Oral Answers to Questions

Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts

Wednesday 29th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Jo Stevens]

The hon. Gentleman may have heard the Chancellor’s speech this morning. Our No. 1 priority is economic growth right across all four nations of the United Kingdom.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee.

[Ruth Jones (Newport West and Islwyn) (Lab)]

I welcome the recent announcement on the creation of artificial intelligence growth zones across the UK, which will turbocharge growth and boost living standards. As part of that AI development, Vantage Data Centres has plans to invest over £12 billion across the UK, creating at least 11,000 jobs, including in my constituency. Will the Secretary of State speak to her colleagues around the Cabinet table and work with me and others to develop an AI growth zone for south Wales to secure the economic growth that we so desperately need?

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[Jo Stevens]

As I said, the Government are determined to see growth right across the United Kingdom, in all four nations. The relationship between Wales and Northern Ireland is very strong, and long may that continue.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[David Chadwick (Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe) (LD)]

Wales is in dire need of economic growth, as we have some of the lowest wages in the United Kingdom and areas with the highest levels of poverty. Does the Secretary of State agree that banking hubs can be part of the solution? Will she support my campaign for a banking hub in Ystradgynlais, the largest town in my constituency? The banks closed and left town several years ago, so local residents and businesses face long trips to access cash.

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[Jo Stevens]

We were elected on a manifesto that included a mission for safer streets across every nation of the United Kingdom. We will put police back on the beat, ensure there is a named officer for every neighbourhood, and provide 13,000 additional officers, police community support officers and special constables in neighbourhood roles in England and Wales. The provisional police funding settlement has been increased this year by up to £1 billion.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

[Mims Davies (East Grinstead and Uckfield) (Con)]

An ITV Wales investigation last year discovered 28 prevention of future death reports over a 16-month period relating to the north Wales Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Welsh Secretary’s predecessor called for an inquiry into these tragedies. Meanwhile, answers are rightly being sought, as there is clear evidence of grooming gangs sexually exploiting young children in Wales. Will the Secretary of State commit to building on her predecessor’s actions, and push the Welsh Government to use the Inquiries Act 2005 to launch two vital Wales-wide inquiries, to give victims and their loved ones justice?

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[Jo Stevens]

We are working in a spirit of genuine collaboration with the Welsh Government to do everything possible to cut waiting lists and build an NHS fit for the future in both England and Wales—a marked change from previous UK Governments, who were obstructive and hostile to the Welsh Government. We are sharing best practice, and the Welsh Government have established a ministerial advisory group to plan NHS reforms that will improve performance and reduce waiting lists. The group will draw on expertise from the NHS in both Wales and England.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

[Mims Davies (East Grinstead and Uckfield) (Con)]

Labour has been running the NHS badly in Wales since Tony Blair was Prime Minister, with waiting times constantly at record levels ever since. The Government cannot just devolve and forget—the people of Wales need to see and feel proactivity from the Wales Office.

Everybody knows somebody waiting in pain in Wales. Last week, on “Any Questions?”, the First Minister spoke without much detail of an injection of money that will bring down waiting lists. Can the Secretary of State explain if there is a plan, or if it is just another blank piece of paper?

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[The Prime Minister]

Let me be absolutely clear: there will be no means-testing of the state pension under this Labour Government. We are committed both to the triple lock and to the principle that people should receive pensions based on their contribution, regardless of their wealth. My hon. Friend is right: 12 million pensioners will receive a £470 increase in April. When people such as the Leader of the Opposition say that they want means-testing, that means a cut. The difference between us is that they would cut pensions and we are increasing them.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Leader of the Opposition.

[Mrs Kemi Badenoch (North West Essex) (Con)]

May I take this opportunity to solemnly commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz? We remember the 6 million Jewish men, women and children who were murdered. The Holocaust stands as a unique evil in human history.

Yesterday the Prime Minister set his growth test. He said that if a policy is

“good for growth…the answer is ‘yes’, if it’s not then the answer is ‘no’.”

This morning the Chancellor embraced a series of Conservative policies. Although many are welcomed, they will take years to deliver. When the Conservatives left office, we had the fastest economic growth in the G7, but what are the Government doing for growth now? They are destroying it. Let us look at the employment Bill. The Government’s own figures say it will cost business £5 billion a year. It clearly fails the Prime Minister’s growth test. Will he drop it?

[Mrs Badenoch]

The Prime Minister does not want to talk about the employment Bill because he does not know about it. Last week he misled the House. He was not on top of his own Education Bill—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We cannot accuse the Prime Minister of misleading the House. [Interruption.] We cannot do it. I am sure there are words that the Leader of the Opposition would prefer to use.

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[The Prime Minister]

The Conservatives have a lot to answer for in the failing system that they left behind. We have taken immediate action to ensure that consumers insulating their homes are not let down again. We are investing £3.4 billion in our warm homes plan to upgrade 5 million homes.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the leader of the Liberal Democrats.

[Ed Davey (Kingston and Surbiton) (LD)]

I take this opportunity to thank the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for all its work in commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, and to say what a privilege it was to meet Holocaust survivors at the Guildhall event.

When my hon. Friend the Member for North Devon (Ian Roome) and I recently visited a hospital in Barnstaple, a surgeon there told us that it was like a ticking time bomb. He explained that a hospital of that size needs 12 operating theatres to meet demand; it has just four. The last Conservative Government promised to rebuild it, but we all know that that was a hollow promise. Now the North Devon district hospital is one of nine across the country whose urgent rebuild programme has been postponed for over 10 years. Will the Prime Minister meet hon. Members whose constituents’ lives being are harmed by this delay, to see if there is any way we can bring these urgent projects forward?