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Prime Minister's Questions: 17 June 2020

17 June 2020 (updated on 17 June 2020)

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During PMQs today MPs questioned the Prime Minister about the number of children living in poverty in the UK, support for councils in their response to the coronavirus, and more.

Questions from the Leader of the Opposition

The Leader of the Opposition, Keir Starmer began by welcoming the announcement of a major breakthrough in the treatment of coronavirus by UK scientists, as well as the “Prime Minister's latest U-turn, this time of free school meals.”

Mr Starmer asked the Prime Minister:

  • “A report last week from the Government Social Mobility's Commission concluded that there are now 600,000 more children living in relative poverty than in 2012. The report went on to say that child poverty rates are projected to increase to 5.2million by 2022 – what does the Prime Minister think caused that?”
  • “I'm sure the Prime Minister would agree that an even higher child poverty rates would be an intolerable outcome from this pandemic - so what's he going to do to prevent it?”
  • That the Communities Secretary told council leaders directly that the Government stands ready to do whatever is necessary to support councils in their response to coronavirus, and asked if the Prime Minister believes the Government has kept that promise?
  • Why the Prime Minister has been slow to act on the financial impact on councils locally and nationally?
  • Why the Home Office hasn't implemented the cancellation of the Immigration Health surcharge for NHS and health workers?

Questions from the Scottish National Party's Westminster Leader

The Scottish National Party's Westminster Leader, Ian Blackford, asked the Prime Minister:

  • “Will the Prime Minister will now immediately uplift the child element of universal credit and child tax credit by £20 per week?”

Full list of topics and questioners

  • Conservative MP, Andrea Jenkyns (Morely and Outwood) asked what the Prime Minister will do to "uphold British values. and carry out the rule of law?"
  • Conservative MP, Lia Nici (Great Grimsby) asked if he agrees that taking back control of our fishing waters in 2021 will benefit the fishing communities within her constituencies?"
  • Conservative MP, Bim Afolami (Hitchin and Harpenden) asked if he would agree to work with him and consider some of the ideas put forward in his report "Unlock Britain"?"
  • Liberal Democrat MP, Sir Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton) asked if the Prime Minister will put the imperative of saving jobs before "his Brexit ideology"?
  • Conservative MP, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (The Cotswolds) asked if the Prime Minister would consider asking all teachers to set all their pupils a catch-up plan before the summer, and secondly ask all Head teachers to get a recovery plan so that everybody can go back in September.
  • Labour MP, Jesisica Morden (Newport East) asked if the Prime Minister will commit to addressing companies still waiting for Government liquidity support.
  • Conservative MP, Selaine Saxby (North Devon) asked if the Prime Minister agrees that extending the existing relief on business rates for new full fibre infrastructure could see the release of the investment needed to level up rural areas like North Devon?
  • Labour MP, Christian Matheson (City of Chester) asked if the Prime Minister will confirm that none of his officials or advisors had any correspondence with the Secretary of State for Housing and Communities regarding the Westferry Printworks application.
  • Conservative MP, Rob Butler (Aylesbury) asked if the Prime Minister will do everything necessary to stimulate the rest of the Buckinghamshire economy in the weeks and months to come.
  • Labour MP, Tulip Siddiq (Hampstead and Kilburn) asked the Prime Minister about furlough funds for newly shielded people.
  • Conservative MP, Bob Stewart (Beckenham) asked if the Prime Minister about "where we are in the process of trying to stop repeated, vexatious claims against servicemen and servicewomen who have been involved in fatality shootings in the Northern Ireland campaign?"
  • Labour MP, Stephen Timms (East Ham) asked if the Prime Minister if "he will deliver help and suspend the no recalls to public funds restrictions for the duration of this crisis and do it before the school summer holidays so that destitute families can at least claim the free school meals vouchers he announced yesterday?"
  • Conservative MP, Jeremy Wright (Kenilworth and Southam) asked if the Prime Minister if he can allow no further delay in the bringing forward of the Government's response to the online harms white paper consultation.
  • SNP MP, Alan Brown (Kilmarnock) asked if the Prime Minister what he will do to stop companies "treating workers like numbers on a spreadsheet?"
  • Conservative MP, Jonathan Gullis (Stoke-on-Trent North) asked if the Prime Minister will support him and his constituency council to protect and preserve Chatley Whitfield Colliery.
  • Conservative MP, Julie Marson (Hertford and Storford) asked if the Prime Minister agrees that as the country emerges from the crisis there is an opportunity to be bold in putting innovation at the centre of our response to support high growth sectors such as green energy and fintech?
  • Liberal Democrat MP, Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) asked if the Prime Minister will close the loophole that allows for beef from anywhere in the world to be labelled as British Beef as long as it is packaged in this country.

    • Catch up on the full PMQs

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