health care, suicide prevention, and public safety.

>> moving to prime minister's questions. dr. danny chambers. >> mr. speaker, thank you. mr. speaker, alex salmon was a monumental figure in scottish and uk politics. he leaves a lasting legacy, and i know that the deepest condolences of the whole house are with moira his family and his loved ones. >> mr, speaker, this week we -- mr. speaker, this week we also remember our colleague and friend, sir david amos, whose kindness and commitment to public service continues to inspire us all. and i know how deeply this was felt on the benches opposite, and i'm so glad that his plaque is here in the house with us. i also want to acknowledge the extraordinary life of holocaust survivor ebert whose message of hope showed such courage. may her memory be a blessing. mr. speaker, we also extend our

sympathies to the family of general jackson. he was an inspirational leader of the british army and served with distinction. mr. speaker, i know the whole house will join me and wishing the best of luck to the new england manager thomas tuckle. i won't hold his old job against him, but i wish him well in the new one. mr. speaker, this morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. in addition to my duties in this house, i shall have further such meetings later today. >> dr. dichen. >> mr. speaker, in last week's maternity services debate, we heard of the devastating impact of the removal of consultants led maternity services from a hospital. now under the previous government's unfunded new hospital program, there were proposals to remove consultant maternity services from our hospital in winchester. could the prime minister reassure me and my constituents

that under the new government that maternity consultant maternity services and a&e services will remain in winchester and really commit to funding properly the backlog of maintenance that has developed in our hospital in winchester? >> well, i thank him for raising this very important issue and for championing the voices of women in his constituency. we are committed to ensuring that all women and babies receive safe compassionate and personalized care through pregnancy, birth, and critical following months. reconfiguration of the services as he knows is a matter for the integrated care boards. important as it allows decisions to be made locally and tailored to local interest, but changes , all changes should be based on evidence clinically led and involve engagement with patients to ensure they'll deliver better outcomes. it's a very important issue. >> allison. thank you, mr. speaker.

interactive play schemes and holiday activities where children and young people with special educational only 10 disabilities for 26 years, it is been a lifeline for families continually failed by conservative governments, but interactive is set to close due to a funding shortfall. does the prime minister agree with me that action to tackle the crisis in send provision is urgently needed and that charities like interactive deserve our support more than ever? >> yes, i do, and i know this will be a concerning time for families to rely on the brilliant work of whitby interactive. children of special education needs and disagrees have been filled for too long, and this comes up repeatedly in this house with a parent struggling to get their children to support that they need and that they deserve. we must raise the standards for every child so they can succeed

in education. we will fix the foundations and ensure every child can achieve their potential. >> leader of the opposition, rishi sunak. >> can i join with the prime minister's words of tribute to alex salmon and the holocaust survivor lily ebert and thank him for his kind words about sir david amos. we remember him fondly and will be thinking of all of their families at this moment. mr. speaker, this week china as commit out unwarranted, aggressive and intimidating military exercises in the taiwan straight. our allies are rightly concerned. after wearing reports that the government may have intervened to stop a visit to the u.k. by the former taiwanese president, can the prime minister confirmed that the foreign secretary will use his in beijing this week to condemn china's dangerous escalatory acts? >> i thank him for his question. the continued military activity

is not conducive to peace and stability and stability in the taiwan straits is in all of our interest. on the wider point that he raises, we will cooperate will begin his permanent members of the un security council, issues like net zero, health and trade, and where we have different interests but challenge to the point he makes is absolutely right where it is needed to protect national security, human rights and our values. and we will put the challenge in. >> given what the prime minister said, and i agree we must engage when we should use that engagement for a national interest. i hope that the foreign secretary will unequivocally condemn this military escalation and stand up for democracy in taiwan. now the whole house will be concerned about the state of the democracy campaigner jimmy lie , he is a british citizen who has been wrongly imprisoned in

