Engagements — House of Commons, 2021-12-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Questions: May I start by wishing the Prime Minister and his family a happy Christmas? Last Christmas, I joined the charity Sewa Day in wrapping Christmas presents at Durga Bhawan Temple. I delivered a small number of the thousands of gifts the Hindu community had donated for children and adults across Sandwell. Will the Prime Minister join me in thanking Sewa Day, Deepak, Madhu and Reena, who I will be joining again this Friday at West Bromwich Shree Krishna Mandir?; As we look forward to 2022, one of the dates that stands out for me is 21 March, which will be World Down Syndrome Day. In thanking the Government, and indeed all parties in the House, for their support for the Down Syndrome Bill, may I ask the Prime Minister if he will give his personal commitment to ensuring that we get that Bill on to the statute book before World Down Syndrome Day, so that we can be the first country in the world to do so? We talk about global Britain, but that cannot just be about trade and diplomacy; it must also be about values. Would that not be a great place for Britain to start?; Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the United Kingdom. It is the fourth largest killer. We have made much progress but regrettably, in the last couple of years, key treatments such as thrombectomy, thrombolysis and timely interventions in hospital have stalled and gone backwards. In particular, most stroke survivors receive less than half the recommended levels of rehabilitation. As the Prime Minister knows, that is something that my own family have experienced. Can we urgently look towards upgrading the very good national stroke plan to a fully fledged national strategy for stroke, with a Minister responsible for it and a dedicated team of officials in the Department to roll it out?; In East Anglia, there are, on the one hand, tremendous opportunities in such sectors as low-carbon energy and sustainable fishing, and yet, on the other hand, significant challenges with deep pockets of deprivation, particularly in coastal communities. I acknowledge the investment that has been made, but there is a concern locally that the Government are yet to comprehend the scale of the opportunity that our region has to be a global exemplar in new and revitalised industries, and in doing so to bring transformative and long-term benefits to local people. Will my right hon. Friend meet me and other East Anglian MPs so that together we can put in place a strategy to realise the full potential of the east of England?; Does the Prime Minister believe that it is the damage being caused by Brexit, his litany of broken promises, his condoning of Conservative party corruption, or just simply his complicity in lockdown-busting Christmas parties and quizzes that has caused the public to so dramatically, so rapidly, lose faith in his leadership?
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): What I observe is that actually it was our freedom from the rules of the European Union that enabled us to deliver the fastest vaccine roll-out in Europe and that has enabled us to have the fastest economic growth in the G7. That is of massive benefit to each and every one of the hon. Gentleman’s constituents, and I think he should acknowledge that point.