Transcripts For CSPAN2 Prime Ministers Questions Prime Ministers Questions 20240712

And now live to london for british Prime Ministers question time. Each week the house of commons is in session we bring you Prime Minister Boris Johnson getting questions from members of the house of commons wednesday morning on cspan2. Prior to question time members are finishing up other business. Now live to the floor of the british house of commons. The whole house will be with the honorable member. Join me in wishing her a speedy recovery. And there will be further meetings. On behalf of my honorable friend my constituents are reeling from the 9 contraction of the economy, unemployment has skyrocketed, the highest in the country. Unfortunately we are at the same time facing the idea there could be a congestion forced on 4 million by this government. And they are placing the double whammy of covid19 and financial ruin. And i respectfully informed the honorable lady, the mayor of london bankrupted, and before it hit and it is a massive black hole, any need to make up the deficit is bound to him, entirely his responsibility. Any expansion of the congestion charge or any other measure taken to approve the finances of tso are the responsibility of the bankrupt current bankrupt mayor of london. People the length and breadth of the country faced many sacrifices to fight the threat of covid19. Infection rates are increasing fast. Can my right honorable friend tell my constituency how long we are expected to stay there and what help for local businesses and crucially what comes up . I hope to reassure my honorable friend, less than half the england average, the way forward but it doesnt end the same way for everyone to follow the guidance of the new restrictions but also washing hands, wearing face covering, keeping distance. Rate admiral i think the Prime Minister for his remarks about the honorable member. Prime minister, the area that goes into tier 3 restrictions get out of those restrictions . Mister speaker, the simplest and most effective way for areas to get out of those restrictions is to get the are down to one or below and im pleased to say some areas are having considerable effect with the measures they are taking. If the infection rates are in a tier 3 area have not come below one, will it be possible in any circumstances for that area to come out tier 3 if it is below one . Obviously the are is one of the measures we look at and will make a decision based on a number of things including the are but also rates of infection, rates of admission at the hospital and other data but the most important thing is areas that go into tier 3, and the right thing for them to do the right thing for their constituents. When they are able to make progress they will come out of tier 3. The measures put in place are reviewed every 28 days. I am now confused by the Prime Ministers answer. If not the are rate under one, what is it . Millions of people want to know the answer to that question. They really need to know. On friday the chief scientific officer said tier 3 on its own to get the are rate below one. The same day the Prime Minister said there was only a chance of getting infection rates down. This gets to the heart of the issue because the widespread fear is the tier 3 is the worst of all worlds, brings significant economic harm without getting the virus officially under control to exit tier 3 so instead of being a solution tier 3 is a gateway to weeks and weeks or months of agony from which there is no likely exit. Prime minister not see the problem if there isnt a clear exit . I made it absolutely clear part of the country going into tier 3 is only 28 days, we will review after 28 days and areas that have gone into tier 3 i believe are already making progress and areas where there are restrictions in place are showing signs of progress. We are pursuing a regional approach, a sensible approach for the country, that is what the epidemiology supports and the chief medical officer supported last night and i want to thank local leadership in london and elsewhere for what they are doing and it is a bit incoherent of the right honorable gentlemen to attack local lockdowns when he wants to plunge the whole country back into a damaging lockdown for weeks on end and he has no clue about how to get the country out of that, does he . There will be a review every 28 days but if the are comes below one the infection rate is still going up but the numbers are going up, the admissions are going up, members of the hospital are going up indefinitely. Is the Prime Minister seriously saying he would take a tier 3 area out of tier 3 with the are at above one . I dont think so. Let me spell out what this means. On friday thousands of people in Greater Manchester, taxi drivers, hospitality workers, selfemployed and freelancers will either be out of work or face significant pay cuts. That is the reality in manchester. Their mortgage wont be lower. Their heating bills wont be lower, this could last for months. Why cant the Prime Minister and the chancellor understand this . Stop bargaining with peoples lives, stop provide the support that is needed in manchester. Im proud this government has given Greater Manchester 1. 