ePolitix.com briefing: PMQs

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ePolitix.com reports on the exchanges during this week's session of questions to the prime minister.

Andrew Selous (Con, South West Bedfordshire) argued that "knowledge and expertise" from specialist hospitals was not being passed onto district hospitals. He asked the prime minister to meet with representatives of specialist hospitals to try to tackle the issue.

Gordon Brown agreed to the meeting. But he noted that improvements in specialised hospitals require investment, adding that shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley had said that the Conservatives want a 10 per cent reduction in public expenditure.

Sir Gerald Kaufman (Lab, Manchester Gorton) urged the prime minister to maintain funding for public services and reject Conservative proposals for a 10 per cent cut in spending. He described this as a "return to worst days of Thatcherism".

Brown replied that Andrew Lansley had announced plans for a 10 per cent cut across all departments. The choice is now between government investment and Tory cuts, he repeated.

Eric Illsley (Lab, Barnsley Central) said that he was worried about the condition of a further education college in his constituency. He said that the Learning and Skills Council and its 'building for the future' programme was not helping his local college.

Brown replied that £300m extra has been put into further education colleges by government. He added that there was little investment in further education under the Conservatives before 1997.

Sir Robert Smith (Lib Dems, West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) warned that pensioners and others who rely on their savings are "suffering" from low interest payments.

"In all areas, we have got to look at what we can afford at different times," Brown explained. Labour has "done a great deal" for those on pensions credit, he argued, and one million pensioners have come out of poverty because of the government actions.

Shona McIsaac (Lab, Cleethorpes) spoke of a "multi-billion investment" in her constituency. She inquired what more ministers could do to help economic development in her community.

Many more would be unemployed if the policy of the Conservative Party was followed, Brown said. "The only way of making a better future is to invest in the future," he added.

Mark Lancaster (Con, Milton Keynes North East) inquired what the prime minister has achieved "in the real world" that helps him lead.

The premier responded that the public want government to "clean up their politics" and to help the country through the recession. "I believe we have the experience to do that," he said.

Virendra Sharma (Lab, Ealing Southall) asked Brown for reassurance that he would not implement Tory plans for the NHS and its future budgets.

This is the day when the shadow health secretary admitted that the Conservatives plan 10 per cent cuts in the NHS, the prime minister agreed. This has shown that "the choice was between investment under Labour and massive cuts under the Conservative Party", he argued.

Nigel Evans (Con, Ribble Valley) spoke on the need for action to eliminate superbugs in hospitals and deaths from C.difficile.

Labour have introduced new rules for nurses, new rules on cleanliness and brought in more matrons, Brown said, adding that he was "determined" to take further action.

Parmjit Dhanda (Lab, Gloucester) said there was anger in the financial services sector that people were being made redundant despite government investment.

More than 200,000 people finding new jobs each month because of government action, Brown said.

Mark Harper (Con, Forest of Dean) accused the prime minister of making cuts to regional development agencies, despite promising to support them before the local elections.

Thousands of people are being offered help them through the recession, the prime minister said. He claimed that now the Tories had revealed their policy of public spending cuts and he inquired how many people in key public services will lose their jobs as a result of such policies.

David Hamilton (Lab, Midlothian) paid tribute following the death of Lawrence Daly, a former leader of the National Union of Mineworkers.

"Lawrence Daly was a friend of mine," the prime minister replied. He fought for miners' safety and compensation and deserves "wholesale gratitude".