"washington journal," at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. members of the british house of commons are back following their easter recess. during question time, the british prime minister david cameron takes questions on the budget, specifically child welfare benefits and youth unemployment. later, george galloway, who has been reelected to the house after a two-year absence, asks the prime minister if he will consider moving up the 2014 withdrawal of british troops from afghanistan. this is just over 35 minutes. >> order. questions for the prime minister. naomi. >> thank you, mr. speaker.

i am sure the whole house will wish to pay tribute to those servicemen who have fallen since we last met for prime minister's question time, captain ruppert -- rupert bowers from second battalion the mercian regiment, sergeant luke taylor from the royal marines, lance corporal michael foley from the adjutant general's corps, and corporal jack stanley, from the queen's royal hussars, who died on sunday, april 8. i will have more meetings later today. >> naomi wolong -- long. >> i would like to also offer my

condolences. in the northern ireland area, party political donations are not subject the same publication rules. will the prime minister commit to bringing the northern ireland publication rules into line with the rest of the u.k., and further, with the demonstrate his commitment by following our lead and publishing volunteer and lists of donors to the conservative party in northern ireland? >> very happy. we publish those donor lists, and quite rightly so. as the honorable lady knows, there was legislation passed for reasons that i think are quite well known for the house. the northern ireland political parties, we want them to have the same approach as the rest of the u.k. if they choose to do this on a voluntary basis, that is very welcome, and a very much appreciate what her party has done a leading by example. >> can i welcome today's

announcements on the strengthening controls on the fallen? does my right honorable friend agree with me that they should be able to speak english and that the legitimate desire for the movement within the eu is not an excuse for compromise in patients' safety? >> the honorable gentleman is entirely right. as today's announcement makes clear, doctors should not be operating in the n.h.s. in our country unless they can speak english. under our proposals, senior doctors will have to assess whether a doctor has the necessary language skills to communicate effectively with patients. if they cannot do that, they cannot practice. >> edward miller band. >> but me join in paying tribute to captain rupert

bowers, bowersluke taylor, and lance corporal michael foley, and corporal jack stanley. i join him in saying that they showed the most courage and bravery. will the prime minister confirm that the cut in the tax rate which we will be voting on will be worth at least 40,000 pounds a year to be millionaires? >> the tax rate is going to be paid five times over by the richest people in our country. i know, mr. speaker, he does not ask about unemployment. every month when unemployment has risen, he has left out that dispatch box to leap on the bad news. today, we have seen unemployment fall, employment up by 53,000, and no welcome from the honorable gentleman. does that not show all of his priorities? will he welcome the increased of people employed in our country? >> mr. speaker, mr. speaker, on

unemployment, only this prime minister could think it was a cause for celebration that over 1 million young people are still out of work in this country. it is no wonder people think he is out of touch, mr. speaker. and the house will unnoticed that he could not deny that the 14,000 british millionaires are getting a 40,000 pound cut. and as for the figures produced for the budget, even the treasury committee thinks those are bogus figures. the millionaires are winners in this budget, but what about everyone else? when he confirmed that by freezing the personal tax allowance year on year on year, 4.4 million pensioners will lose as much as 320 pounds per year? >> what this budget is about is

actually cutting taxes for 24 million working people, taking 3 million people and out of tax, freezing one type of tax, cutting the corporation tax so we are competitive with the rest of the world, and for pensioners, we get increased the basic state pension this month by 5 pounds 38 this week, far more than but i have to ask him this week to far more than labour -- far more than labour. to get rid of the 45 top rate tax and leave us with a 40 top rate tax. he has not had much to do over the last month. he has had almost nothing to do, but even what he has to do he is

completely incompetent at. >> and ed miliband. >> the prime minister is talking rubbish as always. on the pensions, on the pensions, he points to the increase in the basic state pension. i do say to him that only this prime minister can try to calm the british pensioners by taking the credit for high inflation. everybody will have noticed, everybody will have noticed he did not deny that the british pensioners are seeing a tax increase you are on the air, and not just pensioners he is trying to calm. it is families with children. will he confirm, according to the institute of fiscal funding, that as a result of all the changes from this april, families with children will be over fought under pounds per year wars -- worse off? >> the tax, he does not want to

talk about it. he has to withdraw his amendment, because if he is successful, is he will give us a 40 tax rate. the other reason he does not want to talk about it is heaped cannot convince the candidate for mayor of london to pay his taxes. when it comes to pensioners, what we have done is increase the basic pension. we have kept all of the pension benefits, and the freeze in age- related expenses means it will not be at a loss. compare that. we remember what their budget did, so will he stand up now and condemn labour's candidate for london you will not pay his taxes? >> in case he has forgotten, in

