Sunak resists Starmer’s call for investigation into row over Horizon compensation payment instructions – UK politics live | Politics

Bob Blackman (Con) says when Sir Lindsay Hoyle was elected speaker, he said that when he made controversial decisions, he would publish the advice he had been given by clerks. Will he do it this afternoon in relation to the selection of amendments on the Gaza motion.

Winterton says the speaker will have heard this point.

Liam Byrne, the Labour chair of the business committee, raises another point of order. He asks about Canada saying Badenoch was wrong to say trade talks with the UK were still happening. (See 9.21am.) How can MPs find out if these talks are happening, or just going on “in the business secretary’s mind”.

Winterton says she cannot speak for the minister, but Byrne will have other opportunities to pursue this, she says.

Lucy Powell, the shadow leader of the Commons, raises a point of order. She asks what MPs can do to get clarification from Kemi Badenoch over why her comments to the house on Monday about the Post Office dispute were misleading.

Dame Rosie Winterton, the deputy speaker, says this is not a matter for her, but the government will have heard the point.

Graham Stringer (Lab) asks if Sunak realised, when he cancelled phase 2 of HS2, that trains to Manchester would end up going more slowly as a result because they would have to use unsuitable track.

Sunak ignores the point, but says that all the money saved from the HS2 cancellation will stay in the north, and that says that Labour does not have a position on HS2 phase 2.

Chris Elmore (Lab) accuses Sunak of failing to protect steel jobs in south Wales.

Sunak says the government has worked hard to secure a long-term, sustainable solution for the steel industry in south Wales. He says a £500m grant to Tata Steel will safeguard 5,000 jobs. The Welsh Labour government did not put a penny in to help, he says.

Sunak says bill to exonerate post office operators unfairly convicted will be published ‘very, very soon’

Ben Bradshaw (Lab) says Kemi Badenoch, the equalities minister, told MPs that she had engaged extensively with LGBT groups. But an answer this week shows she has only met two groups hostile to trans people. Why does the government have a problem with trans people, and Badenoch have a problem with truth?

Sunak says the government is committed to LGBT rights, but that biological sex matters too.

UPDATE: Jim Pickard from the FT has more on that here.

Sir John Hayes (Con) says the erections of electricity pylons in the countryside is a threat to food security, because it is taking up land that could be used for growing.

Sunak stresses his love of the countryside, but ducks the point about pylons.

I have updated some of the earlier posts covering the Sunak/Starmer exchanges with direct quotes. You may need to refresh the page to get the updates to compare.

Andrew Rosindell (Con) says he has been able to spent a lot of time with the people of his constituency. (He stayed away from the Commons while rape allegations were being investigated. The Met has now dropped them.) He says his constituents want tougher immigration laws.

Sunak welcomes Rosindell back, and says he looks forward to visiting his constituency.

Pete Wishart (SNP) says he was in the Commons when it voted for the Iraq war in 2003. He voted against, and he claims it is the vote he is most proud of. He says the vote today for a ceasefire in Gaza will be of similar signifcant.

Sunak says no one wants to see civilians suffer. He says the government wants a sustainable ceasefire.

Andrew Selous (Con) says planning rules mean it takes too long for new GP surgeries to be built. Will the government let them operate from other premises?

Sunak says it may be possible for GP services to be provided at alternative locations. The Department of Health will look at this, he says.

Clive Betts (Lab) asks when the government will go ahead to set up an independent regulator for football.

Sunak says the independent regulator will put fans at the heart of football. He says plans were in the king’s speech. Discussions on how to do this are underway, he says.

Here are two commentators on what Rishi Sunak said about Kemi Badenoch.

From ITV’s Robert Peston

The PM repeated none of the specific charges levelled by @KemiBadenoch against the Post Office chair Henry Staunton who she sacked. He has devolved all responsibility for this conflict to her, which she may or may not relish #PMQs

From the Mirror’s Kevin Maguire

Sunak pointedly does not repeat Badenoch’s “full of lies” attack on the sacked Post Office chair.

She’s in political quicksand #PMQs

Rob Butler (Con) says money from the cancellation of phase 2 of HS2 is meant to be paying for better roads in Buckinghamshire. Will that happen?

Sunak confirms that that is the plan. He says two road plans Butler has been campaigning for should benefit.

Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, echoes what Sunak and Starmer said about the “heroic bravery” of Alexei Navalny.

He says 60% of buildings in Gaza are damaged. What the Israelis have done does not amount to self-defence, he says.

Sunak says the government has called for an immediate humanitarian pause. That is what he impressed on the Israeli PM last week when they spoke.

Flynn says the Commons should send a clear and united message that it backs an immediate ceasefire.

Sunak says of course he wants to see the fighting end, and to never again allow the attacks carried out by Hamas. But if there were a ceasefire now, it would collapse within weeks, he suggests. He says a ceasefire should be sustainable.

Starmer turns to the infected blood scandal, and asks what undertaking Sunak has made to ensure that the government is not “limping towards the election” delaying payments for this group.

Sunak says he gave evidence to this inquiry. He knows that thousands of people have suffered. This is an incredibly complicated issue, he says. The Cabinet Office is appointing experts so that it can make informed decisions to the inquiry’s recommendations on compensation when they are published. The government will respond within 25 days, he says.