Starmer vs Badenoch FULL PMQs Showdown | UK Parliament Clash on Economy, Energy & Welfare | AC15

Added: 2026-04-29

[00:00:00]questions. Grinder Singh Joanne number one, Mr. Speaker, Prime Minister.

[00:00:06]>> Uh, Mr. Speaker, the state visit by His Majesty the King is a powerful reminder of the deep and special relationship we have with the United States.

[00:00:17]>> Mr. Speaker, in this session of Parliament, this Labor government has delivered the biggest upgrade in workers rights in a generation, >> the biggest improvement in renters's rights in a generation, >> and more action than any other government to tackle child poverty.

[00:00:35]>> At the King's speech, I look forward to setting out what more we will do to change our country for the better.

[00:00:41]>> Mr. Speaker, this morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others.

[00:00:44]I shall have further such meetings later today. Render Signel.

[00:00:48]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can I firstly thank you uh for meeting with me recently to view a thousand paper cranes folded by residents in Bwood as a recognition of the diversity of Smeikvic in which neighbors and communities just get on with each other. Mr. Speaker, residents in my constituency and across Sandro benefit from the lowest council tax in the West Midland, investment in new new leather centers, parks and all our libraries kept open. Sand was the third best in the country for fixing potholes, expanded uh breakfast clubs, free school meals, and cheaper school uniform for for our children. Does the prime minister agree that this is all down to well-run labor sandal council and the changes brought back by this government, this Labor government opposed at every opportunity by the tourism reform?

[00:01:35]Prime Minister, can I thank him for his work to give every child the best start in life in his constituency? And I'm very glad that this government has done more than any other government to lift children out of poverty.

[00:01:46]>> Mr. Speaker, thanks to our work this session on this side of the house, we've passed laws needed to deliver more rights at work, build new homes, save British steel, clean up waterways, secure our borders, and record funding of our NHS, and so much more. change delivered by Labor opposed by the Tories and reform.

[00:02:07]>> We come to the leader of the opposition Kem Bened.

[00:02:13]>> Thank you. It's the end of the session and what a contrast with the beginning.

[00:02:18]Mr. Speaker, >> back in July 2024, those benches were full of sickopantic questions from adoring new MPs.

[00:02:27]Yesterday, the prime minister was reduced to begging those same MPs to save his own skin.

[00:02:38]>> Mr. Speaker, he's broken his promise to grow the economy. The only thing that's grown is the welfare bill. The only thing that's grown is the welfare bill.

[00:02:47]So, can the prime minister tell us? Can the prime minister tell us how many more people are out of work and claiming universal credit since he took office?

[00:02:59]>> Prime Minister, Mr. Speaker, uh she talks about what we've done uh in terms of raising people out of work. We have the youth guarantee that we put in place for young people. We've raised the national minimum wage thanks to our chancellor.

[00:03:14]We've helped young people into work by cutting NHS waiting list thanks to the work of the health secretary. We put more police on the streets thanks to the works of the home secretary and we've cut energy bills for young people thanks to the work of the energy. I am very proud what this Labor government delivered in the first session of this parliament.

[00:03:33]>> Mr. Speaker, the prime minister doesn't want to say how many people how many more people in fact are out of work and claiming universal credit since he took office. Perhaps he doesn't know. So let me tell him the number is 1.5 million.

[00:03:49]people.

[00:03:50]>> That is the entire population of Leeds, Cardiff, and Edinburgh put together.

[00:03:56]Hardworking people are being taxed more and more to pay for a ballooning benefits bill. So, can the prime minister tell us why on his watch, for the first time ever, we are now spending more on welfare than we earn in income tax?

[00:04:14]>> Prime Minister.

[00:04:15]>> Mr. Speaker, the welfare system she complains of is the one they put in place. Mr. Speaker, and Mr. Speaker, we are reforming it to improve it. And what did they do when we put that forward?

[00:04:30]They voted to keep the same broken welfare system.

[00:04:36]>> Mr. Speaker, that answer was as honest as his reason for sacking Ollie Robbins.

