health care workers.

ms. rayner: this government signed a landmark agreement with germany, which will help people and create jobs. mr. speaker, i know the house will join me in sending our best wishes to him and his wife. he's a truthful legend and it will inspire many. i also send our condolences to those affected by the train crash. mr. speaker, this morning, i have asked colleagues and others and i have further such meetings later today. >> can i urge the deputy prime

minister -- when this government did we promise the biggest upgrade in a generation and for working people. we will uphold that promise. -- the people that the tory party have failed for the last 14 years.

-- definition of working people. mr. hoyle: deputy prime minister. ms. rayner: first of all, let me start by welcoming the honorable gentlemen. today is our first exchange since he pushed -- the definition of working people are the people the tory party have failed for the last 40 years. >> the deputy prime minister stood on the manifesto, promising not to raise taxes on working people. it now appears she cannot even define who working people are. so i will give her another go. there are 5 million more

business owners in this country. are they working people? ms. rayner: i don't know how the deputy shadow prime minister can summon that when they said the interest rates soaring. >> i think the whole house will have heard the deputy prime minister disregard 5 million hard-working citizens. these are the publicans, the shopkeepers, the family running a local cafe. none of those count as working people to her. now, labour gave a clear commitment not to raise national insurance. the independent iss have given

their review on this. they say that raising employer national insurance is a tax on working people. even the chancellor said that raising employer national insurance was a jobs tax that will make each new recruit more expensive and increase the costs to business, so does she agree with the ifs and their own chancellor? ms. rayner: mr. speaker, i remember the party opposite, when they said f to business, whereas this party held a business investment summit last week that put 300 billion pounds into our economy. we are pro-business, pro-worker, and getting on with the mess that they left. >> i think we can take it from that answer that the deputy prime minister does not agree with the ifs and i suppose it should not come as a surprise that she doesn't agree with her chancellor, but does she agree

with this? and i quote, "working people will pay when employers pass on the hike in national insurance." mr. speaker, the are her words, so does she at least agree with herself? mr. hoyle: deputy prime minister. ms. rayner: what i'm incredibly proud of is this week, this government brought in a new employment bill, which will raise the standards of 10 million workers. with the deputy prime minister like to apologize -- the shadow deputy prime minister like to apologize for the hike in taxes he put on working people and the disaster that he left behind? mr. hoyle: she mentioned -- >> she mentioned her policy. it's a 5 billion pound hit to the british economy and that's her own assessment. there will be millions of working people even more worried

following these answers about the tax rises coming their way in next week's budget, but as this is our last exchange across this, i would like -- i'd like -- i'd like to turn to somebody i hope we can all agree is a hard-working person, his majesty the king. will she join me in sending him best wishes ahead of the commonwealth summit in samoa and will she confirm that this government recognizes the unique role played by the commonwealth and will she commit to deepening this relationship so that under his majesties leadership we build upon the great legacy of the late queen? mr. hoyle: deputy prime minister. ms. rayner: i will miss our exchanges.

the late nights voting. and in that spirit, mr. speaker, i will agree with my right honorable friend. the commonwealth is very important and that is why we are working together at the moment. mr. hoyle: oliver dowden. mr. dowden: i think the right honorable lady for that answer. our commonwealth family is brought together by historical and cultural ties, much like the pair of us. [laughter] but i will resist the temptation to replicate that, but as we look to the commonwealth's future, we now have the opportunity to deepen our economic relationship. will she therefore assure the house that the prime minister will use the summit to continue the work of the last government

and building deeper economic ties with our commonwealth friends and allies? mr. hoyle: deputy prime minister? ms. rayner: we talk about economics. the architect of the 2024 general election campaign for the tories -- it appears he fought so hard to protect. he leaves behind a tory party and utter denial, heads in the sand, refusing to accept their rejection by the british public. their proposals include scrapping the minimum wage, halting maternity pay. mr. speaker, this labour government is ready to end the scales. mr. speaker, they don't like to hear it, but this labour government was elected to end the tory chaos and that is exactly what we are doing. putting money in the pockets of insecure workers, 10 million

