Rushanara Ali

Engagements

Q4. This Labour Government’s £29 billion of investment in the NHS and £2 billion in life sciences is critical to fixing our NHS and tackling health inequalities. The Barts life sciences cluster in Whitechapel will become one of Europe’s leading NHS-centred clusters, and we have already secured £800 million in private investment. Will the Prime Minister direct the Office for Investment to co-sponsor this initiative and ensure that the National Wealth Fund co-invests, so that we can turn east Lond

Engagements

Q13. Between 2010 and 2024, the number of children living in poverty increased by 700,000, with Tower Hamlets having one of the highest rates in the country. This Labour Government’s child poverty strategy will lift over half a million children out of poverty. Given the economic pressures caused by external shocks and their impact on the cost of living, there is a long way to go. Does the Prime Minister agree that the Government should also look at setting a clear target to end child poverty for

Carer’s Allowance Overpayments

I draw the Minister’s attention to a point about reassessment made in yesterday’s Guardian: “the government has admitted its existing ‘business as usual’ overpayment recovery policies will be maintained while a full overhaul of the benefit is completed, in effect ensuring that carer’s allowance penalties will continue to be imposed.” Can the Minister assure us that that is not the case and that these penalties will not continue to be imposed?

Carer’s Allowance Overpayments

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this important debate. She rightly highlights the important contribution that carers make to our country and the savings of £184 billion a year. The carer’s allowance scandal that this Government have had to deal with, which has taken place over a number of years, has parallels with the Post Office scandal in the way that individuals have been treated. Does she agree that the Department for Work and Pensions, which rejected a recommendation by the Work a

Middle East

I welcome the Prime Minister’s call for Lebanon to be included in the ceasefire—1,700 people have already been killed by Israeli attacks and 1.1 million people have been displaced. At a time when aid budgets have been cut, including by our own Government, will the Prime Minister commit to playing that international leadership role, as he is doing, on getting a ceasefire, working with our European partners and others, and to supporting the humanitarian effort and increasing support to those being

Foreign Financial Influence and Interference: UK Politics

I welcome the Rycroft review and, in particular, the Secretary of State’s commitment to take action on crypto donations and to cap foreign donations from overseas donors. I want to draw his attention to the comment in the report that the debate on social media “seeks to exacerbate division and increase polarisation with a view to simply destroying the capacity of the UK to function as a well-governed state.” This is chilling. Alongside the proposals that he has spoken about, we need action to ta