[00:04:40]Perhaps he'd like to apologize for that right now. Let me tell him. Let me tell him why we're we're spending more on welfare than we're earning in tax. It's because of him and his terrible policies. This is all under him. We are spending so much on welfare. We cannot afford to defend the country. And if he won't listen to me, Mr. Speaker, perhaps he'll listen to the former Labor Defense Secretary, Lord Robertson, who is saying, and I quote, "We cannot defend Britain with an everexpanding welfare budget." I agree with Lord Robertson. Why doesn't he?

[00:05:17]>> Right, Mr. Speaker, this is the Labor government that increased defense spending, >> the highest sustained spend since the Cold War. What did they do, Mr. Speaker?

[00:05:28]When they came into power, defense spending was 2.5% and when they left power, it was 2.3%.

[00:05:36]And even their own secretary of state admitted they hollowed out our armed forces. So we'll take no lectures from them on defense.

[00:05:45]>> Not.

[00:05:45]>> Mr. Speaker, talking about more defense spending is not the same as giving more money for defense. He has been in office for nearly 2 years. Mr. Speaker, what he does have, he's got a welfare plan until 2031, but he's not produced a defense investment plan. We have gone backwards on defense under him because we are borrowing. We are borrowing to pay for welfare. Yesterday, we learned that the cost of government borrowing is now the highest in two decades. That's under him. Instead of getting a grip on the economy, the chancellor is briefing out rent controls to curry favor. Curry favor with left-wing backbentures. This is not a serious way to run the economy.

[00:06:32]It is time the prime minister gives her an easier job. So will he listen to businesses, listen to the country, and reshuffle the chancellor.

[00:06:43]>> Mr. Speaker, at the spring statement, the chancellor was very proud to say inflation was down to 3% and falling.

[00:06:49]Six interest rates in a cut. We've seen the growth figures for the early part of this year. And she says, "Well, the cost of boring's gone up." Yes, because there's a conflict in Iran. And what did she want to do? What did she want to do when when I said we wouldn't be dragged into that wall because I thought through the consequences, including the economic consequences, what did she do? She said we should jump in with both feet without regard to the consequences. She can't complain now about the implications.

[00:07:24]>> Mr. Speaker, I didn't hear him say he's not reshuffling the chancellor.

[00:07:29]It sounds like she's toast. Meanwhile, the former deputy prime minister is on maneuvers. This government is like a bad episode of Game of Thrones. His own people have turned against him. And all the while, the prime minister is holed up in his castle wetting himself about a visit from the king in the north.

[00:07:47]Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, yesterday one Labour MP actually said that his days are numbered. That's one of them. I wonder who it was cuz they're all looking guilty as hell. Isn't the real reason, Mr. Speaker, isn't the real reason, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, isn't the real reason the prime minister can't cut welfare that he squandered all his political capital, saving his own skin?

[00:08:18]>> Mr. Speaker, she talked about political games. That's what she was doing yesterday.

[00:08:22]This house considered our motion and rejected it decisively because everyone saw it for what it was, a desperate, baseless political stunt ahead of the May elections. And Mr. Speaker, whilst she and they were playing games here, I was chairing a meeting in Cobra going through the contingencies and managing our war in the Middle East.

[00:08:44]>> Mr. speaker. They think little danger here is more important than managing the implications of the war in the Middle East, which will affect every single one of their constituents. And none of them ask any questions about it. None of them want to debate it. They just want to debate silly political stunts.

[00:09:01]>> Because, Mr. Speaker, even though we didn't join the war, no thanks to her, my duty is to protect the British public from the consequences.

[00:09:11]and nothing is going to distract me from what matters to the British public.

[00:09:18]>> Mr. Speaker, I think the whole country is sick of this man's tonedeaf pompous moralizing.

[00:09:24]>> Last week, last week, last week, >> last week, we all saw him punch the speaker's chair. This is not a man who is in control.

[00:09:40]Since the last King speech, it's been one disaster after another. Cronyism, jobs for friends of convicted pedophiles, periages for other friends of convicted pedophiles, broken promises on taxes, U-turn after U-turn after U-turn. He's lost a deputy prime minister, two chiefs of staff, two cabinet secretaries, the support of his backbenches, and all his credibility.

