Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Corbyn raises concerns about antisemitism, celebrates Chinese New Year, and questions the fairness of universal credit for low-income workers receiving bonuses.
Next Monday is Holocaust Memorial Day. Does the Prime Minister join me in condemning racism? Regarding Greggs workers receiving a £300 bonus, how much should they be allowed to keep under Universal Credit?
I join in condemning racism. Regarding Greggs, this Government increased the living wage by an extra £1,000 a year for those on it, while also cutting national insurance contributions to help low-income earners keep more of their earnings.
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Assessment & feedback
The actual impact of Universal Credit and its effects on bonuses were not fully addressed beyond general statements about making work pay.
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Q2
Direct Answer
How can the Prime Minister justify that workers at Greggs earning low wages cannot keep their bonuses under Universal Credit? The Resolution Foundation reports serious distress caused by Universal Credit, with many claiming to be starving.
Universal Credit has helped 200,000 people into jobs and reduced poverty by 400,000 under this government. The system is made simpler through employment growth, with the number of unemployed people massively reduced.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific concerns about bonuses and delays in payments were not directly addressed.
Response accuracy
Q3
Direct Answer
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Corbyn criticizes the universal credit system, citing its failure to meet its aims of making work pay and reducing poverty.
Universal credit had three aims: make work pay, be simple, and reduce poverty. Low-paid workers are not allowed to keep their bonuses, it has created mind-numbing complexity, and is driving people to food banks. When will the Government accept that universal credit is broken, damaging, and dangerous?
The right hon. Gentleman wants to keep people in the welfare trap instead of helping them into work. This Government deliver on priorities: 40 new hospitals, 50,000 more nurses and 20,000 more police officers. The Labour party is still split about EU membership.
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Assessment & feedback
Universal credit system failures
Redirecting To Unrelated Topics
Criticizing The Opposition
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Q4
Direct Answer
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The Peak district quarries are vital to the UK's building and mineral needs. The Ashbourne bypass is necessary infrastructure.
Would you visit Derbyshire Dales and support the bypass construction at Ashbourne, demonstrating your commitment to working people?
I will see her in Derbyshire Dales as fast as possible to look into the bypass issue at Ashbourne. We speak for working people and I disagree with comments that Conservative MPs are not welcome.
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Q5
Direct Answer
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The Cater Street surgery in Kempston was placed under special measures due to a three-month backlog of new-patient files.
Will you urgently increase the funding for primary care services, given the significant GP shortage and its impact on constituent health?
We are hiring 50,000 more nurses and 6,000 additional GPs to address the problems highlighted by the hon. Gentleman.
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Q6
Direct Answer
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Cheltenham's Renewable Design Company supplies low-carbon heating systems.
Do you agree that we need a successor to the non-domestic renewable heat incentive for accelerating the roll-out of low-carbon heating?
Absolutely, I confirm that we are indeed looking into successor arrangements to the renewable heat incentive.
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Q7
Evasion / No Answer
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Trade deals with America, New Zealand and Australia are expected to have minimal economic impact compared to leaving the single market and customs union.
Will you commission and publish impact assessments for proposed trade deals so that industries can understand the costs involved?
I might take him more seriously if he would deal with the fact that 60% of Scotland's trade is with the rest of UK. His proposals for a break-up of the UK would necessitate a border at Berwick.
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Assessment & feedback
Impact assessments for proposed trade deals
Diversion
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Q8
Direct Answer
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Local authorities are unable to grant planning permission due to concerns about green algae accumulation.
Will you ensure that DEFRA, MHCLG, Natural England and EA work together to protect waterways while supporting housing development?
We will employ the ministerial Dyno-Rod to sort out the blockage. We aim to deal with nitrate neutrality and ensure her community gets needed housing.
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Q9
Direct Answer
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Rail users are suffering due to a lack of investment, necessitating both HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Will you commit to publishing the Oakervee report this week and delivering both projects to tackle the north-south divide?
We are investing £48 billion in rail services, excluding HS2. We will look at value for money from HS2 and publish the Oakervee report in full.
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Q10
Direct Answer
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The Calder Valley train line suffers from cancellations, delays, broken-down trains, and infrastructure issues.
Will you meet me and the trains Minister to see how we can clear bottlenecks in the £3.9 billion trans-Pennine upgrade?
