this is live coverage on c-span2. >> as i thought to myself and i've visited before christmas, humanitarian aid is targeted direct helping the people who are victims of what she describes. our commitment is to continue to ensure that britain is engaged in the most effective possible resolution of these matters both on the ground as well as an international forum. >> mr. richard fuller. >> thank you, mr. speaker. a group with 20 years experience of working with adults with special education needs in london will shortly visit bangladesh to see they can use their expertise to establish

people with autism. will the minister agree to meet with me and members of them to see how his department can help this initiative? >> i will certainly undertake a minister will meet with my honorable friend to discuss this. i would suggest to him that he and the charity engage in a global poverty action fund, a new fund to support ngos with matching money which was set up by the coalition government. i think you may find that a rewarding vein to mine. >> order. questions to the prime minister. >> number one, mr. speaker,. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i'm sure the whole house will wish to join me in sending our deepest condolences to the families and friends of signaler jones from the 20th brigade, and lance corporal, attached to first battalion the yorkshire regiment. these were dedicated soldiers to

who were highly respected by the college. they were courageous, selfish service will never be forgotten by our country. >> here, here. >> this morning i had meetings with others and in addition to what is in the south i shall further have such meetings later today. >> can i sell it myself with a whole house with a prime ministers remarks, condolences to family and friends of the two brave soldiers who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country. mr. speaker, in the past week chief constable of wales warned policing is on the cliff edge and facing a watershed moment as numbers fall. might own force is cutting hundreds of officers and staff yet during the tv debates a general election the prime minister said the following, there's no doubt about it, we are not seeing enough police on the streets. were not getting enough burglars but we're not convicting enough. [laughter] [shouting] can ask the prime minister, how does his rhetorical value square with reality with what's happening?

[shouting] the fact is the percentage of officers on the frontline has actually actually increased. [shouting] what we inherited, we inherited a situation -- [shouting] we inherited a situation -- uniformed officers performing back-office roles in the police. now, we have had to make difficult spending reductions, but i think if he listens to his front bench you will now find out they support the cuts. he supported the pay freeze, and they even so strongly support our police commissioners. >> thank you, mr. speaker. tonight, this house has a historic vote on what households on benefit should be able to receive more than households in work. does the prime minister agreed with me that the introduction of the benefits of camp should have the support of the whole house?

[shouting] >> i think my honorable friend is entirely right. the cap is right and the gap is there. it is right to say you shouldn't get more than 26,000 pounds a year in benefit. that is 500 pounds a week. it's there because we are introducing the new principle into our welfare system that an able-bodied family that can work should not get more in benefits than the average family gets from work. now, the leader of the party opposite said he's not against the cap in principle. and i will find that what he is in favor of the cap in practice. >> ed miliband. [shouting] >> mr. speaker, can i join the prime minister in paying tribute to signaler jones of 20th armored brigade, and lance corporal attached to first battalion yorkshire regiment. both men showed exceptional

courage and bravery, and our thoughts are with their families and friends. >> here, here. >> mr. speaker, before the election, legislation was passed by parliament with cross party support to make all banks disclose how many people earn over 1 million pounds, but it needs the government to trigger the change. will the prime minister now go ahead and do it? >> we now have the toughest and most transparent regime of any major financial center in the world for the first time, for the first time ever banks are going to publish the pay of the top eight executives. that never happened in 13 years of a labour government. on the specific walker reforms, walker himself said it should be done at the same time in all countries across the european union. >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, exactly what we would expect, no leadership on tough they. [shouting]

in case, in case he, in case he hadn't heard the news, there are more than eight people earning over a million pounds at our banks. what did the chancellor say in opposition? he said this, we -- i think all judgment opposition should listen to what the chancellor said. he said this, we support proposal to make these banks disclose the number of their employees who were from high salary. mr. speaker, he even called for them to publish their names. it's another broken promise from this government. [shouting] >> i ask him the question again. the legislation is on the books. it's all ready to go. all party support. why doesn't he make it happen? >> we are listening to the advice of the man who produced the report for the last labour

government. he asks about the number of people getting million pound bonuses. let me remind him of this. it was the last labour government when he was in the cabinet that agreed and rbs bonus pool of 1.3 million-pound. [shouting] literally, literally hundreds of people -- literally hundreds of people were getting million pound bonuses, and he signed it off. the issue for the honorable gentleman is why is he in favor now in opposition of things he never did in government? some might call it opposition. some people might call it hypocrisy. [shouting] >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, i will tell him what hypocrisy is. it's saying he's going to stop 1 million-pound bonus to people and then nodding it through. [shouting] and i have to say this, i have to say to i think we now hurt at all because he says that the class war against the bankers is