[00:10:07]Yes. Yes. They can Mr. Speaker, they can jer as much as they like. They're going to have to go to their constituencies and explain to all those people why they did what they did last night. The fact is the prime minister was reduced to whipping his MPs to save him and pleading with a tax dodger to rejoin his cabinet. How much longer do we all have to put up with his shambles?

[00:10:36]my party. I won a general election.

[00:10:40]>> She's changed her party, Mr. Speaker, because when I became leader of my party, their party was three times the size it is now.

[00:10:47]>> She's changed it. It's now even smaller than when she started at le Mr. Speaker, the stunt they played yesterday because they don't like what we're delivering. more rights at work, more security for renters, lifting half a million children out of poverty.

[00:11:06]That's our mandate. That's our mission.

[00:11:09]And nothing's going to HOLD US BACK.

[00:11:15]IT WAS UM 18 months ago, I remember that my late friend Terry Ethan was sitting up in the up there beaming down at the prime minister because he had just announced the government scheme to give compensation to those who've been wrongly sacked from the armed forces for simply being gay. Um but I have a constituent uh Mr. Mr. Speaker who lost his job in MI6 in the 1980s for his sexuality and he's got no compensation.

[00:11:41]The security service has also put their lives on the risk on the line for their country. It's just not fair. Would the prime minister find the time to sit down with my constituent of me so that we can work out together a way in which we can extend Terry's scheme so that the so that the security services can also get justice.

[00:11:58]>> Prime Minister, >> can I thank for her dedicated uh work on this? I am very proud of the work we've done to recognize LGBT veterans. Uh Mr. speaker. On top of that, people in our security service are some of the bravest and most talented professionals who served our country.

[00:12:16]>> That some of them lost their jobs because of their sexuality is a historic wrong.

[00:12:22]>> And I can confirm today the security minister is assessing this closely and I'll make sure that she's updated and has the meeting she's after.

[00:12:29]>> Said David, leader of the Liberal Democrats.

[00:12:32]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, we heard Christian Turner, Peter Mandlesson's replacement as US ambassador, say that the only country Trump has a special relationship with is Israel. That the prime minister's job is in danger after next week's elections and that in the US, Jeffrey Epstein's associates have evaded responsibility for their actions. The prime minister has to has had to fire one US ambassador for lying. Does he fear he'll now have to fire a second one for telling the truth?

[00:13:07]>> Minister, >> Mr. Speaker, g given what I've had thrown at me uh in the last two weeks by all the opposition parties, that's the least of my problems. But Mr. Speaker, I know he likes uh stunts, but I was surprised he joined in the one uh yesterday because his own business spokesman said last week satisfied I had not misled the house. He of course his his opening position was it was inconceivable that officials would give clearance to Mandlesson and not tell ministers it was against the UK SV recommendation. That's what he said >> and it didn't happen.

[00:13:37]>> I expect frivolous accusations from the leader of the opposition. Clearly I was wrong to expect anything better but from the man in the wets suit.

[00:14:03]Mr. Speaker, I've got my dry suit on today. And let me tell the prime minister that uh when when Boris Johnson was faced with that uh uh motion, he didn't whip his MPs.

[00:14:19]>> There was a difference there.

[00:14:22]>> And Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, experts are warning that food prices will rise by 10% this year as farmers costs sore. Trump's war has exposed how weak Britain's food security is.

[00:14:42]Yet under the system brought in by the Conservatives, England is the only country in Europe where farm payments don't actively support farmers to produce food.

[00:14:54]>> So will the King speech include a good food bill to fix that mistake and make sure people can afford the food they need?

[00:15:05]>> Mr. speaker. Uh, of course, food security uh is important and that's why uh I was considering that amongst other issues uh in the ministerial meetings yesterday um in Cobra. That's what I was spending my afternoon doing. Making sure that we were prepared and managing the risks of a conflict that will affect every single one of our constituents.

[00:15:26]What was he doing? He was wasting his time in here on a bas basic allegation baseless allegation and engaging in party political. He should have been working on the single most important issue today, but he wasted his time on a baseless political stunt.

[00:15:40]>> Chris live.

[00:15:41]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The war in Iran has exposed how dangerously reliant we are on imports for our food, fuel, and medicine.

[00:15:51]But the reality is that climate breakdown will make the current instability look trivial. Will the prime minister use the upcoming king's speech to address this fact and redirect our economy towards food security, energy security, and security in supply of our medicines?

