c-span.org. >> now to london for prime minister's question time live from the british house of commons. every wednesday while the parliament is in session prime minister david cameron takes questions from members of the house of commons. prior to question time the house is wrapping up other business. this is live coverage on c-span2. >> does my honorable friend agree that much can be learned from the royal regiment which recruits from the whole section? >> well, my honorable friend is absolutely spot on. i'm very proud to have the royal irish station in my constituency. i went to dinner on monday celebrating the capture of the

first french beagle with a cry, bejesus, i have a cuckoo. they are a glorious example of an organization bringing people together from all parts of the community and, indeed, south of the border. >> thank you, mr. speaker. recognizing the sacrifice from soldiers from northern ireland contribute to the defense of the united kingdom, does he acknowledge there is a time bomb of mental health problems those returning from the field of conflict and what steps should be taken to assess? >> here, here. >> i entirely endorse the honorable members comments. i would pay tribute to those who lost their lives and home and campaigned last year. he's right to draw attention to the mental health problem, and i discussed this in cabinet and also he should have done this

with local ministers are responsible for delivering these in northern ireland. >> order. questions for the prime minister. >> number one, sir. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i hope you'll permit me before answering questions, mr. speaker, to make the following announcement. yesterday, a warrior armored fighting vehicle on patrol near the eastern border of helmand province was struck by an explosion. it is with very great sadness i must tell the house that six soldiers are missing, believed killed. by the soldiers are from the server tied to yorkshire regiment and once from the first battalion the duke of lancaster's regiment. our thoughts are with their family and friends of these brave servicemen. this would be the largest loss of life in a single incident in afghanistan since 2006. it takes the overall number of casualties we've suffered in afghanistan to over 400. every injury reminds us of the human cost paid by our armed forces to keep our country safe.

i have spoken this point to the chief of defense staff, chief of general staff and the commanding officer of third battalion the yorkshire regiment. they expressed the commitment of our troops to the mission of getting the job done. i know everyone will want a message of support and backing for our troops and their families to go out to the south today. >> here, here. >> this point i had meetings with minister of colleagues and others, and i shall further such meetings later today. >> thank you, mr. speaker. can i echo the prime minister tribute to the fallen, their service and their sacrifice humbles us all. with this terrible news in mind, will my right honorable friend uses meetings next week with president obama to coordinate a prudent drawdown of allied forces in afghanistan, as to ensure that afghan forces get the training and equipment they need to take over? >> well, i think my honorable friend for his question. i think next week is an

opportunity to make sure that britain and america, the two largest contributors to the isaf mission, in afghanistan are absolutely in lockstep about the importance of training on the afghan army, training up the afghan police and making sure all partners have a process for transition in that country so the afghans can take responsibility for the security of their own country and we can bring our forces home. >> ed miliband. [shouting] >> mr. speaker, ghana join the prime minister in expressing profound sadness at the terrible news of our soldiers being feared dead. today is day we a reminder of the ongoing commitment of sacrifice that our service made on our behalf. by putting themselves in harm's way, for our benefit, they demonstrate the utmost service and courage. we owe them and all those who lost their lives in afghanistan an immense sense of gratitude for our thoughts are with her family and friends and colleagues at this terrible

time. mr. speaker, at moments like this does the prime minister agree with me we must restate clearly the reasons for our mission in afghanistan, a more stable, self-governing afghanistan, to produce more stable outcomes in that region, and to ensure greater safety for our citizens here at home? >> i think the right honorable gentleman for his words. he's absolutely right to our mission in afghanistan does remain vital to our national security. we're there to prevent that country from being a safe haven to al qaeda, from where they might plan attacks on the uk or our allies. our task is simple. it is to equip the afghan government and forces of afghanistan with a capability and capacity to take care of their own national security without the need of foreign troops on their soil. that is our aim. we are making progress, in terms of afghan national army it stands 184,000 on target for 195,000 by the end of this year.

the afghan national police 10 at 145,000, on target for 157,000 at the end of this year. that we are making progress, this is essential for bringing our troops home. but i agree with him we need to restate clearly why we are there, why its international interest and to make sure, as both the command of the battalion said to me today, his men have high morale, they know they are doing an important mission for the future of this country but for the future of the world and they want our support as they go about it. >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, i think the prime minister for the answer but he and i agree it is essential that we build now for a political settlement in afghanistan when our troops are gone. can he therefore take this moment to update the house of what diplomatic progress is being made while securing a broader and more inclusive political settlement needed for a stable afghanistan? tessie further agree with me that the whole international community must up the pace of

