and with that, i'm looking for dinner and all the good work that's already been done. >> in a few moments prime minister's questions from parliament in london.

>> and now to london for prime minister's question time, life in the british house of commons. every wednesday while parliament is in session prime minister david cameron takes questions from members of the house of commons. prior to questions on the house is wrapping up other business. this is live coverage on c-span2. >> here on c-span2 -- >> it is a funding formula that we inherited and i believe it is flawed and that's why we are reforming it. the secretary of state has met with academy heads in his constituency and we will very happily discuss with them how we can deal with this problem. i think the growing evidence is that the academy schools are not just good for the people to go to the schools but by raising standards in those areas they are raising the standards of all schools at the same time. >> ed miliband. [shouting] >> mr. speaker, mr. speaker, the

prime minister told us that unemployment would fall in each year of this parliament. today, unemployment rose for the sixth month in a row. does he think it has anything to do with his government? >> the government takes absolute responsibly for everything happens in our economy, and i take responsibility for that. [shouting] look, any increase in unemployment is disappointing and it's a tragedy for the person who becomes undeployed and can lead to real difficulty for that family and that is what we're taking so much action to try to help people to get back into work. if you look at the figures today, i think it is noteworthy that while the increase in unemployment is usually unwelcome there is still an increase in the number of people employed, another 18,000 people. what that shows is that we need more private sector employment. we need to move further and fast on that agenda.

it's also noteworthy to note that there is a small decrease in long-term unemployment and i hope that shows that the schemes like the work program we're introducing are beginning to have an effect but again you need them to go further and faster. there is not one answer and disconnect it will do everything we can to get people back to work. >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, doesn't apprenticed understand when he boasts about rising employment it just shows how out of touch he is? and in some parts of london, and in some parts of london, 100 people are chasing three vacancies. that is the situation people are facing. can he confirm that under his policies, far from things getting better over the coming year, he expects things to get worse and unemployment to rise to 2.8 million? >> forecasts are no longer set out by the government. they are set out by the independent office of budget

responsibly. and unlike in his day, these forecasts are not fixed and fiddled by ministers. they are set out by independent economists. what the government's responsibility is is to do everything we can't allow people into work. that's what we have the work program that is helping 3 million people, that is why we have the youth contract that is going to get subsidize private sector jobs for 160,000 young people. that is why we have work experience for 250,000 young people, and half of those are off benefits within two months. that is 20 times better value than the future jobs fund. as i say there is no boasting about anything. what we have here is growth in the private sector, contraction in the public sector but we need to get our economy moving, and key to that is having low interest rates that his plans would put at risk. >> ed miliband. >> he doesn't understand. the reason to figure bet is they show the next year unemployment

will get worse, not better. on his policies. and nothing he can say can deny that. that long list of policies according to the independent obr will make no difference. let's talk about you and people. in the last year, can he confirm that we have now 147,000 young people out of work for more than six months? that's double what it was a year ago, an increase of 102%. why has he allowed it to happen? >> let me give him the figure. over the last year, unemployment amongst young people measured by the independent labour organization, the broadway to measuring figures, is up by 7%. that is far too high. it's not the 40% increase we had under labour. but it is far too high. what we need to do is help those young people into work and that is exactly our programs are doing. let me just make this point because i think it is important. there is a fundamental difference between the way this

government measures youth unemployment and the way the last government did. it is important because his government, his government -- on jobseeker's allowance but in any former scheme as not unemployed. this government is saying and tell you get a permanent job we will measure you unemployed. that is right. that is not complacent. that is frank, straightforward and what we never got from them. [shouting] >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, it really is back to the 1980s. [shouting] a tory government, a tory -- [shouting] a tory government blaming unemployment on the figures. no wonder he retired lord young, mr. speaker. now, on long-term youth unemployment, he is wrong on the facts. long-term youth unemployment which has that scarring effect on our young people, desperate

for work, out of work for more than six months, that has doubled. that has doubled in the last year. so however much he twists and turns about the figures can he confirm that it is up by one or 2% in the last year and? >> i've explained the figures and if you look at young people, if you look at the number of young people have been out of work for longer than 12 months, that number has started to go down. that's not nearly enough. far more needs to be done but that is from the work program. that is what he needs to understand. there's a context to all of this. if you want to get unemployment down we've got to keep interest rates down. we've had a reminder come in recent days what happens if you don't have a plan to get on top of your deficit, get on top of your debt and get your economy moving. that's what he doesn't understand. and what you have is a government that is absolutely clear about its plan, and opposition that has absolutely no idea.

