We're wrapping up our regular PMQs coverage now, as the Commons prepares to head on recess for a couple of weeks after tomorrow.
It was a particularly testy affair, with expected jibes over the state of the health service and immigration somewhat overshadowed by a row about transgender people.
Rishi Sunak attacked Keir Starmer for the policy U-turns he has made, and among a list of alleged flip-flops he said the Labour leader changed his view on "defining a woman".
Starmer, who earlier in the session had welcomed the mother of murdered transgender teenager Brianna Ghey to the public gallery, reacted with fury - accusing the prime minister of having "no shame" in making the jibe.
Sunak's spokeswoman told reporters it was "legitimate" to highlight Starmer changing his mind and denied the PM's remarks were transphobic.
Outside of this emerging controversy, Starmer accused Sunak of failing to address NHS appointment backlogs despite committing to do so as one of his key pledges.
Sunak responded by attacking Starmer of breaking "every single promise he was elected on".
Starmer also attacked Sunak's for his £1,000 bet with broadcaster Piers Morgan over whether some asylum seekers will be sent to Rwanda before the next election and growing problems with dentistry in the NHS.
Thanks for joining us.
BBC Verify
Daniel Wainright, data journalist
What do the opinion polls look like?
Here's
how the parties are faring in the opinion polls ahead of the next general
election.
Labour
is still polling at an average of around 45% once those who say they don't know
or won't vote are excluded, while the Conservatives are on an average of around
25%. That’s the same as last week.
The
Liberal Democrats and Reform UK are vying for third place and are both on
around 10%.
Polls
do vary from each other and are subject to error. The BBC's poll tracker
summarises polls with an average line that makes it easier to understand the
trend.
See
how each party's position has changed since 2020 with our new interactive poll
tracker.
BBCCopyright: BBC
BBC Verify
Tamara Kovacevic
Labour highlights Bristol dentist queues
Describing NHS dentistry, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said: "The consequences have been seen around the block in
Bristol."
We used the government’s "find a dentist" online tool to
check how far those who didn’t manage to register would have to go to find
another dentist taking new NHS patients.
If you are an adult aged 18 and over, and entitled to
free dental care, you would have to travel 36.7 miles to Marlborough where,
according to the government's website,
you could register at Dumbledore Dental Care practice.
What else is included in the new dental plan?
Following on straight after PMQs, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has been formally announcing to the Commons the details of the government's new dentistry plan.
For the coming year, dentists will receive £15 extra for every check-up they perform on NHS patients who haven't been treated in the last two years and £50 for every new NHS patient they treat who hasn't been seen over the same period
Up to 240 dentists will be paid £20,000 when they commit to working in areas in England where dentists are in short supply for at least three years
The government is rolling out "dental vans" to isolated, rural and coastal regions including Devon, Somerset, North Yorkshire, Norfolk and Suffolk to perform check-ups and simple procedures and fillings
There is the possibility of a "tie-in" to NHS work for dentistry graduates as "too many" are deciding to take on only private care rather than NHS work
Dental therapists, who currently cannot do things like administer antibiotics without the direction of dentists, will be able to do more
Mobile dental teams will apply preventative fluoride varnish to more than 165,000 reception age children's teeth and fluoride will be added to water supplies in rural areas to "prevent decay"
No 10 refuses to apologise for Sunak trans comment
Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent
Rishi Sunak’s press secretary says his comment about Keir Starmer’s position on transgender issues was "legitimate".
Asked after prime minister’s questions whether Sunak regretted his comment, the press secretary said it is "legitimate for the PM to have pointed out the number of U-turns” from the Labour leader.
She said that Sunak "spoke from the heart at the end of the session about this case".
Asked if the prime minister’s comment was transphobic, the press secretary said: "I don’t accept that at all."
She said she was not aware if the comment was prepared.
Sunak's spokeswoman also said the PM "always leads by example” and that unlike Starmer he has never "sworn at the despatch box".
BBC Verify
Lucy Gilder
Longest waiting times cut, but overall waiting list still high
During PMQs, Rishi Sunak
defended his government’s record on NHS waiting lists and claimed: "We are bringing the waiting list down for the longest
waiters."
This has fallen since the PM
made the pledge to cut waiting lists in England in January 2023. At that time
more than 1,100 people were waiting longer than two years. However, the current
number of people waiting has increased slightly compared with last month, when
190 people were on this list.
