>> now from london prime minister's question time, live from the british house of commons. every wednesday while parliament is in session, prime minister gordon brown takes questions from members of the house of commons. prior to question time, the house is wrapping up previous business. this is live coverage on c-span2. >> first ever job summit on monday in this week. >> of the jobs he claims to be creating beyond people in scotland? >> mr. speaker, first of all, they guarantee that, is what his government did in 1980. the reports of 1 million more people in work across scotland then when we came to power. the point, the genuine point behind his question is a guaranteeing of these young people get meaningful

employment, have jobs, that show they have the finest and self dependence for their own children and their own retirement. >> i think the best ever to promote the way of scotland, my constituencies will be severely hampered by the decision to withdraw. you've done is because of the scottish government. and my honorable friend tells what he's going to do? >> mr. speaker, my honorable friend is always on the gate defending his constituency and promoting employment. another transport project that their government has canceled. i think many people in scotland will believe that they just don't understand that part of our country. >> order. questions for the prime minister. >> mr. speaker, before listing

my engagement, i know the whole house will wish to join in paying tribute to captain daniel read from 11 explosive ordnance regiment, royal logistic corps. he died in afghanistan on monday undertaking the dangerous work of protecting his old soldiers and civilians him explosive devices. the courage and selflessness of this work is truly breathtaking. his sacrifice will not be forgotten and we send our sincere condolences to his family and friends. i know the whole house will also wish to pay tribute to another who lost his life in afghanistan while reporting from the front line. and from his colleague who was injured. and our thoughts are also with their families, and colic. we are grateful for those who put their lives in danger to make sure the world is aware of the danger he of those serving in afghanistan. mr. speaker, because of the

devastating earthquake overnight, haiti has moved to the front of the world's thoughts and the world compassion. the government will respond with emergency aid, emergency kleman and finance. mr. speaker, this morning i had meeting with others in addition to my duties in this house. i shall refer to such meetings later today. >> i'm sure the whole house will agree with the prime minister's statement of condolence. looking back, our economy ends up with a recession was one the largest budget deficits of any first world economy. on reflection, does the prime minister regret that? [laughter] >> mr. speaker, no. mr. speaker. we had one of the lowest debt, the second lowest debt of the g7. our debt was lower than america. lower than france and germany.

lower than the euro area. lower than japan and italy. it is because we had a low debt that we've been able to take the measures that are necessary to help companies deal with the recession, to help the unemployed get work, and to help young people who need school and to help thousands of small businesses survive. we took the right action in the recession. the opposition advised the wrong action. >> and i pay myself with a tribute to my right old friend has taken those who have lost their lives in afghanistan. is the also aware that today marks the sixth anniversary of the death of tom handel, the british photographer who was shot by an israeli sniper while trying to rescue children from danger in gaza. will he join me in paying tribute to the handel family for their tireless efforts and cut into so many screens, military

authorities to get to the truth about tom's death. will he agree with me that an international community, we have no less responsibility to uphold the principle of accounted for 350,000 palestinian others whose names who have died in. >> mr. speaker, the situation in gaza is a. as i said last week the only way forward, the only solution to this is a peace settlement that will take place between an israel that need security within its borders and palestine that needs to be a viable economic state that i repeatedly urged the israeli government to improve access for humanitarian aid and workers. i should say, in addition to what i said last week we've already spent over 20 million on needing urgent aid and gaza that the secretary of state for international development announced a total package of 53 million for palestine on december 28. and that was with a particular focus on gaza. we will meet the humanitarian needs of the gaza people when we

can, access is important, but everybody knows it is a political settlement that we need in this area. >> mr. david cameron? >> thank you, mr. speaker. can i join the prime minister in paying tribute to captain daniel read from the royal logistic corps who died in afghanistan serving our country. as the prime minister said, the work of bomb experts is truly inspiring when we hear what to do to protect their comrades. i also enjoyed immense syndicate those to the friends and family of rupert. they remind us of the professional of professionalism of journalism who put their lives and work to make sure the report the work of our armed services over seas. and finally i associate myself with his worse by the terrace in haiti and send my support to those involved in the humanitarian effort. we look forward to a full statement in this house by the international development secretary when that is appropriate. the whole country will want to praise the work of the emergency services and the way they have

dealt with the unexpected, long spell of cold weather that we've all seen and heard incredible stories as well of our neighbor, helping neighbor. can the prime minister assure the house, reassure the house that everything they can be done is being done to make sure we have sufficient supplies of salt and it's been properly distributed so we can keep our country moving at the time? >> mr. speaker, i'm grateful that he gives me the chance to tell the country the most updated situation on the transport network and on the protection of our roads by so. virtually all major sport have remained operational throughout the period of for the work of our highway and other mainland workers can and for those who are running the emergency services and for thousands of people who are volunteering, and i can pay to two organizations and a whole range of areas around the country, the country remains deeply grateful. it shows that when there are difficulties, the country comes together as one could meet these difficulties. in the south in midland, i

believe they will be open later today. and we're working with the highways agency, that all have managed salt supplies. it is important that every road remain safe. it is also important that we have sustainable supplies of salt for what is the longest period of bad weather. and of course, the worst of bad weather for 30 years in the history of our country. as for salt, i can say that one of the salt producers to announce this when they will be providing additional salt and producing more. we expect imports is all coming into the country in the next two days as arrangements entered weeks ago. and we are confident that with the measures announced yesterday by the transport secretary where able to maintain the road of network and are working closely with local authorities. i hope that people will continue to be able to work together for the common good. it does prove that britain works best when britain worked together. >> david cameron.

>> mr. speaker, i'm grateful for that answer. the steps taken to ration salt in the last week clearly show there are some lessons to learn in the future. can the prime minister tells what steps is going to take to hold a review to involve those in local government and to make sure we do learn the lessons for the future? >> i think he's absolutely right to say that each time there is a winter weather problem it is right to learn every lesson from it. and last winter, of course, we set up the u.k. liaison group. they recommend three things that we implemented. that is to ask a local authorities to hold six days of salt supply, to ask the highway agencies have a bigger reserve, and to ask transport workers be allowed to work longer hours to deliver the salt and to create a salsa week you can have a fair distribution. we will review all these arrangements after this winter

period. but the one thing i can say to him is the highway agency, at the beginning of this difficult winters though, had 13 days of supplies, and we are now building on that with orders from abroad, as well as with additional production from u.k. minds. i believe the transport department has made every effort to control every local authority. >> gary taylor? >> mr. speaker, my right honorable friend will know that today, 80000 children are living in care. 80% will live in care until they're 16. not in a loving stable family held. i would ask my right honorable friend, isn't it time this house consider the likes of looked after children again and consider that? is they're not living in a stable loving home in the post-18 months of the lies, that

adoption and long-term fostering must be there right to enter a loving, stable home? >> mr. speaker, this is a real challenge for all of authorities, but for all people. the number of children in care is a number that we must pay attention to, but also make sure they have then chancellors that every other child has for education attainment, for jobs, and for stability in their lives as they need care. we publish in 2007 the white paper, the care that matters. and we set out to transform the prospect of children and young people in care. we have made some progress. there is an increase in educational attainment. we have better outcomes for care leaders. but at the same time we must move faster to close the gap. and that's why it's important to recognize that public expenditure has been necessary in this, and it has doubled since 2000 on the nee children in care.

that is what we have tried to do to help those children. >> nick clegg? >> i would also like to add my expressions of condolences to the families and friends of the distinguished editor of the sunday mirror who died in an explosion, and of course also to the family and friends of his injured colleague. as the prime minister said, news has been coming in of the terrible earthquake in haiti. all our hearts go out to the many, many people who will be so terribly affected by the natural disaster. and i'm grateful for what he said about the government humanitarian response that mr. speaker, given everything that's come to light in the iraq war, will the prime minister now do the decent thing and volunteer to give answers to the inquiry before people decide how to

vote? >> mr. speaker, the inquiry has drawn up a list of people they wish to contribute. they've invited people on the dates they have done. i will follow the recommendations of the committee. i have nothing to hide on this metric i'm happy to give evidence equally at this time. i thought the debate in the house was the inquiry should decide when people were. >> mr. speaker, the point is it isn't just a question for mr. john chilcot that it is the question for the prime minister's own conscience. when the decisions were taken, to launch the legal war he wasn't only in the room. he was the one who signed a check that he should insist on going to the inquiry now. people are entitled to know before they decide how to vote for the general election what his role was in this government most disastrous decision. what does he have to hide? >> nothing, and he was the one

that wanted mr. chilcott to make the decision. and he can't on one day say chilcott should decide and then say he or someone else should decide what happens. mr. speaker, on the iraq war we have given every single document to the iraq inquiry. would have given them the opportunity to look at every document and as for which documents they want to be declassified. the only document that will be withheld from publication will those that affect. people being interviewed rightly so and as for the evidence, but it is for the chilcott committee to decide how they proceed and that is what he proposed. >> question number two, mr. speaker. >> i have visited is considered to look at early intervention programs and i'm very happy that discussion on these matters take place but everybody knows the importance of early intervention to help young children.

>> there are also tremendous economic consequences of early intervention. early intervention on social impact, and many other financial instruments that raise money from the capital markets rather than from the taxpayer. with the prime minister please encourage the treasury to look at these imaginative and creative ways of raising money so we not only help individuals, but we also find a long-term way of writing down the national debt, and therefore reducing the burden on u.k. taxpayers? >> mr. speaker, i'm going to raise the impact bond by the moment by the justice secretary. but i have to say to him, if the first 48 months of a chance life is more important in the next years, because of what is learned or what is not learned, then we have to do more to help children under five. that's what we introduced shuras topic that's why we introduced the child tax credit. that's why we doubled the child tax credit for children at their

early years but that's what we've given maternity and my paternity leave that all these are important ways in which women help young children in their earliest years and i believe there should be a cross party consensus on tv these. and i hope there will be. >> mr. speaker, given that the home defense committee yesterday heard powerful evidence of one of the primary causes of crime is poor parenting and dysfunctional families, what more can this government do to bring effective policies on early intervention to make sure that fewer children stumble onto the conveyor belt of crime? >> if i may say so, the proposal that we are putting forward, the family intervention programs that i saw in my honorable friend's constituency, there are about 50000 families in this country, let's be honest, who lead such lies that we need to intervene and turn them around. we need to make it a contract with them that a no-nonsense

approach is adopted both by them and by us. and that's what lies behind the family intervention program. and we are investing heavily in debt and any parenting that is nested as part of the. i hope you will agree that is a way forward. i may say that it is a better expenditure of money to help the children he wants to help them return to the married couples allowance. >> questioned three, mr. gordon maston. >> thank you, mr. speaker. in the past 12 months, people in blackpool have turned out in unprecedented numbers for remembrance day of armed forces day, and to give specific welcome to returning troops of afghanistan. people recognize as the sacrifice being given by those who risk their lives daily, so can i ask the prime minister to underline the fact the government again unde who seek o disrupt and is on that support?

>> mr. speaker, i praise for hosting the first armed forces veterans day and i know that blackpool has lost soldiers in both iraq and afghanistan, as he says. and he's right that we must commemorate all those who have served and given sacrifice to our country. i should his use about extremist who used freedom of speech in our country to foster division, to incite hatred and in some cases incite people to give. we've already strengthen our powers to prosecute into an organization prescribed a result of our determination through legal process what is necessary to do. it is also about standing up for our share of polity and it is showing young people in muslim khmers in particular that we stand for justice and dignity and fairness. i believe the more that are preventive strategy which is to talk to people in their schools and churches, in their faith groups, in the mosque, it is a very important way of building interreligious consensus and

deeply that we can solve all our problems together. >> mr. david cameron? >> thank you, mr. speaker. after the events of last with a promise or told his colleagues he would change the way he covers but can he tell us how he he will be different? >> mr. speaker, i think i should start by saying, he looks very different from the poster. [laughter] >> if you can't get to photograph right, it's difficult to get your policies right as well. mr. speaker, we announced last week, first of all plans for digital. second, plans to improve education in our committee, thirdly, for 70000 jobs for offshore power, and fourthly we announce our new growth strategy. this is a government that is moving forward policy. he can have his posters.

we will have the policies. >> the prime minister asked about pictures but why do we do a bit of market research? [laughter] >> when it comes, when it comes to the election addresses, and who's going to put him on the front? come on, hands up? [laughter] >> four, four, four. there six or don't want him in the cabin at just four are going to put his picture up. [laughter] >> he has been airbrushed out of the whole campaign. [laughter] >> let's see. let's see if the prime minister has changed. let's see if he is prepared to do something he has never done before, and that is listened to people and admit his mistakes. my audible friend, asked a very straight question that when

britain went into recession was one of the largest deficits in the industrialized world, that was because this prime minister thought he had abolished boom and bust. that claim was wrong, wasn't it? >> mr. speaker, we went into recession, i keep telling him, with one of the lowest is in the g7. and the reason we had one of the lowest deaths in the g7 is that we had taken action over the previous years to run down the debt that had been run up by the conservative government. mr. speaker, i think the country would prefer our policies to a person who has three policies in one day. mr. speaker, he needs three television election debates because he's got three versions on the same policy in the debate. >> david cameron? >> the prime minister talks about his policies. we now know what his own election coordinator thinks of his policies. yes. to develop a secretary, i don't know what he is a chairman of the campaign are the coordinator of the campaign.

he got three people coordinating his campaign. this is what he said. labor don't have any policy. for god sake, harry is helping to write the manifesto. [laughter] >> let's see. i think that's completely unfair. after all, the deputy leader of the labour party surely took five hours and 32 minutes to come out and support the prime minister. the international developed secretary, he took six hours. all right, here come the question. let -- let's try something else to see if this prime minister has changed. with the now admit the truth about spending cuts? he has to do week after week and denied what everyone knows to be true, that there will be spending cuts. the chancellor now says these cuts will be the deepest for 20 years. will the prime minister repeat those words? >> mr. speaker, he's getting even much better than he has on

his photograph. [laughter] >> i have to say, what you see clearly is not what you get. [laughter] >> and i have to say to him also, i wish he could talk about policy that we are coming out on the most difficult and we are coming out on the most difficult recession that countries have faced. every country around the world is facing the difficult spending decisions that the chancellor talk to us later i agree exactly what he said. every country has to face up to it that there is one way of facing up to and that is publishing our reduction plan. not doing what he wants to do on national insurance, not knowing what he wants to do on the job tax. if you don't know it, rather than a yes or no, he is asking people for any only policy is not going to change is the policy on inheritance tax to

help the richest persons in our society. >> if you want to know how people are going to vote, why not find the courage to want election? he talks about policy. the country is fed up with his policies but his colleagues were not complaining about the policy that they are complaining about the weakest of the dithering, the backbiting. that's what they were complaining about that everyone can see he will not change the way he governs that everyone sees he will not answer the question, he will not be stay with people. isn't at the conclusion that the cabin and the labour party are to this loyal, too competent to remove them? shouldn't he passed the bar to the british people so we can get rid of the lot of them? >> mr. speaker, i must say his airbrushed poster has better lies on it than the lines today. and he should get better lines. -- >> order. ordered that the prime minister

must be heard. >> this is what the leader of the opposition said only a few days ago. i messed up and there's no other way of putting it, you know, i was thinking of all sorts of different things, and i miss describe our policy that he missed described what he is doing, because we know that on the health service there is no guarantee. we know on police there's no guarantee about neighborhood policing. we know on education there is no guarantee of education to teens and we know on the recession they would've done nothing to take us out of the recession and they would've been back to the pulses of the 1980s. one when he finally wakes up, policy matters more than posters, you will know that his policies are those of the '80s and not those for 2010. >> were the government be backing my amendment to the constitutional reform bill next week that will read parliament of paris said?

>> mrs. g we will look at this in them and will bring argued to the house at the right time. >> mr. speaker, we heard already why the prime minister won't give evidence, but can i ask them a question can answer right now, because i'm simply asking his opinion. mr. campbell made it clear yesterday that this prime minister was intrinsically involved in all the decision-making in the run up to iraq. so can i ask him, does he personally regret any of the decisions that were taken in the preparation, or the conduct of the war in iraq? is he personally sorry? >> mr. speaker, i party said the reconstruction that was done after the war effort in iraq was insufficient but that is the general view that has been held by many people that insufficient reparations have been made for that. but i was part of the cabinet that made the decisions on iraq and i stand by the decisions we made.

>> this week has seen the resignation of a member of the parliament. with mental illness factor in i make no comment about individual cases, but as the law stands any member of this house who suffers about serious mental illness can be automatically disqualified from office, no matter what the prospect of recovery. this is wrong and would never be tall red for a physical illness, no matter how debilitating. will the prime minister take the opportunity of the constitutional reform bill to implement the speakers conference recommendations that this wrong should be righted? >> my audible friend has raised a very important issue. the justice secretary and health sector are giving careful consideration to their program weibel returned i understand the recommendation to the speakers conference report that was published on monday is one that will also respond to in due

course. >> marc prichard. >> first duty of any government to keep our nation safe, given the tens of thousands of abuses with work visas and other visas, how confident is the prime minister that he has a firm grip on this nation's national security? >> mr. speaker, at every point we try to be as vigilant as possible in the way we run the services that are necessary for a national security. in immediately after the detroit attempted bomb on christmas day, it was for us also to make sure that our arrangements, security about people coming into the country, was satisfactory. and i ordered a review of these arrangements as i said to the house lastly, equally we decide also the coordination of our different services is an important issue, and facing new technology and new methods being used by terrorist groups we had to do more to ensure the full ordination of all our services to do with incident that that is another set of work that has

been put in motion so at all times we seek to be vigilant that i have to say that the introduction of these is and that of the keyboard or system will be of great benefit to our us to be able to identify people coming in and out of the country. i also hope all party support for the. >> employment in the public sector is very important to the economy of wales, and cuts in the short term would impede the recovery of the private sector that has my right honorable friend made an assessment of the difference of the impacts of the tough but long-term approach that he is taking? and the demand for precipitous immediate and unplanned cuts demanded by the leader of the opposition? >> mr. speaker, i can say from the work that has been done, if we had pursued the same policies of the 1980s and the 1990s, 1.7 million less people would be employed than they are today. it is because we took action to help