is in summer recess. prime minister's questions returns in october. of the next few weeks, we will show you british political programming in this time slot. . .   >> i am confident of its outcome. our troops continue to do a magnificent job, but any loss of

life and any injuries are a matter of regret and our thoughts are with the families and friends of the serviceman who have contributed so much to our country and made the ultimate sacrifice. i want also to say at the outset that we are putting in an enormous effort to ensure that our country is best prepared to deal with the international pandemic of swine flu. and we are doing so in a column, organized and ordered way. cases through the united kingdom have so far proved to be generally mild in most people, but they have been severe amongst a small minority. mostly patient with underlying health problems. i want the public to be reassured that we have been preparing for the possibility of a pandemic for a number of years. robust plans are in place.

the nhs is continuing to progress well. as swine flu cases begin to increase, we need to be able to give antiviral to people quickly. at the end of this week, the national pandemic flew service in england will be up and running quickly diagnose people who have swine flu and will give them the opportunity to get antivirals direct from local centers. all the details on how to contact the call center and how to get information on mind and then how to collect the antiviral is being made available in detail advertising, with, of course, detailed advice to the individual patients in the next few days. i think the last few weeks have demonstrated what i have been saying all year, that this

government will be tested by events, but we will stick by our course. we will be judged by our policies. these policies will be anchored by britain's future. we have already seen the benefits of giving families and businesses real help now during this recession. if we had not intervened and acted decisively, at least another half a million jobs would have been lost in this recession. innovation has given an reinvigoration to our motor industry and saved our car workers' jobs already. the message we have put in place are considerable and i can say to date that in total health, 300,000 young people this year will secure help with jobs or training or college or school places. 72,000 more education and

training places are being made available for 16 to 18 year-old spirit there will be more apprenticeships. 10,000 more university places. 250,000 more places for your employment for young people. we are also helping a quarter of a million people to stay in their homes by paying the interest on their mortgages if they lose their job or by other means of helping homeowners. we are enabling 170,000 companies in every region of the country to make their payments. the government action will shorten the recession and it will reduce its impact. but in the meantime, understand the severity it -- that is felt

in this economy and there is no room for complacency. the world economy remains fragile, economic recovery cannot be taken for granted hit either here or abroad. and i know from my conversations with other world leaders as to prepare for the major meeting of the g-20 in september in america, that we will all remain focused on that task of securing future growth in this world economy. that is where we need to maintain government spending and investment to get through this recession, rather than abandon our help to homeowners and businesses. as to recover we need to put in place the conditions for long- term economic success. that is why we are investing in the skills of british workers, boosting business investment, building a low carbon economy and reforming public services. in the last few weeks we have rolled out key elements of building britain's future. an education white paper to britain -- to raise standards in our schools.

a new housing pledge to build more affordable homes, cover regulations for banks and financial institutions, better protection from credit card companies, social care proposals on how we fund the rising cost of care for elderly people. yesterday we legislated and completed the bill to clean up politics. and we have a bold low carbon action plan that will transform our economy. in the last few days alone we have taken significant steps in making britain a world leader for the lowering of emissions in the future, with major announcements at toyota, which will protect around 400 jobs, and nissan, which will create up to 350 new jobs and safeguard more -- hundreds more in the supply chain has removed to electric production. tomorrow will announce a major

modernization of much of our railway infrastructure, protecting and creating hundreds of jobs. as i said, the action we are taking will help 300,000 british young people this year with jobs and training. in the coming few days, we will launch a campaign involving the whole country, to harness the talents of these young people, to help them to get into work, to work with in this business so they can do their best to benefit our communities. we will not allow a generation of young people to ever begin be lost to world and hope as a result of a recession. we are taking difficult decisions and making tough choices, but these are the right decisions to make us stronger and build a better britain, equipped and best for its future.

