life delinda for british prime ministers questions i. each week the house of commons is in session we bring you prime minister david cameron taking questions from members of the house of commons live wednesday

mornings on c-span2. we invite your participation via twitter using the hashtag pmqs. prior to question i members are finishing up other business. now live to the floor of the british house of commons. >> as i just stated very clearly that this is ministers will invite others to discuss the bill further. >> question to the prime minister. >> question number one mr. speaker. >> thank you mr. speaker. mr. speaker this morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, and in addition to my duties in this house, i shall have further such meetings later today. >> the plan was published this week shows prospects for young people have deteriorated since the conservatives came into conflict. in the prime minister explain

why the reducing opportunity young people further by removing -- thereby reducing the opportunities? >> first of all where increasing opportunities for young people by making sure all young people have a job and get a candidate we see another decrease in youth unemployment down 13000 on the quarter, and 92000 on the year. in terms of students we've now got record numbers of young people going to university and because of the action we're taking we're able to take the cap off the university numbers and see increase in many more people going. in terms of replacing loans and grants with a low scum this is the right approach. interestingly, interestingly there was a the approach taken in 1997 when the right honorable lady sat in the cabinet.

>> thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, it's bad enough of the latest figures i have got 363 murders 106 murders in open presence in the last 10 years. these figures are shown for 179 offenders and open presence who were obscure from an open president will prime minister give a commitment to ensure nobody was ever absconded from an open prison is ever allowed back into an open presence? >> i state will examine his proposal. i can tell him we have already overhauled the process for allowing prisoners out of temporary license athletes with 39% drop in the number of those who breached their license conditions. we've also seen the rate for prisoners who escaped from prison have reached a record low. as i understand it prisoners with a history of escape or absconded are prevented from transfer to open conditions

other than in the most exceptional cases. what i will do is look at these exceptional cases and see whether there is a surrogate for the blanket ban patty talked about our right to him over the summer. >> harriet harman. [shouting] >> cannot ask the prime minister a question about greece? it's important that a deal on greece -- mr. speaker it's important for the deal on greece has now been reached. the economic format is unprecedented in europe, this since the end of the federal corporate the agreement should implement in a way that is fair to the people of greece as will be acceptable to the creditors get it seems report this morning that the imf are concerned about whether the deal for greece is, in fact, sustainable. can the prime minister tell us whether the chancellor had discussions with christine

lagarde about how these concerns can be addressed? >> i think the right honorable lady is right to raise this entity we all feel for the greek people who have had a very difficult time and with no early signs of relief on the way. talk to the imf on a very regular basis. the point they are making that there needs to be debt relief for greece might -- that's the right. the heart of the eurozone is an argument about whether this is a single currency where you have to look after each other said that and you have a physical union and the banking union antisocial union. that's one view or whether you have to do the single currency as strict rules and can't deal with these things. in our interest for the eurozone to resolve these issues we are not involved in the debate directly because we are not in the euro but we do need them and were not going to join the euro. but they need to resolve these issues and the need to resolve them quite fast. >> it's important that deal is

sustainable. it's interesting to the prime minister is the about a measure of debt relief has been necessary. does he agree to with president putin waiting in the wings this is about more than just economics. it's got wider geopolitical significance. what is his view about that? >> i think the right honorable lady is right. greece is a member of the european union as well as a member of the euro. it is a friend and ally of britain, nato member, trading partners. it is not for britain to bailout eurozone countries and we wouldn't do that but as a member of the european union if greece were to leave the euro and wanted humanitarian assistance i'm sure that this house and the british public would take a more generous of you. sorting out the problems of the eurozone which we've always warned about the dangers of the eurozone is a matter for eurozone countries, but she's right about the dangers of russian involvement.

>> what happens in the eurozone aspect of this country and therefore, it's important that we are fully engaged. turning to the budget, we are all concerned to see today's rise in overall unemployment. but for those in work the chancellor said that he is a changes on pay and tax credit will make working families better off, but they won't. the institute for fiscal studies have now made it absolutely clear that the idea that a higher minimum wage will compensate for the loss of tax credit is a rhythmic adequate impossible. will they now admit that as a direct result of his county tax credits, millions of working families are low income will be worse off? >> first albany comment on the unemployment figures. she's right there's mixed messages. it's disappointing that the claimant count has gone up having fallen for so many months in a row. is told at the lowest level

