Iain Watson
Political correspondent

For those who watched Andy Burnham campaign in Makerfield at the by-election that brought him back to parliament, and his speeches first as Labour leader and then as prime minister, much of the material in his first statement to Parliament was familiar.

Particularly his commitment to devolution and arguing that No 10 North in Manchester can drive much-needed economic growth.

And he repeated his analysis of why growth was stunted - that the country had taken a ’wrong turn’ in the eighties and since: power centralised, public services privatised, the country de-industrialised.

For all his talk of "problem solving" rather than "point scoring", he drew stark dividing lines with the Conservatives and Reform UK by emphasising his belief that Brexit had "compounded the damage".

But he praised the Lib Dems for being willing to co-operate on the reform of social care, and once again the PM said he wanted to bring back hope.

Andy Burnham has finished taking questions from MPs - the first time he has been questioned directly by the benches since becoming prime minister.

He stood at the dispatch box for more than three hours this afternoon, answering on a range of topics from the economy, climate and the Middle East.

Up next is Justice Secretary Alex Norris, who will be updating the house on prison reform plans.

You will be able to watch live by pressing play at the top of this page, and we will continue to bring you the key lines.

Burnham is next asked about last month's drone attack at Leipzig's airport, which Germany says today was carried out by Russia.

As a reminder, a drone carrying an explosive device, which failed to explode, was discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport in eastern Germany, close to Ukrainian cargo planes, on 4 August.

Investigators suspect a second drone collided with a cargo aircraft nearby, while a third drone was reportedly found near the airport 10 days later.

Burnham says it was a "very serious incident" and the UK stands in "full solidarity" with Germany in the face of the "egregious and unacceptable" attack.

"I am in touch with Chancellor Merz and we are working closely with our allies to defend any threats to Nato and our allies," he adds.

Image source, PA Media

Since becoming prime minister in July, Andy Burnham has made a series of announcements aimed at helping the public with the cost of living, and it was a big focus of his speech today.

Here's a quick look at some of his plans:

• Energy bills - VAT will be cut from household energy bills from 5%, to zero from 1 October
• Public transport - Most bus fares in England will be capped at £2 from January
• Business rates cuts - Pubs, social clubs and live music venues in England will be given a 20% cut to business rates from April
• Subscription traps - Burnham has brought forward by three month plans announced by his predecessor, Keir Starmer, to end so-called subscription traps and a crackdown on "pretend prices"
• Rough sleeping - Burnham made ending rough sleeping in the UK his first policy pledge as prime minister

But there have been questions from opposition politicians on how these policies will be funded and whether there will be new tax rises.

Image source, UK Parliament

MP for South Dorset Lloyd Hatton praises Burnham's 20 per cent cut to business rates for pubs, clubs, and live music venues.

But he points out other hospitality businesses, including cafes, restaurants and hotels also need help with the cost of business rates and asks if Burnham will look at widening the support so they're included.

Burnham says the government is "giving close consideration to that very suggestion".

The first chance for MPs to see Burnham in his new rolepublished at 18:36 BST

18:36 BST

Chris Mason
Political editor

Image source, UK Parliament

Andy Burnham hovered by the Speaker’s chair waiting his turn. The customary roar of approval from Labour MPs followed.

Having pondered whether to stick with Keir Starmer or twist with a new leader earlier this year, this was their first chance to see how Burnham gets on in the role.

After the soft launch of the summer - heatwaves plentiful, Commons scrutiny absent, this felt like week one stuff, six weeks in.

His opponents privately acknowledge his more upbeat demeanour - sunnier disposition - is politically savvy, but also spot laden political clouds to point at: prisons, overcrowded; defence, underfunded; social care, unreformed - to zoom in on a mere trio.

The autumn diary, already heavy - a visit to the UN, a conference speech, a Budget, a 10 year plan - now home to a tricky by-election for Labour too. A parting gift from the prime minister’s deposed predecessor just hours before Burnham’s big moment in the Commons.

The outward signs of autumn grow plentiful in September - the return of Westminster one of them. And it’s back.

Image source, UK Parliament

The Labour MP for Cities of London and Westminster, Rachel Blake, raises the PM's pledge to end rough sleeping.

She says people who have been sleeping rough feel they have been "passed from pillar to post", and don't feel safe to stay in the hostel spaces they've been offered.