progress so that we can assure we do all we can to make concrete progress between now and the departure of our combat troops at the end of 2014? >> thank the right honorable friend. we are clearly planned increase in the army and the place which are physical forces that will take over but the greatest difference we can make it a stronger political settlement that will make sure that afghanistan has the chance of real peace, stability, prosperity and security in the future. there are some good sign as there are proper discussions now between the afghan and pakistan governments. there is a clear message coming out of afghanistan and pakistan to all those who are engaged in violence to give up the violence and to join a political process. their strong support for the across the arab world, particularly in the middle east. we need to get at every possible support we can and send it very clear message to the taliban that whether it is our troops are there or whether it is

afghan troops that are there, they will not win on the battlefield. they never win on the battlefield. and now it is time for political settlement to give this country a chance for peaceful progress. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i would also like to echo -- who were asked to make sacrifices, on a daily basis, to keep our country safe. so will the prime minister said, despite these events, isaf in one form another -- with the afghanistan people taking responsibility? >> we have now a very clear timetable which is all about transitioning parts of afghanistan over to afghan security control which allows our troops to move into the background and eventually move out of the country. we are already seeing an element itself where we have been for all these years, one of the

toughest parts of afghanistan, for instance, the effective capital of helmand, that is now controlled by afghan forces. this process is ongoing. i believe it can be properly completed by the end of 2014 so that we will leave in a proper an orderly fashion handed over to afghan troops. let's be clear. the relationship between britain and other countries in afghanistan will go on. they will be relationship of military training, diplomacy support of it and it helped to the country. we must learn lessons of the past which was a mistake was to turn away from afghanistan. >> thank you, mr. speaker. the prime minister's business secretary -- [inaudible] other actions are frankly rather piecemeal. does the prime minister -- [inaudible] >> i don't agree with it. what this government is doing is -- [laughter] cutting corporation tax, investing in apprenticeships,

building enterprise zones, making sure right across our economy, there's a rebalancing taking place that is necessary for sustained economic growth. >> thank you, mr. speaker. my constituents have to wait longer to get a hospital appointment than they would in england. there are five times less likely to get council on drugs if they are anymore. does it prove to the prime minister you can trust labour with the nhs? [shouting] >> i think my honorable friend makes an important point, which is if you look at what has happened to the nhs in wales i think it does show what happens if you don't put in the resources come if you don't put in the money, because the resources are being cut in wales. but also if you don't reform the nhs to make sure there is a proper chance for people to get the treatments they need. and so there isn't a cancer fund in ways. are much longer waiting times, there are much longer waiting lists and i think that's an example of what happens without

the money, without the reform. >> mr. speaker, the prime minister is proud of his welfare reform. [shouting] can he love me any i can tell me -- can he look me in the eye and tell he is proud of this decision to remove all this belief benefit from a 10 year old child who can hardly walk, cannot toilet himself, because she has cerebral palsy? easy truly proud? >> this government is not cutting the money that is going into disability benefits. we are replacing, we are replacing disability living allowance with a personal independence payment. and someone who is filled out the forms for disability living allowance and had a child with several palsy, i know how long it takes to fill in the form. we will have a proper medical

test so people who are disabled or need that help give it more quickly. [shouting] >> mr. speaker, on friday -- >> order. i say to the honorable gentleman from brighton they will stay silent and that sort of noise is not acceptable in this forum. >> thank you, mr. speaker. on friday, two of the best of the police came to see me about the life-threatening effects of a new legal high called black mombo on the life of a 13-yard and my constituency. it is the latest high being sold on our street in uk. cannot ask my right honorable friend now that we have regulations that allow us to act swiftly to ban dangerous highs, will my right honorable friend act on this immediately? >> we're grateful.

prime minister. >> my honorable friend raises an important issue. we're determined to stand by the so called legal highs. the home office is aware of this particular drug. we now do have this drug early warning system and so the system brings these things are attention but as he said, a decision now needs to be so timid and i will make sure that happens. >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, tim howell is a delivery driver. he is a married father of three and the sole owner in his family. he currently works 20 hours a week. next month under the prime minister's proposal and thus he works 24 hours a week, he will lose all his working tax credit from 60 pounds a week. these as i approach my employers to increase my hours but i told there simply aren't of the hours there. i would love to work full-time. mr. speaker, what's the prime minister's advice? >> first of all let me just set the context for this because we did need to reform -- i will enter the question very

directly. but we do need to reform the tax credit system because we have a massive budget deficit. when we came to office, tax credits were going to nine out of 10 families including people right up the income scale, including members of parliament. what our changes to in terms of this specific case is we're dealing with a basic answer that we ask a single parent to work 16 hours before getting access to the tax credit system so i think it's only right to say decouples that between them they should work 24 hours. i eat 12 hours each. that's the case and they do that they would be better off. >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, i have to say to the prime minister that answer is no use to mr. howell and his family. he can't find the extra hours but he's going to lose, he's going to lose -- he shot what about his wife? let me tell you, his wife is at

