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he answered many questions on the british economy, specifically government debt and small business bankruptcy to read -- bankruptcy. >> prescience -- questions for the prime minister. >> mr. speaker, i have been asked to reply. been asked to reply. my right honorable friend the prime minister is in attendance on her majesty the queen welcoming president zuma on his state visit to the united kingdom. mr. speaker, i'm sure the house will wish to join me in paying tribute to the five british soldiers who have died in afghanistan. senior aircraft men luke

southgate from two squadron royal air force regiment. rival martin from fourth battalion the rifles, attached to third battalion, the rifles. sergeant paul fox from 28 engineer regiment, royal engineers attached to the brigade reconnaissance force. riflemen connor palace from fourth battalion the rifles, attached to third battalion, the rifles. and a soldier from third battalion, the rifles, who died yesterday. they demonstrated outstanding courage and skill, and they died serving their country, their comrades and the people of afghanistan. our thoughts are with their families and their loved ones. their sacrifice will not be forgotten. i'm sure the whole house will also join me in sending our sincere condolences to the people of chile following the terrible earthquake. >> misses out underlying? >> thank you, mr. speaker. indeed, the whole house will

wish to join the right honorable lady in paying tribute to those brave men who have given their lives for our freedom. and also of course to the people of chile. can the right honorable lady please tell the house why has manufacturing decline faster under this labour government than under any other administration ever? >> indeed. indeed, this is just typical of the conservatives -- [shouting] -- talking the country down. british manufacturing is strong and british manufacturing has a great future, particularly advanced manufacturing, and those supporting digital and the creative industries that conservatives constantly described britain as heading towards an age of austerity. we do not share that pessimism.

we are optimistic for britain's future, including manufacturing. >> mr. andy bean? >> thank you, mr. speaker. we decide to relocate its recession development facilities to cheshire causing 1002 at a jobs to be lost in the local economy in 2011. overall, pharmaceutical -- over all, pharmaceutical is strong in the united kingdom. the office of life sciences will ensure many of those jobs remain. that is no consolation to the 1200 people who have to relocate in my constituency. can she assured me that this government will give every assistance to the task force that we will be setting up this week to address the situation and make sure there is economic development help for the constituency and the people who will be affected by this? >> i absolutely can give my honorable friend that assurance. we believe, not in standing by,

letting people fend for themselves, letting recession take its course, that unemployment is a price worth paying. and we have an active interventionist policy to support industry, including in the regions, the regions which would suffer if the regional development agencies were a ball is as opposed by the conservatives. >> mr. speaker, may i join the leader of the house and senate our thoughts to the people of chile, and in the sad tributes we post so often to the british servicemen killed in afghanistan and in the case of last week senior luke southgate, riflemen martin, sergeant paul fox, riflemen colin, and the unnamed soldier as yet from third battalion, the rifles. i do so but she said they are not forgotten and indeed that their sacrifice is not in vain. and i want to begin by asking her about a matter directly relating to the armed forces, because now we know from the

chilcot inquiry that the minister of defense felt in the words of his up on a secretary that it was running a crisis budget rather than being able to plan, coherently. isn't it time to recognize that it was a mistake of the prime minister to insist on cutting the helicopter budget and at a time when the country was at a middle to wars with thousands of british troops deployed? >> we have maintained a second to none commitment to our armed forces. and i think it would be wrong for the shadow foreign secretary to be implying that we are anything in this government last than fully committed to our armed forces. when it comes to the question of procurement of equipment, when it comes to the financial support for the forces, we will make sure that that commitment is honored. and i'm sure that he will be pleased in the increase in helicopters, which has recently been announced. >> we're not saying that they are not committed. certainly that they made an enormous mistake in 2004, that

did let our armed forces down. and in the words of the former defense secretary of the right honorable member ashok at the chilcot inquiry he said had the budget been spent in the way we thought we should spend a, then those helicopters would probably be coming into service in the time now. now, isn't it a lesson for everyone that such an error was made? and will the prime minister recognize that when he gives evidence to the chilcot inquiry on friday this week? >> well, if the honorable gentleman wants to know what the prime minister is going to say to the chilcot inquiry, he will have to wait until he says it. it is completely factual is. it is fatuous for the fourth secretary to ask me what the prime minister is going to answer and evidence to the chilcot inquiry on friday, but to return to the insinuation that lies behind his point. i want to ensure, sure this house and assure everybody in this country who still values the work of our troops that we

