Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Adrian Ramsay

Wednesday 2nd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend, who is a fantastic advocate for her constituents. She is right to highlight the important work by the defence sector in her constituency and, of course, right across the United Kingdom. We are investing £15 billion in our sovereign nuclear warhead programme. That will support nearly 10,000 jobs, including many in her constituency. That is the defence dividend in action—an historic boost to defence spending—represented and reflected in good, well-paid jobs across the United Kingdom.

[Adrian Ramsay (Waveney Valley) (Green)]

Q4. Given that the Government appear to be in listening mode, will the Prime Minister agree to scrap other measures that are pushing more people into poverty, such as the cruel two-child benefit cap, and the harsh and totally unacceptable cuts to universal credit for ill and disabled people that remain in yesterday’s dog’s breakfast of a Bill?

[The Prime Minister]

I do not want to be ungenerous, but I do not think I am going to be listening to the hon. Member or his party. They were the ones who put an £80 billion unfunded tax commitment before the electorate at the last election. They are the ones who talk about change and clean power, but every single time there is an infrastructure project or there is any change that is needed, they block it, including in their own constituencies.

Ukraine

Debate between Keir Starmer and Adrian Ramsay

Monday 3rd March 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is right about the impact of the weather on the conflict in Ukraine. I am always struck by the resilience of the Ukrainians, both on the frontline and within their civilian population. After three long years of conflict, their resilience is humbling.

[Adrian Ramsay (Waveney Valley) (Green)]

On behalf of the Green party, I welcome the Prime Minister’s strong support for Ukraine, his work for peace and his commitment that there should be no decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine. However, given the scenes that we saw in the Oval Office on Friday, which people across the country will have been aghast at, given the bullying tactics of President Trump, and given the fact that Trump clearly views this as a business opportunity, how will the Prime Minister ensure that the interests of Ukraine remain front and centre in the peace deals?

[The Prime Minister]

By picking up the phone to President Trump and President Zelensky and making sure that we can focus on what matters most, which is lasting peace in Ukraine.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Adrian Ramsay

Wednesday 22nd January 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important issue. Too many buildings are still unsafe, and the speed of delivery has been far too slow. Our action plan sets out measures to identify buildings at risk and fix them faster. My message is clear: the funding is there to fix this, and there is no excuse not to deliver for residents.

[Adrian Ramsay (Waveney Valley) (Green)]

Expanding London’s airports and building a third runway at Heathrow would be incredibly irresponsible in the midst of a climate emergency, flying in the face of the Climate Change Committee’s advice. The Prime Minister clearly knows that, because he and seven Cabinet colleagues voted against a third runway at Heathrow in 2018. Will he confirm his position?

[The Prime Minister]

I am not going to comment on speculation. The hon. Gentleman knows that this Government are committed to growth, to the aviation sector and to our climate obligations. I am not going to take lectures from those who talk about climate change, but oppose vital renewable infrastructure in their own constituencies.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Adrian Ramsay

Wednesday 16th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Yes: the Employment Rights Bill is pro-worker and pro-growth, and proudly so. I do not believe we can build a strong economy by having people in insecure work. The Conservative party goes against every protection for workers—it was against the minimum wage, and it is against these new protections—but the vast majority of businesses, large and small, already know that investing in their human capital and treating people properly at work is what produces growth. Here is the big political divide: the Conservatives always oppose workers’ rights, and we will always champion them.

[Adrian Ramsay (Waveney Valley) (Green)]

Q4. I associate the Green party with the Prime Minister’s tributes to Alex Salmond and Sir David Amess. Some 99.7% of new patients in the east of England are unable to find an NHS dentist—it is the worst-affected area in the country. My constituents want urgent action, so when will the Government begin the critical negotiations on dental contract reform so that no one in the 21st century has to pull out their own teeth? Will it be by the end of this year?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Adrian Ramsay

Wednesday 24th July 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I welcome my hon. Friend to his place, and congratulate Ipswich on their promotion. I think it is on Boxing day that they will visit Arsenal. I am going to resist the temptation that he puts in front of me to choose between Ipswich and Norwich, but on town centres, he is right that we need vibrant high streets. We need to make the change that we were voted in to bring about. That is why we will replace the business rates system to level the playing field, and we will absolutely address regional inequality through our local growth plans.

[Adrian Ramsay (Waveney Valley) (Green)]

Q14. The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth, so I welcome the Government’s signal that they are committed to nature recovery. That is critical to humanity’s future, as it affects everything from food security to public health and wellbeing. Please could the Prime Minister tell us how he will show leadership personally on this existential issue? In particular, will he attend the 16th biodiversity COP later this year, and will the UK Government be launching a bid to host a future UN nature summit?

[The Prime Minister]

We are committed to nature recovery; it is a really important issue that this Government will tackle. The hon. Member talks about leadership. I would ask him to show some, because it is extraordinary that having been elected to this House as a Green politician, he is opposing vital clean energy infrastructure in his own constituency. We will put the plans before this House. I ask him to back those plans.