I held meetings with Ministers this morning. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall have further meetings with Ministers later today.
My constituents are battling against the closure of not 18 per cent. of sub-post office branches —the national average—but in some cases 50 per cent. across the constituency, despite a well above average pensioner population, and the fact that the remaining Crown branches are unable to cope with demand. At the same time, my councils face a £650,000 shortfall in the bus concessionary fares scheme, West Sussex county council again has the lowest grant increase, and we are still waiting to hear which hospitals will be downgraded. Will the Prime Minister meet a delegation of my local residents to explain to them what we are doing so wrong in West Sussex to be treated so unfairly?
That is the longest spending bid from the party that wants to cut public spending, rather than increase it. As for local post offices, I understand people’s frustrations, but there is a recognised appeal system, which will involve Postwatch, and we have put in £1.7 billion to help post offices. Not a penny was put in by the Conservative Government.
The Prime Minister has paid tribute to Sergeant Lee Johnson. I add mine. Lee Johnson was a constituent of mine; he served bravely in the Army for 18 years. He was due to come home this Christmas but decided to stay to finish his command tour with his serving group. Will my right hon. Friend reassure the House that Lee Johnson’s fiancée and his two children will be treated in the best way by the armed forces, and given all that a serving officer who died so bravely deserves?
I endorse what my hon. Friend said about both the bravery and the dedication of Lee Johnson. I also endorse what she says about our duties to the widows and families of those who have died. Sergeant Johnson was serving bravely in an exercise in Afghanistan that yielded great success for the expedition against the Taliban, and the whole House will want to pay tribute not just to him but to the dedication of all the servicemen and women involved.
I join the Prime Minister and the hon. Lady in paying tribute to Sergeant Lee Johnson, who was killed on Saturday in southern Afghanistan.
May I turn to another part of the world where British soldiers are stationed? The deadline for discussions on the future status of Kosovo expired on Monday. What does the Prime Minister expect to happen next?
There will be a discussion this weekend at the European Council; this is a European responsibility. We believe that Kosovo should move to supervised independence. It has not been possible to get an agreement between the Kosovans and the Serbians. We believe that the European Union must make resources available to match the forces already in Kosovo, and we hope we can move to what we call supervised independence—in other words, the Kosovans will have their rights met, but in conditions where we do not have violence.
I am grateful for the Prime Minister’s answer. Are not there three clear principles that we have to follow? First, Kosovo cannot be left in some sort of suspended constitutional limbo. Secondly, the resolution of Kosovo’s final status cannot involve the reopening of borders anywhere else in the region. Thirdly, should we not use NATO reserve force to reinforce, as a precautionary measure, the troops who are in Bosnia? Will the Prime Minister follow those very clear principles?
I think it would be premature to put forces in at this stage. There are already forces in Kosovo. A statement was made to the House yesterday. It is the last area of the Balkans where we need to have arrangements in place that will ensure peace and stability in the future. I personally believe that the Serbians have an interest in working with the European Union, and we must persuade them to do so, but the important point is that we support the supervised independence of the Kosovan people. That will be reiterated by the European Council tomorrow. The message is going out loud and clear to Serbia and Russia that this is the course we wish to take, and I hope that there will be all-party support for the action we are taking.
Will my right hon. Friend find time in his schedule to look at the successes of Daresbury laboratory and the science and innovation campus there, where Government investment is being used to create world-leading science and put it into production?
I have talked to my hon. Friend and to a delegation from the north-west about the important work being done there. I know there was disappointment a few years when the synchrotron investment did not come its way, but I know, too, of the path-breaking research that is being done there. Over recent years, we have doubled the science budget, and the future of north-west science facilities is an important part of that. I will continue to work with my hon. Friend to secure the future of her area.
May I add my condolences to the family of Sergeant Johnson?
When the Prime Minister tucks into his Brussels sprouts on his one day off at Christmas, which of the various disasters of the last six months will haunt him most: his indecision over the election, his inaction over Northern Rock, or the gross incompetence of the loss of 25 million people’s personal data?
It is nice to have the hon. Gentleman here, and I thank him for his appearances over the last few weeks. Given the history of the Liberal party, it may not be long before he is back in that place again, representing his party. As for the issues of the last few months, we have made long-term decisions on energy, the environment, transport, infrastructure, planning, skills and the economy, and that is what governing is all about.
Given the Prime Minister’s own position, he might not be wise to speculate about leadership elections. Is not the real disaster, for which he has personal responsibility, the continuing tragedy in Iraq? When he was in Basra this week, was he told that at least 40 women have been executed for personal immorality? Is that why 173 British troops have died—transferring power from the fascist regime of Saddam Hussein to the terror of the fascist militia who run the streets of Basra?
Iraq is now a democracy. Millions of people have voted. When I went to Basra, only two days ago, I found that there had been a 90 per cent. fall in violence over the last few months. We are now able to hand over Basra to provincial Iraqi control. So instead of the British forces having to engage in a combat role, we will, over time, be engaged in a training role, supporting the Iraqi forces. Over these last few months, 50,000 people have been trained as police and security forces. This is Iraqis taking control of their own security. I would have thought that, even with the differences over the war, the hon. Gentleman would have welcomed the progress that is being made.