working people better off. while candidates argue about what went wrong, this labour government is getting on with rebuilding britain. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i, like many mps, have heard many heartrending stories of constituents who have bad support, yet had care been available alongside an end of life plan, their experiences could have been different. will the deputy prime minister agree to set up a commission for palliative and end-of-life care so everyone can access the best support when ill terminally and have a peaceful and dignified death and will she meet to discuss it? ms. rayner: i think my right honorable friend for raising what is an important subject. i know before i was in this place, from there, what an

incredible work this is an the honor it is to be there for somebody at the end of their life discussions have begun on how to improve palliative and end-of-life care and i will make sure she can meet to discuss this issue. mr. hoyle: ms. cooper. >> may i ask echo the deputy prime minister positive remarks about the train crash. one of the causes of the winter crisis every year is that there are thousands of people in hospitals who are fit to go home but cannot be discharged because there are another workers in place to enable people to recover at home or in a care home. will the deputy prime minister consider the liberal democrats idea of winter proofing and

ending the social care crisis caused by the conservatives? ms. rayner: i share with the lady her desire to ensure that care workers are given the respect and the importance that they deserve. they are critical in my opinion to solving the problems within our national health service and the labour party will create a national care service and we are launching our first ever fair pay agreement for recruitment and retention. we will get the nhs back on its feet. the chancellor will have more to say in the budget. >> i think the deputy prime minister for answer. we stand ready to work with the government to fix our social care system. however, one of the things i can make it harder for us to keep the caring we desperately need would be an increase in the national insurance contribution.

where that measure to go ahead it would affect millions, including 18,000 care providers. can i ask the deputy prime minister that will be -- that there'll be nothing in the budget makes it harder? >> again, i won't speculate on the budget. what i will say, and i will tell you what the chancellor said and what the prime minister said, this will be a budget that recognizes that working people of this country have been hard-hit by the 14 years of conservative rule. we will rebuild the country. >> thank you, mr. speaker. this next year marks the 200th anniversary of the stockton 10 railway about the industry in my area is in peril as a result of a lack of action from the previous government. will my right honorable friend the debbie preminger joined me

and are honorable friend to join trade unions to ensure no stone is left unturned as we fight for the future of this factory? ms. rayner: i think my right honorable friend for that question. he's been a champion for workers from day one. i can assure him that we are in close contact on operations to secure a sustainable future and an industrial strategy. mr. hoyle: stephen flynn. >> in the spirit of cross party working, will the deputy prime minister join me in applauding the brave labour staff members who traveled across the atlantic to campaign against donald trump?

[laughter] ms. rayner: mr. speaker, i am loving this loving. i think the honorable gentlemen. members often going campaign and that's what we have seen. it happens in all political parties. people go and campaign and they do what they want in their own time -- on their own time. >> thank you mr. speaker. my family knows what it means to raise and support a disabled child. charities like the yard do an amazing job providing vital additional help to disabled children and their families. last month, we found our country is so broken that three quarters of parents of children with special needs and disabilities have had to quit work or cut their hours. must we tackle this reality?

ms. rayner: i agree with my honorable friend to pay tribute to those with children with special educational needs and disabilities. i myself have my amazing son who does tremendously well given the challenges he's faced in life. i know the system is not working for children and families. we will work with him to pursue our shared mission. >> thank you, mr. speaker. just three months into this labour government, we have seen brutal cuts to pensions, the taxing of education, and just this week, 5 billion pounds additional pressure put on business. why does this problem has such a problem with aspiration -- have such a problem with aspiration? ms. rayner: mr. speaker, mr. speaker, the honorable member might not have been in his place, and i welcome him now,

during the last parliament, but it was his left government that left a 22 billion pound deficit, that left the biggest housing crisis, that crash the economy, and his government is so interest rates and inflation go to 11%, where people are worse off -- pensioners are worse off than they are now. >> i watched in horror and condemned the acts of october 7 by the terrorist group hamas. a year later, i watched in horror as 40,000 people are killed in gaza, burned alive, aid workers killed, and now families are starving. our right honorable friend the prime minister said that the world will not standby and see the lack of humanitarian assistance. if the israeli government will not listen to our prime minister's words, what practical, measurable actions will we take as the u.k.