The overall number of waits for non-emergency
treatment in England was 7.6 million in November. This was the second monthly
fall in a row and about 96,000 down from October, but about 400,000 higher than
it was at the start of 2023.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Brianna Ghey's mother due to meet Starmer later
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is due to meet Esther Ghey, the mother of murdered transgender teenager Brianna Ghey, later this afternoon in Westminster.
She watched part of PMQs and is due to attend a Westminster Hall debate in Parliament about mindfulness in schools, organised by her local MP Charlotte Nichols.
Earlier, during PMQs, Starmer criticised the PM for using Labour's stance on the "definition of a woman" to make a political point. The prime minister later paid tribute to Esther Ghey saying she deserves "admiration and praise".
Family HandoutCopyright: Family Handout
Esther Ghey has been campaigning for more protection for children on social media, after her daughter was murdered by two fellow teenagers who planned the killing onlineImage caption: Esther Ghey has been campaigning for more protection for children on social media, after her daughter was murdered by two fellow teenagers who planned the killing online
Watch: Sunak and Starmer trade barbs on £1,000 Rwanda bet
The prime minister and leader of the Labour Party clashed in the Commons after Sunak took a bet from TalkTV's Piers Morgan over whether any planes carrying asylum seekers would leave for Rwanda before the general election.
Video content
Video caption: PMQs: Sunak and Starmer trade barbs on £1,000 Rwanda betPMQs: Sunak and Starmer trade barbs on £1,000 Rwanda bet
Sunak pays tribute to Brianna Ghey's mother
Just before PMQs ended, Labour MP Liz Twist asked Sunak if he would consider apologising to Brianna Ghey's mother "for his insensitive comments."
She is referring to Sunak's mocking tone earlier in the session when he criticised Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer for his stance on "the definition of a woman."
Sunak responded a few minutes later, paying tribute to Esther Ghey's "compassion and empathy" which he says demonstrates "the very best of humanity... she deserves all our admiration and praise".
BBC Verify
Anthony Reuben
Cancer survival rates improving but at a slower rate
Responding to criticism of NHS waiting lists, the prime
minister said: “In the NHS [there are] higher cancer survival rates.”
He is right that survival rates have
been improving, according a a report last week from Cancer Research UK.
But the report looking at figures for England and Wales found that they had been improving at a slower rate than
previously.
It said that the rate of progress
was five times faster in the 2000s than in the 2010s and blamed lack of
research funding.
Analysis
Brianna Ghey row overshadows clashes on NHS and dentists
Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent
Briefer than
normal and more acrid than normal.
The
exchanges between the prime minister and Sir Keir Starmer are often testy, but
this week they were especially so, with speaker Lindsay Hoyle interrupting
repeatedly to order barracking backbenchers to calm down.
Ostensibly
the two party leaders were arguing about the NHS and dentistry.
But the
moment which is likely to be remembered longest from today was when Rishi
Sunak, reeling off a long list of what he said were Starmer’s U-turns, made a
jibe about his position on "the definition of a woman".
Starmer, his
left hand shaking as it clutched his notes, was visibly furious, instantly
hitting back: "Of all the weeks to say that when Brianna's mother is in this
chamber."
He was
referring to Esther Ghey, the mother of Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old transgender
girl who was murdered last year.
Esther Ghey
actually missed the exchange, arriving in the public gallery about 15 minutes
into PMQs.
Starmer criticises Sunak after transgender comment
In the cut and thrust of PMQs there was a moment of drama during the exchanges when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak accused Starmer of changing his mind on a range
of promises including the definition of a woman.
This brought shocked noises from MPs on the opposition benches, with Starmer noting that Esther Ghey – mother of the murdered transgender teen Brianna Ghey – was visiting the House of Commons and said
Sunak had “no shame”.
Post update
Flynn follows up by saying the bet was worth £1,000 and came hours after the PM ended cost of living support
He asks Sunak what he thinks makes him look more out of touch, gambling £1,000 or thinking that the cost of living is getting better?
Sunak replies by asking Flynn if he can explain to the Scottish people why the UK government is cutting taxes when Scotland is raising them?
SNP Westminster leader sends sympathies to Brianna's mum
The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn also expresses sympathies for Brianna Ghey's mother and sends his best wishes to King Charles for a quick recovery.
He says the public are used to the Tories gambling on the lives of others, citing Boris Johnson over health issues and Liz Truss on government finances, as examples.
Flynn adds that Sunak is not to be outdone by taking a "crude bet" on asylum seekers being deported to Rwanda before the next election.
He says Sunak has "degraded" his office and calls on him to apologise.