case he has forgotten, it is prime minister's question. i ask the question, and he is supposed to answer them. no answer, and no answer, no answer on pensioners, no answer on families. what about charities? the prime minister's big idea. i do not know why he is taking this from the chancellor sitting next to him. i wonder what he is doing today, mr. speaker. the budget, the budget, the plan is to insult people and give to charity, and he has insulted the charities themselves by implying they are bogus. now, the prime minister claims he worked on the budget line by line. did he know, did he know that it

represented a hit of as much as 500 million pounds on british charity is proof >> those numbers are completely wrong, but let me tell the right honorable gentleman. first of all, absolutely no defense of ken livingstone. not award. last year, there were over three under people earning over 1 million pounds and paid a tax of 10%. i do not think that is good. and we have a candidate for mayor who is paying less in taxes than the person cleaning his office. why will he not condemn it? >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker. >> order. the usual local of order from the usual suspects on the back budgets. be quiet.

mr. ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, we have a desperate prime minister who cannot even justify his own budget. also talking about the mayor of london. we have a candidate who will make rents a fairer and who will bring back another. there is a candidate for mayor who is out of touch. now, mr. speaker, the reality on charities is he is not making the rich worse off. he is making charity is worse off. over the last month, we have seen big charity tax in a shambles, other taxes in shambles including the property tax shambles. but, mr. speaker, there is the

prime minister's view it as to why he thinks that even people within downing street are calling it an ugly shambled budget. >> but we have got a mere repays his taxes. nothing about the ridge needing to pay their taxes. nothing about the responsibilities of ken livingstone. this budget made britain competitive. let's have a look at his last month. he lost that one election. i have to say, he has given one person a job opportunity. george galloway. he showed a complete weakness

when it came to the strike. completely hopeless. >> mr. speaker, he talks about the fuel strike. i am not going to take any lectures. i am not want to take any lectures on investor relations from the government of prime minister that caused panic at the pump. and let him apologize for the gross irresponsibility of the cabinet minister who caused that panic at the pomp and to him. the reality is, he should calm down, mr. speaker. he should calm down. mr. speaker. this budget comprehensively fails to protect and spectacularly fails the test of confidence.

we have the prime minister who is unfair, out of touch, and incompetent. never mind we are all in it together. when is he going to get a grip on his government? >> he will not take any lectures on the fuel strike because he is in the pockets of the people who called the fuel strike. that is right. they got him elected. absolutely irresponsible. this is what we have heard once again. not good enough to run the opposition, not good enough to run the country. >> ken mccartney? >> as my right honorable friend noted that standard and poor's has changed the rating? in other words, the discredited policies --

>> the honorable general makes -- honorable all -- the honorable gentleman makes a good point. on top of your deficit, on top of your debts, and having a proper plan to deliver that. that is what has to happen. we also need to keep our interest rates low to make sure we deliver the growth our economy needs, and it is absolutely extraordinary that the leader of the house of commons is on television today, the shuttle leader, calling for higher interest rates. let me go and have a look at the transcripts. >> mr. speaker, in january, the first minister of north ireland talked about meeting the families of 10 innocent workmen murdered by the ira and the massacre of 1976. i think the prime minister has already met other families.

can he assure me that he will meet these families of innocent victims? >> the kingsmills massacre was an appalling event. if it is possible for me to attend, of course, i will do that. >> the government is proposing to put vat on the cornish pa stry. can you tell me why that is there? >> the products that are sold in a fish and chips shop, those same products can be sold in a star, and that is not fair. >> while the prime minister is

entertaining a millionaire partygoers at the downing street flat, ordinary people are lining up at food banks because they cannot afford to feed their families. what can people who are hardest hit by these cuts and the biggest rise in fruit prices have to do to get a quiet word and the prime minister's meal? is there any chance you can invite any of them round to supper? >> there is an increase in the child tax credits that go to the poorest in our country. in april 2011, there was the largest-ever increase, and there is a further increase this year of 135 pounds, and we have taken 2 million of the poorest people out of income tax altogether, and one of the things that would hit families hardest is an increase in interest rates, which is now the official policy of the opposition. >> mr. speaker, given that will hundred jobs may be at risk following the company's recent change of ownership, will the

