Oral Answers to Questions

Keir Starmer Excerpts

Wednesday 14th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lorraine Beavers (Blackpool North and Fleetwood) (Lab)]

Q1. If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 14 May.

[The Prime Minister (Keir Starmer)]

Over the past week, we have secured a historic trade deal with India and a landmark agreement with the United States, protecting and creating British jobs, slashing tariffs and driving economic growth. We have also published a White Paper setting out how this Government will end the open borders experiment of the Conservatives, bringing net migration down, backing British workers and delivering fair control of our borders.

I know that the whole House will also want to mark the 40th anniversary of the Bradford City fire. We remember the victims of that devastating tragedy and celebrate the strength of the community.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall have further such meetings later today.

[Lorraine Beavers]

Fourteen years of Conservative cuts have stripped the Environment Agency of the resources and the staff it needs to properly deal with badly managed landfill sites blighting communities like mine. The Jameson Road landfill site in my constituency of Blackpool North and Fleetwood has been producing toxic stenches for more than a year now, causing nosebleeds, headaches, vomiting and breathing problems for my residents. Will the Prime Minister commit to ensuring that the Environment Agency has the staff and resources to police such badly managed sites across the country, so that it can act swiftly and effectively to protect communities like mine?

[The Prime Minister]

I love the fact that when anyone says 14 years of a Conservative Government, Opposition Members all go, “Oh no.” That is how the country feels. Once again, a hard-working Labour MP is clearing up the mess that was left behind. My hon. Friend’s residents deserve far better, and we expect rapid improvements. We are closely monitoring air quality and will not hesitate to take further action. She is right that we must tackle rogue operators who blight our communities. That is why we have boosted Environment Agency funding by £188 million, alongside tough new rules on incinerators and commercial fly-tippers.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Leader of the Opposition.

[Mrs Kemi Badenoch (North West Essex) (Con)]

If I may, Mr Speaker: Sir Roy Stone served 13 Chief Whips, and Prime Ministers from Margaret Thatcher to Boris Johnson. I would like to pay tribute to his extraordinary service and send my best wishes to his family.

Before we start, I would also like to say to the Prime Minister how horrified I was to hear about the attack on his family home. It is completely unacceptable, and I think I speak for the whole House when I say that it was an attack not just on him, but on all of us and on our democracy.

Yesterday we learned that unemployment is up 10% since the election. Why does the Prime Minister think unemployment is rising on his watch?

[The Prime Minister]

May I pay tribute to Roy Stone as well, and the service that was given to us in various capacities?

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her words about the attacks on me and my family, and many others for their kind messages in the past few days. The Leader of the Opposition messaged me pretty well straightaway, which I really do appreciate. She is absolutely right that it was an attack on all of us, on democracy and on the values that we stand for.

The right hon. Lady comes here every week to talk the country down. We have got 200,000 new jobs, record investment and four interest rates cuts—contrast that with the disastrous Liz Truss mini-Budget, inflation through the roof and a £22 billion black hole.

[Mrs Badenoch]

I am not sure that the Prime Minister even knew that employment was up, but there is no point in him blaming everyone else. The fact is that the Conservatives reduced the deficit every year until the pandemic, more than doubled the personal allowance, left 4 million extra jobs, tackled the post-pandemic inflation spike, and left the fastest-growing economy in the G7.

Let us talk about what is happening today. Let us look at Beales, a 180-year-old department store in Dorset. It survived two world wars and the winter of discontent, but it could not survive this Labour Government. Beales is having what it calls a “Rachel Reeves closing down sale”. What does the Prime Minister have to say to all the people who have lost their jobs?

[The Prime Minister]

Nobody wants to see job losses, but the right hon. Lady must be the only person left in the country who thinks that the economy was booming after the last Government. We have created new jobs, record investment and trade deals. The last Government tried to do the India deal for, I think, eight years and failed—we did that deal. They talked about a US deal—we did that deal. We also intend to get a stronger relationship with the EU.

This former Trade Minister must be the only former Trade Minister who is against all trade deals that boost our economy. She says she is against the India deal, even though it contains the same provisions that she put on the table; she is against the US deal, even though it saves thousands of jobs in car manufacturing; and most absurdly, she says she is going to rip up the EU deal when she has not even seen what is on the page. The Opposition have been reduced to this brain-rot: a once great political party is sliding into brain-dead oblivion.