hong kong for four years. the previous government pressure china for his release. does the prime minister agree that this is a politically motivated prosecution and a breach of china's legal obligations to hong kong under the british declaration? >> yes, and in this case he will understand it is a priority for the government. we do call on the hong kong authorities to release immediately our reddish national , and the foreign secretary raised his gaze in his first meeting with china's foreign minister, and we will continue to do so. >> i think the prime minister for that answer. now, china as he knows has become a decisive enabler of russia's war against ukraine supplying the vast majority now of russia's imported military microelectronics and components worsening the suffering of the , ukrainian people, so can the prime minister confirmed that he is prepared to sanction any chinese business or individual involved in aiding russia's invasion of ukraine, including

secondary sanctions on financial institutions? >> yes, and we have called for that in the past and continue to do so. i hope this is an issue where we can have unity across the house. >> if i can assure the permanence or of his support, it is something that we began, the united states recently and have expanded their sanctions, and i hope the new government will continue to look at doing the same. the last government also established a new system of registration and monitoring to protect the u.k. from an offense -- from interference from foreign states including china, russia, and iran. it was described as essential by mi5 in the fight to upkeep written safe, but since the prime minister took office he has halted its implementation. why? >> that is not correct. >> mr. speaker, that is very

clearly what the government has said, and only last week he said that the dispatch box that he would give the security forces the powers they need, and if he is going to for for that promise, i would urge him to get up to speed on this issue and therefore implement the scheme. >> parliament -- parliament's intelligence and security committee have warned that british universities is increasing average feeding ground for genitive exert political influence over us. that's why that's why we pass the freedom of speech act with new powers with new powers to help defend universities from this threat but the new education secretary has since blocked it. so can the prime minister tell us without this to will the government will prevent chinese influence over our universities? >> i really do not think party political points on security --

throughout the last parliament, we stayed with the government on all questions of security and intelligence, because it was important to the outside world that we did so. i worked with the security and intelligence services for 5 years prosecuting cases. i know firsthand the work that they do as a lawyer. i've known firsthand the work that they do as the prime minister. we support them in everything that we do, and he knows that. >> mr. speaker, whether it is the first scheme or the freedom of speech act, these were new tools, new sets of powers that the previous government passed in order to give whether it is our universities are security services the powers they need to tackle the growing threat, and we will of course continue to support the government and protecting our national security , but do believe on this side of the house that those tools are needed and are concerned by reports that the new government has positive implementation or scrub them. finally, mr. speaker, the

chinese government has sanctioned multiple members of our parliament for championing human rights. as a result they have faced intimidation, abuse, and surveillance, and mr. speaker, i commend your defense of the right of every member of this house to speak out on crucial issues without fear of retaliation from formal states. i know the prime minister will agree with that too. so this week will the foreign secretary and his meetings not just raise the issue, but tell the chinese government to lift the sanctions on our colleagues? >> yes, and we speak with one voice. he speaks about the record of the last government. that record was 14 years of failure, six years of austerity, three years of brexit log jam then johnson trust and the leader of the opposition utter failure, in this government was elected to do things differently, to make fairer

choices, most importantly to give britain its future back, so we will fix the foundations. we will do a long-term plan to grow our economy, protect working people, and rebuild our country. >> thank you, mr. speaker. two years ago the council was led into effective bankruptcy by that then conservative administration in no small part due to an investment of hundreds of millions of pounds into a solar farm scheme run by a con man. given the prime minister's commitment to integrity in public life, will he start -- support them and my constituents's calls for a public inquiry so that those responsible can be held accountable? >> i thank you for your question, because years of underfunding of left councils facing huge budget pressers. they do not know the impact it has on working people up and down the country. they rely on public services,

and what is happened to shocking. we are committed to resetting relationships and dumping those under intervention to recover and to reform. 14 years as a long time to destroy local services, and it is clear it will take time to fix them. we will get councils back on their feet up by providing multiyear funding settlements, but ultimately we have to grow our economy, and i am surprised the prime minister did not welcome at the 63 billion pounds of investment that we were able to announce on monday. >> leader of the liberal democrats. >> thank you, mr. speaker. tonight echo the tributes to the prime minister to alex salmon to david amos and ebert, and can i welcome the news that ministers are going to review the car up is because scandal after campaigns by car's organization the guardian newspaper and the liberal democrats culminating in our motion on the order paper