prime minister put all possible pressure on the malaysian government to ensure it? >> they make a key contribution. the sector is doing well. i want to see the lotus succeed. i want to see it have a secure future, and we are in contact with the company, monitoring it closely, and making sure that they know about the regional growth fund money that is available. >> this lot budget makes 230,000 additional pensioners have cuts. it will bring many into the self assessment. yet, we have heard that 10,000 members of the staff of hmrc

will be cut. he will not even of the staff to deliver his own budget plans. >> we have increase staffing to ensure we crack down on the sort of tax avoidance that were shown by the honorable lady's candidate for the mayor of london. that is what it has come to, so those are the measures we are taking. >> i am sure i speak for a minute of the house when talking about support for entrepreneur ship and the creation of business. >> i think my honorable friend makes a good point. they do not want to hear it, but the man they offered an accord to be mayor of london has said the company to fuel all of the money into, and he is a potentially and lower tax rate than the people who work for him at the gla. i would get them to publish all

the information so we can see the tax that he pays. >> does the prime minister agree that the specialist center in oxford is currently facing closure does outstanding work unlocking the isolation of children with acute communication difficulties. will the prime minister's step in and pull together some bridging finance so that this outstanding center can continue helping the children and young people who need it so much? >> as the right honorable gentleman probably knows, i have visited the center in the past. i am very happy to look with him as a fellow mp to help the center in the very good work that it does, particularly for disabled children. >> the prime minister rightly wants to crack down on tax avoidance. what does he think about ken livingstone pucetas," i have

loads of money." >> they do not like -- i thought the labour party wanted rich people to pay their taxes. why the deafening silence from the party opposite? why not a condemnation of this appalling behavior? >> mr. david blunt. >> thank you, mr. speaker. does the prime minister assure my concern about the actions of the attorney general in using an outdated and discredited block of disrespecting the court to invoke contempt proceedings against the former northern ireland secretary, my right honorable friend from neath. should not respect for the independence of the judiciary balanced with the rights of individuals to fair comment on that judiciary?

>> i do have a great deal of sympathy with what the right honorable gentleman says. the privilege quite rightly allows members to express their views in parliament. in terms of what is said outside of parliament, let me just say this. there are times when judges make critical remarks about politicians and times when politicians make critical remarks about judges. to me, this is part of life. we should try to keep these things out of court. >> but the prime minister, i welcome the efforts in burma towards democracy and the suspension of sanctions. with a decision on his proposals due next week, will he assure the measures to monitor human rights in burma are included in the discussions? >> i think my right honorable friend is entirely right. while it is clear that the burmese regime is making some steps towards greater freedom and democracy, we should be extremely cautious and extremely

careful. we want to see the further release of political prisoners and the resolution of ethnic conflicts, and we want to seek the democratization process continue. this is why we are pushing across europe for excluding the arms and blogger that should stay rather than the lifting of sanctions. we have got support in that position from most of the other leading european countries, and i hope we can deliver it. that would be the right thing in demonstrating to the regime that we want to back progress. it would also support what aung san suu kyi has also said. >> my constituents, angry that his priority in the budget was to give a 40 lb. tax cut to millionaires. as a result of the reduction in the top income tax, how much collectively is his cabinet better off? >> let me make this point about the top rate of tax. let me make this point.

the party opposite has 13 years to introduce a tax. they did it one month before a general election. they knew they were going to lose. this top rate of tax has not raised any money, and the 45p erw is higher -- rate is higher that what you had for 12 of 13 years. >> earlier this week, there was an article written about how many young women feel that their votes have been hijacked three use of the postal vote system. will my right honorable friend please look at revisiting the issue of postal votes on demand? not only to strengthen democracy but to ensure that all voters of a vote, and particularly in the case of south asian young voters, their boats are not stolen. >> i think my right honorable friend makes a good point.

i am happy to look at the issue of postal voting, but i think first of all what we need to do is sort out the issues of individual voter registration. i think this is vitally important to make sure we do not have a system that allows lots of people to register when actually no one is living there at all. there is growing evidence of abuse, and it is right that we are acting on it. >> two years ago in his pledge, the prime minister said, and i quote, it is fundamental to me that people have worked all of their lives and are now drawing their pensions deserve to be treated with respect. do you think this is treating them with respect. >> let me explain what we are doing for pensioners. we are increasing the pension by 5 pounds 30 a week. that is not an increase that the party opposite would have made. at the same time, we are saving the winter fuel payments, the cold weather payment, the free

