Questions for the Prime Minister. Mister mister speaker, i have been asked to reply. My right honorable friends, the Prime Minister, is in China Building on ties between our two countries and accompanied by the largest business delegation this government have yet led. Mister speaker. A number of employees live in my constituency and an apprenticeship, some uncertain future. Will the Government Act on future corporate theft where they are siphoned off hundreds of millions of pounds in pension contributions for dividends and assistance to themselves, what options the government purports . Mister speaker, the anxiety must be affecting the apprentices and their families, the honorable gentlemens consistency, in last weeks debate, the Construction Industry training board, taken responsibility for finding alternative employers to enable all those apprentices with karelian to continue and complete their qualifications. And i shall certainly ensure the particular concern he expressed is brought to their attention. On the broader question the house to understand it would be wrong for live me to preempt findings by independent by the official receiver, and publishing proposals later this year to stop directors siphoning off pensions, the way he described. My right honorable friend will be aware the country faces significant cyberthreats from other countries and nonstate actors. He will also be aware we are protected from those by our security and Intelligence Services including the men and women at gc hq in gloucestershire. When the security review is published, will he confirm we will continue as we have since 2010 to invest in those capabilities to keep our country safe . My right honorable friend is correct and i am happy to give that assurance on behalf of the government. The sad truth is in this country we face a growing threat of cyberattacks from states the mysterious crime games and hacking groups. We have a robust Security Strategy to protect critical Services Including our democratic processes underpinned by nearly 2 billion pounds of government investment. Let me start by welcoming the minister back to his role. Last time he did so was in december 2016 when his party was 17 points ahead in the polls and the labour party was, quote, quarreling like a mutiny on the bounty, you may carry on. What a difference a year makes. [shouting] im not going to intrude further on the governments public grief because i genuinely hope we can reach consensus across the house today on an important issue. Next tuesday, women gaining the right to vote in britain followed later in 1918 by the right to stand for parliament. Im sure the minister will agree we have a long way to go with regards to the second right. Im the only emily elected since 1918 and he is one of 155 davids. The women behind me represent one quarter of all the women elected in the last 100 years but it is still not good enough. Does the minister, will the minister tell us how we can best increase fema representation in this house . Mister speaker, can i, first of all, thank the right honorable lady for her works of welcome and previous remarks struck a chord the way they clearly have and it is a delight for me to see the right honorable lady still in her place, no fewer than 97 members have been sacked resigned. [shouting] credit to her sticking power, she must sometimes whisper to herself. The point that she raised his a serious one and all Political Parties represented here, she is right to make this consensual, went to encourage more women candidates to come forward. I am pleased since i was first elected, my party has made very considerable progress but i also accept there is more to be done. I hope she for her part will accept we have had two Women Leaders and Prime Ministers so they have a bit of catching up to do. I have got to say, mister speaker, the Party Opposite is so proud of having a female leader, why are so many of them trying to get rid of her . Why has she had to run away from china to get away from them but i thank him for that answer and totally agree. But let me ask him also about the second right, the first right that i mentioned, the rights of millions of women received 100 years ago this week, the basic right to vote originally restricted to women with property over the age of 30, 90 years ago was extended to all women over 21 and almost 50 years ago extended to all men and women over the age of 18. Can i ask the minister a simple question. How many more years do we have to wait until the vote is extended to everyone over 16 . Mister speaker, the age of 18 rather than 16 is recognized as the age at which one becomes an adult, when full Citizenship Rights are attained. Only handful of countries in the world have a nationwide voting age below 18 and we believe it is right at the age of majority, 18, should be the age at which people become eligible to vote. The honorable gentlemen makes comparisons but this country and the labor government led the way in europe and the englishspeaking world reducing the voting age in 1969 and where we lived, others followed and it will be the same here. Let me move to a second question for the honorable gentlemen. I did not hear a logical explanation, 16yearolds in this country. At 16, we could leave home, we can pay taxes, join forces and can the minister give us a logical explanation why 16yearold should not have the right to vote . I have to say slightly baffled by the honorable ladies comment, what the party did in office, was the last labor government that raised the