kind? thomas allen harris: a canon s ureshot d-16. brian lamb: our guest was thomas allen harris and he crated the film "through a lens darkly: black photographers and the emergence of a people." thomas allen harris: thank you brian. announcer: four free transcripts or to have your comments about this program, visit q7a.org. -- q&a.org. transcript are also available through our podcast. announcer: hear are previous interviews you might like. author dick lehr examines the film "the birth of a nation."

and heidi ewing >> cutera ovi republican congress and follow the -- keep track over the republican-led congress. >> omx, british prime minister david cameron takes question. later, in conversation with the mayor of london and another chance to see "q&a" with filmmaker thomas allen harris. >> british prime minister david cameron answered questions from members of the house of commons concerning allegations that the swiss help avoid paying taxes.

the prime minister also discussed the ukraine. mrs. 35 minutes. -- this is 35 minutes. questions to the prime minister. >> number one. >> 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. >> does my right honorable friend recall the general election of 1983 a conservative landslide win which i and 100 others were elected for the first time. is he aware since that time unemployment was 3 million. today it is 2 million. the workforce with 24 million today it is 30 million. women in the workforce were

9 million today 14 million. does he agree that these comparisons coupled with -- [inaudible] in the form of a left wing opposition leader -- [shouting] >> i am very grateful to my right honorable friend. i wasn't a voter in 1983 but it is true that this government is cutting unemployment and it's also true that every labour government always puts up unemployment. what we can see in his own constituency is the claimant count has fallen by 55% since the last election. but it does speak to a bigger picture which is this government has created 1000 jobs for every day that it has been in office.

and we all were member the production of a leader of the labour party that our plans would cost 1 million jobs come with unemployment tumbling perhaps today is the day he should apologize. [shouting] >> ed miliband. [shouting] >> mr. speaker, an hour ago we learned up a taxes scandal including a former treasurer of the tory party who, between them have given nearly 5 million pounds to the conservative party. how can the prime minister explained the revolving door between tory party hq and hsbc? >> i saw this list just before coming to prime minister's question and one with the woman is labour donor lord paul who funded gordon brown election campaign. i am very clear. people should pay their taxes in

our country and no government has been tougher than this one in chasing down tax evasion and tax avoidance. >> let's talk about the difference between him and me. none of these people have given up any on my watch. he is up to his neck in this. [shouting] sound like gave him appears for good measure. so now can he explain what steps is going to take to find out about the text avoid ms. of lord of think? >> i will tell him about the difference between him and me. when people donate to the conservative party you don't pick the candidate, they don't choose the policy and they don't elected the leader. when the trade union funds the labour party, they pay for the

candidates, they pay for the policies and the only reason he is sitting there is because a bunch of trade union leaders decided he was more left wing than his brother. [shouting] >> he can can't get away from a. is a dodgy prime minister surrounded by dodgy donors. [shouting] no gimmie didn't just take the money. he didn't -- [shouting] >> it has always to be said, the questions will be heard and the answers will be heard because this is a demographic chamber. i don't care how long it takes, they will be heard. ed miliband. >> and he didn't just take the money. he appointed the man who is head of hsbc as a minister. mr. speaker it was in the public domain in september 2010 that hsbc was enabling tax avoidance on an industrial

scale. are we seriously expected to believe that when he makes stephen green of minister he had no idea about these allegations? >> i'm glad he is brought up the issue of stephen green who was the trade minister in this government. this is the same stephen green who gordon brown appointed as the head of his business advisory council. this is the same stephen green who labour welcome as a trade minister into the government. and it is the same stephen green who is a shadow business secretary looking a bit coy today invited on a trade mission as late as 2013. we know what happens, mr. speaker, every week he gets more desperate because he can't talk about the economy, he can't talk about unemployment so he comes here, he comes here with fiction after fiction. let me deal while i have a moment with the fiction with last week. he came here, and if you remember he talked about

something called intermediary tax relief. it turns out mr. speaker, -- [inaudible] as long as it takes as long as it takes. [shouting] >> i said the question must be heard. the responses must be heard. the prime minister. >> thank you, mr. speaker. last week the labour leader asked me six times about the tax treatment of hedge funds. now, turns out that the treatment he is complaining about was introduced in the autumn of 1997 by a labour government. [shouting] it further turns out, it further turns out that it was extended in 2007. now, who was in power in 2007? labour. who was the city minister in 2007? i think will find it was ed somebody. [shouting] >> ed miliband.

