ministers i can get back to them with the very best answer but actually can take to stop these problems happen in the future. >> thank you, mr. speaker. the number of families living in temporary accommodation, homeless families living in temporary accommodations rose by 5000 in the last year. can the prime minister explain why? >> what we need to do is build more houses in our country and that is exactly what this government is doing. we are building more social houses. we are building more private houses. and we are reforming housing benefits so we can better use the money. the question now is with a party opposite, they spent weeks and weeks complaining about the removal of the spare room subsidy. i don't know whether anyone else has noticed, they don't ask questions about it anymore. could that possibly be because they haven't got a clue about whether they would restore it? >> thank you, mr. speaker. [shouting] with an estimated

10 billion pounds boost to our economy, does my right honorable friend agreed that a free trade agreement with the united states represents -- [inaudible]? >> my friend is right but i think it's very good news that this free trade agreement has been launched in northern ireland it when i take many months of very difficult and patient negotiation. it issued to the topic at a problem because we wanted to cover all sorts of areas like public procurement and services, and not just manufactured goods. it's good it is getting going because this could mean millions of jobs right across europe and great benefits for us here in the uk. [shouting] >> on the subject of giving money back, which is just referred to in respect of the labour party, will he now explain to the house why, when

he had a windfall, he decided to write down his mortgage instead of writing down the more of the one he was claiming for the expenses allowance in the house of commons? >> i think what the honorable gentleman needs to do is concentrate on the massive problem on his front bench. because i have to say, mr. speaker, every week until they pay the money back they will get a question about the 700,000 pounds that they owe to the british taxpayer. [shouting] >> border. -- order. statements, the prime minister. >> with permission, mr. speaker, i would like to make a statement on the g8. the government decided to hold the g8 in northern ireland to demonstrate the strength of this

part of the united kingdom. we wanted to show the success of the piece process, the openness for business and investment, and the potential for tourism and growth. i want to thank the right honorable friend, the secretary of state for northern ireland, the first deputy minister for all they did to help with the conference. i want to congratulate the psn i and all those is possible for living a safe and successful g8. and to think a foot in northern ireland for giving everyone such a warm welcome. does and i'm put on its best face and the whole world to see what a great places. mr. speaker, we set a clear agenda for the summit to boost jobs and broke growth, fair taxes and greater transparency. what i've called the three keys. i also add a fourth, combating terrorism. we reached important agreements including on support for the living government and ending ransom payments for kidnapped by terrorists. despite our fundamental differences we also made good progress agreeing a way forward on working together to help the

syrian people achieve the change they want. let me take each of these points in turn. we start with the issue that matters most to our people, jobs, growth, many are economies. first we agreed each country needs to press on with sorting out its public finances. dealing with our dead and securing growth are not alternatives. the former is an essential step in achieving the latter. in fact, the communiqué we agreed unanimously reflects all three parts of the plan growth we have in britain. not just fiscal sustainability but active monetary policy to unlock the finest, the businesses and families need. and structural reforms to increase our competitiveness so that our young people can get into work and succeed in the global race. the uk's g8 also launched a bold new agenda to drive a dramatic increase in trade and to get to grips with the problems of tax evasion, aggressive tax avoidance and corporate secrecy. this was a distinctive british agenda to shape the way the world economy works for the benefit of everyone. we believe in free trade,

private enterprise and low taxes is the best route to growth. that is only sustainable if ambitious trade deals on agreed, the taxes owed are paid, and companies play by the rules. this agenda has i believe has been written into the dna of the g8, the g20 summit on for many years to come. on trade we start a summer with the launch of negotiations on eu-u.s. trade you. is good at as recently said as much as 100 billion pounds to the eu economy, 80 billion pounds to the u.s., and as much as 85 billion pounds for the rest of the world. we should be clear about what these numbers mean. more jobs, more choice and lower prices in our shops, the biggest on a trade deal in history, launched at our g8. on tax, the declaration that leaders signed yesterday set out simple, clear commitments. tax authorities across the world should automatically share information so those who want to evade taxes will have nowhere to hide. companies should never really

owned them, and tax collectors and law enforcement should be up to obtain this information easily. for example, through central registry so people can't escape taxes by using complicated and thank structure. in a world where business has moved from the off-line and the national to the online and international by the tax system has not caught up, we're commission to oecd to build a new international textile that would expose discrepancies where multinational earns their profits and where they pay their taxes. the declaration also makes clear that all of this action has to help developing countries, too. by sharon tax information and building their capability to collect taxes. crucially for developing countries would agree that oil, gas and mining companies should report what they pay to government and that governments should pay what they receive so natural resources are a blessing, not a curse. charities and other have to write a campaign four years for action on these issues and for the first time they have been

raised right to the top of the agenda and brought together in one document to the agreement on tax made at the summit are significant but it's also worth noting what happened on this front since i put this issue to the top of the agenda come on the first of january there was no single international standard for automatic exchange of information. there is such a stand and over 30 jurisdictions have all re-signed up with more to follow. after years of delay the european union has agreed to progress the sharing of tax information between member states. the overseas territories and crown dependencies of the uk have signed up to the multilevel conventional information exchange. pedigreed automatic exchange of information with the uk and action plans on beneficial ownership. taken together all the actions agree with the territories and crown dependencies will provide over a billion pounds of revenue to the exchequer, helping to keep taxes down for hard-working families here in britain. people around the world also wanted to know if the g8 would take action to tackle malnutrition and did to ensure

there's enough food forever. the pledges earlier this month will save 20 million children from stunting by 2020, but crucially our g8 also took action on some of the causes of these problems. that's what the work we did on land, on tax and on transparency i believe is so important. turning to the fourth, terrorism can we agreed a tough, patient and intelligent approach confronting the terrorists, defeating the poisonous ideologies that sustains them and tackling the weak and failing states in which they tried to the g8 leaders reached a groundbreaking agreement on ransom payment for kidnapped by terrorists. in the last three years alone, these ransom payments have given al qaeda and its allies tens of millions of dollars. these payments have to stop and this g8 agrees that they will. we also discussed plans to begin direct talks with the taliban. britain has long supported a

piece process in afghanistan to work alongside our top security response. so we welcome this step forward. we also discussed support to libya. i believe we should be proud of the role that we have played to read libya of colonel gadhafi but we need help that country secure its future so we held a separate meeting with th libyan prime minister which included president obama and european nations have already offered to train 7000 troops to help the primary should disarm integrate the militias and bring security to the whole country. more contributions will follow from others. let me be clear that libyan government has asked for this and they will pay for it. final let me turn to see. mr. speaker, it is no secret that there are very different views around the g8 table. i was a term we should use the opportunity of this summit to overcome some of these differences and agree a way forward to help the syrian people achieve the change they want. this did not happen during just

one night, but talks between secretary kerry and foreign minister have invited. in the weeks before the summit i flew to washington i met again with president putin and president obama in the hours before the summit began. these conversations were open, honest, frank, but we are all agreed on what must be the core principle of the international approach to this crisis. there is no military victory to be one. all our efforts must be focus on the ultimate goal of a political solution. together with our g-8 partners we agreed almost $1.5 billion of new money for humanitarian support. this is an unprecedented commitment for syria and her neighbors. we agreed to back to geneva to process that delivers a transitional governing body, crucially with full executive authority. so a core requirement for success have been called into doubt in recent weeks has now been reasserted unanimously with a full authority of the g8. we pledged to learn the lessons of iraq by making sure the key

institutions of the states are maintained throughout the transition and there is no vacuum. this sends a clear message to those loyalists looking for an alternative to assad. bg also unequivocally condemned any use of chemical weapons and following an extensive debate we reach for the first time a united position, including russia, that the regime must immediately allow unrestricted access to u.n. inspectors to establish the full facts on the use of chemical weapons by regime forces or indeed by anyone else. all of these agreements are fundamental for saving lives and securing the political transition we all want to see. mr. speaker, let us be clear on what is happening in syria and what we are trying to achieve. we are faced with a dramatically escalating humanitarian disaster with more than 90,000 dead and almost 6 million people having had to flee their home. there is a radicalization of terrorists and extremists who oppose a direct threat to the security of the region, and also the world.

