PMQs

Question

For 14 years, my constituents in Newcastle-under-Lyme had to suffer flatlining wages, in-work poverty, and a bust economy that served nobody. Can I urge the Deputy Prime Minister to use the Employment Rights Bill to turn the page on the last 14 years, give our businesses the support they need, and finally restore dignity, prosperity and opportunity to the good people of Newcastle-under-Lyme?

Question

I join the Deputy Prime Minister in paying tribute to the bravery of Sir Chris Hoy—he truly is an inspiration to us all. I also echo her comments about the train crash in Powys. What is the Deputy Prime Minister's definition of working people?

Question

The Deputy Prime Minister stood on a manifesto promising not to raise taxes on working people. It now appears that she cannot even define who working people are, so I will give her another go. There are 5 million small business owners in this country; are they working people?

Question

I think the whole House will have heard the Deputy Prime Minister disregard 5 million hard-working small business owners. These are the publicans, the shopkeepers, the family running a local café. None of those count as working people to her. Labour gave a clear commitment not to raise national insurance. The independent Institute for Fiscal Studies has given its view on this. It says that raising employer national insurance is “a tax…on working people.” Even the Chancellor said that raising employer national insurance was a “jobs tax” that will “make each new recruit more expensive and increase the costs to business”. So does the Deputy Prime Minister agree with the IFS and her own Chancellor?

Question

I think we can take it from that answer that the Deputy Prime Minister does not agree with the IFS, and I suppose it should not come as a surprise that she does not agree with her Chancellor, but does she agree with this: “Working people will pay…when employers pass on the hike in national insurance”? Those are her words, so does she at least agree with herself?

Question

The Deputy Prime Minister mentions her policy. Let us be clear: it is a £5 billion hit to the British economy, and that is her own assessment. Following these answers, there will be millions of working people even more worried about the tax rises coming their way in next week's Budget. However, as this is our last exchange across the Dispatch Box, I would like to turn to somebody I hope we can all agree is a hard-working person—His Majesty the King. Will the Deputy Prime Minister join me in sending him best wishes ahead of the Commonwealth summit in Samoa? In particular, will she confirm that this Government recognise the unique role played by the Commonwealth, and will she commit to deepening that relationship, so that, under His Majesty's leadership, we build upon possibly the greatest legacy of the late Queen?

Question

I thank the right hon. Lady for that answer. Our Commonwealth family is brought together by historical and cultural ties—indeed, much like the pair of us. [Interruption.] I will resist the temptation to replicate that. As we look to the Commonwealth's future, we have the opportunity to deepen our economic relationship. Will she assure the House that the Prime Minister will use the summit to continue the work, begun by the last Government, of building deeper economic ties with our Commonwealth friends and allies?

Question

I have heard many heart-rending stories of constituents who had poor palliative care. Will the Deputy Prime Minister agree to set up a commission for palliative and end-of-life care, so that everyone can access the best support when terminally ill?

Question

Our NHS is facing a winter crisis because there are thousands of people in hospitals who should be discharged but cannot be due to lack of care workers. Will the Deputy Prime Minister consider an NHS winter taskforce to end this cycle and improve patient discharge?

Question

An increase in employers' national insurance contributions could affect millions of small businesses, including 18,000 small care providers. Will nothing in the Budget make it harder for vulnerable people to access the care they need?

Question

Next year marks the 200th anniversary of the Stockton to Darlington railway. Will the Deputy Prime Minister join me and others in ensuring no stone is left unturned as we fight for the future of the Hitachi rail factory?

Question

Will the Deputy Prime Minister join me in applauding Labour staff members who campaigned against Donald Trump?

Question

Charities like The Yard in Kirkcaldy provide vital support for disabled children and their families. Does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that tackling this intolerable reality is crucial?

Question

Why does this Labour Government have such a problem with aspiration given recent cuts to pensioner support, taxing of education, and £5 billion in additional business pressures?

Question

I watched in horror as 42,000 people were killed in Gaza, 11,000 of them children. People have been burned alive attached to drips, aid workers have been killed and now families are starving. I asked the Prime Minister last year that the world will not stand by and see the lack of humanitarian assistance. If the Israeli Government will not listen to our Prime Minister's words, what tangible, measurable actions will we take as the UK Government?

