tv International Programming CSPAN April 18, 2012 7:00am-7:30am EDT
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>> [background sounds] >> air photo. proceeded eastbound, and from there we will get you moving. >> e-10 go back now to linda for prime minister's question time live from 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 question time the house
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is wrapping up other business. the house of commons returning today after a two-week easter break. this is live coverage on c-span2. >> and as for the figures produced for the budget even the treasury select committee says they have bogus figures today. millionaires are winners. what about everyone else? will he confirm that by freezing the personal tax allowance, year on year on year, 4.4 million pensioners will lose as much as 320 pounds a year? >> what this budget is about is actually cutting taxes for 24 million working people. [shouting] taking 2 million people out of tax, freezing the council tax, cutting corporation tax so we're competitive with the rest of the world, and for pensioners with increase the basic pension this month by five pounds 30 a we,
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far more than labour would have done so. i have to ask in this. if he is concerned come if he is concerned about the 45 p. top rate of tax perhaps he could explain why his amendment that he is asked for a vote this afternoon would get rid of the 45 p. top rate tax and leaders with a 45 p. top rate tax? he -- key -- [shouting] he hasn't had much to do over the last month. some of us have been quite busy. he has almost nothing to do but even now that he has to do it he is completely incompetent. [shouting] >> ed miliband. >> the prime minister is talking rubbish as always, mr. speaker. on the issue of pension, on the issue of pension, he points to the increase in the basic state pension. i do say to him, only this prime
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minister could try to calm britain pensioners by changing the credit for high inflation. and everybody will have noticed, everyone will have noticed he didn't deny that britain's pensioners are seeing a tax increase year on year. and not just pensioners just tried to con convert its families with children. will he confirm according to the institute of fiscal studies as a result of all his tax changes from this april, families with children will be over 500 pounds a year worse off? >> i notice he is moved off the top rate of tax but he doesn't want to talk about it. in fact, i've got to ask them. he's got to withdraw his amendment because it is successful he will give us a 40 t. tax rate. the other reason, the other reason he does want to talk about the top rate of tax, the other reason is because he can't
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convince labour's candidate for mayor of london to pay his taxes. [shouting] when it comes to pensioners, what we have done is increase the basic state pension. we have capital the pensioner benefits, and freeze in a loud this means there'll be no cash losses. compare that with the pathetic 75 p. increase. [shouting] we remember what their budget did. so will he stand up and out and condemned labour's for mayor of london you will not pay his taxes? [shouting] >> mr. speaker, in case -- is very excited today, mr. speaker. in case he has -- [shouting] in case he has forgotten, it's prime ministers question. i ask the question and he is supposed to answer them. now, now, no answer, no answer on pensioners. no answer on families. what about charities?
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the prime minister's big idea was a big society. but since the budget, i don't know what his take advice from the part-time chancellor sitting next to him. [shouting] i wonder which job he is doing today, mr. speaker. since the budget, since the budget the government has managed to insult people who give to charity and he is consulted the charities themselves by flying their bogus. the prime minister claims he works on the budget line by line. did he know, did he know when they signed off the budget that it represented a hit of as much as 500 million pounds of britain's charities? >> you're completely wrong. but let me tell, let me tell the right honorable gentleman for absolutely no defense, not inward. what this is all about is making sure that the richest people in
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our country do pay their taxes. now, last year, last year there were over 100 over 300 people earning over a million pounds who paid a rate of tax of 10%. i don't think that's good enough. we have a labour candidate for mayor of london who is paying less tax on his earnings than the person who claims his office. i think that is disgraceful. why won't he condemn at? >> trying to mr. speaker, -- >> order, order. the usual rabble of orchestration from the usual suspects on the government backbenchers, be quiet, mr. burns. it will be better for your health. you are the minister for health, get better. ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, what a desperate prime minister and even justify his own budget. i'll tell you but he wants to talk about the mayor of london. we have a candidate for mayor of london who will make rent fair,
