The prime minister's opening statement to the Commons liaison committee.

"Thank you, Mr Chairman, and thank you and to all your colleagues for giving me the opportunity to appear before you today.

As you rightly said a moment or two ago, it has been the custom and practice over many years for prime ministers to refuse to come before select committees, and I'm happy to reverse that practice today, at least I am at this stage!

And I will only say that I think it is a practice that, as you indicated a moment or two ago, is going to continue. Indeed, I think we have already set the date for our next meeting, or roughly the date for our next meeting in January so there's no going back on that now.

And I think it is a very good idea to do this because, as all of us know, politics comes under a great deal of attack, it's under a relentless, 24-hour media gaze and I think a session like this can help to show to the public, to the media, that all of us in parliament are trying to do our best to struggle with the issues that concern our constituents, and whatever political perspective we come from, that is our main reason for being here.

And today there is often so much focus on the issues of process and personality, that I think there is...I think we all feel that there is a danger that that's what people feel, that we as politicians always do focus upon.

It's interesting to look back on the last year, at how my own time was spent. The vast bulk of it is actually spent on pretty detailed discussion, mostly on domestic matters but not exclusively obviously, in particular the economy and public service reform. And I think the advantage of this session is that it allows us to look at those issues in detail, before the public, and perhaps in doing so to illustrate better what parliament is really for and what politicians, I say left or right, really care about.

Now, just very, very briefly, for the policy agenda of the government. I think it really splits into these areas, if I can just summarise them briefly.

The first is in relation to the economy, how we retain financial and fiscal discipline, strong growth, low inflation, low interest rates, but at the same time encourages many people off benefit and into work.

Secondly, how we produce the public services that, for the fourth largest economy in the world, we really should have and that is a programme that for the government is based around the principles of investment on the one hand, and reform on the other.

Thirdly, how we create and rebuild strong communities in which there is a sense of responsibility, in which issues like crime and anti-social behaviour are tackled properly but of which we are also trying to deal with the issues of social exclusion, of depravation and poverty, which mar still many of our communities, particularly in the inner city.

Then, fourthly, there is the issue of Europe and how we take forward our relations with Europe. That has been a key priority for this government, to get a position that we consider more constructive and gauge position for ourselves in Europe.

And finally, in relation to foreign policy as a whole, how Britain is engaged in the world, uses the tremendous strengths we have particularly in respect to our armed forces, but does so on the basis of certain key principles, which we can see I think in issues like development aid and so on.

So these are the five, if you like, main areas for us, in terms of the economy, public services, civic society, Europe, foreign policy and defence. And, I think, if I can say so in concluding my opening remarks, I think today's a good day to start this, because straight after the comprehensive spending review and so we can have a good and sensible discussion I think too about the very important statement the chancellor made yesterday.

But once again Mr chairman, many thanks to you and your colleagues for giving your time up, and I'm, as I say, delighted to be here.