Engagements — House of Commons, 2016-10-26
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: Twenty years ago, a Conservative Government agreed that the Christchurch and East Dorset Councils could retain their sovereignty, independence and control over their own destiny. Will my right hon. Friend assure the House that the Government will not agree to the abolition of either Christchurch Council or East Dorset Council against the will of my constituents?; My constituency forms part of the new west midlands combined authority, where new powers will be devolved to the authority and the mayor. Will the Prime Minister tell me how those new powers will help my constituents and local businesses in sectors such as manufacturing, the automotive industry, and bricks and ceramics?; The independent inquiry on child sexual abuse was established to deliver long-awaited justice for victims and survivors, and to do so it must have their confidence. The Shirley Oaks Survivors Association represents more than 600 survivors of abuse that took place in Lambeth Council-run children’s homes and has recently raised serious concerns about changes to the inquiry. Will the Prime Minister meet me, my hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Mr Umunna) and representatives from the Shirley Oaks Survivors Association to discuss their concerns and take action, so that confidence can be restored?; The Prime Minister will be aware that our nation’s commitment to our current and former armed forces personnel and their families by way of the armed forces covenant is a work in progress, and that although we have made important moves there is still much more to do. Will she take this opportunity to assure this House of her personal commitment to the values and promises set out in the covenant, and to pledge to lend her support to efforts to continue the good work begun, and to ensure that personnel, veterans and their families face no disadvantage arising from their service and the sacrifice they have all made for our country?; . Last year, my 25-year-old nephew Matty committed suicide after a very short period of depression. His GP had referred him for talking therapy counselling but warned him that it would be at least six months before he got an appointment. These treatments in the NHS are often a waiting game—a dangerous waiting game—and a postcode lottery. What is the Prime Minister doing to sort this crisis out?; . My right hon. Friend became Prime Minister in dramatic and extraordinary circumstances, and she has proved more than capable of rising to the many challenges that—[Interruption.] It was not her fault that the Chilcot report took seven years and cost more than £10 million, but now that we know that Parliament was misled will she reassure me that she has a cunning plan to ensure that action is taken?; The Prime Minister will be aware that much of the foundation and many of the elements of the 1998 settlement and peace agreement in Northern Ireland were referenced and rooted in EU approaches and processes of laws and that leaving the EU will significantly destabilise the foundations of that settlement. Has the Prime Minister given any consideration to the extent of the potential damage the withdrawal from the European Union could do to that Good Friday/Belfast agreement and the 1998 political settlement? Does she have any plan at this stage to protect that settlement?; General Electric has shown its confidence in the UK economy and my constituents by starting construction of the second of its two new world-class research and manufacturing facilities on Staffordshire County Council’s Redhill Business Park. Will the Prime Minister meet General Electric and other west midlands manufacturers to hear just how important supply chains and markets free of tariffs and bureaucracy are to them and their hundreds of thousands of staff?
Theresa Mary May (Conservative, Centre-right): I am delighted to hear of the commitment that GE has made to Stafford, but it is more than a commitment to Stafford; it is a commitment to the United Kingdom and to the future of our economy. I understand that the Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade has already met GE to discuss its interests in trade and what we can be doing to promote free trade. As I said earlier, I want the UK to be a global leader in free trade. We are listening to businesses around the country and to the importance that they place on free trade as we look at the negotiations for exiting the EU.