[00:16:11]>> Well, prime minister, he's absolutely right to uh highlight the real risk of climate change uh both internationally and at home. And I'm proud, Mr. Speaker, we've restored the UK's position as a global leader on climate action. And that means cutting emissions with our carbon budget, investing 7 billion pounds in nature recovery, and driving ahead with renewables. They're the right steps to protect supply chains, protect our economy, and to protect working people.

[00:16:38]>> Steven Flynn, >> Mr. Speaker, depending upon results in the elections next week, this may well be my final PMQs.

[00:16:50]>> I uh I suppose come back I >> I I suppose, Mr. Speaker, the same is perhaps true for the prime minister as well.

[00:17:05]But but before then, does he understand that yes, it's because of in action on the cost of living crisis? Yes, it's because of the debacle of the winter fuel payment. Yes, it's because of the thousand jobs being lost a month in Scotland's North Sea and the closure of Grangemouth. Yes, it's because of his judgment on Matthew Doyle and Peter Mandlesson. But above all else, the reason why his time in office will soon be coming to a close is because he promised change but has delivered chaos.

[00:17:38]>> Speaker, I'm proud of what this Labor government has achieved and I'm proud of what we will achieve. If it is his last session here, let's reflect on his great achievements in Westminster. He kicked out his predecessor and then lost 39 MPs at the next election.

[00:17:55]>> I hope it can keep up that record in Hollywood next week.

[00:18:00]>> Ali, >> thank you, Mr. Speaker. This Labor government's 29 billion pounds of investment in the NHS and 2 billion pounds in life sciences is critical to fixing our NHS and tackling health inequalities. The Bart's Life Sciences cluster in White Chapel will become one of Europe's leading NHS centered clusters and we've already secured 800 million pounds in private investment.

[00:18:22]Will the Prime Minister direct the Office for Investment to co-sponsor this initiative and ensure the National Wealth Fund co-invest so we can turn East London's health inequalities into a driver for UK life sciences growth, transforming the future of healthcare in London, the UK, and globally. Prime Minister, >> I'm proud that Labor is investing in life sciences and I thank my honorable friend for championing this project for over a decade. The National Wealth Fund is designed to co-invest alongside private investors and ministers are happy to discuss those proposals with her. Mr. Speaker, uh, today I can announce a significant new investment by Astroenica, investing30 million pounds in UK life sciences, made possible by the pharmaceutical arrangement we have struck with the United States to futureproof thousands of jobs in Macklesfield and in Cambridge. That is a major vote of confidence in the UK and Labour's plans to strengthen our economy.

[00:19:19]>> So John Hayes.

[00:19:20]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In an earlier answer, the prime minister made clear that he understands that global uncertainty makes national economic resilience ever more important and that energy security and food security are central to that. So why is policy making one the enemy of the other as the 12% of our most fertile productive land the food we need to feed the nation uh is being eaten up by giant industrial developments pylons with a with accompanying infrastructure and huge solar developments.

[00:19:54]>> Will the prime minister meet me and colleagues that feel similarly? But by because by corroding Britain's food security now we risk compromising our nation's future. Yeah, it >> it's right to raise view security and obviously that is uh one of the resiliences that um we need in this country and we need to protect in this uh country but we also do need uh to move to secure independence of energy because one thing that is making life so much harder for all of those in the food sector is that their energy prices go up every time an international conflict affects the prices here. By getting energy independent, which requires the infrastructure, we can protect them from that and therefore make them more resilient.

[00:20:42]>> And Dixon.

[00:20:43]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like many MPs, I'll be heading up to my constituency later to campaign in the local elections. When I'm out on the doors talking to voters in the Shipley constituency, I'm proud of the difference this LABOR GOVERNMENT IS MAKING.

[00:20:58]RENTERS NO LONGER WORRIED THANKS TO secure tenure. families supported by free breakfast clubs and extended free child care support and workers no longer on exploitative um ZERO HOURS CONTRACTS.

[00:21:13]WHAT IS THE PRIME MINISTER MOST PROUD OF AND WHAT IS his message for voters in my shipley constituency and across the UK?

