>> he sees his newest book "sundays at eight," collection of interviews. >> we are sitting in the city of design by a frenchman, a french engineer and architect. the great symbolic work of sculpture, the gateway to the country in new york, the statue of liberty, a gift from france, a french sculptor, bartoli. towns andrivers and universities and colleges all over the country with french

names. we don't pronounce them the way they do, but the influence of france on this country is part that most americans appreciate. >> read the interview with david mccullough along with other noted storytellers from our conversations on c-span's -- in nowan's "sundays at eight," available at your favorite bookseller. >> british prime minister david cameron taking questions at the house of commons. after that, secretary of state john kerry and british foreign secretary william hague on syria. in a discussion about the career and legacy of former treasury secretary timothy geithner. during this week's question time, british prime minister david cameron told members that the u.k. will offer assistance to the nigerian search for hundreds of abducted schoolgirls.

british troops will assist in surveillance and partner with the u.s. in the search. the prime minister dismissed claims that the nigerian government is not doing enough to help find the girls. embers also asked the prime minister about the proposed pfizer bid of u.k. pharmaceutical giant astra zeneca. this is about 35 minutes. >> order. questions for the prime minister. jonathan edwards. >> number one, mr. speaker. >> thank you, mr. speaker. this morning i had meetings with colleagues and others and in addition to my duties, i shall have further such meetings later today. >> u.k. has 104 billionaires. london has 72 billionaires, top city in the world. is the prime minister concerned? that most of our people are getting filthy rich?

>> what is worth while is the massive fall in unemployment and increasing employment that we have seen across our country. in terms of wales today, unemployment has fallen by 5,000 and fallen by 25,000 since the last election. that means in wales, 59,000 more people in work. in terms of making sure that the richest in our country pay their taxes, actually we see the richest 1% paying a greater percentage of income tax than ever they did under labour. what we are seeing is a broad-based recovery and i want to make sure everyone in our country can benefit and we are cutting people's taxes and allowing people to keep the first 10,000 pounds that they earn before they pay income tax. >> mr. speaker, at the end of november, mrs. ann gloge

acquired an airport for one pound and she announced she was going into consultation, which is worth hundreds of jobs and search and rescue base. mr. speaker, since then, my honorable friend have sought to find a buyer. last night, a company in connecticut already have airport interests trying to keep it open, save the jobs and develop the business. at present, she has been reluctant to negotiate. i don't expect my right honorable friends to engage in negotiation negotiations but will it remain open and that further discussions are held and will he encourage those discussions to take place? >> i know that my honorable friend has been fighting very hard with the honorable member about the future of the airport and recognized it has played an important role in the local

economy. it remains the responsibility of the airport owner but i do think important that the government is engaged and i know you are engaged and will be speaking to mrs. gloge about this issue and contacting the potential purchasers. in the end, they have to make a commercial decision but the government will do everything it can to help. >> mr. speaker, i welcome the fall in unemployment. but all of those people who found work good for them and good for their families and on the subject of high-skilled jobs in the u.k. following the appearance of pfizer, can the prime minister tell us what

further assurances he is seeking from pfizer about their takeover? >> i welcome the fact that he sees the fall in unemployment. these are jobs that he predicted would never come to britain. it is important because what we see is the largest ever costly increase in the number of people in work, 283,000. we see unemployment coming down, youth unemployment coming down, long-term unemployment coming down and long-term youth unemployment coming down which in our growing economy where our long-term economic plan is working and see the number of vacancies going up. three-quarters of the new jobs over the last year have gone to u.k. nationals and also that the employment of romanians and bulgarians went down in the first three months this year following the lifting of the

controls, which i think is notable. in terms of pfizer, this government has been absolutely clear that the right thing to do is to get stuck in to seek the best possible guarantees on british jobs, on british investment and british science. we discussed last week and one of the most important things we have learned since last week is the right honorable gentleman asked tore a meeting with pfizer but he said he was too busy political campaigning. he quite literally put party politics ahead of the national interests. >> i'm not going to take any lectures from the guy who was negotiating with pfizer over of the head of the board. pfizer doesn't need a p.r. man. they've got the prime minister.

now, members of all sides of the house, the appearance of pfizer of the select committee raised more questions than they got answered about the social assurances, the head of pfizer said there will be full research andfall in research development spending as a result of the takeover. has the prime minister gotten assurances that these r and d cuts will not take place in the u.k.? >> what is the way of getting those guarantees? is it getting stuck in with pfizer and battling for the british interests or standing back doing absolutely nothing apart from playing politics? that is the point. i'm clear what the british interest is, it is british jobs, science and r&d and we will do everything we can to make those guarantees we have received and he will get nothing.