there's a growing risk to the piece and stability of syria's neighbors. and the long-standing international prohibition on chemical weapons is being breached like dictators brutalizing his people. none of this constitutes an argument for plunging in reckless the. we will not do so and we will not take any major actions without first coming to this house. but we cannot simply ignore this continuing slaughter. of course, it is right to point out that there are extremists among the opposition. there are, and i'm put, they pose a threat not just to syria but to all of us. the g8 agrees they should be defeated and expelled from their havens in syria. i also understand those who fear that whatever we try to do could make things worse, not better. of course, we must think carefully before any course of action but we mustn't accept what president assad wants us to believe, that the only alternative to his brutal action against syria is extremism and terrorism and. there are millions of ordinary

syrians who want to take control of their own future, a future without assad. that is why i make sure the g8 agreed the way through the crisis is to help syria forging a government that is neither sunni, alawite, nor sheet of mr. speaker committed to using diplomacy to end this war with a political solution. this is not easy but the essential first step must be to get agreement between the main international power with invalid subsidy. that is what we've done at the g8. we must now turn these commitments into action. i commend this statement to the house. >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, i'm grateful for the prime minister's statement, and let me start, mr. speaker, bike commend him for holding this summit in northern ireland. because 15 years ago holding a g8 summit there would have been an thinkable. piece has transformed and the location of the some alone is testament to what can be achieved through politics and dialogue and a a credit to all

the people of northern ireland. let me take the g8 issues in turn. 100 nutritious is complete unacceptably there is enough food in the world for f1 yet 1 billion people still go hungry and 2.3 million children die every year from now patrician -- meditation or i welcome the agreement a commitment during the hunger summit. these commitments will be delivered. does the prime minister agree we are right to stick by our pledge, and as you further agree with me that we should be using all of the moral force we gain from a position to urge others to follow suit? on trade welcome support the launch of the dish free trade agreement between europe and the united states. can the prime minister confirmed he will tell all of his colleagues, including in the cabinet, that this is a timely reminder of the importance for jobs and prosperity of staying in the european union? on tax havens the prime minister

said what his goals was to make sure there will be public registries of who owns companies and trusts. can you say weblogs getting agreement from this at the g8? second, can you clarify whether the agreement reached by information sharing which you mentioned in the statement will from the outset applied to developing countries? his campaign said, transparency can't justify keeping this information secret from poorer countries. let me also then turn, mr. speaker, to the devastating situation in city. it was right for the prime minister to prioritize this crisis and make it the focus of this weeks topic would welcome the announcement of additional commission relief. in particular the doubling of uk aid picked as the prime minister said the answer to this dimension crisis is a political solution. all of us recognize the challenge of bringing together an international community that has been deeply divided on this issue and there are no easy options. the prime minister said

yesterday it was a strong and purposeful statement on syria. while we welcome the centerpiece of the statement being a commitment to geneva to conference, can the prime minister claim why there was no agreement that date the conference started with is being reported conference is now being pushed to july or even later in august. based on this discussion this we cannot tell us when expects the conference to take place? on the substance of geneva -- geneva ii, the prime minister has spoken but agreement on a transitiotransitio nal governing body with full executive authority based on key institutions of the state and inclusive political settlement. but does exhibit everyone of those commitments featured in the geneva one communicate i can june 2012, the prime minister -- a moment of clarity on syria let kenny said that in his report how in concrete terms just a statement moves us closer to the clinical settlement? on arming the rebels he now says it's not his policy to arm the rebels.

given the geneva conference has been delayed can envision a circumstance in which we seek to arm the rebels before the conference takes place? and given the limited nature of the progress achieved in this week is he still maintained that focusing so much time and effort in the days and weeks preceding this summit on losing the eu arms embargo was the right way to spend capital? the reality is we did not witness the long hopeful break in city at the g8 summit and when he to be candid about the. the prime minister knows that to tackle terrorism on the issues of afghanistan and the deed on libya, i have given him my support. i can urgent in the months ahead to proceed with the greatest possible clarity about his strategy and purpose and seek to build the greatest possible consensus across this house?

>> first of all to thank him for what is a holding the conference in northern ireland. this was not without its questions that were asked but i think every successful conference and very well managed and run and that they treated everyone who is involved in a. i can a. i think also in of the most peaceful g8 in terms of demonstrations. it was rumored the place where all potential going to be put up, one of the six tenets i think was there was some dutch folks who happen to be on holiday ass and also read this when one of the hopeful shop keepers had stocks of both vegan meals only define that they protested in return up in large in of terms. so now has a large supply going to spare. so i do think it is a remarkable part of our country and it was really good i think to bring the g8 there. can't i thank him for what he said on the aid pledge. i think it's right britain has

made its promises and kept its promises. we do use that to bring others up to the market of course the g8 every time publishes and accountability report. a lot of these communiqués are quite dependable. this is very civil, straightforward, who has promised welcome at the camp and we should go on publishing those reports. i would just say to any skeptic about this issue for every pound you pay in tax only 1 penny of that pound goes in overseas aid and i think it is a good investment in the future of the world. can i thank him for what he said on the trade issue. i think it's good we made a start on the eu and u.s. trade. disappointed we haven't completed the canada negotiation. he mentioned a single market. of course, the benefit to britain we're in that single market as a trading nation, are able to take part in these deals and other parts of the were pretty parts of the worker key races issued a public rush and beneficial ownership and asked why we hadn't achieve public registries everywhere. i have to say this is for many g8 governments and g8 meetings i

think quite a new issue to have this right at the top of each and. i'm convinced it's vital if we will cut out corruption and corrupt payments from developing countries, if we're going to get to the bottom of tax evasion we need central registries of osha. we put this on the agenda at every g8 countries agree. some have committed to immediate registries but we've got to keep pushing on this agenda because it is so vital. we are going to on whether hours it should be public and i look forward to the consultation getting going. but no one should underestimate the extent or the importance of having a bridges of the taxidermist can get to grips with his problems. he talked about tax information change. we have to help them to take part and we should carry on with the programs we have to help poor countries collect the taxes. on the issue of syria, first of all on the date of conference this was discussed by the decision was taken that the most important thing is to get the substance right about the role of the transitional authority,

its powers and suchlike rather than to set to put it it which might be setting us up to fail. but there's a real sense of urgency and we all want to see this happen in the weeks ahead. he asked questions about the differences between geneva one and the position we are now in. i think to point. first of all the russians were backing off the idea of a transitional authority with full executive powers. they have now fully reaffirms that and that is important because no one wants to take part in negotiations that just wanted to shoot just and sacred what and to be about something. the language and the appropriate -- approach and chemical weapons is new as well as is the committing a. these are new things achieved at the g8. i appreciate the fact that he has tried to provide consensus on issues of foreign policy and we should always try to do that. and i hope we can forge a consensus in the months ahead.

