Starmer claims new inquiry will delay action on grooming gangs until 2031
Badenoch says this is not about Starmer. It is about the victims. “Be a leader, not a lawyer.”
She says the Labour party has adopted the APPG definition of Islamophobia. That says talking about grooming gangs can be Islamophobic. So will Labour consider it support for this?
Starmer says he will call out anything stopping people coming forward.
A new inquiry will take time. All the institutions will have to give evidence. It will delay progress until 2031, he says. He says people know what the problem is.
Key events
The debate on the children’s wellbeing and schools bill is just starting.
Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, said he has selected the Conservative party’s amendment. (See 10am.) That means it will be put to a vote at 7pm.
Roger Gale (Con) asks why Starmer never prosecuted Mohamed Al Fayed, the Harrods owner who is now thought to have raped and abused at least 111 women, when he was director of public prosecutions.
Starmer says “that case never crossed my desk”.
Tonia Antoniazzi (Lab) asks about proposal for the England cricket team to play in Afghanistan. She says the tour should be boycotted.
Starmer says he condemns the suppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan. And he says the culture department is in touch with its international counterparts about this.
Asked about Tulip Siddiq, Starmer says the independent adviser into ministerial interests is establishing the facts. He will not give a running commentary, he says.
Josh Newbury (Lab) asks if the PM will meet retired miners to discuss how their pension payments can be improved.
Starmer says he understands why retired miners are unhappy about the way the fund is being run and distributed. He says the government is looking at this.
Josh Fenton-Glyn (Lab) asks if the government will stop courts decided that abusers who are parents should continue to have access to their children.
Starmer says this is being reviewed.
Andrew George (Lib Dem) asks if the PM will meet Cornish MPs to discuss the housing problem in the county.
Starmer says the excessive number of short-term lets and second homes in places like Cornwall creates a problem. He says some measures have been introduced to help with this, but he says he will arrange for a ministerial meeting with Cornish MPs.
Meg Hillier (Lab) asks if the PM agrees on the need for clear targets for social housing units.
Starmer says the government will deliver 1.5m new homes. And money has been set aside for affordable homes. And right to buy is being reformed, to make the scheme fairer, he says.
Mark Seward (Lab) says this year will mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. He asks what the government is doing on Holocaust education.
Starmer says the government has recently allocated more money for combating antisemitism, and is funding a Holocaust memorial.
Marie Goldman (Lib Dem) asks about a constituent who is a pharmacist whose costs are not fully covered by the NHS. She refers to the price he has to pay for drugs.
Starmer says pharmacists play a vital role. He says he will consider the details of this case if Goldman passes them on.
Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, starts by commending Starmer for his responses to Badenoch. Turning to the winter fuel payments cuts, he asks if Starmer understands why people are so opposed to that.
Starmer says the SNP government has the power and money it needs to do what it wants in Scotland.
Ed Davey, the leader of the Lib Dems, quotes what Andrew Dilnot said at the health committee this morning and he urges Starmer to speed up the care inquiry.
Starmer says he hopes the Lib Dems will contribute to finding a cross-party approach to this.
Davey turns to Elon Musk, and asks if the government will act to reform party funding rules.
Starmer says all MPs enjoyed seeing Nigel Farage back Musk on Sunday, only for Musk to say he should be replaced as Reform UK leader. He says the government is looking at the rules on party donations.