since 1975 a long-term unemployment is down, youth unemployment is down. the rate of employment for women is set a new record high, and interestingly when you look across the last year you can actually see all of the rise in implement in the last year has been people working full-time. interestingly in light of the debates we had in the last parliament, wages are up by 3.2% in these figures compared with the inflation figures yesterday that 40. in terms of the budget i remember her ask me from the dispatch box making the point that reform and welfare would not work unless the increased minimum wages by a quarter. i can tell if we are not going to. we are increasing them by a third for the national living wage. [shouting] >> he is refusing to accept the fact which is being clearly established by the institute for fiscal studies that the minimum

wage increase will not compensate for his cut in tax credits and that takes me to another claim the prime minister made about the budget. he said that he would protect the most vulnerable. well, you are obviously vulnerable to get the conditions like parkinson's or you're being treated for cancer. but changes in the budget mean that the support people like that will get will be cut from 100 pounds, the 70 pounds. we agree that the deficit needs to come down. what kind of government is it that thinks the way to do that is to get people who through no fault of their own are suffering from life the debilitating illnesses. that's what is budget is doing. >> let me give her that they could get a family with two children where both parents work full time on the minimum wage, they will be better off by 2020 by a full 5500 pounds.

i don't think the party opposite has fully grasped the importance of this nation living wage. they bought an election on a path by the next election but it's going to be over nine pounds by the next election because of the action of this government. she wants to ask questions about welfare, and i welcome what she said. she said this week we won't oppose the welfare bill we won't oppose the housing benefit cap. she said we won't oppose restricted benefits and tax credits for people with three or more children. i welcome that. what a pity the rest of her party doesn't agree with there. she asked specifically about employment and support allowance and i think this is important we get this right to the are two groups unemployment and support allowed, the support group will continue to get extra money, more than on jobseeker's allowance and will continue to get that for as long as they need. in terms of future claimants into work related activity

group, existing claimants keep exact existing amount of money but for new payments i think it's right they should get the same amount as job seekers out loud and then get all the help that we do the job seekers to help them into work. people asked why. i will tell you. we want to get people into work. we want to give people a chance. we want to give people a life. that's what this budget was all about. [shouting] >> he talks about new claimants but it don't think he understands the reality of the situation because a lot of these people, a lot of these people are in and out of work because they want to work but they can only work intermittently. every time to go back into work when they come out of work they will be treated as a new claim it. quite frankly mr. speaker, i don't need to be -- sorry mr. speaker, quite frankly i don't need to be -- about not understanding the minimum wage. we introduced it.

and the fact of the matter -- [shouting] and the fact of the matter is 3 million families will be at least 1000 pounds a week worse off. a year, a year. the minister was on the radio this morning talking about -- [shouting] -- the minister was on the radio talking about party funding sing government curb on trade unions donations were not an attack on working people and the labour party. but it doesn't look that way. there's an issue about the money and politics but it's got to be done fairly. so will the prime minister commit that he will not go ahead with these changes unless it's on a cross party basis? will he include the issue of individual donation cap? it's not acceptable for him to be curbing funds to hard-working people to the labour party while turning a blind eye to donations

from hedge funds to the tories. >> finally mr. speaker, we see were all these questions were going. the labour party can go round and round and round but it always comes back to the trade unions. [shouting] let me answer all the questions that she asked. first of all on the national living wage if the labour party is so keen on a why did he vote against it in the budget last night? second of all, on employment and support allowance the number of people coming off a jobseeker's allowance is more than seven times the number of people have come up in capacity since 20. we want help to get these people back to work. she asked about the issue of trade union funding for the labour party. i think that's a very simple principle. if you want to give money to a party, should be an act of free will. not something that is taken out

of your pay packet without you being told about it properly. if this wasn't happening in the trade unions the labour party would be saying this was appalling ms. seliger to do is time for consumer protection. what is there such a blind spot even with the honorable lady when it comes to the trade union paymasters? >> there is no simple principle. there is a simple principle which is it must be fair. what he's doing is it's one rule for the labour party for something completely different for the tories. to be democratic about this the prime minister must not just acting interest of the tory party. instead of helping working -- he spent his time breaking the rules of the game. now he wants to go even further attack the rights of working people to have a say about fair pay and conditions. that's on top of already having changed the rule to gag

charities and trade unions from speaking out. the prime minister says he wants to govern for one nation but instead he is just governing in the interest of the tory party. >> the law for company donation was changed years ago. trait genes have been left untouched but the principle should be the same. whoever you're giving money to it should be an act of free will. it should be a decision that you have to take. that money shouldn't be sequestered away from you without being asked. mr. speaker today we've seen it all. i thought she was the modern one and the leadership contenders are the ones who were heading off to the left. what we heard from them, because everything went of our anti-strike laws, oppose everything went over welfare changes, some of them described terrorist groups like hamas as their friends. mr. speaker, in a week when we're finding out more about political risk likely to to colonize the red planet. [shouting]