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will bring back the educational nature of allowance. all he got, a candidate for mayor of london who is out of touch and was arguing for the cut in the 50p tax rate. now turn to the reality on charities is that he's not making the rich worse off, he's making charities were soft. over the last month we have seen the charity tax in shambles, the churches tax shambles, the caravan tax shambles, and the taxi tax shame a. so, mr. speaker, mr. -- mr. speaker, we all want to do the prime minister's views as to what he thinks for weeks on in the budget even people within downing street are calling it an only shambles budget? >> we have a mayor of london who pays his taxes. [shouting] so nothing from him about
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unemployment, nothing about the rich needing to pay their taxes, nothing about ken livingstone's responsibility be asked about the budget. this budget cuts taxes for 24 million people. this budget cuts corporation taxes. this budget may britain competitive. he talks about my last month. let's have a look at his last month. he lost the election, that was great. [shouting] i have to say he has given one person a job opportunity. george galloway. [laughter] >> he lost the bradford election. he showed complete weakness when it came to the united trade union and the fuel stride. he has a mayor of london they won't pay his taxes. that's his last though. as ever, completely hopeless. >> mr. speaker, mr. speaker, he talks about the fuel price. i am not going to take any lecture on industrial relations. [shouting] i'm not going to take any in lecture on industrial relations from a government and a prime
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minister that causes panic at the pump. [shouting] and that is reality. when he gets to see let him apologize to the gross irresponsibility. let him apologize for the gross irresponsibility of the cabinet minister who calls the panic at the pump, and for him. the reality is, the reality is, he should calm down, mr. speaker. he should calm down. he should calm down. mr. speaker, this budget comprehensively fails the test of fairness and the spectacular fails the test of competence. we have a prime minister who is unfair, out of touch and incompetent. nevermind we're all in together. when is he went to get a grip on his government's? >> he won't take election until strike because he is in the pockets of the people. that's right. [shouting]
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they vote for his policies, they vote for his members of parliament, they got him elected. absolutely irresponsible. that's what we have heard once again from the honorable gentleman. not good enough to run the opposition, not good enough to run the country. >> thank you, mr. speaker. does my right honorable friend tom has my right honorable friend noted the standard & poor's, the reading agency that downgraded both the u.s. and france has a stable outlook on the aaa rating on friday, and they said we could lower the rating and we came to the conclusion that the pace of can fiscal consolidation is slowing? in other words, it's a discredited policy. >> the honorable gentleman makes an important point which is in this week of all weeks we're getting yet more reminders from other countries in europe of the importance of getting on top of your deficit, on top of your debt, and having a proper plan to deliver the.
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that's what needs to happen. its welcome with standard & poor's have done. we also need to keep our interest rates low to make sure we deliver the growth our economy needs and it's extraordinary that the leader of the house of commons was going on television today, calling for higher interest rates. i don't think he focus on the. better go and have a look at the transcript. >> in january, the northern island requested to meet the families of 10 innocent work been murdered in 1976. the prime minister has met other family and i know he desires this. and he assured he will meet with these families? >> the massacre was an appalling event in northern ireland's history. i'm well aware of that. my sympathies are for the fans but i will arrange a meeting for the family with the northern island secretary but if it's possible for me to attend of
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course i will do that as well. >> the prime minister will be aware that there is no vat charge on caveat and yet the government is proposing vat on the cornish pasty. can he tell me why that is fair? >> i understand, but let me explain what i think is unfair is it is sold and efficient chip shop which are subject to vat, the same products can be sold in supermarkets, not subject to vat. i don't think that's fair and that's what it's right in read are on the boundaries. >> the prime minister's entertaining millionaire owners to cozy kitchen suppers at downing street flats, ordinary people here in the food banks because they can't afford to feed their family. what do those people -- [inaudible] what do they have to do to get a quiet word in the prime