government? ms. rayner: i think my honorable friend for raising this important issue. the humanitarian situation in northern gaza, mr. speaker, is dire, and we need an immediate cease-fire and much more aid allowed to flow in, and an immediate release of the hostages. we have suspended u.k. export licenses to israel for items that might be used in the current conflict in this government -- and this government says there's a clear risk israel might be violating him into syrian law in gaza -- violating humanitarian law in gaza. we will do so in a manner consistent with our obligations to international law. >> thank you. >> mr. speaker, our child protection services have had to deal with a number of cases where parents and carers have argued that their fatal actions

were lawful punishment. willow deputy prime minister put forward legislation bringing the rest of our country into line with scotland and wales so all children enjoy unambiguous protection in law against violence? ms. rayner: i think it's a very important point that the right honorable gentlemen raises and i will make sure that the minister has a meeting. the first thing is to protect the citizens and that includes our children and we will work across the house to deliver that. >> last friday, with international -- was an international day for something. mariella. the need to support women through their menopausal years. hopefully the deputy prime minister will join me in celebrating this appointment and

confirm that this government will do all it can to keep minnis -- keep menopausal women happy, healthy, and wonderful. >> absolutely, mr. speaker, and i thank my right honorable friend for her work in this area. this government will bring protections for women experiencing menopause and i'm proud we have appointed mariella as the new ambassador. she's a champion across the country. >> thank you, mr. speaker. >> charlie for my constituency is an eight-year-old boy with an autism diagnosis who has been out of school. he's one of 1800 children in surrey missing school because of lack of appropriate special needs provisions.

will the government committed to ending this scandal by funding special education. in next week's budget so that children like charlie in my constituency and beyond are no longer led down? ms. rayner: i think the honorable member for her very important question and i'm sorry to hear about what charlie and many other children with special educational needs have gone through. we know we have inherited a really dire situation. many members across this house have raised this issue and i'm sure the chancellor will welcome it in the budget. >> thank you you, mr. speaker. this morning, we woke to more

tragic news of deaths in the channel, something that we are hearing far too often. just last month, we saw the death of a pregnant woman and children, children, mr. speaker. i would like to ask the deputy prime minister what this government is doing to take on the evil smugglers who are trading in human misery? ms. rayner: i thank my honorable friend and welcome him to this place. he knows we have inherited an and -- asylum system in chaos and he quite rightly says these are people, women, children. we are putting in place a credible plan to protect our borders and remove those with no right to be here by stepping up our border security command with 75 million pounds of investment and working with international partners to target and dissolve the criminal

smuggling gangs. mr. hoyle: sir edward lee. >> will the government please continue to work closely with the district counselor and myself to ensure it is sold off in a timely fashion at a fair price so we secure the future of the railway, the spaceport and heritage center rather than maximize value and cover it with housing? ms. rayner: i think the honorable memorable for his question. my right honorable friend, the home secretary, is taking urgent action to clear the backlog of cases reducing asylum accommodation and saving millions for the taxpayers. i will make sure the right honorable member is kept fully updated as to the decommissioning and disposal process. >> thank you, mr. speaker. in my constituency, hundreds of leaseholders, tenants and shareholders are living in properties with defects and thousands around the country,

many are facing bankruptcy, delaying having children, unable to move. we have had another change in ministerial responsibility. will the deputy prime minister take a personal lead on keeping on top of this? they are still living in limbo and need some hope of change. ms. rayner: i think my honorable friend for this important question. i say from the outset the pace of mediation has been to slow and i take a personal lead in this. seven years on from the grenville tower tragedy, it is on acceptable that so many buildings still have unsafe cladding. i am meeting with leaders and national safety bodies to press the urgency of this work and will make sure action is being taken to make sure homes are safe. >> farmers have been suffering from incredibly wet weather, topped off by a month's