[Mrs Badenoch]

I am very happy to welcome the Prime Minister’s tiny tariff deal, but the fact is that it has put us in a worse position than we were in in March. He should not over-egg the pudding.

Let us talk about how things are getting worse now. In every month of this year, household names like Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda and Santander have cut staff numbers. The Office for National Statistics estimates that there are 100,000 fewer jobs than there were a year ago—and that was before the Prime Minister’s jobs tax, which will make things worse. Can he promise the House that by this time next year, unemployment will be lower than it is today?

[The Prime Minister]

I think the right hon. Lady just said “tiny tariff deal”. Can I suggest that she gets the train to Solihull, which takes two hours, and tells the workforce at Jaguar Land Rover, and their families and communities, that she would rip up the deal that protects their jobs? When she has done that, she might travel across to Scunthorpe and tell the steelworkers there that she is going to rip up the deal that saves their jobs; then, if she has time, she could go up to Scotland and tell the people at the whisky distilleries that she would rip up the deal that is creating 1,200 jobs for them, boosting their exports; and then she can come back here next week and tell us what reaction she got.

[Mrs Badenoch]

I did not hear a promise to get unemployment down, and that is because the Prime Minister knows things are going to get worse. This goes wider than businesses. Last week I met staff and patients at Farleigh hospice. They do fantastic work, but they need to find an additional £250,000 to pay the jobs tax. How does the Prime Minister suggest that Farleigh hospice—a charity that relies on donations—pays for his tax hike?

[The Prime Minister]

We have provided a £100 million boost for the sector, and children and young people’s hospices received £26 million of funding this year.

The right hon. Lady turns up every week to carp from the sidelines. She moans about what we had to do in the Budget to stabilise the economy, but she has not got the courage to stand there and say that she would reverse our decisions on national insurance contributions, and I know why: it is because she does not want to say she is against the £26 billion investment in our NHS, she does not want to say she is against the £1.2 billion more for our police, and she does not want to say she is against the £3.2 billion more for our schools. All the time, she does not have the courage of her convictions, and it shows that her criticism is totally confected.

[Mrs Badenoch]

I cannot believe the Prime Minister is still using that figure. We have had this very conversation at the Dispatch Box—he knows it is just capital spending. Either he is not paying attention or he is saying things to disguise what is going on. That money will not pay for the jobs tax. He knows that, and the hospices know it too.

The other people who know that things are getting worse are the five leading business groups in the UK. They say that his so-called Employment Rights Bill will be “deeply damaging” to growth. Does the Prime Minister accept that they are right, or does he believe that he knows better than business?

[The Prime Minister]

It is the same old Tories every time: better rights for workers are on the table, and they vote against them. Respect, dignity and protection at work are good for workers, good for the economy and good for growth.

[Mrs Badenoch]

The Prime Minister needs to listen to business. We cannot have employment rights without employment. Labour always forgets that it is not Government that creates growth; it is business that creates growth. Businesses are closing, and they are blaming him and his Chancellor. There are 100,000 fewer jobs. Hospices, charities and nurseries are facing bills from the jobs tax that they cannot afford. Even the unions say workers are being thrown on the scrapheap, and all of this before his unemployment Bill makes hiring even more expensive. When will he admit that Labour isn’t working?

[The Prime Minister]

The right hon. Lady says we should listen; she should listen to business—it is in favour of our trade deals. The India deal is a fantastic deal, with tariffs on cars cut to 10%, tariffs halved on whisky and gin, and £4.8 billion coming into our economy. What does she say she would do with the India deal? She wants to rip it up. The US deal saves thousands upon thousands of jobs. What does she want to do? She wants to rip it up. The EU deal will be good for our economy. She is not even going to wait to see what it says; she absurdly says she is going to rip it up. It is so unserious. She was even reduced last week to accusing the Indian Government of fake news—no wonder she did so badly as a Trade Secretary. The project for the Conservatives is over. They are sliding into oblivion; they are a dead party walking.

[Rachel Taylor (North Warwickshire and Bedworth) (Lab)]

Q2. Thousands of British jobs have been safeguarded by this Government’s trade agreement with the US, including for those in my constituency who work for Jaguar Land Rover, like my next-door neighbour Ollie—proving that when Labour negotiates, workers win. Can the Prime Minister confirm that he will continue to stand up for all workers and our vital motor manufacturing industry as he negotiates a better deal for Britain around the world?

