>> british prime minister theresa may took questions. talking about the planned exit from

her predecessors excellent work in making sure the economy works. confident in the country grows despite be trials and tribulations set before us. down.ficit has now come mr. mnuchin: mr. mnuchin: mr. mnuchin: mr. mnuchin: mr. mnuchin: mr. mnuchin: mr. mnuchin: and our debts are oversubscribed. will she take this opportunity to invest in our economy even more than she is already and perhaps even take a chance to build more homes? >> my honorable friend makes a very important point about investing in infrastructure. he refers to housing particularly. we are doing exactly that. that is why we have seen over a quarter of a trillion pounds in infrastructure spending since

2010, by putting in another 22 billion pounds from central government for economic infrastructure, we are seeing billions of pounds on rail projects, the biggest roadbuilding program ever for a generation that this country, this government building a country fits for the future. >> jeremy corbyn. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i joined the prime minister in wishing a happy platinum anniversary. mr. speaker, the thoughts of the whole house will be with the victims of the devastating earthquake that hit iran and iraq on monday, leaving hundreds dead and thousands without shelter. i hope the government is offering all necessary emergency help and support that can be used to save lives. i also hope, mr. speaker, i'm sure the house will join me in sending our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the late sergeant, labor assembly member in wales who tragically died last week. mr. speaker, crime is up,

violent crime is up, and police numbers are down by 20,000 and will the prime minister urge her chancellor, who i know this week is sitting absolutely next to her, so it will be easy to make the demand on him, to provide the funding our police need to make communities safe? >> prime minister. >> first of all, can i say three points. on the earthquake that took place in iraq and iran, we are monitoring this closely. it is a devastating earthquake. our thoughts are with all those affected by it. we are looking at the situation, we stand ready to provide assistance for urgent humanitarian need if requested. the government will do what is necessary. we will stand ready to help people. i also join with him in offering condolences to the family and friends of carl sargent.

i am sure that goes to everybody across this whole house. he raised the issue of crime and policing. crimes initially measured by the independent crime survey are down by over a third since 2010. we have been protecting police budgets and we are putting more money into counterterrorism policing. what matters is what the police do, and how they deliver. as i say, the crime survey shows that crime is down by nearly a third since 2010. >> jeremy corbyn. >> mr. speaker, i have been following some of the tweets from her friends along the front bench over there. one of them, and i quote, said, very disappointed and mystified at the closure of the police station. [laughter] [crowd chattering] >> for the want of any doubt, mr. speaker, that came from the foreign secretary, who is also [indiscernible] to hear about the police station.

>> i'm pleased that you do, mr. speaker. the foreign secretary is so excited, he will not even hear the answer. [laughter] >> the real reason, mr. speaker, is that it is closing because of a 2.3 billion pounds cut from police budgets in the last parliament, and it gets worse. they are going to be cut by another 700 million pounds by 2020. mr. speaker, under this government, there are 11,000 fewer firefighters in england since 2010. and last year, deaths in fires increased by 20%. in the wake of the terrible

grenfell tower fire, the prime minister was very clear when she said this could not be allowed to happen again and money would be no object to fire safety. will she therefore now back her campaign to provide one billion pounds to local councils to retrofit sprinklers in all high-rise blocks? >> prime minister. >> first of all, on the first question the right honorable gentleman raises, he may not have noticed but the police and crime commissioner in london is the mayor. [indiscernible] >> the last time i looked he was a labour mayor. although perhaps the leader of the labour party thinks he is not labour enough for him.

