>> be aware of the trouble that a transatlantic flight, a passenger helped to spend an additional 155 in tax. if he travels, he pay 3 euros of tax, what is he going to do to

encourage people to travel. >> that is an important issue. i discussed this with the u.s. envoy 10 days ago and it was discussed also in our meeting with local ministers and the exchequer secretary earlier this week. and my right honorable friend the minister is working with his colleagues with the treasury. >> roger williams. >> number one, mr. speaker -- >> thank you, mr. speaker. i'm sure the whole house will wish to join me in paying tribute to the ranger of the fourth irish regiment who died wednesday and colin beckett from the parachute regiment who died thursday. they served with utmost dedication and pride. they will be hugely missed by their colleagues and by all who knew them. and our deepest sympathy should be with their family and their friends.

mr. speaker, i had meetings with my ministerial colleagues. >> thank you, mr. speaker, i know the whole house will want to join with mr. prime minister with recent lost of life. and in my constituency, and the battle school have built up very good relationships between the community and the military, and they are ongoing and strengthening. mr. speaker, u.k. universities have a worldwide reputation for both teaching and research. many foreign students wish to attend those universities, and they're important because of the 5 billion pounds that they go to the national economies. many government -- >> shorten your question please. >> can the prime minister give the assurance to the universities that any

recruitment -- >> the right honorable gentleman makes a very good point. our universities are world class and he wants students around the world to come to those universities to study not just for the contribution they bring financially but because of the link they will make between our country and their country in years to come. i can tell him we're not actually currently looking at limits on tier 4 in terms of immigration visas but i'd make this point to anyone who's concerned about this issue. it's excellent to communities t

was in his his manifesto and it was indeed in the liberal democrat manifesto. i believe opening to more local involvement and control again it was in all of our manifestos and

we supported it. and i believe probably every single member of this house of commons spends time in their own constituency, involving philanthropic beginning and to pay a bigger part in our bigger society and i think our whole house is united in it. >> mr. speaker, mr. speaker, we all support rising communities. and that's why -- that's why there is such concern from charities up and down the country. now, why doesn't he listen to people who know about volunteering, the chief executive of the community service volunteers, the largest volunteering charity in britain. she says the prime minister's policies are destroying the volunteer army. >> obviously, i don't agree what she says but i want to work with all those involved in charities and voluntary bodies to

encourage them to play a strong part in this and we are putting 470 million pounds across this spending review into charity and voluntary bodies and we are also establishing a 100 million pound transition fund to help charities by cuts and perhaps i could tell him for the first time today because of the deal with the banks, the big society banks, wait for it, wait for it -- the big society banks will be taking 200 million pounds from britain's banks to put into the voluntary sector. they will have gotten nothing out of the bank so i'm sure they will want to stand up and welcome that. >> mr. speaker -- mr. speaker, it doesn't mention -- he doesn't mention that he's cutting thousands of pounds up and down this country. let's take an example, let's

take an example where parents volunteer and a crucial part of local communities. before the election he promised to protect sure short. in fact, he decided to cut funding by 9%. and the daycare trust pay 250 sure staff are expected to close. can he tell us how about helping the big society? >> well, first of all, let me just say they put money into the bank. we're taking money out of the bank. and putting it into the big society. now, he asked specifically about sure start and he asked specifically about the daycare trust. and i have to say, mr. speaker, over the first time he hasn't done his homework. because the chief executive of the daycare trust said this. the government has allocated sufficient funding for the existing network of sure start children centers to be maintained. >> order, these exchanges are

excessively rowdy and -- order, again i must ask members on both sides to consider what the public thinks of this sort of behavior. the prime minister -- order, questions will be heard and the answers from the prime minister will be heard. the prime minister. >> so i'm looking forward to the answer to this one. is that we've maintained the money for sure start. we've maintained the money for children centers and the head of the daycare trust backs our view rather than his. >> dave milliband. >> for, mr. speaker, he will cut the funding and whether they do close over the coming month. the problem with his argument about the local government and by the local government secretary is that they say they can make 28% admits local government funding from local services. now, what does the conservative association say about that? she says the local government