[The Prime Minister]

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for her work with JLR and for standing up for the jobs in her constituency. The deal that we have agreed saves thousands of jobs in our car industry, securing the livelihoods of countless families. I have been up to JLR on a number of occasions, including last week. I know at first hand what it means for the workforce, their families and their communities—and the Leader of the Opposition says she would go and tell them that she is going to rip it up. She should go up there—[Interruption.] Well, she says she is going to go against it. What did the Reform leader say about JLR? He said JLR deserves to go bust. Shame on him! Labour is striking deals in the national interest.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the leader of the Liberal Democrats.

[Ed Davey (Kingston and Surbiton) (LD)]

On behalf of my party, may I offer heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV? May I also offer our support to the Prime Minister and his family after the appalling arson attacks on his home? I echo his thanks to our brilliant police and firefighters.

Three years ago, the previous Government were faced with a choice. Their own Migration Advisory Committee told Ministers that recruiting more care workers required improved conditions, career progression and better pay, but the Conservatives chose not to do that and instead brought in large numbers of care workers from overseas. The carers looking after our loved ones in care homes should be thanked, not demonised. Will the Prime Minister now do the things that the Conservatives refused to do, starting with a higher minimum wage for carers?

[The Prime Minister]

May I first thank the right hon. Gentleman for his comments about me and my family? I really appreciate it.

It is important that we have fair pay for care workers, and that is why we have put in place our fair pay agreement. This is the first of its type. It will be applied first to care workers to ensure that they get fair pay, but also a better framework for progression. As he will know, most people leaving care work are going to the NHS because of the pay and the ability to progress. Our fair pay agreements will deal with, making sure that in the future those jobs are more secure. I will just add a declaration of interest: my sister is a care worker—I know at first hand how important the work is and how difficult sometimes the situation facing them is.

[Ed Davey]

I thank the Prime Minister for that reply. It is a good first step, but we will still see people earning more in Amazon warehouses and supermarkets than in care homes, and that will mean our loved ones going without the care they need.

Turning to the middle east, for more than 10 weeks Israeli forces have blocked food, water and medicine getting into Gaza. There is now a humanitarian catastrophe, with 2 million people at risk of famine and one in five facing starvation. Rather than ending this crisis, the Netanyahu Government are planning to seize all Gaza indefinitely. I know the Prime Minister will agree that the blockade of Gaza should end and I am sure he will agree that it would be appalling if Netanyahu proceeds with that escalation, but will he act now and pick up the phone to President Trump for a joint plan to recognise Palestine and get food, water and medicine into Gaza?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for raising this, because the situation in Gaza is simply intolerable and getting worse. We are working with other leaders urgently to bring about the rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, which is desperately needed—obviously, alongside the release of hostages and getting back to a ceasefire—and that work is going on through my team 24/7. I do believe that that is the initial action that needs to be taken, but I still fundamentally believe that, however remote it may seem at the moment, the pathway to a two-state solution is the only way for settled and lasting peace in the middle east. We will continue with our allies to pursue that path.

[Lloyd Hatton (South Dorset) (Lab)]

Q3. Found in my constituency, Durdle Door is one of the most iconic bathing sites in all the country. Last Friday, I was joined at Durdle Door by my hon. Friends the Members for Bournemouth East (Tom Hayes), for Bournemouth West (Jessica Toale) and for Poole (Neil Duncan-Jordan)—and, most importantly, by Ron the local seal—to test the water quality. Currently, water quality at bathing sites is monitored only from mid-May to September, which puts at risk the health of all water users, who could be swimming in pollution or sewage. With that in mind, will the Prime Minister work with me and my hon. Friends to introduce all-year-round testing at popular bathing sites such as Durdle Door?

[The Prime Minister]

Everyone enjoying our beautiful beaches, lakes and rivers is entitled to know that the water is clean and safe. That is why we are modernising outdated bathing water regulations, including more regular monitoring sites to reflect local demand. After years of failure by the Conservative party, we are acting through our plan for change with new powers to tackle pollution, including banning bonuses, jail terms for law-breaking bosses and real-time monitors of every sewage outlet.