-- finding out more about pluto -- >> thank you very much mr. speaker. on monday two men were tragically killed in an in dash of explosion in my constituency. the families are devastated and the thoughts everyone is with them and their friends and colleagues of the two workers. emergency services worked tirelessly and investigations are ongoing. will the prime minister join me in expressing our deepest sympathy and assuring the relevant house government is all they can to support my constituents at this difficult time? >> this is a very sad case and i will certainly join my friend and send them my condolences and all those in this house to family and friends of the two. it will be a difficult time for the family. no words can do justice to the loss felt by those affected understand the emergency service or continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident to get to the bottom of what happened.

there will need to be a proper investigation and proper answers for these families. >> rape is a horrific time. -- crime. the department in the government's budget have been asked to and i quote develop protections for women who have a third child as a result of rape or other exceptional circumstances under the prime minister's plans to restrict child benefits, two children commuters. can the prime minister explain how this will work? >> we are happy to look very closely at issues like this because there is no intention to penalize people who have been treated in this way. but the principle, the principle we are applying is a principle i think set out very clearly by the right honorable lady the leader of the labour party when she said this come anything she

puts it extremely well. when i was going around the country talking specifically to women, so often they would say we've got one child, we got one child, we would love to another the witches can't afford it. they are working hard and they're treated unfairly other people can have families they would love to have. we've got to listen to the. i think the right honorable lady was absolutely right. is something all of us here but, of course, in cases like those he raises will have to look carefully to make sure we look after them. >> rape is one of the most underreported series of crimes in the uk. it is believed 85% of the victims of rape do not confirm that to anyone for a bright and very, very understandable reasons. women against rape said the following, asking women to disclose very difficult information and expecting them to be able to prove it in what is frankly a very hostile environment when the dwp is trying to take their money away will have appalling

consequences. can urge the prime minister to look again and to think again about what impact his proposals will have on rape victims speak was i ken fischer the right honorable gentleman because he is reading from the budget a book that sets out this issue and the fact that we do need to look very carefully and think about and make sure we get it right. at the same time i'm sure he would welcome what was in the budget about investing in women's refuges and rape crisis centers to make sure that we look after people who have been suffering such an appalling crime. >> my right honorable friend has indicated over the weekend that he would like to see greater use made of -- in the fight against terrorism. but is he aware that for every terrorist taken out by drone between five and 10 innocent civilians, especially women and children, lose their lives? will be accepted as we seek to

win hearts and minds in this conflict against the evils of terrorism we need to bear in mind this affect? >> of course we always had to think very carefully before we act but the rules of engagement of both britain and america and follow our to limit collateral damage to the absolute minimum. if he's asking me should britain give up the idea of using the drones in extremists to take a people that are threatening our country and terrorism on our street, i would say very firmly know. but i would say something to that i'm sure we both agree with, which is a second general -- secretary-general ban ki-moon, and ms. up until good governance that it is good and strong governments that can kill terrorism. [inaudible] all places synonymous with the use of the ira with explosives applied by the libyan government

to maim and murder thousands of innocent people in the united kingdom. the american government has secured compensation from the libyans for the victims of state-sponsored terrorism in light of the recent political agreement and libya with the prime minister now commit to present the case for uk victims of state-sponsored libyan terrorism to be given compensation as well? >> first of all let me commend the honorable gentleman for raising this issue time and time again that he's right to do so. the fact is it was libbey an syntax that was user-friendly could still be being used by ira groups because it was so much but delivered by colonel gadhafi and his hateful regime. yes, we have raised with the libyan government and the past this issue try to seek compensation and went there is a libyan government, does not yet won a place we will certainly raise it again. >> last week thousands of my constituents, millions of londoners and business to london

were inconvenienced by the -- [inaudible] they will welcome a government published proposals for changes to trade union rules, but what my right honorable friend go further and actually stick state to the south and the people of this country that strikes an essential services should absolutely the last resort and not a negotiating tactic? >> shop-vacs. i think the whole country will agree with my honorable friend these should only ever be a last resort when it comes to the services the people people driving the strength of well-paid, getting a pay rise and the chance of a bonus. i think it is absolutely right we publish this trade union bill today and we take these important steps, that we say there, strikes should not go ahead unless there's a 50% turnout and in essential services there should be an additional threshold of 40% support for the strike.

