No, its way more than that. Comcast is partnering with a thousand Community Centers to create wifienabledded lift centers so students can get the tools they need to be ready for anything. Comcast supports cspan as a Public Service along with tse other Television Providers, give you a front row seat to democracy. Up next, british deputy Prime MinisterOliver Dowden takes questions from members of the house of common, stepping in for Prime Minister rishi sunak who is in washington, d. C. Meeting with president biden. Topics included the governments covid19 inquiry, rail and transportation concerns and Mental Health care investment. This is 35 minutes. [inaudible conversations] right. Can i just make an announcement . I want to tell the house about the last night with the house of commons in the tugofwars. The house of lords 4nil, let us now start with questions of deputy Prime Minister david johnson. Question number one, mr. Speaker [inaudible] [inaudible conversations] thank you, mr. Speaker. I have been asked to provide advise my right honorable friend is in washington at the invitation of president biden. Theyll be discussing cooperation on a range of issues including a. I. And global trade and, of course, continuing our leadership in galvanizing International Support for the people of ukraine. Mr. Speaker, this week is week. I know that colleagues across the house will wish to join me this paying tribute to the huge contribution unpaid make to our society. Mr. Speaker, this meeting morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, i shall have further such meetings later today. [inaudible] thank you, mr. Speaker. The lay boy ray bower Party Labour Party committed to your by an Education Union that also opposed this governments use of [inaudible] and yet thank thanks to this governments use and focus on phonics, English DepartmentSchool Children have just been ranked the best readers in europe. [inaudible conversations] so does my right honorable friend agree with me this is another example why on this side to have house we have policies to meet the needs of children rather than meet the demands of trade unions . [inaudible conversations] deputy Prime Minister. It wont surprise my honorable friend to hear that i absolutely agree with him. Driving up literacy rates is central to our plan to grow the economy, so im delighted that those latest figures showing that children in england are the best readers in the western world. And why is that, mr. Speaker . Because since 2010 weve raised the thurm of schools number of schools rated good or outstanding by nearly 30 . And the verdict is clear, only the conservatives can be trusted with our childrens future. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible] angela radar. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Speaking of the last election, the to to rrey torrey man fess toe promised to review hows it going . [laughter] well, i welcome the much shorter question from the right honorable ladied today. Let me just remind the right honorable lady theres a few facts about the can covid inquiry. We ped up the covid in sped up the covid inquiry. We have provided it with more than 55,000 documents so far. We have given it all the Financial Resources it needs so that we can learn the lessons from the pandemic. But, mr. Speaker, in wales they also add had pandemic also had a pandemic and what have the ray hour labour authorities done there . No independent inquiry in wales. [inaudible conversations] as ever, one rule for labour and another for everyone else. [inaudible conversations] mr. Speaker its complicated but its simple. They tell the inquiry to get to the truth, then block that inquiry from getting information that would be helpful, and now theyre taking it to court. Know he considers himself a man of the people, so using his vast knowledge of working class does he think working people will thank him for spending hundreds of thousands of pounds of their money on loophole lawyers just so that the government can obstruct the covid inquiry . Deputy Prime Minister. Well, we will provide the inquiry with each and every document related to covid including all internal discussions in think form in any form as requested while crucially protecting what is wholly and unam big withously irrelevant unambiguously irrelevant because, essentially, the right honorable lady is calls for calling for years worth of messages of individuals and that, mr. Speaker, could cover anything from Civil Servants medical condition to intimate details about their families. But i really will thank the right honorable lady, i find it extraordinary that she should lecture us on value for money for the taxpayers when i understand she has now purchasedded two pairs of noisecanceling headphones [inaudible conversations] i will be fair to the right honorable lady. If i had to attend shadow cabinet meetings, i think [inaudible conversations]. Across the world are well underway. Where he hides information to the Prime Minister is demanding another million to pay for his new liars. I know the honorable gentlemen maybe it wants to patch things up. But can he seriously saying this is a good use of taxpayer money . Prime minister. If you want to talk about relationships between different people think beneath us to search a message just to know there is no communication her and the leader of her party. I will happily end up for our records on comed. Because when she and her party or from the sidelines calling for longer locked and i was working to keep our clubs running. To protect art museums and deliberately largest cultural recovery package in the western world. That is the difference between part and meet mr. Speaker bridwell she was collecting titles i was getting on with the job. Mr. Speaker for the last couple of years been trying to prep, he really needs to go back to school himself. And speaking of school, thousands of children are missing from school, absent has nearly doubled since before the pandemic. The Prime Minister says it supports school pupils. But why abandon its plan for a register of missing children . Lets mr. Prime minister click on the specifics of the ladies question us on the case may continue to get the policy under review. I will send very proud of this governments record on funding and support for schools. Barton billion pounds more. 4 billion pounds next year the result of that investment is we have the highest standard in the entire western world. What a contrast when the Party Opposite were in power. There we have it mr. Speaker, thousands of students missing under the appeal the government increased fourfold. 