minister, andrew rosendale. >> thank you, mr. speaker. this morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others and in addition to my duties in this house, i shall have further such meetings later today. >> andrew rosendale. >> the british people want to see two things from this week's european summit. firstly a resolute and uncompromising defense of britain's national interest. .

>> we must seek safeguards for britain. i guarantee that as long as i am here, there is no prospect of joining the euro. >> mr. speaker, 66, the prime minister said, the idea that some treaty change in the future might give us an opportunity to repatriate power back to britain. what powers will he be are doing to repatriate? -- arguing to repatriate? >> but he explained. -- let me explain. we are all interested to hear the answer. we will have a key aim of helping to resolve the eurozone

crisis and we believe that means, european eurozone countries coming together and doing more things together. if they choose to do that through a treaty that we are involved in, we will insist on some safeguards for britain. and that means making sure that we are stronger and better able to do things in the u.k. to protect our own national interests. >> the more he talks, the more confusing it is. let me remind him. on the eve of the biggest postwar rebellion against the prime minister, he was telling his banks that the opportunity

of a treaty change would mean their repatriation of powers. that was his solution six weeks ago. today he writes an article and does not mention repatriation of power. why does the prime minister think it is in the national interest to quell a rebellion on europe and tell the european powers and another thing? >> what we want to do, specifically in the area of financial services were this country has a massive national interest -- is 10% of gdp. it is 3% of our trade. at 7% of u.k. employees. i want to make sure that we have more power and control here in the u.k. determine these things. that is incomplete opposite to

the party opposite to give away power after power. they give up our power. we have had to get out of the bailout fund. they gave us our rebate and got nothing in return. we have managed to freeze the european budget. you have one party, one government that defend our interests and another that surrenders it. >> the short answer is -- people must be heard. now, you reduce the hand- wringing. that is the reality of this prime minister. the problem for britain is that

the most important european summit generation, but depends on humans. the prime minister is less on the sideline. we have a prime minister caught between his promise in -- promises in opposition and the reality of government. that is what britain is losing out in europe. -- why the prime minister is losing out in europe. >> he talks about being isolated. let me explain where we would be if we adopted labor's policy. if we adopted policies and if we were in the euro, i would not be going to brussels to fight for britain, i would go to brussels to get a bailout. under the proposals being put

forward, labor would put britain in such a bad position that the tax changes would not be written by debt -- by our chancellor, they would be written by the german chancellor. >> there is a widespread credit of you on your tour of this house. -- spectrum of views on europe of this house. will the prime minister take a message that the one thing most likely to unite the house of commons would be a calculated assault from brussels, which has no interest in the u.k. financial services industry. >> the honorable gentleman is right. of course, we want to see a rebalancing of our economy and

we want to see more jobs in manufacturing and aerospace and technology. the economy that we inherited is very dependent on financial services and i do think we should celebrate the fact that it is a world-class industry. not just for britain, but for europe. it is vital that we fight for it. there is an opportunity, particularly if there is a treaty, to ensure safe guard, not just for that industry, but to give us greater power and control in terms of regulation here in this house of commons. i think that is in the interest of the entire country and something i will be fighting for on friday. >> does the prime minister agree that the recent escalation of industrial public-sector -- is the result of jeni when anger about beshear and fairness of government -- beshear on

fairness of government and on for actions which is making people pay for the trend is mistakes of the top. >> the lowest paid workers are not being asked to contribute more to their pensions. in terms of fairness, let me just make this point. under what we are operating, a schoolteacher earning 32,000 tons a year could receive a pension worth 20,000 pounds a year. it private-sector worker, the people putting money into the pensions, would have to pay 30% of their salary. almost half of their salary to get an equivalent pension. of course there is an issue of fairness. we must play fair by public- sector workers, but we also must be fair to the private sector while putting their money into these. >> does my friend agree with me

that it is time for this country to use -- leave europe in the hope for a new bureaucratic age? >> there are opportunities for britain in europe. we should start from the premise that it is in britain's interest to be in a single market with our trading nation. we need those markets open. we need to be able to determine the rules of this market. as your changes, there are opportunities. the first priority for the end of this week was to make sure -- is to make sure that the eurozone crisis is resolved. at the same time, we should be very clear about the british national interest safeguarding the single market and looking out for the interest of our people. >> can the prime minister tell us about the bash with rebeccas brooks?