i know the party opposite will not like this but the fact is and to talk about threshold, people affected by this -- the fact is this. people affected by these strikes don't get to vote. that is why it's right to have these thresholds and i think the whole country will see a labour party unduly in hock to the trade union and it was a conservative government wanting to solve this out for hard-working families. >> could be prime minister won't be aware of the -- we saw in belfast this week where police officers were seriously injured and a 16 year old was hospitalized as a result of disgraceful violence related to brady. a car was driven intentionally into the protest grew. will the prime minister join with me in calling for the loyal order to accept -- particularly

those in -- engage in direct and meaningful dialogue and to reach an honorable solution to the dispute that exist there and hopefully other disputes around parading? >> first of all i agree with the honorable gentleman that the sorts of things are deeply damaging to northern ireland's reputation and to their future. we all want to see the situation sorted out and not occur in the future. overall this year's fourth of july was overwhelmingly peaceful, peaceful celebration in most areas of northern ireland. i agree with him where it's possible for people to get together and solve these problems of course that is the best thing that can happen. in the meanwhile, the parade commission need to be they are the ones that run the adjudication process. >> can i welcome the recent enactment in the budget this government is pledging --

[inaudible] medical center my constituency waiting two years for the green light for the expansion. can my right honorable friend arrive with an update regarding the progress of their bid? >> i think my honorable friend is right that the 8 billion effectively 10 billion you think of the 2 billion already put in for this parliament that is a real vote of confidence from this government into the nhs and money that will make a real difference. i know he's been campaigning to expedite the situation of the medical center the untold it is a priority development. i hope that can form part of the work would integrate a genuine 70 nhs 70s for people to access the nhs and always get the same level of high quality treatment. >> thank you, mr. speaker. gp practices across sheffield serving patients with -- are threatened by the withdrawal of minimum practice and guarantee and a personal medical bring you. will the prime minister as nhs

england review the impact of these decisions to ensure no practice should close and help health ministers to meet with me to see what can be done to support effective practice of? >> i'm sure the sect for health and his team listen carefully and see they can speak to the honorable gentleman. what's happening in the city is the number of gps is increasing. this year nhs a sheffield group is getting 780 million pounds which is an almost 2% increase out of town almost zero inflation. what we need to do is get the negotiations on this contract right. that means making changes over time but the contract has got to deliver the quality of patients deserve. >> the prime minister i know is aware of the tragic death of corporal james dunphy, lance corporal and my constituent on a selection exercise two years ago this week.

yesterday a corner said of the death was a result of a series of gross and and a catalog of very serious mistakes by those involved in planning and running the exercise. nothing can turn the clock back for the stomach but will he assure the armed service inquiry which will now get underway does everything it can to recognize a course so they can train the best armed forces want to bring whatever changes are made to prevent this never happened again and see those responsible are held to account because i'm sure i speak to the whole house and develop into an isil our hearts go out to the families of the three. having seen first and 76 were there things our special forces to do and the bravery of people that volunteered to join and the training they do, i know how vital it is but it's a tragic case to understand the m.o.d. is accepted if it is, identified and has apologized for the to understand a number of changes have been made to this particular exercise but we now need to study the conclusions

very, very carefully and make sure this can't possibly happen again. i know the army will also hold its own service inquiry essence all the civil investigation have been completed it's a tragic case and we will learn from it. [inaudible] newport has 400 rossdale has a 780 at the constituencies of the prime minister, the chancellor and the home secretary have a grand total of only three. is this a fair and efficient way to locate asylum-seekers? >> i believe are operating the the dispersal system is in what it was operated from a years under the last labour government but i will look very carefully at the points he makes. [inaudible] oldest recording down in britain, also the fastest

growing unemployment count is down 57% since 2010 but we want to go for the. does my right honorable friend agree there is much needed investment and local road and rail infrastructure, can we get things moving? >> let me welcome my honorable friend to the house and i remember campaigning with him how much he talked about the importance of these infrastructure schemes. that's why we've asked network rail to look at the options because we want to deliver reduce time. we've approved a series of major upgrades that are vital and i'm sure now that he is speaking of we will be able to do more. >> the secretary of transport has refused to say when he first told of the prime minister that they electrification of the lines couldn't go ahead. there's huge concern about my constituency and across the north. was the prime minister told

about this before the general election, yes or no? >> i was told about after the election. as we said that before but the point is that when you do everything that we can to get to the bottom of the overspending and the engineering difficulties that are. frankly, we've committed far some someone a 38 million pounds program in terms of rail and i think instead of griping and taking these grievances allows should get behind this program and make sure we get on with it. >> with the threat level at an unprecedented high, with my right honorable friend -- 2% gdp of the defense budget that we will -- to fund front-line forces as constituents asked me to ask prime minister? >> i think my honorable friend is right. because we made the pledge in

