back out or system because you can throw out week, tired, and discredited government. we supported this system when we were behind, ahead, when we win and when we lost. . >> prime minister brown asked about his government's willingness to work with unions. >> order. questions to the prime minister.

>> mr. speaker, this morning i had meetings with mr. occultist and others. in addition to my duties in the house, i will have further such meetings today. >> at their expertise and knowledge are not always passed on, which means some patients undergo inappropriate operations that later have to be reversed or are prevented from having operations that could freedom from pain. could the prime minister's bear just 10 minutes to meet the chair of the federation of specialists hospitals to see how matters could be improved? >> of course i will, and i think he will understand as i will understand that that depends on proper investment in the specialist hospitals as well. i think he will be as an equally concerned as i am by the remarks of the shuttle house secretary that he is going to be cutting spending in the vital areas that

are important to our country. mr. speaker, the shuttle health secretary has said he will review -- shuttle health secretary will -- want to ensure the unit cuts reduce rather than increase. he said he wants a 10% reduction in the department limits. i think before the conservative ask for more spending from the house service, you should talk to the shadow chancellor and the house secretary. >> mr. speaker, will the prime minister a firm the labor government's commitment to maintaining funding for public services such as housing, universities, police, law and order, transport, and pensions, and reject the tory party policy of 10 percent across-the- board cut that would take this

country back to the worst days of factualism? >> specifically, the shuttle health secretary said this morning over three years after 2011 a 10% reduction in the department expenditure limits. it is a tough spending requirement indeed, and he said the job of the shadow chancellor is to be clear about where the spending restraint is. there can be no doubt that the choice is with the government that is prepared to invest in the future that the conservative party is going to cut. >> when even the old-timers are reading out the whips handout questions, that is when you know things are really bad for the government. can i say how pleased i am to see the prime minister in his place. let me be clear, mr. speaker,

about what we think of electoral reform. we want to keep the existing system. we support the link between one mp and one constituency and we back our system because you can throw out weak, tired, and discredited government. let me say it we supported the system when we were behind, ahead, when we won, and when we lost. can i ask the prime minister why has he suddenly discovered an interest in changing the electoral system? doesn't have anything to do with the fact that his party got 15% of the vote last week? >> finally, after many weeks, a question on policy. isn't it remarkable it has taken this time for the conservatives to come up with a question? the statement i will make a few minutes after 12:38 will deal with exactly these problems.

i have to remind them that with the conservative party support in many cases, there are different electoral systems in different parts of the united kingdom. there is a different one in the house of commons. i will deal with this issue in the constitutional statement in a few minutes. >> i am sure, mr. speaker, you would agree it is no good saying wait for that statement when he has briefed all the details out to the press. in asking questions about personalities, what is there left to ask, when so many members of the cabinet walked out because they cannot work with him? i want to ask the prime minister questions about the issue of electoral reform and about the process he intends to follow. on the issue, does he agree with me that a truly proportional

system has massive drawbacks? did we not see this on sunday night when the bnp got two members elected to the european parliament? does he agree that is a very strong argument against proportional systems? >> mr. speaker, that the whole house send a message that the politics of discrimination and prejudice and bigotry have no part to play in the democratic life of our country. let us all take action together to expose the racist and bigoted policies of the british national party. let us be clear that on this side of the house we will do everything in our power to show that the problems that made people vote for that bnp of problems we are dealing with on housing, social justice, and unemployment, but no one will support the anti-semitic policy that is even against mixed-race marriage. i believe the whole country can

unite on this. what i say about electoral reform is that i have never supported the policy of proportional representation for westminster parliament. that has always been my view. he has to accept that the policy of proportional representation exist for the european elections. i do not see a proposal from his party to change it at the moment. he has to except that that the proposals laid down criteria by which it would be impossible for the british-reported to have held the seat even on the pr system in the british parliament and less than one a constituency seat. >> everyone agree with what the prime minister says about defeating the bnp. it means going door-to-door and getting the voters and got to vote. let me ask about the process. we are in the fifth and final year of the parliament. there have been reports that a referendum on electoral reform is being considered before the

general election. can the prime minister confirm those reports? is that something he is considering? rex there are no plans for that. there is an interest throughout the country and what happens to electoral reform. we published a review on the issue of electoral reform only a few months ago. that has led to serious debate in the country, but we are not putting proposals for today. if i may say so, i said he had moved on the policy, but there seems to be an element of self- interest in the way he is approaching policy. is it not strange, mr. speaker? >> order.