today, but whew he agreed with me that the evidence needed for review is already long-established in many of the decision self-evident? so will he and his colleagues vote for a motion today so we can write off the upper payment? we can end the crazy cliff edge to the earnings limit now and have a fuller review for the support that carers deserve? >> i think him for raising this. this is obviously a really important issue affecting a number of people, and that is why we have launched an independent review into the allowance overpayments to look at the circumstances of the overpayments to see what went wrong and therefore what can be done to put it right. because it carers must get the support they deserve. i am glad we have been able to take this action today to go forward on a really important issue. >> sir david. >> i think prime minister for

that answer and ask him that ministers in the review will listen to the voices of carers thereof. can i turn to the middle east now? the israeli finance minister said that starting 2 million people in gaza might be justified and immoral. the national security minister called settlers who killed the 19-year-old on a west bank euros . after my visit to israel and palestine last february, adding what is the damage that these extremist ministers in the netanyahu government are doing, i called on the less government to sanctioned them. the last government refuse, but we now learn that the former foreign secretary was considering this, so will the prime minister now sanctioned the ministers? >> we are looking at that because they are obviously abhorrent comments as he rightly says along with other really

concerning activity in the west bank but also across the region. the humanitarian situation in gaza is dire. at the death toll has surpassed 42,000, and access to basic services is becoming much harder. and israel must take all possible steps to avoid surveilling -- civilian casualties, without aid into gaza in much greater volume and provide un and humanitarian partners the ability to operate effectively. mr. speaker, along with france the uk will convene an urgent meeting of the un security council to address this. >> mr. speaker, it has been an honor to meet my constituent tom morton, a young person in care who said in public element today and care so deeply about politics and communities. young people in care are at a disproportionate risk of criminal and cynical exploitation by drug barons

through county lines. it will the prime minister attal the house what steps the government will take to prevent a children in care becoming involved in county line operations? >> can i welcome tom to this house? it is encouraging to see young people engage in democracy. counting alliance is a real problem, and all of us will have experience of the effect and impact of that in our constituencies, and our county alliance program focuses on preventing and people from being exploited and learned into criminal gangs, which is far too common, and committed to introducing new offensive child criminal exploitation long overdue. we will also create a network of young future hubs, staffed with professional youth workers, commitment to support workers and compare divisors to provide focus important for young people helping them to fulfill their ambitions and preventing them from being drawn into crime. >> roberts. >> i too would like to pay

tribute to alex salmon answer david amos. mr. speaker, one in five people in wales is on an nhs waiting list. the secretary of state for wales says that a new crossborder nhs plan would bring down wells surgery waiting lists but the first minister of wales labor contradicts her. she denies it has anything to do with bringing down waiting list. are they making it up as they go along? >> the difference is this. we now have the westminster government that wants to work with the welch government to deliver for the people of wales. for 14 long years at the west government was in a position that that then government was in conflict with them, so now we will work together, collaborate and ensure that together we deliver across wales. >> thank you, mr. speaker. will my right honorable friend the prime minister join me in praising our labor police and crime commissioner for cleveland

met story -- matt story, who's working with me to tackle knife crime drug crime and antisocial behavior in stockton north and i sure my constituent is that under this labour government will see more police officers in stockton and bellingham? >> i welcome his work with the new labor government. full-time equivalent police officers fell by over 12% under the less government. when you fail on the economy and growth those of the types of things that happen across the country. as part is -- of our neighborhood policing guarantee we will put 13,000 more deborah police back on a street and enjoyed every community has a name local officer. do are safer streets mission we will tackle illegal drugs, half life grind and crackdown on antisocial behavior and go after

the games that you -- and that lure young people into violence. >> mr. speaker, question issues surrounding send local government finance and adult social care are issues which affect all of our constituents. let's be honest, for too long both parties have ducked and dodged taking the difficult but necessary decision. in order -- in order to give certainty to our constituents in confidence to those who provide those vital services, does the prime minister share my assessment that there is considerable merit in formal prosperity working on these issues where we can share taking those difficult decisions in order to improve outcomes for our constituents? >> well, i am grateful to him for raising this question about send, because it is really important issue, and i think

