Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sheryll Murray

Wednesday 20th March 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I am surprised to hear the hon. Gentleman quoting the IFS, because it also described the recent SNP Budget as, in its words, “misleading”, and said that

“pain is almost certainly coming”.

It is a savage tax and axe budget, because here is the reality: while NHS spending in England is going up in real terms, in Scotland it is going down; while taxes are being cut by the UK Government, the SNP Government are putting them up. That is the contrast, and where the SNP or indeed Labour are in charge, it is working people who pay the price.

[Mrs Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con)]

Q3. The Prime Minister rightly often criticises the Scottish Government for the extra tax they put on residents. In my part of Cornwall, we have an extra tax called the Tamar toll. I have been working on a petition with my constituency neighbour, my right hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Moor View (Johnny Mercer). Will the Prime Minister make our part of the country more competitive by losing this extra tax and helping our community to level up?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important local issue. Any application for a toll revision will be considered by the Transport Secretary at the right opportunity when it has been received, but I am told that there are plans in place to create a new locally led focal group of key stakeholders to ensure that there is a real opportunity for them to make their views about crossings heard, and I know that she will play an active role in that group.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sheryll Murray

Wednesday 24th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Of course we will engage with all UN resolutions on their merits. I have been clear that no one wants to see this conflict go on for a moment longer than is necessary. We want to see an immediate pause so that we can get aid in and hostages out, because the situation is desperate for many people there, but a sustainable, permanent ceasefire needs to fulfil a set of conditions, which include Hamas releasing all the hostages, Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza with the threat of rocket attacks into Israel, and an agreement in place for the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza to provide governance and services. The Foreign Secretary is in the region. Those are the principles on which we are working, and I believe that those are shared by all our major allies.

[Mrs Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con)]

Q11. In 1859, Brunel opened his rail bridge over the River Tamar. In 2022, I met Network Rail and others to celebrate the agreement to build a simple footbridge over the railway line in Lostwithiel. That bridge still does not exist and I have no completion date. Can my right hon. Friend help?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is a long-standing campaigner for the footbridge at Lostwithiel station. I recognise her concerns and the pressing need for the construction of the footbridge. I am told that Network Rail is currently working on a funding solution, so that it can take forward this important project in the next financial year. The Rail Minister will keep my hon. Friend updated on progress.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sheryll Murray

Tuesday 22nd June 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con)]

What progress his Department has made in establishing freeports in England.

[The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Rishi Sunak)]

I was pleased to announce the location of eight new English freeports at the Budget in March. The next phase of delivery for freeports is being led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. It is working with the eight freeports to help them to establish the appropriate governance structures and develop their investment proposals. The Government will then review their proposals for investment and the deployment of the tax and customs reliefs later this year.

[Mrs Murray]

I welcome the news that we have a freeport in neighbouring Plymouth. Will the Chancellor’s Department please work with the Department for Transport to ensure that we have quick, flowing transport links across the Tamar to make the most of these opportunities for my constituents?

[Rishi Sunak]

I am delighted for Plymouth and its surrounding communities that it has received freeport status. As my hon. Friend says, this is a fantastic opportunity to drive investment and create jobs. I will, of course, work with the Department for Transport on improving transport links across the south-west. She previously welcomed the £2.5 billion upgrade of vital road connections such as the A303, the A30 and the A358, as well as the replacement of the vital Dawlish sea wall, which will improve rail connectivity in the region.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sheryll Murray

Tuesday 27th April 2021 Commons Chamber

[Rishi Sunak]

The brilliant Mayor Andy Street is right to talk about the retraining revolution that we need and that he is implementing in the west midlands. My hon. Friend makes an important point about the flexibility of the system to support SMEs. I am pleased to tell him that starting this August we are implementing a new scheme to allow SMEs to link with larger, levy-paying businesses through a new matching and levy transfer service that will help SMEs to access that funding and to provide the level 2 or 3 apprenticeships that he rightly identified as being important. He should also know that that scheme was based on, I think, a pilot programme that was launched in the west midlands.

[Mrs Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to support businesses affected by the covid-19 outbreak.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rishi Sunak and Sheryll Murray

Tuesday 20th October 2020 Commons Chamber

[Rishi Sunak]

[Mrs Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con)]