[00:21:23]>> Thank you for our question and this is the first government for generations to take key services back into public ownership. Mr. Speaker, the first government to give rights and powers to workers, rents and the less fortunate and the first government in a generation to invest in public services and lift children out of poverty.

[00:21:40]>> And as we face a war on two fronts, we will do more. A stronger economy, stronger energy security, and stronger on defense. That's the difference this government is making.

[00:21:50]>> So Jeremy Wright, >> very much, Mr. Speaker, >> many of us across this house worked hard to pass the online safety act, not because we thought it would be the last word on online safety, but because we believed it was an important step forward in making online platforms more accountable for the content on their services and for the algorithms that curate it. So, can the prime minister reassure us that whatever his government decides to do to restrict access for our young people to social media, it will not be used as cover by social media companies to do less themselves to keep young people safer online? Prime Minister, >> can I give him that assurance because uh those platform providers do need to take uh responsibility and he will have noticed the fight we had with Grock uh just a few months ago where disgusting uh images were being created um on social media um and we took them on in a fight uh a fight that we won uh across the house also with chat bots. But we need to build on the legislation we've got. We definitely need more protection um in general and particularly for children, but his point is valid that that shouldn't be uh to take any responsibility away from those that are providing the platforms in the first place.

[00:23:08]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 158 million in fair funding, 20 million in pride in place for New Addington and funding for new trams. Mr. Speaker, it is this Labor government that is finally giving Cudon the backing that it needs.

[00:23:21]that building a prudent for all starts with ensuring our residents have the dignity and stability of a decent home.

[00:23:26]So with hundreds of families in my constituency facing homelessness through no fault evictions, will the prime minister outline how this government is progressing on its plans to fix the private rental sector and ensure that renters in Cuddon have the security and peace of mind that they deserve?

[00:23:41]>> Well, my honorable friend is a brilliant representative for uh Cudden and she's right. For too long, renters have been at the mercy of rogue landlords, pushing thousands into homelessness. I'm delighted to confirm that this Friday, no fault evictions will be scrapped once and for all.

[00:24:00]>> That sends an important message to anyone living in a damp unsafe home, anyone who suffered an unfair rent increase, and to every family forced to move in the last over the last year to year. Change is here delivered by Labor opposed by the Tories and reform every step of the way.

[00:24:16]>> Dr. Luke Evans, >> please could the prime minister explain to the House if he's done nothing wrong and process has been followed >> why did he need to force his MPs to vote against an investigation?

[00:24:33]Is it because he's worried they don't believe his version of the truth?

[00:24:37]>> Yes. No, it's cuz they can see a baseless allegation, a political stunt when they see it.

[00:24:43]>> Uh, Mr. Speaker, as a former GP, here's the truth. We've recruited 82 more GPS, upgraded his medical center. They they want all the benefits, but they never want to pay for them.

[00:24:57]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Derby is a manufacturing powerhouse, but too many people in our city have not felt the benefit of that success. That's why tomorrow we're absolutely delighted to be launching team Derby with our East Midlands mayor Claire Ward. Does the prime minister agree that with our brilliant chancellor and our Labor government backing our city, team Derby can make sure every pound of investment in Derby delivers real change for our residents so everyone feels part of our success story.

[00:25:33]>> Prime Minister, >> well, um I I think we should all back team Derby. Um our investment is helping to renew our submarine fleet, building new nuclear reactors, and creating jobs and growth. I'm proud to see Labour MPs working with the Labour mayor uh and a Labor government to deliver a brighter future for Derby.

[00:25:51]>> Glover.

[00:25:53]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Despite the government's ambitious house building targets, the charity shelter believes the current approach is not providing enough social and genuinely affordable homes. So, will the Prime Minister end his government's warm embrace of the developer model and instead heed Liberal Democrat calls for 150,000 social homes per year and new powers for local councils to build them?

[00:26:15]Mr. Speaker, we are uh going to build 1.5 million homes. We're upgrading uh the rights of renters uh because we know how important it is for everyone to have a safe and secure roof uh over their head. His challenge to me would have more force if they hadn't abstained on the measures that we're taking in order to take these measures forward.