as we do so, let us remember this, 175,000 employed in life sciences in our country because we are an open economy that encourages investment. eli lilly, johnson and johnson they have chosen to come and invest here because it's a great company to do business. >> the problem, mr. speaker, that his assurances are vague, have caveats and are inappropriate, not my words but the words of the president of the royal society. his assurances are useless and no guarantee on r&d. the head of pfizer said yesterday and i quote, there will be job cuts somewhere. have you gotten an assurance that these job cuts won't take place in the u.k.? >> we have assurances on the percentage of r&d that will happen here on investment in cambridge. if he is arguing, do we want

further assurances? yes, we do. do we want to make sure these jobs stay here? yes, we do. more investment in british universities and british science. yes, we do. how do you get those things? i say negotiate hard, and he says stand up and play politics and put that before the national interests. >> mr. speaker, his negotiations aren't working. they're worthless on r&d and no jobs. he has no answer. the possible carving up of the merged company. nobody wants a company to be bought, split up and then sold off. has he got assurances that won't happen in the case of this takeover? >> what we want is a good outcome for british investment and british jobs, we know what happens if you take the approach of the labour party.

what did we have? we had outright opposition, wonderful speeches about blocking investment and then complete and surrender and the closure under labour. that is what happened. we have learned the lessons of the mistakes labour made. we are operating under the framework they left us incidentally. and we will get results for british science, british jobs and investment by being engaged rather than playing politics. >> we all know what happened the last time he got assurances. he sold off royal mail and the chancellor's best manmade a killing. that's what happened with his assurances. now the truth is he can't give us a guarantee. he can't give us a guarantee because the chief executive says and i quote, he wants to

conserve the optionality of splitting up the company. last week the prime minister said he would judge the takeover on british jobs, british investment and british sciences. but he called off assurances on -- can't offer assurances on any of those things. isn't it obvious, this is a test of the public interest and if a deal doesn't pass, he should block it. >> once again he raises this issue about the public interest test. it is worth asking which party, which government indeed, which individual when he was sitting in the treasury writing the rules, got rid of that test, the right most honorable gentleman, on a day when unemployment is down, on a day when more people are at work. he will try any trick other than to talk what is happening in our country. the country is getting stronger and he is getting weaker. >> mr. speaker, you may not think it is important to talk about companies that has 2% of u.k.'s exports?

it is important, it is crucial for our national interests and the truth is he is not powerless, he is the prime minister and could act on a public interest tests. we are talking about one of our most important companies. nobody is convinced by his assurances. he is falling back on the old idea that the market always knows best and doesn't need rules. from royal mail to pfizer, this is a prime minister whose ideology means he cannot stand up for the national interests. >> if he thinks these companies are important, why didn't he meet with them rather than going canvassing? he put his own party political interests ahead of the national interests and what he fails to understand is yes, we measure the british jobs in british investment and we also measure it on being a country that is

open to overseas investment. there is a reason why companies and countries are coming here to make cars, to build airplanes, to build trains, to fabricate oil rigs and make new drugs in our country because we cut taxes and welcome investment and growing our economy and got more people in work. we will take no lectures from the people who brought this economy to their knees. >> i'm sure the honorable gentleman is happy to be greeted. >> the sun is shining and people are prepared to come to cornwall for their holiday and they will see some of the recent storm damage still hasn't been put right. mr. speaker, cornwall doesn't just need a long-term economic plan but we need help today. can he meet with me to see what more can be done? >> i will discuss it with

cornish m.p.'s to help cornwall get back on its feet after the storms. there's the money under the scheme to order the emergency funding and it still has time to work on that claim. we have increased the amount of money going through the environment agency to repair storm damage and opportunity for cornwall to have a real benefit of that money as well. the sun is shining and i'm sure people are preparing to go to cornwall and will have a good time. >> [inaudible] >> i seem remember coming together where we were left with a 38 billion pound debt hole.

if the secretary of state is careful with the pounds and pennies and make sure there is an underspend and can be carried further into forward investment to make sure we have the best equipment of our troops, i rather suspect he might be guilty. >> thank you, mr. speaker. economic recovery, unemployment figures today show long-term economic plan is working. congratulating the educational institution and businesses in my constituencies have increased in -- apprenticeships by just over 200 from 2010. >> unemployment has fallen by 24% over the last year which shows a long-term economic plan is working and every single one

of those -- not just a statistic but someone who has the dignity, the security and the peace of mind with a pay check increasing the number of internship is part of our economic plan and see 1.7 million apprentices. we need to do more to encourage small and medium-sized firms. but the work is going well. >> 61% increase in the number of working families claiming housing benefits. created that are part-time and low paying but still make enough to make the rent. >> in the constituency, unemployment has fallen by 23% over the past year and if he looks at the unemployment figures he will see the number of people in part-time work who