our manifesto that there be no further reductions in armed services numbers, and i think that's right. with a visit to present him with the extra commitment we are making throughout this parliament we can now have a strategic defense and security review that looks at options for how to make this country even safer. the way the chancellor of the defense secretary have set it up is to make sure we include in this looking at options for counterterrorism, for intelligence and security as well as defense assets to make sure we do everything we can at this time of heightened security to keep a britain is safe. >> a combination of changes made to the state pension in 1995 and 2011 will mean that many women born in the 1950s will not have the kind of retirement that they hoped for. given a senior civil servants and the judges and even members of parliament within 10 years of the normal retirement pay cut their pensions protected from is

the time for the prime minister to look again at this group of women to make sure that they have fairness in the system? >> what i would say to the honorable gentleman, i looked her up at the question you ask it is right to raise the pension age, one of the most important long-term changes that enables us to go on paying very generous pension. it has enabled us to the triple lock because the triple lock means the pension will always go up but earnings are 2.5% whatever is at the lowest. if you go down the path that he is suggesting of not changing the pension age, pretty soon you find you can't pay proper attention to that is always the labour way. you take the easy way out. you don't the difficult decisions and then you can't pay. >> is my right honorable friend aware that 120,000 europeans 140,000 non-europeans -- in this

country and 2013? does he agree that the uk government has to control the number of migrants? >> yes, i do and that is why we took so much action in the last parliament to cut net migration from outside the european union. augusta inside the european union there is a the freedom to go and work in another european country. one of the reasons we're focusing on the welfare issue is of the people who come from europe to the united kingdom 60% of them are jobseekers, not people already with a job. to our proposal of saying you won't get benefit for the first six months of being here committed another job after six months you have to go and get debate into the system before you get out of the system. those will make a real difference. >> thank you very much, mr. speaker. my constituent is the home care on-call six days a week or shoe

works every single our constants but needs tax credits to help make ends meet with the prime minister be honest and admit with even higher minimum wage cut tax credits will make her worse off a? >> there will be care workers happened in the country who are currently on the minimum wage and getting no more than fat who will benefit not least from the 50 p. increase in the national minimum wage of a national living wage that will happen straight away next year. we are only able to do this because we are cutting taxes for working people cutting taxes for business, making welfare affordable and introducing a national living wage. let the whole house focus on this. last night the labour party voted against the national living wage. put that on your leaflets. [shouting] >> youth unemployment in worcester over the last two years -- is down two-thirds from its peak under labour. with this one nation government

investing in a partnerships by half, with the prime minister back my long-term plan and have 15,000 apprenticeships a year by 2020? >> first of all let me thank my honorable friend probably does to support apprenticeships. i think there are 4490 have been created since 2010 but he's right to say the challenge of the fugitive are going to the number of apprentices and the quality of apprenticeships that's what it is right to introduce a levy on larger firms so that they get the money back if they invest in apprenticeships but i have to put up to do. i think i will be one of the key ways we achieve our goal of 3 million apprentices in this parliament. >> last but not least sir michael spent if this is such a great economic recovery, why are wage is still 6% below the precrisis level of seven years

ago? why the growth rate and less court and your .4%? what is productivity been flat for five years of? what is uk investment in a proportion of gdp one of the lowest in the world? [shouting] and what is the balance of payment of trade in goods now in deficit by 100 billion pounds a year? >> if you want to know why, two words. ask gordon. [shouting] [laughter] but if he wants to know them if he wants to know what's actually happening in our economy let me tell him. the deficit has been speeded order, mr. mcdonald, calm yourself, man. take some sort of soothing medicine. you will find it soothing. >> the deficit is down by half. we've seen the fastest growth of any major advance become in 2014. we grew by 3% last year. economy is 10% bigger than when

i became prime minister. they are 2.2 million more people in work and just today you can see inflation at zero, wages growing by over 3% 5% cut in gas prices for 7 million customers. i would call that a long-term economic plan that is working. [shouting] added to that, just this week was introduced a national national living wage come build an welfare system that rewards work cutting taxes for working people. that is a conservative party standing up for working people and a living on the one nation agenda. [shouting] >> order. [shouting] >> order. >> wait till members of those leaving, can do so quickly and

quietly. we are waiting for the foreign secretary. members leaving the chamber will be good enough to do so quickly and quietly. we can proceed with the statements. i would like to make a very short statement. i'm sure the whole house will welcome the news that the new education center on the parliamentary estate will be formally opened today. this will allow more than a doubling of the number of school pupils can visit this place to

