer Lab Holborn and St Pancras
Taxation Employment
Context

Keir Starmer is criticizing the current government's policies, stating that they are focused on increasing bankers' bonuses while ignoring issues such as strikes and real-terms pay cuts for armed forces personnel.

Question

Fifteen tax rises, high tax, low wages, low growth—that sums the Prime Minister's Government up. Working people are paying more tax under this Government, and now they are told to take a pay cut. He is having meetings about increasing bankers' bonuses, but he cannot find time for a single meeting to end the strikes crippling the country.

Answer from Boris Johnson

How absolutely satirical that the right hon. and learned Gentleman should talk about our support for the armed forces when we have increased our funding for our armed forces by a record sum since the end of the cold war, and when eight of the shadow Front Bench team—eight of the shadow Front Bench—actually want to get rid of our nuclear deterrent.

Not addressed: The Prime Minister did not address why he focuses on increasing bankers' bonuses while ignoring workers' issues.

How: Changed Subject

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Q9 Andrew Jones Con
Transport
Context

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, there has been progress in rail services with new rolling stock and more frequent services. However, some services have been lost due to the pandemic, leading to a focus on driver training.

Question

For years in Harrogate and Knaresborough, we had the Labour no-growth Northern rail franchise. We now have new rolling stock, and more and better services. We have, though, seen some lost as the industry has had to suspend some services while it catches up on driver training lost during the pandemic. Strikes just take us back to the 1970s, so will the Prime Minister's focus on the future ensure that we have apprenticeship schemes focusing on engineering and driver training to ensure that we recover the services lost, and that we have an industry that is focused on efficiency and embraces technology for the future?

Answer from Boris Johnson

My hon. Friend knows exactly of what he speaks, and we are doing just that. We are reforming train driver training to make entry into the sector simpler, while continuing, of course, to make sure that we meet vital safety requirements.

Answered
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Q10 Ian Blackford SNP
Economy Scotland
Context

With UK inflation at a 40-year high, Ian Blackford is questioning the government's responsibility for the poor economic performance compared to European neighbours.

Question

May I associate myself with the remarks of the Prime Minister and the leader of the Labour party as we mark Armed Services Week? We thank all our service personnel for the services that they give. On Windrush Day, we celebrate all those who have made Scotland and the UK their home. My party backs calls for a major commemoration for the 75th anniversary next year so we can properly mark the valued contribution that those who came here have made. This morning, it was revealed that UK inflation is now at a 40-year high. Families right across these islands are seeing their incomes squeezed as prices rise, bills soar, and Tory cuts and tax hikes hammer home. After 12 years in government, the Tories have left the UK economy in the doldrums and pushed millions of people into poverty, so can I ask the Prime Minister: does he think his Government bear any blame for the fact that the United Kingdom is doing so much worse than our European neighbours?

Answer from Boris Johnson

Actually, as I think the whole House knows and the whole country knows, we have a global inflationary problem, but this Government have the fiscal firepower to deal with it. That is, I think, of benefit to the whole of the United Kingdom, including Scotland, as we have seen throughout the pandemic, and I think it is a matter of fact that taxes are actually highest of all in Scotland.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Prime Minister did not directly acknowledge whether his government bears blame for UK economic performance lagging behind other countries.

How: Under Review, Working With Partners

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Q11 Ian Blackford SNP
Economy Brexit
Context

The UK economy is facing challenges including high inflation, wage cuts, and a report from the Resolution Foundation and the London School of Economics highlighting the negative impacts of Brexit.

Question

Well, actually, that is not true. Of course, the Prime Minister can make all the excuses he likes, but the fact is that the UK economy is lagging behind on his watch. If he looks at France, inflation is less than 6% there. This morning's report from the Resolution Foundation and the London School of Economics is the latest in a string of devastating reports on the outlook for the UK economy. The report could not be clearer. The Tory Government's disastrous Brexit is driving wages down, pushing inflation up and will make us poorer over the next decade, but instead of reversing course, the Prime Minister is recklessly threatening a trade war at the worst possible time. Will he finally come to his senses and negotiate an economic agreement with the EU, or is he going to wilfully—wilfully—push the UK into recession?

