Yahoo News PMQs: Theresa May offers 'appropriate relief' for business rate rises
May offers 'appropriate relief' for business rate rises
Theresa May mans the phones as by-elections near
Theresa May praises plan for Jo Cox street parties
Theresa May has said "appropriate relief" will be available for firms that are "particularly adversely" affected by the business rates revaluation.
She said the Chancellor and Communities Secretary had been instructed to take action to protect businesses, during an appearance in PMQs.
It comes after reports that Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, is examining plans to offer extra funding to independent retailers and small companies facing huge increases in business rates.
Bills for the coming year are due to go out over a five-week period starting on Friday.
Speaking after PMQs, a Downing Street spokesman said that a £3.6 billion fund had been set up to ease the transition for businesses that see their rates rise.
However, the spokesperson indicated that Mrs May had not announced any new money for this fund, but had asked the Chancellor and Communities Secretary to ensure it was effectively distributed.
They declined to say whether this was a recent request, adding: "We are mindful of the fact that some companies are going to see their rates go up.
"That is why we are introducing this £3.6 billion transitional fund to ease the transition for those most affected. I think the Prime Minister is making sure that that assistance is going to the right areas."
Sajid Javid, the Communities Secretary, is today expected to tell MPs that he understands concerns about the impact of the rises and that the Government will do what it can to help those hardest hit.
Theresa May praises plan for Jo Cox street parties
May offers 'appropriate relief' for business rate rises
Caroline Lucas, the only Green MP, brings up the business rates question and asks if she would be prepared to set up a discretionary fund to help small and micro-businesses.
May says she has asked that there is "appropriate relief" for businesses.
.@theresa_may tells #PMQs she has asked Hammond & Javid to ensure "appropriate relief" for firms hardest-hit by #businessrates revaluation
— Andrew Woodcock (@AndyWoodcock) February 22, 2017
Business rates are based on the rental values of properties- it's right that rates change to recognise that, that's the principle of fairness that underpins the bus rates system.
We've put significant funding in place for transitional relief but I recognise there has been particular concerned that there will be some small bus particularly adversely affected by the result of this revaluation.
That's why I've ask Chancellor the and Communities Secretary to make sure there's appropriate relief in the hardest cases.
Caroline Lucas mentions business rates - the first opposition politician to do so at #PMQs
— Tamara Cohen (@tamcohen) February 22, 2017
PM insists a US trade deal will work for UK
Phil Wilson, a Labour MP, asks the PM if she would be prepared to walk away from a US trade deal if its not good enough for Britain.
May tells him:
As I have said consistently, we will be ensuring when we negotiate trade deals with whichever countries it is around the world they will be good deals for the UK.
PM challenged on vaccines
Tania Mathias, a doctor and Tory MP, asks if the PM will look at what more the Government can do increase the number of vaccines in the event of an outbreak.
May responds:
As an added contingency we are funding a £10m competition to establish a world-leading centre on vaccine manufacturing.
We have one of the most comprehensive and successful vaccination programmes in the world backed up by £300m this year alone.
Tory MP calls for legal protection of veterans
Julian Lewis, the Defence Committee chairman, calls for a statute of limitations on legal cases against armed forces in Northern Ireland.
He asks:
There is no prospect of new credible evidence coming forward against our veterans of the Troubles, yet people are starting to use the same techniques in Northern Ireland against them as were used against veterans of Iraq.
Surely the answer has to be a statute of limitations for matters concerned prior to the date of the Belfast Agreement.
Mrs May responds:
This is an issue that we're looking at as part of the Stormont House agreement, what we're doing is ensuring the investigative bodies responsible will operate in a fair, balanced and proportionate manner.
We want these protections enshrined in legislation.
Hampshire MP Julian Lewis pressing PM on prosecution of former soldiers in Northern Ireland at #pmqs Wants cutoff prior to Belfast agreement pic.twitter.com/C5S4ChDxoE
— Peter Henley (@BBCPeterH) February 22, 2017
May: Green Belt must be protected
The PM is asked reaffirm the Government’s support for the green belt.
She tells MPs:
The Government is very clear that the Green Belt must be protected, we're very clear boundaries should only be altered when local authorities have fully examined all reasonable options.
May called on to ratify Istanbul Convention
Angus Robertson, the SNP Westminster leader, calls on Theresa May to ratify the Istanbul Convention:
She says:
There were still an estimated 1.3m female victims of domestic abuse over the last year.
We are fully committed to ratifying it and that's why we supported the Hon Member for Banff and Buchan's Private Member's Bill.
We need to maintain this momentum, that's why I'm setting up a min working group to look at the legislation, at how we provide support for victims and the possibility of a Domestic Violence Act.
PM praises plans to celebrate life of murdered MP Jo Cox
Michael Tomlinson, a Tory MP, praises plans for thousands of street parties and baking competitions to be held across the country to celebrate the life of the former Labour MP Jo Cox.
The PM says:
I'm very happy to agree with him that what is becoming known as the Great Together is a fitting tribute to our late colleague Jo Cox and I would like to commend Brendan Cox for the work he has done.
'I will take no lessons on the NHS from Labour'
Theresa May disputes the Oppositions statistics.