100,000 a year, or an additional 1 million visitors over the next decade. the quality of their time here will be hugely enhanced by this inspiring facility. my thanks to the house of commons commission for their support in this enterprise, and to all those in the house team who have worked on it to such outstanding effect. order. statement for commonwealth affairs. >> with permission i like to make a statement on the outcome of the nuclear negotiations with iraq. mr. speaker in recent days the world has held its breath as the talks between world powers and iran have edged towards the conclusion. they were difficult negotiations

that all sides face a tough decision to in the early hours of yesterday morning a process that began over a decade ago came to a conclusion. the result, mr. speaker, is a historic deal a landmark moment in effort to prevent nuclear proliferation and a victory for diplomacy. the uk with its partners in the e3 plus three china france, germany, russia and the united states with the eu high representative have a less reach a conference of agreement with iran on its nuclear program. with conclusion of these negotiations the world can be reassured that all iranian roots to a nuclear bomb have been closed off commend the world can have confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of the iranian civil nuclear program going forward. mr. speaker, the origin of these negotiations lies in the revelation some 12 years ago that iran was concealing nuclear activities in violation of his

international obligations. at that time iran under different government was not willing to meet the requirements of the international atomic energy agency. the international community responded with multiple u.n. security council resolutions. they agree that we have reached does not absolve iran of blame for his previous activities nor does it wipe the slate clean. instead it offers iran the opportunity to draw a line under its past behavior and gradually to build the world's trust in its declarations that it is not pursuing the development of a nuclear weapon. this will not be a quick process, but with implementation of this deal it should be possible. mr. speaker, the government's purpose in seeking an agreement has always been clear, to secure assurance that iran will not be able to develop a nuclear weapon. to that end this agreement imposes strict limits on iran's

nuclear program to a conference and long lasting. or 10 years iran's enrichment capacity will be reduced by over two-thirds from current levels. it will only enrich uranium to a level of three-point 67% well below the 90% level of enrichment considered necessary for a nuclear weapon. at its stockpile of low-enriched uranium would be limited to 300 kilos down from over seven times at present with the balance being afforded to russia. it's research and develop an activity will be constrained so that would not be able to enrich with advanced centrifuges for at least 10 years. additionally, no uranium enrichment enrichment r&d or nuclear material will be permitted at iran's underground for to nuclear sector could agree but also cuts off the plutonium route to developing a nuclear bomb -- fordow. the heavy water research --

research reactor at arak with the recent -- mr. speaker, given the historic levels of mistrust that have built up between iran and the international community, a strong inspections regime and a framework for addressing concerns about past military dimensions to iran's nuclear program are vital to building trust and providing us with the confidence that the rent is meeting its commitments. some of the gross margin and transparency measures of this deal will last indefinitely such as the augmentation of the additional protocols of the copper into the safeguards agreement. the safety for every country allows access to sites for which the iaea has concern but cannot be addressed in any other way. iran is no exception. iran's npt obligations including the obligation never to acquire or develop nuclear weapons will apply during and after the period of the deal.

we will not hesitate to take action, including the reintroduced in -- reintroduction of sanctions. and are concerned about the possible military dimensions of iran's nuclear program will be addressed. the iaea and iran have agreed a roadmap of actions to clarify these issues. taken together, mr. speaker these measures mean that if iran were to renege on its promises and try to break out for a bomb, it would take at least 12 months even to acquire the necessary fissile material for a single device. the robust transparency measures we have agreed mean that we, the international community, would know almost immediately and we would have time to respond. in return for implementing these commitments, and as our confidence in iran's program develops over time iran will

receive faced and proportional sanctions relief. initially there will be relief of the eu-u.s., human nuclear related economic and financial sanctions. but to be clear mr. speaker this sanctions relief will only be triggered once the iaea verifies that iran has taken they agreed steps to limit its nuclear program. other core provisions in existing u.n. security council resolutions will be reestablished by a new u.n. resolution. important restrictions on import and export of conventional arms and develop ballistic missiles will be reimposed through an annexed to the resolution, and only lifted later in the agreement. mr. speaker these relaxations are backed by robust enforcement mechanism. if there is a significant violation of the nuclear provisions of the agreement, all previously u.n. sanctions can be

we imposed through a snapback mechanism which any party to this agreement can invoke. the eu and the u.s. could also reimposed their own sanctions in such a scenario. clearly having made this agreement it will be strong in iran's interest to comply with the provisions of it to avoid a return to the sanctions regime that has crippled its economy for so long. we now need to look ahead to the implementation of the agreement. after such a tough negotiation there will inevitably be bumps along the road. we entered into this agreement in good faith, and all sides must try to is altogether any problems in implementing this deal. but the deal includes robust enforcement provisions, and we will not hesitate to use of them if iran goes back on its word. mr. speaker this agreement is focused solely on iran's nuclear program but its conclusions

