Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sarah Atherton

Wednesday 20th March 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

As the Chancellor recently pointed out, living standards are £1,700 higher in real terms than in 2010. If the hon. Gentleman wants to protect working people in this country, perhaps he should have a chat with his shadow Chancellor about her plans to impose £28 billion of tax rises on everyone in our country.

[Sarah Atherton (Wrexham) (Con)]

15. After decades of a Labour MP, Wrexham was known as “spice town”. But not any more: in the last four years, we have become a city with a £160 million investment zone, £20 million from the towns fund and £23 million from the shared prosperity fund. We are soon to have the largest trading estate in Europe, with more jobs than jobseekers. We have secured the future of Hightown Barracks and Hollywood has boosted our football club! Does the Prime Minister agree that it is this Conservative MP and this Conservative Government who are delivering for Wrexham? [Hon. Members: “More!”]

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend has been an excellent campaigner for Wrexham, putting it on the map after years of decline under the Labour party. It is the heart of one of Wales’s investment zones, with our plan for towns helping to regenerate the local high street and improve public safety. I can tell my hon. Friend that with a great campaigner like herself, the next five years will only look brighter for Wrexham.

Defending the UK and Allies

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sarah Atherton

Monday 15th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

That is why we took this action as a last resort, after extensive attempts at diplomacy, including a UN Security Council resolution. The hon. Lady could help, because this Parliament could speak with one voice so that the outside world and our allies in the region know that this has nothing to do with Israel and Gaza, and everything to do with our self-defence.

[Sarah Atherton (Wrexham) (Con)]

Diverting shipping via the cape puts a financial burden on us all, none more so than the Egyptians, due to reduced traffic through the Suez canal. Will my right hon. Friend explain what discussions he has had with his Egyptian counterparts on their involvement in the multinational response?

[The Prime Minister]

I spoke to President Sisi just last week. My hon. Friend is right to highlight the economic impact on people around the world: 15% of global trade passes through this corridor, and we are already starting to see the impact of rerouting on the prices of shipping, and ultimately on the prices that British people will pay for their goods. My primary conversation with the President at the moment, though, is about increasing the flow of aid into Gaza, where Egypt is doing an extraordinary amount. We will continue to give it all the support that it needs.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sarah Atherton

Wednesday 26th April 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

There is rare agreement between the right hon. Gentleman and myself: I am a wholehearted champion of and believer in the role that community pharmacies can play. We want to make sure that they can do everything they can to ease some of the pressures in primary care. We are actively talking to the sector about that and will always continue to do everything we can to support community pharmacies. I know at first hand how respected they are in their communities, and I think they can do more for us over time.

[Sarah Atherton (Wrexham) (Con)]

After a 15-year break, Wrexham association football club is back in the English football league. Will the Prime Minister join me in congratulating everyone at the club, including the loyal supporters and the owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, and does he agree that Wrexham is no longer a neglected place but is quickly becoming a jewel in the crown of the United Kingdom?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sarah Atherton

Wednesday 1st March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Atherton (Wrexham) (Con)]

The Prime Minister will know that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has yet again been put in special measures. The chairman and the whole board resigned en masse, as they no longer have faith in the Welsh Labour Government. Yet on a call earlier this week, the Welsh Health Minister told me that it was not the Welsh Labour Government’s fault that healthcare has collapsed in north Wales. Given that Labour runs the NHS in north Wales, can my right hon. Friend suggest to the people of north Wales whose fault it is and who should put it right?

[The Prime Minister]

I share my hon. Friend’s concern. The House will know that health is a devolved matter for the Labour-run Government in Wales, where one in five people in the entire country are now on a waiting list. The Government there should focus on the people’s priorities and start cutting waiting lists, as we are doing here in England.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sarah Atherton

Tuesday 1st February 2022 Commons Chamber

[Rishi Sunak]

Lord Agnew, obviously, has spoken for himself, and I do nothing but thank him for his service. We look forward to continue working on all the areas he has mentioned, in most of which we are already undertaking work. We are relentless in our aim to tackle those who have defrauded the taxpayer, and we will not stop until we have got as much back as we can.

[Sarah Atherton (Wrexham) (Con)]

The Wrexham Gateway levelling-up fund bid attracts around £35 million of private finance. However, that investment in Wrexham will depend on a successful levelling-up fund bid the next time round. Will the Minister explain what considerations are made for bids with substantial private investment?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sarah Atherton

Tuesday 22nd June 2021 Commons Chamber

[Rishi Sunak]

My right hon. Friend is right to highlight the difficult circumstances facing that sector, which is why I think in aggregate more than £7 billion of support has been provided to the sector through various means. He will know that there are some particularly large companies that talk to the Government on a bilateral basis. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on those conversations, but he will of course be aware of the support we have put in place, for example, for regional airports, the vast majority of which are paying no business rates for the first half of this year. As he would expect, we keep everything under review.

[Sarah Atherton (Wrexham) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to support the financial services sector following the end of the transition period.

Economic Update

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sarah Atherton

Tuesday 17th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Rishi Sunak]

The hon. Lady talks about other countries. If she looks at the overall scale of the fiscal interventions that we have outlined last week and this week, she will see they are more significant than almost every other country.

[Sarah Atherton (Wrexham) (Con)]

The Welsh Labour Government stand to gain £1.6 billion as a consequence of coronavirus. Will my right hon. Friend comment on how the UK Government can encourage the Welsh Labour Government to spend that money timely and appropriately, because business and people need help now?

[Rishi Sunak]

As I said before, we will get through this as one United Kingdom. We have provided Barnett consequentials early and in advance to devolved authorities, and I very much hope that we can take a joint approach to supporting businesses, public services and individuals through this difficult time.