you are getting too noisy. i might even have to tell the chief whip to be quiet, but the prime minister must be heard. >> is it not strange they are not even interested in discussing this democratic reform? the first questions he asked about policy are not about the economy, education, public services, or the issues that the public out there know that we and they are concerned about? >> it is remarks like that that make him a figure of ridicule across this country. everyone is entitled to ask what the prime minister's motive is. for 12 years, not a squeak about electoral reform, and suddenly because he is getting trashed in two elections, and suddenly he wants to put it on the agenda. this is all of a peace with the prime minister treating the nation like fools, telling us that he cancel the election

because he was going to win it. the prime minister said he had no plans for a referendum. now we all know what that means. he said he had no plans to put up taxes in 1997. instead of saying no plans, let him stand up at the dispatch box and rule out a referendum. >> i said i had no plans. i repeat, i have no plans. isn't it again remarkable what m p's are being told by their constituents is to concentrate on getting the politics of this country sorted out. they are being told to concentrate on getting us through the recession, build us a better future, and not one question from the leader of the opposition can be about the central issues facing our country. could the prime minister has chosen to make a statement about constitutional reform. he cannot complain that i am asking questions about it. when he talks about the economy,

let's be clear what his legacy will be. not the most useless government we have had in history. it will be the biggest budget deficit in europe and the biggest in our history. let's be clear about this no plans are no proposals to day as he put it. a man with no democratic legitimacy who has never been elected as our prime minister, who has been defeated every time the public have been able to vote for him is now considering trying to fix the rules of the election before the next general election. isn't that what is happening? >> first of all, on public spending and deficits, let him proposed -- let him confirm that his proposals or for a 10% cut. if he wishes to raise the question of deficits and debt, let him confirm that that is now the proposal of the shadow chancellor as confirmed by the shadow health secretary this morning. that does have a debate about the choice that really does exist in the country between the conservative party that now wants to cut even at a time of

recession into our basic public services and the labor party that wants to invest in them. let him also be honest with the country that when it comes to calling for election, he has absolutely no plan for dealing with the recession. he has no policies for dealing with unemployment, businesses, and the problems of this country. he is an opposition leader who has no plans for government and he does not deserve to be in government. >> one of my plans was the same as the prime minister's last week, sacked the chancellor. he might be talking about a second preference voting system. the fact is he is left with the second pressed to answer. on the issue of public spending, let's be clear about the answers the prime minister has given. he said last week, public spending is rising every year. that is what he said. his chancellor said i have cut

overall public spending. the figures the prime minister is talking around are his own figures. he is planning to cut public spending by 7% in every department over the next three years. the next election when he has the guts to call it will not be about labor investment versus tory cuts. it will be an election about the mismanagement of the public finances, the appalling deficit he has left, and his plan for cuts. let me just ask him this question. why not on the issue of electoral reform admit this, the current system gives the country the chance to throw out a government that is weak, divided, incompetent, and that is what we should be having now. >> mr. speaker, let me read the figures for public spending so

there is absolutely no doubt about the truth of what i am saying and that he has got it wrong. public spending this year is 621 million. rises next year to 672 million, this financial year, then to 717, then to 738, then to 758. that is public spending rises. the only party proposing a cut in public spending is the conservative party. he is right, at the next election, there will be a choice. there will be a choice between a government that it helps people and actively intervenes to take us through a downturn and a conservative party that will do nothing. >> order. mr. overton, you cannot behave like that. you are under risk to be put out of the house. everyone is going to be quiet. >> a choice between a government that is actively intervening to

do with the recession and the conservative party that said do nothing. the choice between a government increasing public spending by the figures i have raised and a conservative leader who for the first time in the house of commons during this parliament has now admitted that the policy of his party is spending cuts. that is what he has told us today. that will be the choice before the country. >> i know you are very anxious to hear this question. the prime minister is aware that [unintelligible] has been called about the building colleges for the future program to the extent we have a have demolished college. the decision was delayed from the third of june yet again on which colleges will be funded. my college is now technically insolvent. when will the prime minister intervene to sort this mess out?