want full-time work has fallen and people are able to find the full-time work they want. there is an increase in the number of people claiming housing but there is an increase in the number of people working. we are getting the country back to work. >> thousands of my constituents in england are currently forced to use the n.h.s. in wales because they will be concerned about yesterday's report which said serious failings in the care of frail old people. the people of wales and my constituents deserve better. >> these are very concerning reports and do need to be studied. the n.h.s. in wales is not in a good state. 8% cut to the n.h.s. budget. last time these targets were met in wales was 2009. the last time the urgent cancer

treatment target was met was in 2008. we see some problems in the n.h.s. in wales and the labour party should be getting a grip of this issue and sorting out the n.h.s. >> despite assurances to the business committee yesterday, gave an absolute assurance of any take over would result in a full research and development in new drugs in the u.k. and gave absolute assurance that would result in full u.k. jobs and said it could put lives at risk. how could any prime minister that the right thing to do in the national interest is to call this in? >> we are operating under the legal framework put in place by the government that he was a member of. i actually think when he looks at the record of what was said

yesterday, i think he'll find that the quotes he gives are not actually in fact, accurate. >> does the prime minister agree that the building of the roads will create even more jobs and that continued infrastructure investment like this is a key part of our long-term economic plan? >> i have spent some time in his constituency stuck on the a-5 and i know how it does need remedial work done. it is vital. we are investing more in our railways and we are investing more in our roads since the 1970's and absolutely key to the success of our long-term economic plan. >> is there a good reason why the prime minister won't condemn the tax affairs?

gary barlow? >> i couldn't have been clearer i condemn all of these tax avoidance schemes. this gentleman has taken action, -- government has taken action, legislative action to say to people, we want your money back for good. >> order. order. let's have a respectful silence. >> thank you, mr. speaker. my right honorable friend will know that my international development gender equality act came into force last night. will he note that this will protect women and girls throughout the world and furthermore, that particularly in places like nigeria and syria, it provides an

opportunity to be able to do whatever we can to aleve their tragedy and good have a word with our secretary of state and do whatever we can to help those people who have been so severely afflicted. >> the whole house will join me in commending the gentleman for his bill and getting this important measure on the statute book. britain is taking huge steps forward using the power of our aid budget to drive change in our world to end forever the scandals of forced and early marriage and female genital mutilation. and team to work with the u.s. experts to analyze information on the girls' location.

as i said last week, this was an act of pure evil. the world is doing everything we can to help the nigerians find these young girls. >> 50,000 ambulances have been waiting at least half an hour up and down the country. what's he going to do about it? >> what we are doing about it is making sure that the 12.7 billion pounds extra we are putting into the n.h.s. unlike the n.h.s. labor cuts in wales is going to good use. we have 1.2 million more people attending accident and emergency and over this winter period, we met our target for accident emergency. i remember the last time the labour leader raised our hospitals at prime minister's questions. it was back in november. he hasn't had a word to say. he predicted a wind sore crisis

sat there day after day dying it for happen. we have strong n.h.s. and more doctors and nurses serving our country. >> thank you, mr. speaker. the prime minister is well aware of the wonderful work by the royal british legion with our brave servicemen and women who have been injured in conflicts. at the end of this month, i will be joining a team with the honorable members to raise awareness for this wonderful work and will the prime minister wish us every success? >> i will certainly wish my honorable friend and honorable friend and taking part of this and wish them well. the british legion plays an absolute key part in our country in terms of standing up for

veterans and their interests and making sure we raise money and serve them properly. we work closely with them in the country and the center he mentioned is an extraordinary facility. i wish him well and hope the fundraising goes well. >> when the prime minister goes up to scotland to speak will he explain to agricultural consumers and producers that not just of any country in the u.k. but whole country. perhaps he doesn't want to call for scotland's independence. >> what i will be explaining on my trip to scotland is how scotland is better off inside the united kingdom, that we have all the negotiating power of the united kingdom around the table to get a good deal for scotland whereas an independent scotland would have go behind other countries to get back into the european union.