but let's be very clear. let's be very clear about funding for the metropolitan police. there is more money and offices for each londoner than anywhere else in the country. that's the reality of our funding for the metropolitan team. now, he has asked about the issue of fire. and we absolutely take what happened, the appalling tragedy of what happened at grenfell tower seriously and that is why i set up the public inquiry, why my right honorable friend the community secretary has set up already work taking place on the fire regulations and the building regulations to ensure that we do have those right. and it is why we continue to support kensington and chelsea council in ensuring we deliver for those who have been victims of this awful tragedy. but he asked about sprinklers. of course, we want to make sure

that homes are fit for those who live in them. there is a responsibility on building owners in relation to that. and some owners do retrofit sprinklers but there are other safety measures that can take place. but perhaps he ought to look at what labour council has said about this. it rejected calls to retrofit sprinklers saying what matters is introducing the right safety measures. another counsel says to weigh up the issue because fitting speakers can involve cutting through compartmentalization, which is another safety measure. another counsel says there were issues retrofitting sprinklers, questions about how effective they were. and another counsel says they need to look at how effective speakers would be. >> jeremy corbyn. >> mr. speaker, the coroner thought that fitting sprinklers would be a right thing to do. the fire officer thinks it is the right thing to do. those local authorities that have asked central government --

those local authorities that have asked central government for support to retrofit sprinklers have all been refused by her government. surely, we need to think about the safety of the people living in socially rented high-rise blocks. yesterday, i was passed a letter, mr. speaker, from an agency in lincolnshire, where universal credit is about to be rolled out. the agency, and i have the letter here -- the agency is issuing all of its tenants with a preemptive notice of eviction because universal credit has driven up arrears where it has been rolled out. the letter, and i quote, says, g.a.p. property cannot sustain arrears at the potential levels universal credit could create. will the prime minister pause universal credit so it can be fixed, or does she think it is right to put thousands of families through christmas in the trauma of knowing they are

about to be evicted because they are in rent arrears because of universal credit? >> prime minister. >> can i say to the right honorable gentleman that there have been concerns raised in this house previously over the issue of people managing their budgets to pay rent. but what we actually see, what we see is that after four months, the number of people on universal credit in arrears have fallen by a third. it is important that we do look at the issues on this particular case. the right honorable gentlemen might like to send a letter

through. i know in an earlier prime minister's questions, he raised a specific constituent, case of an individual who had written to him about her experience on universal credit. as far as i'm aware, he has not sent a letter to me despite me asking. >> jeremy corbyn. >> mr. speaker, i am very happy to give the prime minister a copy of this letter. i suspect it is not the only leading agency that is sending out that kind of letter. she might be aware that food bank usage has increased by 30% in areas where universal credit .has been rolled out. 3 million families are losing an average of 2500 pounds a year through universal credit. the child poverty action group estimates more than a million will be in poverty due to cuts imposed by universal credit. if those are not reasons enough to pause the rollout, i don't

know what there are. mr. speaker, last week, last week, the chief executive -- >> order. mr. morris. paul yourself. behave with restraint. you are seated in a prominent addition. quiet. it will be good for your well-being. jeremy corbyn. >> thank you, mr. speaker. last week, the chief executive simon stevens wrote, the budget for the nhs next year is well short of what is currently needed. any waiting time target has not been met for two years. the 62 day canceling target has not been met since 2015. again, can the prime minister spend the next week ensuring

that the budget does give sufficient funding to our nhs to meet our people's needs? >> prime minister. >> on the first issue that the right, honorable gentleman raised, can i remind him yet again, universal credit is ensuring that we are seeing more people in work and able to keep what they earn? he talks about what was said about the national health service. look at what simon stevens said about the national health service. the quality of nhs care is demonstrably improving. outcomes of care for most major conditions are dramatically better than three or five or 10 years ago. he said what has been achieved in england over the past three years? more convenient access to primary care services, highest cancer survival rate ever. big expansion in cancer checkups. public satisfaction with hospital inpatients at its

highest for more than two decades. that is the good news of our national health service. >> jeremy corbyn. >> it is very strange, mr. speaker, that the chief executive of nhs providers says when the middle of the longest of the deepest financial squeeze in history, i have a pretty good idea they know what they are talking about. let me give the prime minister another statistic, the number of people waiting more than four hours a day has gone up by more than 557% since 2010. two weeks ago, mr. speaker, the opposition to us, the tories, were very noisy, when i mentioned -- you are the government, we are opposition, you are in opposition to us. it is not complicated. it is not complicated. two weeks ago, mr. speaker, i raised the question of cuts in school budget. teachers and parents telling mp's what the reality of it was about.

