Look at ll l lit mgitit ll ll l lit lullllll a Prime Minister to look at putting in place specific support up until the time that viable the opening is possible . Yes, indeed, mr speaker andi possible . Yes, indeed, mr speaker and i know how valuable the theatre sector is to our economy and being no doubt that my right honourable friend the secretary of state for dcms is talking line out of those sectors to ensure that we can help them and make sure they can go back ina them and make sure they can go back in a covid secure way. Now up to whole. Up to hull. What messages the primer is conveying by opening pubs before
schools . She will understand we want our pubs to open in a safe way, she will also understand we want our schools to openin understand we want our schools to open ina understand we want our schools to open in a safe way. Before the summer open in a safe way. Before the summer break we open some classes. Alas, we are ahead of other countries in europe in doing that. There are other countries, as she will now, that are not opening any of their schools. But i must say i welcome the logic of what she is showing. If she is now actively going to encourage kids to go back to school, mr speaker, and stop the long silence of the benches opposite on this matter, that would be a great thing. Sir desmond swayne. Experts have been worked night and day to find the vixen when they have got it two straightaway allow spas and now bars to reopen. And when there are flare ups, will he resist
there are flare ups, will he resist the temptation to return to collective punishment . That is a very good way of putting it. We want in so faras very good way of putting it. We want in so far as we possibly can, to confine our action to the localities where the flare ups have happened, but that is why it is so vital that eve ryo ne but that is why it is so vital that everyone listens to the balance of this guidance today, follows the guidance on two metres, and one metre plus, continues to observe social distancing and we will get this thing done. It is good news that people can start socialising and meeting in public again. But what will he do to make sure the destination communities such as the one i represent, brighton and hove, are one i represent, brighton and hove, a re extra one i represent, brighton and hove, are extra safe . There will be people who will be meeting and drinking in places like the seafront and in parks, where it will be impossible to get the names and addresses of every customer. There will be other pitch points were lots of people from various destinations will be rubbing against each other. What will he do in the absence of the promised act to make sure these communities are destinations for
investment and not destinations for covid . I will be calling on local representatives, such as yourself, to show some guts and determination and champion their communities as venues for people to return to and to support. And i think that he can do that with confidence because we are introducing, as i said, a sensible package of measures that allows businesses gradually to reopen, whilst ensuring social distancing. Its that mixture, plus the nhs test and trace scheme, that i believe allows us to go forward. So that is the formula that i believe works. And as for the issue of putting names behind the bar or registering in restaurants, i do think that is something that people get. And as far as possible, as far
as possible, we want people to do that. We want businesses to comply with that. We believe it would be very, very important for our ability to track back and stop outbreaks happening. Sol to track back and stop outbreaks happening. So i do think you should also encourage all his businesses to ta ke also encourage all his businesses to take the names of customers. I very much welcome the statement from the Prime Minister today but the Prime Minister will be aware that my constituents will not be benefiting from the measures announced today. The first minister of scotla nd announced today. The first minister of scotland is delaying scotlands release from lockdown. Does the Prime Minister agree that the first minister should share the evidence to justify why scotland is taking a different approach to the rest of the United Kingdom . Well, mr speaker, im grateful to my honourable friend. He has his finger on the pulse. I was earlier informed that the first minister of scotland was about to make a statement, as she has done several times before, uncannily similar to the one that i have just given. But if i am
misinformed about that, i do think it remains none the less the case that the similarities between our approaches greatly outweigh the differences. The Prime Minister referred to support for local authorities. The Rhondda Valley has had three bouts of flooding during this period, very severe, including last week. Many homes have lost absolutely everything because i have no insurance and the local authority faces a bill somewhere in the region of £67 million. That is to repair culverts, drains, pumping stations and gullies, and to replace many bridges. In particular we have a landslide from an old coal tip, which is in danger of doing very significant damage if we cant move the 60,000 tonnes of earth. That is still a westminster responsibility. He may not have the answer now, but can he please make sure we get the £2. 5 million very swiftly so we can do that work very quickly . We dont wa nt