this is the fourth time in two prime minister's questions where it is better based on both sides of the house. a quibble with his suggestion it's both parties since his party was in power for 14 years , but the spirit in which he pointed a sport that they should be cross party is something we should take up, because it is such an important issue. it affects so many children and parents, and therefore notwithstanding the quibble i'm very happy to work across the house on an issue is important as this. >> katrina mary. >> the fairways networking group, a group of small businesses in my constituency of kirk and tillich all operate it on small tight margins. it you might right honorable friend help reassure this group that not only do they have nothing to fear from employment rights bill but they have plenty

to gain? >> the employee rights bill is for worker and progrowth, and i don't believe you can build a strong economy by having people in insecure work. the party opposite go against every protection for workers. but the vast majority of businesses large and small already know that investing in your human capital, treating people properly at work is what produces growth, so here is the big political divide. they always oppose workers rights. we will always champion them. >> lady renzi. -- mr. ramsey. >> 99.7% of new patients in the east of england are unable to find any nhs test is -- dentist him at the worst affected area in the country. my constituents want urgent action, so when will the government begin the critical negotiations on dental contract reforms are no one in the 21st

century as people at their own teeth? and will it be by the end of this year? >> well he raises a really important issue, because dentistry was left in a shocking state by the less government. i was shocked to hear that the children's hospital, the cause for admission for 6 to 10 year olds in our children's hospitals in this country is to have teeth taken out because of the failure of the less government. that is shocking on any analysis. we will put that right, take the necessary steps that work across the house to do this as quickly as possible. >> thank you, mr. speaker. last night and this house we took the first step in abolishing their hereditary principle of privilege, and i was hosting a policy coalition in a meeting upstairs where we heard that often for many who experience poverty that feels hereditary too, so will the prime minister meet with me and those who have lived experience of poverty to find ways to to

which we can hear from those with that lived experience to break the cycle of poverty? >> she makes a good point. the party opposite said they went to get rid of maternity pay, but keep hereditary peers. it is the same old story. the letters -- if this is an important issue that she raised guarded the letters are honest, powerful, and important, and i think they hold up a mirror to our country. we will deliver a budget that drives economic growth, improves the lives of working people, it takes is our public services, and rebuilds our country with a decade of national renewal. >> my constituent jeanette crawford suffers from chronic pain, the cold damp conditions of the welsh winter will mean a lot more muscle soreness and fatigue for her. she's lost her winter fuel payments due to having a very

small savings pot with 86% of pensioners in poverty or just above that line to miss out in wales, with the prime minister establish a social energy tariff to help people like jeanette? >> on this issue of winter fuel payments, we have inherited a 22 billion pound black hole. they should be apologizing, not groaning with leaving the country in such a state. we are committed to the triple lock come at the point about pensions is really important, and that means that the triple lock means that the pensionable increase again by £460 next year , which means that pensioners under the labour party will be better off because we are going to stabilize the economy. >> thank you, mr. speaker. in britain the biggest killer of men under 50 is suicide. we have some of the worst

maternity leave in europe, and boys are 50% less likely than girls to pursue higher education. i know that my right honorable friend takes this very seriously, and his commitment on reducing suicide rates is very welcome. can the prime or update the house on this work, and does he agree with me that it is vital that we tackle these issues head-on because of the increasing alienation and mental health issues amongst young men? >> i thank him for raising this vital issue. the statistics on male suicide are truly shocking, and i went to an event just a few years ago given this place where everyone in attendance was asked if they had lost his -- lost someone to suicide, and i then reflected on my own experience, which was profound. i could see for everybody across the room and it will be across this house, so reducing deaths from suicide is a vital part of our health mission. we're recruiting an additional