[Liz Saville Roberts (Dwyfor Meirionnydd) (PC)]

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llefarydd. This Prime Minister once spoke of compassion and dignity for migrants and of defending free movement. Now he talks of islands of strangers and taking back control. Somebody here has to call this out. It seems that the only principle he consistently defends is whichever he last heard in a focus group. So I ask him: is there any belief he holds that survives a week in Downing Street?

[The Prime Minister]

Yes, the belief that she talks rubbish. Mr Speaker—[Interruption.] Mr Speaker, I want to lead a country where we pull together and walk into the future as neighbours and as communities, not as strangers. The loss of control of migration by the last Government put all that at risk, and that is why we are fixing the system based on principles of control, selection and fairness.

[Mr Jonathan Brash (Hartlepool) (Lab)]

Q4. Council tax is the most regressive and unfair tax in this country. It has become a tax on deprivation: the less affluent an area, the more you pay; the greater your need, the more you pay. A band D property in Westminster pays just £1,017 a year. In Hartlepool, it is £2,495 a year. For a band H property, the difference between the two areas is £3,000. It is hammering people in towns like Hartlepool. Does the Prime Minister agree that this unfairness cannot continue? Will he commit to addressing this inequality once and for all?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend; he has been a dedicated campaigner on this issue for a very long time. As he knows, 14 years of mismanagement by the Conservative party left councils on their knees, with a total failure to improve and update how councils are funded. Through £69 billion of funding this year and the upcoming multi-year settlement—the first in over a decade—we will give councils far greater certainty and stability. Our detailed funding review will create a fairer system to make sure that his constituents see strong, affordable local services.

[Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con)]

Q7. While the Prime Minister prefers to take to the international stage, back here at home Labour’s Birmingham bin strike is now in its 10th week. Rubbish is still piled on the streets and recycling goes uncollected, and the reputation of the west midlands is being trashed. His Ministers continue to wash their hands of this and his mayor does not even want to talk about it. Will the Prime Minister come to the west midlands and sort this out, because at the moment it is only the squeaky blinders that are winning?

[The Prime Minister]

Further evidence of the decline of the Tory party: they say that going to Ukraine at the weekend to try to secure peace for Ukraine, for the security and defence of Europe, is somehow the wrong priority. That conflict has already massively impacted people in this country through the cost of living crisis and energy. Ukraine, Europe and we deserve peace, and to live in peace.

Dealing with the bin strikes is a priority. We continue to call on Unite to suspend the strike immediately and bring the disruption to an end. We are supporting the council to ramp up the cleaning operation. We are now collecting over 1,100 tonnes of waste every day and continue to offer our support so that the backlog does not reappear.

[Sarah Smith (Hyndburn) (Lab)]

Q5.    Last week, I visited Sacred Heart primary school in Hyndburn, where the excellent teachers expressed their frustration at the current special educational needs and disabilities system. One wonderful boy, despite being non-verbal and requiring personal support, has been waiting for over 18 months for an education, health and care plan. There is a risk that he will not get a place in a school for the year ahead that suits his needs. How will the Prime Minister ensure that the voices of parents and children are at the heart of the SEND reforms that the Government will bring forward?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend; she is a powerful champion on this issue. Our principle is that every young person with special educational needs should receive the right support to succeed. We have immediately announced an additional £1 billion for high-needs funding, including almost £20 million for schools in Lancashire. We will support special schools, and deliver truly inclusive places and expertise in mainstream schools to help every child thrive.

[Nigel Farage (Clacton) (Reform)]

Q8. We at Reform, a party that is alive and kicking, very much enjoyed your speech on Monday. You seem to be learning a very great deal from us. But can I encourage you please to go further as a matter of national security? Over the weekend, an illegal immigrant from Iran, who we believe came by boat, was arrested in the north of England on serious charges of terrorism. Since the speech on Monday, 1,000 undocumented young males have crossed the English channel. Does the Prime Minister agree that now is the time to declare the situation in the English channel a national security emergency?

[Mr Speaker]

It was not my speech; it was the Prime Minister’s.

[The Prime Minister]

The situation is serious. The last Government lost control of the borders. We are taking powers—[Interruption.] This is precisely to the hon. Gentleman’s point. The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is the first Bill to give counter-terrorism-like powers to law enforcement, precisely so that we can get in before the crimes are committed and before people get to this country. This is the most far-reaching provision ever for law enforcement to defend and secure our borders. That is why it is extraordinary that he, of all people, voted against it, and sooner or later he is going to have to explain that.