the point i would make to him is i think lifting the arms embargo in the eu was right. it sent a powerful signal that there isn't a moral equivalence between assad on one and the official opposition who want a democratic syria on the other. i think it's help to add to the pressure and i have to say i think there's a huge danger of anyone falling into the trap of believing assad's argument, which is that the only alternative to him is terrorism and extremism. we should stand for something else in the south and in this country, investing up to people who want democracy freedom and the sorts of things we take for granted right here. >> sir peter tapsell. >> i fully share my right honorable friend's -- of the situation in syria, a country which i first visited when i was 19. and have had good friends, but may i urge him not to propagate

the myth that progress can only be made either by the killing of, or the removal of some way of president assad? because the syrian president is something of a family business. and president assad has a number of extremely tough and ruthless individuals around him. probably tougher on more ruthless than he is to if he is removed one of them will instantly take over his position. and will be just as determined to prevent the alawites and massacred by the sunnis as president assad. and if geneva ii is to make it any real progress, i strongly recommend the president assad should be invited to attend it together with a representative of the new iranian government, which needs to be brought back into the comedy of nation.

spent first of all i have huge respect from a right honorable friend but it don't agree that somehow president assad can continue to i think when he used chemical weapons against old people, when you presided over such an appalling slaughter, you can't have a place in the government of your country. but where i disagree with him is clearly the aim must be to bring forward a transitional government that includes sunnis, alawite representatives of the regime represent us of the opposition because we need a government that is what answer you can have confidence in. >> the prime minister statement that there can be no military victory in syria, and isn't his search for a political solution, cautioning on his apparent insistence on a precondition to northern ireland shows preconditions network. we both do exactly the same do that hideous nature of assad's followers but if he is insisting he can't come to the coffers are you can't play such a will, i would just caution in this conference may never happen.

>> what we are insisting is a proper conference is going to have to include representatives of the regime and representatives of the opposition. and it should lead to a transitional government. this government has a very clear view that neither of those stages can involve president assad for the reasons that we have given. that shouldn't stand in the light of the transition that is necessary, an and that, friends, ever in the g8, russians include, believe it is right. >> is my friend where that there are reports that in the course of the discussions about syria, russia made it clear that they would no longer insist that any final settlement should have a role for president assad? if that is true, then it represents a very substantial step forward, if not a breakthrough. and it nearly emphasizes the importance of continuing

dialogue and discussion with russia which is such an important part to play in the solution, which we all think -- which we all seek. >> i am grateful for his question. it's very important the russians must be allowed to speak for themselves about what they did say, didn't say, what did you agree with and with it don't agree with. but i found in the discussions the reason were able to go ahead with the seven points that are laid out to the press conference yesterday was because the conversations were constructive. we were not doing over the areas where we've disagreed and continue disagree. we were dwelling over those areas where we can aggregate and i agree with what he said about engaging with president putin. that's the reason that in addition to inviting him here before the g8 and in addition to visiting russia, the first trimester to do so for many years, i will do this year as well. >> may i think the prime minister for highlighting his commitments to ending world

hunger and highlighting many of the underlying causes. but he will be aware that a third of the most malnourished children in the country, and so will he continue to use these up into insurance that they give their wholehearted commitment to ensuring their children don't go to bed hungry every night question on issue of syria, two days after america agreed to sit down with the taliban, surely it is better to bring everyone around the debating table, we don't want 12 more years of civil war in syria. >> first of all on the issue of the taliban, and i said that i welcome a political process and have said that many, many times, i think it is worth noting that the taliban and their statement said that they wanted an afghanistan that no longer causes instability, death or trouble in other countries. i think that is significant and

important. on the issue of hunger she's right, it's not enough just for us to pass over or commit to eight programs in this country. we have to engage with other countries who actually do a lot of heavy lifting in dealing with malnutrition but i'm confident having held a summit at the olympics last year, sort of top of this year and with the brazilians co-chairing another one at the olympic games, we have got, achieve a lot in terms of getting other countries to pledge action on this vital issue. >> sir richard ottaway. >> addressing the key challenges of the day. as far as syria is concerned the situation is becoming increasingly complex as the rebels become increasingly fragmented. but would he agree that the solution lies in a negotiated settlement but, and it's important about, that cannot be achieved without fully setting out guidelines life. >> i think my honorable friend

is right. everyone wants to negotiate. everyone wants a piece process but will we have to think about is what are those things that will make a piece process and a piece settlement more likely? international agreement at the g8 is one of them what we also have to make sure that assad feels he is under some pressure and cannot achieve what he wants by military means alone. unity of purpose between president obama, and myself, angela merkel, stephen harper. i think is as important point for those of concerned. president obama, you cannot think of him as someone who is sort of sitting in the white house dreaming up ways to start a new engagement, and you were in the middle east. that is not what barack obama is about. he knows that we need a piece process but he also knows that we need to present a tough and united front that includes president assad in the process. >> the sitting government has brought its troubles on itself, no doubt about it is a very

corrupt and brutal regime. is it not the position for while the premise has been very keen -- arms embargo there is no enthusiasm in this house for doing so? and the number of members have actually stood up and said they are in favor of sending arms to the searing opposition have been very, very few indeed. the senate we have a debate on this object the better we will be. >> we are debating it right now. we should go on debating it. i would argue that as i said would not make a decision about arming the rebels but the fact that we're with the opposition, working with them, helping them come advising them, working with the french, the americans, with gulf allies, all of this is helpful in making sure that syria does have a legitimate opposition who want democracy, want freedom, who want a pluralistic history. at the same time we should have no hesitation in condemning cong extremism and what is going to

say that extremists on all sides including hezbollah who are now working for the regime should be expelled from the country. >> i know that my right of a friend raised -- i thank him for the. goodie update the house on the discussion and progress made on the release of panama-based? >> can i pay tribute to her efforts on behalf of the constituents and our behalf of his family. and i've obviously received letters, moving letters from them about this issue. i did raise it with president obama directly, and i'm going to writing to him about the specifics of the case, and everything that we can do to try an expedited but i think we need to show some understanding of the huge difficulties american cities over guantánamo bay, including president obama is someone who wants to make progress on this issue. and we should help them in everywhere we can with respect

to this individual i will try to keep her and us updated about progress. >> i'm sure the prime minister was honored to showcase to his fellow work leaders, one of the most viewed over regions of the united kingdom, northern ireland. and also bask in the glory of one of the most peaceful g8's probably in history. however, can the prime minister ashore members of northern ireland that he will do everything within his power to build upon that some and to bring economic prosperity to northern ireland and also ensure that all company taxes are due to the uk coffers actually come there instead of the irish republic? >> think i will jump in for his questions to each one of the g8 leaders mention a place they were to be in northern ireland. were very impressed by the progress in terms of the piece process. and i think the advertising and is a but yesterday sort of

infomercial for northern ireland is prices but also make sure they're all sent off with a bottle of bush no to enjoy when they got him. we did discuss attacks and we did discuss the tax issue and i think it is more to recognize that, of course, there are issues around the rate of corporation tax both are also issues about how tax authorities handle companies. that's a very important part of the debate. >> the prime minister was quite right to take the lead on the eu and u.s. trade deal and it could increase our exports by a further 25. we agree there's another big -- [inaudible] through the mutual recognition of regulation will be able to set standards globally? >> yes, i think my honorable friend is right about this but this highlights what a competent at difficult issues. we sometimes think it gives is just about taking down terrorists barriers and then letting the markets decide.