>> you have just talked about tough choices. about four out of five voters told pollsters recently that whoever is in power would have to make substantial spending cuts. are they wrong? and if not, when will the tough choices you are fond of talking of but have not spelled out? >> of course there are tough choices and we are making them. we have announced in the budget that will raise the top rate of income tax. we will also take difficult decisions on tax relief. we announced also that we are going to achieve billions of savings from greater efficiency in the back offices, sodus become of our public services. we announced a -- so to speak, of our public services. we're the first country in the world to publish a debt reduction plan to show that we are not taking action to cut our deficit in half in the next five years. because of the action we have already taken, our debt in most

of the years ahead will be less than the debt of america, less than the debt of germany, less than the debt of france. and indeed, our debt will be lower than many other countries. as far as public spending is concerned, we made a deliberate decision to bring forward public spending and to change the profile of public spending to this year and next year. we made a deliberate decision that in a recession you have to advance capital spending projects and spending on infrastructure, so we move forward into the years of the recession. evidence is that it is paying results. as far as future allocations, it will depend on the growth of employment, and of course, the interest rates and inflation we achieve, what are the specific implications in 50 years. i am confident that people can look to a labor government that has protected the services over

the past 12 years to make sure that our front-line public services such as hospitals and education are properly financed for the future. we are determined to make sure that we do the right things now to take a through a recession. if anything, the political divide in britain is that we want to take action for the 300,000 opportunities for young people, action on housing, we want to take action on small businesses. the opposition parties would let the recession take its course. our growth rate will be lower. debts and deficits would be hired as a result of our services will be further hit. >> the poll said that four out of five people polled thought there would have to be further cuts. are they wrong? >> i think everybody should get one question and we should not prevent the people getting a chance to do their question. but i believe the public when

asked about whether they want us to take action to protect hospitals and our schools and our policing will say that they want us to protect them. it depends on how you ask these questions. if you're asking people, do you want your numbers of nurses and numbers of doctors and the improvement in your hospitals to be safeguarded they would say yes. do you want our schools to continue to improve as they have done? i think people would say, yes. do you want to maintain the levels of policing that have been achieved in the last few years and have it in every community, i think everyone would say, yes. when you look at specific services, people would prefer to see these services protected and maintained. >> you began by offering condolences for the three servicemen killed in afghanistan. the question is this, is the shortage of helicopters endangering our troops' lives?

is the house select committee wrong? have they crossed a line in publicly criticizing government policy? and what are we to make of lord malik's statements in the newspaper when he said would definitely do not have enough helicopters and then completely retract that statement? >> you have to look at what people are saying on the ground about this. i'm satisfied that the operation has resources and needs to be successful. i think the fact that it is making progress at the moment and yielding results already shows that is the case. i am confident that we will bring this operation to a successful outcome. if i may say so, i would draw your attention to the air commander, the chief of staff for the army, navy, and they're

forced joint helicopter command. he said only a day or two ago, we have got more helicopters than the canadians, the dutch and the us trillion's put together up there. of course, what we've got less than the americans to -- and the australians put together out there. of course, we got less than the americans, but you would expect this. this is a pretty phenomenal and helicopter effort. and then major lieutenant- colonel richardson said there was much speculation about helicopters and how we got enough. it is a sign that the helicopters would not have saved the lives of the individuals last week. you cannot conduct a war from a helicopter. the equipment we have is very, very good. in terms of what we like more, and the commander, would say, yes, we would like more equipment, more troops, whatever it may be. but my commander is very hard over on the fact that he is sufficient to get on with the

task that he has been given. i'm giving you answers from people on the ground. we're putting in more helicopters by the end of the year. there are new ones that will go to afghanistan by next year. the we have increased helicopters by 60% in the last two years and because we have increased the number of helicopters by having more staffed by trained to do so, i went to look at the preparations being made for the malik helicopters to get to afghanistan and i am satisfied. we both need to -- equip them with new blades and you to do special training of these forces in america. it is important to recognize what their commanders are staying on the ground. we've already increased our numbers of helicopters. and of course, what to do in future months. if you to put this in the same

