Topical Questions 2020-06-11
2020-06-11
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Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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The question addresses the mismanagement of school reopenings by the government and proposes a national mission to support children's education and social activities.
Given the Cabinet Office's role in coordinating across Government, will the Secretary of State commit to taking up the Leader of the Opposition's call for a national mission to get children active, social and ready for learning this summer by working with charities, clubs, theatres, musicians, libraries, and others?
I am grateful to the hon. Lady and will work not just with the Leader of the Opposition but with others across civil society to ensure that those children who have lost out as a result of not being able to be in school can benefit from appropriate learning in appropriate circumstances.
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Q2
Direct Answer
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The question asks about the commitment to publish statements at the end of each review period explaining the reasoning for amending or maintaining existing regulations.
Given that under amended lockdown regulations, the Government must now review the need for those regulations periodically, will he commit to publishing a statement at the end of each review period?
That is a characteristically good idea from the Chairman of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, and I will discuss it with my Cabinet colleagues.
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Q3
Direct Answer
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The question is about the urgency of actions to address disparities in risk and outcomes for BAME communities affected by COVID-19.
Given that Public Health England's report on covid-19 disparities did not include recommendations, where is the urgency? What date will we see a clear, detailed action plan?
We know that many frontline workers have come from BAME communities, who have been disproportionately affected both by the spread of the virus and its severity. We need to develop a more sophisticated scientific and medical understanding of why this happens and protect those communities.
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Q4
Direct Answer
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The question is about the commitment to supporting the Education Secretary in getting children back to school.
Does my right hon. Friend agree that getting children back to school is vital? Will he commit to marshalling all central Government resources to support the Education Secretary?
We all need to do more to ensure that children can be in appropriate environments, learning, growing and developing. My right hon. Friend the Education Secretary is utterly committed to this goal.
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Q5
Direct Answer
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The question is about facilitating or restricting the ability of the Scottish Parliament to seek additional powers under the devolution settlement, particularly regarding economic recovery.
To enable restart and recovery, will the UK facilitate that the Scottish Parliament seeks additional powers under the devolution settlement?
We know that if Scotland were independent, it would have one of the largest budget deficits in Europe. It is only in the interests of the Scottish people to maintain our Union and the power of the Treasury to support citizens across the UK.
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Q6
Direct Answer
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The question is about confirming the principle that the UK will control who fishes in its waters after leaving the EU.
To revitalise the Lowestoft and East Anglian fishing industry, can my right hon. Friend confirm that the UK's control over fishing in our waters remains non-negotiable?
It absolutely does. I know that my hon. Friend has spoken up passionately for fishermen in Lowestoft and indeed for inshore fishermen across the United Kingdom.
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Q7
Direct Answer
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The Confederation of British Industry warned about the negative economic consequences of a no-deal Brexit during the ongoing covid crisis.
What economic analysis have the Government done on the likely impact of a no-deal Brexit in the middle of a covid crisis?
We cannot have a no-deal Brexit because we had a Brexit deal that was agreed and voted on in the House of Commons, which is why we left the European Union on 31 January.
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Assessment & feedback
The questioner's concern about economic analysis and potential impact of no-deal Brexit was not addressed.
Sticking To A Statement About Leaving The Eu With An Agreement
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Q8
Direct Answer
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The questioner seeks confirmation on the government's commitment to level-up initiatives and economic recovery post-covid.
Will my right hon. Friend reaffirm that as we come out of the lockdown due to coronavirus and rebuild our economy, the Government will do so in a way that levels up and works for all parts of our country and society, especially those in Rother Valley, as we pledged to do in the general election campaign?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. One of the sad phenomena of last two or three decades is the way in which divisions in our society have grown deeper. It is vital that we heal, unify and level up, never more so than after the coronavirus pandemic. The communities of Rother Valley and others in South Yorkshire are at the heart of the Government's commitment to making sure that opportunity is more equal.
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Q9
Direct Answer
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The questioner refers to a report highlighting the need for more coherence in addressing social inequalities.
The right hon. Gentleman will have read yesterday's damning report from the Social Mobility Commission, which highlights a failure of coherence and effort across Government to address this important agenda. Will he put his personal authority and the weight of his Department behind developing and supporting a cross-Government strategy to ensure that we narrow inequalities and injustices?
The hon. Lady is absolutely right. I know that even before she was in this House she had a very distinguished career in speaking up for the disadvantaged, particularly children and young people, who need the helping hand of Government as well as the support of civil society in order to achieve everything they can. She is absolutely right: there is much more that we need to do.
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Q10
Direct Answer
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The questioner inquires about the progress of setting up a joint biosecurity centre to control localized covid-19 outbreaks.
Would my right hon. Friend outline progress in setting up the joint biosecurity centre, and how can we ensure that its work in controlling localised covid-19 outbreaks extends across the United Kingdom?
The joint biosecurity centre is a very welcome addition to the armoury of weapons that the UK Government have in fighting this infection. It is the case that, for the JBC to work effectively, it needs to work across the whole United Kingdom. I can confirm that devolved Administration chief medical officers and Health Ministers have been working very successfully with the Secretary of State for Health in order to ensure that information can be shared in a way that benefits us all.
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Q11
Direct Answer
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The questioner highlights an issue with the test, track and trace system not providing detailed local information to councils for effective action.
We know that test, track and trace has been slow to get to where it is, but we are glad it has started. However, the key thing, whatever happens centrally, is local tracking and tracing. Hackney Council is a pioneer borough, and we are really pleased that that is the case, but what is critical is that we are not getting the data that will help us track people. For example—forgive the long question, Mr Speaker—if an individual is tracked as having been close to someone who has tested positive, all Hackney gets is the information that they live in the borough of Hackney. That is not enough to act on. When will boroughs get that detailed localised information from central track and trace so that they can act and help attack this virus?
I am very grateful to the hon. Lady for raising that point. I will be talking to the team who are operating the JBC later today, and I will raise that specific point with them. I am really grateful to her for raising it with me.
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Q12
Direct Answer
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The questioner acknowledges local authorities for their roles during the pandemic and asks for government recognition of their efforts.
Would my right hon. Friend agree that the work of the UK Government during the coronavirus crisis has been hugely assisted by the excellent performance of local authorities across the UK, including, in my constituency, Wrexham County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council, and all the town and community councils across Clwyd South?
I know that in both Wrexham and Denbighshire there have been recent incidences of the spread of infection that have been concerning, and I know that my hon. Friend, along with colleagues in local government, has been highly effective in making sure that we deal with those in the most appropriate way. He is absolutely right: it is joint working with effective local councils and energetic Members of Parliament like himself that is critical to making sure that we deal with this infection.
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Q13
Direct Answer
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The questioner highlights the role of local people, charities, and public services in managing the crisis.
In order to save lives, the covid crisis has actually seen the Government take, I think, the most difficult decision—to deprive people of their freedom—since the second world war. Now, as central Government take a strategic lead to set out the road to recovery, would my right hon. Friend agree with me that the real heroes of the piece are local people, charities and public services, such as the new Buckinghamshire Council and the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, and should they not be recognised for their amazing work, which has brought out the best in our society and helped everyone?
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. I know that people in Chesham and Amersham, and elsewhere in Buckinghamshire, have benefited from her advocacy and from the energetic work of the local authority. She is right that we will, in appropriate time, need to recognise the commitment of those in civil society and elsewhere.
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