walloped by a discussion on rising dax -- followed by a discussion on rising gas prices. later a look at federal contractors and services affected by sequestration. "washington journal" live at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. i was fascinated by her feminist view. i am paraphrasing. she warned her husband you cannot rule without what women who contribute. i'm paraphrasing, obviously, but she warned her husband. have to contribute.

saying that. >> abigail adam, this monday series. she was called mrs. president of any first lady she provides a window into her life with john adams. join the conversation live on monday night at 9:00 eastern on c-span, c-span radio and c- span.org. of commons are back from a short recease. prime minister david cameron answered questions about the downgrading of the credit line by moody's. this is about 35 minutes. >> questions for the prime minister. >> thank you, mr. speaker. this morning i had meetings with other others i i will have further such meetings later

today. >> will the prime minister agree that it is unacceptable for members or respective members of this house to say anything to support terrorism? >> i agree with what my honorable friend has said. frankly, it is staggering someone is standing for public office that says in october 1984 when the brighten bomb went off i felt a surge of excitement at margaret thatcher's demise and a disappointment that chose chance were missed. those are a complete disgrace. mr. speaker, three years at the prime minister had this to say. first priority of any government has to keep the credit rating. that has to come first. it's the only responsible thing to do.

how is that going? \[laughter] isn't it amazing that the opposition won't condemn someone that speaks up for troasts? it is disgraceful. he will have a second chance when he gets up again. the decision of the agency is a reminder of the debt problem that this country faces and it is a warning that if anyone thinks we can walk away from it. it is vital that we keep up with the work of it and has interest rates at record low levels. his policy is by borrowing more. >> i was asking about the

country's credit rating. about the country's credit rating. this is what he used to say, it was a mark of trust in our economy but it is right upfront in our new economic model. his manifesto that he published for the general election, safeguarding britain's credit rating was "ben mark for britain against which the british people can judge the economic success or failure of the next government." does the prime minister accept by the first test he has failed, he said himself. >> if there is a problem of borrowing, why is it his policy to borrow more? that is the question he has to answer. if he wants to listen to the credit rating agency moody's says this. they can also downgrade the

u.k.'s credit rating further because of fiscal consolidation. we know that is the vital work we have to do. will he admit that this he is in favor of more borrowing. admit it. >> speaker, you always know he asks me questions because he can't answer questions about his own record. the past chancellor said it would be a humiliation for britain to lose its aaa credit rating. i know the prime minister is not big on humility by his manifesto did promise to be accountable and open. let's give him another go. simple question, yes or no, have you failed the first economic test that he set out in the manifesto? >> i'm not arguing for one moment that the rating agency doesn't matter. that is his argument.

his argument is that the ajncy doesn't matter, the answer to debt is borrow more and not take any responsibility for the mess he left. it is this government that cut the deficit, has a million private sector jobs and has lower interest rates that is vital for the future of this economy. if he wants to see the countries that maintained their rating is countries like canada. why doesn't he admit that his answer to extra borrowing is more borrowing. admit it. >> and he talks about borrowing, i don't know the last time he check was, the deficit is rising not falling this year.

he's borrowing $212 pounds more than he planned because of his failure to grow the economy. now, let's hear the reason for the down grade before can we take it from his answer so far, that he believes that this loss of the country's aaa status that he says was a test has nothing to do with him. >> i'm the one saying this credit rating does matter. it demonstrates we have to go further and faster on reducing the deficit. the fact that he won't answer the question about borrowing more , he will never sit on this side of the house when he won't answer the question about what the country needs to know. if he wants to look at what is happening in this country, isn't it interesting that hes doesn't mention the other economic news from last week, which is 154,000 extra people in more work. more people in employment than any time in our history. unemployment is down since the

election. that is what is happening in our economy that he can't recognize it. when is he going to admit that we should never listen to someone who told gold, who racked up the deficit and can't say sorry for any of it? >> i think we can take it that he can't accept the simple fact that he has failed on the first test he set himself and it is his fault. it happened on his watch. borrowing is rising under him, even after all the pain of the tax rises, all the spending cuts, borrowing is rising. the plan is failing, mr. speaker. the truth is, they are the last people left who think the plan is working and the failure has nothing to do with them. we have a million people -- behind the scenes he's against it, mr. speaker.