the prime minister was in denial. every tory mp was in denial. this week, 5000 head teachers from 25 counties wrote to the chancellor saying, we are simply asking for the money that is being taken out of the system to be returned. will the prime minister listen to head teachers and give a commitment, so the budget next week will return the money to school budgets, so that our schools are properly funded? >> prime minister. >> can i say to the right honorable gentleman, actually, i think this is a major moment, you have got something right today. we are the government, and he is the opposition. [cheering]

>> on the nhs, there are 1800 more patients seen within the four-hour ane standard every single day compared to 2010. and he talks about school funding. we are putting more money into our school budget. we are seeing record levels of funding going into our schools. and this government is the first government in decades that has actually gripped the issue of a fairer national funding. we are putting that into practice. but you can only put record levels of money into your nhs and your schools with a strong economy. and what do we see as being the result of policies that this conservative government has put into place? income inequality, down under the conservatives, up under

labour. unemployment, down under conservatives, up under labour. workers households, down under conservatives, up under labour. deficits, down under conservatives, up under labour. he is signing a run on the pound, we are building a britain fit for the future. >> mr. speaker. i would have thought that 5000 head teachers would have a pretty good idea about the funding problems at their schools, and a pretty good idea of the effects of government cuts on school budgets, on their staff, and on their students. indeed, the iss says school funding would have fallen by 5% in real terms by 2019 as a result of government policies. mr. speaker, public service is in crisis, from police to the fire service. from nhs to children's schools, while a super rich few dodge their taxes.

ah, yes. the government sits on its hands as billions are lost to vital public services. the conservatives cut taxes for the few and vital services for the many. it is not just one rule for the super rich. >> order. i apologize for interrupting the right honorable gentleman. >> both sides of this house will be heard. the idea that when somebody is asking a question there should be a concerted attempt to shout that person down is totally undemocratic and completely unacceptable from which whatever quarter it comes. i would just ask colleagues to give some thought to how our behavior is regarded by the people who put us here. jeremy corbyn. >> mr. speaker, quite simply, is not the truth that this is a

government that protects the super rich, while the rest of us pick up the bill through cuts, austerity, poverty, homelessness, low wages, and slashing of local services all over the country? that is the reality of a tory government. >> prime minister. >> we have taken 160 billion pounds extra in as a result of the actions we have taken on tax avoidance and evasion. the tax gap is now at its lowest level ever. if the tax gap had stayed at the level it was under the labour party, we would be losing the equivalent of the entire police budget for england. we, in the conservatives, are building a britain that is fit for the future. the best brexit deal, more high paid jobs, better schools, the

homes our country needs. labour has backtracked on brexit. they have gone back on their promise on student debt. and they would lose control of public finances. i say to the right honorable gentleman, he may have given momentum to his party but he brings stagnation to the country. [indiscernible] >> thank you, mr. speaker. in april 2015, the residence saw their only gp surgery close in an area that once had significant challenges, but thanks to the great work of local counselors has been regenerated. my constituents reluctantly accepted short-term pay for the long-term gain of a new surgery that would open the following summer. regrettably, the project still hasn't yet started. so i wonder whether the prime minister might meet with me and

patient action groups to consider the slippage in this village. >> my honorable friend is right to raise this important issue for his constituents. i've been assured in this case that all the local health organizations do remain fully committed to this project, they are confident it will bring benefits to the population in the long-term. what i understand the frustrations the honorable gentleman has. i understand he is going to be meeting representatives of nhs england and nhs property services this month. those two organizations are in the best position to ensure this will progress as quickly as possible, and i hope there will be positive news coming out of that meeting. as my honorable friend has raised, access to local health services, mr. speaker i would like to take this opportunity to say as well how important it is -- this is an important issue for people of this house and outside of this house.

health services, i want to make sure that everyone that is entitled to a flu jab this year gets one. i have had one and i hope everyone in this house is encouraging their constituents to get one. >> ian blackford. >> thank you, mr. speaker. may i congratulate the queen of the impending platinum and diverse array of their wedding. i am sure the house men would like to welcome the lady to the scottish parliament. we should be incredibly proud of our emergency services. they do a heroic job putting themselves in danger to keep us all safe.