these modern figures are much more about agreeing common standards and recognition of each other stand and a big things like services and procurement. it will be difficult, kabul to do but start with goodwill on all sides and i think that is the right way to kick it off. >> on the automatic transfer tax information and the provision of registers of beneficial ownership, if these are not just to be a wish list since the communiqué of these countries should do this rather than will, what other sanctions or pressures to be exerted against countries that either refuse or fail to comply which with could unravel the whole object to? >> first of all i would say to the honorable gentleman going to has a long track record of campaigning on these issues i would urge them to read the declaration because what we've tried to do is put down in very simple terms something that everyone can understand about publishing information about

companies in winnipeg attacks is about what extracted and she picked up and countries and an agenda that we all in this house are written to about, campaigned about and we all the passion of the. i think in those leaders to sign their name underneath this declaration means this will now become part of the g8 process but every time we meet what progress has been made, what fresh agreements have been made come in the end all countries are sovereign and make their own decisions of what was remarkable about the jeep was how much progress was made a quick thing getting countries to sign up to these things and do them themselves. >> the prime minister is right discussing political sentiments but does he understand that by excluding iran from the forthcoming talks simply because we don't agree with them is an admission of political and diplomatic failure? it is precise because we don't agree with them that we should be talking with them. with the revisit this an approach is international partners in hopes that we can get a change of you on this?

>> i make two points to my honorable friend. first, iran never accepted the premises of geneva one so they haven't even crossed the threshold as it were into what a transition would look like. the second point which is this, when you are trying to put together a group of individuals to negotiate a piece conference, those important thing is that you have a limited number of people from the regime, a limited number of people from the opposition who represent the people of syria. and it's that i think we should focus more on than anything el else. >> can ask the prime minister about the fourth in his pilot comment and that is the issue of counterterrorism? and welcome about what he said about money being agreed. the issue though is not just the discussion of the leaders but also follow a. what additional resources or

powers way be given to the group that traditionally he follows up from g8 summit on the counterterrorism agenda? this is in the end of the most important part of the summer, what's going to happen after. could make sure there is an effective structure? >> the communicate dictated to the group and says it must have what is necessary to take actions so we can coordinate better after dreadful events like the one -- [inaudible]. the discussion we had at the g8 was to try to agree those drivers of terrorism extremism across north africa, and then what more the countries around the table could do to make sure that we don't duplicate efforts but we try and divide up, for instance, britain doing more perhaps to help nigeria. france doing more to help stabilize mali. the nazis worked with key partners in the region and so on and so forth. we cast our national security advisers to continue the work of working out how to adjudicate who should do more on what, and

he was very encouraging that president putin agreed that he should take up this work as well when it comes to attending the g8 next year. >> dr. julian lewis. >> does the prime minister agree the gravest threat to western safety would be al qaeda getting their hands on serious stocks of chemical weapons of mass destruction? and does he think that arming the rebels would make that outcome more or less likely? >> i think my friend is right to point to the key dangers thereof, of extremists in syria with weapons, with intent to get hold of chemical weapons. the question with adams -- ask ourselves is how to get to this point. they already have the weapon. they already have this intend to the extremist element of the opposition has become too strong. so our aim should be to reduce their strength and that's why we agreed at the g8, actually part

of the program is to expel extremists on all sides from syria. that is the absolute key. the only point i would make is that to those who see rightly dangerous in engaging in any effort to try to help syria is with god to the point where extremist have an intent, want to get hold of chemical weapons while there's been i would argue a deficit of engagement by countries that wants you to take the right path rather than the one path but as i said we're not decided to on the rebels. we're working with the opposition in ways that i described. we are working with the americans and the french, but of being engaged, being positive about what britain can achieve with partners on sure is the right approach to reduce these dangers rather than increase them. >> [inaudible] develop new international tools. has been recognition --

[inaudible] on this transparency and unless they play part in developing these international standards and transparency we will not succeed. >> yes, i think the honorable lady is right. we will never solve this just by governments reaching agreements by the nationally or internationally. we need a debate by this in every boardroom and every business in the world, and we also need lawyers and accountants to think about their responsibilities as well as the bottom line. and i don't think that's an unreasonable thing to be. there's also a very positive suggestion made with my support by the french and the americans that we ought to be asking accountants and lawyers to do more to help developing countries with the tax system otherwise there's an unequal struggle. one example is given every country where the entire budget of the department in with the company was far slower than army

of lawyers sent to do with it. >> the g8 pledges on syria, can i particularly welcomed the prime minister's closing remarks at the summit that if britain were not in the european union you would not directly benefit to end eu-u.s. trade to the isn't right that your means jobs? >> the point i was making, and i hope you will quote me in full, is of course if britain was not in the european union you could reach their own trade agreements with different parts of the world but i believe we do benefit from be part of the single market and part of the speaker negotiations where you have a huge amount of heft in terms of delivering these disparate and the eu career deal has been very positive. i think the eu candidate you will be very positive and i think would be complete ever shortly and the eu u.s. to has more potential than all the others put together. >> i've listened with interest a

number of the premises answers on issues of tax. [inaudible] what assurances can you give about the campaign about when and how he will finish that business? >> i think that if campaign is an excellent job in raising the profile of this issue and all the other issues around how do. i think the response to the outcome yesterday, i think they made a number of fairpoint. we've made good progress. this issue is far of the candidates have been. loss of tax rooms have been made. lots of revenue has been recovered for this country. we've done a huge amount t to hp the poorest country in the. the african leaders said this is absolutely the agenda they want wanted to focus on but there is more to do. i'm happy to keep on that work. >> cannot congratulate my right honorable friend on progress on certain at the g8 summit who claims there's more to do. president putin reminded us all

that amongst this in rebels are those of the same kind that murdered lay review. what more can we be doing in this country to stop young bushman from going to say and coming back radicalized? >> my friend is right. there is a danger of young people from britain going and taking part in this conflict just as it has been in afghanistan, in somalia, and mali, and elsewhere. we should do everything we can in the uk to try to crack down on these centers of radicalization. it's quite clear to me as i said at the prime ministers question, we need to do more to confront the radicalizers and hate preachers. we need to do more to throw those out of the country. this is a huge program that goes right across government and had to do everything we can to deliver it. >> the prime minister will no

that constituents around the world will be very positive about monsters come out of g8. but your hardheaded and simple -- high in the sky. what assurance can you give me and my constituents the jobs and growth really are a priority and how do we know he's going to follow it through so it makes a real difference to a world that is looking for a new deal of employment and? >> i completely understand people's senses about these gatherings because they to produce very long communicate and lots of talking. what did you actually agree? i do think on this occasion we've got one or two really concrete things we can point to come an agreement not to pay kidnap for terrorists grandson. that's good all the agreements in the run up to the g8 conference that delivered the next a billion pounds of revenue just from crown dependency and overseas territories they can help keep tax rates down. and then, of course, the lough

erne declaration which is the close statement yet to come out of interest what about what needs to be done on tax, understand, unexpected industry which frankly is a guide for ngos to hold governments to account and to make progress on this vital agenda. >> i want to thank my right of a friend for bringing the g8 to northern ireland and through that showing the world how much northern ireland has come from the dark and dangerous place i remain in my childhood quit the prime minister a lived before the conference in a newspaper, his frustration with the diplomatic -- in any case. this one was a big step for. has a list of real and tangible declarations on tax interest that you. what more are going to do to get the actual list reproduced in full in today's telegraph to the british people? >> can i commend the belfast to the effect having joined the cynical and i said hold on this is an important breakthrough on these issues at the approach of