legal age for buying cigarettes to 18, raised the age to 18 and using a sunbed to 18. I think an inconsistency, she might examine the mirror. We have until the age of 18, Public Safety and crime. Not the same as the basic right to vote on issues that affect your life, and to make other independent decisions about your life like leaving home, getting married, let me give a specific example. I am sure it will not have escaped Public Notice it is rather a sad irony that when a woman is addressing the house, quite a lot of noisy and rather stupid individuals trying to shout the right honorable lady down. Cut it out. I want to give a specific example to illustrate what im talking about. The number of 16, 17yearolds looking at disabled relatives at home has risen by 50 in the past four years. Last year 2016 and 17yearolds gave up their schooling, how can it be fair, logical, to expect to take on that responsibility because of failures of the state and deny them a say on how it is run . Mister speaker, the logic of the honorable lady of the argument is she wishes to lower the age of majority from 18 to 16 and she listed a number of areas in which she supported the age at which activities are allowed to 18 on the grounds that always been could people be expected to have sufficient responsibility to have those rights. My argument to her is the age of majority should be set matching rights and responsibility. It is perfectly reasonable to say from the age of 18 we entrust young men and women to exercise those rights and responsibilities in full. The final point she made, it is right that sensible local authorities have particular care, local authorities, whichever party runs make every effort to do that. I am genuinely surprised at the ministers response. This is what he said two years ago. And the decisions that make young people of lies that they have not always i agree with the minister, why does he agree with himself . If she had been with me at the youth parlor, and a significant number of young men and women are over voting age. And the role that members do throughout the country, getting young people used to the idea of democratic responsibility, excellent training for the full adult responsibilities they inherit when they are 18 and i hope to encourage more young people to go out and vote. Mister speaker, under 18. There is no logical objection. That is why the Scottish Government supported it, every single Political Party help support it except the conservative party. Once again joined in opposition to change, they are not the coalition of chaos but the coalition of cavemen. Does the minister, does the minister does the minister not realize order, order. One member who thinks he knows what he is talking about, the answer is blindingly obvious and shouldnt escape somebody of great intelligence. Emily thornberry. Talking about cavemen. Why doesnt the minister realize lesson women taught predecessors 100 years ago when change is right it cannot be resisted forever and this is a change whose time has come. My advice is not to wean herself, watching old versions of the flintstones on the cartoon channel. I just think we ought to salute the fact not just the Youth Parliament but many schools and youth organizations throughout the country are working hard to get young people used to the idea that as they grow up they should take an interest in Current Affairs and when they reach the relevant age recognize the responsibilities by participating in elections and political campaigning. The situation we have here with the National Voting age of 18 and one that is followed by 26 out of 27 other members of the European Union by the united states, canada, new zealand and australia. Unless she is going to denounce all of those countries, somehow it adequate, and not to grow up and treat the subject with greater degree. Mister speaker, the governments policy made the uk one of the most competitive places confirmed by the recent growth figures. My right honorable friend agree this will damage the uk economy. As we have seen in scotlands, fallen behind the rest. Happy to agree with my honorable friend. It is obviously for the Scottish Government to determine how to use them. And penalize aspiration in scotland. We increase the Scottish Government spending power by 2 billion pounds. So the s p has no excuse for hiking the taxes of hardworking people including Public Service and penalizing businesses. The leader of the scottish nationalists used to champion Wealth Creation and free enterprise. I hope he urged the minister of scotland to think again. Thank you. Can i welcome the minister . May sending out mister speaker. The minister previously said that the Single Market is essential to the governments agenda for trade and competitiveness. Since those feed directed the analysis does the minister recognize the Single Market is essential for jobs and prosperity . When we leave the European Union next march, we will as a matter of legality leave the Single Market and the eu customers unit. The Prime Minister and the entire government elect the house, making it clear we are seeking a new partnership with our neighbors in the European Union, that ensures we continue to have frictionless trade, not just in the interest of our people but people, every one of the 27 other eu countries. Ian blackburn. Not a question like that. We are in a transitional deal in the central market. Mister speaker, this is a government in crisis, and an international embarrassment. The scottish conservatives, the home secretary