The prime minister replies by saying that if someone comes to the country illegally they should be removed and "that's why we're committed to the Rwanda scheme".
Sunak challenges Starmer over green spending pledge
Sunak says the best way to back the NHS is not to make £28bn of funding commitments.
He says Treasury civil servants have done a costing of Labour's green spending plans, which will cost double what they say.
Sunak says it is crystal clear Labour has no plan, which will be funded through more taxes.
Post update
There are some areas in England where you can't find an NHS dentist, says Starmer.
People are literally pulling out their teeth with pliers, he adds.
The truth is, says Starmer, after 14 years of neglect, this recovery plan is "desperate".
He also asks what is so special about the tax avoidance scheme government prioritises above the NHS?
Sunak says government pledges on dentistry go further than Labour
Sunak responds that Starmer "forgets the impact of a pandemic" on NHS dentistry.
He says it was because of the close proximity nature of dental provision that it was unable to operate as normal throughout the pandemic - that was a recommendation of the medical experts, he says, so the backlog was "inevitable".
But he says he is putting in more funding to provide more NHS provision and plans to see dental training places increase by 40%
He says his plans mean there will be 2.5 million more dental appointments - more than Starmer is promising, he adds.
Post update
Starmer says he welcomes the government's commitment to improve NHS dentistry, after finally "acknowledging the "crisis in NHS dentistry".
But after 14 years of a Conservative government, he asks: "What exactly is it recovering from?"
Post update
Sunak says he is bringing NHS waiting lists down for the longest waiters.
He says it is a "bit rich" to hear about promises from "somebody who has broken every single promise he was elected on", citing tuition fees, childcare and "defining a woman".
He says Starmer is "empty words, broken promises and absolutely no plan".
Starmer goes again at PM's pledges on the NHS
The PM says he stands by his comments, Starmer says sarcastically, before adding that today we learned that Sunak blocked an end to the doctors' strikes.
"What exactly did he mean when he said it's on him personally if he doesn't meet his promise?" asks the Labour leader.
Live Reporting
Edited by Rob Corp and Alex Therrien
All times stated are UK
BBCCopyright: BBC -
For the coming year, dentists will receive £15 extra for every check-up they perform on NHS patients who haven't been treated in the last two years and £50 for every new NHS patient they treat who hasn't been seen over the same period
-
Up to 240 dentists will be paid £20,000 when they commit to working in areas in England where dentists are in short supply for at least three years
-
The government is rolling out "dental vans" to isolated, rural and coastal regions including Devon, Somerset, North Yorkshire, Norfolk and Suffolk to perform check-ups and simple procedures and fillings
-
There is the possibility of a "tie-in" to NHS work for dentistry graduates as "too many" are deciding to take on only private care rather than NHS work
-
Dental therapists, who currently cannot do things like administer antibiotics without the direction of dentists, will be able to do more
-
Mobile dental teams will apply preventative fluoride varnish to more than 165,000 reception age children's teeth and fluoride will be added to water supplies in rural areas to "prevent decay"
BBCCopyright: BBC 
Family HandoutCopyright: Family Handout Esther Ghey has been campaigning for more protection for children on social media, after her daughter was murdered by two fellow teenagers who planned the killing onlineImage caption: Esther Ghey has been campaigning for more protection for children on social media, after her daughter was murdered by two fellow teenagers who planned the killing online Video caption: PMQs: Sunak and Starmer trade barbs on £1,000 Rwanda betPMQs: Sunak and Starmer trade barbs on £1,000 Rwanda bet Analysis
Latest PostTrans comment dominates post-PMQs agenda
We're wrapping up our regular PMQs coverage now, as the Commons prepares to head on recess for a couple of weeks after tomorrow.
It was a particularly testy affair, with expected jibes over the state of the health service and immigration somewhat overshadowed by a row about transgender people.
Rishi Sunak attacked Keir Starmer for the policy U-turns he has made, and among a list of alleged flip-flops he said the Labour leader changed his view on "defining a woman".
Starmer, who earlier in the session had welcomed the mother of murdered transgender teenager Brianna Ghey to the public gallery, reacted with fury - accusing the prime minister of having "no shame" in making the jibe.
The exchange has dominated the post-PMQs news agenda, with calls on Sunak to apologise batted back by No 10.
Sunak's spokeswoman told reporters it was "legitimate" to highlight Starmer changing his mind and denied the PM's remarks were transphobic.
Outside of this emerging controversy, Starmer accused Sunak of failing to address NHS appointment backlogs despite committing to do so as one of his key pledges.