Answer from Boris Johnson

Nobody wants a trade war, nor is there any need for one. I am afraid the right hon. Gentleman is underestimating what this country is currently achieving—not just the Moderna investment, but record venture capital investment in this country, which has now overtaken China as a venue for venture capital investment, to say nothing of what we are getting in tech, and of course the benefits of that are being felt throughout the whole of the United Kingdom.

Not addressed: The Prime Minister did not address whether he will negotiate an economic agreement with the EU.

How: Changed Subject

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Q12 John Lamont Con Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Transport Scotland
Context

The Scottish Borders needs improved transport connectivity for levelling up.

Question

I support the Government's work to level up all parts of the UK. For my constituency in Scotland, improved transport connectivity is key, so will the PM confirm his government's support for improvements to the cross-border A1 road and feasibility study for extending the Borders railway to Hawick?

Answer from Boris Johnson

The Department for Transport is working with Transport Scotland on the possible extension of the Borders railway to Carlisle. On the A1, a decision will be made later this year.

Partly answered
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Q13 Caroline Lucas Green
Immigration Ukraine
Context

There is a backlog of 23,000 applications under the Afghan relocations and assistance policy, with just two out of 3,000 having been processed since April. Staff working on the scheme have been slashed by a quarter.

Question

With a backlog of 23,000 ARAP applications and only two processed since April, can I send casework for people from Chevening Alumni to the PM? Will he put more resources into the scheme? Will he lift the cap on the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme?

Answer from Boris Johnson

The country is doing a generous welcome for people from Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Hong Kong. The PM will look at the cases but does not specify lifting the cap on the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme.

Not addressed: Lifting the cap on the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme

How: Changed Subject To Broader Welcome

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Q14 Andy Carter
Policing & Resources
Context

There has been an almost 50% increase in arrests for domestic abuse in Cheshire thanks to sustained police officer recruitment.

Question

Will the Prime Minister update on how many more officers have been recruited since he became PM, including numbers specifically for Cheshire?

Answer from Boris Johnson

13,576 police officers have been recruited nationally, with 200 additional officers in Cheshire.

Answered
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Q15 Stephen Farry
Northern Ireland Standards & Ethics
Context

The Prime Minister has made clear his commitment to all aspects of the Good Friday agreement, including the European convention on human rights being part of domestic law.

Question

How can the PM stand over a commitment to all aspects of the Good Friday agreement when the Justice Secretary is about to publish a Bill that unpicks and disapplies the Human Rights Act in domestic law?

Answer from Boris Johnson

The hon. Member is mistaken; he will find an error in what he said when the Justice Secretary makes his statement.

How: Said Hon. Member Was Incorrect

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Q16 Alexander Stafford
Economy Employment
Context

Thanks to £11 million investment from the Government levelling-up fund, Rother Valley will benefit from a cutting-edge skills and employment village and an incubator space.

Question

Will my right hon. Friend pledge his support for high wage, high skilled jobs in Rother Valley? Will he visit Rother Valley to see levelling up in action?

Answer from Boris Johnson

The agenda of levelling up across the whole country will get young people into good jobs, but no specific pledge or date for a visit to Rother Valley.

Partly answered

How: Broad Statements On Levelling Up

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Q17 Kate Osborne Lab Jarrow and Gateshead East
Economy Employment
Context

Tens of thousands protested against the Government, rail workers are on strike, Royal Mail workers and NHS staff are on verge of taking industrial action. Ministers plan to boost City bosses' pay while demanding wage restraint.

Question

When will the Prime Minister stop giving meaningless soundbites and start supporting working people across the country?

Answer from Boris Johnson

If she wants to support working people, she should get off the picket line, talk to her party leader, and support reducing transport costs for travellers.

How: Told Mp To Get Off The Picket Line

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Q18 Chris Green Con
Economy Climate
Context

Many countries around the world, including Germany and China, gain a competitive advantage by burning lignite. The UK holds back its industry and exports carbon emissions.

Question

Does my right hon. Friend share concerns about holding back British industry and exporting carbon emissions overseas in the name of net zero?

Answer from Boris Johnson

Reducing CO2 emissions in this country, but importing coal does not make sense.

