Prime Minister's Questions: 12 February 2020

Questions from the Leader of the Opposition

The Leader of the Opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, began by offering his condolences to those affected by flooding and highlighting the increased racism Chinese communities in the UK are experiencing in light of the Coronavirus.

Mr Corbyn asked the Prime Minister:

• if he thinks that somebody who came to the UK age five, was forced to carry drugs as a victim of county-lines grooming and never reoffended “deserves to be deported”. Mr Corbyn said that Government was attempting to “mislead the general public” into thinking that those deported on Tuesday had all committed violent crimes, “which is clearly not the case”.
• whether there is one rule for “young black boys from the Caribbean and another for white boys from the United States” who take recreational drugs.
• if the reason the US is refusing to extradite Anne Sacoolas, who allegedly killed Harry Dunn, is because she is a former CIA agent, as has been reported.
• if he will commit to the removal of the Foreign Secretary from office. Mr Corbyn said that the Foreign Secretary “misled” Mr Dunn's family when they asked for an explanation.
• whether he plans to fix the “lopsided” extradition treaty with the US, which allows the US Government to request extradition in circumstances that the UK cannot.
• if he will agree with the Parliamentary Council of Europe that the extradition of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to the US to face charges of espionage for “exposing war crimes” should be opposed.

Questions from the Scottish National Party's Westminster Leader

The SNP's Westminster Leader, Ian Blackford, asked about the plight of Syrian refugees and the Government's support for President Assad.

Mr Blackford asked the Prime Minister:

• what responsibility his Government has taken for the humanitarian crisis resulting from conflict in Syria, which is estimated to have caused “the biggest wave of displacement since the Second World War”. Mr Blackford cited reports of women and children “freezing to death” in northern Syria.
• if he is happy to send out the message that the Government is “washing its hands of the Syrian people” and that he is content “for Assad's regime to continue enacting these atrocities”.

Full list of topics and questioners

• Conservative MP, Dr Julian Lewis asked if the Prime Minister will take steps to ensure that the security, defence and foreign policy review is completed before the comprehensive spending review and ensure it will be free from the “straitjacket” of fiscal neutrality.
• Conservative MP, Paul Howell (Sedgefield) asked about plans to put Ofcom in charge of regulating the internet.
• Conservative MP, Dean Russell (Watford) asked about a new mental health initiative in his constituency.
• Labour MP, Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) asked if the Prime Minister will commit to funding recommended by the Youth Violence Commission report and attend the report's launch.
• Conservative MP, Damien Moore (Southport) asked if the Prime Minister agreed that connecting Southport and Preston through the Burscough Curves link would aid economic prosperity.
• Labour MP, Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Washington and Sunderland West) asked about plans to build a gasification plant in Sunderland, which her constituents oppose.
• Conservative MP, Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) asked if the Prime Minister will visit Blyth to see its strength as a port.
• Labour (Co-op) MP, Alex Norris (Nottingham North) asked about violence towards shop workers and why shop staff in his constituency who responded to a Government call for evidence received no response.
• Conservative MP, Alan Mak (Havant) asked how the new Office for Veterans' Affairs will be giving support to military personnel and their families.
• Scottish National Party MP, Deidre Brock (Edinburgh North and Leith) asked who is telling the truth about whether substandard food from the US will be allowed: the Junior Scotland Office Minister or the Prime Minister?
• Conservative MP, Chris Green (Bolton West) asked about the police's failing iOPS computer system.
• Labour (Co-op) MP, Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) asked when Norfolk Park hospital in his constituency will receive Government funding to tackle its £100 million deficit.
• Conservative MP, Imran Ahmad Khan (Wakefield) asked if the Prime Minister would visit his constituency, which has been affected by floods.
• Scottish National Party MP, Kirsten Oswald (East Renfrewshire) asked why the daily allowance for a Peer in the House of Lords has risen to £323, whereas the monthly allowance for a single person above 25 years of age on Universal Credit is £317.82.
• Conservative MP, Pauline Latham (Mid Derbyshire) asked about stopping the importation of trophies from endangered animal into the UK.
• Scottish National Party MP, Richard Thomson (Gordon) asked when the Intelligence and Security Committee's report into Russia's influence on UK politics will be released.
• Conservative MP, Adam Afriyie (Windsor) asked about the proposed third runway at Heathrow.
• Labour MP, Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South) asked about falling rates of GPs working in Sunderland.
• Conservative MP, Robert Courts (Witney) asked about the work of Public Health England and the RAF during the Coronavirus outbreak.
• Liberal Democrat MP, Sir Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton) asked when legislation would be put forward to align with a High Court ruling on bereavement support payments to the children of unmarried couples.
• Conservative MP, Jacob Young (Redcar) asked about knife crime in his constituency.
• Labour MP, Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) asked about plans to scrap the the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway.
• Conservative MP, Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes) asked about transport infrastructure in Cleethorpes.
• Labour MP, Seema Malhotra (Feltham and Heston) asked about Government cuts to Sure Start centres and funding for early years development.
• Conservative MP, Lee Anderson (Ashfield) asked about PFI contracts for hospital building.
• Democratic Unionist Party MP, Ian Paisley (North Antrim) asked about prosecutions for police officers in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

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Image: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor