Oral Answers to Questions Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Northern Ireland Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Dickson Excerpts
Wednesday 15th January 2025

(3 days, 10 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Keir Starmer Portrait The Prime Minister
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

Among that barrage of complete nonsense, there is one point that I need to address: the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, which will have been of real interest across the House. That Act was unfit, not least because it gave immunity to hundreds of terrorists and was not supported by victims in Northern Ireland—nor, I believe, by any of the political parties in Northern Ireland. The Court found it unlawful. We will put in place—[Interruption.] This is a serious point. We will put in place a better framework. We are working on a draft remedial order and replacement legislation, and we will look at every conceivable way to prevent these types of cases from claiming damages—it is important that I say that on the record.

As for the Leader of the Opposition’s claim and her nonsense, the Conservatives crashed the economy. I got a letter this week from a Tory voter in a Labour seat. I hope that they do not mind me saying who it was—it was Liz Truss. It was not written in green ink, but it might as well have been. She was complaining that saying she had crashed the economy was damaging her reputation. It was actually crashing the economy that damaged her reputation. What have we heard? All the Tories have is complaining. They have no defence for their sorry record—they do not even acknowledge it. They have no ideas, no policies. They are like a blank piece of paper, blowing hopelessly in the wind. No wonder the country put them in the bin.

Jim Dickson Portrait Jim Dickson (Dartford) (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - -

Q6. Patients in Kent are experiencing a winter crisis as a result of years of under-investment in our NHS. Many are having to be treated on trollies in corridors for cases of winter flu and other viruses, creating a significant challenge for local health services. What assurance can the Prime Minister offer residents in Dartford that the reforms and extra investment set out by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will make that inadequate care a thing of the past, and will he visit Darent Valley hospital in Dartford with me?