we've got a million young people out of work. the deficit is rising not falling. the economy is flatlining. what further evidence do you need to show you that the plan isn't working? >> let's examine the points he made. he said the deficit is up. the deficit is down a quarter since the election. he he has we don't have the support for our plan. the biggest organization in the country says we have the right plan for growth. he complains about the level of the unemployment, it is down since election and we have a record number of people in work. now let's look at his policy. let's examine the new statesman says this, his strategy will never win back public trust, his credibility problem will become magnified as the general election approaches. is that the new statesman? >> mr. speaker, all -- mr.

speaker all we heard today -- >> order. you are excitable, very statesman like. calm yourself. edward miliband. >> all we heard today is a prime minister who refuses to accept that he failed on the central test he set himself. he failed to meet the first test he set for himself. it is not just our credit rating that has been downgraded, we have a downgraded government and a downgraded chancellor, and we have a downgraded prime minister.

>> it was the only statement that endorsed him. i have to say -- i have to say in this, mr. speaker, in this oscar week the best we can say is this daniel day-lewis was convincing as lincoln and the honorable gentleman is convincing as brown, more borrowing, more debt. >> the 19.46 million pounds of debt left by the democrats -- \[inaudible] -- did the prime minister show that the tackling debt and to borrow more is the road to ruin? >> i think my friend makes an important point. it is worth recognizing when it comes to efficiencies and finding value for money local

government has an excellent record and they have a good record paying down debt and being efficient. one of the benefits is that it reduces your debt charges and this is something we have to focus on in this country and in this government. >> next month will be the championships wheels -- \[inaudible] does the prime minister have the same confidence in england winning the triple crown as the we can get the aaa rating. do you plan to change your economic team to avoid humiliation and a recession? >> there's a difficult record with prime minister endorsing

rug bior football teams. -- rugby or football teams. the flag will be flying as it should be when it comes to rugby, may the best team win. >> can my friend notice that since we have a lot in common with united states and japan lost our aaa status, the cost of the following has fallen. >> my friend makes an important point, which is while i don't deny for one second the importance of the rating agencies. the most important test of credibility, which is a test you base day in and day out at the rate of interest that you borrow. the rate of the interest that we borrow is at record lows. it has gone down since the election where it has combon up

in many country. -- gone up in many other countries. if we listen to the other party it will go up again. >> food banks in such constituents such as mine brought up in your policies. would he sign my petition calling for action so no family in the u.k. goes hungry? >> i will look at the petition. first of all, the use of food banks went up tenfold but a very important change we made asked for by the trust, which promotes the work of food bank and allows them to be advertised in job centers. the last government did dovepbt that that because they were worried about the p.r. we put people in front of the public relations. >> this week the generation of

command, who died in the second world war will finally be recognized. we should remember the 3,000 sailors and the 55,000 member who is gave their lives for the country's freedom. >> i think my friend is absolutely right to raise this issue. for all those who took part in the convoys and those who served in command. it is not enough to have that memorial to those who served in green park. it is right that we have the medal for the convoy and the class for the command. one thing i'm stressing to colleagues in government, it is important that we hand out these medals as quickly as possible because people who served those years ago, tragically we're losing more and more of them. they deserve their medals and their class and i'm proud under this government they will get them. >> mr. speaker, -- \[inaudible] it relies on funding by their neighbors. life isn't easy for them.

