and dr. jerome adams will be on to talk about covid mandates and masking. watch washington journal live at 7:00 eastern monday morning on c-span or c-span now. join the discussion with phone calls, facebook comments, text messages and tweets. >> boris johnson answered questions from members of the house of commons about a photo showing the prime minister attending a holiday party during the covid lockdown. he was also asked about online scams perpetrated during the pandemic, the rising cost of living, and the shortage of health care workers and nurses. this is just over half an hour. -- mr. speaker i can tell the

house today that it is my intention to return after the half term reset to present our strategy for living with covid. it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions, including the legal requirements if you test positive a full month early. this morning i had -- meetings later today. >> is restricting the free movement of goods and people within the united kingdom. what action will the minister for the union now take to retake

-- including those living in northern ireland? my honorable friend is quite right. does not require concrete in the ways things have been seen. it does not require that all plans be systematically checked in the way that they are mr. speaker, and we must fix it and with goodwill and common sense, i believe we can fix it and if they do not show common sense are, of course we will -- >> >> brodd is not something that people experience in their day-to-day lives. of course, this government and this country despises those who defraud people and that is why

we crackdown on our sources. bringing forward any atomic -- economic crime bill that we also attach huge importance of the neighborhood and i'm very pleased that those crimes are done 17% -- down 17%. the prime minister's answer has a big hole in it. we have had lockdown for the last two years. two crimes that people could commit. the numbers for both of those have gone through the roof. i was asking about the 14,000 cases a day. many older people the business secretary casually suggests on tv, don't worry, it is not real crime. as is a crime done in munster that can cause shipping around

the world, all financed by covid loans from the taxpayer. what is the chance of response? 4 billion pounds and losses. his cabinet turning a blind eye to scammers. is it any wonder that the fraud minister realized no one in government seemed to care and threw in the towel echo --? prime min. johnson: what we are doing is tackling crime across the board. we are investing more into taxing fraud but we are also tackling the neighborhood crimes that is such psychological damage to people in this country. tackling live crime, tackling crimes of foreign industry. with proper sentences.

putting more police out on the seat that street. the reason we can report it seems we have a strong economy and we are coming back strongly from covid. that is thanks to this government got right. >> mr. speaker, his antifraud minister quit saying the failure of government was so egregious that he had to smash some crockery. it seems the prime minister has not noticed the broken plates are the shattered glass all around him. it is almost as if he is being completely destructive for weeks. talking of scams, households will have to fork out an extra 19 billion pounds on their energy bill. the government is insulting people's intelligence but pretending it is giving them a discount, but it is not. it is a con. a by now, pay later scheme.

a loan, not a proper plan. he shakes his head, so let me put this in the leg which you might understand. are they giving him a loan or a discount? our plan to tackle the cost of living is far more efficient engine -- generous than anything else. we have lifted the living wage by record amount. we have cut the effective task for universal credit and we are now sending out a fantastic round to help people at the cost of energy. it is more generous and more effective than anything labor has set out. the only reason we can do it,

huge sums that we are using to help people across the country, the only reason we can afford it is because we have a strong economy. and, not just last year, but this year as well. clearly has not at the first clue what they signed him up for. his plan is to have billions of pounds of taxpayers money go to energy companies and force families to pay it off and stomach for years to come. >> if it sounds like he is forcing people to take out a loan, and it looks like he is forcing people to take out a loan, isn't it just forcing people to take out a loan? prime min. johnson: we are giving people tax valuations

across the country that is 27 million homes that we are giving the equivalent of a 150 pound rebate. it is faster, more generous, and more effective. what they would do, and this is a global problem, what they would do is clobber the oil and gas companies right now with a tax that would deter investment in gas just when his country needs gas as a transition to fuel. it would be totally ridiculous and it would raise prices for consumers. >> mr. speaker, i was not one i was i was worried the prime minister was not want to read terms and conditions. he has just confirmed my worst fears. there is an alternative.

