Chris Mason
Political editor

This was always going to be a horrendous forum for the prime minister to step into. After the last week, it was always going to be humiliating.

The Conservative benches were quiet, but less so than last week. Truss was absolutely defiant, repeating the apology she first said publicly to me in my interview earlier this week.

And after a morning of front pages screaming about the prospect of the state pension shrinking - and sending the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly out this morning to defend that - she has now about-turned again, back to where she was originally.

There were several moments at this session where the PM managed to generate some cheers, and jeers on her own side directed at their opponents.

On the stickiest of sticky wickets, in the most desperate of situations, this PMQs probably went as well as Liz Truss could have hoped.

Liz Truss has just left the chamber, marking the end of this week's Prime Minister's Questions.

Conservative MP Helen Whately says the government is facing tough choices, but people living with dementia are facing "unlimited care costs - and that is not a choice".

She asks whether the prime minister can assure her that she is committed to social care reform to end that worry and relieve pressure on the NHS?

Truss says she is committed to social care reform and that the government does need to deal with these issues.

Conservative MP Steve Brine says every member of the House will have a constituent waiting for treatment within the Covid backlog.

He asks the prime minister to reassure him that the government is committed to a series of elective hubs that were promised, including at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in his Winchester constituency.

Truss says the health secretary has set out plans to work through the Covid backlog and will continue to work through what was a "massive pandemic".

"We will deal with it," she says.

Labour's Sarah Owen says Truss is going to "get the boot" over "her plan that crashed the economy" and "forcing fracking on communities that don't want it".

Owen asks whether she will resign and call a general election.

Truss says she has taken responsibility and "made the right decision in the interest of the county's economic stability".

Image source, HoC

Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell asks Truss if she will reconfirm a previous government's promise from 2010 to "not balance the books on the backs of the poorest people in the world" by cutting the overseas aid budget.

Truss says she is "proud that we have rebalanced our international development budget" and focused it more on humanitarian aid, and women and girls.

"No doubt, more details will be set out in due course," she says.

Labour's Kate Osborne says privatisation does not work for the NHS or postal service, with Royal Mail taking £758m in profits last year.

She asks the PM if she will let "obscene" amounts of profit be made while services are cut and stamp prices rise or will she launch an inquiry into "mismanagement" of Royal Mail.

Truss says we need an efficient postal service that delivers for people across the country, and she is not focused on making ideological points.

Tory MP Mark Menzies pushes Truss on fracking and asks for reassurance on local consent for fracking being measured independently and transparently.

He urges the PM to ensure no fracking companies play a role in these consultations.

Truss says she can assure him they will consult on the robust system of local consent and give clear advice.

She adds that regional mayors, local authorities and parishes, and those affected will be involved in these conversations.

Truss says the Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg will be spelling out more details on this later today.

SNP MP Stewart McDonald warns that "Ukraine fatigue" is now a real risk for the country, as people battle rising food and energy costs.

"In a time where resolve and support of Ukraine needs to be steeled," he asks for assurance that commitment to Ukraine won't drop.

Truss says one of her first acts in office was to make sure military support for Ukraine continues at its current level.

"They can win, they will win, and they must win," she says.

Conservative MP John Baron says "recent events" mean spending is going to be more "more constrained than originally thought".

Can we have compassion in politics, he asks, "including maintaining the link between benefits and inflation?"

Truss answers: "We are compassionate Conservatives.

"We will always work to protect the most vulnerable and that is what we did with the [energy] price guarantee."

The current plan to help with energy bills will end in April but she says the most vulnerable will be protected beyond that. But the PM gives no guarantee of a rise in benefits in line with inflation - unlike for pensions, which she did commit to increasing in line with today's figure of 10.5%.

Chris Mason
Political editor

Away from the Commons for a minute - the BBC understands one of the prime minister’s most senior advisers has been suspended.

Jason Stein, a special adviser, is to face a formal investigation by the Propriety and Ethics Team in Whitehall, I am told.

There was anger among some Conservative backbenchers about briefings from No 10 sources over the weekend.

The BBC has called Stein, and he is yet to respond.

Chris Mason
Political editor

That was quite a moment just now. "I am a fighter, not a quitter!" said the prime minister, twice.

A line from the former Labour cabinet minister Lord Mandelson, incidentally.

From the press gallery, looking down on the Conservative before that line came - heads were down, arms were crossed, they were sitting in silence.

But Liz Truss brought news: Pensions WILL keep up with rising prices.

Everything was put on the table by the new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt as he looks at the numbers. The PM has just taken pensions off that table.

Image source, Parliament TV

Labour's Dame Meg Hiller says she understands that this afternoon's vote on fracking is a confidence vote - and asks why anyone in this country should have confidence in the PM?

Liz Truss says we face difficult economic times but she won't apologise for helping households though the winter with the energy price guarantee and reversing the National Insurance rise.

She adds she's taken action to get railways running rather than being disrupted by "militant unions".

The SNP's Philippa Whitford says it took the government "just five working days to crash the pound", noting the "damage is done" and the British people "face yet another round of Tory cuts".

She asks why the PM is still in office and "when will voters get a say on this disastrous government?"

Truss says she took difficult decisions in the interests of the country, in "very, very difficult economic times".

She adds it's important the government works together with the SNP to "get through this difficult winter".

Liz Truss is asked if more needs to be done on planning processes for large-scale developments to make sure there is more capacity in vital services.

The prime minister says she's been clear when new houses are built there need to be GP surgeries, schools and infrastructure too, and the new infrastructure levy will ensure money from developers go to supporting communities.

Image source, Parliament TV

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey says millions of families who rely on support for paying their bills in the current climate may find they can no longer afford to heat water for washing and bathing.

He asks if support, including the Carers' Allowance, will rise at least in line with inflation.

People are struggling, says Liz Truss, which she says is why her government introduced the energy price guarantee.

"We will always support the most vulnerable, they will always be our priority," she finishes.

Image source, Parliament TV

The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford says it's "not just pensioners feeling pain," listing increases in inflation, mortgage rates and energy bills.

"Why does she expect anyone else to pay the price for her failure?"

In response, Truss says she does not think Blackford can take yes for an answer as she has been clear they are protecting the triple lock on pensions.

She then went on to criticise Blackford, accusing him of pushing for division between the union.

Asked about increasing pensions in line with inflation, Truss says: "We have been clear in our manifesto that we will maintain the triple lock and I am completely committed to it. So is the chancellor."

"I am a fighter and not a quitter," Truss says.

"I have acted in the national interest to make sure that we have economic stability."

She goes on to say she has delivered on the energy price guarantee, National Insurance, and adds "we are going to deliver to stop the militant trade unions disrupting our railways."

Starmer says the only mandate the PM has ever had was built on fantasy economics and ended in disaster.

He says the country has nothing to show for it except the destruction of the economy and the implosion of the Tory party.

He mentions how her tax cuts pledged in the mini-budget were ditched on Monday.

"Her chancellor is gone as well, so why is she still here?" Starmer asks.