>> i joined the right honorable gentleman in welcoming. as i have said previously and this chamber, i am happy to confirm that. i notice he says they do a great job. the pride of britain awards posthumously awarded an award in the name of a man who worked to keep this place safe. other awards were given to police officers for what they do. they run toward danger when most of us would run away from it. >> ian blackburn. >> mr. speaker, scottish fire and police are the only forces in the united kingdom to be charged for providing services of 140 million homes since 2013. the s&p has raised this issue 30 times in this chamber. none of scotland's emergency services -- this has been a long-standing campaign. we will not give up.

>> prime minister. >> the chief has made clear that officials will look at this issue and report on it in due course. i am pleased to say that constructive recommendations have been made by my scottish colleague on this particular issue. but let's just be clear because the right honorable gentleman knows that before the scottish government made the decision to make scotland's police and fire regional bodies, it was told they would become ineligible for refunds and they pressed ahead despite knowing that. >> grandparents have a vital role to play in the upbringing

of their grandchildren. in a time of rising life expectancy, they are better equipped than ever. does the prime minister, therefore, agree with me that we should send a strong signal from this house, that they should be intimately involved in those adoption decisions, something i have seen as to be sadly lacking in my own constituency? >> can i say to my honorable friend that i have seen grandparents in my constituency who have been concerned about decisions taken in relation to their grandchildren, when they themselves were willing to provide that home and support. it is an issue. there is already a duty on local authorities to ensure whenever possible, children are raised within their family, and that the statutory guidance does make particular reference to grandparents.

but adoption agencies must also include the needs of the child first and foremost. each case will be different but i think the message he is giving, of grandchildren being able to be brought up in their families wherever possible, is a good one. >> has the prime minister accepted my invitation to the universal credit summit? we will have testimony from constituents and multiple agencies alike, including the macmillan cancer partnership who told the only a patient who was dying while awaiting the payments, but they were forced to sell-declare that they are dying, even if they didn't want the doctor didn't want to tell them their fate. will she stop this weekend and end this cruel condition? >> i may point earlier about the importance of universal credit. we are making more advance payments available. the honorable gentleman might like to recognize that thanks to the unprecedented evolution of scotland that we have given, the

scottish government has the ability to take a different path, if they wish to. >> michael tomlinson. >> mr. speaker, we are leaving the european union. and as the eu withdrawal bill goes through the house of comments, does the prime minister agree that it is part of our job as members of parliament to scrutinize that legislation? to debate, consider amendments which seek to improve the bill and which are constructed and which seek to ensure a smooth transition from the eu to the u.k., and unfortunately, that we come together and deliver brexit for our country and for the british people? >> prime minister. >> my honorable friend is right.

we will be leaving the european union in 2019 and there is a lively debate going on in this place and that is right and proper and it is important. and there are strong views held on different sides of this argument about the european union. on both sides of this house what we are doing as a government is listening to the contributions that are being made. we are listening carefully to those who wish to improve the bill. and i hope we can all come together to deliver on the decision that the country took, that we should leave the european union. >> it has been almost a year since i stood in this chamber and told my personal stories and asked for the children's fund to be established. the leader of the house recently expressed sympathy for such a fund, and i have written to the chancellor and have urged him to include such a fund and next week's budget. will the prime minister heed the advice and ask her chancellor to make this provision a reality?