1 billion pounds in support for business, 200 billion pounds in funding, 15 Million Pounds to tackle infections, 20 million protest and trade, 22 million for local response we announced yesterday and the mayor of Greater Manchester was offered a further 16 Million Pounds which he turned down with no encouragement or support from the right honorable gentlemen. I can tell the house that cash will be distributed and i want to thank the right honorable colleague of the house from bolton northeast, and so on and hazel road for the support they have given. The Prime Minister consulting which what isnt working, 43 Million Pounds to bridges that were never built but cant find 5 Million Pounds for the people of Greater Manchester. I think the Prime Minister has crossed the rubicon, the way he treated Greater Manchester and the take it or leave it way these local deals are being done. It is corrosive. The public trust, region against region, mayor against mayor, council against counsel, asking them to trade away their businesses and jobs. We need a one nation approach, replace the endless local battles with clear National Criteria and proper support for jobs. Labors motion would do that. Why wont the Prime Minister support it . I am proud to support the one nation conservative support we have given to the entire country, 200 Million Pounds in support of jobs across the whole of the country already, 9. 9 billion pounds for the job support scheme and this government has cut the deferred business rate, no other country in europe where so much support has been given to the population to get through the crisis and we will continue to do that but the height of absurdity that he stands up and attack the economic consequences of measures we are obliged to take across some parts of the country when he turned the lights out with a full National Lockdown. That was his policy last week anyway, wasnt it . Is that still his policy . Is that what he wants to do . The Prime Minister produced maps across the country so the infection rate in all ages across all regions particularly showing regions, the equivalent of tier 2 restrictions for weeks if not months moving into tier 3. As they are moving into tier 3, if tier 2 works they should be going to tier 1 so tier 2 goes to tier 3, 23 has no end, no confidence in the are rate coming below one and i do not believe the tier 3 regional cloud of those restrictions unless our is below one across numbers so we now have by the way cornwall is the only place where the infection rate today is less than Greater Manchester when it went into local restrictions so the idea that we are somehow immune is wrong. So carry on with the Prime Ministers approach which will be to weeks and weeks, months and months in all your constituencies for millions of people in tier 2 and 3 with no exit, put in place a 2 or 3 week time limit subject to break the cycle, brings virus back under control, wales, Northern Ireland and scotland have chosen that part. With half turns starting this friday this may be the last opportunity for the Prime Minister to put in place an effective circuit break. The Prime Minister was too slow in the first phase of this pandemic, too slow again. We cannot repeat this mistake. Will react in the Public Interest to take the opportunity to put in place a circuit break this friday . We will do whatever it takes to get this country through the crisis with or without the support of the right honorable gentlemen. I may say i have explained why the policy is the right one for the country because it would involve closing schools, shattering businesses, although psychological, emotional damage lockdowns of that kind bring. You cant say how many Circuit Breakers would be necessary or how long they would go on or how much damage they would do to the uk economy and peoples mental health. We on the other hand want a common sense approach which is a local and regional, keeping our economy moving because that is the way to get the whole of our country through this crisis to gather, so its is under tier 3 restrictions. Lets head to cheshire with edward simpson. Thank you very much. After recent positive progress covid19 has disproportionately and adversely affected occupation levels in female school and physical activity. To reverse this will my right honorable friend lend his support to the first developed of the first ever womens and Girls Football National Center of excellence in my constituency, 70 Million Pound project he previously expressed enthusiasm for, help build female grassroots support . I think my honorable friends was i welcome cheshires commitment for a new worldclass facility for women and girls and propose opening the center in winston. The leader of the smc, ian blackburn. My thoughts are on the recovery. Next week the pandemic is worsening, the tory government will move mass redundancies across the United Kingdom, meanwhile the Prime Minister is complaining, he cant get by 150,000 pounds but i ask the Prime Minister if he finds life such a struggle how does he expect many workers to get by with this furlough to sink in . Mister speaker, i am proud of what weve done to support low incomes, this government raised the living wage by record amounts, increased universal credit by 1000 pounds a year and he makes the point about furloughs and as he knows, combined with universal credit, the Job Support Team Just Announced workers will be getting 80 , we will get this country through this crisis and support people of low income throughout the period. Ian blackburn. Im afraid the Prime Minister just doesnt get it. Yesterday we saw his disregard for the people of Greater Manchester, the people of scotland are all too familiar with millions of family struggling to get by and this tory government in the middle of a pandemic, the Prime Minister letting unemployment soar like the 1980s. Time is running out with one week left. With the premise are finally invest in our communities, need millions of people on the scrap heap . I must reject what the right honorable gentlemen said. The reality of what the government is doing to support people across the country, not just the 200,000 pounds investment in jobs but we are engaged, in help and housing and infrastructure throughout the United Kingdom for a generation. I congratulate the Prime Minister for the strong stance in negotiation with the eu. Not treating as an independent state