[Amanda Martin (Portsmouth North) (Lab)]

Q6. Since my election, I have championed and backed our country’s plumbers, builders, electricians and all our tradespeople, who are not just building Britain, but holding our communities together. That is why I have been campaigning for tougher sentencing and action on tool theft, and for the real cost of this crime to be recognised. I thank everyone in the sector who has backed the campaign, because together we have shown that the message is clear: after 14 years of Government neglect, it is time for action and change. Will the Prime Minister work with me and the Secretary of State for Justice to include my private Member’s Bill as we review sentencing and justice, so that the punishment finally fits the crime?

[The Prime Minister]

I commend my hon. Friend for leading the campaign to highlight the devastating impact of these crimes. For hard-working small businesses, tool theft is not just a violation; it can mean thousands of pounds of potential work lost, with a huge impact on businesses and families. We are investing more than £1.2 billion extra in policing, with 13,000 new neighbourhood police officers to focus on the crimes that impact on communities the most. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for her work, and I know the Justice Secretary will look at the details carefully.

[Mr Andrew Snowden (Fylde) (Con)]

Q10.  Whether or not people agree with the Prime Minister’s net zero targets, he must agree that he will not achieve those targets without taking people with him. The cable corridor and substation for the Morgan and Morecambe offshore wind farm is one of the most objected to national energy infrastructure projects in the country. What is angering me and thousands of others is that there is a perfect alternative cabling route further up the coast that would bring local economic benefit, would be more cost-effective as a whole lifecycle project and could connect to existing national grid infrastructure, but no one is listening. Will the Prime Minister now listen, pause the planning inquiry for the existing application and ask the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to consider and cost the alternative route to avoid untold devastation to our coastline and countryside?

[The Prime Minister]

As the hon. Gentleman will know, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero is going through a quasi-judicial exercise, and I am therefore limited in what I can say. Let me do the best I can within those constraints. The project is going through its examination, where interested parties can and should put forward their views on the application. More broadly, as we drive forward renewable projects, the planning process is designed to ensure that impacts are carefully considered.

[Fred Thomas (Plymouth Moor View) (Lab)]

Q9.   The United Kingdom has rightly helped to arm Ukraine with modern, effective capability, and we are sending it some £4.5 billion this year. However, after decades of relying on the peace dividend, our own forces are ill-equipped for modern warfare. With colleagues interested in defence technology, I am developing a proposal for a joint UK-Ukraine production hub on British soil, which would support Ukraine while modernising our own forces at warfighting scale and creating the jobs and know-how needed to rearm and stay secure. Will the Prime Minister use his good offices to support this proposal?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. and gallant Friend is right that our iron-clad support for Ukraine should go hand in hand with firing up our own defence industries, which means well-paid, secure jobs right across the country, including in Plymouth, and strengthening our national security. We reiterated our support for Ukraine in Kyiv last weekend, and I am proud that British industries are playing their part in supporting Ukraine against Russia’s illegal invasion. I will make sure that he meets the relevant Minister to discuss his proposal.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

Q11. People in the real world are disgusted by the Energy Secretary’s obsessive pursuit of net zero at any cost. The Scottish Borders are under attack, with solar farms the size of towns, massive wind farms and now mega-pylons scarring unspoilt landscapes. Nobody sensible supports his crazed, crank policies, which will put jobs at risk and rip up farmland. When will the Prime Minister step in and stop his Energy Secretary throwing taxpayers’ money at this nonsense?

[The Prime Minister]

Only a few years ago, dealing with the climate challenge was a shared endeavour across this House. It is yet further evidence of how far the Conservatives have fallen that they cannot see the significance and importance of tackling one of the major challenges of our time. I think we should rise to that challenge, not be defeatist about it. It is further evidence, as far as I can see, that the Tory project is just finished.

[Jake Richards (Rother Valley) (Lab)]

Q12.  Male suicide is a tragic epidemic in our country. Each week, almost 100 men take their own lives, and suicide is the biggest killer of men aged under 50. In my constituency, I am working with Andy’s Man Club in Maltby, the Learning Community in Dinnington and Better Today in Kiveton Park to try to raise awareness about the fantastic groups that offer support for men in the most difficult circumstances. Will the Prime Minister use this opportunity to support the campaign that we are undertaking in my constituency and also reassure those groups and my constituents that mental health services for men will be a priority for his Government?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this crucial issue. I know that Members across House will have their own personal and tragic experiences of suicide. We have launched a call for evidence on our men’s health strategy, which will improve men’s health in all parts of the country, including tackling devastatingly high suicide rates. We are also investing £26 million in new mental health crisis centres, funding talking therapies for 380,000 more people and recruiting 8,500 more mental health workers.