>> mr. speaker, i know the prime minister doesn't care, i know the prime minister doesn't care about tax avoidance but this day of all days he is going to be held accountable for answering the question. now, he is pleading ignorance as to what was happening with stephen green, but today we discover the minister in charge in a press release in november 2011 which referred to the investigation into the hsbc geneva account holders. has the prime minister expect us to believe that steven creighton three years of the minister he never had a conversation with himthem about what was happening at hsbc? >> why did labour welcome stephen green? why would they still booking meetings with them in 2013? my responsibility is to tax laws of this country, no one has been tougher. let me remind him about what we found.

hedge funds cutting their taxes by flipping currencies, allowed under labour, banned under the tories. foreigners not being stamp duty allowed under labour, banned under the tories. banks stopped paying tax on all the profit, allowed under labour, banned by the tories. those two in the treasury with the friends of the tax dodger. we are the friend of the hard-working taxpayer. [shouting] >> he's banged to rights just like is a donors. and doesn't this all sounds familiar? the prime minister appoints someone to a senior job in government. there are public allegations but he doesn't ask the questions. he turns a blind eye. isn't it just the behavior we saw with andy coulson? >> it is mr. speaker, desperate stuff because they can talk about the economy because it's growing. they can't talk about unemployment because it is falling. they can't talk about their

health policy because it is collapsing. what have we seen this week? he can't even go in front of a business audience because they have defended every business in the country. he can go to scotland because he is toxic. they can't talk to women because they got a pink bus touring the country. they even defended britain's none. to what people look a labour and said they haven't got a prayer. [shouting] >> mr. speaker, he took the money. he gave the job to that of hsbc and he lets the tax avoidance get away with it. there's something rotten at the heart of the conservative party and it ism. [shouting] >> for 13 years they sat in the treasury they did nothing about tax transparency. nothing about tax dodging to nothing about tax avoidance but this government has been tougher than any previous government. that's why they're desperate. that's why they are losing.

[shouting] >> thank you, mr. speaker. at the we can, graduates of the university enjoyed yet another year of success. last week -- [inaudible] fastest-growing digital economy in the united kingdom. with my right honorable friend agree with me that the talent of our people combined with a long-term economic plan that britain remains a world leader in the creative industry? >> my friend is right to our creative industries are a vital part of our economy and our country. when we look at film and television and you see the great results, the high hopes we have for the oscars, reddish television and film conquering the world the university plays an important part because it strengthen some of our digital effect specials, because many of our creative people is a key

part of this vital and growing industry. >> thank you, mr. speaker. last week prime minister's question, i warn the prime minister but falling wages. this week he says -- [inaudible] i'm glad to see his waking up to reality but we do not agree with me that the people who most -- are the families who have lost 1600 pounds a year -- [inaudible] giving massive tax cuts. >> what the lady will find is right now it is good that wages in the public sector and the private sector are growing ahead of inflation. and, of course, because we raised the 10000 pounds, the amount of money you can earn before you start paying taxes as a result people are betting off. in scotland there are 175,000 more people in work today than when i became prime minister. so as a result of growth in the jobs market, growth in wages

cuts in taxes increase in minimum wages, things are getting better for families in scotland. >> for years the supermarket chain has been sitting on an anti-supermarket in my constituency. does the prime minister agreed the supermarket chain should be forced to release assets that they don't need rather than allow them to be a blight on the beginning of the? >> i think what we need to see a successful development go ahead and the use of these brown field sites. if they can't be used for retail, then it could be used for other uses. one of the changes we have made is to liberalize the use classes in planning so that we don't have long-term planning blight development not going ahead in towns and cities warehouses and jobs and investment are needed. >> thank you, mr. speaker. given the prime minister's newfound concern that employers should give decent pay raises can explain why he didn't apply

that principle to his own government when they decided not to influence the recommended 1% pay increase for nhs staff the? >> what we have done with nhs staff is make sure the lowest paid people in the nhs are getting a pay rise and, of course, in the nhs you have regression pay so everyone will get at least a 1% rise but many people because the progression will get a two three, or 4% rise. alongside that they rise they will be paying less in tax the council tax has been frozen, diesel and petrol prices are coming down and people can see the standards of living are rising because we've got a lot of economic plan and we are sticking to it. >> mr. speaker, more than ever before business students and commuters in hampshire use the trains to get around but they are increasing frustrated about trains ducked in the analog age. camera right honorable friend