a. will have to to do is kill all these countries to the commitment. so these action plans of beneficial ownership of guns that everybody delivers. so you can see who owns what company. we need to make sure that this international exchange of tax information can't involve every country in the world. in that way we can get there taxes and health of the world at the same time. that's what is needed is follow up on all of these issues. >> cannot prime minister assure us there will not be any unilateral military interventi intervention, including the supply of weapons on other form arsenals and the rebels in syria, and that britain's role will be confined to an international piece plan? and, of course, i was pleased that the g8 came to northern ireland. >> i think the honorable lady for praising the decision for this told in order of but let me say how i think i will ought

interested in making sure it went well. i'm sorry uc berkeley with the government -- we want an initial piece covers but we wanted transition government. we want a piece settlement but we do believe we should be helping the syrian national opposition. we have recognize, not just us but america, countries across the european union that they are legitimate spokespeople for the same people. frankly, i hope the labour party and all its allies will decry a son. it is a great tradition on, and continued to do so, and the use, and the use of chemical weapons. it can't be said often enough what a brutal dictator this man is. [shouting] >> thank you, mr. speaker. i warmly congratulate the prime minister on the achievements of the g8. g8. regarding tax transparent to, could he comment a little more on that timetable that might be sitting in front of us from for making that happen speak with in terms of the uk domestic action,

in terms of uk domestic action we will be publishing shortly our consultation on whether to make a register of ownership public. that we can get on rapidly. the international exchange of tax information. that is progressing all of the time throughout europe and the rest of the world and we need to keep pushing. >> thank you the prime minister is aware that 30 years ago the united states president and the british conservative prime minister decided to arm afghanistan with consequences which are still with us today with the belated talks directly with the taliban. we also are aware, any mention mali, and i was there two weeks ago, the arms they came out of libya led to al qaeda and the -- almost taking power in that country. what guarantee can you give us that if he decides to arm elements of this are in opposition we won't begin with

the same problems in this country and the rest of the world in 30 years time? >> we haven't made the decision of let me just say about libya, i think it was right to work with others, including the french, and there was cross party agreement to do that, to get rid of gadhafi. of course, this work is never done but they shouldn't ever be arguments for never doing anything anywhere. if you take action as we didn't even have to do everything you can to help the successor regime that is democratically elected to get weapons out of libya and that's what we're doing. these are all arguments for engagement, for working with partners, not for putting our soldiers at risk or taking steps we're not capable of but working with others to try and get good outcome. >> thank you, mr. speaker. was there any progress made on international government issues in terms of trying to establish a land registry in africa and other developing countries which would be helpful in a different

people to have security? >> this was discussed at the lunch that was held yesterday, specific untaxed transparency and trade. and the lough erne declaration does cover the important issue of transparency about land, the point was tha made that we not y now have these declarations, but with all the capabilities of satellite mapping and digital technology they should be easier to take these steps forward in the future. >> mr. speaker, the talks that the prime minister report on between the taliban and the rest of the west obviously welcome and one hopes to bring about long-term resolution and piece in afghanistan. can he not draw parallel from that and recognize that to bring about a political settlement in syria must involve iran as much as it must involve rush and all the other countries? can he turn his attention to political settlement, a date for the conference, wide

registration and get off his populist but supplying arms to fuel the civil war within a civil war that it would bring about greater destruction to an already disastrous situation? >> let me say two points. the iranians haven't accepted what was discussed at geneva. they haven't accepted that as a basis. and i think it isn't right to say that somehow the british government has had a sort of single fixation. after all, it was my decision to fly to lough erne have the discussion with vladimir putin to invite him back here to try and find common ground. when i sit down with vladimir putin the biggest grimace. i take a totally different view about a soft, about the use of chemical weapons about vladimir putin. there isn't anyone hiding those things but it's also right to be engaged discussing where we can find common ground and that's exactly what we have done.

>> could i congratulate my right honorable friend on his energy trying to resolve the threat of commensurate crisis and she? can i -- emphasizing together a crude but in the connection may i -- [inaudible] we need to bring in all who have influence on the situation and if it really a good idea that we should be talking to the new iranian president? >> of course, look, we should be having discussions as we are with iranians over the nuclear issue and over those discussions can get a greater taste for the new iranian president went to remember why we don't have an embassy in tehran in that it was invaded and trashed by the iranians. so we should remember that. on this issue how wide to take these discussions, of course in the end you need to involve all partners, albeit everyone, the more we can get to by in the progress is better. i think we don't make that a

substitute for the real actions that is needed which is to get the syrian regime, the syrian opposition with encouragement from the russians and americans to name the people need to sit around the table to hold those talks. i think this is where the leaders need to apply the pressure to everybody because otherwise one can get into an endless process but a process of rather torturous without an end. >> thank you, mr. speaker. while it was refreshed with a climate change was on the official g. agenda this week, the communique did it was one of the foremost challenges we face. what is the prime minister doing to me this just and secure a new global private global change agreement? >> the issue was dealt with not just in the communique but actually in the vital preamble which is part that most people look at to see what the conference discussed. my judgment was it was right to talk with the g8 countries that were there about particularly

the issues of trade, tax and has been because i thought that's what we could make the greatest progress. had we had a long conversation on climate change that would've been a stick agreement amongst most of the participants around the table to we already know each other's positions but if you don't have some of the developing countries there and some of the larger countries like china or india, it wouldn't be a vital agenda shifting discussion. so i chose the subjects we spent the most time on, but it's an important reference to climate change as the honorable lady has said. >> were me commend untaken initiative on asian a tax transparency and justice in the developing world, for the first time in recent years. but is not to be the end but on the beginning of a process? can the prime minister take it again on to the european union, the commonwealth and the g20 group of countries so that transparent ownership of countries, for example, in

making sure multinationals are seen to be paying tax in all the countries where they are working is something that can be delivered, hopefully, by the end of this parliament and by our government? >> i think my honorable friend is right. the g8 is a very limited number of countries but it can play a leadership role. now we have this agenda, now have a very simple and straightforward declaration. we can run that through the g20, the commonwealth, the european union has started to address this issue with a groundbreaking deal made on tax exchange between european union members. so yes, this is now something that it want to see the british government tries to all of its wealthy bodies. >> [inaudible] i heard firsthand from workers about the impact -- [inaudible] i very much welcome the prime minister -- [inaudible] they can ask him

what he's going to do to ensure that companies that are involved are tackled on this matter? >> she's right. 4.7 of the declarations that land transaction should be tested declarations that land transactions you because to ensure respect for property rights local committees, that his commitment we now need to engage governments beyond the g8 and also with business as well to make sure this is put in place. >> [inaudible] the speed of events on the ground using chemical weapons potentially falling into the hands of strong opposition groups and may move quicker than the parliamentary process. can i encourage the premise arer not be deterred from making immediate national security decisions if he needs to do some? >> i think my honorable friend makes an important point. clearly it is a concern because syria has very large stockpiles of chemical weapons. and i think we have to focus on both dangers, the danger that the regime could use them again,

and we have said there has been a number of separate opportunities come 10 opportunities were believed to have been content occasion would have been used. we have to be aware of the danger. and president obama sent a very clear message and signaled about that. and the second is that these could fall into dangerous hands. both of those dangers have to be -- he's right to make the point that we make a big commitment to come to this house, explain all the rest of it but governments have to reserve the ability to take action very swiftly on this or on other issues. >> [inaudible] the first loophole. will the prime minister -- [inaudible] and close loopholes? >> where my honorable gentleman