Question

Our child protection services have had to deal with a number of cases where parents and carers have argued that their fatal actions were lawful punishment. Will the Deputy Prime Minister bring forward legislation bringing the rest of our country into line with Scotland and Wales, so that all children enjoy unambiguous protection in law against violence?

Question

Last Friday was International Menopause Day and the Government announced Mariella Frostrup as the new menopause employment ambassador. Hopefully, the Deputy Prime Minister will join me in celebrating that appointment, and confirm that this Government will do all they can to keep menopausal women happy, healthy and wonderful.

Question

Charlie from my constituency is an eight-year-old boy with an autism diagnosis who has been out of school for almost a year. He is one of 1,800 children in Surrey missing school because of a lack of appropriate special educational needs provision. Will the Government commit to ending this scandal by properly funding special educational needs provision in next week's Budget?

Question

This morning we woke to more tragic news of deaths in the channel, something we are hearing far too often. Just last month, we saw the death of a pregnant woman and children. What are the Government doing to take on the evil smuggling gangs who are trading in human misery?

Question

Will the Government please continue to work closely with me and West Lindsey district council to ensure that RAF Scampton is sold off in a timely fashion at a fair price, so that we secure the future of the runway, the spaceport and the heritage centre?

Question

In my constituency, hundreds of leaseholders, tenants and shared owners are living in properties with cladding and other defects. Around the country, there are thousands. Their lives are on hold. Many are facing bankruptcy and delaying having children, unable to move. We have had another change in ministerial responsibility. Will the Deputy Prime Minister take a personal lead on keeping on top of this issue?

Question

Shropshire's farmers have been suffering from flooding following 18 months of incredibly wet weather, topped off last Wednesday by a month's worth of rain in 24 hours. They were not eligible for the farming recovery fund, and a freedom of information request found that only £2.1 million of that £50 million has been handed out to farmers. Will the Government consider extending the eligibility of that scheme so that we can keep farmers going when they are deluged by floodwater?

Question

The Government have delivered on their manifesto commitment to introduce the Employment Rights Bill. It includes a historic fair pay agreement for care workers, which will benefit all those who care for older and disabled adults such as those in my constituency. Does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that care workers deserve pay and conditions that match the amazing work they do to support our loved ones to have a fulfilling life?

Question

Last month, a widely reported study from Aston Business School showed that UK goods exports to the EU are 27% down, and imports are 32% lower than they would otherwise have been, thanks to the Conservatives' failed Brexit deal. Will the Deputy Prime Minister tell me what steps the Government are taking as part of their reset with the EU to cut Brexit red tape for small businesses, to help our economy get growing again?

Question

Some 27,000 people in the Cities of London and Westminster live in the private rented sector. After 14 years of neglect and delay, they face damp and mould in their homes, and risk no-fault evictions and out-of-the-blue rent hikes. Does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that the Renters' Rights Bill currently in Committee will transform the lives of private renters and finally rebalance power between tenants and landlords?

Question

Communities across the country, including in Bedfordshire, recently experienced widespread flooding. The village of Maulden in my constituency has experienced an increase in flooding following cumulative housing development. As the Deputy Prime Minister requires communities across the country to build more homes, will she also ensure that those new developments do not increase the flooding risk?

Question

Zoe's Place, in the West Derby area of Liverpool, is a hospice that provides support to sick children and their families. It has been threatened with closure and has to find £5 million by the end of the year. Does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that such hospices need to be on a statutory footing and not reliant on charitable funding?

Question

The Deputy Prime Minister will know that my constituency, and Lincolnshire as a whole, is the breadbasket of Britain, producing 12% of the food consumed across the entire nation, including 30% of the vegetables and 20% of the sugar beet. That is because of the grade 1 and 2 land in Lincolnshire, yet Lincolnshire faces an invasion of giant pylons down the east coast and huge solar developments. Will she meet a delegation of colleagues from Lincolnshire and nearby, including my right hon. Friend the Member for Louth and Horncastle (Victoria Atkins), my hon. Friend the Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Dr Johnson) and the Father of the House, my right hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough (Sir Edward Leigh), so that we can establish that energy security must never be a competitor with food security?