[00:26:39]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Whilst our NHS across England has seen noticeable improvements thanks to the work of this Labor government, >> Southoun Hospital and the wider Mid and South Essex NHS Trust has continued to struggle. I thank the Department for Health and Social Care for working with me and my colleagues on this issue and for placing the trust on the intensive recovery program. Does the prime minister agree with me that this is the right action to take? And will he meet with me to discuss our wider plans to improve health care in Southoun as part of our opportunity south end initiative?

[00:27:19]>> Minister, after years of failure being tolerated, failing staff and patients.

[00:27:24]Our new intensive recovery program is targeting sites that need tailored support. Mr. Speaker, there's more to do, but we're seeing real progress across our NHS waiting. They're ch they they they they've never heard this from a government. Waiting list lowest for three years. That didn't happen for 14 years. Any waiting times best for 5 years. They don't recognize any of this because they didn't do any of it.

[00:27:45]Fastest ambulance response in half a decade. And don't forget the party's opposite opposed the record investment that was necessary to make all of that happen.

[00:27:55]>> Muhammad.

[00:27:56]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Everything international law is supposed to protect is being violated. a genocide against the Palestinian people, the catastrophe in Sudan, the Gazification of Lebanon.

[00:28:08]Against this backdrop, the government last week closed the international humanitarian law unit and stop funding access to the CI database of 26,000 human rights and conflict incidents across Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon.

[00:28:26]This database underpins decisions on IHL breaches, arms export suspensions, and whether the UK itself is acting within the law. Usually, criminals or their accompllices are the ones destroying evidence of their crimes.

[00:28:42]Instead, uh crime, not a human rights lawyer or or a government apparently committed to upholding international law. So, my question is simple.

[00:28:53]>> Prime Minister, Prime Minister Prime Minister, sorry, you've gone in far too long. Prime Minister, >> Mr. Speaker, let me reassure the House that the work of the International Law Unit has not ended. It'll simply be done by a different team uh under a restructure. We will of course continue to monitor international humanitarian law in Gaza and elsewhere and invest in conflict prevention and resolution.

[00:29:16]>> New picture.

[00:29:19]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This Labor government has backed the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield airport from the very start. It means jobs, investment, growth and opportunities not just for Doncaster East and the aisle of Axom but for the whole region.

[00:29:35]>> Now the reform councilors in Doncaster are considering reversing their decision to support the to support the investment >> which would currently facilitate that airport from reopening. Does the prime minister agree with me that the airport remains a huge priority for the area and will he continue to work with us to find a way forward to make sure that we get our airport back open?

[00:30:03]>> Well, um my honorable friend is a champion for this crucial local project and I thank him for his work and I know from visiting Doncaster just how vital reopening the airport is for local residents. It will be a huge boost for South Yorkshire and unlock thousands of jobs. I'm deeply concerned by reports that decisions by reform in Doncaster could put the reopening in jeopardy.

[00:30:27]>> Labor put the plan in place. Reform should honor their promises, stop playing games and get the airport open.

[00:30:35]>> Robin Swan.

[00:30:37]>> Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. We're in a parliamentary session which started out with a degree of anticipation, a level of expectation, and a promise of change. And what could be the prime minister's last prime minister's question time? Can I ask them why does he think it went so wrong? Was it his failure to support our wasby women, his failure to support our farmers, or his failure to support our Northern Ireland veterans and victims of the Northern Ireland troubles?

[00:31:10]>> Or was it those around him who seem more interested in themselves than the country?

[00:31:16]>> Prime Minister, >> Mr. Mr. Speaker, I'm very proud. This government's very proud of the biggest upgrade in workers rights in a generation.

[00:31:23]>> The biggest upgrade in renters's rights in a generation and the most any government has ever done to reduce child poverty. They will have a lasting impact on working people across the United Kingdom. That's the change we're bringing about and I look forward to continuing it.

[00:31:39]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As this parliamentary session draws to a close, it seems a good moment to reflect on the legislation passed since the general election. Not not all of it, of course, but uh many of us have walked through the lobbies to pass 60 bills that have touched almost every aspect of British life from the care of cats, dogs, and ferrets to the space industry indemnities along with a whole host of measures seeking to improve life for renters, carers, investors, football fans, NHS patients, serving personnel, and more.