could have come its conclusion could have wider positive consequences. by providing the means through sanctions relief for iran's economic we engagement with the world, it will allow the iranian people to feel the tangible benefit of international cooperation. as the economic we engagement materializes we will of course seek to assist uk businesses to take advantage of the opportunities that will arise. that assistance would be enhanced to having a british embassy in tehran. we remain committed to reopening our embassies in each others countries, and will do so once we have resolve outstanding issues. the deal also has the potential to build a different kind of relationship between iran and the west. and change in a positive way the dynamics in the region and beyond. in an atmosphere of developing confidence and trust there will be an opportunity for iran to

realign its approach in support of the international community's efforts, in particular in confronting fisher challenge of isil and the resolution of regional crises such as those in yemen and syria. but this will be a process, it will take time. and in the meantime we remain realistic about the nature of the iranian regime and its wider ambitions. we will continue to speak out against iran's poor human rights record and we will continue to work closely with our friends allies and partners in the region who live with iranian interference in their neighborhood. iran will not get a free pass to metal be on its borders. mr. speaker an iranian bomb would be a major threat to global stability. about threat is now removed. we and iran now have a common responsibility to ensure that the wider potential benefits of this deal for the region and for

the international community as a whole are delivered. the uk is fully committed to playing its part, and documented this statement to the house. >> here, here. >> thank you, mr. speaker. can first offered apologies of my right honorable friend who can't be with us today because he's recovering from a minor operation. can i begin by thanking the foreign secretary for advance sight of this statement for setting up the details of this landmark agreement. let me begin by paying tribute to him john kerry our european and international partners and everyone involved for the efforts in securing a major diplomatic breakthrough. there has long been consensus across the front benches that seeking an agreement with iran was the right thing for the international community to do. we have always supported the approach of sanctions and negotiations backed up by u.n. security council resolutions. it is welcome the talks have reached a conclusion more than

12 years since they first began with the support of him and others have been foreign secretary jack straw. mr. speaker, none of us want iran to have a nuclear weapon and no one believes the world would be a safer place were they ever to acquire one. so it is worth reflecting on how much more grade the world might look today at the foreign sector have returned to the house to report that the talks have collapsed without an agreement. we would be facing the almost certain we start iran's nuclear program with no means of monitoring or inspection. the possibility of a nuclear arms race in the middle east and greater instability in an already volatile region. that's why it has been right to use the negotiating opportunity that the pressure of sanctions against the iranian regime has created, and that this process was not rushed in order to get this right. the question now is to ensure that this agreement lives up to the words of the eu and iranian

foreign minister's joint statement yesterday. that this is not only ideal but a good deal and a good deal for all sides. mr. speaker, negotiations on this complexity are never easy. that is the nature of diplomacy, but this agreement presents the international community with a real chance to make progress in the right direction and we should grasp it. foreign sector outlined many aspects in detail. let me touch on just a number of these. firstly iran has reaffirmed as part of the agreement that under no circumstances will that ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons. this is significant and important. but the world want to see iran's words are matched by its deeds. especially those countries in the region that have particular concerns. so i welcome the foreign secretaries assurances of a thorough and independent inspections are at the heart of this agreement. it is the final that imitation

is based not on faith but on facts, evidence and the verification. we on this side of always said that iran should have to demonstrate beyond doubt that it is not pursuing the development of nuclear weapons. it realize realizes the measures outlined in the joint action plan should now able everyone to see that this is the case. that is essential if this agreement is to command the confidence of world opinion. much has been made of the proposals to manage access to particular sites with the commission to rule on whether inspection requests i the international atomic energy agency are just that i would therefore be grateful if the foreign secretary to provide further detail about this a work in practice. what assurances were given in vienna to ensure that this process will not prove to be an obstruction? mr. speaker, on enrichment it is welcome that iran has pledged to remove 90% of its stockpile of enriched uranium and two-thirds

of installed centrifuges. there's been much discussion of the numbers and at the time scales involved. as the foreign secretary said some parts of the stay will remain in place for five years such as the arms embargo. other restrictions for 10 to 15 years, and other transparency measures will stay in place permanently. he explained the rationale for this time scales and one the government is satisfied that they are sufficient or would he also agreed that while we should be positive about implementation of this agreement we must also go into it with our eyes open works if there's a lesson to be drawn from the collapse of the agreed framework we negotiate with north korea in the 1990s it is that the success of these agreements should be judged not over months but in years. so it is right some sanctions and should be removed gradually and only as iran owners the commitments it has made. were iran to violate the terms of the agreement is government

