Want to join me in paying tribute to our former colleague, sir gerald coughman, who died over the weekend. He was an outstanding parliamentarian, a committed mp who dedicated his live to the future of his constituents and as father of the house his experience will be very much missed across this house and our thoughts with friends and family. This morning i had meetings with colleagues and others and in addition i shall have other such duties today. I would like to associate myself to the Prime Ministers remarks and assure the many relatives and friends of our former friend and colleague theyre very much in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. Mr. Speaker, following last weeks byelection victory in copeland yeah does my right honorable friend believe this is an endorsement of her governments plans to maintain a Strong Economy, bring our society together and make sure we make a huge success of leaving the European Union . I thank my honorable friend and would like to congratulate my new honorable friend and look forward to welcoming her to this house very shortly. Last weeks historic result in copeland was an endorsement of our plans to keep the economy strong and our plans to ensure places like copeman do share in the economic success after years of labor neglect. It was also an endorsement of our plan to unite communities where labor seeked to sew sow division. I think it was leadership in the face of labors chaos. Jeremy corbyn. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Could i join the Prime Minister wishing everyone in wales and everyone a very happened saint davids day and the hope that the workers get the assurances they need about their job security and their futures. Mr. Speaker, i also want to echo the Prime Ministers tribute to Gerald Kaufman who served in this house since 1970 the longest political member started in the 1960s. He was an iconic irascible figure in the labor party and british politics. He was a champion for peace and justice in the middle east and around the world. Yesterday, mr. Speaker, at his funeral, the rabbi who conducted the service conveyed your message on behalf of the house to his family which was very much presented. Afterwards i was speaking to members of his family and great nephews and greatnieces. I asked, how would you describe gerald . They said, he was an awesome uncle. I think we should remember gerald as that and convey all our condolences to his family. Just after the last budget the then secretary resigned accusing the government of balancing the books on the backs of the poor and vulnerable. Last week, the government sne sneaked out a decision to overrule a decision to extend payments to people with Severe Mental Health conditions, a government that frowned at a billion in pounds in inheritance tax cuts to benefit 26,000 families seems unable to find the money to supported 160,000 people with debilitating Mental Health conditions. Will the Prime Minister change her mind . Let me be very clear about what is being proposed in relation to personal independence payments. This is not a policy change. This is not a cut in the amount to be spent on disability benefits and no one is going to see a reduction in their benefits from that previously awarded by the dwp. What we are doing what we are doing, is restoring this particular payment to the original intention agreed by the coalition government, agreed by this parliament after extensive consultation. Jeremy corbycorbyn. Its an interesting idea because the court made its decision last year, the court did not consult the Social SecurityAdvisory Committee and at the last minute snaked out its decision. The court ruled the payment to be made because the people benefitting were suffering overwhelmi ining psychological stress. You can tell the house were not going to make changes to pickup thpickup to pi prkp put forward. In my view, the courts are there for a reason. If they came up with this theory that says the criteria should be extended, i believe we have a duty to honor that. Isnt she right . First of all, on the issue of these payments and those with Mental Health conditions, actually the personal independence payment is better for people with Mental Health conditions. If you look at the figures, twothirds of those with Mental Health conditions claiming personal independence payments and receipt of that, twothirds of them actually get awarded the higher daily living rate all allowance. That compares that twothirds come pairs to less than a quarter under the previous dla arrangeme arrangements. Its the second time the right honorable gentleman has suggested somehow this change was sneaked out. It was in a written ministerial statement to parliament. I might remind you, week after week he talks to me about the of parliament. We accepted the importance of parliament and made the statement to parliament. He also referred to the Social SecurityAdvisory Committee and they can look at this, my right honorable friend, the compensation secretary called them and spoke to him about the regulations on the day they were being introduced. He called the working Pension Select Committee chairman and spoke to him about the regulations being introduced and called both offices at the pension secretary, but there was no answer and they didnt come back to