Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Laurence Robertson

Wednesday 27th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

As the hon. Lady knows, we are putting extra funding into schools. We are making extra money available for schools, and the fairer national funding formula that we have introduced is ensuring that some of the schools that have previously been among the worst funded in this country are seeing increases in their funding to help to redress the balance.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

Q3. As a former Chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, may I ask the Prime Minister whether, given the unresolved issues that remain in Northern Ireland, she has any plans to visit the Province in the near future?

[The Prime Minister]

We are considering a number of issues in relation to Northern Ireland at the moment, in the context of both Brexit and the devolved Administration. We hope that the Administration and the Assembly will get back up and running. I can say to my hon. Friend that I hope to visit Northern Ireland in the next few weeks.

Brexit Negotiations

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Laurence Robertson

Monday 11th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

No. What we have said is that we will put practical arrangements in place to ensure that there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, but we have also been clear that we will respect the internal market of the United Kingdom. That means no border down the Irish sea.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

Does the Prime Minister agree that one of the many benefits of leaving the EU customs union is that we will be able to forge our own trade deals with countries across the world—deals that the EU has failed so far to strike? Is it not the case that that would benefit the whole United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, which would actually lose out if it stayed in the customs union, because it would not then get that full benefit?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend makes a very important point. We will be able to strike those trade deals around the world, and Northern Ireland will benefit from those trade deals, as will the rest of the UK.

UK Plans for Leaving the EU

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Laurence Robertson

Monday 9th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I say to all those Opposition Members who have stood up today and asked about the legal position on revoking article 50 that the position is very clear. The British people voted in a referendum to leave the European Union.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

Will the Prime Minister confirm that no money will be paid for access to the single market, for two reasons? First, the EU sends a lot more goods and services to us than we send to it. Secondly, there are countries around the world that export to the EU single market without any problems at all.

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is of course right that the EU has a number of trade agreements with countries around the world that enable those countries to deal with the single market on the basis set out in those agreements. As I have set out, we will honour our commitments—that is important for us as a country—and there are some areas, possibly in fields such as security and science, in which we will want to continue to be members of specific projects and programmes. If we do, it will be right that we pay an element of the costs of those projects and programmes. Those are the two elements that I have set out in our financial proposals.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Laurence Robertson

Wednesday 18th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I can certainly say to the hon. Gentleman that I recognise the problems that alcohol causes. He particularly referenced not just problems for pregnant women, but the part that alcohol often plays in domestic violence and abuse. That was why, when I was Home Secretary, we produced an alcohol strategy and worked on the issue of alcohol. The Government continue to recognise the importance of this issue and to work on it.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

Q5. Will the Prime Minister join me in paying tribute to the NHS staff who provide us with such magnificent treatment day in, day out? Does she agree that people who miss NHS appointments without cancelling them cost the NHS a great deal of money and also take up slots that would otherwise be used by other patients? Will she consider how she might let those people know about the inconvenience that they are causing to the NHS?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend makes two important points. First, I am very pleased to join him in paying tribute to the dedication and hard work of all those who work in our national health service. Secondly, he is right to point out that if somebody misses an appointment, that is a cost to the NHS. There are a number of ways in which this is being dealt with. Some hospitals send out text messages that not only remind people of their appointment, but tell them how much it costs if they miss it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Laurence Robertson

Monday 10th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

Yes, I assure the hon. Gentleman that we work closely with the Department of Health on this issue. Although the Home Office leads on alcohol strategy, the strategy work is done by both the Home Office and the Department of Health.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

2. What steps she is taking to bring about a reduction in gross and net immigration to the UK.

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mrs Theresa May)]

Since 2010 we have reformed all routes to the UK, tightening areas where abuse was rife. In particular, around 700 colleges can no longer bring students into the UK, but at the same time, sponsored visa applications for university students increased by 7% in the past year. In the areas where we can exert control, our reforms are working and have cut non-EU migration to its lowest level since 1998.

[Mr Robertson]

I thank the Home Secretary for that answer. Most statistics are quoted as net migration figures, although most people are concerned about the number of people coming to this country. Is it important to assess gross immigration figures when talking about these issues?

[Mrs May]

Obviously it is important to consider all migration figures, and uncontrolled gross immigration does put pressure on our public services and infrastructure. As the immigration Minister pointed out, the people who suffer most from the impact of uncontrolled immigration are those at the lower end of the income scale. Indeed, the hon. Member for Dagenham and Rainham (Jon Cruddas) said that the previous Labour Government used migration

“to introduce a covert 21st-century incomes policy.”

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Laurence Robertson

Monday 7th January 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

Yes, I indeed pay tribute to PC Andrew Bramma, who, as my hon. Friend said, died following a collision while answering an emergency call. Once again, this shows the dangers that our police officers face on a day-to-day basis. Our sympathies are with him, his family and his colleagues. I would also like to offer my sympathies to the family of PC Tony Sweeney, QPM, who died on 27 December after falling ill on his return from work. Our police officers bravely go about their duties day by day; we owe them a great debt.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

19. Under which category of immigration entry most people enter the UK from non-EU countries; and if she will make a statement.