secretary is detached from reality. so let's ask about libraries, let's ask about libraries. there are four libraries threatened with closure in his own constituency and hundreds up and down the country. committee explain to people from a conservative average, how does he expect people to volunteer at a local library if it's being shut down? >> well, first of all, let me deal with this question on sure start. i'm sure he's gotten that wrong. on sure start, the budget is going to from 2.212 million to 2297 million. that is going to up. now, he asks -- he put -- he put a particular example; let me put a particular example to him. let me take the case for going to libraries, let me take the case of liverpool council, right, the cuts to liverpool council will mean by 2013 they

will go back to the level they got in 2009. so what we're seeing is politically motivated moves by neighbor councils. >> i remember the time when labour leaders stayed up that to labour council when they were making these issues. because we are taking spending back to the level spending in terms of grants in 2007, i can't understand why there's a network of libraries, i think we all know the truth about libraries. which is those that will succeed are the ones when they wake up to the world of new technology, of the internet and everything else and investment goes in. that is what needs to happen and should councils look at community solution force other libraries, i believe that they should. and i think instead of sniping and jumping on every bandwagon, he ought to get behind the big

society. >> mr. speaker, only this prime minister could blame the library for closing. [laughter] >> he needs to understand why this big society idea is in trouble. it's because up and down the business, community, including his flagship council, those things are the very heart of our society are threatened with closure. and mr. speaker, if it's going so well, why does his own advisor say this idea is increasingly loathed by the public? >> and we've got their big idea. labour has published their fresh new ideas. the tree was chopped down and there is absolutely nothing in it. we all knew we wanted a blank page but no one thought he would publish a whole book of them.

what are his plans? what are his great ideas? he hasn't got a single idea for making this country a great place instead of sniping why doesn't he join and work out how he could build a bigger society in our country. >> dave milliband. >> mr. speaker, i do think and he shouldn't get so angry it should cloud his judgment. [laughter] >> he's not the first prime time i've said that to. mr. speaker, doesn't the right honorable member get to the truth behind the prime minister's motives. he says if you talk about the small state, you sound like atillia the hun, but if people hear you talk about your society, people think you're mother ter racea. isn't the truth being exposed day by day. he's cutting too far and too

fast and society is becoming smaller and weaker, not bigger and stronger. >> the problem with everything the right honorable gentleman has said is that all of the cuts we are having to make is because of the complete mess he made. and that is the background for this whole debate. and i have to say to him we now know what they think of the inheritance they left us because the shadow chancellor has said this. i don't think we had a structural deficit at all in that period. that is what he said. and the institute for fiscal studies say by the eve of the financial crisis, the u.k. had one of the largest structural deficits in the developed world. can i just advise the honorable gentleman the first stage of recovery is to recognize you've got a problem. because the truth about that party opposite, they double the debt and they bankrupt the

country and their only message is let us do it all over again. >> mr. speaker, my constituent jack author lost both his legs and his arm while serving in afghanistan over 15 months ago. i'm sure the prime minister and this whole house understand the debt we owe jack and others like him who serve their country. would the number of british soldiers increase by 40% from 2009 to 2010 -- would the prime minister agree with me that it's important we find access to new resources to ensure that the patients and the staff can continue their excellent standard of work which is sadly coming under greater pressure? >> the honorable gentleman makes an incredibly important point what happens to the numbers of single, double and treble amp

tease and the very important society we must do to support them. i visited hedley court. i know many others have as well. there's a new ward that opened september last year. it has the capacity of 111 trauma beds. there's a 25 meter swimming pool and there's a sports floor and a sentimental help but we must go on making sure that this magnificent facility is continually improved and we do everything for our brave, returning soldiers. >> thank you, mr. speaker. just over a year ago the prime minister visited a maternity and found the midwives to be overworked as a result he promised with a conservative government he would bring about 3,000 more midwives. kehow he's going to bring about those 3,000 increase? >> well, the first thing we've done is ignore the advice from the party opposite and increased the nih budget and we would not be making anticipate progress of

any of these health issues if we followed the advice of her party and cut it. we need more midwives and making sure they're going in. >> will the prime minister reflect upon the decision taken in the house of lourdes on monday supported by many senior conservatives to have a review in the event of fewer than 4 in 10 people participating in the av referendum. will my right honorable friend consider this compromise to be a reasonable one and consistent with the coalition agreement. and failing that, will he trust his own back benches in a free vote to make their own judgment? >> i have to say my honorable friend we have not had thresholds in previous referendums but i don't think he should be -- i don't think he should be so -- i don't think he