21 billion pounds of taxpayer money in the last two years. Can he tell us how much mr. Prime minister. We are working tirelessly to recover those funds. We have made huge progress already. But again in the Party Opposite went to talk about good use of taxpayers money, what do we have for the Party Opposite . When funded 28 billion pounds spending spree. Dried up. Push up interest rates. Adding 1000 pounds to everyones mortgage. Mr. Speaker i know we are out of touch. Even she must realize brinson cannot afford labor. With sprint and cannot afford anymore as a conservative. He seems to have lost count. Vowing to pounds of taxpayer money lots of fraud is expected to be clawed back. This cannot get the public money back they cannot be trusted with anything else. Its become a pattern of behavior from this conservative and inquiry missing the evidence schools missing a few people spread taxpayers missing their money and ministers missing in action. All the while working people pay the price for them a this week the public accountant won this epic fraud due to the ministers living in denial of the facts. The government cannot admit the truth and how on earth can they learn the lesson . Folks i would say were actually putting more resources in there out to tackle fraud. We continue to make Real Progress with it. It is quite extraordinary from the Party Opposite. We are working to drive down inflation and energy bills. What is the lady doing . Receiving 10,000 pounds from oil backers. Adjusting their policies, backing protectors blocking production and forcing us to import more foreign oil and gas. For once mr. Speaker i find myself in agreement with the gmb union. What did they say . That is naive, lacks intellectual rigor and decimate communities. Just like labor. Thank you mr. Speaker. And unfortunately that link is still just a dotted line. This in the house ill cut congestion on our roads and stimulate the economy. That will reduce air pollution. Each time ive been out to work reduce cost we managed to do that by this much cheaper on the table in my right honorable friends please change the dotted line into a solid line and give my constituents. I know my honorable friend is actually tireless campaigner for this project. I can assure from the department of transport is working with network rail you consider the feasibility of limp lower cost. I know will continue to make that case very, very vigorously. With the leaders. Orcs think it mr. Speaker. The Prime Minister took office he said to put economic, stability at the heart of this government. Today are when highest in the g20. And Mortgage Rates are rising near back to where we were former pa crash the economy but is it not the case greatest achievement in the trashing the economy a wee bit more than the previous . I do not know the honorable lady has been following the news today. Again oecd upgraded. Xo one month ago the whole nation came together, celebrating that wonderful moments of pump, pageantry in pride in our nation. What did the honorable lady describe it as . I quote mr. Speaker a pantomime but a real pantomime is an s p in scotland. I dont know what the question the Prime Minister is asking. The government plans to cut taxes. Spent 6 billion pounds playing war and persecution lasted two and billion pounds government pandemic. What should the helicopter during a cost of living. [inaudible] am going to take no lectures for the smp. What is in this government has done because it record increases meaning the person working fulltime on that minimum wage has been a thousand pound reduction in their tax. Think it mr. Speaker. Many vibrant the beating heart and the economy. Scott potential which quite frankly is becoming tired. Needed to reinvigorate best to connected pride in my right honorable friend thinking the government limits off mission. Administer for cracks that is precisely why we. The leveling up on simply. 6pound meat and vested up and down the country. That bunch. Make a very big case for his constituency for funding during that round. Wsrc yesterday earth is a care for her husband alan. Who has parkinsons and dementia. Karen told me how hard it is to get people with power just to listen to her. Like so many, she feels her caring work just is not valued. At times she has wanted to get up but knows she must carry on because of her husband. Mr. Speaker, remarkable carers like karen save the government where the entire mhs budget. Some of the government finally recognize the value of the founding not just patriot to them give them the financial practical support they deserve. Mr. Prime ministers of course id like to jointly right honorable gentleman in paying tribute to karen and hard working unpaid up and on the country i know the gentleman speaks and personal expense about this as well. We have provided 2. 