to deliver a freetrade agreements, to leave the Withdrawal Agreement and make its own arrangements regarding the uks marketing. Whatever the effect of the Withdrawal Agreement, i can assure her the uks internal market which everybody on both sides of the house values is protected and upheld by the internal market which goes through another one and protecting the good friday agreement. The key is savings, turned 18 last month, one of the first to see the Child Trust Fund mature. But he cant manage his own finances and cant access the savings. Government rules mean his parents cant either meaning legal fees. He wants to use it to buy specially adapted, willful Prime Minister look at proposals to end this injustice for disabled young people . I will do what i can to help in that particular case. I dont know if it is comfortable for a number of schemes but if he cares to write to me i will answer. Bob blackman . Thank you, my right honorable friend will be aware of negotiations going on, on further bailout. The current mayor is demanding 5. 65 billion pounds to keep running for the next 18 months. If he refuses to accept any economies. Can my right honorable friend confirm the current mayor of london to expand the charge to the circular one. As i said in my answer to the first question, the finances, in robust financial help by the previous mayor. It certainly was entirely the fault of the current mayor of london with his grossly irresponsible fallacies that were never pursued, and the fault lies entirely, i trust my honorable friends will make that cliff. Financial support packages, nationalization, what the government has done on covid19 but no end to the virus incite can i ask if he has to reconsider many of his schemes sentiments ago with all of this and the minimum income in 6 months, 3272 cases in his own state in the balance can he start tonight . Prime minister, Prime Minister, please, weve got to help each other. The honorable lady is right to call attention to the difficulties facing many families because of the crisis we have been in, is to keep kids in school as we possibly can, vitiated by the series of lockdowns being proposed. Dont want to go down that route and what i want to do is make sure we continued to support families throughout the crisis to have the cash available. I would be delighted, to be part of the biggest Hospital Building the infrastructure, delivering the infrastructure program. I think the Prime Minister in february, the wonderful work being done by local medics and staff. The hospital expedited that spaces ambitious plans but only if the time taken to regulate appearances for nhs is dramatically shortened. Will the Prime Minister, have the improvements as quickly as possible. I hope i can reassure him by saying the modeling work is completed and the development is underway as we speak. On the sixteenth of june the Prime Minister agreed to provide vouchers to children over the Summer Holidays after 24 hours beforehand, was unaware of the campaign that was calling, the education minister, continuing until 2021 and the government committed to do the same. Can the Prime Minister confirm that hes aware of these announcements and when does he plan to do the right thing . Government of all stripes supply preschool meal since 1906 and i am proud that it was this conservative government extending universal preschool meals to 6 and 7 year olds, never did anything like that. We support kids of low incomes in school and we will continue to do so but the most important thing is to keep them in school, into another National Lockdown taking them out of school, and throughout the holidays as well. Thank you, mister speaker. It is more important to our lives than we imagined. Will my right honorable friend confirm despite covid19 and all the challenges we will deliver the commitment to rollout across the United Kingdom and ensure we are local leaders in digital connectivity . To lobby for that, i can tell him local delivery partner provided connectivity of the kind he describes to 300,000 premises across the two counties and we are going to be a world leader in connectivity as we build back better. Mister speaker, can the Prime Minister confirm his government is supporting the mayor of london to remain free travel for under 18, in return for further financial report, how can this be right when in my constituency, they have genuine hardship ahead of them . The labor mayor of london bankrupted finances, any changes he brings in our entirely his responsibility. I know the Prime Minister is committed to doubling down. Will he join me had a roundtable with key partners focused on delivering, not to insure the investment will revolutionize public transport . That is an easy commitment and i would be delighted to do so, in pioneering a new program of Sustainable Low carbon that carbon and lowcost heat. 3 weeks ago the Prime Minister stood at that box praising live nest the only place, praise doesnt pay the bills. Lutons proud industries of manufacturing and events cant get by on soundbites, no relation what is happening to jobs and businesses. He knows entire industries are at stake, so action, different or incompetent. Will he support businesses that need it and areas that need it throughout the crisis . He is indeed and i think the people of and for their heroic work and people across the country for what they are doing and i support businesses, the sensible balance, regional local approach and i hope she agrees with me it would make no sense at all if they had their lights turned off and doors shuttered in a series of multiple lockdowns of the kind recommended by the Party Opposite. People in north wales are learning to live with covid19 but we are frustrated by government policy that seeks to place restrictions on us as they are in the capital. Last