SNP MP Pete Wishart asked whether there is now any difference between Labour and Tory policies - an apparent reference to Sir Keir Starmer's refusal to abolish the two-child limit on claiming some benefits.

Wishart suggested the House of Commons should rearrange its furniture and have the two main parties' MPs sitting together on "one big bench".

Sunak responded by saying the SNP and Labour should settle their own differences.

Conservative MP Mark Francois said his colleagues on the defence select committee were shocked by a recent video of their chairman and Tory MP, Tobias Ellwood, "lauding" the leadership of the Taliban after a recent visit to Afghanistan.

Francois emphasises Ellwood's visit was "not in our name" and asks Sunak for assurance "this silly and naive act was not in his name either".

Sunak said Francois was right to highlight bans on women being educated in Afghanistan.

He added that the UK having dialogue with certain political regimes does not mean the government "considers them to be legitimate or approves of their actions", but was a normal part of diplomatic relations

The PM concluded by saying he'd be happy to look into the specifics of Ellwood's visit

You can read more about the controversy here.

Labour's Bradford West MP Naz Shah touched on her own personal experiences of being homeless at a young age in her question to the PM about what he is doing to stop people becoming homeless.

Sunak responded that rough sleeping levels were at the lowest levels compared to a peak in 2017, adding the government intends to spend £2bn in the next few years to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.

Prime Minister's Questions has now finished in the House of Commons, but stay with us as we catch you up on a few more questions the backbenchers asked - and bring your more updates and analysis, including more on that apology to LGBT members of the armed forces.

Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg asks the prime minister whether he "shares his unease" over the claims by Nigel Farage that his bank account was closed over his political views.

Sunak says that it "wouldn't be right" for bank accounts to be closed for people "exercising their right to lawful free speech". He adds that the government is tightening the rules around account closures, and that those with a grievance can complain to the financial ombudsman service.

Image source, HoC

The SNP's Philippa Whitford asks the PM about NHS strikes, highlighting how junior doctors have led their longest ever strike in England and consultants are about to go on strike for the first time in 50 years.

This has been avoided in Scotland, she says, not by chance but because the Scottish government has worked with the unions on pay.

She asks: "Does he really think refusing to even talk to health unions will stop doctors leaving the NHS?"

Sunak responds by saying the government has spoken to unions but "we also respected the independent pay review body process, which is the right way to resolve these issues".

Tory MP for Tunbridge Wells Greg Clark brings up yesterday's news that Jaguar Land Rover's owners Tata Steel plans to build its flagship electric car battery factory in the UK.

He asks if Sunak plans to build on the success.

The PM replies that Clark is right to highlight the investment, pointing to "billions of pounds, thousands of jobs and a massive vote of confidence in the UK".

Read more about the plans for the factory here

Image source, HoC

Tory MP Andrew Selous asks what more the government can do to get schools to promote apprenticeships to pupils and parents.

Sunak says one of the practical steps the government is taking is to put all apprenticeships on Ucas - the university applications system - from this autumn.

He says this will make sure apprenticeship courses have the same "parity of esteem" as university degrees for many parents and students.

Sunak repeats his plans to "clamp down" on university degrees which do not give positive employment outcomes for graduates, which the government announced earlier this week.

Green MP Caroline Lucas says it's exactly a year since UK temperatures hit 40C for the first time, and there were 3,000 excess deaths last summer.

The government's own climate advisers say progress towards net zero is "worryingly slow", she adds, and since the Paris climate agreement, it's simply not true - as she says Sunak has claimed - that the UK is decarbonising faster than other countries.

With experts, businesses and the public all wanting bolder climate action, Lucas adds, why is net zero not one of the PM's top five priorities?

Sunak insists the UK has decarbonised quicker and faster than anyone else, and it's inevitable that others will catch up.

He says the government's track record is a good one, because it's making long-term decisions to transition to net zero in a way that creates jobs.