Blake asks if the prime minister will work with her on the issue of local connection and the condition of hostels.

Burnham says he will work with her on this and that he "agrees with everything" she's saying.

He says the approach was right during the pandemic when "people were given a settled place to stay".

"When they are in the same place every night, that is when they begin to recover," he adds.

The PM will have to turn 'theory' of growth into a concrete planpublished at 18:04 BST

18:04 BST

Faisal Islam
Economics editor

Image source, UK Parliament

The prime minister made clear that more help would be on its way with the cost of living saying "life is too expensive and too hard for too many", as he acknowledged relatively modest moves made over summer as "a little breathing space".

He said it was important to be "blunt" about economic policies that had failed to lift growth and living standards, and that he had a "clear theory of growth" learning from what he achieved in Greater Manchester.

This he says, shows the value of more "public control". The PM will have to flesh out exactly how that translates into real and sustained growth, and how, for example, he can fund infrastructure spending and cost of living support.

Around the world there are warning lights flashing from the markets for government debt.

It isn’t just about a convincing Budget next month. He will have to turn his "theory" of growth into a convincing and concrete plan in the coming weeks.

Image source, UK Parliament

Labour MP Debbie Abrahams questions the prime minister about Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP asks Burnham what he believes the "appropriate action" is in relation to these "unlawful settlements".

The PM replies that he believes the government needs to "look again" at its approach and be "very clear about our values and what we believe is right".

He describes Israel's E1 West Bank settlement plan as "really quite worrying" and says "these matters are urgent and do need to be confronted", adding his government will update Parliament on this soon.

The Green Party MP for North Herefordshire, Dr Ellie Chowns, mentions that the UK has had its hottest summer on record, and asks if the PM will stick to the manifesto promise not to drill more oil and gas.

She asks specifically about the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields, and says they will create climate damage and lead to more disasters.

Burnham replies and says he is ready to work with her, and adds he carries a clear commitment to a carbon neutral future.

He says it is the wrong approach to have one or the other.

"We will have to find a way to make a transition from oil and gas to a renewable future," he says, adding that there has to be a transition process.

Reform MP Richard Tice is speaking and addresses the topic of renewables, saying the increase in energy prices is driven by a "rush towards net stupid zero".

He says it is "madness" to import gas from overseas and asks when the PM will approve licences for the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields in the North Sea.

Burnham replies, saying renewables can bring down the cost of living and urges Tice to "look into the facts" more before making such statements.

He adds that Tice's mistake is saying it must be a choice of oil and gas or renewables.

"The truth is it's going to have to be both," Burnham says.

Image source, UK Parliament

Questions remain over how much money the PM will commit to defencepublished at 17:25 BST

17:25 BST

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Image source, UK Parliament

The Conservatives smell blood on defence spending.

While Andy Burnham has committed to fully funding the defence investment plan he inherited, he has been far more coy when it comes to committing to spending 3% of national income on defence by 2030.

He said there will be a date for 3% in next year’s spending review but has avoided saying explicitly this date for this will indeed be 2030.

To ease the pressure in his first statement as PM in Parliament, he turned to the man sitting next to him – Chancellor John Healey, who resigned as defence secretary (thus helping push Keir Starmer out of the door of Downing Street) over a failure of the last administration to commit to that target.

Andy Burnham said with some flourish he appointed "this Chancellor" because of his commitments.

It’s not clear if this is nodding and winking assent to the defence uplift, or if it is unduly raising expectations.

Image source, UK Parliament

Dave Doogan, leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the House of Commons, says he agrees with the prime minister that the UK and Westminster are not working.

He then attacks Labour's record on energy bills and asks whether Burnham can give a date on when energy bills will be £300 lower, as he says Labour has promised the public.

Burnham responds and says he can relate to Doogan's perspective on Westminster from when he used to have "frustrations" during his time as an MP, before he resigned to run as Greater Manchester Mayor.

He says when it comes to energy bills, he has acted already to bring in a cut on VAT on electricity bills and scrapping VAT on household electricity bills in October.

"I recognise it's just a start but I hope he sees it as a sign of intent," he adds.

Image source, UK Parliament

Middlesbrough and Thornaby East MP Andy McDonald is next to ask the prime minister a question, and starts by thanking Burnham for his tribute to the two Cleveland police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, who were killed in the A66 crash last week.