should be so down on this. i'm sure -- >> the prime minister's must be heard and all this noise is challenging any comments getting in. >> i'm sure he will work with me to get the turnup out especially to get the no vote. >> the committee report criticized the government's proposal to cut the pass important office which has seen the lost of 250 jobs. it will be devastating for the economy of newport and doesn't appear to be saving any money. would the prime minister agree to meet with myself and honorable members so we can put the case to him personally? >> i am looking at this decision. it is an important decision. and there's great jobs on which jobs can be saved in newport and indeed in liverpool and where the two competing offices are. i'm very happy for her to meet the right honorable friend the immigration minister because he's the one who can make the decision and he can hear from her and the honorable member of

the west directorate. >> dr. julian lewis. >> thank you, mr. speaker. we have made clear that we are committed to maintaining a new deterrent. that's why it was excluded from the security review and why we commissioned a separate value for money study. the replacement of trident is going ahead and the initial gate will be passed soon. as set out in the coalition government the liberal democrats will continue to make the case for alternatives. >> dr. julian lewis. >> when the coalition was being formed my right honorable friend promised a meeting of all conservative mp's that the liberal democrats would support the replacement of trident. as we know the key decision has been postponed until after the next election and the liberal democrats from their president downwards have been boasting that this is their achievement. will the prime minister give a pledge to this house and to the country that in the event of

another home parliament, if the liberal democrat demanded the price for another coalition that's scrapping it up, he will refuse to pay that price. >> first of all, let me make this point. first of all, let me make this point. the replacement of trident is going ahead. the initial gate will soon be passed. the reason for the delay is we had a value of money study because we desperately we needed money in the ministry defense forefront line capability. in terms of the future, all i can say to the honorable gentleman is i'm in favor of a full replacement for trident, for to continue to see deterrents and that is conservative policy as long as i'm the leader of this party. >> order. questions? >> with respect to he chose to break his word on the allowance and reorganizing the nhs.

and why would this pledge be any different to that? >> i visited the honorable gentleman's constituency. i know how important this issue is for him. i profoundly believe that we should maintain our independent nuclear deterrent and have looked at all the alternatives over the years and i'm completely convinced that you need a submarine alternative in order to guarantee the ultimate insurance policy for this country. that is my view and my party and it's the view of most of the people sitting opposite and i believe there's all-party support for that move. >> lord carlisle the official reviewer of paris legislation said last week that this country has a safe haven for terrorists. will my right honorable friend give an assurance that this government will do all it possibly can to report foreign nationalists who have national involvement in terrorism? >> i think my right honorable friend has raised this point. it's been a concern we have had. that we've not been able to

deport people of plotting against us in the way that we should be able to. i think lord carlisle has spoken and written about this extremely clearly. we have negotiated return agreements, so-called deportations with assurance agreements with algeria, jordan, ethiopia, egypt and lebanon. i want us to negotiate many, many more but in the end we can do whatever is necessary to keep this country safe? >> thank you, mr. speaker. in northern ireland is still being held back by some dissident republican groups. the chief constable has asked for up-front access to the reserve allocation over the next four years. does the prime minister agree that if this threat is not dealt with, it will spread very quickly to the rest of the united kingdom and will he request or give the chief constable his request? >> well, i have met with the chief constable several

occasions since becoming the prime minister. he came to the meeting of the national security council where we discussed the security situation in northern ireland. we will do what is necessary to make sure the security and police and everything else is properly funded. i have to say i think it's right now that these issues are devolved that there's greater decision-making, greater effort to put money into the front line in northern ireland itself but, of course, we always stand ready to help when necessary. >> thank you it, mr. speaker. the prime minister may well visit the maternity department at fairfield hospital when he was leader of the opposition. last week, despite our pledge to keep it open and despite -- despite the very useful new criteria issued by the department of health, the nhs in the northwest decide to continue with the closure decision which was taken by the party opposite. will my right honorable friend