home with her three school age children and can't, and can't, and can't, and can't find consistent -- powers consistent with the. mr. speaker, tim howell, 200,000 couples are going to lose, are going to lose as a result of this. and before the election the prime minister said in a tv debate that the labour to say and i quote, that the changes we're making to tax credits will hit low income families is simply not true. why has he broken that promise? [shouting] >> we have increased the child tax credit the go to the poorest families in our country. but to answer directly, i don't think it's unreasonable when we say to a single parent that they have to work 16 hours to get access to the tax credit system, i don't think it's unreadable to ask a couple to work an average of 12 hours each. that is what we are asking. that in a way this relates to the bigger picture.

we have a massive budget deficit. [shouting] is he not going to support the welfare catholics it is not going to sport the housing benefit cut, if he won't support cuts to legal aid animals support cuts to tax credits how on earth will we deal with the deficit? >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, in case the prime minister didn't realize, doubts whether a house families, there are five people chasing every vacancy but it's not good enough for the prime minister to say they should get out. they can't find work. they will find it better off on benefits than in work whether the prime minister -- that's something he said he wanted to avoid. and it also goes to this matter of trust. the prime minister made it clear promise just like you made a clear promise on child benefit. before the election he said i'm not going to flanagan. i'm going to give it to you -- [laughter] i'm going to give it to you straight. [shouting] >> i'd like a child benefit.

i wouldn't change child benefit. i wouldn't means test child benefit. i don't think that's a good idea. we've already established his broken promise to low income family. why have you broken his promise to middle income families, to? >> here we go, another change he doesn't support. he seems to think, he seems to think that -- >> order, order. question has been asked to the prime minister answer must be heard. prime minister. [shouting] >> does he really think that people are earning 20,000, 25,000 pounds should pay for his child benefit? i don't agree with it. i think we have to make savings so not giving child benefit to the wealthiest 15% of families in our country, of course it's a difficult position. life is about difficult decisions. government is about difficult decisions. isn't it a pity he is just not capable of taking one? [shouting] >> mr. speaker, first of all

we're talking about families on 43,000 pounds a year, and secondly, it's no good the prime minister says he now supports the principles that people in higher income shouldn't get job and that's because before the election he supported the opposite principle. [shouting] and he said quite clear to families up and down this country i'm not going to take away your child benefit. mr. speaker, in my book there's a very simple wood for the. it is a broken promise, a broken promise by this prime minister. [shouting] >> to broken promises. they are right. to broken promises. the reality is this. lower income families are losing their tax credits. middle income families are losing their child benefit. does the prime minister understand why people just don't believe him when he says we are all in this together? >> i really do think it is time for the right honorable gentleman to listen to his own shadow chief secretary who said

this, we must ensure we pass the test of fiscal credibility if we don't get this right, it doesn't matter what we say about anything else. she is absolutely right, reducing our deficit takes tough decisions. he is opposed every single time, he has opposed to welfare gaps, he's opposed housing benefit cap, he opposes legal aid cuts. no wonder, when people phone in and they work at who they is, he is not remotely up to the job. >> mr. markey prichard. >> order. let's hear from mr. mark prichard. >> following last week's statement on the use of wild animals in circuses, could the prime minister inform the house whether a band will be introduced in this parliament and before the next general

election? >> well, i do want to see, i do want to see a band introduced to get the overwhelming opinion of members in his house. we're putting in a revelatory to scheme in the short term but i think my right honorable friend, the private sector he made absolutely clear that it's our intention to introduce a ban in full as well. >> mr. speaker, today that the select committee reported on debt. last november are three reported 60% of people were about debt and 3.5 ming considering payday loans. india since the government concluded its consultation, no action has been announced. will the prime minister commit to ask dad to protect vulnerable found or will he accept he is simply out of touch with the financial reality facing a result of his policies because i think it's less exchange just proved wha we are worried about debt. all worried -- the whole country needs to be worried and the

promise the labour party doesn't seem to understand there is a debt problem. there's been a debt problem in our economy that is also a debt problem for many households and we do need to make sure that the ghetto. that's what we're making sure citizens of advice bureau continue to get health. >> the coalition agreement contains many bold and brilliant proposals to give britain's the change we need. open primary, radical localism. sometimes our progress has been a little slower than some of us on this side would have hoped. sometimes the radicalism has been ever so blunted. >> it was good to have such a helpful start for my honorable friend. i think this government has done a number of radical things right across the board whether it is welfare reform to make sure it always pays to work, whether it