will they be talking about how out of touch they are with british public opinion? >> i seem to remember the annual sleepover with the former label prime minister. -- labor prime minister. i will be having a quiet family christmas. >> man had your support to stand up for the british national interest on friday. it is -- is it not the case that the bailout of the eurozone will not save europe or the eurozone, but make it more competitive, reducing its high unit costs and cutting regulations from business? >> i think that gentleman is entirely correct. i can understand why leading members of the eurozone like the germans want to see their rules about budget deficit cut, but i

think it is important to point out that the heart of the crisis is caused by account deficit in some countries and large surpluses in others. unless we solve the competitiveness problem at the heart of the euro crisis, this crisis will keep recurring. our argument is yes, i do need rules on budget deficit, yes you need to have institutions of the bureau -- euro acting strongly, but you have to solve the competitiveness problem. i will make this point on thursday and friday. >> can the prime minister confirm that next year, according to these fiscal studies, the poorest families will lose three times as much as the richest? >> his figures are wrong. if you take all of the things that the government has done, which is the right way to

measure this, what you find is that the top 10% see losses nearly 10 times as great -- greater than the bottom 10%. that is there. -- fair. if you take the richest 10 percent in our country, the only see the biggest reduction in their cash. they also see it proportionately. we are being fair. it is incredibly difficult to deal with the dead and the deficit that the gentleman has talking -- is talking about. we want to do it in a way that it is fair. >> and run again. the figures are there. the poorest third are losing far more than the richest third. he is saying that i will not balance the budget on the backs of the poor. he is not balancing the budget at all.

150 billion pounds more borrowing. mr. speaker, there is one group that he is easing the pain for. it is not because of policy, he is delaying the tax on the jet. can he confirm that a working mother earning 300 pounds a week is being -- tax credit cuts, maternity granted? >> former leaders are getting around in them. he quotes the institute for fiscal studies. let me remind him what was said about labor plans.

the policy will lead to even higher debt levels -- they do not like to hear it. calm down. they do not like to hear it. >> i want to get down on paper that the prime minister gives a brief answer. >> let me explain. his plans to apply our debt levels -- if you want the stimulus working in the economy by low interest rates, you have to stick to the plans we have set out. there is no party in europe that backs his party's plan. >> he is talking about stimulus. he does not understand cutting too far and too fast.

he does not want to tell us what is said about his plans. he is the prime minister, after all. the new tax and benefit managers -- measures are on a take away -- are a -- >> way for children. >> he is the first prime minister in modern times to place the women and children first. >> his leadership gets weaker and weaker. if you look at what we have done, lifting 1.1 million people out of the tax, that is mostly women. if you look at the increase in the pension, that will benefit mostly women. if you take the issue of public safety, where we are helping the lowest, that will help women.

we are getting the economy is serviced by keeping our interest rates low gear we have interest rates at 2% while they are at 5% in italy. 30% increase. if we follow his offense, we will have an interest rates skyrocketing and more people out of work. that is why they will never be trusted with our economy again. >> can i tell the prime minister that my constituency is having difficulty understanding. will the government consider breaking up the nationalized banks in order to be able to create or competition on the high street? >> i do think we have opportunities to increase competition on the high street. we look to return the state banks back into the private sector. we will have further opportunities -- we have got

number rock back out there. >> mr. speaker. our history is repatriating power back from the eu and is not a happy one. a fundamental renegotiation of our relationship with the you based on free trade, growth, and embedded in this -- competitiveness -- this eu summit is a defining moment, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. will you seize the moment? >> i am a little bit more optimistic than the honorable gentleman. the power that the last government gave away, we are returning.

we have returned to power and recently, we have one extension from all the eu legislation to make sure that enterprises will not face any new eu regulations at all. will he fight for british interests? yes. there is the option of the treaty at 27 where we have the ability to say yes, or know. as a result get -- pay the price. there is a possibility that the eurozone members will form a treaty of their own. we have some leverage in that situation because they need to the use of eu institutions. we should recognize what our leverage is and make a motion. >> thank you. the prime minister's manifest a promise to repatriate social legislation is article this

morning expounded on all of these issues. does the prime minister regret leading his party up the garden path? >> what i regret is that the party opposite gave away so many powers. it will take it like -- a while to get some of those back. when he was in government, there were repeated increases in the you budget -- the eu budget. we had to pour billions of pounds and to other countries. now we have those powers back. we can help clear up the miss that the labor party has left us. >> mr. speaker.

over the last decade and a half, there has been explosion of debt levels. we are arguing that people have -- not go to school. will the prime minister meet with a small group of us to discuss how we can ensure people are more financially stable. >> i am happy to meet with my friend. excuse me financial education is important for our young people. i look forward to seeing his report. >> mr. speaker. the prime minister says that he wanted to lead the most family friendly government ever. nearly 19 billion pounds worth of -- have fallen on women.