We are committed to improving the trans-Pennine route and will invest considerable sums to ensure it is done.
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Q11
Direct Answer
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James Sunderland highlights Bracknell's significant number of internationally focused companies and asks for reassurance that the UK will negotiate beneficial worldwide trade deals.
My right hon. Friend will know that the Bracknell constituency is the proud home of more than 150 internationally focused companies. Will he please reassure the House that what is being done to develop new post-Brexit worldwide trade deals is for the benefit of everyone in Bracknell, Crowthorne, Finchampstead, Sandhurst and, of course, right across the UK?
From the 31st of this month, we will begin the process of negotiating free trade agreements not just with the EU, but with friends and partners around the world, so Bracknell will be at the epicentre of global free trade.
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Q12
Direct Answer
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The Prime Minister is asked to commit to providing sustained support to the Humber docklands, similar to what was given to London's docklands.
The Prime Minister has said that he wants to be known as a Brexity Hezza, and so, on that basis, will he commit to giving the Humber docklands the sustained support that Michael Heseltine gave to the London docklands to transform it from the 1980s onwards?
The hon. Lady raises a very important point. That is among the schemes that we are certainly looking at and, as you know, Mr Speaker, we are looking also at the potential for free ports around the country, which can deliver a great deal of benefit to coastal communities.
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Q13
Direct Answer
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A member from Solihull raises concerns about inadequate broadband and requests the Prime Minister's commitment to improve broadband services.
Solihull is next to Britain's second biggest city, yet many of my constituents—myself included—struggle to get adequate broadband, which is something that is repeated across the House. Does the Prime Minister agree that this is a matter that needs intense parliamentary scrutiny, and will he commit to put the Government's shoulders to the wheel to get providers to improve our country's broadband?
Together with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, I chaired a meeting only a couple of days ago with all the broadband providers. It would be fair to say that we collectively wielded the knout over their heads, because I agree with my hon. Friend that we need to make progress. We will make progress and we will deliver gigabit broadband, with £5 billion going into that programme over the next five years.
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Q14
Direct Answer
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A member from Stockton North highlights significant life expectancy discrepancies and asks the Prime Minister to address health inequalities.
Last week, the Prime Minister did not know anything about a plan to dump radioactive waste in my Stockton North constituency, but I hope that he remembers what I told him a few weeks ago in my request for a new hospital—that men in his constituency live 14 years longer than those in mine. Just when is he going to end the scandal that means that Teesside men have the same life expectancy as those in Ethiopia, and to tackle the health inequalities in our area?
The hon. Gentleman's point is absolutely valid. The discrepancy in life expectancy in this country is a disgrace. None the less, it is coming down, and it will come down. Life expectancy overall is at an all-time high. On his specific issue of the disposal of nuclear waste, I understand that my hon. Friend the Environment Minister has written to him on the matter.
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Q15
Direct Answer
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A member from Hammersmith discusses the stigma surrounding period poverty and requests acknowledgment of Amika George's work on this issue.
You may have noticed, Mr Speaker, that it has been a long time since I was a teenager. [Hon. Members: “Never!] My memory has faded over the years, yet I still remember the embarrassment and shame that I felt each month when I had my period: we could not afford sanitary products, and I was forced to use toilet paper or, when we did not have that, newspaper. Will the Prime Minister acknowledge the work of Amika George, founder of the Free Periods campaign group, which means that no young women of school age in this country should ever have to feel the shame that I felt and remember all those years ago?
I congratulate my hon. Friend on the campaign that she is waging on this issue, and I am delighted to tell her that free period products are to be made available to all schools and colleges in England so we can ensure that no young person's education is disrupted by their period. I would like to pay particular tribute to the work of Amika George, who has done so much to bring about change. I remind the House that it is when we get Brexit done, which we will—and which the Opposition would still block—that we will be able to cut VAT on sanitary products and make period products cheaper for everybody in the country.
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Q16
Direct Answer
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A member from Lagan Valley inquires about the future access of Northern Irish businesses to the UK single market after Brexit.
As we approach the moment when we will leave the European Union, the Prime Minister will be aware of concerns in Northern Ireland. We welcome his assurance that there will continue to be unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses to the UK single market, but does that commitment also apply to goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland?
Emphatically it does.
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