is education reform to give greater and attendance to our schools, whether it is tax reforms to give us competitive tax rates. of course, i always want us to go further and faster. i don't blame the y. tall machine machine began in the politicians must always take responsibility. >> my constituent was arrested nearly three years ago on drug charges but he was subsequently released when it was known to police officers arrested him were under investigation for corruption. he cannot travel come he cannot work that he doesn't even know when his case will come to court. will the prime minister agree with me that justice delayed is justice denied? will he make sure he meets with me to discuss the case of my constituent? >> i will certainly do that. i think it's important the honorable gentlemen and others feel they can stand up for the constituents on the other side of the world who have been treated this way. i think the work of fair trials

abroad and other organizations is important and i will make sure the foreign office meets with him soon. >> thank you, mr. speaker. will prime minister join me in congratulating the project that is starting in my constituency, which is being funded by both the private sector, the london bureau, charities, congratulate the co-chairman to get young people with special needs into employment? >> i will certainly join him in supporting that project. i think it is important that we not only help children with special needs through their schooling time but also through that transition after school and into college, and then try to help them to find work. it sounds like this is an excellent project that deserves support. >> thank you, mr. speaker. cannot ask the prime minister, is it true, and i quote, the problem is the policies being ruined by two public schoolboys who don't know what it's like to go to the supermarket, and to

put things back on the shelves because they can't afford it for their children's lunch boxes? the words of conservative mps -- [shouting] >> i would have thought, coming from the northeast she should be celebrating the fact that they will be building their new -- [shouting] instead of what ever the nonsense she read out. >> my personal tributes to the fallen as well. mr. speaker, on monday, clare hall came into being. will my right honorable friend be willing to meet with me and sergeant carney howard to learn firsthand how is teenagers groundbreaking initiative is helping to make sure that children in my constituency, in

an area where they will not be domestic violence? >> i think my right honorable friend is right to raise this issue in his constituency and also to raise it this week went to par with international women's day. i think it is important to note that has been made. i think it is a breakthrough to give women disinformation, if they seek it. i want us to follow that by looking at a specific offense on stocking that i wanted to continue to support the rape crisis centers as we are under this government and to make sure we act on domestic violence right across the board. >> question number 10. close question. >> number 10. >> i look forward to visiting scotland soon. [laughter] >> i'm not so sure, mr. speaker, i'm not so sure, mr. speaker, that he is coming to my constituency very soon indeed. in fact, later this month.

but i want, i want to know, i want to know whether or not he agrees with me that there's uncertainty that is being created, their own separates idea of of a referendum, it has been delayed longer than it should be -- [inaudible] will he come with me to perceive some investment, a promise, mr. speaker, itma to meet at a meeting a year ago. >> when he asked this question i ago i did meet with the delegation from his constituency. i agree with every word he said, and i'm making this offer. as i'm going to be there, he can make a short trip from his constituency, we can share a platform to get and point out the dangers of separatism and the nationalistic agenda.

[shouting] >> are you up for it? >> labour controls the council. >> order, order. i want the honorable ladies question to be heard. have a bit of respect. >> thank you, mr. speaker. labour controls the council are trying to suppress the report into the scandal. 26 million pounds of their money has been wasted. and now council is being threatened with disciplinary action if they blow the whistle. does the prime minister agree that council should come clean with the people? >> i agree with the honorable lady. she raises an important point which is there is that proposals for total transparency in local government, expenditure over 500 pounds should be separately documented, that the salaries, names, budget and responsibilities of staff paid over 50,000 should all be published, including council allowances and expenses, including the organizational

charts. we want the window transparency to go right through local government, colby included. >> thank you, mr. speaker. article 16 of the european fiscal compact states very clearly that it will be incorporated into european treaties in five years. with the promise now to veto that, or does he expect to be here in five years time? >> what the treaties is clear is it can only be incorporated with the position of all 27 member states of the european union. our position on that has not changed. >> thank you, mr. speaker. can the prime minister join me, along with the thousands of families with missing loved ones, including the family missing york woman, claudia lawrence, in supporting the sensible recommendations of the justice select committees reform into missing people's rights on the presumption of death? >> i think this is an important issue he raises, and i paid

tribute to peter lawrence for support in this campaign, missing people. the justice select committee has made an important report on this issue. we acknowledge the present law is complicated. i recognize all the emotional and practical difficulties faced by those whose loved ones are missing. we will consider these recommendations very carefully and perhaps i will write to the audible german women come up with an answer. >> is the prime minister -- to remove some of the anomalies of the child benefit policy to a people aren't 43,000 pounds a year, will he then helped the couples on minimum wage is set to thousand pounds? >> i think we've dealt with his earlier, which is we are making a long-term reform, quite apart from the point about the unfairness between the single person and 16. we're making a long-term reform, universal credit which will mean that everyone is always better off in work no matter how may