him for four days. Mr. Pespeaker mr. Speaker [ noise ] mr. Speaker, calling the chairs of two committees and making a written statement to the house does not add up to scrutiny. As i understand it, there was no call made to the office of my friend the shadow secretary of the states. Mr. Speaker, the realty is this is a shameful decision that will affect people with dementia, those suffering competency disorders due to a stroke, military veterans with post Traumatic Stress disorder and others. Can she look at what an independent court has decided and think again . The issues that he raises, the conditions he raises, these are taken into account when decisions are made about the personal independence payments. What the court said was that the regulations were unclear. That is why we are clarifying the regulations and insuring that it respect that they reflect the original intention that was agreed by this parliament. But i say to the right honorable gentleman, if he wants to talk about support being given to people with disabilities, this government is spending more than ever in support for people with disability and health conditions. We are spending more than ever on people with Mental Health conditions. As i say to him, what were doing with the personal independence payments is insu insuring those who are most in need get most support. Jeremy corbyn. The government has overridden an independent Court Decision on this and they should think very long and hard about that. Her friend, neb of a northeast, said the government had to make it very clear physical and Mental Health had the same priority. In 2002, the Prime Minister made a speech at the conservative party conference, i remember it very well, i was watching it on television. She described her party as the nasty party. She said sometories have tried to make Political Capital by dem demonizing minorities. This week, her policy chair suggested people with debilit e debilitating conditions were those, and i quote, who take pills at home, who suffer from anxiety and were not really disabled. Isnt that proof the nasty party is still around . My honorable friend has ri t rightly apologized for the comments that he made and i hope this whole house will accept his apology. The right honorable gentleman asks me about the parity between Mental Health, Mental Health conditions and physical conditions. It is this conservative government that has introduced parity in relation to dealing with Mental Health in the National Health service. How many years were labor in government and did nothing about that . 13 years jeremy corbycorbyn, mr. Spea it was labor amendment to the health and social care bill that resulted in parity of esteem being put on the face of the bill. Im surprised shes forgotten that because she could take this opportunity to thank the labor party for putting that forward. Earlier, the Prime Minister made a speech earlier this year supporting parity of esteem for Mental Health. Im glad she did. 40 of mhs Mental Health trusts are having their budgets cut. There are 6,600 fewer Mental Health nurses and 160,000 people with Severe Mental Health conditions about to loose out on support. Can she not recognize parity of esteem means funding it properly and not overriding Court Decision that would benefit people suffering from very difficult conditions. We should reach out to them, not deny them the support they need. As i say, we are spending more than ever on Mental Health. 11. 4 billion pounds a year. More people each week are now receiving treatment in relation to Mental Health than have done previously. Is there more for us to do in Mental Health . Yes. Ive said that in this chamber in answer to questions i received previously. Well do it shouts the shadow foreign secretary from her normally sedentary position. Oh, sorry. We are doing it. Thats why were putting record amounts of money in Mental Health and why were seeing more people provided with Mental Health treatment every week under this government. There is one thing i know, if you are going to be able to provide that extra support for people with disabilities and health conditions, if youre going to provide treatment for people with Mental Health conditions you need to have the Strong Economy that enables us to pay for it. The one thing we know about labor is that they would bankrupt britain. Coming from a government that by 2020 would increase the National Debt by the total borrowing of all labor governme governments, that comes rich. Mr. Speaker, the Mental Health charity rethink said the government has spoken forcefully about the importance of parity of esteem between physical and Mental Health, yet when presented with a chance to make this reality has passed the opportunity by. Mr. Speaker, as a society, were judged by how we treat the most vulnerable. The respected Mental Health charity mind has said this misguided legislation must be reversed. Can the Prime Minister look again, look again at the decision of the court, look again at the consequences of it and withdraw this deep decision, this nasty decision, accept the courts judgment and support those going through a very difficult time in their lives . That is how we will all be judged. You certainly will. The way that we are dealing with disability benefits is to ensure the payments are