Prime Minister's Questions
4th May, 2011
PMQS: Wednesday 4th May, 2011
Jim McGovern: The abolition of council tax, discarding of student debts, and a referendum on separatism are just some of the SNP promises, not kept. Can he comment on commentators who say he wants an SNP win to avoid a Labour win. DC: I want the best possible showing for Annabel Goldie and the Scottish Tories. Whatever the outcome, I am behind the UK.
Dr. Philip Lee: Asked about fires in Bracknell, congratulating the fire and police services and looked for the PM's support. DC: Joined him in his praise and said there are tried and tested procedures to ensure central Government helps local Government with such exceptional costs.
Ed Miliband: There are 20% cuts to police budgets. How many experienced officers will be forcibly retired? DC: It depends on individual Chief Constables. There are too many back office officers, and responsible Chief Constables are getting them on the streets. Crime is falling under this government.
EM: There are 2,100 experienced officers being forcibly retired. He gave an example of one being forced out then asked to come back as a Special Constable. DC: What we are getting from Labour is hypocrisy. They said they couldn't guarantee police numbers dropping. The budget has to be reduced. We will cut paperwork and get them on the street.
EM: He said not 12% cuts, but 20% cuts. People are angry because a year ago, he said no front-line reductions from any Ministers. What has he said to HS in light of these police cuts? DC: The Home Secretary is doing what police leaders are doing. Getting police back on the beat. He should talk to local Labour authorities like Manchester who are cutting services and playing politics with peoples jobs.
EM: He knows he can't defend his broken promises on policing. Now onto tuition fees. The majority of universities are charging £9,000. How many will have their proposed fees cut? DC: That depends on the Office of Fair Access. The last Government introduced tuition fees. We are seeing a new doctrine from Labour. He said in an interview with the Sun, I will not defend the past Governemt because I happened to be in it.
EM: Again he doesn't answer the question. We know from the Office of Fair Access they will not cut the fees. Their Deputy Director has said they are not a fee setting institution. Broken promises again. DC: We have to wait until July. Degrees haven't just started costing this amount. The question is who will pay? We say successful graduates, not taxpayers. He promised a fully costed alternative by the end of last year. Where is it?
EM: This is what we expect from the Prime Minister. Hazy on facts and no straight answers. The public say this is not what we voted for. Having broken so many promises, how can we believe them at the elections tomorrow? DC: We have frozen council tax, capped immigration, introduced the pupil premium, cut corporation tax etc. With council elections tomorrow people should remember the mess Labour left us with.
Caroline Dineage: Does the PM agree with Lord Glassman that the previous Government lied to people about immigration? DC: They didn't tell it straight. It has fallen to us to get it under control.
Jack Straw: Does he share my anxiety about recommendation of Advocate General for a European wide ban on stem cell research? Does he agree that should such a ban be confirmed it would damage our science and pharmaceutical industries? DC: Important point. The House had extensive debates to arrive at the policy we have. It is right to keep us as a leader in this fields. This legal opinion is advisory and does not bind the court. We keep under the matter under review.
Jeremy Lefroy: Asked about manufacturing investments in Staffs. What do we need to do to keep this growth? DC: We want to see this growth maintained. They benefit from our policies of cutting taxes and boosting apprenticeships.
Bob Ainsworth: The PM told us he would enshrine the military covenant in law. Why has he watered this down? DC: We will reference the military covenant in law and then it will be published and debated in this house each year. We are looking across Government at what we can do to help our soldiers overseas.
Jane Ellison: This week, Edward Lister, the Tory leader of Wandsworth Council leaves to become Chief of Staff to the Mayor of London. Will he commend his leadership and Council Tax policies in Wandsworth. DC: Praised Edward Lister and also Sir Simon Milton, who he is replacing. Wandsworth shows it is possible to combine low taxes with good services. All councils should be focused on this.
Pamela Nash: Scottish Labour has an initiative to help first time buyers to get a foot on the ladder. What is he doing? DC: Scottish proposal is like our FirstBuy scheme to help first time buyers with their deposit. It is a worry to see first time buyers getting older.
Stephen Mosley: Conservative run Chester Council is saving millions without cutting services, but in the Labour council next door they are cutting bin collections etc. DC: Encouraged all councils to cut in the right areas. Too many Labour councils are cutting front-line services not back office functions.