8,500 mental health workers specially trained to support people at risk of suicide to provide faster treatment and ease pressure on our services. >> group captain lizzie nichol had an exemplary career until she was forced to resign for refusing to implement a legal recruitment orders. despite inquiry after inquiry vindicating on every account at failed to offer her fair compensation. during any election period in what i believe was an attempt to subvert industry oversight she was offered a bribery of 2000 pounds. i have documents proving beyond a doubt that the former chief of staff line to the then defense secretary. with a premonition meet with lizzie and hope that those responsible to not just walk away and that lizzie gets the justice that she so very much deserves? >> i think her for raising a very important case.

i am not across the individual details, but obviously it does need to be looked into, so we will commit to look into it, and i will make sure that she gets a meeting with the relevant minister to lay out such details as she has to get some answers as to our inquiries. >> jake richards. >> thank you, mr. speaker. children's social care in this country is coming crisis. affordable children are regularly place hundreds of miles from home, often in unregulated and unsafe accommodation. meanwhile, private companies are making record profits on the backs of struggling and desperate local authorities. frankly this is an issue, a national scandal that does not get enough attention. today i will be presenting my private members bill, which will offer modest reform in this area, but will the prime minister be assured and thousands of families across the country that it is a priority of his government to fix the social care crisis and our family courts? >> i think him for raising this

issue and being a champion. he is absolutely right about the appalling inhabitants. one in four children in absolute poverty. that is a terrible inheritance, and too many vulnerable children in under regulated accommodation. there are children's well-being built we will put children and their well-being at the heart of our education and social care systems. we will also provide a home for all young care providers to ensure that they are not home i said remove the barriers to opportunity so every child can thrive in safe and loving homes. >> mr. speaker, during the election campaign that now prime minister made a hell of a lot of promises some of which i'm sure he will remember. of particular importance to mikan's injury she -- to my consent to bc -- constituency in

andover northwest hampshire made a promise during the 19th of june debasing unequivocal unconditional commitment to rebut our local hospitals. -- >> we are reviewing a program. the last government put in place a program for 40 new hospitals that had the number of laws. they were not new and there were not funded. she is right to raise this, and i will make sure there is a meeting with the relevant minister to discuss the particular development. it will matter to his constituents and it is important they know where the failure lays. >> mr. speaker, i welcomed the government's historic commitment and investment in carbon capture and storage technology, and this week i have been at a conference comment the feeling there is this is a government delivering after years of delay. it will the prime minister recognized beginning potential

that t-side has were jobs, prosperity, and economic growth into the future? >> mr. speaker, you will have observed that on monday we had a very successful investment summit, ext 3 billion pounds coming into this country, jobs in every part of the u.k. and a very clear message were business that they are prepared to invest now under this new labour party government. but if that was a 22 billion commitment creating the first clusters in the world, including as he points out in the first half of the country. we will support these jobs, to good investment, we will grow our economy and rebuild our country. >> thank you, mr. speaker. north cornwall is an amazing place to live and work, but a top-down approach from westminster has failed us. public services are chronically underfunded. young people forced to move away to pursue careers elsewhere, and affordable housing is a promise

that we simply never capped. it will the prime minister meet with all six cornish mps to discuss the evolution for cornwall with a cornish assembly the recognizes are unique culture, language, and national minority status so we can finally unleash cornwall's economic potential? >> i am grateful to the member for raising this. i do believe in transferring power out of westminster and into the hands of leaders who know their community's best, those with skin in the game know what is best for their communities. we are already making steps in the southwest by sending an agreement for governments to encourage local authorities to work with their neighbors to pursue a wider devolution for their area, and i will make sure that he has the meeting. >> final question. >> as the prime minister works for a cease-fire and a return

for the hostages you will have the support of people across this house, and the prime minister well noted the comments from the white house calling for urgent action to deal with the humanitarian crisis in gaza and for the netanyahu government to increase access to aid into the amount of aid to getting through. i wondered that's the prime minister agree with the comments from the white house, and can he tell us what representations he is making on the matter? >> yes, i do agree with those remarks, and we are constantly making reputations -- what representations on this with our partners. there is an urgent need for all aid to get into gaza. it is a desperate situation, and israel must comply with its international humanitarian law obligations, and that is why we are convening a session of the un security council with others to address this issue. >> that completes the minister's questions.

i will just let the front benches clear a bit. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2024]