stand foursquare behind them. >> mr. william make? >> that's a second time she's gone with the fourth secretary that she must think we've had the election already. so turning now to the u.k., turning now to the u.k. economy and this weeks economic, why doesn't the speaker of the house and the u.k. government bonds are priced by the market is almost twice as risky as the bonds of pepsi or mcdonald's? [laughter] >> welcome he knows the question up that the bite of sterling depends on a whole range of issues. he knows that. and as far as the question, the point that he made in relation to his own position, i think there's two contingencies of there. firstly, he's making the assumption that they have won the election. they are arrogant. they have not.

[shouting] >> order, order. we must have some order. constant barracking and your good behavior is a complete turnoff to the public. we don't want it. we don't need. leader of the house. >> and secondly he's making this option he is going to be remaining in his position. and i wonder about that. since the country that this house -- mr. speaker, this house puts the highest value on the question of integrity. and the country -- [shouting] >> yes, he does. yes, he does. and the country, this country -- mr. speaker, this country -- >> order, order. this session will take place in an orderly fashion, or it cannot credibly take place at all. i appeal to members to calm down and to listen both to questions and to answers. leader of the house.

>> i think this is something the whole house can agree on, that this house places the highest value on the question of integrity. and this country has been misled, and the question is, whether they were misled by the deputy -- the deputy chair of the conservative party, or whether they were -- [shouting] >> order, order. order. order. we must do to matters of government responsibility. >> mr. speaker, first of all, i was not assuming the election results. she was assuming the election results. and the election of the conservative party. secondly the question was not about sterling but about government debt, to which i will return in a moment. and third, people in glass houses should not start throwing stones. [shouting] >> the real, the real party

funding issue in this country is the power of the unite union that is bankrolling the labour party. that is, that is wrecking british airways, and his deputy general secretary, her husband, has just gone through and all women shortlist. [shouting] >> she may not want to recognize marriage and the tax system but she sure does any political sense sense. [laughter] [shouting] >> so let's return to the question which is the fate of our entire national economy come over that. and as they go over the bank of england says the longer there's not a credible plan that sets out what actions will be taken on a public finances, there is a risk that if she doesn't know about government debt, why does

she think business investment showed its biggest annual fall last week since records began? >> the question is not about one man in this house of commons. the question is about one man in the house of lords. [shouting] >> and when it comes to government debt, when it -- when it comes to government debt, the most important thing is that the economy should grow and that we take action to ensure that there is growth in the economy, and that we have more jobs. it's also important that we are careful about public spending. and, of course, tax as a part to play in reducing the deficit. and people who have promised to pay their taxes and give assurances should pay their taxes. and what has happened to the tens of millions of pounds of taxes that the shadow foreign

secretary promised would be paid by lord ashcroft? we want to know. >> mr. william hague? >> if she was to discuss the house of lords, i'm sure she will want to explain the position of lord paul. who has made a privy council after he bought 6000 copies of the prime minister's book on courage. [laughter] >> and never has so much been given for so few people to read so many words in vain. [laughter] >> and so she might also want to explain why later took half a million pounds from a non-hedge fund manager, champagne socialism is alive and well in the labour party. [shouting] >> now the question, we have moved on to that tube business investment, she may not have

noticed that but said she introduced the question of the pound, does she agree, will the prime minister said some years ago, that a weak currency arises from a weak economy which in turn is the result of a weakened government. so what does this weeks plunging down say about this week government? >> well, as i said in answer to his earlier point, there are many issues that affect the value of sterling, and we're determined to strengthen the economy and pay down the deficit. but the issue that he referred to is a question of the assurance that was given by lord ashcroft, the assurance that he gave -- [shouting] >> order. order. order. order. i don't require any help from backbench members. i would say we must do to matters of government responsibility. order. order.