Image source, HoC

Chris Mason
Political editor

PMQs feels rather like a greatest hits album mixed with a bit of pantomime this week.

There is an end-of-term vibe to things.

The prime minister’s talk about trades unions.

The Labour leader’s talk of so-called non-doms for tax purposes.

The SNP seeking to have a pop at Labour — their principal rival at the next general election - as well as the Conservatives.

And a sprinkling in of by-election electioneering too, ahead of three contests tomorrow.

More from Flynn who says Westminster offers "no real hope" or "no real change" to children living in poverty in Scotland.

Sunak replies saying the best route out of poverty is through work, adding that the government is focused on creating more jobs so fewer children grow up in workless households.

"I don't want to see any child grow up in poverty," he says.

Image source, HoC

SNP Westminser leader Stephen Flynn uses his first question to attack Sunak over the two child benefit cap, saying it has left 250,000 children living in poverty. Flynn asks the prime minister whether he "takes comfort" that the policy will be supported by the Labour Party as well.

Sunak responds by saying that he welcomes Labour's support for the policy. He then takes a swipe at Labour, saying Starmer has never kept a promise that he made.

Starmer and Sunak clash over NHS waiting listspublished at 12:23 British Summer Time 19 July 2023

12:23 BST 19 July 2023

Chris Mason
Political editor

NHS waiting lists are at the core of this last political joust of the season between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer.

The Labour leader pointed out that waiting lists have got longer since Sunak became prime minister.

Sunak blamed that on the strikes in the health service.

And Starmer sought to argue that Labour is responsible with public money — claiming his plan for the NHS is fully-costed and the government’s is not.

Rishi Sunak says the government will deliver on its manifesto commitment to build 40 new hospitals.

He says they're also delivering 100 hospital upgrades and more than 100 community diagnostic hubs, listing a variety of Labour constituencies these new facilities will be located in.

He then asks why Starmer wants to charge people £12.50 for visiting a GP, referencing the extension of the London ULEZ zone that Labour's London mayor Sadiq Khan is introducing.

Starmer jabs back: "If he's so good at maths I'm 60, not 61".

He points to Hillingdon hospital in Uxbridge, where "staff are working in appalling conditions and patient safety is at risk" saying it's a snapshot of issues across the country.

The Labour leader says the government's hospital programme has "some gaps" and many of the 40 new hospitals "aren't even hospitals".

He wants to know if the 40 new hospitals will ever actually be built.

Sunak says Labour's policy of scrapping nom-dom status is paying for five different things, and jokingly makes the case for people to carry on studying maths beyond 18 to the age of 61, alluding to the Labour leader's age.

The PM adds that Labour has a policy to train more NHS staff, but only the government has set out comprehensive plans to retain more staff and to make the NHS more productive.

Starmer, he says, is interested only in superficial headlines.

Starmer says "in that burst of nonsense" people didn't hear how he'll pay for the extra NHS workforce.

He says Labour's plan is to scrap non-dom status which he claims would fully fund the staffing boost.

Starmer then attacks Sunak about non-dom status being an important "loophole".

Sunak says the staffing plan is fully funded and says he's "pleased" Starmer is now interested in fiscal responsibility.

The PM says he thinks it's right to accept pay recommendations, but that involves taking difficult decisions to avoid driving up inflation

He goes on to criticise Starmer for "refusing to take a position on the issue" while Labour MPs are "back on the picket lines".

"​He should unglue himself from the fence," Sunak concludes.

Sir Keir Starmer next attacks the Tories over their economic competence.

He says it's less than a year since the Conservatives "crashed the economy" with unfunded spending commitments under former PM Liz Truss.

He asks: "Is this just the latest promise to fall from the Tories' magic money tree?"

Sunak says his long-term NHS workforce plan is fully funded and has been welcomed across the NHS.

A&E waiting times are the best in two years, he adds, while the worst ones in the UK are under Labour in Wales.