way to the people that you had mentioned, they would agree with me. >> prime minister, you say we have to listen to the commanders, but listen to the chief of the defense staff. more helicopters, he said last week, what patently save lives. he does not think we have enough. the fourth officer for afghanistan does not think we have enough. which is it? >> for the operation we are doing at the moment we have helicopters that we need. >> a lot of people say that is not enough. >> hold on, let me finish, please. for the operation that we are doing, which is operation panthers clock, we have the helicopters that we need. we have to take ground, hold ground and then get the afghan army and police to help us. there has been a correction of any misrepresentation there has been of the statements this

morning. we talk critically about this issue and the issue is that we want to get them into afghanistan as quickly as possible. in the meantime, what have we done? we agreed a joint helicopter fund where we are getting helicopters from other parts of nato. we're working with the americans as well because we are part of a shared alliance. we've got to work together. at the same time, we are making a major order for helicopters in the future, a 6 billion budget in the next 10 years. the person on the ground, i just quoted to you, and he said that helicopters would not have made a difference in the loss of lives that have taken place in the last few days. >> [unintelligible] >> maur helicopters in general, and that is what we're putting more forces into afghanistan. but on the operations that we're

having at the moment, it is completely wrong to say that the loss of lives has been caused by the lot -- the absence of helicopters and that has been confirmed by the people on the ground. you should listen directly to what has been said by people on the ground on this very spot to the point. it is very unfortunate that when our commanders on the ground say this, and when it is also repeated by the air marshal who is in charge of our helicopter fleet, the chief of staff for the army, navy, and air force joint command, you should except what they're saying. of course, we're putting more helicopters in later. of course we got a plan to build more in the years to come. we are the people who initiated the fund to get other countries to come in with other helicopters. and we have been continuing pressing other countries to come in. but, please do not say that the operation on the ground has been made more difficult by a lot of helicopters. operation panthers claw is succeeding.

but i have given you three questions. if we are going to get through this, i will take more people at the end if there is time, but just one question per person for the time being. >> one question, coming up. afghanistan, swine flu, the economy, plenty of pressing issues at the moment. is it right that mps are disappearing for 82 days? >> they are working with their constituency for much of that time. their job is to be a representative, and to be someone who votes and discuss these matters in the house of commons. if the mps job was only to be in the house of commons, then you would have the case. but their job is also to be in the constituency and listening to people. the idea that they're taking a

holiday is wrong. i am taking on a few days' holiday and then getting on with the job. other people are also having a few days' holiday and then getting on with the job. in the modern world, an mp has a responsibility to use spent time in his constituency, he or she has the responsibility to do that. they have to spend time talking to their constituencies about the issues. is not fair to say they're doing nothing for 82 days. that is not true. people have got to balance their legislative duties with the duties as individuals with their constituencies. the legislation that we passed yesterday with the political parliamentary standards authority, is a sign that we make up our mind to do something as members of parliament to clean up politics. we have created a parliamentary

standards authority created by members of parliament. we have proved that we can take action. >> prime minister, you talk about tough choices. i would like to take you to africa. let me take you to africa because it used to be a passion of yours when you were chancellor of the exchequer. you just returned from italy where you played a game. now there is another pledge of

20 billion. prime minister, and you think there is enough of this? no action, pledge after pledge after pledge. how about you give a big pledge and then talk about these of regulators about trade, trade after trade after trade. >> i know the point you are making. you are approving the three questions can be longer than one. [laughter] let's just come to the point about the aid. we agreed in italy to put an extra 20 billion to help with the problems we found. that was our priority in a recession, 100 million people find themselves hungry and poor and unable to feed themselves. we agreed that was the first priority. we've also made progress on our

education pledge because 40 million more children are in school. i agree with you, the countries that make promises have got a duty to deliver them. we're delivering our promises and will continue to do so. >> at david cameron's last monthly press conference, he made a very serious attack against your person and integrity and said there was a threat of this on a street -- of dishonesty running through your premiership. could you react? >> un-not going to -- i'm not going to react to personal attacks, but i will say that honesty matters and integrity is important. people who are politicians have got a duty to speak the truth to the public and i think you have

