Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Simon Burns

Wednesday 26th April 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sir Simon Burns (Chelmsford) (Con)]

Mr Speaker, may I thank you for that? May I tell my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister that, for 30 years, I have had the privilege and the honour to represent the great people of Chelmsford? May I tell her that the great people of Chelmsford are perspicacious and that they have always wanted a Government who provide strong defences, a strong economy and strong leadership? May I also tell her that it is the Conservative party under her strong leadership that will deliver for this country for the next five years?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my right hon. Friend for the significant contribution that he has made for his constituents in Chelmsford, in this House and in government over his period of time here. He is absolutely right to say that his constituents will be looking for strong defences, a strong economy and the strong leadership that will build a more secure future for this country, and it is only a Conservative Government that can provide that.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Simon Burns

Wednesday 23rd November 2016 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I have just set out for the right hon. Gentleman the ways in which we are providing support and help for those people who have disabilities. As I said, the overall spending on disability benefits will be higher in every year to 2020 than it was in 2010. But it is also important to recognise that when we give support for people with disabilities, it is not simply about the benefits system and how much money they are given; for those who are able to get into work and are on that part of the employment and support allowance, we provide packages that are outside the benefits as well, because we recognise that people want the dignity of getting into the workplace. That is what we are helping people with disabilities who can work to do.

[Sir Simon Burns (Chelmsford) (Con)]

Q6. Does my right hon. Friend agree that thousands of road commuters, including many of my constituents who use the A12, are travelling on roads that need to be repaired and upgraded? To improve connectivity and to speed up daily commute times, does she accept that the proposed £1.3 billion investment in improving our road network is warmly welcome and will do a great deal to enhance connectivity in the country?

[The Prime Minister]

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right about the importance of infrastructure expenditure in helping to deal with productivity in our economy, and I am pleased that that £1.3 billion for new roads does show us investing in the long-term future for Britain. It is about delivering jobs and economic growth, and about making sure that this economy works for everyone. It is just one part of the package that we are proposing, but of course my right hon. Friend the Chancellor will be setting our proposals out more clearly in a few minutes’ time.