Sunak responded by attacking Starmer of breaking "every single promise he was elected on".
Starmer also attacked Sunak's for his £1,000 bet with broadcaster Piers Morgan over whether some asylum seekers will be sent to Rwanda before the next election and growing problems with dentistry in the NHS.
Thanks for joining us.
BBC Verify
Daniel Wainright, data journalist
What do the opinion polls look like?
Here's how the parties are faring in the opinion polls ahead of the next general election.
Labour is still polling at an average of around 45% once those who say they don't know or won't vote are excluded, while the Conservatives are on an average of around 25%. That’s the same as last week.
The Liberal Democrats and Reform UK are vying for third place and are both on around 10%.
Polls do vary from each other and are subject to error. The BBC's poll tracker summarises polls with an average line that makes it easier to understand the trend.
See how each party's position has changed since 2020 with our new interactive poll tracker.
BBC Verify
Tamara Kovacevic
Labour highlights Bristol dentist queues
Describing NHS dentistry, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said: "The consequences have been seen around the block in Bristol."
He was talking about the hundreds of people seen queuing in Bristol after a dental practice opened up for registrations of new NHS patients.
We used the government’s "find a dentist" online tool to check how far those who didn’t manage to register would have to go to find another dentist taking new NHS patients.
If you are an adult aged 18 and over, and entitled to free dental care, you would have to travel 36.7 miles to Marlborough where, according to the government's website, you could register at Dumbledore Dental Care practice.
What else is included in the new dental plan?
Following on straight after PMQs, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has been formally announcing to the Commons the details of the government's new dentistry plan.
You can read about the new scheme here, but these are some of the main points from Atkins' statement:
No 10 refuses to apologise for Sunak trans comment
Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent
Rishi Sunak’s press secretary says his comment about Keir Starmer’s position on transgender issues was "legitimate".
Asked after prime minister’s questions whether Sunak regretted his comment, the press secretary said it is "legitimate for the PM to have pointed out the number of U-turns” from the Labour leader.
She said that Sunak "spoke from the heart at the end of the session about this case".
Asked if the prime minister’s comment was transphobic, the press secretary said: "I don’t accept that at all."
She said she was not aware if the comment was prepared.
Sunak's spokeswoman also said the PM "always leads by example” and that unlike Starmer he has never "sworn at the despatch box".
BBC Verify
Lucy Gilder
Longest waiting times cut, but overall waiting list still high
During PMQs, Rishi Sunak defended his government’s record on NHS waiting lists and claimed: "We are bringing the waiting list down for the longest waiters."
There were 227 people waiting more than two years to start treatment at the end of November 2023, according to the latest NHS England figures.
This has fallen since the PM made the pledge to cut waiting lists in England in January 2023. At that time more than 1,100 people were waiting longer than two years. However, the current number of people waiting has increased slightly compared with last month, when 190 people were on this list.
The overall number of waits for non-emergency treatment in England was 7.6 million in November. This was the second monthly fall in a row and about 96,000 down from October, but about 400,000 higher than it was at the start of 2023.
Brianna Ghey's mother due to meet Starmer later
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is due to meet Esther Ghey, the mother of murdered transgender teenager Brianna Ghey, later this afternoon in Westminster.
She watched part of PMQs and is due to attend a Westminster Hall debate in Parliament about mindfulness in schools, organised by her local MP Charlotte Nichols.
Earlier, during PMQs, Starmer criticised the PM for using Labour's stance on the "definition of a woman" to make a political point. The prime minister later paid tribute to Esther Ghey saying she deserves "admiration and praise".
Watch: Sunak and Starmer trade barbs on £1,000 Rwanda bet
The prime minister and leader of the Labour Party clashed in the Commons after Sunak took a bet from TalkTV's Piers Morgan over whether any planes carrying asylum seekers would leave for Rwanda before the general election.
Video content
Sunak pays tribute to Brianna Ghey's mother
Just before PMQs ended, Labour MP Liz Twist asked Sunak if he would consider apologising to Brianna Ghey's mother "for his insensitive comments."
She is referring to Sunak's mocking tone earlier in the session when he criticised Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer for his stance on "the definition of a woman."
Sunak responded a few minutes later, paying tribute to Esther Ghey's "compassion and empathy" which he says demonstrates "the very best of humanity... she deserves all our admiration and praise".