>> we recognize what an incredibly painful experience it is, to lose a child. and i know the whole house has our sympathy with those who do experience such a tragedy. each year, sadly, thousands of families do that. what has happened is the look at this whole question of how we can improve support for bereaved parents. that decision has been left to the secretary of state for youth justice. we are making it easier for parents to apply for financial support. and we are also ensuring that support from across government comes together to make it easier for aggrieved parents at what we know is a very difficult time.

intervene to sort out the useat and permits they going forward. operators provide vital services connecting people and communities introducing isolation to visit a number of weeks ago on the community buses provided. transportment of remains committed to the operators if you has no intention of ending the permit system.

it has been written to explain how they can comply without impacting passengers. >> progress is excessively slow. minister is aware of the energy sector and this puts 1400 jobs under threat. can i ask the prime minister what forces scottish government and council on what actions she can take? >> i can give that a servants. i'm pleased to say my honorable the relevantto minister in scottish government yesterday about this issue.

we stand ready to work with the scottish government to ensure the best result can be achieved. >> we must be bold to protect it. each week my constituents struggle to get an appointment while fantastic doctors are stretched to the limit. minister commit them to working within the first five years? drainng the brain overseas. >> this is an important issue. my friend is right. we need more. -- on the specific point that she raises about committing people who have been trained to work in the nhs, the department

of health has been looking at ways we can maximize education to the have asked england look at that point she has raised. >> no evidence of russian interference in u.k. referendum. russia not to metal and today the times report that fake russian twitter accounts found thousands of messages in an attempt to influence the referendum result. as the secretary notman kept in the dark? is he willfully blind? will she now stop dragging her feet and step up the committee to look into the clinton and attempt to undermine our kremlin attempt to undermine our democracy? >> i spoke on monday about the issue of russian interference.

all very well. he made a specific point about what is happening in the united kingdom. the speech i gave on monday, the example were not the united kingdom. she raises the issue about the intelligence and committee being established today. the harmful aspects of the incidents are causing a series of social policy emergencies particularly amongst young people. across the country will come the engagement of the secretary with the industry on these issues. could the prime minister tell us what we could expect that recognizes our children only have one chance at childhood? a my friend has taken particular interest in this issue and ensuring we are

getting support and security and safety for young people on the internet. we are considering a range of options on this issue. last month we published the internet safety strategy when consulting on a number of -- and paired transparency. thated to take action and includes considering sanctions in our manifesto. minister, this is part of an increase in violent crime 20% in the last year. over 1700 mind, lost staff, more than one in five police officers.

further 18-20, up to 22. how will you use the budget to address the rightful expectation and put more police on the street? all, i'm sure the ,ympathies of the whole house we are concerned about criminal acts of this sort. the question i said earlier, we have been protecting police agent. we have been protecting police budgets. ofsee a higher percentage police officers now on the front line. >> july 2015, a man arrived from

romania. he held as later shard of glass to the throat of a 14-year-old schoolgirl inside a supermarket and raped her. last week he was sentenced to nine years in prison. in the prime minister expect -- explain what the government is doing from stopping these thatiduals and inshore brexit will not result in the undermining of security cooperation? raises a horrific crime. i can assure him in this specific place the home office will be pursuing deportation action against the individual. he makes a wider point about the continued work we will have once

we have left the european union. to very clear we want maintain that on security and criminal justice. it is important to us all. >> thank you. actionld quality published figures that showed universal credit and the benefits of freeze. single parents with children pound fromse 2380 the family. i ask the prime minister if she was sitting down with her ministers planning and iverson ration of families. today she feels a sense of shame. >> thank you mr. speaker. in answer to a number of questions, i believe the introduction of universal credit is helping people get

peoplerk and ensuring can earn more of what they pay. it is enabling more people to getting help in the workplace. >> with recent events in zimbabwe and electrical chaos in kenya, will the prime minister join me in celebrating the hugely susceptible elections in somali. help this country from our government, the national election commission has conducted an election described as through peaceful transparency. the winning candidate announced he will legislate against fgm as a consequence of a british

campaigner. >> an important issue. this government is pleased that the work we have done in somalia to ensure that we can see those elections taking place. we continue to do that. i'm very pleased to hear of the intention to deal with the issue of female genital just genital mutilation -- female genital mutilation. >> thank you. a couple in my constituency have had their application for universal credit delayed because the mom does not have photo id. she cannot afford a passport and can does not drive. they have to wait for her dentist and dr. to provide identification.