seen over the last year that when there have been big problems -- and i think that people of forgotten that there was a time nine months ago that people thought the financial system would not survive. we explain what was happening and which of the necessary steps. we will continue to take the right decisions for our country where there temporarily popular or unpopular. -- whether they are temporarily popular or unpopular. >> prime minister, you have not been to the norridge north by- election, is this because your prospects are incredibly bleak, as one of your ministers have said? what i think the choice has -- when the choice is put to people, they will say very big difference in the policies of the major opposition parties. look, you're going to run economic recession that has

characteristics that are quite unique. -- you are going through an economic recession that has characteristics that are quite unique. we have a parliamentary expenses scandal where people doubted the intentions of members of parliament. i do not think any government has faced two major crisis like that, one on top of each other. it is inevitable that the public is asking first of all, can you clean up politics, and secondly, can you deal with the economic crisis you have? i'm confident that we are taking the necessary steps to clean up politics. we passed the legislation yesterday that has never been done before. the government intervened to end the system of self regulation. when people see that, the anger and distaste that they have at the parliamentary scandal will at least be modified by the action we have taken.

for the economy, it takes time for these results to come through. i understand that in june, when we had the european union elections, people have not seen the results. i think people will see over time that we are saving jobs that would have been lost. we have taken action to try to halt the rise in repossessions. we do have a rise in repossessions, but nothing like in the past. and with small businesses, we're taking action to help them through these difficulties. when people see these results and the action that we have taken and the philosophy that we have had, which is to intervene in the recession and stop it get on this course, people say very different choice between these parties. you can have a referendum on your government for a long time, but an election at the end of the day is about choices and there will be choices that people have to make about the future of our country when it comes to the general alexian and i'm confident of the choices people will make.

>> has there been a call forum and, for yourself or bordelli brown -- lord malik brown and his statement this morning? >> norah doubt there are conversations taking place. -- no doubt there are conversations taking place. it is clear that i clarify the comments that were reported in today's daily telegraph. he goes on to say that there is no difference of opinion between us on helicopters and he, too, was talking about the future allocation of helicopters. >> if you put that clarification to one side, you accept his other point that the main threats of terrorists being exported from that part of the world comes from somalia and pakistan and not afghanistan,

and that is why there should be questions are around this? >> he is not saying there is a terrorist threat. what happened -- let's be clear. the terrorist threat from afghanistan was cleared out by the allies clearing up the taliban government. al qaeda moved. there is a pakistan taliban and there is an afghanistan taliban. if we allow terrorist attacks on the streets of britain, we have got to be safe and deal with the threats from al qaeda and that also comes with the pakistan and the afghanistan taliban. three of the terrorist plots that have hit our streets in britain come from that area of the world, from pakistan and the borders of pakistan and afghanistan. and we've got to do something to make sure the british people are safe. of course, there also a al

qaeda in somalia that have threatened action in somalia. that is very difficult. it is in somalia and in other parts of africa, al qaeda. it is our duty, first of all, to keep al qaeda out of the afghanistan, second to keep them out of pakistan. to do that we have to deal with the people that harbor them, and that is the pakistan taliban and we have got to do with the afghanistan taliban. it is clear action that we have to take. >> you just talk about the tough year that you have had and that the countries have had with the recession, swine flu, and the expense candles and everything else. are you optimistic in the next 12 months that it will be better for you and your -- and the country? are you concerned about sexism

and ageism on television? >> [laughter] i will leave the second question two. hartman to continue to -- to harriet hartman to continue to enter. it has been a difficult year because we have had to make tough decisions and the tough choices. but i think you should report that politics is about making decisions and taking action. it is very well for people to say we should not a done this or that, something wrong here, but we have taken the toughest possible decisions on banking, the toughest possible decisions on the regulation. we brought the g-20 together in london to deal with the crisis. the parliamentary scandal hit us as part of -- as far as expenses are concerned and we have taken steps to end regulation -- self regulation in politics. we've got to make tough decisions and we have the people to make these decisions, what are the impact on pola