things will become more difficult because mr. good win will have to pay the tax on their home for 26 years. what justification can they get for this? >> first of all, wane to look at the individual cails and the department will look at the individual case. first of all can i make this point? this is not a tax. a tax is when someone earns money, it is their money and the government takes some of it away. frankly, the party opposite has to engage in the fact that housing benefits accounts for 23 billion pounds of government spending. that is a 50% increase over the

last decade and we have to address the fact as well, that we have 250,000 families in overcrowded accommodations. we have 1.8 million people waiting for a cancel house. it that is why it is not surprising that the honorable gentleman is yelling shameful. listen to what they said under the last government. we have reiterated that we need to ensure that houses that are too large for people's current needs is allocated accordingly. now all we get is irresponsibility. >> in york shir businesses have got forward of the books and the economy is turning a corner. would he ignore the poor advice from the party opposite? >> first of all, my honorable friend says the british economy has been through difficult

times. not least because we're recoverying from a banking bust and the deepest recession since the 1930's. if you look at what is happening in terms of employment, new business creation, you can see an economy that is rebalancing. it is that rebalancing and that business growth that we need to encourage. >> the prime minister has stood idealy by while hard-pressed families have faced soaring energy bills. now over 1,400 pounds a year. the prime minister promised to take action. what are you going to do now to keep your promise to those families who are struggling to heat their homes. ? >> we're ledge slaying to -- ledge slaying to help with that. >> \[inaudible] not privatize our n.h.s. >> i will urge my friend to look closely as these regulations. i think he will find they are in line with the principles that

the last government put in place and the affect of withdrawing the regulations, which would mean that you have more competition in the n.h.s. rather than managed competition. the affect what you want could be the opposite of what he seeks. >> the energy secretary, if prime minister, the committee on climate change, the chair of the energy and climate change committee and a group of over 35 businesses are among those in this country that want to -- \[inaudible] can the prime minister have

failed to include such a target in the bill? >> we don't believe it makes since to set a target range in 2030 in advance of the budget. take the power in the energy bill but setting it wouldn't make sense. >> thank you, mr. speaker. in 2008, labor commissions reports the state of the n.h.s. to celebrate its birthday peat. we know those reports were damning and raised issues. those reports were suppressed by the labor government. have they not been suppressed, thousand of lives could have been saved. will the prime minister join me to start an investigation to find out who was responsible for suppressing those reports?

>> i know what my friend has said and i will look at the issue that she raises. the whole point about the report is that we shoulder use the opportunity to say of course, we support the n.h.s. but not everything in the n.h.s. is right. where there is bad practice and things are going wrong, we need to shine a bright light on that and make sure we not only deal with it but we hold people accountable. >> the question on the new regulations on the february 13. the government gave assurances that g.p. commissioners would not be forced to -- \[inaudible] the regulations are completely

against it. s what being -- what is the prime minister's excuse for it? >> the commissioners are not forced to put the services -- it is the commissioners and it is going to be doctors make the decisions about where they want to expand choice and diversity in the n.h.s. i would say to the honorable lady, what is she worried about? what is the labor party worried about? there are charity, the hospice movement, organizations like wiz kids and mind that provide an amazing service with kids in wheel shares. what are we frightened with to have doctors say that we're on the side of the patients? >> a 9-year-old became the ninth person to die in a river incident. her parents have paid for a criminal investigation, improved standards and funded witnesses to travel to the turkish courts but their efforts are

restricted for bureaucratic reasons. will the prime minister work to gain justice and help them -- help warn them of the risks. >> he is very right to raise this issue. i want to send my condolences of to the family. i know he has been sfeek the minister of europe regarding this case. i know our embassy in turkey is monitoring the case. cane we ask them to keep the family informed of the any progress. >> i have a constituent who has lived in his same house his whole life. his parents have died and he faces homelessness because he can't afford the government's tax.

can the prime minister explain why he has prioritized a tax cut to millionaires while devastating the lives of vulnerable people? >> there are 250,000 family who is live in overcrowded accommodation. there are 386,000 people who live in underoccupied homes. there are 1.8 people who would love to have a cancel house who can't get one. of course, we need to build more social homes but in the meantime, we should do everything we can to make sure those homes are used in the most efficient and fair way. that is what these changes will

help to achieve. that is why they deserve our support. >> thank you, mr. speaker. we were all inspired by the games in london last year. not only a time for sport but also a triumph for perceptions of disability. will the prime minister welcome the generation-inspired report, which is going to be presented today? it is a great opportunity to use the legacy to improve the lives of young disabled people. >> i welcome the report that my honorable friend mentions. i thousand the paraolympic games was a triumph for britainty way they were put on. i thought it was a great testament of the people of this country, their enthusiasm. the most impoortant thing, is the change in perception of what disabled people are capable and that is a real gift and something we could encourage. >> the prime minister supports an exception to the tax of