>> guy just say, if you want to carry on, >> continue on. i expect better and i don't need it anymore. >> mr. speaker, there is an alternative. he could stand up to his chancellor and tell him to support families rather than loading them with that. tell him to look at those amp up profits of oils and gas giants. shells profit is up 15 billion pounds. mr. speaker, every second of the day they have made 750 pounds extra profit from rising prices that at the same time, households are paying an extra 700 pounds a year on their power. why on earth is this government forcing loans on families and they should be asking those with

an unexcited windfall to pay a little more to keep house hold bills down? if not used up forward to nationalizing the company, but maybe drop that one now. i can't tell whether he has got that one or not. mr. speaker, prime min. johnson: he'd be hitting the energy companies at precisely the moment, if we need to transition what the government is providing is 9.1 billion pounds worth of support which is more generous than anything labor is offering. the only reason we can do it is because our economy is moving. we came down out of lockdown in july because he opposed it last year. that is why we have the greatest

economy in the g7, not just last year but this year as well. >> he can block a bluff all he likes. the reality is this. on top of the tax rises, on top of the soaring prices, the loan chart chancellor and his unwitting sidekick have now picked up a by now, pay later scheme. they have more money than they have -- know what to do with. it is the same old story with this government. given the mess, protect their mates, and ask working people to pick up the bill. if they worry that everyone can now see what this prime minister or chancellor, it is all one big scam of people for of the country paying the price. mr. speaker, what they can see is a government that is absolutely committed to doing

the right thing for the people of the country. prime min. johnson: taking the past decisions when labor is asking for us to be the easy way out and tape that spend more taxpayer money. it was this government decided to keep going and july when he wanted to stay and lockdown. we kept going over christmas and by the way, mr. speaker, it occurred to me we were also able to use those rented freedoms to deliver the fastest vaccine route. 48 times to go back. our plan for jobs is working mr. speaker. we have record numbers for unemployment. they have no plan at all mr. speaker. our plan for the country is working.

they have no plan whatsoever. i say to him, plan beats no plan. we have a great plan for our country, they play politics. >> thank you mr. speaker. the government nine billions of pounds support, but while the prime minister assure that it is full steam hand for new -- and this government is moving at pace of the future nuclear enabling fund so the u.k. has energy security, jobs, and investments. prime min. johnson: yes mr. speaker, i think it was just last week speaking on her spectacular advocacy, don't forget mr. speaker they have allowed -- we want to get back

up there and that is why there will be at least one big nuclear project and our nuclear financing bill will push that objective. >> i assure you and the entire house will want to join me in welcoming the yearly events in parliament last night. we all continue to strive for ongoing peace. mr. speaker, the flooding of changes in downing street, it is amazing how much energy this prime minister can some up when it comes to saving his own skin. while he has been busy rearranging, and a real world they continue to be punished by the crisis. yesterday, open democracy found a direct result of the

chancellor's national assurance site. they will take a to 75,000 pound -- that hackable happen the very same moment -- 100,000 pounds in the space of year. it is something the rest of the public cannot afford. rather than the prime minister and chancellor scrapping over the phone of leadership, will they do something useful in scrap their hike of the insurance? prime min. johnson: it is interesting that the opposition did not mention that. i think everybody can see how this is. we have to clear our covid backlogs. we have 6 million people already on their way. that is why we are recruiting more. there are 11,000 more this year than last year. we have increased the starting

salary by 28%. we are paying for it. actions speak louder than words mr. speaker. they are the very backbone of the national health service. the very people he is hitting with these pay cuts, and i should not have to remind the prime minister that at the same time those justices were going into work every day, 16 different parties were happening in his government. the public know what was sacrificed during the pandemic and they know exactly what this rule breaking prime minister and his government were up to. the prime minister and his chancellor held forces but the reward getting to the pandemic was a 270,000 pounds weights cap. mr. speaker, what we are telling the people of this country right

now, we back them all the way. what they want is more nurses and that is why there are record numbers in training. that is why we have 11,000 more in the nhs now. those, i think are fantastic investments in our country and our society. as i understand, the parties approached health care to cut off the bottom of doors in schools in scotland in order to improve ventilation. >> i am thrilled that i am front and center -- front and center. people of all ages are fighting to get into work and the college is already doing this.