[Bobby Dean (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)]

Q15. The plans to upgrade St Helier hospital, including the delivery of a new specialist emergency care building, have been put back by 10 years. I am talking to the trust about a way to bring all or part of those plans forward, but in the meantime there is a very real fear that some of the buildings on the existing estate are at risk of catastrophic failure before the decade is out. Will the Government reassure me that they will work with the local trust on a plan to maintain and adapt the existing estate to ensure that St Helier hospital can survive all the way through to the completion of the major works?

[The Prime Minister]

The hon. Member’s constituents have been badly let down by the previous Government’s empty promises, which were never going to be delivered. We have put the new hospitals programme on a sustainable financial footing and increased the NHS capital budget to record levels, so that we can address the backlog of critical maintenance, repairs and upgrades. I will make sure that he gets a meeting with the relevant Minister to discuss that particular case.

[Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes) (Lab)]

Q13.   Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes is the renewable energy capital of England, delivering home-grown, secure energy and boosting local skills. More than 12,000 people are employed in a clean energy job in Greater Lincolnshire, but those jobs are now under threat from Reform’s new mayor, who has declared war on renewables, putting livelihoods at risk. What steps will the Prime Minister take to protect jobs by supporting the supply chain and delivery of renewable projects?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is a superb champion for energy security, driving down bills and the good secure jobs that renewables offer. Those on the Opposition Benches are climate defeatists—anti-jobs, anti-growth, anti-business and anti-investment—and they should try to peddle their policies to the tens of thousands of people in this country who work in renewables every single day. Those on the Opposition Benches do not think that Britain has the skills and they would deny us incredible opportunities. We are focused on securing billions in investment, creating tens of thousands of jobs and taking us off the rollercoaster of international fossil fuels.

[Alison Griffiths (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) (Con)]

My constituent Victor Franklin was made severely disabled after a savage dog attack left him with multiple amputations. Will the Prime Minister explain why pensioners, such as Victor, who become severely disabled after retirement are excluded from claiming personal independence payment and are instead limited to the lesser support of attendance allowance, and will he commit to reviewing that unfair rule?

[The Prime Minister]

May I extend my thoughts to Victor and the awful circumstances that the hon. Lady describes, which must be extremely challenging. We do have to reform the system because it is not working—I think there is general agreement about that—but the principles must be clear: we protect and secure those in need of protection and security; we help those who can work into work; and we believe that those who can work should work. We have to reform the current system to make it better, because what we have does not work.

[Nesil Caliskan (Barking) (Lab)]

Q14. Every week, I meet families in Barking and Dagenham who tell me that they worry about paying their bills because they are on zero-hours contracts. My constituents want the chance to work hard in a secure job, earn a decent wage and have dignity in their workplace. As Labour’s plan for change delivers the biggest uplift in workers’ rights in a generation, does the Prime Minister agree that Reform MPs working and voting against our Employment Rights Bill show that they are no friend of workers in this country?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Let us be clear what the parties opposite voted against. Stronger statutory sick pay—they voted against. The right to guaranteed hours—they voted against. Protection from unfair dismissal—they voted against. Stronger protection for pregnant mothers—they voted against. A package worth £600 to the poorest workers in insecure work—they voted against. We are backing British workers; they vote against them at every turn.

[Adam Dance (Yeovil) (LD)]

Maternity services in Yeovil are due to shut on Monday, after a deeply flawed Care Quality Commission inspection in January, and are to be moved to Musgrove Park hospital in Taunton, which does not have capacity for an extra 1,300 births a year. Although the closure is initially for six months, I have received no guarantee that the services will open again, which is creating huge fear. Will the Prime Minister or the relevant Minister agree to meet me and colleagues from the south-west to stop this decision?

[The Prime Minister]

I am grateful to the hon. Member for raising this issue, which must be of concern. I am not across the details at this stage, but I will make sure that he gets a meeting with the relevant Minister to get to the bottom of the issue.

[Several hon. Members rose—]