families of prisoners but not for people with cancer, people with disabilities, or for armed forces families. why? >> there is a 58 million pound fund to directly support people as part of this measure. we've addressed the point about armed forces families where people leaving the home would be more than compensated for any costs under the rules. but i come back to the bigger picture. that is the housing benefit is up 50% in real terms and now it accounts for 23 billion pounds of public spending. i have to say to the party opposite, if you come here week after week and you say no to benefit cap, no to restricting the growth of benefit, no to the underoccupancy measures we put forward, people will not believe you have any plans to deal with our seff it is. -- deficit and they would be

right. >> education reform by this government -- \[inaudible] this week there has been a blitz. a school has been offered free school status has found that the trust found last week that we move out knowing why. i wonder if the prime minister can use his offices to let me know the reason because i have 110 agitated parents. >> first of all, i join her in strongly supporting the preschool's movement. i think it is a remarkable advance that we have 101 free schools that are open. we have more in the prime line.

i know my friend the educational secretary was listening closely about this proposal. it is obviously important that we vet proposals to make sure they are strong for education, they have parental support and raise standards in the local area. i'm sure my friend will be in touch with her. >> mr. speaker, we've done work over the years in improving public health. they have asked to refrain from smoking in children's play areas. \[inaudible] >> i think we should look carefully at what he and others have said. we're looking across the piece at all the issues and whether we could follow the strains on the ban -- us a trail januaries -- australians on the ban of packing.

he makes a good point. >> it is 2 years since the landmark report had a direct link between folic acid and child bearing women. such as sigh in bifida. this base policy is bureaucracy in this country between the food agency and the department of health and others. will the prime minister do everything he can in that he will unblock this jam to prevent the entirely prventable conditions? >> it is true that levels of conditions like spine that bifida have come down. the specific he makes and the

bureaucratic problem, i will look at that and get the department of health to look at it. >> with respect, i make in apology for the -- \[inaudible] a letter from my constituents said this, i'm disabled, wheelchair dependent and require day and night assistance and i need a spare room. i feel suicidal about this bedroom tax. would the prime minister do something like put the needs of the disabled people first? from hundreds and thousands of disabled people and their families to be in disasterous -- \[inaudible]

>> this government always puts disabled people first. that is why we have protected disabled benefits specially on the issue that he raises that is the 50 million pound fund to support people by the unok pa capycy measure. this answers the point. disabled adults will have access to the scheme to assess the individual circumstances. it is worth making the point again. a 23 billion pound budget, 50% increase over the last decade. we have to do something about the growth in the housing benefit bill and all we hear is irresponsibility from the party opposite. >> who would have thought when some of us voted those years ago that the e.u. would now be interfering in benefits we should be paying to boll garians before they have made any contribution to our society.

is it any wonder that they feel dills illusions. who is most likely to vote to give people a choice a liberal or conservative? >> i'm delighted that my friend got to slip that point in at the end. the point -- the point that he makes is very important, which is we need to look through every aspect on how we welcome people to our country. we must be fair but we must not be a soft touch. we make sure we look at our health service, look at housing, look at legal aid, and

all of the things to make sure we have tough controls over the people that live here. >> the treasury was required to approve a bill last year. if he believes in openness in n.h.s. why has this government allowed the size of this payoff to be kept secret? >> i would look closely at this issue he raises. there has been particular issues around foundation trusts in the area that he represents. i would make sure that the health secretary looks at this issue. >> recently, large numbers of

my constituents have taken a great interest in political campaigning in the neighboring county. my belief that it is always best if local people have a strong, independent voice, particularly, if they are in favor of controlling immigration, making welfare fairer. would the prime minister agree with me that the people would well advised to vote for her tomorrow? >> i thank my honorable friend for his hard work and the ingenious he managed to get that question in order. >> sarah palin is not a candidate. >> if you have any luck in getting a member to shut up do that is how it is done. >> the prime minister shouldn't phone me, i will phone him. >> thank you. >> thank you.