this matter has been addressed that and i'm sure she will now do that. >> mr. speaker, this is an issue outside this house of commons, and i think it's an issue inside this house. [shouting] >> because the shadow foreign secretary stands here. without a shred of credibility. >> mr. william hague? >> i think we know what a desperate and the government is on now, don't we, mr. speaker? and they won't say their marginal seat. isn't there a continued absence -- [shouting] >> is that the continued absence -- >> backbenchers are getting overly excited. they must calm down. mr. william hague? >> they should enjoy themselves while they are still here, mr. speaker. [laughter] >> isn't the continued absence of confidence in the government's policy, the biggest threat to recovery, as it means interest rates and mortgage rates will be higher in future

than they would otherwise have to be? and so wouldn't the real way to create economic confidence that this country needs is for the prime minister, while he is at the palace today, to ask her majesty to dissolve the parliament, hold the election so we can get rid of this disastrous government once and for all? [shouting] >> the real way to ensure that we keep the focus on the economy growing and more jobs coming into the economy is to continue to pursue the policies which have strengthened and supported the economy, and not accept the advice of the inexperienced shadow chancellor, described by the business secretary as inexperienced, not to accept those suggestions that would undermine the economy. and as to the issue of credibility, and who we should believe, we cannot have it that

both the vice-chairman of the conservative party is right and the shadow foreign secretary is right. they can't both be right. one of them should go. [shouting] >> thank you, mr. speaker. on sunday, -- [shouting] >> order. order. the house must calm down. backbencher is on their feet that she has a right to ask a question and to be listened to with courtesy. dr. phil is? >> on sunday my constituency mark lgbt month history month by having a day of celebration of the life and work of alan, would the leader congratulate the organizers on this event which was also a reminder of the unacceptability of this sort of homophobic laws and prejudices which pushed allen to his

suicide in the 1950s? >> i congratulate them for commemorating allen, and i would say that his work and his commitment is taken forward by us in government and in our equality bill, which was passed through the house of lords last night and will further strengthen and protect people against discrimination and homophobia. >> mr. speaker, can i add my parties condoled his for the five servicemen who bravely died on our behalf in afghanistan, and our condolences to the people of the chilean earthquake. and our warm welcome to president zuma, and suggested a minister in her capacity as government spokesperson for gender equality she might wish to enter into a debate with him on his long advocacy of polygamy. and particularly -- [laughter] spirit and particularly the role

that tax allowances might play in preventing that. [laughter] >> speaking of tax, speaking of tax, i told the minister several weeks ago that lord ashcroft was a non-dom. and this has been concerned and it has been confirmed he avoid the proxy 100 million pounds of tax. while serving in parliament. can the minister explained why he is now claiming that the government has released him of the solomon binding to remain as a permanent resident in the u.k.? [shouting] >> well, as to his point about the married man's tax allowance, i think it is paradoxical that a married man's tax allowance would be available to a man on

his third wife, but not for the first two wives bringing up his children. that is one of the many reasons that we do not support the married man tax allowance. and he, as it turns out, was right that actually lord ashcroft, despite the assurances he gave, was a non-dom. and he was right that the country had been misled into believing he was complying with his assurances. and i would agree with him that there are answers to be given on this. but there are not interested the given by the government. they are answers to be given via the -- that's fair enough. doctor vincent cable? >> there are answers to be given to the government, and we'll should release it immediately all the documentation and records of conversations, with which in the cabinet office which relates to this. and more generally on the

non-domicile taxation, can she explain why the government -- [shouting] >> for a tax on non-dom which airs horse on low income expansions but is a pathetically by force or his rich fat cats like lord ashcraft. >> i believe the question of release, i believe that we should have full transparency on this issue, and i would agree with him on that. and the question of the release of any government papers is a matter for the cabinet secretary. but as far as information about this is concerned, we perhaps need to not just wait for any information that's released by the cabinet secretary. we can read lord ashcroft order biography as a entitled dirty politics, dirty times. because in that autobiography he explains how he came to be in

the house of lords. he says i owe it all to william. [laughter] >> and he owes it to -- >> does my right honorable and learned friend recollect that we have to fight the falklands war, because the then conservative government withdrew the patrols by offering to handover of sovereignty to the island to the fascist dictator? will my right honorable friend, will my right honorable friend -- they are laughing but they were going to hold over the falkland islands. will my right honorable friend reaffirm staunchly this governments loyalty to the loyalty of the people of the falkland islands, upholder wishes and the rights?