Since Northern Rock has exposed widespread trading in worthless financial derivatives, gross exploitation of tax havens, opaque accountancy and gross exploitation of charity tax laws, will my right hon. Friend set up a committee of inquiry into the governance, accounting, auditing and transparency of the UK banking system?
We will investigate any specific issue that my right hon. Friend brings to our attention, but surely, for this House and for the people of this country, the most important thing is to protect the savers, depositors and mortgage holders of Northern Rock. Throughout, we have taken the right decision, so that savers, depositors and mortgage holders can be protected against the global financial turbulence that has affected them.
What is happening in Scotland is this: to pay the police more, the planned increase of 500 policemen has been suspended. I know what my constituents and the hon. Gentleman’s constituents would prefer—that there were police on the streets. We have more police in this country on the streets, helping us, than at any time in our history. I more than anybody would like to be able to say to the police that we could pay their wages and their salary rise in full, but I have to say to them that no policeman and no person across the country would thank us if their pay rise was wiped out by inflation—and no party should know that better than the Opposition, given that there was 10 per cent. inflation in the 1990s. That is why the awards are being staged. Over the last 10 years, police pay has risen by 39 per cent., and by 9 per cent. in real terms. We have managed to combine that with having rises in police numbers and the biggest police force in history. That is the policy of the Government.
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We have to be tough on antisocial behaviour and abusive drinking among young people, and at the same time, we must say to young people that if they want to get off the streets, we will provide youth facilities for them. Yesterday’s children’s plan was historic, because it was the first announcement of youth centres for every constituency in this country, with £160 million to be spent over the next three years. That is honouring our commitments to the teenagers of this country, in the same way as we have honoured our commitments to young children with Sure Start centres. I hope that there will be all-party support for this new investment.
In February, the present Foreign Secretary said:
“I predict…in six months or a year’s time, people will be saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to have that Blair back, because we can’t stand that Gordon Brown’.”
Is the Prime Minister grateful to have such a far-sighted Foreign Secretary?
Once again, when the right hon. Gentleman has chances to ask questions about policy, he ducks them at every point. I will tell him what this Government are doing. Today’s employment figures are the best in history, and unemployment is falling faster. The minimum wage is rising and there is more investment in the health service. That is what a Labour Government are about.
I will tell the Prime Minister what his policies have achieved: the first run on a bank in 140 years—and he has lost half the country’s bank details and triggered a police investigation into his own party. That is what he has achieved.
Let me try another question. Why does the Prime Minister think that Tony Blair has described his Cabinet as the B team?
Again, nothing about substance. The right hon. Gentleman said on television on Sunday that he was desperate to talk about education—but when he gets the chance, he talks about gossip. When it comes to rising to the challenges of this country, over the past few weeks we have made decisions on housing, education and health. That is what governing is about, not gimmicks.
But it is the substance that is going wrong for the Prime Minister. Look at the big decisions. We have small businesses up and down the country that want to know about capital gains tax, but he will not decide. We have tens of thousands of pensioners wanting decisions on their pensions, but he will not decide. We have the whole reputation of the country being wrecked because of Northern Rock, but he will not decide. We have a Prime Minister who cannot even decide whether he is going to go to Lisbon—is he going to sign the European treaty? Is it not clear that we now have an utterly dysfunctional Government?
Nothing to say about the big policy issues! On pensions, this Government have brought in the winter allowance, and that is why millions of pensioners are getting the winter allowance this Christmas. On the economy, we have the fastest growing economy in Europe, which is why today’s employment figures are so good. On the health service, we have cut waiting lists as the Conservatives never did. That Government failed; this Government succeed.
The Prime Minister’s Government are failing because they are dysfunctional. The Foreign Secretary gets his speeches rewritten after they have been briefed out. The security Minister is not allowed to speak about detention without trial. The Chancellor is so frozen out of decisions that he has become a national joke in the City of London. If the Prime Minister will not listen to his Cabinet, why should anyone else? For a decade he told us that if only he were in charge, we would have competence, trust and change. Instead, this year we have seen drift, dithering and incompetence. Is not 2007 the year that he got found out?
Pre-prepared phrases—and still, after two years as leader of the Conservative party, absolutely no substance.
When it comes to the big issues, over 10 years we have maintained stability in the economy. Over 10 years, employment has risen and rising living standards have happened. Nearly 2 million home owners have been created over the past 10 years, and more people are in jobs than ever before. That is what governing is about. The right hon. Gentleman has gimmicks; we will continue to govern.
Does my right hon. Friend recall saying, in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Mahmood) on 28 November:
“We are trying to remove every barrier to young people getting the chance of both training and jobs.”—[Official Report, 28 November 2007; Vol. 468, c. 278.]?
Does he agree that transport costs can represent such a barrier? Will he ask the Government office for the north-east to support the campaign by the North East Regional Youth Assembly to bring about concessionary travel for young people between the ages of 14 and 18, so that they can take full advantage of the education and training opportunities available to them?
