Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chris McDonald and Keir Starmer

Wednesday 26th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I hope the hon. Lady will forgive me, but I do not know the details of the particular incinerator she speaks of and I am not across that. I will make sure, however, that she gets an answer to her question in written form as soon as possible.

[Chris McDonald (Stockton North) (Lab)]

Q13. May I commend my right hon. and learned Friend for his leadership on Ukraine, showing that the UK is once again at the forefront of protecting democratic freedoms? Does he agree that as our defence spending increases, we need to support our supply chain companies to increase their capability, creating good jobs and apprenticeships in places such as Stockton North and across the country? Will he meet me and the Teesside defence and innovation cluster that I have established, which is helping to create that new defence capability for the UK?

Defence and Security

Debate between Chris McDonald and Keir Starmer

Tuesday 25th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Member for his support and that of his party. That is important at a moment like this. So far as the funding of the 2.5% is concerned, that has been set out today. The commitment on the ambition to get to 3% is something that we need to talk about across this House. I will work with all parties on any issue of the security and defence of our country.

[Chris McDonald (Stockton North) (Lab)]

The Prime Minister has delivered a powerful statement today, and I know that his unwavering commitment to the defence of the realm will be greatly appreciated by my constituents in Stockton North. He mentioned the industrial strategy. Does he agree that we need to start immediately to mobilise our steel, chemicals and shipbuilding industries, working with regional groups such as the Teesside defence and innovation cluster to ensure that we build the capability that we need for our defence supply chains at home?

[The Prime Minister]

The industrial strategy and steel within it are vitally important, as my hon. Friend and the House will know. Steel and our ability to manufacture it are vital to our security, and we must do everything to ensure that is preserved into the future.

G20 and COP29 Summits

Debate between Chris McDonald and Keir Starmer

Thursday 21st November 2024 Commons Chamber

[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.

[Chris McDonald (Stockton North) (Lab)]

Last week, I had the privilege of meeting some Members of the Ukrainian Parliament, and I know that they will have been heartened by the leadership that my right hon. and learned Friend the Prime Minister has shown on the world stage this week. Does the Prime Minister agree that there is only one aggressor in this conflict, and that the way to end the war is, in his own words, for Putin to “get out of Ukraine”?

[The Prime Minister]

Yes, I do. I think we must never lose sight of the fact that this war could be ended today if the aggressor ceased being aggressive—if Russia backed out and backed down. There is no equivalence here. A sovereign country has been invaded, and that is why, across this House, we have stood with Ukraine for as long as it takes, and will continue to do so.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chris McDonald and Keir Starmer

Wednesday 16th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

The difference is that we now have a Westminster Government who want to work with the Welsh Government to deliver for the people of Wales. For 14 long years the Welsh Government were in a position where the then UK Government were in conflict with them. Now, we will work together, collaborate and ensure that we deliver across Wales.

[Chris McDonald (Stockton North) (Lab)]

Q10. Will my right hon. and learned Friend the Prime Minister join me in praising our Labour police and crime commissioner for Cleveland, Matt Storey, who is working with me to tackle knife crime, drug crime and antisocial behaviour in Stockton North, and will he assure my constituents that under this Labour Government we will see more police officers in Stockton and Billingham?

[The Prime Minister]

I welcome my hon. Friend’s work with the new Labour police and crime commissioner. It is sad to say that in Cleveland, the number of full-time equivalent police officers fell by over 12% under the last Government; when you fail on the economy and growth, those are the types of things that happen across the country. As part of our neighbourhood policing guarantee, we will put 13,000 more neighbourhood police and police community support officers back on our streets and ensure that every community has a named local officer. Through our safer streets mission, we will tackle illegal drugs, halve knife crime and crack down on antisocial behaviour, and go after the gangs that lure young people into violence.