last year he marched against the got. now he tells us he accepts the cut. [shouting] and yet, and yet, and yet today he is telling us he wants to spend more. he is so incompetent he can't even do a u-turn properly. [shouting] >> mr. speaker, he is simply, mr. speaker, he is simply -- >> try to calm down, contain it so. ed miliband. [shouting] >> mr. speaker, i know he doesn't want to talk about the young people out of work in this country because he is embarrassed by his record of what's happening but he owes it to them to tell the facts as they are about what is happening to them. i come back to this point. the prime minister said in his answer that long-term unemployment among young people is going down. it's not going down, mr. speaker, it is going up. it is going up. now, he mentions the work program.

what has happened to long-term youth unemployment since he introduces work program? >> well, let me give them the figures. i will give him the figures exactly. there are far too many young people who are long-term unemployed. there are 200 -- there are 246,000 young people unemployed for over a year, but that is down 11,000 on the last quarter. that is not enough. we want to do more. but it's because where the work program, because we have the youth contract, because with 400,000 apprenticeships, because with a 250,000 people going into work experience we're making a difference. why doesn't he come up with something constructive instead of just knocking everybody down? [shouting] >> ed miliband. >> i'll tell him what he should do. he should change course. it's his policy. [shouting] yeah, yeah, yeah. because, because why, he does

why, why is unemployed rising? why is unemployment rising? because he is cutting too fast and too far. [shouting] it's his record. however, much he twists and turns, it's his record. that's why unemployment is going up. and what we have, mr. speaker, what we have is women's unemployment the highest since the last time there was a tory government. youth unemployment the highest since the last time there was a tory government, and unemployment higher than the last time there was a tory government. isn't the truth that defining characteristic of this government is that it stands aside and does nothing as thousands of people find themselves unemployed? [shouting] >> mr. speaker, to be fair, he does change course every day. [laughter] he's an expert in changing courses. labors shadow chancellor said two days ago my starting point is we're going to have to keep all the cuts. that is what he said.

and then labour's deputy leader said yesterday we're not excepting the governments cut. were totally opposed to them and we're fighting them. he is flip-flopping on a daily basis. no wonder labors, found of labors business forum had this to say at a time when the nation needs strong political leadership, labour offers nothing. the pro-business pragmatic approach to wealth and enterprise have all gone. instead there is a vision and a leadership vacuum. what total customer of what stance opposite. >> thank you, mr. speaker. my right honorable friend will be aware that a recent raise the case of malay constituency martin pratt with the armed forces there's a. also you'll be aware of the excellent fighting report written by my honorable friend dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. now, due to the stigma, many

veterans wait years before seeking appropriate health, and i hope my right honorable friend can tell the house what plans the government has any say so that those who did need help can seek at the appropriate moment. >> i think my honorable friend is entirely right to raise this issue. the mental scars that people who serve this country often receive can be every bit we see with the physical scars. is not something we've always accepted and understood properly. that's what i think the report by my honorable friend is so important. as someone with real experience and understanding of this. we've accepted and implemented with almost all of its recommendation. we are introducing the enhance mental health assessments for service personnel, and the veterans information service we hope to get up and running in april of this year. >> ian mckinsey. >> thank you, mr. speaker. [inaudible]

does the prime minister still think it's a great decision -- >> good, god. >> it is a tragic case and hearts should go to the people of lost loved ones. people from countries right across the world. i think we need to wake and see to see what exactly of what action was before jump to conclusions about any changes in regulations or other things that need to be change. but if there are changes that need to be made, including the issue you raise is, of course we will make them. ms. and macintosh. >> the prime minister -- [inaudible] will be in the uncertainty for customers and industry alike by publishing a draft bill now so we can have proper parliamenta parliamentary?

>> yes, i can say to my honorable friend that we will be publishing a draft order bill in the coming months. as she knows there are many important parts to this water bill. one partner does think stand out is a consummate and funding we have supplied to help cut water bills in the southwest of her country by 50 pounds from april 2013. this does address a historic unfairness were people in the southwest felt that they paid unfair charges to provide clean beaches and on july would be able to make progress on this issue in david hamilton. >> thank you, mr. speaker. [inaudible] will the primacy consider introducing our legal liability into the bill so who is

responsible banking crisis will be taken to task? after all, we are in this together. >> he makes an important point. the whole point about overhauling our financial services regulation is it gives us the opportunity look about the rest of the world, see who has tougher penalties and work out whether we can introduce them to our system. that's what we'll be introducing this bill with a major overhaul of how the bank of england work and deal with the regulatory system that wasn't working properly. >> andrew george. >> a year ago the prime minister told me the reason for the new health bill was this country does european level of health spending that does not have european levels of success. now that we know that isn't the case with the prime minister please shelve the disruptive and disruptive bill which is struggling in other places? go back to the coalition agreement and build up from there?