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minister's beer? is there any possibility he can invite them? >> what this government has done is increase the tax critical to the poorest families in the country. in able 20113255-pound increase. that was the largest ever increase and there's a further increase of 135 pounds. added to that we have taken 2 million of the poorest people out of income tax altogether. one of the things i would have families ours is an increase in interest rates which is now the official policy of the official opposition. >> mr. speaker, given the 1200 jobs may be at risk following the company's recent change of ownership, will the prime minister put all possible pressure on malaysian government to ensure that the company only permits the sale of the business to buyers who wish to see it as a going concern in norfolk's? >> i did raise this issue with the malaysian prime minister and also with the new malaysian
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voters of the parent company of lotus. notice makes a key contribution to the uk, the sector is doing well. i want to see voters succeed that i want to sit have a secure future and we're in contact with the company monitoring the situation very closely and making sure they know about the regional growth fund money that is available. >> this budget makes 230 pounds additional pensioners pay tax. it will bring half a million extra parents into -- yet this week we have heard 10,000 members will be cut. isn't it the case that the chancellor is so incompetent he won't even have the staff to be able to deliver his own budget? >> we have actually increased staffing level at revenue customs to make sure we crack down on the sort of tax avoidance and, frankly, shown by the honorable lady's candidate for the mayor of london. that is what it has come to so that is the measures we are
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taking. >> i'm sure i speak for many in expressing our support for audible notion of integration of new business. would my right honorable friend agree that service can be set up by labour politicians to discuss their own hypocrisy on tax is a disgraceful betrayal of real entrepreneurs up and down the coast of? >> i think my honorable friend makes a good point and they don't want to hear because the fact is the man they're putting forward to put a 10 to be mayor, he is paying potentially a lower tax rate than the people who work for them at the gla but it is completely disgraceful and even at this late stage i would call on the labour leaders and get the labour candidates to publish all of the information so we can see the tax he has paid. >> does the prime minister agree that the specialists center in oxford currently facing closure does outstanding work unlocking the isolation of children with acute communication
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disabilities? given the pressure charities are under, will the prime minister step in and pull together some preaching finance so that this outstanding center can continue helping their children and young people who need it so much? >> the right honorable job and probably knows i do know the center. i visited the center in the past but i'm happy to look with him as a fellow mp about what can we do done for the work it does, particularly for disabled children. >> the prime minister right he wants to crack down on tax affords. what does he think about ken livingstone who said, and i quote, -- [shouting] i give it to an account. as that socialism for you? >> they don't like bash the i've of the labour party wanted rich people to pay the taxes properly. that's what we have ensured through this budget after the extra resources for the revenue.
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so why, why the deafening silence from the party opposite? why not a condemnation of this appalling behavior? >> thank you, mr. speaker. does the prime minister shammai concern as the actions of the northern island of attorney general using an outdated and discredited law of disrespecting the court to invoke contempt proceedings against the former northern ireland secretary my right honorable friend, comments and his men more? shouldn't we respect for the independence of judiciary be followed by the rights of individuals to their comment on that judiciary? >> i do have a great deal of sympathy with what the right honorable gentleman says. parliamentary privilege obviously quite rightly allows members to express their views in parliament. in terms of what is it outside of parliament, there are occasions as i'll know when judges make critical remarks about politicians and their our remarks politicians make
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critical remarks about judges. to me this is part of a democracy and they think we want to keep things even. >> i welcome his efforts to achieve a controlled suspension of sanctions. with the decision on his proposal to next week will he ensure that the measures to monitor human vice in burma are included in the discussions of? >> i think my honorable friend is entirely right. i think while it's clear the bring the regime is making some steps towards greater freedom and democracy we should be extremely cautious and extremely careful. we want to see the further release of political prisoners but were what see the resolution of ethnic complex and want to see this democratization process continue. that is why we are pushing across europe for the suspension of sanctions, excluding the arms embargo that should stay, rather than lifting of sanctions.