do that work very quickly . We dont want another aberfan. The right honourable gentleman is absolutely right. Iam honourable gentleman is absolutely right. I am aware of those risks. We are working with mark draper and the Welsh Government on those problems. Welsh government on those problems. We are putting 4 billion into flood defences. One thing i think we will be able to do, real problems of unemployment, getting to work while putting in flood defences in the future will be an important way of driving job creation. Thank you, mr speaker. My right honourable friend will know that many people have been unable to attend routine hospital appointments throughout the lockdown and the reasons for that are many and the reasons for that are many and varied. Will he tell me moving forward , and varied. Will he tell me moving forward, as the lockdown eases, what measures can be put in place to support hospital trusts as they work ha rd to support hospital trusts as they work hard to catch up . And can he tell me if he will work with me to secure an upgrade to scu nthorpe if he will work with me to secure an upgrade to scunthorpe hospital, needed and now more than ever before . Well, i congratulate my honourable friend on the way she
represents her constituency. We will do whatever we can for scunthorpe. I have no doubt it is one on one of my right honourable friends lists, the secretary of state for health. We are investing record sums into the nhs, the biggest ever cash boost for the nhs. We are going to do a0 new hospitals. That remains undimmed ambition. If anything we are going to double down on our ambitions for the nhs. She should watch this space, particularly as regards scunthorpe hospital. To Greater Manchester with debbie abrahams. Thank you, mr speaker. Mr speaker, published evidence indicates indoor environments pick up more than 90 of the virus around the world. The close of the contact and the greater the length of contact for greater the length of contact for greater the risk. Sage has said the evidence, it is inappropriate to reduce social distancing at this stage of the infection, typically over a thousand new covid cases a
day. Rather than the Prime Minister making decisions behind closed doors on unpublished evidence, why wont he publish his exit strategy and wait until the test and isolate system is fully operational . Im grateful to the honourable lady but i mustjust grateful to the honourable lady but i must just repeat grateful to the honourable lady but i mustjust repeat what i have said to the house several times now, that we will be putting the argumentation about the change in the two metre rule, the infection in the two metre rule, the infection in the two metre rule, the infection in the two metre rule, the one metre plus rule, in the libraries of both houses. And i must say that im not at one with her in her view of nhs test and trace. I think its a massive achievement by this country. It started to work better and better. I think it will be indispensable to oui think it will be indispensable to our future think it will be indispensable to oui future success. Thank you, mr speaker. The operators of pubs, hotels and restaurants in england would be feeling considerably relieved by the prime
ministers statement today, but that relief will not be shared in wales. Hospitality is an enormously important part of the economy and yet at the Welsh Government have yet to make a statement of their own. This of course is legally the consequence of devolution but the practical consequence is to spare despair and frustration. Can my right honourable friend say what work the government is doing with the devolved administrations to secure a more uniformed approach as we depart from the lockdown restrictions . Well, mr speaker, i should have said to the right honourable lady opposite, and ijust say to my right honourable friend, actually, we are in daily contact, oi actually, we are in daily contact, or very, very regular contact, with all the devolved administrations. We are in much more lockstep than you might think. On the particular matter of hospitality in wales, i hear him loud and clear. I think that point will also be heard loud and clear in cardiff and we look forward to hearing further
announcements. If people are to take advantage of the lifting of these restrictions, they must have confidence in the judgment of the Prime Minister and those around him. He must surely realise that recent events have done some damage in that regard. If he wishes to repair some of that damage, will he end of the much ridiculed quarantine period for people coming here from overseas . Speaker, first of all may i apologise to the right honourable gentleman for last week mistakenly believing him to be someone who wa nted believing him to be someone who wanted to break up our United Kingdom. I unreservedly withdraw that aspiration. I know that he and i want to keep our union together. But i must say to him on the quarantine issue, i do think that its very sensible for this country do have measures in place to protect oui do have measures in place to protect our population from vectors of disease coming back into the uk from abroad. That is the right thing to
do. May i assure the Prime Minister that there will be a warm welcome for his measures today in rugby, not only from the pubs and restaurants, but in particularfrom only from the pubs and restaurants, but in particular from the town centre traders. Right now, in order to accommodate two metres social distancing their works on the way to provide an unwelcome one way system and the removal of on street parking. The very welcome move to one metre on the ath ofjuly it means that these measures will no longer be necessary, and it will be easierfor longer be necessary, and it will be easier for customers longer be necessary, and it will be easierfor customers to longer be necessary, and it will be easier for customers to get into our town centre and spend money with our fantastic local retailers. Well, i would certainly encourage customers to go to their fantastic local retailers in rugby and im delighted these measures today obviate the need for the course at one way system that he describes. We do welcome this restriction easing up. For a number of businesses across my constituency, along the south bank, including hospitality, leisure and
