the house will also be alarmed and shocked by the events unfolding in cumbria today. police were called to whitehaven at 10:35 this morning after shots were fired by a man. and i regret to report that a number of people have been shot and at least five people have died. i can confirm that the body of a gunman has been found by the police. the chief constable of cumbria is working closely with other forces and other emergency services to ensure a coordinated response to these rapidly moving events. the government will do everything it possibly can to help the local community and those affected, and to keep the house informed. a full statement will be made to parliament tomorrow. when lives and communities are suddenly shattered in this way, our thoughts should be with all those caught up in these tragic events, especially the families and friends of those killed or injured. >> all parties in this house will welcome the coalition's proposals to eliminate quangos and shift power away from unelected functionaries to elected representatives. the biggest quango of the lot i

may i support what is said about the deadly shootings in cumbria? we offer our deepest sympathies for the family of those killed and our strong support for the police, emergency services, and community in cumbria. can i ask about the israeli interception of the gods of flotilla -- gaza flotilla. this has dismayed friends of israel. can he tell what is the current position of the british nationals who have been detained, and will he tell us how the government can contribute to international efforts to make the israelis recognize the blockade is prolonging the suffering of the palestinians and making peace in the middle east even harder to achieve. this must end. >> i thank you for raising the issue. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& i have spoken to the prime minister of turkey. we should do everything we can to make sure this does not happen again. i stress this towbin -- this point. in terms of british nationals, there are 42 british nationals caught up in this. i believe 37 of them have had access, and they will need to come reunite with their fami

mp's. >> could i say that i am sure that they do visit that he and the home secretary made to cumbria it is quite appreciative. just before the general election, of the committee published a report that electoral registration offices, there are still serious concerns about the number of people who are eligible to vote bbt who are not on the register. will he undertake not to press forward with these changes on register that excludes 3.5 million people? >> let me agree. it is important that people who are eligible to vote register to vote. we want to see that speeded up and improved. the deputy prime minister is taking that work. we also waat to see individual voter registtation. there has been a great increase in fraud in recent years. even as that work goes ahead, i think it is important that we have a reform so that we have equal sized constituencies across our country. those of us who support the voting system want to make it more fair y making sure that sits on the same sides are across our country. where is the and fairness in that to? >> the danger is that, it depresses on the w

i go with the remarks the prime nister made in e dadful shtings in cumbria last year and the emergenservices and all thosrecoveri from the palling matter the national councilefor strategy state noby shod- theyuld hao trouto ceive regular ther treatment. last december we see commitment from our calealth trust tt ishere would b a new council ut for south keland in kendall. will the prime nister agree t meet with me andealth mpaigns and health officia on to try to ensure that he also makes a cmitmen -- he makes a commitment -- >> pme minister, we really must havshorter questions. >> thank you, mr. spear. rst of all, he will n that in the coation agreement, i'm glad toemin everyone, we are protecting nhs spendin there will be real increases in s endingn thisovernment year after yeater year i absuteluntand the concerns that there arabout wanting toeep servic throbbg people. i know that's the case in lakeland. it's al the caseith e case of thet cumbla hospital well. i'm very happy to ensure tre's a meeting to dss ts an ke sure we kp seic local. a loof theeconfigurations that took ace und t

working in coverage to bring people together after this appalling tragedy. -- working in cumbria to bring people together after this appalling trageey. they have a very compassionate and caring and strong community. they have shown that in the wake of these terribbe events. we will need after question time to discuss what shall be done nexx. i think that is important. it is important to recognize that this is a part of the country that can sometimes feel quite cut off. with respect to the amazing work made by the hospital, it really prove itself, facing the most appalling tragedy and a terrible difficulties of so many people with such awful injuries and coming to that hospital at once. sometimes people are inclined to say that that hospitaa was too small to handle these things. it was big enough. big is not always beautiful. >> does the prime minister agree that it is wrong to ask one authority to show what it is a national responsibility? >> i am happy to look at this. this has been an issue in the surrounding heathrow airport. then i will make sure of that home office ministers of are i

and i strongly support what the prime minister has said about the dreadful shooting in cumbria. we offer our deepest sympathies to the families of those who got killed and our strongest support for the police, the emergency services, and at the local communities in cumbria. mr. speaker, can i ask the prime minister about the israeli interception of the causgaza flotilla? i am sure he agrees that this is a tragic loss of life that has angered palestinians and dismayed is a real, too. can he tell the house what the position is of the british nationals, and how the government and contribute to international efforts to make israelis recognize that the blockade of gaza is prolonging the suffering of the palestinians and making peace and the middle east even harder to achieve? this blockade must end. >> i thank the right hon. lady for what she said about our troops, and also for raising the issue of the events off the coast of gaza. what has happened is completely unacceptable, we should be clear about that but we should also deplored the loss of life -- which should be clear about th

ani know how har hseen rkin and other mp in cumbria have bn working to bri people together after this palling tragy. they are as someoaid a very tougpeople inesumbria so verycompasone, very ring a very much a strong community. th've shownhat in how they sponded to theadl events. as iaid in answe tthe right honorabllady we're going to me after question time discuss at will be donxt. i thinth's impornt and i think 's important to recognize this is a part oe countrthat canomimes feel ite cut off. and i think specifically with ect to the amazing workne by theest cumbria hospital which really proved itself facing the most appling tredy d terrible difficulties of so many people with such awful injuries coming tohat hospital at on. a hospital tha sometim people e inclined toay w it's a bit too small to cope with these things. it coped magnificently and i ink it proved that big is not always beautif. >> gin barwell. >> mr. speaker, the previs government changed the rules so everyone cing asylum have to do irsmy constituency. es the prime minister agr th it's wrong to ask one local authory to