bus pass, and other pension benefits. that is what this government is doing. at the same time, we are examining the case for a single tiered pension of around 140 pounds each. i would think this would be something that all members of the house would welcome because it would be a basic state pension that would encourage people to save before they become pensioners and thoroughly welcome reform. >> mr. speaker, 30 years ago, one person went missing in in germany, and partly due to the mishandling, parents still no idea what happened to their little girl. will the prime minister agree to meet with the family to look into an inquiry into the bungling of this investigation and get some closure that they desperately need and deserve to >> i will certainly look at the case that the honorable lady says to see what more we can do. this is completely tragic. it is sadly tragic that the

family does not get closure. i am happy to look at the case and get back to her. >> places of worship, including many in blackpool, they do an immensely valuable work. why then is the prime minister backing a 20% vat rate in the budget on alterations to listed buildings? there are some estimates of $10 million, infuriating many and shooting his own society in the foot. >> again, let me try to explain to the honorable gentleman the basic unfairness that there is in the current system. repaired to churches are already subject to vat while alterations are not. when you put a swimming pool onto a listed tudor house, you

do not pay it. we will be putting money aside to make sure that churches that are undertaking repairs and alterations it the monies that they need. >> i want to hear. mr. douglas carswell? >> if you weeks ago, i ask the prime minister to what extent he believed that the whitehall machine, the sir humphrey factor, was frustrating reform. can the prime minister tell us what has happened to change his mind? >> there are a few occasions where i think the honorable gentleman does need a sense of humor.

>> thank you, mr. speaker. it was passed last week that which individuals were avoiding tax by giving to charities. doing charitable work. >> the figures i gave earlier shows the last year 3 under people earning over 1 million pounds in our country got their rate of tax down to 10%. no, i think we do need to make sure that, of course, we protect charities, but we do need to make sure that rich people are paying their fair share of taxes. i would have thought that would be a principle that would get some attraction from all sides of the house. >> does my right honorable friend agree that universities should be free to students on the basis of merit? >> i think my honorable friend is entirely right. a greater proportion of 18-year-

olds have been applying. no one pays up front. i think that is welcome, too, and yes, and he is absolutely right that university entry is about academic merit. >> the deputy prime minister recently said we have succeeded to pull the economy back from the brink. with record levels of youth unemployment and growth lower than forecasted an inflation up, does that not sure the deputy prime minister that the prime minister has a broken arabic >> of course, unemployment is much too high. there is far more that needs to be done. but let me just bring the house of debate on one scheme on which the evidence is now growing. 50% of those young people going into that scheme are off benefits within six months, and

that means it is 20 times more cost-effective. --today, a group of mp's >> they should not be yelling at the honorable lady. i want to hear what she has to say. >> today, across party group of mp's have reported something very important, how we keep our children safe online. we think the internet service providers should do more and that the government should provide a very strong lead on this issue. when there is least be a summary of the report, because i know he is busy, and perhaps meet with us to discuss the recommendations?

>> the lady dropped off a full copy of the report to my office this morning. as a parent and a politician, i am keen that we help protect people from this type of material. there are some companies, and we got them to look at offering a choice of blocking content on the home internet. i think we start working with the companies to deliver these changes, we can actually protect more young people. >> the government said it wants to simplify the tax system, so why is it introducing changes to child benefits that will bring the treasury select committee today has said will bring further uncertainty? >> i would say to the honorable lady, who did very good work as head of the action group, we have to make difficult decisions to deal with the debt and deficits, and i think it is not difficult to ask people who make 20,000 pounds, 30,000 pounds to pay their taxes so the

people sitting in the house can get child benefits. i do not think that is fair. something big will financially benefit from. i think that is profoundly wrong. >> order. i want to accommodate the backbenchers. andrew percy. >> the care of an industry employs thousands of people across the country. will the prime minister and listen to the police and think again about this tax, which will cripple an already suffering industry? >> obviously, i have listened very carefully to the points he makes, and i know the chancellor has been meeting with others, but, again, this is an issue about how we draw the boundaries fairly. i do not think it is fair that a

mobile caravan pays vat but a stationary one does not. this is about a fair draw of the boundaries to make sure we have a fair approach in our country. >> mr. george galloway. >> mr. speaker, there is an ironclad consensus across the benches about what we now call a mission, but given about the amount of blood on the ground, most of us call in a war in afghanistan. in the wake of mrs. gillard's decision to accelerate the withdrawal of australian forces from that war and in the wake of the bradford west by-election, will the prime