will the prime minister join me in congratulating the college and will he meet with me and my honorable neighbors and friends preferably out behind the college so we can discuss -- prime min. johnson: i congratulate my honorable friend, she is a modern-day -- she is completely right. they are the heart of the current 21st-century green and they are very that i am very glad they have seen 125. -- thousand starts. partly and things to her lobbying -- >> 74-year-old janet had 25,000

pounds stolen by fraudsters. she told the bbc the money was my mom and dads. i felt i had let them down. for janet and for the 4 million people who fell victim to forces of online scammers last year, fraud is a crime. does the prime minister understand the hurt he and his ministers because fraud victims like janet when they write them out of the crime figures and say to something that people do next chance in the day-to-day lives? mr. speaker, while the prime minister correct the number on crime figures and apologize? prime min. johnson: he knows very well that this government hates fraud and hates online fraud. we are patching the scammers by helping people to come forward

when they get an email, when they get a dupe. we help them in any way that we can, but we are also touching the crimes that affect people up and down the country, neighborhood crime dealing with the -- that is something i think he should support as well and i am proud of those numbers have come down by 17%. >> thank you mr. speaker. it is wonderful news of the first and person commonwealth head of government for four years will take place during her majesty's platinum jubilee. can the prime minister ensure that the global learning crisis is high on their agenda and will he ask his amazing diplomats to ensure that every leader in the commonwealth is up to the decoration of etiquette -- education? prime min. johnson: everything she does to support education for the girls 12 years of

college education is the single most transformative thing we could do to improve the world and i remember working with my friend on the declaration, and we will certainly ensure that everybody of the commonwealth signs up for it. >> mr. speaker, at the height of the lockdown resections, my constituents who has worked for the nhs for over 30 years was dying those with a tumor on her spine. while under it best in the hospital undergoing painful surgery, they did not visit her. in the last two minutes, a photo emerged of the prime minister and downing street on the 15th of december 2020 surrounded by alcohol, food, and people wearing tinsel. it looks a lot like one of the christmas parties he told us never happened. for the sake of my constituents and the secular best sacrifice she made, will be --

prime min. johnson: first of all, i am very sorry about the constituent and the difficulty she has been through. i understand very well her feelings. and what he has to say, i am afraid he is completely an error. >> and 2020, the prime minister joined me on a building site and doubly on what is now the new institute of technology delivering future jobs and creating opportunities across the black country. while he joined me in congratulating the delivery team for people like thomas dudley and doubly college and will he join me in person and doing so at the nearest opportunity? prime min. johnson: mr. speaker,

i help -- thank my friend did he is a great champion for doubly in the back country. i am delighted to hear the institute technology is now open i will take -- keep his kind invitation in mind. >> we fall in the immortal words if you're not listening, you probably do not understand. if you don't understand us, you probably are not listening. the fact of the matter is the protocol has zero supports from unionist. the fact of the matter is and i hope the prime minister's list -- listening to this, the solution that attracts the support of only one sect of our community will very well never stop. will the prime minister therefore take the opportunity to speak for the irish government who is demanding --

running around washington demanding further implementation of the protocol on the basis that will bring further tax. the minister except that he now has a response ability to bring home that spring forward a solution that unites northern ireland and bring forward a solution that pays being in that has been undermined back. prime min. johnson: i agree with him completely that there must be a solution that commands trust, communion, and support. at the moment, there is no doubt that the balance of the good friday agreement is being upset by the waiver. i meaning to fix it mr. speaker and that is what we will do. if our friends won't agree, early on we will implement, >>

would my honorable friend take an alternative to summon an alternative meeting with an oil company with the agreement to bring more onto the market to reduce gas prices to help hard-pressed people deal with the cost-of-living problem? prime min. johnson: i think my friend very much for that suggestion because i think it is an interesting one and an ingenious one, the oil and gas companies create hundreds of thousands of jobs and it is important to our economy, i will do what i can to fix the meeting with him. 12 years in a row saving for -- people team pounds. >> thank you mr. speaker, i understand that he has been

heard listening i will survive. i would suggest that he would be her off -- condemned to an extended prison sentence in iran because of the kill of the prime minister. in 2022, this week, my friend believe the opposition was hounded by folks undermined because of the -- will the prime minister do the same thing and reconsider his word repent and rebound. prime min. johnson: i do not think that she should either let the thugs who bullied and harassed the gentleman off of the hook, anymore than she should let the iranian government --

