>> 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. >> prime minister? >> mr. speaker, the u.k. government and walsh government continue to support farmers for their first class produce oversees. >> has the minister had the nail orgasmic experience of trying, or maybe eating cheese from

wales? what action has he taken to ensure that these culinary delights are spread throughout europe? >> the truth is we are to engage in partnership with a welsh assembly government and i would like -- >> order, order. i want to hear the ministers answer. proceed. >> i'm sure you what, mr. speaker. i will do my best to make sure you do here. i would like to give examples of the excellent work that is being done. welsh food and drink produces will be exhibiting at an exposition and dubai in february 2010. of course, i have to mention as members would expect the council are doing the cheese which is the best cheese in europe and i would be happy to give to you

and your member. >> question to the prime minister, doctor brian? >> mr. speaker, i'm sure the whole house will wish to join me in paying tribute to private shaun mcdonald and corporal jonathan from first battalion the royal regiment of scotland, the rifles. and toward officer class to david bartlett or the world engineers. these were men of great character of government whose losses fell by the college. i want to picket on behalf of the whole house to the courage into their dedication. we think of the families and friends and their sacrifice will not be forgotten. mr. speaker, this morning i meeting with friends in addition to my duties in the house, i shall have further such meeting today. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i'm sure the whole house is that

one with the prime minister incenting our sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of the brave serviceman who lost their lives in serving this country. mr. speaker, i'm astonished at the orchestrated campaign that seems to have been mounted in some newspapers this morning and supported by tori counselors, and in opposing our social care plans. especially since the party opposite did not oppose those plans when they're in front of the house. therefore, will my right honorable friend commit himself this morning to continuing the fight to improve the lot of some of our most vulnerable citizens, the poor of this country? [shouting] >> mr. speaker, i and the government is passionately committed to finding a better way, a better way of dealing, a better way of ensuring security and dignity for the elderly in our generation in retirement. and i want to say also that that

means not just provide institutional care of the highest standard, but it also means helping people stay as long as possible with as good a minute he's as possible in the own homes. and i hope there will be more party support for the bill that is going to the house of lords now, and has been through the house of commons, that means that we can meet the urgent payment of ever anybody, whatevr their income, who needs care in the home at the very highest level. it will take time to develop a full social care system for the future, but it is in our interest to find a consensus in this country about the way we can move forward to a better system for every elderly person. >> mr. david cameron. >> thank you, mr. speaker. and i joined a premise in paying tribute to corporal john walken private shawmut dolled and warrant officer david bartlett who been killed in afghanistan this week. they're just now mean that more people have died in this conflict than were killed in the falklands war. it's a measure of the scale of sacrifice being made.

our armed forces me to note that they have all our support in the vital work they are doing. cannot return to the question raised by the honorable member. this morning, local councils controlled by all parties have said the prime minister's plans on social care, let me go, are unclear, unfunded, will lead to possible cuts, rises in council tax, they have major weaknesses and will raise false expectations amongst any of the most vulnerable. everybody wants to do more to help with care. why does the prime minister think -- >> here, here. >> why does the prime minister think so many of the people responsible for delivering this policy are so completely unconvinced by what he has put forward? >> mr. speaker, his party supported this bill as it went through the house of commons. i don't know if he's done another u-turn in policy. and but, mr. speaker, we have

set aside 670 million pounds in the next year, 420 million will come from the health service to providing that care for urgent needs. now, i know how much he likes personalizing politics. and they -- i know -- i know -- of course, i know how he hates punch and judy politics and a knowhow much you want to build a consensus as we have for a week on the economy, but surely it is in the interest of this house that we are united in the way we have all people in their own homes, and surely a party that supported the policy one week shouldn't be opposing at the next week. >> if he's going to have bad jokes, i think he ought to have better ones than that when. probably not enough bananas on the menu. [laughter] >> we have consistently raise questions about the funding of this policy, and just this morning a freedom of information request from the treasury shows

this can put 26 pounds on the council tax. i have to say, it's not just labor counselors who are angry about the way the policy has been put forward, but labour peers as will. lord nestlé, he was a member on care and he says this is one of the most disorderly pieces of government i've ever seen. lord warner who was the governments own health minister described the policy as a cruel deception to the elderly, the vulnerable, and their families. so can the prime minister explained why is it that labor counselors, labour advisors, labour ministers are all angry about the prime ministers may sound of the? >> mr. speaker, when he knew what lord warner and others have said about it, why does his party supported in the house of commons? he cannot one day say he supports a policy, and in the next they have a completely different policy on the very important matter. [shouting] >> mr. speaker -- >> order. there's far too much noise in

the chamber. i want questions and answers to be brief and focused on government policy. and i want to get down the order they were. let's have a bit of order for the prime minister and others. prime minister. >> mr. speaker, we've had u-turns from every day of the month of the conservative party could face a that was care of our budget for 2010 and then they change their mind and take a different position. on this, are they really going to say to the elderly of this country that they voted for this measure in the house of commons, they have urged their people to vote for it as well and now they are refusing to support what we're doing to get local authorities and the elderly an extra 670 million pounds a year? as i understand it, as i understand it, the shadow health sector asked for talks with the health minister so that there could be consensus on this issue. it's only last night that they have broke and the consensus. and this -- mr. speaker, they

had to bring down a poster that they had at the beginning of the year because it was not authentic that they'll have to bring down the new poster because it simply is wrong. >> mr. david cameron? >> we want to know is where is the money coming from? people, people who work very close with the prime minister are completely opposed to the way it's been done. andrew turnbull was cabinet secretary, his permanent secretary for voyeurs are the prime minister waves them away. he probably knows this better than anyone. he says this, it is doubled objectionable, it is objectionable in process and it is objectionable in substance but it is a classic gordon brown dividing line. politically expedient, poorly costed him badly constructed. why does he think lord turnbull has got it wrong? >> mr. speaker, why doesn't he address the policy issue? we have provided, we have provided 420 million from the

nhs for social care for urgent needs. we are providing 250 million from local authorities for efficiency savings. if he now agrees with the local authorities and thinks that is impossible, why is his policy to freeze the tax by demanding hundreds of millions of more savings from local authorities? nothing he says adds up, nothing is consistent. he changes his policy almost every hour. >> the fact is it is labour councils telling the prime minister his own policy, doesn't add up. it is perfectly to what the prime minister is doing. he wants to tell us about the benefits of the policy before the election and tell us about the cost after the election. this isn't about the benefit of the elderly. it's about the benefit of the labour party. he wants to ask, he wants to concentrate on the detail. let me ask about the details of his social care plans.

can he say whether he is ruling out all forms of a composer he levied with a means tested or not, that elderly people would have to pay? is he ruling that are? >> he should read the white paper that we put forward what it sets out all the various options before us. mr. speaker, they can make all the noise they want. they can put up all the posters. they have absolute no policy to do with the problems. there are no substance. they have no judgment. they can hurl insults. they are not the new politics. they are the same old stories. [shouting] >> i've got -- i've got the paper right here. one of the options is a 20,000 pounds levy on every single elderly person in this country, except the very poorest. that is what it says. so let me ask him again. will he rule out any form of compulsory levy on the elderly? yes or no? >> if he reads the white paper, he is not -- [shouting]

>> mr. speaker, he has not reported it correctly. and he should read the whole chapters so that he sees what it is. mr. speaker, once again, what caused the policy has come from the conservative party? >> he has been for years peter of the party that he has got lots of sidelines, there's absolute no policy, and from. mr. speaker, when you're dealing with social policy -- >> order. there is too much noise. the decibel level is too high. it must go down, and it must go down now. prime minister? >> mr. speaker, mr. speaker, when you're dealing with social policy you see consensus in this country. and where you can find consensus you find the conservatives have delivered a broken the consensus that existed, even after they voted for the bill in the house of commons. >> the prime minister keeps saying read the white paper.

in fact, it's a green paper and i've got a few. this is what it says. people -- it says this. he wants a question about the detail. people might need to pay around 17 to 20,000 pounds to be protected under a scheme of this sort. let me ask you one final time. are the sorts of levees ruled in or ruled out? he says he wants a consensus. the fact is there is a consensus. labour ministers, labour councils, all think he is doing this for cheap dividing lines before an election. one last go. are you going to do a levy, in or out of? >> order. prime minister. order. order. order. order, order. order, order. order. audible right friends on both sides are far too excited and they must simmer down. prime minister? >> mr. speaker, mr. speaker, a wall of noise will not disguise the fact that the conservative party that have absolute no policy on an issue that is vital

to the needs of elderly for the future. mr. speaker, this is a big challenge that this country faces. the democratic changes that are taking place the needs and ambitions of all people, and i've got to conclude in dealing with big areas of policy. i have to say, mr. speaker, this is no time for a novice. [shouting] >> thank you, mr. speaker. will the prime minister congratulate the organizers of shows them, the new festival of circus, magic and variety in our winter gardens and our? but doesn't this government funding provide regeneration underlined alongside to see changes initiative and see support and strength for the regeneration of all her seaside

town? >> mr. speaker, i applaud the way he has promoted the development of blackwell and all the seaside towns. this sea change program has benefited the reduce seaside resort, 38 million in extra funding since april, money that would not be a bill if it was ever a conservative government. and regional development agencies are helping coastal towns fulfill their economic potential. again, regional in developing agencies that would be abolished under a conservative government. so we will do more to help the coastal towns and employment in the coastal towns. that cannot be said of the conservative party opposite. >> mr. nick clegg? >> i would like to add my own expressions of sympathy and condolence to the family and friends of board officer class to david markman, and 36 regiment corporal john more, and private sharman in the royal scots first battalion, the royal regiment of scotland, all tragically lost their lives

serving so bravely in afghanistan this week. mr. speaker, reports that wounded soldiers will receive better compensation is a glimmer of good news on the day we hear that injured veterans having to pay for their own treatment a broad. but can ask the prime minister about another hidden scandal that is facing our troops. why our soldiers serving on the front line in afghanistan receiving houses of pounds less in basic pay that are new recruits and the police or fire service? >> mr. speaker, first of all, i have to assure that the new recommendations on the compensation scheme that had been prepared by lowered voice and welcomed as a review by the british legion are ones that will extend compensation and a number of areas where there has been controversy in the past. and we want to do the best we can by those soldiers. and the secretary for defense will announce that later this afternoon. how the armed forces compensation scheme will be

improved and in what areas. and how to do more particularly for war levels. and will introduce a faster pay. i have to say as far as the pay of the troops is concerned, we have been determined to raise the pay of our forces at a higher rate than the other public services. i can tell him that for the lowest paid troops, there was a 9% rise a year ago. i can also tell him that there was a theater of violence with withdrawal of any requirement, while they are in afghanistan and we're doing everything we can to ensure our troops are not only well paid, but they are properly equipped for the challenges ahead. >> mr. nick clegg. >> mr. speaker, thousands of servicemen and women are about to put their lives on the line in the biggest offensive yet in afghanistan. they have been stretched to the limit by government that's got its priorities wrong. employing, employing 800 people

to do media and communications for the m.o.d. but not getting our brave young soldiers a decent living wage. isn't it time to get his priorities right? cut the bureaucrats and pay our soldiers what they deserve. [shouting] >> mr. speaker, would've always accepted the recommendations of the armed forces pay review body, which is set up on an independent basis to take information and to take recommendations to the government. i think people agree we have accepted recommendations that in the last few years have been for high pay rises and also. i would remind them that 70,000 civilian staff have gone from the ministry of defense as we have made the focus of our efforts on our front-line services. there will be more civilian redundancies as we use new technology to make available that enable the frontline to have the best equipment. he cannot deny the fact that 14 billion urgent operational requirements in additional money on top of the defense budget have gone to our troops, particularly for iraq and

afghanistan. and i think it is really not fair to tell our troops that they do not have the equipment that is needed when we have done everything in our power. i asked the chief of the general staff yesterday, if i ask the chief of the defense staff yesterday if the property credit was available for any exercises we have had to undertake, and he said he had checked with is people on the ground, and that was exactly the case. >> doctor stephen? >> thank you, mr. speaker. specialist nurses are going to be vital if we're going to meet the prime minister's commitment to one-to-one care for cancer patients as well as helping people with alzheimer's and parkinson's to stay in their own home. but we know from the early '90s that when governments decide to squeeze in a just buzzes, specialist nurses often can't get a look in. with the prime minister guarantee that under his government specialist nursing will get the resources that it needs to deliver the standards of health care at home, the way

on this side of the house want to see? >> mr. speaker, we are trying to form the cancer care in our country. 50 million is being invested in research over the next 10 years, much of it in cancer. they can to guarantee is that people can see specials within two weeks. we hope that this will be within one week so that people can have a diagnostic test sometimes on the same day and get the result on the same day. and we want to introduce a service where there's personalized care available for those suffering from cancer so that they can also be visited at home. but this is the way the modern health service have been developed. personalized services available to people, tailored to their needs. with the reforms that we have made, it is now possible to do so. i cannot for the life of the delete while the conservative party are rejecting the chance to guarantee that would allow people to see a specialist within two weeks. i believe, i believe it challenges their very commitment to the health service.

>> mr. speaker, britain and widely state out of the euro. there is now a strong possibility that greece will evolve on her death, something that is not our immediate problem. canna prime minister confirm that a time when our national debt is rising fast, there is no question u.k. taxpayers money will be used to bail out grease under any circumstances in any way? >> mr. speaker, greece should stick by the commitments that it is made to the european union and to the world as you know the g-20 conference in london in april we put in place arrangements that could help countries if they were in difficulty that these arrangements are still in place and they been used by some countries. it's up to the euro area to decide what they wish to do, but there is internatiinternational support available if greece wishes it. >> mr. speaker, high visibility police patrol are the public's number one priority for reassurance and crime prevention.

does he share my concern that the rise of 6.5 million please in recent years seems to be going in reverse with the mayor of london to draft budget implying a cut of 455 police officers over his term in office? and will he do what he can to protect in particular our much valued state neighborhood please? >> mr. speaker, under a labor government there have been an increase of 6000 police and the metropolitan police service since 1997. we are also proud that there are for now thousand please support officers available. i have to say for the conservative party to publish a document on law and order which doesn't mention police divers, doesn't mention cctv and doesn't mention dna, that the first opposition front door to run out of ideas even before they face an election. >> thank you, mr. speaker. does the prime minister regret

his previous predecessors before the choke up a inquiry to express any sympathy or regret for the awful life in iraq? >> mr. speaker, i know that the former prime minister wrote to people at the time and expressed his condolences and sympathies for every family. i know also that on many occasions he has expressed his sadness at the losses that took place in iraq. and i do say to the whole house, i think we have been united at every point in warning the losses of our troops and also the civilians. >> has my friend visited gordon prentice mp.com today -- [laughter] >> does he have the next election and my constituency is being bought by a tax exile? and does he -- david. >> and doesn't he did here and

that penndel is not for sale? >> the conservative party cannot talk about new politics unless they answer the central question that taxes status of their chief fundraiser lord ashcroft. and information commission has already said they had been evasive and skittery, they have questions, they have to answer. >> doctor william? >> thank you, mr. speaker, the prime minister and his noble friend the secretary of state for business and innovation and skills our right to believe that a central plank to build a sustainable and prosperous economy is investing in science and research yet across the u.k. are reporting of cuts in budgets for research. and i think in particular today of the institute of biological and environmental and rural

scientists, which is facing cuts of 2.5 million, and 70 job losses. will the prime minister if he has any influence with his noble friend to maintain investment insights of? >> we have double the science budget over these last few years, done more for bridget times than at any time since the second world war, and web now and innovation fund is being set up to benefit scientists as they develop their innovations and put them into the marketplace. i know that the science minister has announced today that thousands of jobs that can be created in new scientific industries as a result of our investment. i believe that universities and science researchers recognize that we have doubled research activity and universities over these last few years. >> thank you, mr. speaker. does the prime minister agree that the arrest of general in sri lanka is yet another indication that the regime of president is sliding into a

dictatorship? >> my honorable friend knows a decision was made at the commonwealth summit that trulock would not host the next summit. we are aware of the human rights issues that arise in history like a. since the tide fighting has taken place. we urge the government at the state to recognize the human rights of all those people in sri lanka and we also urge them to move forward with the reconstruction of the country so that those people that have been excluded both from power and from the chancellors of a livelihood should benefit now. >> thank you, mr. speaker. the prime minister will know that every five minutes in the u.k. somebody will have a stroke. will have a devastating effect on their lives and their families lives. take the stroke association is a resource to support families in their own home. they have slashed the 35,000-pound budget, referring

to spend 140,000 on self contract renews letters. what is -- [shouting] -- >> order. order. >> i want to hear the question, then the answer. finish the question, please. >> what is the prime minister doing insuring that it is carried out everywhere but particularly in the north? >> mr. speaker, i think you saying they've got nothing to congratulate them about. [laughter] >> i have to say it is discovered that it's published a stroke strategy. is also this government that wants to introduce a health test so people can be able to get a health checkup. we believe that would remove the possibility of hundreds of deaths as a result of strokes or heart disease and will be introducing that during the next parliament. it's again a right -- it is again a right -- >> order. >> they laugh every time we try to improve a health much.

if you're really interested in the health service they would support the new health service guarantees. but because they cannot bring themselves to support guarantees, that every citizen of this country can get for a health checkup, where previously they would have to pay. >> thank you, mr. speaker. the port is the busiest airport in the world. i have sailed out of it for 12 years and represent it for the last 13 years. what can the prime minister say today to dispel the fabrication and fables being struck by the carpetbagger conservative candidate? [laughter] >> the carpetbagger conservative candidates who says that the government is hell-bent on selling the port of dover to the highest bidder and the highest bidder might be french? >> order. can i just generally say i was trying to here, there was a lot of noise, the prime minister has no responsibility for the stance taken by conservative candidates. >> no does david cameron.

>> mr. speaker, is the honorable gentleman -- is the honorable gentleman -- is the honorable gentleman and a member for dover has been a great champion for dover and its people. and i know he wants the best for the people of dover, including the flourishing port. i show that aspiration. [shouting] >> there'll be no force privatization by the labor. we ought to look for new ways of getting it, new investment into the port. [shouting] >> i think -- mr. john redwood. >> uniquely amongst the advanced economies is the u.k. inflationinflation well above target and rising very sharply when our output is so very flat? >> we took the advice of the honorable member opposite. massive cuts in public expenditure, massive cuts. he is the one that there should be even more cuts that have been proposed by the leader of the opposition and we would lose jobs, lose businesses.