Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Rosie Duffield

Wednesday 3rd June 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend makes a powerful point. The Reform leader wants everyone to forget that he called for our NHS to be replaced with an insurance-based system—he might want to jot it down to jog his memory. Then he said that if people can pay, they should pay for NHS treatment. We can help him by jolting his memory here. You cannot trust Reform with our NHS—the only way to protect it is to vote Labour.

[Rosie Duffield (Canterbury) (Ind)]

Q5. This week, Tom Kerridge and UKHospitality launched their “VAT’s the Problem” campaign, and yesterday my neighbour the right hon. Member for Herne Bay and Sandwich (Sir Roger Gale) and I hosted industry bodies, chefs Matt Tebbutt and Thomasina Myers and hospitality leaders from Manchester, Liverpool, London and Kent, including Andy Burnham’s night-time economy adviser Sacha Lord. They all agree with campaigners such as Andy Lennox that the UK’s rate of 20% VAT on hospitality is killing businesses daily. Does the Prime Minister agree that VAT’s the problem? Will he match the pledge of his candidate in Makerfield to slash VAT in line with the rest of Europe?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Member for the question. I recognise the challenges that she identifies. That is why we are permanently lowering business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses. Every pub will get 15% off its new business rates bill, and bills will be frozen in real terms for a further two years. In relation to VAT, she will see that we are offering support by cutting VAT on children’s meals in restaurants—particularly over the summer period—with those savings set out two weeks ago by the Chancellor.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Rosie Duffield

Wednesday 5th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Last week, for the first time in four years, the British Medical Association agreed the GP contract with the Government, worth an extra £889 million. Patients will be able to request appointments online from October, but I absolutely reassure my hon. Friend and others that that will free up the phones for those who need them most, and help end the 8 am scramble.

[Rosie Duffield (Canterbury) (Ind)]

Q13. Under his Labour Government, does the Prime Minister believe that the UK’s estimated 3 million millionaires should contribute more to our vital national security, or is it just the world’s poorest, by no longer benefiting from our international aid programmes, or the shameful almost 6 million children living in poverty in this country who should pay for it? What happened to the wealth tax, Prime Minister?

[The Prime Minister]

I think all should, and all do, make a contribution at this vital time.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Rosie Duffield

Wednesday 29th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I wish my hon. Friend and his wife well with their new arrival. We are conducting a review into parental leave, because we cannot grow the economy if parents have to choose between work and their children. Thanks to the Employment Rights Bill, which the Conservatives oppose, 30,000 more fathers will get paternity leave. That is the difference: the Leader of the Opposition wants to roll back parental rights; we are extending them.

[Rosie Duffield (Canterbury) (Ind)]

Q10. Since 2012, the Drax power station has been given £7 billion of green subsidies by the Government for burning 27 million trees per year. That is enough money for five years of pensioners’ winter fuel payments. While Ofgem has been asleep at the wheel, a recent KPMG report has concluded that Drax claimed those subsidies illegally. Will the Prime Minister demand to see that KPMG report before giving another pound of taxpayers’ money to Drax?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Lady for raising this important issue. Of course we will look at the report, but I do not join in her description—we will look at the report.