with all the other chaos of universal credit, will the prime minister show some common sense legacy over universal credit so these unnecessary delays don't give my constituents more pain and suffering? >> i am sure she will appreciate it. it is those entitled who are receiving them. we continue to look at how we are implementing universal credits. >> thank you. preparing to leave the european union. consider thent

budget to make sure we are ready on day one deal or no deal and prepared for every eventuality ? >> obviously the issue of is tightly felt. i appreciate that is the case. we have made funds available for the preparation necessary across government for brexit. looking at what further work is necessary to ensure that we are ready to we are working to get that deal. to be changes from the government point of view and we are ensuring that. >> the president secretary gave a pledge that freedom of movement would be preserved for members of the financial services industry. why can't the same pledge be

given to other any fracturing and agriculture? >> the internet -- the rules once we leave the union, we are very clear about the need to take in the needs of our economy. >> thank you mr. speaker. given the recent events since some bobwhite, what support can her majesty's government provide to zimbabwe to help their recovery economically but also in terms of their democratic system of government? >> my honorable friend raises an important point. we have seen what has been taking place. where monitoring those carefully. this situation is fluid area -- lewis. -- fluid. our primary concern is the safety of british nationals.

obviously we see reports of -- reports of unusual activity, remain safely at home. providingrently bilateral support and part to support economic reform and development. week will mark is six months since the tragic attack at the man -- manchester arena. willie once again pay tribute to all those who responded so brilliantly to the aftermath? also be aware the costs associated imposed on the city are within 70 million pounds. today these mice have yet to be reimbursed.

>> all those who were affected eye this terrible attack that took place in manchester. i myself as well as meeting the victims met with those involved in matter of weeks ago and talked to them about the long-lasting impact this has on them. she is raised an important issue. we will be responding in full buddy in the next week. confirmexpect that to the majority of funds will be made available. >> the prime minister of the constituency in the greenbelt. theyshe assure the house will never weaken protection for the greenbelt? >> we've been very clear. concerned that

where we were very clear. we want more homes being built in this country. it is important we see more homes in london. there are many opportunities to do that. earlier theer, prime minister told the country that she was the only person who could offer strong and stable leadership in the national interest. with the cabinet crumbling before her eyes,. >> let me say to the right honorable lady what we see this government levering. deficit down, unemployment down, more records going towards health service.

a clear plan to deliver the best brexit deals in this country. >> no serious negotiation would normally allow one side to try to dictate financial terms for the wider terms were known. in preparing to embrace the world when it comes to trade, will she please ignore the that need to join the euro question mark >> what we want to do is negotiate a good close partnership with the remaining 27 so that we can continue to see good trade between companies in the united kingdom and those in the eu 27.

ensure we are taking the advantages. more prosperity and more jobs in the u.k.. >> being good neighbors, the prime minister and i place on having come to my aid to increase from 7-17,000. could not have done it without you. in my constituency, the initiatives have been little or no progress. and train line has now been deferred. order. i'm trying to be accommodating to colleagues and i want to hear the honorable gentleman. the rest of the question must be just that. one sentence into? at the end of it -- one sentence

and a question mark at the end of it. will be treated as a priority matter immediately? >> thank you. >> i'm pleased to say we are putting significant sums of , crucially electrifying the main line which would be a benefit to maidenhead. >> eden stewart. >> will the prime minister join me in welcoming the decision by the people of australia in favor of same-sex marriage? the government of australia will quickly legislate and followed the lead a set by this house. >> welcome that vote in australia.

i hope the australian government will act on it very soon. >> order. >> you been watching prime minister's questions from the british house of commons. c-span see it live on two. or watch it sunday night at 9 p.m. eastern and the civic here on c-span. you can also go to c-span.org and find a video of past questions and other british public affairs programs. >> monday night, adam talks about his book irresistible, the rise of addictive technology in the business. >> we know the dangers of technology.

that is the sense you get, never get high on your own supply. make sure that other people you love and hold dear are not going to be affected. at c-spannight eastern. >> a discussion on the issues administrationp and congress towards the 2018 elections. this is one hour. looking ahead at 2018 some of the midterm elections. want to welcome stefan hankin, pollster and strategy, and brian >> let's talk about the gop losing seats. republican lose house and senate seats. ?