ePolitix.com: PMQs briefing

Bookmark and Share

Member News

15th December 2010

Education Maintenance Allowance, the NHS and unemployment were the dominant themes among the questions asked by backbench MPs at prime minister's questions today.

Heidi Alexander (Lab, Lewisham East) asked why council budgets are seeing "huge cuts".

Cameron said that per-pupil funding in Lewisham will be maintained at a level that makes it the tenth highest in the country. He reffered to pupil premium, which he said is "an excellent policy".

Mark Reckless (Con, Rochester and Strood) asked about the UK's assistance for Ireland's economy.

In response, the prime minister said the reason the UK is able to offer loan assistance to Ireland is that the government are taking Britain "out of the danger zone".

Iain Stewart (Con, Milton Keynes South) asked about saving Bletchley Park codebreaker Alan Turing's papers from being sold to a foreign collector. He called on the prime minister to give the Bletchley Park Trust the assistance to secure the papers for the nation.

Cameron paid tribute to all of those that worked at Bletchley Park during the Second World War.

Joan Ruddock (Lab, Lewisham Deptford) voiced her anger that a job centre is being closed in her area, when unemployment is at 7.3 per cent.

Cameron said the government is being fair and helping those who need help the most.

Nadhim Zahawi (Con, Stratford-on-Avon) asked about cancer survival rates.

Cameron said the government will put money in to make sure improvements happen. He said he wants to see much more focus on cancer outcomes.

John McDonnell (Lab, Hayes and Harlington) asked about children of asylum seekers being held in detention over Christmas.

Cameron said the deputy prime minister will make a statement tomorrow about "how we are going to end this scandal".

Edward Leigh (Con, Gainsborough) asked about Merlin helicopters following cuts in defence spending.

Cameron listed the various defence capabilities that Britain will still have and said the Navy will be "fit for purpose".

David Lammy (Lab, Tottenham) asked about Tottenham Hotspur football club and its plans to move the stadium from North London to the Olympic Park.

Cameron said that he prefers to "stay out of international football management", with reference to England's failed 2018 World Cup bid that he was involved in.

Malcolm Bruce (Lib Dem, Gordon) defended the postal service and asked the Cameron whether he would make sure companies stick to the universal delivery commitments ahead of Christmas.

Cameron paid tribute to those postal workers that make sure cards and presents are delivered ontime over the festive period.

David Hamilton (Lab, Midlothian) said in Scotland and the North of England the only people that are still delivering are the Royal Mail. He suggested that private companies have offloaded post due to the weather. He said he is opposed to plans to part-privatise the Royal Mail.

Cameron said Labour brought in the plans in the last Parliament, "even they realise this needs to be done".

Mary Macleod (Con, Brentford and Isleworth) paid tribute to the "debt of gratitude" the UK owes to the Ghurkas.

The prime minister paid tribute to the Ghurkas past and present.

Ronnie Campbell (Lab, Blyth Valley) condemned plans to increase tuition fees and pointed to stories that the government was building a £50 billion "war chest".

In response, Cameron detailed plans for tuition fees and dealing with the deficit. He quoted the Institute for Fiscal Studies' verdict on the government's plans. The IFS said they were more progressive than the status quo, he said.

Anne McIntosh (Con, Thirsk and Malton) called for an end to unnecessary bureaucracy in the NHS and to stamp out "unnecessary failures".

Cameron said he wants to reduce the amount of bureaucracy in the health service.

Chris Ruane (Lab, Vale of Clwyd) asked about a rumour that the Lib Dems will move a writ for the by-election for Phil Woolas's Oldham East seat for 13 January - something that would deny people a politics-free Christmas and New Year.

He said: "Is this unseemly haste over the festive season a cynical attempt by the government to avoid the wrath of the public, and especially students, on tuition fees, school cuts and police cuts?"

Cameron responded: "Do I gather that the party opposite is frightened of an election?

"I would put the question the other way: why should the people of that constituency put up with not having an MP?

"What have you got to be frightened of?"

Andrew Bridgen (Con, North West Leicestershire) called on the prime minister to outline government measures that will "cut through the legacy of red tape and bureaucracy" inherited from the Labour government in order to deliver "real value-for-money front-line services".

Cameron said the business secretary is introducing a "new one-in, one-out rule-so" that any time the government want to legislate or regulate they have to remove a regulation first.

Dr Alasdair McDonnell (SDLP, Belfast South) asked about helping the Northern Ireland economy through a cut to corporation tax.

Cameron thanked Northern Ireland members of Parliament who will support them in putting through the bill to support Northern Ireland "at their time of need".

Sajid Javid (Con, Bromsgrove) asked about the Mercian Regiment being honoured in his own constituency.

The prime minister said it's not just up to the government to recognise the bravery of members of the armed forces. Business and the media should play a part, he said.

Hugh Bayley (Lab, York Central) asked about the educational maintenance allowance. He reffered to the "woefully inadequate replacement".

Cameron said he accepted the government has got to do more to help people get from the bottom to the top. He said he is committed to helping people "get on in life".

Mike Freer (Con, Finchley and Golders Green) asked about holocaust memorial day and whether the government will contribute to an Auschwitz memorial.

Cameron said the government will, and noted the importance of maintaining memorials.

Andrea Leadsom (Con, South Northamptonshire) asked if high speed rail would be supported regardless of the consultation.

Cameron said a proper consultation is underway on high speed rail. He said: "I do believe that high-speed rail has got a really effective role to play in bringing our country closer together and spreading economic benefit throughout all of our country."

Alison McGovern (Lab, Wirral South) asked about the abolition of EMA and whether a choice of courses is only for those who can afford it.

Cameron said that a study commissioned by Labour showed that 90 per cent of students who receive the EMA would stay on at school anyway. The government will replace it with something more effective, he said.

Robert Halfon (Con, Harlow) asked what steps were being taken to address extremism in the UK.

Cameron said he felt that not enough had been done to deal with extremism in the UK.

He told MPs: "If we are frank, on both sides of the House we have not done enough to deal with the promotion of extremist Islamism in our country.

Bookmark and Share

Have your say...

Please enter your comments below.

Name

Your e-mail address


Listen to audio version

Please type in the letters or numbers shown above (case sensitive)

Related News

Cameron faces committee grilling

Cameron defends housing benefit cut

ePolitix.com: PMQs briefing

Cameron's father dies after stroke

Clegg: Andy Coulson 'refutes all allegations'



Latest news

Government sets prison vote limit

Prisoners sentenced to less than four years will be eligible to vote, the government has announced.


Cameron sent gifts for baby Florence

David Cameron has been sent hundreds of pounds worth of baby gifts following the birth of his fourth child, it has been revealed.


'Social care sector cannot afford to be pessimistic'

Cuts to welfare and local authority budgets will make 2011 a difficult year for the social care sector, but they can't afford to be pessimistic, says Su Sayer, chief executive of United Response.


Clegg warns banks over bonuses


Westminster celebrates academic excellence


What can you wear in the chamber?


Parliament's new LGBT network explained


PM backs new parliamentary gay network


More from Dods