>> since 2017, the mental health has gone up 5 -- eating disorders has gone up 400% since lockdown. we know that social media companies play a huge part in this. given that social media platforms like tiktok are providing stuff for kids in terms of adult content, and addictive alcoholism, when we consider implementing a 2% levy on social media companies which have raised hundreds of millions of funds for programs for children. prime min. johnson: mr. speaker, i know he has issued best campaign on the issue and he is quite right but the psychological damage that social media can do, and i heard what he has to say recently about what he has to say about tiktok,

>> the 10th largest city economy with a gdp of 11.6 billion, now it comes out that the analysis of the long-term economic analysis proves that it was carried out. rob -- when is the prime minister going to match action to rhetoric and give bradford the investment in need? prime min. johnson: mr. speaker, i am afraid she is wrong and what she said because we are not going to leave it medically in yorkshire through police in yorkshire, but she is misunderstood about the 96 billion integrated rail plan. what we are saying is that we will look at ways in which we

can ensure that we retract the eastern lego high-speed rails from north of birmingham to bradford. what we are not doing is coming up with a scheme of deciding exactly what to do and how to fund it. >> i serve my country with pride in the royal green jacket. i wrecked -- welcome the veteran strategy the prime ministers just brought out, but i asked the prime minister if they will always be at the heart of the government's strategy and everything can be done to see they always get what they need and are on it. prime min. johnson: yes mr. speaker, that is why we set up an office for veterans, that is why we have insured veterans get preferential treatment on public transport. one of the first things i did when i became prime minister. it is why we make sure the

veterans receive particular support and courage meant -- encouragement and employment. >> in the downing street shuffle at the weekend, the prime minister pointed to a man who recently lobbied the government on behalf of technology, to exclude entirely from our network. given the number and direct communication passed by definition, access to some of the sensitive government information, can the prime minister telus whether his present role acquires enhanced testing and whether he has gone through the necessary checks to provide for that level of clearance before he took up in post? prime min. johnson: a curious question that succumbed from -- from the chinese government.

mr. speaker, what i can tell him is that this government took a brave and necessary step in making sure we excluded him from our critical national infrastructure and that mr. speaker was the right thing to do, and whatever he said. >> mr. speaker, can i ask the prime minister question about the report? i am merely asking this question because last up prime minister last week and i did not get a straight answer. it is important because it is about those who make the laws obeying the laws. the prime minister wants to be judged on the facts and that is right, so can i ask him to commit that upon the conclusion of the metropolitan police investigation, will he ensure that sue gray's final report is published immediately and in

full? prime min. johnson: i do believe i answered that last time, but i will repeat for the benefit of the house as soon as inquiries are down, i will immediately publish whatever sucre gives me. -- sue gray is me. >> i understand that the reigning government finds an agreement with ukrainian government that would've resulted in the payment of 400 million pounds that we earlier on, that agreement fell through and has still not been paid. mr. speaker, this personally needs the prime ministers attention and personal intervention. can i ask the prime minister when he asked will he meet personally with me personally to

find out why the agreement fell through. prime min. johnson: thank you very much. i think you for all the hard work she does on behalf -- we remain committed to securing the release and all of the very difficult complications that we have in iran. she knows it is difficult to settle into square away for all sorts of reasons to do with sanctions, but we will continue to work on it and i will certainly make sure that we have another meeting with richard let radcliffe in due course. >> once again set by miles, affecting residents and local businesses alike. not of brexit, but because of brussels bureaucracy.

will the prime minister meet with me to discuss how we can invest in your local roads once and for all and to get rid of the unnecessary red tape for trading global -- prime min. johnson: she is right and what she says about the economy rebounding and bringing all sorts of pressures and we need to make sure that we clear things everywhere and that is what we will do. >> blown up on social media. everyone can see it in the photo. prime min. johnson: prime min. johnson: it already has been.

that event has already been submitted for investigation. >> that ends prime ministers questions. >> c-span's washington journal, everyday we are taking your calls live on the air on the news of the day and we will discuss policy issues that impact you. coming up on monday morning, we will discuss the week ahead in washington with tia mitchell and the former surgeon general will want to talk about covid-19 mandates and masking. watch monday morning on c-span or on c-span now, our new mobile app. join the discussion with phone calls, text messages and tweets.