>> in the budget an extra 300 million pounds was put to further education colleges. we are now looking at how we can help the individual colleges who have spending proposals for new investment. let me remind this house that there was no investment taking place in further education colleges when we came into power. we are now investing more in further education colleges than ever before. i believe that his college at barnsley is one of the priorities for getting that new investment. >> everyone out on the campaign trail knows how angry and frustrated people have become at the way this government raises people's hopes, only to see them disappointed again and again. we have had more announcements and new homes. since january when the prime minister announced the biggest

council house building programs in decades, only 20 new homes have been started. will he for once made a promise and actually deliver? >> i do not accept his figures. what has happened since january is that we have brought in place measures to protect people in their own homes, so the expected rate of mortgage repossessions has not happened and they are roughly as it were a few months ago. equally we are bringing in a program for social housing to invest more in social housing over the next few months and over the next few years. i have to tell them, we are prepared to take even more decisions to make available more social housing over the next few months. that is only possible because we have taken the decisions that his and the conservative party have opposed about the increased investment necessary at the time of recession. i hope if he asked for more social housing he will support the investment that is necessary for it. >> why are a staggering 1.8

million families in this country waiting for a home? that is 70 percent more than when this government came into power. if he wants to do something now, one not stop the treasury from grabbing all the money council has raised in rents and sales and allow them to use that money to build it desperately needed homes? will he at least do that? >> there are a million more people in homes and the came into government in 1997. we have also improved houses for more than 1 million extra people. at the same time we are putting aside extra money for social housing. over 40 billion in total will have been invested in housing since 1997 by 2010 and we will have made improvements 4 8 million deal -- 8 million people. since 1997, over 29 billion has been invested in social housing. we are not complacent.

>> since the stated objective of bailing out the bank was to maintain lending to businesses and home owners for 2007 levels. as is the latest official figures show that that lending is now absolutely flat, 20% down on 2007 levels, when will my right hon. friend use the power which she already has from majority ownership of several major banks to force the banks to give priority to rescuing the real economy rather than simply looking out for their own interest and letting the real economy hang up? >> my hon. friend is right that banks in duty bound to lend to small businesses and housing. they have agreed to increase lending this year by 25

billion, no. not by 5 billion, voluntarily hsbc and markets have agreed to increase their lending. the total increase in lending agreed to come from march 1 is 70 billion extra over what happened last year. it will begin to see the companies that will benefit from that being able to say that where rejections happen before, they are now having applications accepted. we will monitor the situation, but i assure him that 70 billion more extra money is going into lending to small businesses and homes. >> mr. speaker, pensioners and others who rely on their savings are suffering greatly from the lower interest rates needed to tackle the recession. will the prime minister explain to them what the savings women for canceled tax benefit is stuck, when if it had gone up in line with the retail price index would now be 27,000 pounds? >> and all areas we have to look

at what we can afford at different times. we have done a great deal for those who are on pension credit to raise the amount of money they receive. we have done a great deal for people on working tax credit to raise the amount of money they receive. obviously reform in housing benefit is something we are looking at. he has to accept that 1.5 million children have come out of poverty on what we have done and 1 million pensioners have come out of poverty as a result of what we have done. pensioners would not be as well- off as they are, and many people in other parties did not support that when we did it. >> last week able u.k. announced a multi million pound investment in my constituency which will create 5000 much- needed jobs. it is on the largest development