[00:32:16]Would would the prime minister agree with me that this is a pretty good first session report card >> and would he agree that the best IS YET TO COME?

[00:32:28]>> MR. SPEAKER, she's right to highlight the 50 pieces of legislation, the 50 bills that we've put through. We whipped to change the country. We all voted to change the country. They of course opposed almost all of it. That's why we've got stronger rights for renters.

[00:32:43]That's why we've got stronger rights for workers. investing in our roads and railways, reforming send and driving down waiting list, all opposed by the parties opposite. And we're only just getting started, Mr. Speaker. We're going to go further on a stronger economy, on energy security, and a stronger defense.

[00:33:02]>> Final question, Sarah Gibson.

[00:33:05]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before we leave this house for several weeks, I feel absolutely necessary to raise an issue within my constituency in which I have been trying to get an answer from DERA and from the EA where we have a landfill site in K that is producing sulfurous smells that is causing residents to need to close their windows causing children to have sore throats. And yet I am not getting any answer except that the environment agency itself admits that controls may not be working effectively.

[00:33:39]Like my constituents, I find it really disappointing that we're not getting any serious response. This is not the kind of thing you expect in the UK. You do not expect the air to you breathe not to be safe. And I would like to urge the prime minister to help me in getting a response from DERA and from the EA on what measures can be put in place to reassure my constituents that they are not suffering ill health. Thank you.

[00:34:07]>> Well, can I thank her for raising um the issue. Um now she has raised it with me.

[00:34:12]I will make sure that um I go away and uh chase up that she gets uh the reply and and importantly that they are entitled to That completes pro cut through West Point point of order.

[00:34:25]>> Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The whole house will be very concerned to hear about the dreadful stabbings this morning in the burough of Barnett. And as the member for Horny and Fry Baret, I'm very worried about this repeated uh violence against the Jewish community.

[00:34:40]And Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to uh reach out to the whole house to say we uh condemn these uh alleged attacks and we wish the police, the council and all of the community services the very best in solving this and bringing to justice those perpetrators of these violent crimes.

[00:34:58]It >> Prime Minister, would you want to respond?

[00:35:01]>> Yeah.

[00:35:01]>> Uh yeah. Can I first thank her for raising this issue uh which um I had learned about before prime minister's questions. It is deeply concerning uh to uh everyone in this house. There is now a police um investigation and I think we all need to do everything we can to support that um investigation and be absolutely clear in our determination uh to deal with any of these uh offenses like of which we've seen too much uh recently.

[00:35:30]>> Okay. Point of order to John McDonald.

[00:35:33]>> Mr. Speaker, as you know, as Secretary of the NJ parliamentary group, I raised earlier this week a point of order concerning the US agency APCO's role in undertaking an investigation of journalists for labor together, which resulted in the smearing of those journalists. I explained as a result of concern the about the reach of APCO's investigation, a number of honorable members had submitted subject interest requests to the company and to Labor Together. There's been a delay in the response from Labor Together to these requests, but APCO has confirmed in a very redacted form that information on MPs was being collected. And I referred this week to information from a whistleblower, a freelancer involved in the labor together inquiry, indicating that APC code instructed this person to destroy files and material related to the inquiry.

[00:36:21]Only hours ago on the Financial Times online, we have confirmed that tapes do exist that include conversations by APCO's head of media relations for Europe, Tom Harper, discussing the deletion of an email account and if and saying, I quote, whether they will be able to see that through digital forensics or something like that.

[00:36:46]references with regard to this inquiry.

[00:36:48]He also refers to processes to muddy the waters and the audit trail.

[00:36:54]There is also now I can report if I can Mr. Speaker, I'm sorry for the delay. I can also report that evidence was submitted to the inquiry by Solari Magnus as the prime minister's ethics advisor by Paul Holton, one of the journalists who victims of the smures.

[00:37:10]But the evidence was not supplied by the cabinet office to the secretariat to the inquiry to Lori Magnus. On behalf of the NUJ parliamentary group, I want to express our concern but also it is important it is important from the NJUJ parliamentary group. We are concerned about the smearing of journalists, but we also need to know what, if any, surveillance of honorary members was taking place and for what purposes. And we call again for an independent inquiry into APCO's role and Labor Together's role in this issue.

