Starmer says there is ‘no easy answer’ to finding way of seizing frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, welcomes the sanctioning of the two Israeli ministers.
He asks for an assurance that social carers and family carers will be prioritised in the spending review.
Starmer says social care does need to be fixed. But he says Davey cannot welcome extra funding while opposing the policies that fund it.
Davey says better and fairer funding models are available.
There are £25bn of frozen Russian assets in the UK, he says. At the G7 will the PM seek agreement to seize them and use them to support Ukraine.
Starmer says he is talking to allies about this. But it is complicated. He goes on:
But I don’t want to pretend to the house that there’s an easy answer on this, because there isn’t.
Key events
Darren Paffey (Lab) asks what the government is doing to limit the access children have to social media and the internet.
Starmer says the Online Safety Act will protect children, and the government “will not hesitate” to take further action if necessary, he says.
Sarah Bool (Con) asks about screening for type 1 diabetes.
Starmer says his mother had diabetes. He says there is a screening programme. But he praises Bool for campaigning on this.
Chris Webb (Lab) asks the government to invest more in social housing.
Starmer says this is happening. The National Housing Association has called the housing settlement transformative, he says.
Claire Young (Lib Dem) says it is outrageous that parents are punished when special needs children miss school.
Starmer says SEND pupils face more complex needs. He says the government will consider the Lib Dem amendment to the schools bill mentioned by Young that would stop these parents being punished. But the government must “strike the right balance”, he says.
Yasmin Qureshi (Lab) says the UK acted to stop mass killing in Kosovo. Why is Gaza different?
Starmer says the government acted yesterday. The humanitarian situation is dreadful, he says. Israel’s plan to deliver aid into Gaza is insufficient. He says the UK is working with allies to get aid in.
Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance) condemns the violence in Ballymena and asks the government to introduce a duty of candour bill.
Starmer echoes what Eastwood says about Ballymena. And he says the government will introduce a duty of candour.
Starmer says there is ‘no easy answer’ to finding way of seizing frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, welcomes the sanctioning of the two Israeli ministers.
He asks for an assurance that social carers and family carers will be prioritised in the spending review.
Starmer says social care does need to be fixed. But he says Davey cannot welcome extra funding while opposing the policies that fund it.
Davey says better and fairer funding models are available.
There are £25bn of frozen Russian assets in the UK, he says. At the G7 will the PM seek agreement to seize them and use them to support Ukraine.
Starmer says he is talking to allies about this. But it is complicated. He goes on:
But I don’t want to pretend to the house that there’s an easy answer on this, because there isn’t.
Richard Burgon (Lab) says he cannot support the proposed welfare cuts. Will the PM drop those?
Starmer says the welfare system needs reform. The government will protect those with the most severe disabilities, he says.
Badenoch says people have lost their jobs because of the bad choices made by Rachel Reeves.
Starmer says the wrong choice the Tories made was making Badenoch leader of the opposition.
Badenoch says Starmer did not rule out tax rises. They are going to go up.
She asks why the government should pay for tax cuts in Mauritius.
Starmer says Diego Garcia is a vital asset. It needs legal certainty. That is why the Tories started negotiations on a deal, he says.
He says the UK’s allies have backed the deal, and countries like Russia and Iran are opposed. And the Tories and Reform UK are in that category too, he says.
Badenoch says she is getting better every week.
That provokes a lot of Labour jeering. The Speaker tells them to be quiet, saying shouting down Badenoch is not a good look.
She asks if Starmer will admit that taxes will go up.
Starmer says, in her interview with Matt Forde this week for his podcast, Badenoch said she rehearses her fury ahead of PMQs.
He says the Tories have not said whether or not they will back Labour’s investment.
Badenoch says Starmer loves talking about Truss because he does not want to talk about his record.
She asks him to admit he made a mistake cutting the winter fuel payment.
Starmer says the Tories left a black hole. He says he is pleased he has given pensioners the assurance they need. He is happy to talk about his record, he says.
He says Badenoch said recently she was getting better at PMQs. She should apologise for the Truss budget, he says.
Badenoch says unemployment has increased every month Labour has been in power.
And the deficit is forecast to be higher than it was when the budget took place.
Starmer says Badenoch has missed interest rate cuts, the strategic defence review, local transport, free school meals, sizewell, and social housing.
She says the spirit of Liz Truss lives in the Conservative party.
Badenoch starts by saying there is only one hospital in her constituency.
She asks why Starmer says the economy is improving.
Starmer says she is talking the economy down.
UPDATE: Badenoch said:
Since Labour took office, inflation has nearly doubled, growth has halved and unemployment has surged. Is this what the Prime Minister meant when he tweeted that the economy is improving?
And Starmer replied:
Since the general election 500,000 more people are in work. I know that she doesn’t mention that, she’s fixated on talking Britain down.
We’re investing in the future. Even in the last two weeks the strategic defence review, 30,000 new jobs building submarines, yesterday the Sizewell announcement 10,000 new jobs, tens of thousands of construction jobs building the social and affordable housing that was announced this morning.
That’s the difference that Labour makes in Government.