site in the north of england on a deep water estuary. i would appreciate it if my friend and his ministers could tell me what he can further due to secure more economic development in my area and across the country, and to that end, will he meet me and my colleagues to look at some of the barriers we still have to economic growth in my constituency? >> the latest estimate shows there would be 500,000 more people unemployed if we had all the policies of the conservative party. let me say that at all times we will seek foreign direct investment into this country. we have given new allowances for people so they can invest now, so they can invest through the recession into our future. the only way of making a better future is to invest in the

future. that is what we are doing. unfortunately, our opponents want to cut. >> away from the political arena, what has that prime minister ever achieved in the real world that qualifies him to lead the nation? grex every mp should return with a bit of humility after listening to the constituents over the last few weeks. every mp has learned from the constituents that they want us to clean up politics and they want us to get them through the recession and they want us to build for the future. that is what i am going to do, and i believe i have the experience to do that. >> in the next two years, [unintelligible] health service will see an increase in funding of over 55 million thanks to the labor

government. however, is my friend aware of concerns in the nhs about a 0 of this budget? will he reassure me that he will not implement these tory plans? >> i could also give the house the figures for current expenditure over the next few years. it will rise to 608 billion to 666 to 689 billion and then to 712 billion. there is not a cut, that is a rise in expenditure. the only way these figures will be cut is it there is a conservative government cutting 10% out of the major departments. this is the day when the shadow health spokesman of the conservative party has admitted that the conservatives plant 10% cuts in our vital public services. this is the day when the conservatives have revealed their true manifesto for this country.

this is the day that shown in the choice at the next election is between investment under labor and massive cuts under the conservative party. >> in 2007 there were 8324 deaths, an increase of 28% on the year before. yesterday they brought out a report which said that infection control procedures are being damaged because of overcrowding and understaffing at in a chess facilities. does the prime minister agree with me that any of unavoidable that -- any award of what death is totally unacceptable? what action does the government going to take to eliminate all super bugs from our hospitals? >> i am determined to do that. we have brought in new rules for nurses and people being checked

as the coming to hospitals. we have brought in new rules for cleanliness. we have given matron's more powers and double the number of matrons so that cleanliness is at the center of everything that happens at the national health service. we are determined to root out and deal with [unintelligible] as well. anyone with personal experience of that happening to their family, we have to continue the work to remove them and we have the utmost sympathy for them if that has happened. >> does my friend understand the anger among people who work in financial services who have seen billions of pounds quite rightly invested in banks to shore them up, but now have seen thousands of jobs being in jettisoned in the midst of a recession?

does he agree with me that they need to work with the unions and keep people in work during a recession rather than shedding jobs to pay money back to the government? >> our friend is a great advocate for his constituents. i know that made a number of redundancies, and that is a big issue not only for him but the rest of the country. i am happy to meet and talk about these issues. our determination is to keep as many jobs as possible in this country and prevent unemployment where it is possible. 180,000 jobs have been created as a result of a new investment we are making in the flexible new deal to enable young people and others to get jobs. more than 200,000 people are finding new jobs every month. we will continue to provide that support. i have to say to the house, the issue is very clear. we are prepared to ride the investment necessary for jobs. the conservatives are revealed as the party of cuts. >> last month before the local

elections, the prime minister and answer to question from the member from gloucestershire it said we only want to abolish the regional agencies. he said we will support it. we will invest. they would make cuts. this week, after those elections, the southwest are d.a. has made 56 million pounds of cuts, costing jobs in my constituency. why should anybody believe a word the prime minister says? >> thousands of companies in his area are getting help under the inland revenue scheme and others we are introducing. thousands of companies are getting special help to take them through the recession. if his argument is that we must avoid cuts, then he better talk to his shadow chancellor, because he is proposing massive cuts in services today and in the future. the conservative party has been revealed today as the party that

will fight for the next few months on cuts in services, at some point they will have to tell us how many nurses and how many doctors and how many teachers and how many public servants will lose their jobs as a result of this new policy announced this morning. >> can i ask the prime minister to join with me in tribute to the general secretary from 1968 to 1964? he changed the conditions in the mainland industry more than any other in the individual has done. this is a man who loved to sing and read poetry. looking at paying a tribute to him. >> i will indeed. lawrence daily