[shouting] >> great respect from honorable friend but i don't agree with him on this one. with the health bill, huge exercise was undertaken which the deputy premise and i both play quite a large role in, listen to health professionals, doctors, nurses, associate health professionals to understand what they most wanted to see in the nhs reform bill. that is what we are delivering. he says it is not the case that we have outcomes that are less than some, i am afraid it is the case but in some cases we could be doing a lot better. and argue just that the nhs simply needs money and not reform i don't believe is right. >> mr. speaker, in the northeast unemployment amongst women is rising at twice the rate of men. where does the prime minister think the women's place is come in home, in the workplace or in the job center? >> i want to see many more women have the opportunity to be in the workplace and actually what you have seen in the figures, of

course there's a disappointing increase in unemployment amongst women, but if you look since the elections or 59,000 more women in work today than there were at the time of the last election. but i'm not satisfied with that. that is what we're boosting childcare for two year old, three year old and for your old to of women in to work. we are introducing through universal credit support for all women with child care to work, not just those who work over 16 hours, and, obviously, by lifting overwhelming people out of tax, the majority of whom are women, that also helps with and into the workforce. that is what i want to see. >> thank you, mr. speaker. last week a couple were appalled that others are getting more benefits. does he think that is right or fair? >> i think my honorable friend makes an important point, and let me say this about the benefit cap. i think we owe it to people who work hard, who do the right thing, who pay their taxes to

make sure there are some limits on welfare. what we're seeing with the benefit cap is that a family can get up to 26,000 pounds in benefited you have to earn 35,000 pounds in order to achieve that standard of living. so i do believe the benefit cap is there and that is what we're going to introduce one. >> david winnick. >> in the shame at all that the most vulnerable people in our society will undoubtedly be financially penalized as result of the major -- is a new wonder -- is the same old story and the tory government party. [shouting] >> i don't accept what the honorable gentleman says that the whole point about employment and support allowance is there are two groups. there are those who cannot work, we need help in a support group, and many people go straight into that group and will be able to receive the benefit as long as they needed. and actually if you look at what we have said and look at the

report by professor harrington, they're going to be more sufferers getting benefits and fewer people facing the face-to-face interviews. he shakes his head. he should look at the evidence before asking the question. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i was shocked to discover that main street television carries -- [inaudible] at a time when this 1.45 trillion pounds fashion aware encouraging people to be modest and expectations. with the prime minister please take consumers, children and the vulnerable from this kind of activity by asking for our review of -- [shouting] >> order, order. order. question was too long. the prime minister.

>> thank you, mr. speaker. i think the honorable lady does raise an important issue about gambling advertisement on television. i'm all in favor of deregulation and trying to allow businesses to succeed. gambling programs embedding advertising were not permitted into the last government allowed them in 2007. they are strictly regulated, but what i would say to the honorable lady, it's not just a question of regulation but i think it's also a question of responsibility for those companies concern to anyone who enjoys watching a football match you do see advertisers on the television. i think this concept ask whether they are behaving responsibly when they do that. >> does the subject of gambling, in hackney we have 19 bookies complete times the national average. will the prime minister listen to the debates that took place yesterday and take action this friday and instruct his ministers to support the private members of this house which will give local authorities more

planning powers over bookies? >> i will certainly look at the debates as she mentions and look at the ideas with any. we're all for giving local authorities greater powers in these sorts of regard and i will look at this gesture and she makes. >> will the prime minister agreed with me that in this, the 13th year of the falklands war, the actions of the argentine government are wholly deplorable? and will he remind us that they lost the falklands war and that it is up to the falklands ours to determine their own future and? >> i think first of all it is very important that we commemorate the falklands war on this year, the 30th anniversary, and we remember all of those who served and who also did the lives in the memo. we should never all of those people this year. the absolutely vital point is we are clear the future is a matter for the people themselves but as long as they want to remain part

of the united kingdom, the part and the british they should be able to do so. that is absolutely key. i'm determined we should make sure that our defenses and everything else is an order which is why the national security council discussed this issue yesterday. but the key point is we support the falklands islands is right for self-determination. what the argentinians have been saying recently i would argue is far more like colonialism because these people want to remain british and the argentinians wanting to do something else. >> mr. speaker, -- [laughter] >> we have seen a rise in unemployment today to over 3000. 16% increase in the past year. when does the prime minister expect unemployment to start falling? >> the forecast is set up by the office by the office for budget responsibility. it for them to make the forecast, and they do expect unemployment to below or by the