ask for help ways in which we can keep our pledge? thank you. >> i'm very happy to discuss with my right honorable friend the issue that he raises. he knows what we have done is introduced far tougher steps before these decisions can be taken to make sure that the reviews of patients and local needs and local gp's are respected. and the whole point about the new system which is gp-led is that hospitals will thrive when hospitals use and value them? >> thank you very much, mr. speaker. in the last two weeks, the government has renamed control orders and rechristened curfews as overnight resident requirements. [laughter] >> does he know realize that it would disguise a fact to cut the numbers by 10,000 will be seen

as anything other than weak or antisocial behavior, reckless on terrorism and soft on crime? >> well, i noticed that the party opposite that is going to a long way of rebranding new labour as old and irresponsible labour. and i have to say the project is going very well. >> does my right honorable friend agree that on the future of britain's debt burden is enhanced by the deficit denial of the front bench opposite? >> my honorable friend makes an extremely good point. they went from the situation of beginning to understand that they had left us with a debt burden. they were beginning to own up to it and now with the new shadow chancellor they are in complete and utter deficit denial. they haven't even taken the first step to being a honor

opposition. >> thank you, mr. speaker. those such as now brought forth in my constituency are, there any consultation, whatsoever with the local community instructor. surely that is the complete opposite of localism. will the prime minister to put a stop to the closure until it has been consultation with the local community and the consideration of alternative ways to provide services? >> i understand the importances of these facilities in these rural communities and the chief executive of the standard agency has said that she will explore further how they can tip to offer facilities in these locations and i will get the undersecretary of state, the honorable member to contact the honorable gentleman and discuss this important issue with him. >> mr. graham? >> last week there was a memorial service of the constituent of the area.

would the prime minister agree with me that tom and many others like him who have invested so much of their own money in our great sport have done a lot to create self-belief and pride in our cities. >> i think my honorable friend speaks real of someone who lived in my constituency but who not only invested in rugby but in formula one which has been a world beating industry for our country and we should celebrate that and particularly in the region in which i live where so many people are employed in this incredibly high tech endeavor. >> angela smith? >> thank you, mr. speaker. does the prime minister's plan the pride of everything but the value of something to >> what i would say to the honorable lady and all honorable members whom i know who is very interested in this subject what i know is a consultation. we are listening to people's views but let me make -- let me make a couple things clear. the first thing is, we won't be

doing what happened under the last government which is the sale of forests with absolutely no guarantees of access. that is exactly -- that is exactly what they did. and i do think it is a good opportunity -- it is actually a good opportunity to -- it's a good opportunity to bust a few myths about this situation. the idea that all forestry commission forests are open to the public and don't charge is simply not true. there are many forests like the new forest, not owned by the forestry commission that have much better action, no parking charges and very good records on habitat. so i think while we have consultation we should bust some of the myths we have about it. >> john baron? >> thank you, the latest u.s. department defense that the taliban's strength lies in the afghan people's perception that the taliban will ultimately be victorious.

is this not the time for fresh thinking on afghanistan which would include afghanistan to open talks with the taliban because in northern ireland you can talk and fight at the same time? >> well, i say two things to the honorable gentleman. first of all, of course, there has to be a political process. almost every insurgency in history has ended through some combination of military might and apolitical process. i accept that but where i don't agree with the honorable gentleman is i think this year i think the taliban will see that there is no meaningful removal of u.s. forces from afghanistan. this is going to be another year where the taliban are going to be heavily defeated on the battlefield and, therefore, will actually make a political decision more than rather than less likely? >> thank you, mr. speaker. did the prime minister tell us why it's cutting the benefits and pensions to the forces and does he intend with the agreement of the forces. >> i don't accept what the honorable gentleman is saying. the armed forces are excluded

what john hutton's report is about in terms of increasing the contribution that people make. but in terms of what we have done for the armed forces let me just remind him first we said we would double the operational allowance for people serving in afghanistan. we've done that. we said that for the first time we would increase -- we'd introduce a pupil premium for the soldiers' children who go to our schools. we have done that. we said that your leave should start when you land back in the u.k. not when you leave afghanistan. we are doing that. this government is a very proarm services our arm services families and make sure we give them a good deal. >> mr. speaker, i think the whole house regrets the regular reports of tragic knife crimes in this country. would the prime minister agree that anyone who takes to the streets carrying a knife does so with the capability to commit grievous bodily harm and murder and what sort of phm