Jack Dromey: Birmingham City Council is cutting care to elderly and disabled. We are being hit harder than the leafy shires of Surrey. Why have the Tories got it in for Birmingham? DC: The Coalition is doing a great job for Birmingham, investing in public services and housing and keeping Council Tax rates down.
James Clappison: In 2005, Labour agreed to give back some of the EU rebate at cost of £9.4bn over the lifetime of this Parliament. What was obtained in return? DC: The rebate was given up for no proper promise in return. There has been no reform of Common Agricultural Policy as promised. We will be tough in next round of negotiations.
Kelvin Hopkins: He has destroyedg 500,000 jobs in public and a similar number are expected to be lost in the private sector. The deficit will increase not reduce. Will he enjoy the subsequent Tory collapse? DC: Since this time last year there are 400,000 more people in private sector jobs. We are dealing with Labours mess.
Andrew Selous: Central Bedfordshire Council is the highest performing council of all its neighbours as rated by PriceWaterhouseCooper. Is this the type of example more councils should follow? DC: Yes. Well run councils can provide good services and make savings.
Kerry McCarthy: The 'Hardest Hit' campaign is visiting Parliament next week. Those with severe disabilities are bearing the brunt of the cuts. Will he meet them to hear about the devastating impact his cuts are having on them? DC: An important line of defence is NHS and we are putting more money into it. On benefits, I thought we had Labour support to reform bens.
Jason McCartney: Joined Huddersfield Town fans to cycle to Brighton for Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Will he praise this and why do air ambulances have to pay for VAT on their fuel? DC: Gave congratulations and paid tribute to all air ambulance crews. An EU VAT directive makes an exemption for Lifeboats but not for other services and we cannot change that. We are doing more for all charities.
Tony Lloyd: Child Poverty. He will be aware of OECD report that says progress has stalled. What will he do to change this? DC: It does show that things stalled in recent years under Labour. We need a more mature cross-party debate on how to deal with the issue and suitable policies which is why we are introducing a pupil premium, free nursery care for children in poverty etc.
Greg Hands: Three large London Councils are combining services to save money and improve services. Will he support this approach rather than the Labour slash-and-burn approach. DC: Good point. Sharing back office services etc. shows how councils should do it. Until we see that happening, front services should not be cut.
Mike Gapes: Allotments. Healthy local food and a good part of British values. Why is this Government scrapping council obligations to provide allotments? DC: That is not the case. Allotments are important and there are massive queues. They have my full support.
Mark Menzies: Fylde Council Chief Executive is taking a 10% pay cut while next door, Blackburn cuts services. Will he encourage them to be more responsible? DC: Absolutely. We have to make this information available. Every council now has to be transparent and people can see these costs. Commended Fylde.
Michael Meacher: Why is the Government now increasing personal borrowing to more than £2trillion? DC: The Government is getting control of Government borrowing. Worth reminding ourselves that we have a bigger deficit than Portugal, who have this week applied for a huge bailout.
Dr. Therese Coffey: It has been good weather for tourism, but droughts are badfor farmers. Will he meet to discuss their concerns? DC: Happy to meet. We all enjoy the weather but farmers are facing issues.
Mary Glinden: With the Lib Dems likely to come off worst tomorrow in elections and the referendum, what words of comfort will he have for Nick Clegg on Friday? DC: We don't agree about AV. But the reason for a coalition is as good an argument now as it was a year ago.
Rory Stewart: Does he believe the Royal Wedding enforces need for a different narrative for next year's Diamond Jubilee? DC: The Diamond Jubilee will be an opportunity to show all faces of Britain. People will want to celebrate the Queen's public service as well as Olympics.
Alison McGovern: My constituents worry about care for older people in Hospitals. How will his NHS reorganisation help this? DC: One of the aims is to better link the NHS with social service provision. We have all seen too many cases of people stuck in hospitals when they should have alternative care.
Bob Russell: In Essex last year, 49% of votes to Tories but 95% of seats to Tory MP's. It was an outcome to embarrass Robert Mugabe. Other than that Essex is now Labour free, does he think that is fair? DC: In Colchester, everyone had one vote and he won. They all had one vote.
PMQ