going to be led by him and his cabinet of millionaires. i don't think it's going to work, frankly. now, let me ask them -- [shouting] let me ask him about another super proposal. he had no answer on transparency. does he agree with me to bring a dose of realism to the decisions about top pay there should be an ordinary employee on every page committee, so people on a huge salary can look at their employees in the eye and justify it? >> order, order. the prime minister will know the use of the word hypocrisy in relation to an individual member is not parliamentary. order, order. just before the prime minister begins with his reply i would ask him to withdraw that term. >> i'm very happy to do that, mr. speaker. i think it's just because that we are expected to listen to the people who presided over the biggest banking and financial

disaster in our history, and it's not as if they had nothing to do with it. one of them was the city ministers and the other one was sitting in the treasury. and i have to ask him who was to go to regulate the banks? labour. who wasn't who gave us the boom and bust? labour. who wanted -- labour. who presided over these multimillion pound bonuses and it out slowly nothing? labour. i have looked very carefully at his proposition. i don't think it is practical to do what he is suggesting. it breaks an important principle of not having people on a committee who have their own pay determined. so i don't think it's the right way forward. but the house may be interested to know because i've looked very carefully out all his proposals, he also proposed in glasgow to band performance related pay in all but the most exceptional circumstances. i think that is completely wrong. there are people working in offices and factories and shops

around the country who want performance related pay, and if they meet the targets, would like to the bonus at at the end of the year. that is pro-aspiration, pro doing the right thing for a family, and it shows he hasn't got a clue how to run an economy. >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, so now we know where the prime minister stand to know to transparency, no to an employee on the remuneration committee, and what was the chance were doing last week when they were supposedly cracking down on top pay? he was going to gavel to tell the business community lobbied for a reduction in the top rate of income tax your. [shouting] we know the truth. we know the truth. when it comes to top pay, this government and this prime minister are part of the problem, not part of the solution. [shouting] >> mr. speaker, i don't know what the word is for criticizing someone when you do it yourself.

[laughter] i will -- i will -- [shouting] i think the word peter mandelson used when he was there was struggling. [laughter] >> the premise is exceptionally well-educated and i'm sure he's got a very old vocabulary. and will make proper use of the. mr. david davis. >> mr. speaker, yesterday it was announced that the french company won the first round of the contest for the 10 million aircraft for india. that disastrous news for thousands of workers up and down the country, particularly in my constituency, even the long relationship between india and britain, given the fact that we did many times more aid to india than france ever did, would he engage in some of the full force of the government attempt to reverse the decision to? >> of course i will do everything i can as i have

already to encourage the indians to look at it because it is such a good aircraft. the decision is disappointing but it is about the indians have a sense of making the lowest bid and, therefore, asked to enter into further negotiations. they have not yet awarded the contract. i say to my right honorable friend who i know cares deeply as i did about the people employed in his constituency, we don't do in job losses stemming from this decision and it doesn't root out for any. we must go on making the case. this is a superb aircraft with far better capabilities and we will try and encourage the indians to take that you. >> the deputy prime is a recently said a means testing may be brought in for pension. was he speaking for the government, and does the prime minister really think that's fair? >> i made a clear commitment about pension -- about pension or winter fuel payment go about

pension of freaky licenses and we're keeping all those promises. >> order, order. the house must come down. i want to hear. >> is a local supermarket closes down another quickly takes its place to get the club closes down -- [inaudible] will the prime minister, and calling to mind a chair into to meet with a club so it would recoup the taxes of those that are club survived and that the fans had their chance? >> i will certainly do that, and i think she's right to raise this issue, no one wanted two fans i can completely understand the idea that they go and support that is completely -- completely invisible. >> mr. ed mr. litt and. [shouting] you. >> mr. speaker, this week, mr. speaker this week the british medical journal, the health service journal,

published a joint editorial that said, and i quote, the prime minister's reorganization has destabilized and damaged one of this country's greatest achievements. a system that embodies social justice and has delivered widespread patient satisfaction, public support and value for money. we must make sure that nothing like this ever happens again. mr. speaker, why does the prime minister think he is so comprehensively lost the medical professions trust? >> i notice he does want to raise the welfare cap today. [laughter] i think people up and then the country will recognize that. [shouting] right. there are tens of thousands of general practitioners up and down the country who are implementing our reforms because they want decisions made by doctors, not bureaucrats but they want to see health and social care brought together, if you want to put the patients in the driving seat. what i would say to him is look at what is actually happening in health services. waiting times are down.