consider this important issue and see what the government could do to help commuters and others get access to wi-fi on our trains speak with i think she is right to raise this. it's vital for businesses and for individuals to be able to access wi-fi into their work and other contacts while they are untrained. on train. i'm pleased to announced plans that will see the rollout of free wi-fi on trains across the united kingdom from 2017. the government will invest nearly 50 million pounds to ensure that rail passengers are better connected, passengers that make over 500 million journeys every year will all benefit from this investment. >> them motor build the car that my severely disabled constituent is set for 11 years is being taken from him in two weeks. all with hereditary paraplegia unable to walk without crutches

or sticks, he is deteriorating sadly by the week. i've been told his case will be reconsidered and yet the department for work and pensions is callously snatching it from you on the 25th of february. will the prime minister immediately rectify this heartless and disgraceful injustice? >> i'm very happy to look at the individual cases that the right honorable gentleman raises but of course, with the replacement of the disability living allowance with a personal independence payments, the most disabled people will be getting more money and more assistance rather than less. but as i said i will happily look at the case. >> given the widespread cynicism about politicians promises and claims, will my right honorable friend remind people however long it takes that this government has presided over the creation of more than 2 million

additional private sector jobs, which is far, far more than we ever promised? doesn't -- that our efforts to cut the deficit would destroy jobs and? >> my right honorable friend is right. the figures are clear. we have created 2 million additional private sector jobs. if you look at the exit number of people in work public and private sector combined, it is 1.75 million more people. he hind those statistics are families have now got a pay packet and a job and the chance to be more secure future. and all of this at a time when the leader of the opposition was very clear he wanted that our policy would cost 1 million jobs. he was 1000000% wrong, and it's time they withdrew what they said and apologize for all those statements. >> mr. speaker, in

november 2012 hmrc and the committee said there were a dozen prosecutions in relation to the case law. none of them have come to court yet. can he expect to us why that is the case of? >> first of all on prosecutions for tax evasion, the figures have gone up fivefold under this government since 2010. 2650 cases leading to hundreds of years of imprisonment taken as a whole. that's what's happened to but there is an important point here, which is in our country the tax collection agency, hrm sikkim isn't even of government independent of ministers, and that has to raise the taxes and carry out the investigation and order the prosecution. it's very important in a free country that ministers are not given the details of who is being investigated and what the prosecutions are. now, this doesn't happen in other countries and we have a word for it, it's called corruption.

but it seems to be the path suggested by the party opposite. >> thank you mr. speaker. [shouting] >> order, order. the honorable gentleman is entitled to be heard with courtesy. >> thank you, mr. speaker. my constituents in montgomeryshire not able to see the gp as quickly as they showed. does the prime minister agree that we need to train more gps to take for plans for surgeries to be open seven days a week and in the evenings? will he press for similar things be available to my constituents? >> i will certainly press for the change because we've now got 1000 more gps operating in england. we've made a commitment we're going to have seven day openings, eight in the morning until eight anything. that's already available to some 4 million people. we will spread that across the

country and i would urge the nhs in wales even at this late stage and deliver them in wales more to the point because it is their decision to cut the nhs does land of the nhs in wales with these difficulties to reverse that policy and look at how we can expand access to gps in wales because it's the right policy. [inaudible] >> was opened by -- and others. with the prime minister be prepared to meet a group from the committee? the issues of security of synagogues and other jewish buildings it is too urgent to wait until my? >> can i commend them for the work he does in fighting anti-semitism, and i know it takes that honor roll inside this house and outside the house with the work that he does but it is very vital to reassure jewish communities at this time,

particularly after the heightened tensions because of what happened in paris and other issues. i've met with the jewish leadership council. i discussed with him the issues. we do make available support. i've make sure the police have contacted all the relevant organizations to try to work with him but i'm very happy to sit down with miller's apartment and hear their views, to. >> thank you, mr. speaker. -- [inaudible] have awarded 14 grants for the basis of funds totaling over 1.7 billion pounds. this is like integration of 158 jobs, many in manufacturing, 60% fall in unemployment we have seen locally. will the prime minister commit to further investment in northern manufacturing to rebalancing our economy? >> i'm very glad that the honorable gentleman sees there is a manufacturing revival taking place in britain. we've seen investment and output increase but that is happening in all the regions of her country which is worthwhile. we will be playing our part by