BBC Verify
Anthony Reuben
Cancer survival rates improving but at a slower rate
Responding to criticism of NHS waiting lists, the prime minister said: “In the NHS [there are] higher cancer survival rates.”
He is right that survival rates have been improving, according a a report last week from Cancer Research UK.
But the report looking at figures for England and Wales found that they had been improving at a slower rate than previously.
It said that the rate of progress was five times faster in the 2000s than in the 2010s and blamed lack of research funding.
Brianna Ghey row overshadows clashes on NHS and dentists
Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent
Briefer than normal and more acrid than normal.
The exchanges between the prime minister and Sir Keir Starmer are often testy, but this week they were especially so, with speaker Lindsay Hoyle interrupting repeatedly to order barracking backbenchers to calm down.
Ostensibly the two party leaders were arguing about the NHS and dentistry.
But the moment which is likely to be remembered longest from today was when Rishi Sunak, reeling off a long list of what he said were Starmer’s U-turns, made a jibe about his position on "the definition of a woman".
Starmer, his left hand shaking as it clutched his notes, was visibly furious, instantly hitting back: "Of all the weeks to say that when Brianna's mother is in this chamber."
He was referring to Esther Ghey, the mother of Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old transgender girl who was murdered last year.
Esther Ghey actually missed the exchange, arriving in the public gallery about 15 minutes into PMQs.
Starmer criticises Sunak after transgender comment
In the cut and thrust of PMQs there was a moment of drama during the exchanges when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak accused Starmer of changing his mind on a range of promises including the definition of a woman.
This brought shocked noises from MPs on the opposition benches, with Starmer noting that Esther Ghey – mother of the murdered transgender teen Brianna Ghey – was visiting the House of Commons and said Sunak had “no shame”.
Post update
Flynn follows up by saying the bet was worth £1,000 and came hours after the PM ended cost of living support
He asks Sunak what he thinks makes him look more out of touch, gambling £1,000 or thinking that the cost of living is getting better?
Sunak replies by asking Flynn if he can explain to the Scottish people why the UK government is cutting taxes when Scotland is raising them?
SNP Westminster leader sends sympathies to Brianna's mum
The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn also expresses sympathies for Brianna Ghey's mother and sends his best wishes to King Charles for a quick recovery.
He says the public are used to the Tories gambling on the lives of others, citing Boris Johnson over health issues and Liz Truss on government finances, as examples.
Flynn adds that Sunak is not to be outdone by taking a "crude bet" on asylum seekers being deported to Rwanda before the next election.
He says Sunak has "degraded" his office and calls on him to apologise.
The prime minister replies by saying that if someone comes to the country illegally they should be removed and "that's why we're committed to the Rwanda scheme".
Sunak challenges Starmer over green spending pledge
Sunak says the best way to back the NHS is not to make £28bn of funding commitments.
He says Treasury civil servants have done a costing of Labour's green spending plans, which will cost double what they say.
Sunak says it is crystal clear Labour has no plan, which will be funded through more taxes.
Post update
There are some areas in England where you can't find an NHS dentist, says Starmer.
People are literally pulling out their teeth with pliers, he adds.
The truth is, says Starmer, after 14 years of neglect, this recovery plan is "desperate".
He also asks what is so special about the tax avoidance scheme government prioritises above the NHS?
Sunak says government pledges on dentistry go further than Labour
Sunak responds that Starmer "forgets the impact of a pandemic" on NHS dentistry.
He says it was because of the close proximity nature of dental provision that it was unable to operate as normal throughout the pandemic - that was a recommendation of the medical experts, he says, so the backlog was "inevitable".
But he says he is putting in more funding to provide more NHS provision and plans to see dental training places increase by 40%
He says his plans mean there will be 2.5 million more dental appointments - more than Starmer is promising, he adds.
Post update
Starmer says he welcomes the government's commitment to improve NHS dentistry, after finally "acknowledging the "crisis in NHS dentistry".
But after 14 years of a Conservative government, he asks: "What exactly is it recovering from?"
Post update
Sunak says he is bringing NHS waiting lists down for the longest waiters.
He says it is a "bit rich" to hear about promises from "somebody who has broken every single promise he was elected on", citing tuition fees, childcare and "defining a woman".
He says Starmer is "empty words, broken promises and absolutely no plan".
Starmer goes again at PM's pledges on the NHS
The PM says he stands by his comments, Starmer says sarcastically, before adding that today we learned that Sunak blocked an end to the doctors' strikes.
"What exactly did he mean when he said it's on him personally if he doesn't meet his promise?" asks the Labour leader.