the number of people in wars that we put up with for 13 years under labour is down by 94%. he should be praising the good things that are happening in the health service, rather than having his policy which is to say increase in any resources is a responsible. that is their position. it is this government is putting them in and getting the reforms right. [shouting] >> ed miliband. >> every time he talks about the nhs it just shows how out of touch he is. what is happening on the ground. let me now tell him who is lined up against this bill. 98% of gp's against the bill. the royal college of nursing against the bill. the royal college of midwives against the bill. the royal college of radiologists against the bill. the british medical association against the bill. the patients association of against the bill. mr. speaker, mr. speaker, he knows in his heart of hearts

this bill is a disaster. there were rumors last week that he was considering dropping the bill. he has a choice, he can carry on regardless or he can listen to the public and the professions. willie now do the right thing and drop this unwanted bill? [shouting] >> if you are trying to bring in to a public service choice, competition, transparency, drop results and publication of results, you will always find that to be objections. the question is, is going to improve patient care in the running of the health service? >> order, order. the prime minister's answer must be heard. order. there is excessive noise on both sides. members must calm down. letcher the prime minister's answers. >> let me, let me tell him something that tony blair once wrote about the process of reform. now, i know, i know --

[laughter] there's a mendoza thing about bonuses and pay. [laughter] he said this. he said, listen, listen -- [shouting] it is an important lesson in the progress of reform that changes proposed, it is a disaster. it proceeds with fast opposition. it is unpopular but it comes about within a short space of time, it is as if it has always been so. the lesson is instructive. if you think a change is right, go with a. the opposition is inevitable but it is rarely unbeatable. now let me tell you a thing or two about reform. [shouting] >> mr. speaker, -- >> order, order. the honorable member will be heard. >> thank you, mr. speaker. a year ago i asked the prime minister for help when we had the announcement of the closure in sandwich. with the prime minister agree

with me that the support and help from his ministers that has delivered us in enterprise zones and 40 million pounds for jobs ensures that we are building a leading center for lifetime? >> i'm delighted with what the honorable lady says. it was a tough and difficult time when pfizer made that decision but i think it is shown that government and industry and local people coming together, we been able to keep a lot of jobs and a lot of investment in research and development in that area. i want to say to all pharmaceutical companies, it's this government has the patience, so if you invent things in this country and if you develop them in this country you are only paying 10% corporation tax rate. that enables us to say to pharmaceutical companies all over the world, come and invest in britain. >> this week temperatures across britain have dropped drastically your last winter 200 people died every day from preventable cold

weather related illnesses, but instead being able to focus resources on the danger of cold weather went to set at at 79 pounds for an undemocratic top down re- organization of the nhs. can the prime minister tell my constituents it really is responsible use of public money? >> first of all what i would say to them and to everyone, this government has been able to keep a high level of cold weather payments that were introduced before the election, and we have kept him for all years. i think they'll be a real help along with the winter fuel allowance but what i would say to him about the nhs is a simple look at the figures. if you look since the election there are 4000 more doctors working in nhs figure 620 more midwives working in our nhs. and we are actually treated 100,000 more patients per month in our nhs. that's what is happening in the nhs.

the prime minister will be aware that talks between st. george's and the trust have been abandoned regarding the possible merger. could i speak, seek from the premise are reassurances they will be able to engage with local partners such as local authorities in the clinical commission groups to come forward with a proposal that meets local health needs? and also that the 290 million allocated for the hospital is still available? >> i totally understand my on will frantz concerns about this issue. the priority for the trust remains to secure the future of the hospital to understand the trust board and is working on a possible merger had already started to look at the other options in case this didn't happen. i understand they are now looking at the next deaths and ensure the department of health will want to engage very closely with him as this unfolds. >> thank you, mr. speaker. prime minister, you tell us that work should always pay.

therefore, want to say to my constituents from low to middle income families, about the measures being brought forward by the government such as the removal of working and child tax credit? these are working people who are already facing an edge difficulties and the current proposals could cause the hard-working families with disabled children in receipt of the lower disability premium over 1300 pounds per year. >> i would make two points. of course, we've had to reform the tax credit system when we came to office. tax credits when all the way up the income scale so there were people in this house were eligible for tax credits. and we have taken it further down. the income scale. in terms of what she says about disability, i would make two points. first of all, disability living allowance is the key benefit is going up by 5.2% this april which will be well ahead of