worth of rain in 24 hours. they were not eligible for the farmer recovery fund. only 1.2 million pounds has been handed out to farmers. will the government consider extending the eligibility of that scheme so we can keep farmers going -- going? ms. rayner: i'm sorry to hear the plight of the shropshire farmers and we inherited a flood defense program in disrepair thanks to 14 years of mismanagement and failure. communities are unprotected and families and businesses are forced to pay the price. we launched a flood defense task force to charge the delivery and coordination of flood defenses and are investing 1.5 billion this year to scale up things and i will make sure she gets a meeting with the minister. >> thank you, mr. speaker. the government has delivered on its manifesto commitment to introduce the employment rights bill in its -- this includes a

historic fair pay agreement for care workers and will benefit all those who care for older and disabled adults like those in my constituency of shipley. will the deputy prime minister agree with me that care workers deserve pay and conditions that match the amazing work they do to support our loved ones to have a for filling life? mr. hoyle: i think my honorable friend -- ms. rayner: i think my honorable friend and welcome her to her place. as a biased former care worker i will always complement them. i agree they deserve the pay and conditions to match their contributions and i am proud to say we are delivering the fair pay agreement they will give the care workers the recognition they deserve and make sure they are able to deliver the best possible care to our loved ones. mr. hoyle: mr. cleary. >> thank you. a study showed that u.k.

goods exports to the eu are 27% down and import 22% lower than they would have otherwise been thanks to the conservatives failed brings a deal. will the deputy prime minister tell me what steps this government is taking as part of their reset with the eu to cut brexit red tape for small businesses to help our economy get growing again? ms. rayner: i welcome the right honorable member to his place, and he's right to advocate for small businesses. they are the backbone of our economy. this government is turning the page on the relationship with europe, reinvigorating alliances and forging new partnerships. we will improve the u.k.'s trade and investment relationship with the eu, tearing down unnecessary barriers to trade. this will not involve rejoining the single market, customs unit, union, but we will get the relationship better. >> thank you, mr. speaker. 27,000 people in the cities of

london and westminster live in the private rented sector. after 14 years of neglect and delay, they face damp and mold in their homes, they risk no-fault evictions and out of the blue rent hikes. does the deputy prime minister agree with me that the renters rights bill currently in committee will transform life for private renters and finally rebalance power between tenants and landlords? ms. rayner: i think my right honorable friend and i welcome her to this place and i'm incredibly proud of the renters rights bill that we are pushing through parliament because too many renters are being exploited by a minority of unscrupulous landlords, unable to challenge bad practices but they could be convicted at any moment -- be evicted at any moment. the conservatives promised this and failed to deliver. we will deliver. mr. hoyle: ray stevenson. >> thank you, mr. speaker. communities across the country,

including in bedfordshire, experienced widespread flooding. the village of malden and my constituency has seen increased flooding following housing development. the deputy prime minister requires communities to build more homes. will to that well she ensure those new developments don't increase flood risk? ms. rayner: i think the gentlemen and welcome him. we recognize the devastating impact flooding can have. i know the flooding minister visited bedfordshire in september to meet with volunteers and residents. we inherited flood defenses that are in disrepair and behind schedule. we have launched a flood resilience task force. when it comes to the planning response needed to deliver the homes this country needs, we will ensure the right infrastructure is in place and communities are in -- are resilient. >> in the west derby area of liverpool is a hospice providing support to sick children and their families. it has been threatened with

closure. does the deputy prime minister agree with me that hospices like these need to be on good footing and not reliant on charitable funding? ms. rayner: i think my honorable friend for the question and the hospice situation in this country has faced significant challenges because of the 14 years of devastation under the conservatives. the health secretary knows this is of importance and will make sure she gets a meeting. mr. hoyle: final question to john hay. >> the deputy prime minister will know that my constituency of lincolnshire's whole is the breadbasket of britain, producing 20% of the food consumed across the nation. she will know that and yet lincolnshire faces an invasion of giant pylons down the east coast and solar development. will she made a delegation of

colleagues from lincolnshire and nearby, including the right arm will member from loudoun, so that we can establish that energy security must never be competitive with food security? ms. rayner: i think the honorable member for his question and he will know we launched a consultation on the national planning policy framework.