[00:37:45]>> Can I say it is a very very serious allegation that I do take seriously.

[00:37:51]Members of parliament are here to carry out their duties and what is being alleged is very serious. I do believe it needs to be investigated thoroughly.

[00:38:01]From my point of view, I would expect as the honorable gentleman's been here a long time, no doubt he will use the table office as part of the avenues to pursue what he's said. There may be other ways and there may be se serious security implications to this house as well that I will also take up in other avenues. Thank you for that.

[00:38:22]>> Point of order. Thank >> you, Mr. Speaker. On a point of order, the right honorable member for New visited my constituency yesterday without notifying me. This is not the first time the usual courtesies of this house have been disregarded by Reform UK when visiting Portsmouth. Further to that, is it in order, Mr. Speaker, for a former immigration minister who helped shape the current asylum system to visit constituencies and push campaigns that mislead and cause hatred and division?

[00:38:47]Mr. Speaker, given this blatant disregard for this convention and courtesy to the House, an absolute lack of integrity and respect, can you advise what recourse is available to me as the constituency member?

[00:39:00]>> I think there's another one the same point towards be clear and now >> New York was very busy yesterday as alarmed residents in the town of Seafood in my constituency reported citing two.

[00:39:13]Um Mr. Speaker, um he was apparently there campaigning to support the reform candidate for Seafford North who is set to lose his seat to the Liberal Democrats. Um I understand there's a common courtesy in this place for members to inform one another of official visits to their constituencies.

[00:39:28]On this occasion that did not happen.

[00:39:29]Mr. Speaker, could you advise me on this issue?

[00:39:32]Can I say to both of you, I thank all members for the punch forwarders they've raised and I reminded the house on numerous occasions members must notify their colleagues if they intend to visit another member's constituency except for purely private purposes. I expect members on all sides of the house to show that courtesy to their colleagues whether the front bench or not. It is courtesy. I expect it to be done that way. Those members who have failed to do so, I do hope they will apologize to the members concerned. It's election fever time. We don't need any more of it. So, please carry out the curses of this house.

[00:40:13]>> Demora.

[00:40:14]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now, the leader of the opposition who's not in her place uh said that 1.5 million extra people were on universal credit. Now, she will know that this is a deeply misleading number because it is largely a consequence of the transition from legacy systems to universal credit. And her background is in it. She should know how it works.

[00:40:41]>> In fact, more people are in work now than under the tries. So, given >> I'm not quite sure it's a point of order for me because no, let me finish. It' be easier for both of us. It's a patal judgment that you were correcting the record on to try and say if somebody inadvertently has misled the house, it is for them to correct the record, not for me. And I certainly don't want to reopen the questions that we've just closed. So, thank you for making it and bringing it to the attention of the house and know it will be in Hans.

[00:41:12]>> Point of order, Mr. Speaker.

[00:41:13]>> A point of order.

[00:41:14]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How do I gain your advice from a point of order that actually is inadvertently misleading what the leader of the opposition said where the leader of the >> and that's the danger of what I started.

[00:41:27]Can I just say that's the problem. Let we've had some very serious points of order. Let's leave it with the serious points of order before we we've got we haven't got the time to play around.

[00:41:38]Right.

[00:41:40]>> Richard Holden.

[00:41:41]>> Point of order. Mr. Speaker, I seek your guidance on two matters relating to uh completeness of ministerial answers to this house. In a recent answer to my honorable friend, the member for Leicester East on the 24th of April, the Minister for Transport, the member for Wakefield and Rothwell, referred to an attached spreadsheet to a written parliamentary question which wasn't provided. This is the third time this has happened in recent months. In addition, I wrote to the same minister on March the 2nd seeking clarification of an earlier written answer in light of remarks he made in Westminster Hall on the 27th of January and have still yet to receive a reply. Could you advise me, Mr. Speaker, how members can secure timely and complete information when matters referred for answers are still I think I think we both trust me and you know the answer better than I do as Mr. Holder. As a former Secretary of State and Minister, you know very well how these things happen. Good. Let me just say I thank the right member for his point of order. He will know that I'm not responsible for ministerial answers.

[00:42:37]However, all members should receive full and timely answers. The Treasury bench will have heard his concerns.