is right is no sooner had he made one change to the tax system than another loophole opened up and you have to attack it. prime minister harper in canada said that he taken something like 70 to tax avoidance measures in recent years because this is continuing work. so it never ends. as for the second half of the honorable gentleman's question, i believe that one. >> can i commend my right eye within a position in cm1 of the lessons from iraq, libya entity from lebanon is some of these extremist groups thrive not only with the bomb and the bullet but also why distributing food aid and other ways of aiding those communities that they invade. what are we doing to the official syrian opposition in terms of doing that sort of work with the committees in the areas they control? >> i think my friend makes a very important point, and this was a huge issue in somalia

where we've seen real progress in recent years. i think what matters is finding the humanity and agency through the best mechanisms we have, at the moment that is working a lot with the ngos and with the u.n. to make sure they deliver what they can. but in terms of making sure it gets to parts of the country held by the searing opposition, he is absolutely right. >> holding the g8 in lough erne was her practical way that i want to add my congratulations to prime minister achieving being there. this year weather is some concern that the libyan trimester wasn't in lough erne -- [inaudible] he wasn't able to meet them. he then went off and let the person who used to be in the i.r.a. >> first of all the honorable lady is right that libyan syntax

played an appalling role in the violence and destruction in northern ireland and, indeed, for all we know leaving syntax may still be in the hands of dissidents republicans. so this is a serious and alive issue. ..

>> see what tax regime can perhapse brought to bear to insure providers are taxed where transactions take place, not where they declare their profits, and could he let us know the timetable for that. >> well, we've commissioned the oecd to help with this, but it's a simple principle which is you should have a simple tool that can enable a country to see how much revenue, how much profit and how much tax a company is paying in each jurisdiction. sometimes the ngo and others have asked for full disclosure of every piece of information but, frankly, box file after box file of information doesn't necessarily get you the high level tax tool you need to see whether you've got a problem, then to share information with other tax authorities and find an answer. and i think this is the right approach for the reasons i've just given. >> [inaudible] >> thank you, mr. speaker.

the prime minister has in the past supported the public disclosure of the ownership of companies, so why is he hesitating now rather than seizing the opportunity to show leadership again and commit the u.k. to a public record, register in its action plan? >> as i said, we are going to set up a central registry, and we're going to consult about whether it should be public. i think there are strong arguments for it being public, but let me just make two points. first is the point at which you say your own registry will be public, you give up a lot of leverage over other countries you might want to encourage to do that at the same time. that is point one. think point to is it's important to take the business community who believe in responsible behavior with us on this journey of greater transparency and fairness. and actually the cbi, to be fair to them, have been very supportive of this agenda. so there's nothing to fear from

a consultation. we're trying to take people with us on this important process. >> steven o'brien. >> may i welcome the clear commitments from the g8 led by my right honorable friend which i would characterize as growth for all citizens and responsibility for the most vulnerable, but none of it can happen without responsibility. so does he share my hope that the very signal ground breaking agreement about ransom payments will not be lost with these and how this drives so much of the instability which we can now conquer by cutting it off at the source? >> well, i thank my honorable friend for what he says. look, there's no doubt these ransom payments paid to terrorists have been immensely damaging. tens of millions of dollars, and that sort of money in a country like mali or niger, that sort of money buys you a huge amount of arms and power. look, the countries have all signed this. what matters now is that we hold each other's feet to the fire and make sure we hold them

accountable. >> mr. chris bryant. >> i hear the prime minister's -- fear the prime minister's strategy on syria is completely misguided. we shouldn't be naive about this because the motion picture association is one of the best funded lobbying organizations in the world. it's always campaigned against any state subsidy for the making of movies in this country or anywhere else in europe. shouldn't there, therefore, be an exemption for cultural services? >> well, what the honorable gentleman will see if he looks at it closely is that the european starting position is that there will be an exception for audiovisual services which is something that's been in place for all of the free trade agreements we've made as a european union with countries around the world. uniquely in this country, there

is an opportunity if we want to to add it back in and personally i think that the british film industry, british television is immensely strong. i don't think that our tax credit system in any way is an unfair subsidy. i think we should be proud of the collaborations we have between britain and hollywood. but this was a subject much discussed including which member of the g8 liked which french film. [laughter] >> mr. duncan hayes. >> i congratulate the prime minister on securing agreement on land in the declaration which he cited earlier this afternoon. will he, therefore, support measures to increase the transparency of land deals done around the world by companies baseed in the united kingdom, thereby getting our own house in order? >> well, i'm grateful to my honorable friend for his question. clearly, the registry of beneficial ownership will help because companies will have to declare who owns them, so this will be one way in which tax

authorities, for instance, in developing countries will be able to make sure that bribes aren't paid and all the rest of it. that's part of the point of the registry. >> jonathan edwards. >> mr. speaker, the prime minister said that the tax evasion provisions in the g8 agreement would raise one billion per annum for the exchequer, so what about the other 29 billion lost each year? >> well, i think if you look at all of the things this government has done, the swiss deal, i think that raised multibillion pounds because of the agreement with that country. the current dependencies on overseas territories i've mentioned. the more countries sign up to these multilateral exchanges and also the automatic exchange of information, the more of that money we'll be able to recover. >> mr. damian hines. >> thank you, mr. speaker. can i, too, commend the prime minister for his leadership towards an e.u./u.s. trade deal. can he help to put that in context in terms of his value to

this country relative to other trade deals? >> well, the figures i gave are 85 billion pounds benefit to the u.s. and 100 billion as a whole to the e.u. i think if the u.k. being 13, 14% of the e.u., you can, as it were, do the math. um, i think, though, britain particularly benefits from freeing up services and particularly financial services. so if we can get good agreements in those chapters of the deal, perhaps there'll be a particular benefit for britain. >> mr. andrew love. >> i listened very carefully to the prime minister's response to the honorable member -- [inaudible] and other parliamentary friends in relation to tax transparency. but isn't one of the weaknesses of the declaration that there is no means of holding countries to account and that the danger will be the nightmare scenario will

be we're back next year, the next year, the next year with little progress made on this? >> well, i wouldn't be so depressed about it. i mean, i think one of the good things about the g8 is the accountability report is very simple and straightforward, and it's always been about aid volumes and aid promises. future accountability reports will be able to address some of these issues in the declaration as well. if we do that and we hold leaders' feet to the fire, there's no reason why we shouldn't make real progress on this agenda. >> mr. neil carmichael. >> thank you very much, mr. speaker. in giving a strong welcome to the e.u./u.s. trade negotiations launching the g8, the protest itself could be a catalyst towards creating a more open and modern europe. and that's entirely consistent with his ambitions for europe, and it also demonstrates britain's influence in europe is going to be a positive thing for the future. >> well, i thank my honorable friend for that point. i do think the process going

through chapter by chapter trying to open up areas to greater trade and competition will be good for europe as a whole. there are always those countries that fear this process. we tend to be very much in the vanguard of thinking it's a good thing, so i hope this engagement will have the effect that he says. >> steve mckay. >> were the reports before the summit that the prime minister had committed his government to making public registries of beneficial ownership wrong, and is his commitment only to holding a consultation? >> our commitment is what we said it is which is to have a central register of beneficial ownership and to have a consultation about whether or not that should be public. as i said, i think there are strong arguments for public registers and beneficial ownership all over the world. the end point we ought to arrive at is every country having a register of beneficial ownership. that is the goal. the question is how can you accelerate progress towards it. i think we really put the foot

on the gas with this declaration, and now we need to work out how to use our next steps to increase the leverage at this -- >> the moment has arrived for mr. steven williams. [laughter] >> thank you very much. you've pulled all my colleagues, i thought i was going to be left out. mr. speaker, when i used to read double tax treaties, they were written in a bygone age mentioning forestry and the signature that story -- signatory powers. will the prime minister use britain's position in the, to ecd to make sure these treaties are brought up up-to-date and e-commerce where so much tax avoidance is done? >> very important point. i think we must also try and make them less impenetrable, but e-commerce because so much business has gone online, this is a real challenge for the tax authorities. >> paul flynn. >> can i congratulate the prime minister on proving once again the remarkable persuasive powers of parliamentary questions.

