Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rebecca Smith and Keir Starmer

Wednesday 22nd October 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for his question; he is a credit to his community. I know at first hand that he has done so much hard work to help to heal, to rebuild and to look to a brighter future for Southport. I welcome the Phab charity to Parliament; it does fantastic work to help break down barriers. I am proud that Labour is backing our youth clubs with £30 million of grant funding, doubling the number of youth hubs and providing a youth guarantee with earning or learning guaranteed for our young people. Our national youth strategy will be set out in the autumn.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

Q9. Last week, I invited the Prime Minister to match the Conservative pledge to scrap business rates for our high streets. However, he declined. Instead, he pointed me towards the small business strategy. Since then, businesses have been in touch to tell me that the strategy will make little or no difference to their future. With 14,000 high street businesses expected to close this year alone, and with retail businesses in my constituency facing a doubling of their business rates, when will the Labour Government deliver on their commitment to reduce business rates, given that they are unprepared to accept our policy of scrapping them altogether?

[The Prime Minister]

Our small business plan was drawn up with small businesses. I sent the hon. Member a copy online; I hope that she shared that with the 3,000 small businesses in her constituency. That shows what we are doing. [Hon. Members: “Rubbish!”] Well, Conservative Members shout “rubbish”, but this is what small businesses asked us to do. There is £1 billion of additional lending to small businesses and £3 billion extra for small businesses to scale up, and we are dealing with late payments in the biggest reform for 25 years.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rebecca Smith and Keir Starmer

Wednesday 15th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend has been a strong advocate for his constituents on this issue. The Health Secretary has met the families affected by these failures twice, I think, this year to hear their stories, and I want to make it clear that what happened to their loved ones is unacceptable. The Health Secretary is currently considering the best way forward so that families get the answers that they deserve. It is right that they receive any update first, but I can assure my hon. Friend that we will provide that update as soon as we are able to do so.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

Q5. Later this afternoon I will be launching a small business survey so that the 3,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in my constituency, which employ thousands of my constituents, can have their say about what is like to run a business under a Labour Government, and what their concerns are ahead of the Budget. However, I want to give the Prime Minister the opportunity to provide a word of hope that I can share. Will he tell my constituents that he has heard the pleas of SMEs and their fright about the Budget, that he will scrap business rates for hospitality and leisure as well as the family business and family farm taxes, and that his Government will commit themselves to no further tax rises for business?

[The Prime Minister]

Just a few months ago we published our small business strategy, which was based on what small businesses said to us. I will make a copy available to the hon. Lady so that she can give one to each of her constituents before they respond to the survey.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rebecca Smith and Keir Starmer

Wednesday 22nd January 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My sympathies go to my hon. Friend’s constituents; far too many are experiencing terrible flooding. I visited Stafford last year, and they talked me through the misery of their experience. We inherited flood defences in their worst condition on record. We are now investing £2.4 million in flood defences to better protect communities, and we have committed £60 million to support farmers impacted by extreme weather.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

Two-year mortgages have hit 5%, borrowing is billions of pounds above forecast and retail sales have slumped. Does the Prime Minister still believe that the Chancellor is doing a good job?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rebecca Smith and Keir Starmer

Wednesday 18th December 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I have just set out the factual background and the percentage who knew about the change. The simple fact of the matter is that in the current economic circumstances, the taxpayer cannot bear the burden of tens of billions of pounds in compensation. [Interruption.] Opposition Members are chuntering away, but, in 14 years, they accelerated the changes and never once spoke about compensation.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

Q3. My constituents Caroline and Savannah are just two of thousands across Devon, Cornwall and beyond who are living with postural tachycardia syndrome and have been unable to access adequate treatment since the retirement of the only consultant available to work with them in July. What actions can the Prime Minister take to help me secure the treatment that my constituents need, and will he agree to meet me and them to discuss the treatment of POTS in more detail?

G20 and COP29 Summits

Debate between Rebecca Smith and Keir Starmer

Thursday 21st November 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I agree with my hon. Friend that international affairs are probably more important now than they have been for a number of years, because of the volatility, but they are also a great opportunity, because the next generation of jobs is there. There is a race on for those jobs, particularly in renewables, and I want the UK to be not just in that race, but winning it. That is why, in every international engagement that I have had, I have pressed the case for the UK, and I am very pleased with the investment that is now coming into our country. An example I gave was the investment in Hull, which I announced at COP; but at our investment summit a few weeks ago, £63 billion of investment in this country, which will be measured in good, well-paid jobs, was forthcoming. That is good for our country.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

Given the Prime Minister’s optimism on his return from COP29, can he tell the House how the deals that he signed there will uphold his promise to cut energy bills by £300 for constituents such as mine, and when can they expect to see that promise become a reality?

[The Prime Minister]

Yes. The direct investment in jobs in Hull to build turbines is obviously really important for that constituency and for the country, and I will continue to make the case for those deals to be done, with those jobs to come, so that we can drive forward to clean power. That will have the effect of protecting energy security, but also of lowering energy bills.