>> it was this government that introduced 15 hours of free nursery care for three-year-old and for your old. some think that the labor party never managed to do that. in spite of the miss that we are faced with, we put in an extra 380 million pounds to double the number of disadvantaged to year- old his parents will get free nursery care. that is real help for families, something they never had before. >> county but, mr. speaker. what would the prime minister say to the council that is considering rejecting government funding for a council tax-free next year and instead charging constituents 3.5% more? >> i hope that all councils will take up the offer of a council tax freeze because in this

year, it is important that we help. that is why we have cut taxes and allowed this tax freeze to go ahead. my advice would be to support parties that backed the council tax increase. >> thank you. since the education of 1944, successive governments have supported subsidize travel for students who live 3 miles or more for -- from the schools of their choice. they are cutting back on that support. i do not think any member wants to see that happen. can the prime minister encourage authorities to embrace the education act of 1944 on this issue? >> the honorable gentleman answers -- ask a great question. i support parents having the ability to choose between schools and the support what he

says. i will discuss it with the education secretary and see what we can do to enhance choice but also the faith based education that many of our constituents choose. >> does the prime minister agree with me -- we should be seeking changes in the laws of immigration and fishing rights in order to support our economy? >> what i would say to the honorable gentleman, if they choose a treaty at 27, the treaty requires our consent. we should, therefore, think of what other things are in our national interests. the more that eurozone countries want to do any treaty of 27, the

more changes they want to make, the greater power we have to ask for sensible things that make sense for britain. i am keen to exercise the leverage that we have to do a great job for britain. that is what i will be doing in brussels this thursday and friday. >> the prime minister promised the cut and deficit, not the nhs. where the closing the maternity wards at king george hospitals? he should have said, i will cut the nhs? >> the deficit is coming down and the nas spending is going up throughout this parliament. his own spokesman said that he is reading it is irresponsible to increase spending on the nhs. we think it is the right thing to do.

the secretary has set up the criteria for all local changes including proper public patience engagement -- patient engagement. >> the prime minister has taken an interest in the work of the oxford project in helping families who are struggling to form a strong attachment with their babies. i started a new charity. will he commit to looking again at the incredible work that can be done in early introduction that saves the fortune later on? >> i think the lady is entirely right. i know about the project that she speaks about and i am delighted that she is now expanding it into her constituency. the more we can do to help children and their parents between the ages of 0 and 2, --

her work and the work of members across this house in prioritizing early intervention is important. >> mr. hall runs his opponent construction -- runs his own construction organization. will the subprime minister -- will the prime minister help create jobs? >> the problem the gentleman has is that they have got a huge list of extra spending an extra tax cuts that they want. as we have heard today, they oppose every single spending reduction that we are making. they oppose every fundamental reform to get more money. you can only conclude that the

spending will go up, borrowing will rocket, interest rates will increase, and the economy will be left in very dire straits. >> why does my re- -- why does my friend supportive policy on fiscal unification for the eurozone states, which if it happens, will undoubtedly lead to the creation of a dangerously un-democratic single government for those countries? >> the point i make to my friend is this, i do not want printed to join the bureau. i think britain is better off outside the euro. those countries that have chosen to join the euro have got to make that system work. in order to do that, they do not just need a stronger fiscal rule, which i think is clear, they need to have greater competitiveness. that is for them to decide how to go ahead and do those things. what we should do is maintain

britain's position outside the euro and make sure that we safeguard our interests at the same time. that is what i will be doing in brussels. >> 10,000 service personnel will have their terms cut in pay while serving on the front line in afghanistan what does the prime minister think of that cut? >> what we have done is double the operational alliance that people in afghanistan received and they are extremely brave people and we should be doing right by them. that is why we doubled that allowance that we have also increased the council tax disregard, made sure that the people premium is not just available for pre school meals, but to all service children we have put the covenant into the north of our land and we will go on to mensing and bert -- protecting our services personnel and their families. >> thank you the wind farm --

thank you. a distant planning inspector overruled plans. the prime minister will understand the anger. can he look into what appears to be a slap in the face? >> my friend makes an important point. as a result of the changes, it will not be possible in the future to overrule such decisions so as to meet a reasonable target because we have gotten rid of all those reasonable targets. we are giving more authority to those local bodies. our planning reform center that local people and their councils decide what it is that people need and how we meet that need. >> is the prime minister worried >> is the prime minister worried that the scandal