inflation. the point i would make about the universal credit issue is as she knows, the lower rate for disabled children at 53 pounds, anyone on that level is going to be completely protected through transitional payments. we haven't yet set a higher rate but i can tell the honorable lady it will be at least what it is now, and possibly higher. >> thank you, mr. speaker. will the prime minister as a matter of urgency look into recent shopping report into allegations of overcharging of vulnerable adults, and also cases of violence and intimidation under a labour led counter control, making sure those responsible are brought to account and never work in adult social services against? >> i will certainly look at the report that she mentioned that it is clear to a very serious matter. i would also ask the minister in the department of health to look

into this matter further and speak with her. clearly, seek to see which is a difficult birth has got a really important job to do in terms of making sure the inspections are thorough and targeted in areas where they are most needed, including there's a very great need for this to happen on both sides. >> yet again today the prime minister has denied he is cutting benefits for disabled children but the lower rate of disability living allowance for disabled children -- [inaudible] almost 27 pounds, 100,000 children are going to be affected. is that not correct to? >> what is correct is that anyone on that lower rate of payment, no one will receive less as a result of their move to universal credit. no one will be affected by that. [shouting] >> does the prime minister agree that a meaningful cap on

benefits is essential if we are to end the something for nothing culture which developed under the last government? >> i think that is absolutely right. it is right to bring in this cat. it does introduce a new principle which is you shouldn't be better off on benefits than the average family is in work. but what we've had from the party opposite is a complete silence. are they going to be supporting us tonight? why not just not? nod? nod? [laughter] >> i thought it was all about taking tough decisions? they were in favor of a cap. they're going to tear up some of labour's history. it's time to make bold decisions. come on, one bowl decision. just not, are you with us or are you against us? [shouting] a great big vacuum. [laughter] >> a pathetic clown in a can the prime minister explain why my 55 euros constituent who couldn't get a council ward had to be one

of pounds over five and 70 pounds a month rent? because of his housing benefit reforms. why is this prime minister so much tougher on the vulnerable than he is on the powerful with their excessive -- [shouting] >> we know they're not going to back us on the welfare cap, and now we can see the origins housing benefit reforms as well. let me just remind her what her own welfare minister said. he said is completely unacceptable that housing benefit has rocketed to 20 million pounds, and this is what he said. this is what he said. where is -- were is baltimore. he's at home today last night he said this. he said this. beverage, beverage was scarcely -- costing u.k. over 20 billion pounds a year. now, this government is reforming it. that opposition is doing nothing. [shouting]

>> does the prime minister agree that all members of this house who claim they're on the side of hard-working families across the country should cut benefits -- [inaudible] >> she's absolutely. i think people up and down the country will be completely amazed that supposedly the party that has been to stand up for working people think that it is okay to get more on benefits and the family gets from working. so let me give them one more go to argue with those tonight? [shouting] absolutely hopeless. [inaudible] >> and the primacy guarantee lord ashcroft has now told the whole truth about his connection with the company's? or is it yet again on for his

rich friends? >> i've answered this question many times but i might point out to him, the largest funder of his party has been based offshore. >> there are 8 million households you have to make do with earning 26,000 pounds or less before tax. what measures does my right honorable friend think we will be sending to those people if we are to remain on our promise to cut benefits at 26,000 pounds? >> i think there'll be many people in the country who do criticize the benefit cap and said actually 26,000 pounds, 500 pounds a week is actually too high. i think it is good i think it is right. but i think they've got some people have got an expectation of the politicians that we will make it clear that you're better off at work and you are in benefits but got plenty of people who are excluded from the cat because they on disability. they're not able to work and

arrested. but if you can work you shouldn't be better off on benefits but a simple principle and i find it amazing that the party opposite can't agree. one more go, one of little nod? nothing. >> mr. speaker, in opposition the prime minister told millions on tv if you work hard i will be behind you. [laughter] [shouting] 82% -- hasn't signed up to pay a living wage of eight-pound 30 in london and seven-pound 20 elsewhere, why does his government support low wages for workers, but big bucks and bonuses for bankers? >> well, i thought by standing up for people to work hard he was beginning to get the hang of

it and we might have a supporter tonight last night what this government has done with rbs is radically cut the bonus pool that was massive under labour. it said issued a 2000 pounds cash have unlike the massive cash increases under labour. and i beginning to get his bank under control. >> thank you, mr. speaker. the liberal democrat plan increase income tax threshold to 10,000 pounds was on the front page of our manifesto but it will give many working people and an extra seven rebounds a year and lives millions of poorly paid people out of income tax altogether. at a time when many working people are striving to make ends meet, while the prime minister agreed to go further and faster on this much-needed tax cut? >> i think the honorable gentleman right is tasha is right to raise this issue. i'm proud of the fact we've taken 1.1 when people out of tax, some of the load -- lowest paid people in the country. we are committed to makin