culture, they will see this as i step on the right direction. But it will still be hard for them. Businesses need to see that detailed guideline now. Research by the federation of Small Businesses shows the vast majority of Small Businesses say they will need to make changes for this to work, but there will be significant cost attached. What can the government do to support small restaurants, cafes, hairdressers and other Small Businesses employing ten or less people, whose Balance Sheet have been so impacted over the past few months . They need to make those necessary judgments to make months . They need to make those necessaryjudgments to make their staff and their customers safe. Well, mr speaker, businesses have been eligible for £25,000 in grants. We have had 11 Million People supported under the coronavirus Job Retention scheme. The huge amounts of money, the 26 billion in bounce bank loans alone. We will support businesses large and small for the duration of this crisis. Of the best
way to get all the hairdressers and all these businesses back on their feet as fast as possible is to make sure that we continue to press the virus, keep it under control. Keep the incidents down. And that we will go forward. Our vision for the country is to try to back to normality for as many as possible, as fast as possible. I warmly welcome my right honourable friends statement. Im looking forward to dropping into the pub in york on the ath ofjuly, which has been a great virtual hub of the local community in recent weeks. We represent a large number of people to work in the creative industries. Although todays announcement is very welcome, there are many parts of that industry held back and will inevitably be for some time. Can i write Harbour Front as your me that he and the chancellor and other managers will continue to look at ways to ease the pressure on what is one of our most essential sectors . Mr speaker, my writable friend is a great champion of those industries. And i have said two colleagues already, doing a huge amount to engage with them and support them. Chris stephens in scotland. Thank you, mr speaker. The Prime Minister in his statement says he is keen to get people back into work, but we have also seen the benefits of home working, particularly at hmrc, with staff going the extra mile to support business through these schemes. But the Prime Minister will be aware that hmrc have now launched a massive redundancy scheme which could affect 2000 staff. What message does the Prime Minister send when he believes people to get back to work, but Government Departments want to put people out of work . Mr speaker, i think that people have to work from home if they can. That remains the guidance. Of course, its up to employers and employees to decide whether they need to get back to work, to the workplace, to do their jobs. When it comes to the hmrc and
the sad redundancies that he mentions, i will certainly look at that. Although i think that obviously it is also important to cut the cost of government. Thank you very much, mr speaker. It will not come as a surprise that i wholly endorse the Prime Ministers announcement on the end of the hairdressing hibernation. And thats been made possible by the change to the social distancing rules, which will help hundreds of thousands of businesses across the country. To help those businesses further, when my right honourable friend look at reducing vat and National Insurance contributions for employers, so we are not just cutting contributions for employers, so we are notjust cutting hair about cutting taxes . I will certainly look at all such measures but i do not wish to anticipate anything that my right honourable friend, the chancellor, might say. The Prime Minister will be aware, im sure, of the then un hull which isa
im sure, of the then un hull which is a research venue. I did note that he talked about the task force in his speech. When will this task force to reports . How quickly can we get the aquarium open . In the meantime, any look at providing them extra specialised Financial Support . Or can he look. She has heard what i have to say. We will do everything we can to get all sorts of venues opened as soon as possible, make them covid i9 compliant. Im sure we can get that. People and businesses across hartford and stored were rightly welcomed the Prime Ministers announcement. Will my right honourable friend agreed with me that we should also continue to support the development of new technologies and those already in use, such as apps and codes, which will help many companies, especially in the arts and technology sectors, to benefit from the measures he has outlined today . Absolutely, mr speaker. And again, i can rely on
the incredible ingenuity of the arts sector, in fact, the incredible ingenuity of the arts sector, infact, every the incredible ingenuity of the arts sector, in fact, every sector, the retail, hospitality sector, to use technology to bank the changes and to make further progress in taking our country forward and letting this country bounce back. Thank you, Prime Minister. I work the statement. Thank you, mr speaker i wa nt to statement. Thank you, mr speaker i want to thank the Prime Minister for a welcome statement. It would be much better maybe if he was Prime Minister we have a plethora of Small Businesses in brighton. Ive just spoken to our lgbt businesses and they are keen to get open. But if they are worried at the moment that the follow scheme has closed for a new entrance coming this month, and will allow part time
working. But wont tell our people to come off followed to see if the business is viable and then for them to be put back on. Will the prime i consider some flexibility for side a two week trial and then for them to be put back on furlough for the remainder of furlough, so businesses can try out of the water . Otherwise many will stay shut completely and that would be a disappointment. hope actually that businesses will recognise that now is the moment to get going, to get their valued staff back on board, to get them back working again, doing what they want to do,