We will certainly look at anything that removes the barriers to young people getting jobs. We have introduced changes that will make it possible after the age of 16 for young people without qualifications to make the transition to work. For those who are in work, where travel costs are high, we are already helping adults as a result of an announcement made two weeks ago, and I will look at what my hon. Friend says about young people. We will take action to remove any barrier to young people getting jobs.
As the hon. Gentleman knows, the Young report is considering how we can move to a 90 per cent. guarantee for the 125,000 people who have lost their pensions through no fault of their own. As he also knows, we have already provided £8 billion over a number of years to make good the provision of pensions. The Young report is now showing that there are more resources available, and I am confident that in the next few days we will be able to announce that there will be a 90 per cent. guarantee for all the 125,000 pensioners.
Will the Prime Minister make contact with the authorities in the United Arab Emirates to ask about the whereabouts of Alsadiq Abdullah, who disappeared on 23 September and has not been seen since?
I understand that the constituent to whom my hon. Friend refers is a British business man, but he has Sudanese nationality. It is a matter for the Sudanese to put pressure on that Government. I believe that that is happening, and we will support the Sudanese in anything they do.
I am happy to tell the hon. Gentleman that it was the Government who made the decision to make the Bank of England independent. I am afraid I have to remind him that that was opposed every inch of the way in the Lobby by the Conservative party. I hope that the Opposition have thought better of their ways, because that was the right decision for Britain.
I understand that the Conservative- led council is cutting services in my hon. Friend’s constituency. That is damaging to the local people. Value for money is the big test of whether services are provided in the best way for people, and from what I gather, the council in that area is not providing value for money for the local people.
Will the Prime Minister join me in congratulating our superb military on driving the Taliban out of Musa Qala after a fiercely fought operation? But does he realise that a great opportunity to win hearts and minds was lost because families and friends had to learn of details of that major and critical engagement from the media, with minimal input from the Ministry of Defence? Will he ensure that this regrettable omission does not recur in future, and that the MOD drives—
It is for the Ministry of Defence, but particularly for the commanders on the ground, to decide what is right in the particular instance of an operation that is being carried out. I understand that a lot of the information was being provided by the Taliban, who were trying to make a propaganda gain out of what was happening. I am satisfied that our commanders on the ground were doing exactly the right things by our own people, and I am only sorry that families heard about it in a roundabout way rather than directly from the reports of success.
The expansion of youth centres in our country will be a major feature of the next few years, and I believe that it is a very important contribution to the cohesion of our communities. I have to say that people who oppose the investment of £160 million in youth centres, oppose the education leaving age going up to 18, oppose the status being given to diplomas and then refuse to support education maintenance allowances are from a party that believes in opportunity for some. We believe in opportunity for all.
The police in Scotland are receiving a full pay rise, including back pay, from the—[Interruption.]
Order. Let the hon. Gentleman speak.
I will enjoy saying this again. The police in Scotland are receiving a full pay rise, including back pay, from the Scottish National party Government. Will the Prime Minister take this opportunity to congratulate First Minister Salmond on that fair decision?
No. The SNP said in its manifesto:
“we will set out plans in our first Budget for Scotland for 1000 more police”.
It did not honour its promises; there were only 500, not 1,000. The hon. Gentleman should be ashamed of his party.
We are the first Government in the world to have a Climate Change Bill that will legally require us to cut carbon emissions over a long period of time. I am proud that this Government announced that measure in the Queen’s Speech. We are also working with other countries at Bali to get an international agreement that will cut carbon emissions, lead to more renewables being used in the supply of energy and make for greater energy efficiency around the world. I appeal to all continents and all countries to join now a global agreement that will cut carbon emissions.
I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for raising that issue, and I will be very happy to meet him. It is a very important issue, and we will see what we can do together.
I applaud my hon. Friend for fighting for jobs for his constituency. Science investment will treble over a 15-year period, and that will mean that there will be more jobs in science in all the constituencies of the country. He will be pleased to note today that the employment figures say that employment in Britain is now at 29.4 million—the highest ever recorded in our history, and the result of the fact that we have a Labour Government.
I have looked into this matter and I think that the hon. Gentleman is wrong. Large numbers of pensioners will have their pension advanced to Friday, when it will be paid, as a result of representations already made, and the Post Office has assured us that the remaining number—those who get weekly pensions—will get their pensions on Monday and there will be sufficient facilities available for that pension to be paid to them on Monday. I hope that that clears up any misunderstanding. Pensions will be paid to millions of people on Friday as well as on Monday.
Elderly and disabled people and their carers in my constituency want flexible care arrangements that can give them the maximum possible dignity, and they will welcome the social care reforms announced this week. Can my right hon. Friend assure me that those reforms will continue so that those who depend on social care can have the best possible quality of life?
I applaud the work that my hon. Friend does in promoting the interests of carers and social services generally. The social budgets that are being increased will give people far more freedom to spend money in a way suitable to their needs. That is what making the big decisions about the future is all about. We will invest in social services for the future; the Conservatives will cut the budgets. They are about style, and we are about substance.