week my right honorable friend agreed to share responsibility for the pandemic. Does he see that the future is a series of rolling National Lockdowns or can they give more trust for those they care for. I think my honorable friend puts the distinction clearly and sharply, the commonsensical balance approach we are following and where local leaders step up to the plate. I am delighted South Yorkshire came on board. I had a great session last night where local leadership is showing we can make huge progress in getting the are down. Sir george . Could i returned to the subject of preschool meals . There are 7108 who rely on free schooling mules which are insuring that. With a political choice, will the Prime Minister make the right choice and agreed to extend school meals through easter . Of course we have Free School Meals throughout the time, that is entirely right. We want to make sure we continue to support people on low income the throughout the crisis and that is what we are going to do. Stephen metcalf. Placed interior to restrictions. And it was required by suitable enforcement, we come out of these restrictions. My honorable friend puts his finger on it and i can tell him the areas that go into high levels of concern reviewed every 14 days and the restrictions reviewed every 28 days. The way to get through is exactly as he said, follow the guidance. People of barnes are cut off from public transport for some months. Can the Prime Minister say the government is planning to charge 16 pounds a day to own a car and to pay the facilities they cannot use despite the fact the flow is increasing before the virus hits . Thanks to the incompetence of the current labor mayor of london and sean daly, the conservative candidate is going the best thing possible. Kristin blunt. My right honorable friend leaves the country through brexit and delivers will he insure the first consideration he gives to the values and policies of his government are those which will unite and bring the country to gather and make all those who voted for what they thought were the international values of the European Union proud again of their country to bring those values to Global Britain . Indeed and we are going to use the top 26 summit to champion our values across the world particularly the one he mentioned, the single policy that can transform outcomes and our global objective is to help 40 Million Girls across the world to get a decent education. His government lost control of the virus making extra restrictions inevitable but with no communication or Financial Support he is killing nottingham businesses. It is on the verge two closed permanently, worried staff facing prospect of being laid off with no pay, they tell the same story. Will he stop punishing successful nottingham businesses for his failure and given the help they need. I sympathize with businesses that faced difficulties because of the pandemic but i remind her the infection rate is 815 per 100,000. We must get that down and i think the people of nottingham for what they are doing to get it down and continue to provide the panoply of support we have offered throughout the crisis. Following introduction of tier 2 restrictions, more open and communicating of the Evidence Base into tier 2, outline a roadmap for tier 1 and urge that is urgently consider creation of specific support for Hospitality Industry suffering losses from the limbo it is creating. I can tell my honorable friend the infection rate is 279 per 100,000 and we must get it down but we can get it down and you can see areas where people are complying with the guidance it is having, if it werent for the energy at 300 when it is one. 5. It wont take much to get that are back down below one. That is what we are aiming for. In his constituency back on their feet, would not be sensible to plunge them all into a sustained series of National Lockdowns where the virus is low. The chancellor decided they were unable to work because of coronavirus restrictions for National Minimum wage. 7000 pounds a day, with that track and trace program, and that is justifiable. By doubling up. The nhs track and trace is testing more people than any other country, 26 Million People so far, 26 million tests and i am proud on her other point that weve been able to do that. And the combined impact of the job support scheme and universal credit, they work in tandem lifting peoples income to 90 of current income but the best thing is to get our country through this crisis without going back into the emotional and psychological marymac disaster, disaster is the were the Party Opposite used only a week or so ago, the disastrous series of National Lockdowns. The honorable members participating in the safe arrival of the participants, suspending the house for three minutes. Order. Here at cspan2 we leave the british house of commons as members moved to other business. You have been watching Prime Ministers question time aired wednesdays at 7 am easter when parliament is in session. You can see this session again sunday night at 9 eastern and pacific on cspan2. For more information go to cspan. Org and click on series for every pregnant we have aired since october of 1989 and we invite your comments via twitter using hashtag pmqs. Coming up live wednesday the Senate Commerce i intense transportation can hold a hearing on passenger and freight rail. Witnesses include William Flynn at 10 am on cspan. 5 4 05 pm former president obama campaigns for joe biden, Kamala Harris in philadelphia. At 7 00 pm Donald Trump Holds a Campaign Rally in gaston, north carolina. On cspan2 and 9 30 a. M. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee considers the Va Mission Act that aims to provide veterans more access to healthcare in their communities. The Senate Returns at noon eastern at 1 00 pm,