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we have support from the position for most of the other leading european countries and i hope we can deliver it. that would be the right thing in terms of demonstrating the regime we want to back progress. it would also strongly support what she herself is his is the right approach. >> prime minister, my constituents are angry that the budget was given a tax cut for millionaires. will he tell the house as result of the reduction, how much collectively with his cabinet be better off the? >> let me just make this point about the top rate of tax. let me just make this point. the party opposite had 13 years to introduce a 50p rate of tax. they did it one month since they knew they were going to lose this top rate of tax has not raised any money and the 45 p/e rate that we have is higher than what you had for for over 13
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years. >> thank you, mr. speaker. earlier this week the journalists wrote an article in the independent about how money young salvation women fill traditionally that the votes have been hijacked to abuse of the postal vote system. would my right honorable friend please look at the issue of revisiting, not going to strengthen our democracy and trust in it but to ensure that all votes -- all voters have a vote, and young voters, their votes are not actually still? >> i think my honorable friend makes a very important point, and i'm happy to look at the issue of postal voting but i think first of all we need to do is sort out the issue of individual voter registration. i think this is vitally important to make sure we don't have a system that allows lots of people to be logged on to houses register would actually nobody is living there at all.
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there is growing evidence of abuse and concern and it's right that we are acting on it. >> two years ago in his pension a pledge the prime minister said and ago, it is fundamental to me that people have worked hard all their lives are now drawing attention. they deserve to be treated with respect. does the prime minister think he is trying to tell his grandkids he's treating patients with respect? >> let me just explain what we're doing for pensioners. we're increasing the basic state pension by five pounds 13 a week. disabled. that is not an increase to the party opposite would have made. at the same time, we are saving the winter fuel payment, the cold weather payment, the free television license, the free bus pass and the other pensioner benefit. that is what this government is doing. and the same time we are examined the case for single to pension of around 140 pounds each. i would've thought that something that members on all sides of the house would welcome because it would be a well-paid basic state pension that would
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encourage people to say before they become pensioners. >> mr. speaker, 30 years ago a british public went missing in germany and partly -- [inaudible] her parents still have no idea what had. will the prime minister agreed to meet with his family to hear the calls for independent inquiry into the bungling of this investigation and give them the closure that they desperately need and deserve? >> i will certainly look at the case the honorable lady says to see what more we can do. these cases of missing people are completely tragic and the family doesn't get closure. very happy to look at the case and get back to her. >> places of worship including many in -- [inaudible] why is the prime minister
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backing a 20% vat rates in the budget on alterations to buildings which will cost many of those churches and places of worship millions of pounds, the church of england some estimates 10 million, and creating them and the charities concern and shooting his own big society in the foot? >> again, let me try to explain to the honorable gentleman the basic unfairness that is in the current system. repairs the churches are already subject to vat. alterations two listed buildings are not subject to vat so that means that when as a repair to a church you do pay vat on if you put a great big swimming pool in a listed to her house you don't pay vat. so it makes sense to redraw the bounties. but this is the crucial point. we will be putting money aside to make sure that churches that are undertaking repairs and alterations get the monies that they need. >> a few weeks speed is i want
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to hear mr. douglas carswell spent a few weeks ago i asked the primacy to what what extent he believes -- [inaudible] his short answer, according to the financial times in malaysia last week the prime minister said i can tell you yes, minister is the truth like. can the prime minister tell us what happened to change his mind? >> there are a few occasions where think the honorable gentleman does need a sense of you. [laughter] [inaudible] can the prime minister name any of these?
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>> the figures i gave earlier showed lasher 300 people are earning over 19 pounds in our country got the rate of tax down to 10%. i think we do need to make sure, of course would protect charities them would encourage proper giving, but we do need to make sure that rich people are paying their fair share of taxes. i would've thought that would be a principle that we get some attraction from all sides of the house. >> does my right honorable friend agree universities should be free -- on the basis of merit? >> i think my honorable friend is entirely right. it's welcome that a greater proportion of 18-year-olds are now applying to universities than almost any time under the last 13 years. no one pays up front for the tuition or other fees but i think that is welcome. and yes he's right, university entry is about academic marria marriage. >> the deputy prime ni
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