as recently as 28th of february on the crown dependencies, his business minister told me that the government has no plans to require disclosure of the beneficial ownership p of u.k. property. now he has. will he further prove his flexibility in this area by persuading his honorable friend, lord -- [inaudible] to end his work as a lobbyist for the cayman islands? >> well, let me take the opportunity not only to pay tribute to members of the house who put pressure on the crown dependencies and overseas territories, but we should pay tribute to them. they came willingly to london to sit round the cabinet table and to commit to a series of steps that some of them had committed to before but not all of them had committed to. and we should say, we should now stand up for them and say, you know, what they have done now other jurisdictions that don't have this sort of transparency need to do. so i think it is important we pay tribute to the work they've

done. as for the other part of the question, i've not sided on it, so i'll have to have a look at it. >> mr. bob stewart. >> thank you, mr. speaker. as we went into afghanistan as a direct result of a threat to our own country and our own people, could i ask my right honorable friend in honor of all those soldiers, sailors and airmen that have died or been hurt in afghanistan to insure that the negotiationers with the taliban -- negotiators with the taliban somehow or other get an agreement from them that they will never ever make a threat against our country or encourage those people, other people to make a threat against our country, and thus we give honor to those people who have given their lives in support of our country. >> i think my honorable friend is absolutely right to speak as he does and speaks with great

authority about this. if you cast your mind back to 2001, one of the reasons we went into afghanistan is that the then-taliban regime refused to give up and condemn al-qaeda. so the whole point behind the action was to get al-qaeda out of afghanistan and to stop them launching attacks from there on our soil. and we should pay tribute to the more than 400 of our service personnel who have given their lives and the many more who have been wounded. we should pay tribute to the incredible work that they've done. but they have helped to bring us to a point where afghanistan is now taking responsibility for its own security, highly capable afghan national security forces, and the taliban have stated in their statement that they don't want to see afghanistan effectively as a base for attacks on other countries. >> mr. jim shannon. >> thank the prime minister for his statement there as well. and for the welcome, the very

distinctive british agenda that you referred to for the g8 summit and for the province and also for the two -- [inaudible] looking forward to that, of course. but, prime minister, you also referred to talks with the taliban. what will this start talks and discussions with them? the cessation of violence or a ceasefire priority? starting the process? >> as the honorable gentleman say, the sunshine for two days was a bonus and not one i was totally expecting. [laughter] the point about the discussions with the taliban is they are taking place to a background of a statement by the taliban that they don't want to see, and i'm paraphrasing, afghanistan used as a base of attacks on other countries. think that is the right basis for them to start. but, clearly, in this process the whole aim is to give people who thought they could achieve their goals through the bomb or the bullet the opportunity to achieve goals through political means. that is, i suppose, the parallel

with the very painful process that was gone through in northern ireland. >> mr. david nettle. >> can i congratulate my right honorable friend on hosting such a successful meeting of the g8. given the's special relationship with the united states -- the u.k.'s special relationship with the united states of america, does my right honorable friend not think we could have made more progress on negotiating a free trade deal with america had we not left the matter up to the e.u. for the last 40 years? [laughter] >> my honorable friend makes an important point. look, of course, as i've said, if britain wanted to leave the european union, we could, and then we could make trade deals with every country in the world. and, obviously, that is a path open to us. the argument i would make is that as part of the european union, as part of the world's largest single market, i think you do have the opportunity to drive some quite good deals. clearly, you have to sometimes make compromises with partners in the european union with whom you might not agree, but on

balance i would argue membership of the single market clearly brings its benefits, and the negotiating heft you have has its benefits as well. this is the whole point. we're going to debate and discuss this not least in the runup to the referendum by the end of 2017. >> mark during keep. >> the prime minister will understand some of us are still seeking assurance that the outcome to the g8 will be as thoroughly welcome and significant as it's arrival. in northern ireland. the declaration that he referred to has ten points which includes 13 shoulds and not a single shall. then the g8 plans to prevent legal arrangements provide eight principles expressed with 17 shoulds and 1 could. no shall. and, of course, they are only going to be subject to a process of self-reporting against individual action plans. and then the u.k. individual action plan, helpfully published yesterday, sets out ten points offering standards most of which

should or could have been reached under existing laws and financial action task force requirements. so what confidence can we have that he is going to insure that the commitments that were made yesterday are going to go the distance? >> well, look, you know, this is a journey. and the question is how far down the road are we, and i would argue we've taken some serious steps down the road by setting out so clearly on beneficial ownership, on automatic exchange of information, on international tax standards what needs to be done. and i think if you look at what britain itself has done with the crown dependencies and overseas territories, for instance, you can see real progress. is there a lot more to do? yes. do we need international reporting on it? yes. but has the g8 lifts this issue? frankly, beneficial ownership, these were quite academic issues discussed in lofty academic circles. they're now kitchen table issues and being discussed by the g8 with leaders who have pledged to take action on it.

>> the chair is minded to take all remaining colleagues on these extremely important matters. the prime minister is helpfully providing pithy replies which, of course, now need to be matched by pithy questions. >> i congratulate the prime minister for his commitment to come to this house before taking major action in syria. could he also confirm that that would include the opportunity for this house to vote before any arms were sent to syria? >> well, i made clear that we made no decision to arm the rebels. and as has been said, these things should be discussed, debated and, indeed, voted on in this house, though with the proviso of the answer i gave to the honorable member for the -- [inaudible] >> [inaudible] >> the agreements on tax transparency are welcome and pay credit to the prime minister for what was achieved.