have all supported memberships of the Single Market. The government is self prepared to make everyone burn. Where is the leadership . Mister speaker, the leadership was set out very clearly at lancaster and then again in florence and my right honorable friend the Prime Minister will be making further speeches in the weeks and months to come but can i say to the right honorable gentlemen that the most important Single Market to the people of scotland was the Single Market of the United Kingdom which is worth nearly 50 billion pounds every year to the scottish economy, four times more than trade with the European Union. It was our deep and special partnership with the eu in the future that will deliver prosperity to scotland, not the separatist politics. My right honorable friend shares my passion for ensuring all children get the opportunity regardless of who they are or where they come from. Can you confirm what progress the government made with the achievement gap between less welloff secondary school peoples and given positive impact when the next round of applications will open. Mister speaker, my honorable friends is right. The governments clear ambition and purpose is to ensure that our School System works for every child in every community in this country. Our reforms of already raised standards, we are seeing 2 million children attending good and outstanding schools, and disadvantaged pupils and their peers shrunk by 10 , and 10 of stage 2 since 2011. Im glad to talk about their plans to improve standard in schools. In my constituency, we are delaying 17 with life changing results. And is not being driven by young people, it is driven by gangsters, organized criminals and dirty money. Cocaine alone, 12 billion pounds, and tons crossing our borders. I asked the minister why we are cutting our borders . Why are we cutting, why has london been offered only in their Violence Reduction strategy a Community Fund . Mister speaker, can i first say i, like every other member of the house, nothing but heartfelt sympathy for his family and friends, the most appalling, my honorable gentlemen is right to say there are complex causes to what we are seeing. There is no doubt organized crime is contributing to this and exploiting young people who may try to attract criminal gangs and the government is to publish later this year a Violent Crime strategy, not just the criminal Justice System but how we work effectively with all other agencies to ensure young people are diverted away from the activity in the first place. It is also true if you carry a knife you can expect an end up in jail. We toughened the sentences and protected Police Budgets a quarter of all police in london. Forecast to grow by 20 in overcoming years. Proposals have been delayed because of concerns with the Funding Agency with the planning application process and on behalf of the Prime Minister my right honorable friend to discuss the concerns local parents have . The education secretary, happy to talk to him, the purpose of the Funding Agency informed an approach to funding covering both schools, colleges and other providers. I do note, has increase primary and secondary School Capacity by 6300 places since 2010 and delivering 9 schools and more work is to be done and ministers will talk to my honorable friend about that. Recent Research ShowsInternational Students are worth 20 billion pounds to the uk economy blues that was commissioned by nick hillman, Parliament Tree candidate in cambridge in 2010 and 4 advisor to lord willett. The Prime Ministers policies decreased the number of students coming to our country. Does the secretary of state agree with me, the Prime Minister to escort billions of pounds that could be available to our stores and hospitals . Mister speaker, what the facts actually say is we are the second most popular destination in the world and University Applications are up by 1 5 since 2010. What he alleges, we are doing a good job in attracting that. The most beautiful constituency in the United Kingdom. So improving infrastructure is difficult to create jobs and prosperity. What we can do is improve the salisbury line to get faster trends to waiver. Will my right honorable friend reassure my constituents and me that the government is behind the scheme to do what the government wants to create more wealth and prosperity. As my honorable friend will know, the chancellor last year set aside considerable sums of money, 20 billion pounds, to finance infrastructure improvements, railroad and broadband to generate growth around the country and facilitate Housing Development. My honorable friends constituency has seen considerable Housing Development in recent years, i we should transfer ministers talked to him about the concerns he has . 25 january 1985 the conservative government promised no nuclear waste, and the promise still stands . He will have to forgive me if i say my memory for statements given in 1985, it was seven years before i was first elected to this house but i will look into the that he has raised. Important new initiative to get universities to work very closely with business to develop specialist coding skills. The government is investing 84 Million Pounds to deliver comprehensive program to improve the teaching of the computer curriculum. We look forward to working closely close with university and the institute. Thank you, mr. Speaker. After ten years in the country my constituent [inaudible] to attend her fathers funeral and broke her leg making are unable to return. She ju