She blasts:
I will take no lessons on the NHS from the party party that presided over Mid-Staffs Hospital.
They say we should learn lessons. I'll tell you who should learn lessons, it's the Labour party who still fail to recognise if you're going to fund the NHS you need a strong economy.
Labour used to talk about boom and bust, it's no longer boom and bust, it's borrow and bankrupt.
Wagging her finger Theresa May says she won't take lessons on NHS frm Labour "I won't take lessons on party presided over Mid Staffs" #PMQs
— kateferguson (@kateferguson4) February 22, 2017
Corbyn: There is a nursing shortage
Jeremy Corbyn is not giving up, he tells the PM there is a nursing shortage and "something should be done about it."
He says:
Her Government has put the NHS and social care in a state of emergency.
Nine out of ten NHS trusts are unsafe. 18,000 patients a week are waiting on trolleys in hospital corridors; 1.2m elderly people not getting the care they need.
The legacy of her Government will be blighting the NHS for decades – fewer hospitals, fewer A&E departments, fewer nurses.
We need a Government that puts the NHS first and will invest in our NHS.
'Labour would bankrupt the economy'
Jeremy Corbyn says the PM has refused to really answer his question, he says that in reality, 10,000 fewer places have been filled because there are fewer applications.
“Will the PM at least commit herself to reinstating the nurses’ bursary?” he asks.
May says he just didn't not like her answer.
I have to say to him, if he doesn't like the answer he gets he can't just carry on asking the same question...he's talking about all these issues.
We have 1,800 more midwives in the NHS since 2010, we have more people being seen in A&E since 201, we have more operations taking place every week in the NHS.
Our NHS staff are working hard, they're providing a quality of care for patients. What they don't need is a Labour policy that would lead to a bankrupt economy.
That doesn't health doctors, that doesn't help the NHS and it doesn't help Ordinary Working Families up and down the country.
May challeneged on nurse bursaries
Jeremy Corbyn asks if crapping nurses’ training bursaries has created another 10,000 places for new nurses.
May replies:
There are 10,000 more training places available for nurses in the NHS.
I is this Conservative government that is putting the extra funding into the NHS and I remind the Right Hon Gentleman that we are spending £1.3bn more on the NHS than Labour planned to do if they'd won the election.
NHS battles in PMQs to play on broadcasts throughout today. V handy for Labour ahead of by-elections.
— Ben Riley-Smith (@benrileysmith) February 22, 2017
Corbyn attacks May over NHS
Jeremy Corbyn goes straight in on the NHS and asks why the PM’s government is cutting the number of beds .
May says that "what we see in hospital stays is that the average length of time for staying has virtually staffed since 200."
She also hits out at Labour's record and comments made by the former shadow health secretary Andy Burnham before the last election:
Let's look at Labour's record - in the last six years f the last Labour government, 25,000 hospital beds were cut. But we don't even need to go as far back as that.
Let's just look at what was Labour's policy before the last election. Before the last election the RH member for Leigh, a former shadow Health Secretary, said the following: 'What I'd cut are hospital beds'.
The Labour leader asks why is it that one in six A&E units in England is set for closure or downgrading and that 5,000 beds have been cut in the last six years.
PM on Labour record of cutting beds, and says NHS 'needs more doctors...doesn't need a bankrupt economy which labour would give it' #PMQs
— Tamara Cohen (@tamcohen) February 22, 2017
Tory hits out at school funding formula
Andrew Bingham, a Tory MP, criticises the school funding formula.
May stands by the principle of the new funding formula, but insists they are looking into it.
She says: "We are looking at that funding system. It is a consultation and I'm sure the comments and issues my Hon Friend has raised will be noted by the Secretary of State."
May challenged on Copeland hospital closure
PMQs is kicked off by the Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi.
She asks why No 10 refused to allow campaigners into Downing Street to hand-deliver a petition against cuts to the West Cumberland hospital in Copeland.
The PM hits back:
A petition was indeed delivered to No 10, a petition was accepted by No 10 Downing St yesterday.
I am aware of the issues that have been raised around West Cumberland hospital. I'm aware of those because the very good Conservative candidate in Copeland, Trudy Harrison, has indeed raised those issues with me.
She's made very clear she wants tot see no downgrading of services at West Cumberland hospital- she's made that clear to me and to health ministers.
Theresa May mans the phones ahead of by-elections
PMQs live
Good Morning,
We'll have all the latest from the first PMQs since the recess.
Here are the MPs who have been selected to challenge the Prime Minister:
Q1Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South East)
Q2Caroline Flint (Don Valley)
Q3Andrew Bingham (High Peak)
Q4Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Q5Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Q6William Wragg (Hazel Grove)
Q7Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East)
Q8Phil Wilson (Sedgefield)
Q9Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East) If she will take steps to introduce legislative proposals to provide legal protection to former military personnel who served in Northern Ireland at least equivalent to that offered to former republican and loyalist paramilitaries.
Q10Dr Tania Mathias (Twickenham)
Q11Chris Davies (Brecon and Radnorshire)
Q12Crispin Blunt (Reigate)
Q13Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton)
Q14Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe)
Q15Gavin Newlands (Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