going to those who are most vulnerable. What we are doing in relation to the personal independence payments is insuring that the agreement of this parliament is being put into practice. But he talks about funding and he talks about borrowing. I understand today have a constant debate while the Prime Minister is answering the question. The answer must be heard without a constant hubbub in the background. The Prime Minister. He talks about restoring about actually accepting the courts decision and paying for that, when i understand the Labor Shadow Health secretary today, when asked how labor would pay for the increases set, weve not outlined that yet. That just sums up the labor party and the labor party leadership. You know, after the result in copeland last week, after the result in copeland last week, the honorable member for lancaster and fleetwood summed up the byelection result and said it was an incredible result for the labor party. [ laughter ] you know, i think that word actually describes the right honorable gentlemans leadership. Incredible. Thank you, mr. Speaker. On monday thank you, mr. Speaker. On monday i chaired a seminar at the Royal Society looking at the priorities for the Science Community as we start our brexit negotiations. A report of the meeting will be launched here in parliament on the 21st of march. Of course i understand the Prime Minister may be too busy to attend that herself. Will she agree to meet with me once the report is published so i can present the concerns of the Science Community to her in person around collaboration and people. It is an important issue. Hes right to raise it. We do want the uk to be the goto place for innovators and investors throughout the world and want to secure the best possible outcome for the European Union and one of the objectives i set out relates to science and research. Were already a leading destination for science and innovation and welcome an agreement to collaborate with our european partners. Im interested what my honorable friend said and look forward to it with with the European Union. We join the Prime Minister in the Labor Department extend our condolences to the family of Gerald Kaufman and celebrating st. Davids day in wales. Just prior to today, ministers were unable to answer basic questions about government plans for agricultural and fisheries. These are Important Industries for the Rural Economy and devolved areas to the Scottish Government and parliament. With brexit ending the role in these areas, will all decisions about agricultural and fisheries be made, yes or no . The right honorable gentleman knows very well we are discussing with the devolved administrati administrations, the whole question of the uk framework and devolution of issues as they come back from brussels. The overriding aim for everything we do when we make those decisions is making sure we dont damage the very important market of the United Kingdom, a market i might remind the honorable gentleman is more important to scotland than the European Union is. Interesting. Because during the brexit referend referendum, people in scotland, including those in the fisheries and Agricultural Sector said it would be emphasized fully by the scottish parliament. It seems now by judging from the Prime Ministers answer that that is not going to be true. Will the Prime Minister confirm today . She has the opportunity. Will she confirm today it is her intention to insure that it is uk ministers that will negotiate and regulate over large areas that impact over scottish fisheries and agricultural post brexit . I repeat to the right honorable gentleman but he seems to not have quite understood at this point, we are in the process of discussing with the devolved administration which of those powers that currently reside in brussels will be returned to the uk level for a decision and which will be further devolved into the devolved administrations. That is a discussion taking place at the moment. When he asks about the discussions for brexit with the European Union, it will be the uk government discussing negotiations with the European Union taking in full account of the interests and concerns of the devolved administrations and indeed all the other regions of england. Nigel adams. Mr. Speaker. To see the Prime Minister agree when tickets to a teenage Cancer Charity gig by ed shear are being resold on the ticket website for over 1,000 pounds, with none of that money going to the charity and tickets to the hit musical hamilton upwards of 5,000 pounds when via gogo know too well the tickets are n invalid for entry is unfair and not indicative of a market that works for everyone. What will the government do to insure again friends are not fleeced by ticket rogues. I thank my honorable friend for raising this important issue. I know it is one he has been working on for some time. Hes absolutely right to identify those circumstances as he does whether our websites are acting in the way he talks about and causing the problem he talks about that genuinely believe they can buy tickets for what they wish to attend. I understand hes recently met my honorable friend the secretary of the state and cultural matters for this issue. As he will be aware, the Consumer Rights act will review the ticket sales on this issue. We are as a gover