but he will know that tax transparency is only part of the issue because of excesses. there will still be tax havens which people can make recourse. so would he agree the next step is now to try and insure that companies pay tax in the countries that actually own their income, individuals also pay tax, will he make that a priority of his administration leading up to next g8? >> i'm grateful to the honorable gentleman. that is the point of the high-level international tax tool i've been seeking for a better description of this thing than the one i've just begin. nonetheless, that is what we want to -- the oecd to provide to countries so you can see at a glance for a company what does it earn, what is its profits, what is its tax paid so if you can see where there is a problem. and then, obviously, the register of beneficial ownership helps because if different companies under different nominee ownership is being used, it will help you to hunt down the true owners of these

companies. so these things all go together, and i think they can work. >> andrew stephenson. >> thank you, mr. speaker. we're delighted to hear my right honorable friend used them as an example of a great exporter ahead of the g8 summit. i warmly welcome what the prime minister saided the about the focus on jobs and growth. could he say more about the positive impact decisions taken at the g8 will have on manufacturers like hope technology? >> well, i won't forget my visit to hope technologies because it was really impressive to see a manufacturing business making cycle accessories, parts and, indeed, bicycles here in the u.k. when so often people think, well, all of this sort of manufacturing has gone offshore. no, it hasn't. some of the highest quality production is right here. obviously, these trade deals make a difference for manufacturing industries. but also we need to do everything else including keeping our own tax rates low which is what this government's doing. >> [inaudible] >> thank you, madam deputy

speaker. now that the prime minister has had some time to reflect on his earlier remarks about the labour party and the assad regime, will he consider withdrawing his remarks and apologizing? the everyone in this house is united in being opposed to the assad regime and the brutal killings of thousands of people. but we have genuine questions about his stance on arming the syrian rebels. the first question is can he give -- sorry. can he give a guarantee that humanitarian access isn't going to get worse, and can he explain -- sorry. >> prime minister? >> well, as i've said many time, we've made no decision to arm the rebels. the point i was making was simply that whenever we talk about these issues, we should put out there front and center how much we abhor this form of dictatorship, this form of brutalization. this form of use of chemical weapons, and it can't be said often enough, but it needs to be said by everybody all the time. that is the point i was making.

i certainly won't withdraw it. >> sarah newton. >> madam deputy speaker, i warmly welcome the significant progress that the prime minister has made on issues that really matter to my constituents, and i'm sure the length of the country. could my right honorable friend confirm to the forthcoming geneva two talks a limited number of representatives of civil society and the refugees that have been displaced in neighboring countries will be involved? >> well, i think what matters is that the regime and the opposition nominate a limited number of people to discuss how you put together a transitional government that can represent all of the syrian people. i don't want to put too many strictures on it because i think that speed and simplicity are of the essence. >> william payne. >> thank you, madam deputy speaker. companies engaged in secret mining deals and salting profits away in tax havens are taking food off the table for the poor in africa.

what specific commitments have the g8 made to insure mandatory country-by-country reporting of what companies pay in tax? >> well, this issue is, which i applaud kofi annan's work on, is covered in the declaration, that companies should report what they pay and that governments should report what they receive because often there's been a discrepancy between the two. obviously, the more countries that join the eiti and several promised during the course of the g8 -- the italians, the french, ourselves before the g8. so the more that do that, the higher the international standards will be. >> raymond -- [inaudible] >> thank you, madam deputy speaker. on syria can i refer the prime minister to paragraph 87 of the communique which deals with chemical weapons but also deals with a united nations mission going to syria to inspect if there's any chemical weapons there? clarification on that, prime minister, russia having been party to this now accept the findings of that mission, and following on from that, won't

russia accept any action which the united nations proposed be taken if there are any specific findings on those matters? >> well, obviously, my honorable friend's second two questions are really matters for the russians, that they will have to answer for. i am clear about the information i've been given about the use of chemical weapons and, clearly, there's a disagreement between what i believe and what president putin believes. but what matters about paragraph 87 is that this is saying that the u.n. should be allowed in unhindered and that the regime must allow that to happen, and i think it is significant that the russians agreed this. >> [inaudible] >> thank you, deputy speaker. i welcome the statement by the prime minister and, indeed, the quote distinctly british agenda agenda -- [inaudible] and i'm very happy that the dreary -- [inaudible] have given way to a new dawn. i congratulate the government. look forward to other g8s

coming back there in the future when the british government's back in charge. could i return to his statement where he has said we will not take any major actions without first coming to this house on syria? can he confirm that that includes arming the rebels? >> yes, i can. and as i've said that very clearly. let me be clear, there is -- although i know the saying, there was nothing dreary. the sun was shining, and the countryside looked magnificent. >> margo james. >> the announcement on the talks between the e.u. and u.s. on trade are very welcome for economic growth covering, as it will, 50% of global trade. can my right honorable friend use his influence to insure those tasked with negotiations on the e.u. side maintain relentless energy on the removal of nontariff barriers such that services trade should bros.

some? -- blossom? >> my honorable friend is absolutely right to raise this, and i think it's not just that officials have to be relentless and engage on this, but also when there are blockages and problems, it needs to be elevated to politicians and ministers so that we can try and drive forward the agenda on this, otherwise these trade talks get bogged down. >> jonathan ash worth. >> everybody in the labour party abhors the assad regime. but on the question of iran, given the iranians' traditional influence over the syrian regime and given the election results, is the prime minister absolutely sure that we haven't now got a window of opportunity to try and engage iran in helping us find the political solution in syria that we all want to see? >> prime minister. >> well, i think we should certainly engage with the fact that iran has elected for, elected a relative moderate. i think that is a positive sign, and we should look for opportunities. but as i said, really if we're going to put so much weight on the geneva process and the

geneva principles, it's important that everybody -- iran included -- signs up to them. >> [inaudible] >> thank you, madam deputy speaker. the prime minister's attempts on the world trade agreement will be very warmly welcomed by many and rightly so, but does he agree the prize could be even bigger if we could genuinely open up the e.u. single market to services because particularly with 71% of e.u. gdp is in services, only 3.2% is intra-e.u. companies, and much more could be done to help our company. >> my honorable friend is absolutely right, and this requires action by governments and countries right across the board including traditionally quite free trade countries like germany that have sometimes had quite a lot of restrictions around particular professions. so we need to do that within the e.u., and then we need to do it between the e.u. and the u.s. in order to capture the full benefits of these changes. >> -- [inaudible]

davis. >> on the tax sharing, sharing of tax information, was there agreement in principle the multi-nationals should pay their tax where they make their profit, and if so, when will this happen given that there'll be winners and losers with different countries resisting this? >> prime minister. >> the key point in the declaration is that we should stop companies from trying to artificially shift profits from one jurisdiction to another. look, i believe in fair tax competition. i'm a low tax conservative. i think it's right to have a low tax and then to ask companies to pay that tax. i think what is unacceptable is when processes and procedures are gone into not to shift the activity. that's a company's right. but to shift where you're trying to take the profits. that's the point. >> jason mccollum. >> thank you, madam deputy speaker. having served on the effective no-fly zone over iraq in the 19 t 0s, can i ask whether there

were discussions at the g8 over a no-fly zone in syria? >> there weren't specific discussions at the g8, but, obviously, i had serious conversations with barack obama about all the things that we should be doing to put pressure on the, on president assad. but we don't have any plans to take those steps. >> deborah abrahams. >> can the prime minister confirm that the u.s. is exempt from the e.u./u.s. trade negotiations? >> i'm not aware of the specific exemption for any particular area, but i think the health services will be treated in the same way for e.u./u.s. negotiations as it is for e.u. rules. but if that is in any way inaccurate, i'll write to the honorable lady and put it right. >> chris hopkins. >> mr. speaker, yesterday my right honorable friend commented on the possible route to a political solution in afghanistan following the opening of talks between the u.s. and taliban.

can i encourage the prime minister to offer our resources and share our experience of peace talks in these islands to those who are beginning to tread this very difficult path? >> prime minister. >> i think my honorable friend makes an important point, and we do do that. it is a tangible example when you see the first minister and deputy first minister of northern ireland working together. i think we do have experience, and we should certainly share it, and we do that. >> >> [inaudible] gilmore. >> thank you, deputy speaker. i'd like to press the prime minister on the precise words of his statement where he says we will not take any major actions without first coming to this house. could he offer a definition of "major"? >> i think what i'd say is repeat what i said in my statement about major action but put in the proviso i gave to the honorable member, because if you remember in the case with libya or could be the case of