Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Stephen Pound

Wednesday 26th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab)]

Q10. I appreciate that the Prime Minister is slightly distracted by the intoxicating emotion of imminent freedom and release, but while she is still running the country, could she spare a thought for the 1.3 million PHOMOs in our nation? PHOMOs are, of course, pensioner households missing out. She will be aware that the excellent charity, Independent Age, is supporting the campaign on the £3.5 billion of unclaimed pensioner benefits. That is the Department for Work and Pensions’ own figure. Does the Prime Minister agree that that £3.5 billion should not be left to fructify in the coffers of the Treasury, and that it should flow to the PHOMOs?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question, which was put with his normal and natural theatricality in the Chamber. As he will have seen, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has heard his question. Obviously we want to ensure that people who are entitled to benefits actually receive them, but this Government can be proud of our record on what we have done for pensioners. Through the triple lock and in various other ways, pensioners are £1,600 a year better off under this Government.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Stephen Pound

Wednesday 4th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

In the week of a special birthday for him, and in the name of encouraging a young Member as he seeks to build his career, I call Mr Stephen Pound.

[Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab)]

May I, in respect of the Prime Minister’s opening statement, declare an interest, as I, too, was born in the first week of July 1948? While I recognise that the national health service is held in rather higher esteem by the nation than I am —[Hon. Members: “No!”]—we both need a bit of care and attention. May I tell the Prime Minister that what the NHS needs is not warm words but cold cash? I would willingly—happily, joyfully—pay more in income tax to save the national health service. Would she?

[The Prime Minister]

May I first wish the hon. Gentleman a very happy 70th birthday this week? He is held in very high esteem across this House and he should not underestimate that—[Interruption.] My saying that might not have done very well for him with his Front Benchers, but there we are. May I also take this opportunity, as I have not had one previously, to wish a very happy birthday to my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), whose birthday was on Monday?

On the issue that the hon. Member for Ealing North (Stephen Pound) raised in his question, we are providing the national health service with that money to ensure that, by 2023-24, it will have £20 billion extra in real terms. We are ensuring, alongside that, that a 10-year plan is produced that delivers for patients.

Syria

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Stephen Pound

Monday 16th April 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I am very happy to repeat to my hon. Friend that this action was taken and we believed that it was the right thing to do. It was in our national interest. It was not under the instruction of anybody else. We determined that it was right for the United Kingdom to be part of this action in order to degrade a chemical weapons capability that could have been used to inflict further humanitarian suffering.

[Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab)]

If not regime change, what is the endgame?

[The Prime Minister]

The step we want to see is the parties coming together around the table to agree a political solution to the future of Syria. There is a key role; we have been pressing for that. We have been supporting the Geneva process. We continue to support Staffan de Mistura and the work that he is doing. It is up to not just the Syrian regime but its backers to ensure that they are willing to see that discussion take place and a proper solution for Syria being resolved in the interests of all its people.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Stephen Pound

Wednesday 19th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab)]

Q4. I am much obliged, Mr Speaker. Can there be a single Member of this House who does not have reason to be grateful to those heroes of our high street, community pharmacists? Can there be any member of the public who is not as bemused as I am that the Government are proposing a 12% cut in the community pharmacy budget, potentially leading to 3,000 closures? Will the Prime Minister express her support for community pharmacies and have another look at this divisive, corrosive and destructive proposal?

[The Prime Minister]

Everybody in this House recognises the role and contribution of community pharmacies up and down the country, but it is also right that we look at how we are spending NHS money. That is why the Government are looking carefully at this whole issue. If the hon. Gentleman supports community pharmacies, perhaps he ought to have a word with the Leader of the Opposition, because his right hon. Friend’s policy is to nationalise the health service completely, lock, stock and barrel—GP surgeries, Macmillan nurses and community pharmacies.

Removal of Foreign National Offenders and EU Prisoners

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Stephen Pound

Monday 6th June 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

I am afraid that my hon. Friend has been misinformed about the impact of the deportation of a foreign national offender. It is not the case that a foreign national offender who is deported to another EU country would be able immediately to come back. The point of the deportation is that they are not able to return to the UK, unless they apply to have that deportation revoked. Of course, it would be for the Government to decide whether it would be revoked.

[Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab)]

Some of my constituents who were born in this country, who are able to serve in the armed forces of this country, and who do not hold passports in many cases—they can even be MPs—find themselves facing deportation for historical reasons because they are citizens of the Republic of Ireland. There is statute for that special arrangement. Could the Home Secretary tell the House what her views are in respect of citizens of the Irish Republic currently in British prisons?

[Mrs May]

As I understand it, a memorandum of understanding was signed by the last Labour Government and the Republic of Ireland Government, which means that we are not currently transferring prisoners between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. That is an issue that others have raised, but my understanding is that that is the current situation.

Communications Data and Interception

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Stephen Pound

Thursday 10th July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

The risk is very clear. The risk is that we will lose access to communications data and to our ability to access intercept material. As I have said, those capabilities have been used in every major terrorist investigation by the Security Service. In 95% of the serious criminal cases dealt with by the Crown Prosecution Service, communications data were used and were necessary. In many of those cases, such data were an important and vital part of getting a prosecution—not just in investigating but in prosecuting criminals. Failure to have access to that data will mean the criminals will go unimpeded and will not be brought to justice. I think that, sadly, as a result of that, innocent lives will be lost.

[Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab)]

I am not entirely sure that the passage of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974 provides an example of best practice. May I ask the Home Secretary whether she believes that any aspect of this proposed legislation should have a specific individual significance for Northern Ireland, and if so will a separate statement be made?

[Mrs May]

Our proposals have broad application and there will be no separate statement in relation to Northern Ireland. I think that the statement I have made today stands.

UK Border Force

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Stephen Pound

Monday 7th November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

I agree with my hon. Friend. Sadly, the immigration policy of the previous Government led to significant concerns among members of the public. This is an issue that matters to members of the public. It is this coalition Government who are taking action that I believe members of the public want us to take to reduce net migration into this country, to get rid of the abuse of student visas, and to deal with some of the other issues that led to the significant numbers of people coming into this country over the past 13 years under a Labour Government.

[Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab)]

The right hon. Lady knows more than almost anyone how uniquely serious the security situation is in Northern Ireland. Can she please confirm that Belfast International was not included in the wave-through amnesty?