and specifically on agriculture because of the hard work of the agriculture secretary, we are actually making sure there will be extra support for scottish farmers absolutely in line for what the scottish government has been asking for. >> richard harrington. >> mr. speaker, according to the chamber of commerce, it will benefit from a total of 1.5 billion pounds in new investment. we have a new road, two train stations, we've got two secondary schools being refitted and to cap all that, there is an announcement that unemployment is 667 less than a year ago. i'm very concerned that this continues. and i would like to ask the prime minister what his strategy is to make sure this continues. if he takes my advice, mr. speaker, he'll come up with something that is one long-term,

two, economic, and three a plan. >> i say to my honorable friend how well come how unemployment has fallen by 30%. people are going back to work and cutting unemployment. what he says about these important investments in terms of the rail link with the two new stations and indeed rebuilding and building new schools are absolutely vital. the long-term plan is not just about jobs and cutting taxes important as thoser but also about supporting small businesses by building the infrastructure that we need. because we have taken difficult, long-term decisions, we are able to put this extra investment into the modern infrastructure for the 21st century. >> in 2011, the government stated that being able to see a g.p. within 48 hours was not a priority.

does this prime minister regret this? >> if you listen to the royal college g.p.'s, they are saying 40 million more appointments since 2010. the patient survey always quoted by labour ministers when they were in government says 93% of people say that appointments in the g.p. system are convenient but i want more. as a father of three young children i know how timely it is to get g.p. appointments and we are training 5,000 more g.p.'s and we have a g.p. for frail and elderly people and 1,000 g.p. centers that are open 8:00 to 8:00 and on weekends. i regret the fact that the labour government signed a contract with the g.p.'s that meant they didn't have to offer a service as ours. because of the investments we are putting into the n.h.s. and we are providing better services and if he is wondering about a

48-hour target he might want to ask why labour scrapped one in wales. >> river valley council has approved its core strategy. will he reassure local counselors this will give them extra power to protect those areas within the valley that are not already ear marked for development? and will he come and visit the valley and see for himself why the valley is voted one of the best places to live in the united kingdom and local people want to keep it that way. >> i look forward to visiting my honorable friend's constituency. the assurance i can give him is this -- when local councils put in place their local plan, they will have far greater ability to determine what sort of housing and where it goes.

that is what we are trying to put in place. the more power and responsibility they'll have. >> jonathan reynolds. >> the prime minister has acknowledged the number of people who are inward and have to claim a housing benefit to make ends meet but it will be an extra five billion pounds. is that a sign of success? >> the most important thing we've done with respect to housing benefit is put a cap on it because when we came to office there were families claiming 60,000, 70,000 and 80,000 but what was the labor reaction? it was to vote against it. when we said housing benefits shouldn't be paid in respect to spare rooms people are not using they posed it. the good news from his seat is something that is not going up. it is unemployment and it is down 31% there. some of those people are

claiming housing benefit but because of this plan more constituents are in work and earning. >> andrew percy. >> the help following the tiding surge was welcome but there is concern we get the 300 million needed. will the prime minister meet with us so we can convince him of the case of treating it which is important for the economic recovery and special case given the high risk of flooding? >> i had experienced very positive and good meetings with members of parliament there. we worked very hard it make sure that the investment went that hull and will bring a new industry and supply chain.

very happy to meet with him and discuss flooding and other issues to do all we could to all we can to protect people's homes an businesses. >> while i quick the efforts to rescue the school girls in nigeria, will the prime minister agree that the nigerian government hasn't lifted a finger to protect its own citizens in the north as they are attacked by boko haram and the he agree to support people and seek to introduce peace to the unhappy nation? >> i would say to the gentleman who has considerable knowledge i don't think his description of the nigerian government is entirely fair. they do face a very vicious terrorist organization and they are investing and training their armed forces. we have worked with them on that and are willing to do more particularly if we can make sure

proper processes are in place for dealing with human rights issues but we should help across a broad range of areas, not just counterterrorism and surveillance but also working with the global fund promoted by the former prime minister the right honorable member. thank you very much. in terms of protecting more schools. >> my mother celebrated her 102nd birthday. while she was just a child in the first world war she thinks it is right in this of the outbreak of that great war we honor those who lost their lives. will my trend also ensure that friend ensure all

the horses that were lost as depicted in that wonderful play? >> i think that my honorable friend is absolutely right. it is not just that wonderful play and joey the horse came on my recent business trip to china and caused quite a stir but it is that magnificent memorial of all the animals that died in the war. it is important away commemorate the 100th anniversary not only in 2014 this year but we commemorate gallon poly. and the armistice and peace to follow. >> order. >> you have been watching "prime minister's questions" from the british house of commons. it airs on cspan2 wednesday and sunday night 9:00 p.m. eastern and pacific on c-span. the british parliament is in recess for local and european elections. it returns wednesday july 11 one week after the state opening and queen's speech.

you can watch at c-span.org where you can find prior episodes. next, secretary of state john kerry and british foreign secretary william hague on syria. >> telecommunication policy has not been reformed since 1934 so there was really a compelling need in 1995 to begin a process of massive telecommunication reform and at that time you basically had boxes, you had a box for broadcasters, a box for telephone companies, a box for long-distance, you know, cable,