>> i will give that assurance. there is no question about the sovereignty of the falklands. there is no question of the right to self-determination, and there is no question that they will be fully defended. >> will the leader of the house confirm that during the course of this parliament, over half of the small businesses which have become insolvent have been driven into bankruptcy by her majesty's revenue and customs of other government agencies? >> in fact, 200,000 businesses have been able to stay in business because they been able to postpone paying their taxes as a way of supporting them through the recession that hrc has been able to conclude agreements with over 200,000 businesses, including in his constituency and that is a program to help businesses which his party opposed. >> thank you, mr. speaker. is my right honorable friend

aware of the serious concerns expressed by individuals groups and organizations as well as the press and the media about the inadequacy of the dangers part of 1991. i speak of a recent victim of such an attack, and i share those views. will she consider having serious discussions with her cabinet colleagues about this act which i was told was hurriedly put together in order to be reviewing the act? >> i expect my great simply for the fact that she was a victim of such an attack by a dog, and i can assure her that discussions are underway amongst ministerial colleagues on this. we cannot have a situation where people are afraid to let their kids go to the park, they're afraid to take their own pets out for a walk in the park. and elderly people are free to be on their own because some people have got dangerous dogs. and if they will control the we

do have to look again at the law to make sure that they are controlled. >> the honorable gentlemen can ask his question. [laughter] >> i must have dropped off. [shouting] >> if the right honorable lady is having such difficulty with the concept of government bonds, might she take advise from mr. michael, the chief u.k. economist of city who said this week unless was a conservative government with a clear majority, the interest on government debt will surely rise. >> well, i thought the honorable gentleman had dropped off a very long time ago, and i -- [laughter] >> i will take advise from many quarters but i will not take advice and neither will this government from the inexperienced shadow chancellor. [shouting] >> phil wilson's? >> we will be discussing the film. am i right writable friend tell

me about the bill? >> this hike is how i can tell it wasn't a planted question. what did he say? [shouting] >> mr. speaker, mr. speaker, mr. speaker, i didn't have a question. >> order. >> i which is ask if you could ask my auto and to repeat the question. i didn't have a question. there's too much noise opposite. >> it doesn't make much sense for members to shout at the tops of their voices and then complain when someone isn't heard. mr. phil wilson's? [laughter] >> and my writable friend tell me what it will be part of the bill? >> well, unfortunately nothing in the bill will be

retrospective. but what should happen is assurances that were made to pay tens of million of pounds of tax should be kept. so we have taken those measures that were passed to the house last night. their importance, but that does not relieve lord ashcroft of his obligations to pay his taxes. >> mr. speaker, the government is often apologizing for things in the past, such as the treatment of child migrants to australia after the war. which however regrettable, the government was not responsible for. so why can't they apologize for things that they are responsible for? such as the state of the economy. and the fact that they sold off our gold reserve for less than a quarter for what they would now be worth, which has cost the country so far $11 billion.

bush apologize for that? >> we will take our responsibilities seriously, and our responsibility is to see this country out of the recession and to see the country into recovery. and i think it is disappointing that he should not accept and support that it is right sometimes for governments to apologize for what has been done in history, which still leaves people with a great sense of grievance and when an apology is given it's the right thing to do, like on child migrants and like and respect of slavery. >> lynn jones? >> does my right honorable friend recalled that on one of the several occasions when the last conservative chancellor currently shadow business secretary, announced that he was cutting the valley of the married couples allowance? he described that allows as a bit of an anomaly. indeed, previously one of his predecessors, lord lawson --

order. order. and i just say to the audibly she must relate her question to the policy of the government. >> does she recall that lord lawson described it as something that should be allowed to wither on the vine which it was? does my right honorable friend therefore agree -- [shouting] -- i agree that there are better things to spend 600 million pounds on than introducing a bit of an anomaly? >> well, i can reassure my honorable friend that we will be continuing to invest in the short starts his. we will continue that the child tax credit. we will conclude that child trust fund, and i can reassure her we will not be reproducing a married man's tax allowance which would give 13 times more to the richest people than to the poorest people. it will not encourage one single couple to get married or to make h