investing 10 million pounds in the developed of defense manufacturing research center in south yorkshire. i think these and other by the catapults can make a real difference in terms of backing the revival of manufacturing in our country. >> thank you very much mr. speaker. i've been reading the report, and the fact is that the last government, the labour government prosecuted more companies for corporate tax efficient than this government has done. many people -- want money and our consumers who do not pay the tax. what is he doing? >> what this government has done is when we chaired the g8 we put at the head of the agenda the issue of taxes transparency and tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. and we now have 90 countries automatically sharing their tax information, including switzerland. so the events that we're discussing of the events which by

the way at allegations of crime that all took place when labour were in power were this to happen again we wouldn't have this situation because we have the automatic transparent exchange of tax information. something this government put on the agenda and the party opposite only started talking about it after we did that. >> thank you mr. speaker. according to a recent survey, 40,000 patients, the accident and emergency service at our county hospital is the number one in the country. >> here, here. >> what my right honorable friend praise all the staff worker and to reassure the hospitals -- for southwest and north, the money will follow that good work of? >> i certainly join my honorable friend in congratulating the county hospital in nhs foundation trust. i think their work shows what can be done when we better integrate health and social

care. and also we will look at how we can treat frail elderly people and the community, often people who have more than one physical condition that need treatment. the best place for them is often not transborder trade and community hospital and looking after their ailments and helping them to do better at home. that is what we should be focused on. that is what the simon stevens plan is for the nhs and it is plain we've come up with the money to get it well under way. -- a&e. >> does the prime minister have conversations with the lord green as attacks went at hsbc? if not -- >> order, order. i said order to i said of him ago the honorable gentleman from montgomeryshire had right to be heard with courtesy. the honorable lady has a similar right to be heard with courtesy and be in no doubt she will be heard with courtesy. >> thank you, mr. speaker.

i just wanted to know if the prime minister has had conversations with the lord green about tax avoidance at hsbc? and if not, why not? >> when i appointed stephen green, every proper process was followed. i consulted the cabinet secretary, consulted the director for propriety and ethics. and, of course, the house of lords appointed commission now looks at someone's individual tax affairs before giving them a plug i made the appointment goes welcomed by labour after years later they were still holding meetings with him a. [inaudible] to give her children best of in life. what does my right of a friend think she needs, measures to are those who work hard get onto the right thing, or cheap patronizing -- [inaudible] [shouting] >> i think what of britain's families need to get on most of

all is the security of a good school plays and we're providing them, it's good of a good job and we're providing them, and the secret of the safe community, and we are providing them. but have to say labour's campaign, the wheels, i would say the wheels are falling off the wagon i think the wheels are falling off the bus but we now know it is not going to be driven by anyone on the front bench. surprise, surprise. it's going to be driven by unite. [shouting] >> thank you, mr. speaker. the prime the prime minister, the prime minister may have been brief about the care quality commission, publishes reports on my local hospital yesterday. it found that we have an extremely dedicated hard-working professional staff team, a patient safety has been put at risk by staff shortages and the fabric of the building which was described by consultative report by something

out of the third world. with the prime minister meet with me and, indeed, my colleagues to look at how we can secure the funds to make our constituents save? >> what i would say to the honorable gentleman is the cqc investigations and findings are clearly disappointed but does seem as if the trust is taking immediate steps to address the issues that have been raised. raising standards around infection control and cleanliness, enhanced frequent train and recruit more permanent staff. but i think this does go to a bigger point which is four years in our images when there's a problem with i hospital swept under the carpet rather than properly examined and inspected and if necessary put into special measures and then corrected. that is now what is happening in our health service and that is all to the good. it's important to say this on the day when sir robert franciscus, with his report about how important it is that will listen to whistleblowers in the nhs. and unlike the party opposite we are determined that we will listen to the frances report and

whistleblower to i am certainly sure the health sector meets with his colleagues and others to make sure that this hospital gets the attention it deserves. >> sir peter tapsell. >> may i put it to the prime minister that from that present monroe onward at his been generally acknowledged by leaders of great powers that be avoidance of war it is often wise to acknowledge the concept of traditional spheres of authority and power, and that while ukraine is of absolutely no significant strategic importance to britain, greece most certainly is. and that unless western statesmen show greater skills than they have in recent years greece is going to pass into the russian sphere of influence