McDonald, a Labour MP, says there is a continued waste of public funds through the use of outsourcing in core public services and urges Burnham to do more on insourcing.

Burnham replies by saying he was really distressed by what he saw in his community following the tragic deaths of PC Blades and PC Clough.

He adds from his previous role as Greater Manchester Mayor, he knows about the "unfairness in police funding" and agrees they need to look at that as part of wider police reform.

The PM says Labour's manifesto commits them to the "largest wave of insourcing in a generation" and adds his government is overseeing that work.

What will the new PM do about the welfare bill?published at 17:09 BST

17:09 BST

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Under questioning, it is becoming clearer what Andy Burnham’s approach to welfare will be.

He has said before there wouldn’t be "crude" cuts. He now suggests the "Labour way" of doing that is more council homes.

His logic is that these would have lower rents than the private sector, therefore the housing benefit bill would go down.

But it takes time for new housing developments to be built, and capital investment is needed.

In a separate answer he talks about getting more young people in to work.

Detail probably won't be provided until the second report from the former cabinet minister Alan Milburn on Neets (young people not in education, employment or training) later in the year.

We're now hearing from Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey who tells Burnham he hopes he can turn things around "quickly" as people are "fed up".

It becomes harder to make ends meet, waiting lists seem to go up, more and more things seem broken, he says.

Every new PM has talked about the economy, cutting the cost of living, public services, public trust - but they have "failed because they stuck to a broken political system", he says.

He asks whether the PM will make fundamental changes to make politics work for people and "launch a national commission to change politics".

Burnham says he agrees there is "too much power in the wrong hands", going back to attacking the water industry in England and asking whether any MP can argue it is "sufficiently accountable to their constituents".

On a national commission, Burnham adds that he is interested in looking at political reform, and the voting system.

Image source, UK Parliament

The prime minister now turns to the new shadow cabinet appointed by Kemi Badenoch, and says that "at least half" supported the government of Liz Truss.

Burnham refers to Badenoch pointing out he had only been in the job for 43 days, and says "that means in six days this government will have outlived the Truss government".

He says Labour is "not in a position to take lectures when this country is moving in the right direction" - pointing to the economy, small boat crossings, and the cost of living.

"That is what we will continue to do to turn this country around," Burnham concludes.

Burnham continues and says illegal migrant boat crossings are significantly down and that is because of the actions his government has been taking - helped by the French.

They will continue to be "relentless" on this, he says.

On the early release of prisoners, he notes that there isn't "any moral high ground for any party in this house", adding the justice secretary will lay out a timeline for returning foreign offenders this afternoon.

He says he "hopes we can work together" across the house on the issue of indefinite sentences, and not leave them unresolved.

On growth, he says he "cut tax twice in my first week" and adds he is "committed" to bringing down the welfare bill, but in a way that is "not just about crude cuts but about providing the right support for people - especially young people".

Burnham not fazed by first Commons appearance as PMpublished at 16:53 BST

16:53 BST

Ben Wright
BBC political correspondent

Image source, UK Parliament

Andy Burnham doesn't seem fazed by his first appearance at the dispatch box for 16 years.

A remarkably long absence from the Commons front bench, for a man who's just become prime minister.

Many of the faces in the Chamber will be new to him.

But a lot of what he's said so far is similar to what he's been saying since taking office six weeks ago: a broken politics that needs fixing, an economy that doesn't work for many people.

This is a chance for MPs to press him on potential solutions.

Kemi Badenoch has finished speaking and now Andy Burnham is back at the dispatch box - responding to some of her questions.

He thanks Badenoch for the welcome and says he appreciates the "tone of some" of what she said, adding he wants to work across the floor with her "where we can".

Burnham says the Tory leader was right to mention Ukraine and adds Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak set the right tone on the topic.

During his visit last month, he says he wanted to send a clear message that a change of PM does not mean a change in Britain's approach.

He also admits the job of PM is different to that of mayor, but says Badenoch is wrong to say he didn't worry about national security.

Burnham reminds her that he dealt with a terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena in 2017, and the Heaton Park synagogue attack last year.

On defence, he says he appointed John Healey as chancellor because of his commitment to the armed forces, adding the government will set out a path to spending commitments later this year.