set aside the provisions of sanctions to snap back are tough enough to block the path to a nuclear weapon? finally does the foreign secretary agree with the words of -- the iranian foreign minister. he said yesterday this deal represents not a seemingly foundation to build other it's no secret that iran has been involved for many years in exploiting sectarian tensions in the region whether proxy armies or support for terrorist groups. those issues as a difficult relationship with iran will not go away overnight. this agreement does present iran with an opportunity to put a much more constructive global role, particularly with our shared interest in defeating the threat from isil or daesh. what confidence is before secretary of that iran is ready and willing to use this breakthrough to him improve its relations? does he agree opening up better links with a rim of the process

of reform within the country which needs of course as the foreign secretary said to include improving its human rights record? and for britain specifically, he mentioned ongoing efforts to reopen our embassy in tehran. window seat realistically expect that to take place? mr. speaker working together at an international community is a well-worn phrase but this moment does show what can be achieved through patience and diplomacy. if history teaches us anything however, it is that piece is a process, not anything that the iranian president yesterday called this a new chapter. we all live in hope that this is one that will help lead to a safer and more peaceful world, free of nuclear weapons. we on this side will continue to support all efforts to make the help of reality. >> i'm grateful to the audible jump in for the constructive tone in which he is approach this announcement, and thank you for the continued support from

the odyssey front bench for what is fortunately in view of the duration, something that has been across party approach for many years. he mentioned the long duration of these negotiations and i would like that's not just about foreign secretaries and just sectors the state. it's also about the experts and diplomats who have been carrying out these negotiations on the team that traveled back from vienna with me there was at least one person who has been on this project for 10 years ma and who now faces i need a new career after 10 years on this particular project. these have been complex. it's important outcome is a win-win. coming back from vienna with something that was a triumph for us but not a win for iran would be a hollow victory because it would eventually fall apart. there has to be something solid

for iran for the iranian people. there has to be an opportunity for the iranian people to build a new future and ensure the future prosperity of their country, and i'm confident this agreement will allow that. we shouldn't underestimate the importance in a country like iran of the religious edict against building a nuclear weapon. that is now firmly enshrined in the words of the supreme leader of iran will not build or seek to acquire a nuclear weapon. but he's right. we have to be pragmatic, and a robust inspection regime is that part of our ability to do this deal. he asked me how the monitoring and access arrangements would work. the monitoring is multifaceted. them the electronic monitoring sophisticated advanced telemetry seals, for example, on equipment that has been taken out of use. there will be cctv cameras within the facilities. ability regular inspections by

iaea inspectors, and if there is any suspicion by the iaea that they need access to aside that they do not regularly inspected, they can demand such access. if the iranians deny access, the question of what access should be allowed will be referred to the j.c. '08 commission and it will be, it will be determined on a five out of eight majority vote. the members of that commission are that the 3+3, the eu high representative, and iran is a. we are confident that in that format proper access will be insured. he asked about the different timescales. we are comfortable with the end result. obviously, this was a negotiation and we didn't get as long on some other restrictions

like arms control, conventional arms control, as we would have liked. but on the nuclear part of the deal we are very comfortable that we have respected our timelines which are about maintaining a minimum 12 month breakout for a minimum of 10 years. we are confident that we have well in excess of the minimum rake period for well in excess of 10 years as a result of the practical effects of this agreement. he also asked me about this now back to the mechanisms first that that are robust and we insisted upon the. if any member company member of the joint commission including the united kingdom believes iran is insignificant violation, that member is entitled to ask you a city council to vote on a negative resolution which would cause the sanctions to snap back. the honorable gentleman mentioned north korea, and i understand why he did so.

but having spent some time with the iranians negotiate and spent some time find out a bit more more than i presume you about iran i just want want to say disparate iran is a very different country from north korea. iran is a major player in the region. it is a big country with huge resources, a large and well educated population. it can if it chooses play an enormously positive role in the development of the middle east and, indeed, can contribute positively to world affairs. and he asked me about the reef. he is a reformer. rouhani is a reformer but we do not delude ourselves that is but in tehran is welcoming this agreement today, that everybody in tehran shared their vision of a more open and more engaged iran. our job is to make sure that as this agreement is a limited we

reinforce the hand of those in iran represent the majority that would like iran to engage in a responsible way with the world. and part of that is ensuring that we work with iran to do with the shared threat of isil across the region. ..