Partly answered

How: Focused On Reducing Uk Emissions

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Q19 Colleen Fletcher Lab
Transport Energy Business & Trade
Context

The west midlands gigafactory project aims to create skilled jobs in Coventry by 2025. The Prime Minister previously visited the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre in Coventry.

Question

We are proudly the UK's leading centre for vehicle battery innovation; if this Government want this vital sector to survive, will the Prime Minister give a concrete guarantee for resources needed for the west midlands gigafactory project?

Answer from Boris Johnson

We do actively support gigafactories because I believe they can be a huge advantage for the UK economy. There is one in Blyth, and we are working with authorities in Coventry to get a successful result there.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Prime Minister did not confirm concrete support or resource commitments for the west midlands gigafactory project.

How: Working With Authorities

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Q20 Bill Wiggin Con
Education Transport
Context

Students in Hereford Sixth Form College rely on trains for their exams this week. Train workers are striking, causing potential disruptions.

Question

What can my right hon. Friend do to ensure that these young people doing GCSEs and A-levels are not punished by the train strikers?

Answer from Boris Johnson

No exams have been cancelled due to strikes. Schools should allow late arrivals to sit exams, and exam boards will determine if the paper can be marked based on how late the student has arrived. If a student misses an exam completely, schools can apply for grades calculated from other assessments.

Answered
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Q21 George Howarth Lab
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

Problems arose during the European cup final in Paris. Initial reports blamed Liverpool fans for disorder, but these claims have been disproved.

Question

Does he agree that both the French and UEFA authorities' attempts to blame Liverpool fans for the failure to keep order at the stadium has been comprehensively disproved? Will he ensure that the French failure to police the event is roundly condemned?

Answer from Boris Johnson

Initial accounts of what took place were completely debunked and proved incorrect regarding Liverpool fans. The French authorities issued a full apology.

Answered
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Q22 Desmond Swayne Con New Forest West
Brexit Democracy & Elections
Context

The UK has a policy of taking back control, but it is unclear whether this applies to the European Court of Human Rights as well.

Question

Does he agree that taking back control should apply to the European Court of Human Rights too?

Answer from Boris Johnson

My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister will say more about this in a moment.

Not addressed: The Prime Minister deferred to his deputy prime minister and did not provide an answer himself.

How: Will Say More Later

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Q23 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Immigration Foreign Affairs
Context

A former Supreme Court judge in Afghanistan who successfully prosecuted terrorists submitted an ARAP application seven months ago and has not heard back.

Question

His only option is a perilous journey to Pakistan, where he will be deported if his visa is refused. Will the Prime Minister meet me and the former judge's family to see how we can save his life?

Answer from Boris Johnson

The case sounds extremely meritorious. The hon. Lady will have a meeting with the Ministry of Defence and we will do our best to expedite the application.

Answered
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Q24 Ben Spencer Con Runnymede and Weybridge
Housing Energy
Context

Pitch fees for park home residents are currently determined by the retail prices index. Residents have not been benefiting from the energy grant.

Question

When will the Government address the injustice of pitch fees being determined by the RPI, and how will they ensure that all those residents can benefit from the energy grant?

Answer from Boris Johnson

As soon as parliamentary time allows, we will introduce legislation. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has undertaken research on impacts of a change.

Answered
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Q25 Carolyn Harris Lab Neath and Swansea East
NHS
Context

The Prime Minister signed the Wellbeing of Women menopause workplace pledge. Hormone replacement therapy single annual payment has been delayed until April 2023.

Question

Will the Prime Minister introduce a single annual payment for hormone replacement therapy now, rather than making women wait until April 2023?

Answer from Boris Johnson

The Health Secretary is accelerating work of the HRT taskforce to give people reassurance and treatment.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No commitment to expedite introduction of a single annual payment for HRT was given.

How: Accelerating Work

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Q26 Dean Russell
Mental Health
Context

The Diana Award is raising awareness of bullying in schools and online with its “Don't Face It Alone” campaign.

Question

Will the Prime Minister join me in encouraging any young person experiencing bullying to speak up and speak out?

Answer from Boris Johnson

Everyone understands that bullying is an appalling experience. We should give everyone the courage to speak out against it.

Answered
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