end of this parliament and at the start and for employment to be higher. the job of the gum is to try to do everything it can to help its constituents into work. by the work program, with the youth program, with the apprenticeship schemes. with work experience but a bubble keeping interest rates low so our economy can grow and we don't fall into the mistakes that others in europe have. >> order. closed questions. donald leslie. >> number 10, mr. speaker. >> thank you, mr. speaker, the honorable lady raises an important issue about the working time directive and its effect on the nhs. look, nobody wants to go back to the time when union doctors were working 80 or 90 hours a week but i think we all see in her own constituencies that the working time directive have sometimes had a bad effect on the nhs, particularly on training programs, and that is why the government is discussing this issue with the royal colleges and others to make sure we have flexibility in this

vitally important area. >> i think the premise of of force and to pick does he share widespread concern coming largest from the medical profession itself that while we wait for the process to reconsider -- it hasn't even been decided what it is that they're going to be discussing about the directive? we're seeing a critical undermining of duties? they are saying that. we're seeing an erosion of the future of the profession and dinner i say, patients care. what steps can you take to stop that quickly? >> i think the honorable lady is right because this race has nothing to do with the single market. this has to do with how we run our health service and particulate as i said, is often training programs, often in rural areas where we don't have such margin of hospital. so what we can do to sort this out is the health and business secretaries our business -- to give the nhs the flexibly it needs to deliver their best,

safest service to patients and we were worked to bring that about. >> on the close question, mr. denis macshane. >> is the prime minister aware that every single medical problem in my constituency is related to weekend working by exhausted union doctors, far from this directive, being a problem? it is a solution to the fact that we've had far too many exhausted doctors in charge of patients? >> i don't doubt that you i do doubt what the honorable gentleman center i can believe that every problem is down to that one problem. all i can say is the local hospital that serves my constituents was threatened with massive downgrading, partly because all the working time directive because they couldn't supply the training modules for union doctors. this is a classic example of the cart being put in front of the horse. we ought to be determined what hospitals we want and think about the training module.

it was the directive that was getting in the way. >> mr. david rutledge. >> i welcome this weeks announcement between financials in hong kong and london which will help the city for. does the prime minister agree this highlights the operative of trade in asia and the importance of promoting this country's commitment to free trade and showing that this country is open for business? >> i think my onofre mixer by the important point. clearly the markets in europe are going to be difficult. 50% of the we export goes to the e.u. and we're seeing a freezing effect across the european union but the rest of the world economy is growing and we need to get out there and sell to those markets. i'm pleased to say that exports to china were up by 20% last year. i think the arrangement my right honorable friend the chancellor's can do will make london one of the great trading centers i think is a one important breakthrough, we need many more like that.

>> can the prime is to clarify what the coalition government position is on inheritance tax? we received correspondence from the junior partner state income and ago, if tories were governing -- cutting inheritance tax remainders and received by the public spending even more. is that true? [laughter] >> the position on inheritance tax is covered in the coalition agreement. [shouting] >> richard graham. >> last week on the serious -- syrian border, they refuse to cover fellows citizens. if things with her to get better, not worse, will the world and start selling arms to signal what evidence does the prime mr. abbott countries shipping arms to that regime? >> i think the honorable gentleman makes an extremely important point. and i think britain needs to lead the way in making sure we

tightened the sanctions, the travel bans, the asset freezes on syria. in terms of who is actually helping the syrian government to oppress their people, there is now growing evidence that iran is providing a huge amount of support and guidance in interceptions of some shipments by turkey which are particularly interesting in this regard. people should also know that hezbollah is also an organization that is standing up in supporting this wretched tyrant was getting so many of his own people. >> the prime minister will no doubt be aware of a reform of international aid agencies this morning saying how the crisis in the horn of africa was made worse by the delay of international countries responded. what will government do to try to ensure a speedy international response to? >> i think the honorable gentleman raises a very important point. i have studied this report ever did my understanding is the british it ever was very swift at getting aid into the horn of

africa and was really eating the pack both in terms of the extent of the response, the money committee, but also the speed at which it went into clearly the horn of africa is a very difficult place to deliver aid, not least because of the control shabang avenue, a terrorist organization or in large parts of somalia. but i will account out what he says in terms of west africa and make sure we learn any of able lessen. >> on the 26th of october i raised the case of my constituents and 14 year old, was killed outside her home by a driver under the influence of drugs. prime minister kind metric them to talk about the case in changing the laws we can do with drunk driving. can my right honorable friend update the house on the progress of? >> i pay tribute to the work that my honorable friend is giving out on this issue but i think it is important that we take this issue of drug drive insisted as he knows we are committed to making the drug testing equipment of able we