without a shot being fired. >> it's difficult to answer the father of the house without a long historical -- not hysterical. [laughter] historical answer, but i would answer when it comes to ukraine it doesn't matter on our continent of europe to make sure that we don't reward aggression and brutality with appeasement. that would be wrong and that is what it is right to the sanctions in place. it is right to keep the european union and america together on this issue. and it is right to stand up to president putin. on the issue of greece, of course there is a british interest here, which is what want stability and growth on the continent of europe. the eurozone crisis has held back that growth and that stability, and so we want those concerned to come to reasonable agreement so that europe can move forward. it is good that the british economy is growing and jobs are

being generated by we have to recognize that our largest market at the moment is still relatively stagnant and the situation in greece doesn't help that. >> mr. speaker, the our efforts in newcastle involving my constituents to report for benefits fraudsters. can ask him why he feels so complaint doesn't feel as strongly about tax avoidance? will be report, did he have a conversation with lord green about tax avoidance? >> i do feel strong about tax evasion and tax avoidance. let me tell you can when it comes to income tax some of the things people used to get away with. under labour people avoid paying tax like calling their salary from the company a loan. allowed under labour, banned under the tort. businesses could avoid paying tax by paying employees through trust. allowed by labour banned by the

tories. time and time again it is this government that is come along and cracking down on tax evasion. >> thank you mr. speaker. i am a proud yorkshireman. when i come to london i'm proud that the -- i'm proud the red carpet used for the royal wedding at westminster abbey was made in my constituency but i'm proud the upholstery and buses was made in my area as well. i wonder -- do with mortgages last week with 2.9 million pounds -- [shouting] >> a question to one sentence. >> local manufacturers. the award-winning -- can i tell them that the prime minister will continue to put yorkshire at the heart of --

[shouting] >> i'm afraid, mr. speaker, the truth is you can't fit all the good things happening into yorkshire in one question. it's impossible. he could've added his medals at the olympics but he could've talked about the cricket, but the point is the long-term economic plan was announced for yorkshire and northern lincolnshire sets out transport investment from investment in science helping universities getting by the industries that are growing the fastest. that's what another conservative government would do, success for yorkshire, security for families in the yorkshire. >> can be prime minister confirmed that between may 2010 and december 2013 he never once had a conversation with stephen green about allegations of tax avoidance by ukip, hsbc? [shouting] we found every procedure that you should come and disappointment was welcomed by the labour party. but more to the point between

2010-2014 we have passed law after law cracking down on tax evasion, cracking down on aggressive tax avoidance, seeing more prosecutions. all of the things that labour failed to do over and over again again. >> dr. julian huppert. >> thank you very much mr. speaker. colleges an excellent job educating our young people but they struggled to get by because unlike the academy reform, they have to pay vat over 300,000 pounds each to with the prime minister scrap this attacks on the learning? >> i will look very carefully of what the audible gentleman says but i know it's important we try to treat education institutions fairly, we all want to see them continue to grow success of our schools and colleges. >> order. question 15, closed question. >> number 15. >> the prime minister. >> we should be proud to in the

magna carta, our country established rules of justice and freedom which 800 years later still inform our constitution and resident around the world. while there's a long-standing debate over the issue, there are no plans at present for a written constitution. >> i note that. what he agreed to the art unacceptably high levels of voter disengagement with more people staying at home than vote labour and conservative at the last election? would he commit his government now to prepare an all party convention to constitutional convention to give every uk citizen a copy of our society's rulebook of either statute of the union or a written constitution as a part of a lectors feeling once again that they own our democracy? >> obviously i always look at the right honorable gentleman suggestion very carefully because he is made a number of sensible cross-border interventions over recent years, but i have my doubts whether

another talking convention is the answer. i think we need to look at some of the constitutional issues that leave people feeling left behind not least english votes for english laws come and make sure we put them in place. and the discipline i have with the labour party is they are prepared to talk of all party talks on wales or on scotland or on northern ireland, but when it comes to english people in making sure they have rights in this house, they are completely absent from the debate. >> thank you. thank you, mr. speaker. article 39 of magna carta has in it the origins of a right to trial by jury. a recent report, not satisfied with undermine the right to a free press, also wants to restrict the rights of trial by jury. will my right honorable friend as long as he is a prime minister defend our historic wright's? >> i am great suppo