Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Fiona Bruce and Rishi Sunak

Wednesday 22nd November 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

It is striking that the hon. Member for Cambridge—of all places!—absolutely does not understand the importance of technology sectors and companies to the growth of our economy. It is absolutely extraordinary. It actually illustrates everything that is wrong with Labour’s approach to our economy. What the rest of the world saw was the UK playing a lead in defining the regulations and approach to a technology that will transform how we live. It was a great example of the UK leading the way and an enormous tribute to our incredible entrepreneurs and businesses, many of which are being poorly represented by him in his constituency.

[Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con)]

Today is Red Wednesday when we remember millions of Christians and others worldwide who are persecuted for their faith—people such as Margaret Attah, a nurse and a lovely young mother of four, who is here today from Nigeria. She hid behind the altar as her church service was attacked. One hundred were injured and 41 killed that day simply for being in church. Margaret lost both legs and an eye. Thousands more suffer similarly in Nigeria each year. Does the Prime Minister agree that the best way that we can honour Red Wednesday today is to commit to quickly implementing the good words of the new International Development White Paper, which was published yesterday, to ensure that UK development policies going forward are inclusive of those marginalised for their religion or beliefs?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Fiona Bruce and Rishi Sunak

Wednesday 11th January 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I am aware that other Government Ministers have looked into this issue and are currently considering the matter at hand. I will be happy to write to the hon. Lady when we know more about the situation.

[Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con)]

Q14. Does the Prime Minister agree that the right way to secure the best future for the British people is to deliver on the people’s priorities and secure a strong economy? Will he confirm that he will not make any unfunded spending commitments that would rack up billions of debt, as the Labour party has done in the last week?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. If we want to safeguard the future of our public services and make sure that our young people inherit a strong economy, we must be disciplined on spending and borrowing. She is absolutely right about no unfunded spending commitments, unlike the Labour party, as she says, which at the last count has made £90 billion of unfunded spending commitments. It is the same old Labour: it always runs out of other people’s money.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Fiona Bruce and Rishi Sunak

Wednesday 30th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

We did hear that the right hon. and learned Gentleman is too weak to confirm there will be no one on the picket lines. It is the same old Labour ideas: more debt, more inflation, more strikes and more migration. He tells his party what it wants to hear. I will take the difficult decisions for this country. That is the choice: it is the politics of yesterday with him, or the future of the country with me.

[Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con)]

Q4. As hosts of this week’s international Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative conference, the UK again highlighted the need for more action to prevent sexual violence in conflict. Given the heartrending accounts of women in Ukraine being brutalised in this way and the reports that a third of women in conflict zones can be victims, will the Prime Minister champion with me, as his special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, the work being undertaken with young people across the world to stop religion or belief being weaponised, which can later manifest into sexual violence in conflict?

[The Prime Minister]

I am incredibly grateful to my hon. Friend for her dedicated work in this area. She is absolutely right to highlight the fact that, this week, the UK hosted the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative conference. It was an incredible success and I pay tribute to all those involved. As she said, we managed to reach a new political declaration in the conference where over 50 different countries have agreed to put an end to sexual violence in conflict. She deserves praise for all her work in this area.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Fiona Bruce and Rishi Sunak

Wednesday 2nd November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con)]

Q4. My 19-year-old constituent Marie, who has been in care for much of her life, has worked long and hard, by childminding and in other ways, to save £3,600 to help support herself at university. Marie now faces her university studies with no savings and no means of recovering them, because they were all stolen in a few seconds by a heartless scammer pretending to be her bank. What assurance can the Prime Minister give that the Government are working hard to help prevent this all too common type of despicable crime and bring the perpetrators to book?

[The Prime Minister]

I am very sorry to hear about Marie’s case. I know how convincing scammers can be, and the upset and hurt they cause. I am pleased to reassure my hon. Friend that the Government will shortly publish our fraud strategy, which will establish a more unified and co-ordinated response from Government, law enforcement and the private sector, to block more scams and better protect the public.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Fiona Bruce and Rishi Sunak

Monday 8th April 2019 Commons Chamber

[Rishi Sunak]

When we talk about vulnerable children, it is important that all councils take the precautions that are required. Of course I will listen very carefully to the findings of that Ofsted report. The Department for Education has recently made available £80 million in innovation funding. All councils can avail themselves of it to improve their practice and ensure that vulnerable children everywhere get the support and care they require.

[Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con)]

Will Ministers support vulnerable children through to adulthood by enabling them to access integrated services through the roll-out of family hubs?

[Rishi Sunak]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that issue. We all recognise the value of strong families, and she champions that cause especially well. I welcome the development of family hubs. I am pleased to tell her that our troubled families programme specifically enables a family-centric approach to supporting those in need. That often involves the use of family hubs, which we encourage.