3 Million Pounds of support for social care initial 25 million committed to putting people at the heart of care and the white paper. The care fund. Think it mr. Speaker. Many of my constituents im deeply concerned about the proposals for the 440 national interchange and this posed site now the Prime Minister cannot talk about an individual planning application any given assurance to my constituents might show and doubles the voice of my constituents will be here in this application . Folks i know from the vigorous campaigning of the honorable gentleman is constituent has been and will be heard as he is i cannot comment on. What i can mr. Speakers has experience this in my own constituency as well. I know it can be provided by this rail freight projects but i do have every sympathy for the case he is making. Think you mr. Speaker. This week we have plans for two universal in england that similar schemes were planned for scotland and Northern Ireland with the gate economy and Artificial Intelligence is clear the working environment will need to drastically overhauled. To the reality of the situation and stopped for the dwp inpatient mrc and gateway conflict constructively access whats with the the next generation x mr. Speaker. The government and i have never been convinced about the case for universal basic income but we are not alone and that its also the position a much better solution is to create more jobs which the government has done in cut taxes on working people which is what the government has come thats the route to prosperity for people up and down the country. Think it mr. Speaker. Regenerating our senses and helping the sector to grow we deliver leveling up. What expectations at the leveling up partnership in government effort and sources in doing this . Mr. Prime minister. As im sure my honorable friend knows a levy at partnerships committed to work handinhand across england in most need of that leveling up backed by 400 Million Pounds worth of investment. I know my honorable friend will make the case most robustly for funding for his constituency. Thank you very much mr. Speaker. After 13 years the government has repeatedly broken its promise to prepare social care. Posted pandemic insert Housing Schemes and time after time basic services, podiatry, are all missing. Will the government take urgent action and repair this mess . Or will it be down to labor again to pick up the pieces . Well the mhs as a whole this government has provided record additional funding. And indeed since we came to power in 2010 funding is up 70 billion pounds. In addition in respect to social care that my right foot friend the counselor has support to this vital sector. I congratulate the government first determination to bring forward the rollout of electronic patient records for everyone in england i can ask my right honorable friend this gives us a brilliant opportunity to relet the digital version that is so transformational for every family and giving there may be the best start for a life . Mr. Prime minister. Site could completely agree i know what time this campaign has been in and out of government. I am happy to confirm the socalled digital red but will rolled out expected to be delivered over the course of the next two years. Thank you very much mr. Speaker the deputy Prime Minister likes to call himself to a Normal School and he understands normal people. We note normal people are struggling with had unreasonable demands. On top of his 174,000calorie for 20 hours worked at 670 pounds per hour. Is it really think hes worth 65 pence . Im not quite sure what was aiming at. What i can say to the honorable gentleman is this government has provided over 3000 pounds worth of support to help people to the cost of living. And why have we been able to do that . Thanks to the strength of our economy in the strength of our union. What is happening in scotland because mark s p government are putting texas up on ordinary hardworking people. Thank you very much mr. Speaker. We are all concerned about 81000 children not in the School Regiment just turn under the home registry no authorities can answer the question how many children are not in school . That for how to every is safe and sufficiently educated . The secretaries of state for education is one of her priorities as has the education select committee. Can i ask might right honorable friend to expedite to place a duty on local authorities to obtain a register of children who are not in school so we can ensure every child is visible, safe, suitably educated receiving the supports that enable them to learn . Mr. Speaker we doing to ensure all children are safe when i ask x to an excellent education. And of course local authorities must seek to identify children missing in their area and ensure they are safe the department for education continues to work for swifter identification and support of children missing education. And spite of governments to the contrary that even since december from 160,170,000. Caseworker numbers are down. Returns are still down. So the deputy Prime Minister agreed to meet me too have my concerns about the home secretarys plans to commandeer yet another hotel and explain what more he will do to speed up clearing the backlog said return people to safe country, saddle refugees and avoid the need to use the hotel . Then government will take what ever action is necessary to clear the backlog and to stop. She may have heard from my right honorable friend the Prime Minister, they are down 20 this year. The french deal has 33000 illegal crossings this year. Albanian arrivals are down 90 where lived 1000 albanians. With increased number of illegal but at theyre down log is down 20 neglected 12 suffered a horrific ordeal she tragically then went on to take her own life. She was let down by the system. This week is a twoyear anniversary of her death. The Council Still have got it for children social care. So what might might honorable friend meet with me too fulfill the measures to be taken to better protect children and in the wider counsel area . I congratulate my honorable friend for raising what im sure it members on both sides of the house a great is a heartbreaking case. I know all