The main points from prime minister's questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday 28 March:
The main points from prime minister's questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday 28 March:
Prime minister Tony Blair said there were no firm proposals for cutting accident and emergency services in Ilford, North London, in answer to a question from local MP Lee Scott.
Prime minister Tony Blair said there were no firm proposals for cutting accident and emergency services in Ilford, North London, in answer to a question from local MP Lee Scott.
Labour MP George Howarth congratulated Mr Blair - and all parties in Northern Ireland - for the power sharing deal.
Labour MP George Howarth congratulated Mr Blair - and all parties in Northern Ireland - for the power sharing deal.
Conservative leader David Cameron also congratulated Mr Blair and all parties in Northern Ireland for bringing negotiations to a successful conclusion.
Conservative leader David Cameron also congratulated Mr Blair and all parties in Northern Ireland for bringing negotiations to a successful conclusion.
Mr Cameron used his first questions to ask Mr Blair about the 15 serviceman being held hostage by Iran.
Mr Cameron used his first questions to ask Mr Blair about the 15 British sailors being held hostage by Iran.
Mr Blair said their capture was "utterly without foundation" and he said it was "time to ratchet up democratic and international pressure in order to make sure the Iranian government understands their total isolation in this matter".
Mr Blair said their capture was "utterly without foundation" and he said it was "time to ratchet up democratic and international pressure in order to make sure the Iranian government understands their total isolation in this matter".
He said there was no doubt the personnel were in Iraqi territorial waters when they were captured and were operating under a UN mandate.
He said there was no doubt the personnel were in Iraqi territorial waters when they were captured and were operating under a UN mandate.
Mr Blair said the personnel had only been "doing their job", and the Government would engage with international partners in Nato and the UN to ensure a "sensible" solution.
Mr Blair said the personnel had only been "doing their job", and the Government would engage with international partners in Nato and the UN to ensure a "sensible" solution.
He said he had spoken to the Turkish premier, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel would be making a statement on behalf of the EU this afternoon making clear that the situation was "completely unacceptable".
He said he had spoken to the Turkish premier, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel would be making a statement on behalf of the EU this afternoon making clear that the situation was "completely unacceptable".
Mr Cameron asked if the "rules of engagement" had been clear to the sailors.
Mr Cameron asked if the "rules of engagement" had been clear to the sailors.
Mr Blair said he believed they took the right decision not to engage in military action, as it would have put a lot of lives at risk.
Mr Blair said the personnel had acted "entirely sensibly" in not resisting capture, as if they had it would "undoubtedly" have resulted in "severe loss of life". mf
He said those "who patrol those waters believe the rules of engagement to be right".
He said those "who patrol those waters believe the rules of engagement to be right".
Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell backed calls for the release of the service people held captive in Iran.
Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell backed calls for the release of the sailors held captive in Iran.
Sir Menzies asked why relative child poverty had this week gone up.
Sir Menzies asked why relative child poverty had this week gone up.
Mr Blair said over the past 10 years poor families "have seen their real incomes rise in percentage terms by more than top people".
Mr Blair said over the past 10 years poor families "have seen their real incomes rise in percentage terms by more than top people".
Sir Menzies said last week's Budget meant people earning less than £18,000 a year would pay more income tax.
Sir Menzies said last week's Budget meant people earning less than £18,000 a year who did not qualify for tax credits, would pay more income tax. "Is that fair?," he asked Mr Blair.
Mr
Blair said measures announced by the chancellor meant 200,000 children would be lifted out of poverty.
The
prime minister urged people to "look at it in the round" and insisted that tax measures taken by the Chancellor since 1997 had lifted hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty. He said measures announced by the chancellor meant 200,000 children would be lifted out of poverty.
Conservative MP Stuart Jackson asked about parliamentary standards commissioner Sir Alistair Graham, who said Mr Blair had damaged trust in politics, asking if Mr Blair was "qualified" to advise his successor on drawing up a new ministerial code.
Mr Blair said: "I completely disagree with Sir Alistair Graham. He is entitled to his opinion and I am entitled to mine".
Mr Cameron used his second set of questions to ask why Chancellor Gordon Brown had put up taxes on small businesses, accusing the government of "punishing" them.
Mr Cameron used his second set of questions to ask why Chancellor Gordon Brown had put up taxes on small businesses, accusing the government of "punishing" them.
Mr Blair said the budget as a whole had been good for business, with the headline rate of corporation tax going down to 28p.
Mr Blair said the budget as a whole had been good for business, with the headline rate of corporation tax going down to 28p.
"Instead of the pointless search for the environment secretary's backbone," a reference to pressure on David Miliband to challenge the chancellor for the Labour leadership, Mr Cameron asked why Mr Blair did not use his fina cut tax on small businesses.
"Instead of the pointless search for the environment secretary's backbone," a reference to pressure on David Miliband to challenge the chancellor for the Labour leadership, Mr Cameron asked why Mr Blair did not use his final weeks in office to help small business.
Mr Blair hailed Mr Brown's record as chancellor.
Mr Blair hailed Mr Brown's record as chancellor.
Continues
Asked
by Labour MP David Taylor to comment on the Pope's call for the EU not to lose touch with its Christian routes, Mr Blair said: "I don't think the Pope needs me as a spokesman."
DUP MP William Macrae asked if there could be lasting peace in Northern Ireland without the dismantling of the IRA army council.
Mr Blair said the Independent Monitoring Commission have a further report coming but had said the IRA was adhering to its commitment to end violence.
SNP leader Alex Salmond asked about Mr Blair's criticisms of Sir George Mathieson, former chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland, who donated cash to the SNP.
"Can the prime minister tell me, what is the more self-indulgent, someone who speaks up for Scottish independence as being good for the Scottish economy and society, or is it someone who proffers vast loans in the hope of buying a seat in the House of Lords?".
Mr Blair denied criticising Sir George as a businessman, but "I did criticise his view on independence, which I am entitled to do". He said Scotland was benefiting from the union - its economy was stronger and unemployment was below the UK average for the "first time in a generation".
He accused the SNP of wanting to "tear Scotland out of the UK".
Mr Salmond was ordered to listen to the prime minister by Speaker Michael Martin.
Mr Blair said the polls showed Labour faced a "real fight" and he looked forward to debating the issues with Mr Salmond as polling day approached.
