Oral Answers to Questions

Alasdair McDonnell Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd September 2014 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

We have been very clear that we do not support boycotts and we do not support measures that are intended to delegitimise the state of Israel, which has a right to exist and which we argue has a right to peace within its proper borders. My hon. Friend makes an important point, which is that we should be absolutely clear that you can criticise Israel and the Israeli Government for their actions without being anti-Semitic, but in recent weeks we have seen a rise in anti-Semitic attacks in our country, and as I said on Monday, that is completely unacceptable.

[Dr Alasdair McDonnell (Belfast South) (SDLP)]

Q9. I refer the Prime Minister to events in Rotherham. Does he agree that a common thread between the awful picture from Rotherham, which was referred to earlier, and the dreadful plight this week of Ashya King is that the relevant authorities are all too often driven by considerations other than the best interests of the child? To reflect that sad lesson for all of us, will he agree to amend the Modern Slavery Bill to provide for independent child guardians who are charged with reflecting the best interests of the child to all the relevant authorities and services?

[The Prime Minister]

I am very proud that the Government are introducing the Modern Slavery Bill. It is a Bill that I strongly support and I will look carefully at the specific suggestion that the hon. Gentleman makes. Let me make a brief comment on his other points. To be fair to the authorities involved in the case of Ashya King, they all want to do the best thing for the child—that is what they are thinking of—but decisions have been taken that were not correct and that did not chime with common sense. Fortunately, that has been put right. All of us in public life and public offices have to examine what the legal requirements are, but we also have to make judgments, and those judgments can sometimes be all important.

Oral Answers to Questions

Alasdair McDonnell Excerpts

Wednesday 9th April 2014 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Representing a rural constituency, I know how important it is that people have access to good health services, and I know how important it is that we get health and social services to work better together, which is the key to success in so many of our areas. My hon. Friend asks me to look into a specific case, and I am happy to do that.

[Dr Alasdair McDonnell (Belfast South) (SDLP)]

Q2. In the light of this week’s historic visit by the Irish President Michael D. Higgins to the UK, building on the legacy of President Mary McAleese and of Her Majesty’s historic visit to Ireland in 2011, does the Prime Minister agree that Anglo-Irish relationships have never been stronger, and that if we are to build lasting reconciliation across these islands, we need the full commitment of his Government, along with the Irish Government, to ensure that the potential prospects of the Haass process are delivered and implemented?

[The Prime Minister]

First, I strongly agree with the hon. Gentleman that it is a landmark visit of the Irish President to this country, coming three years after the Queen’s extraordinary visit to the Republic of Ireland. I absolutely agree with him that Anglo-Irish relations are at an all-time high, and the Taoiseach Enda Kenny and I are absolutely committed to building on that relationship. All the time we are thinking of new things that Britain and Ireland can do as good neighbours and good friends. On the Haass talks, I do think it would be good if we could make some progress on that issue. It is something that the parties in Northern Ireland started themselves, and I would urge them to continue it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Alasdair McDonnell Excerpts

Wednesday 30th March 2011 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this issue. He is right that it is a dream we can have, but the fact that prostate cancer is such a massive killer is a nightmare for many families and many people in this country, and we really do need to do something about it. That means better early diagnosis, better testing, and better access to drugs. All those things are contained in our plans for the NHS.

[Dr Alasdair McDonnell (Belfast South) (SDLP)]

Q7. The Prime Minister will be aware of the large number of women across the UK, including a number in my constituency, who are in their late 50s—58 or 59—and on low incomes, and he will be aware that speeding up the equalisation of the state pension age will affect some 2.9 million of them, with many having to wait two years and, as a result, lose up to £10,000. These are usually people on low incomes and in marginalised economies. Does the Prime Minister intend to put in place any measures to cushion the severe effects on these people on low incomes and their stretched financial circumstances?

[The Prime Minister]

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. Of course, the equalisation of the pension age does ask people to work for longer in their lives, and it is a big change. But I think that because people are living longer, it is right that we make this change to make sure we can have a good, strong and affordable pension system. The biggest thing we are doing is linking the pension to earnings rather than prices, which means that someone retiring today will be getting £15,000 more over the next period than they would have done under the old plans—so one is partly to pay for the other.