The main points from prime minister's questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 16 May, from 1200 BST:
The main points from prime minister's questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 16 May:
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, standing in for Tony Blair who is in America, said MPs' thoughts were with the family of missing child Madelaine McCann.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, standing in for Tony Blair who is in America, said MPs' thoughts were with the family of missing child Madelaine McCann.
Richard Spring, for the Conservatives asked about the Millennium Dome, quoting Mr Prescott, who said at the time "if we can't get this right we can't do anything".
Richard Spring, for the Conservatives, asked about the Millennium Dome, quoting Mr Prescott, who said at the time "if we can't get this right we can't do anything".
Mr Prescott said Labour had inherited a "terrible Tory mess" with the Dome but, he added, "98%" of the people who visited it liked it.
Mr Prescott said Labour had inherited a "terrible Tory mess" with the Dome but, he added, "98%" of the people who visited it liked it.
William Hague, standing in for Conservative leader David Cameron, agreed with what Mr Prescott had said about the McCann family.
William Hague, standing in for Conservative leader David Cameron, agreed with what Mr Prescott had said about the McCann family.
Mr Hague said Mr Prescott would be "missed" by the Tories and "wished him well in his retirement" after 37 yeas in the Commons. He asked if the government would apologise for mistakes made over the computer system for junior doctors' jobs.
Mr Hague said Mr Prescott would be "missed" by the Tories and "wished him well in his retirement" after 37 yeas in the Commons. He asked if the government would apologise for mistakes made over the computer system for junior doctors' jobs.
Mr Prescott said he was not leaving the Commons but said it was nice to hear he would be missed. He said he would not be "whingeing on the backbenches" when he retired from the frontbench "as I hear some of my colleagues doing from time to time".
Mr Prescott said he was not leaving the Commons but said it was nice to hear he would be missed. He said he would not be "whingeing on the backbenches" when he retired from the frontbench "as I hear some of my colleagues doing from time to time".
Mr Prescott hailed Labour's record on employment and help for pensioners, compared with the previous Tory government, adding "can I say I am the longest serving deputy prime minister" and had seen off five Tory counterparts.
Mr Prescott hailed Labour's record on employment and help for pensioners, compared with the previous Tory government, adding "can I say I am the longest serving deputy prime minister" and had seen off five Tory counterparts.
Mr Hague said his question had been about junior doctors. He asked who was responsible in government for the "fiasco" of the online recruitment system.
Mr Hague said his question had been about junior doctors. He asked who was responsible in government for the "fiasco" of the online recruitment system.
After a pause, Mr Prescott said: "Tories". He said Labour had to increase the number of medical students when they came in.
After a pause, Mr Prescott said: "Tories". He said Labour had to increase the number of medical students when they came in.
Mr Hague said money was being wasted because junior doctors trained in the UK were having to seek work in Australia and elsewhere.
Mr Hague said money was being wasted because junior doctors trained in the UK were having to seek work in Australia and elsewhere.
Mr Hague said it was "no good" Mr Prescott blaming someone else. He said another mistake was the "looming fiasco" on home information packs (HIPs).
Mr Hague said it was "no good" Mr Prescott blaming someone else. He said another mistake was the "looming fiasco" on home information packs (HIPs).
Mr Prescott said home information packs highlighted Tory hypocrisy, because even though they would help the environment the Tories would be voting against them.
Mr Prescott said home information packs highlighted Tory hypocrisy, because even though they would help the environment the Tories would be voting against them.
Mr Hague asked whether Chancellor Gordon Brown would be taking part in the home information packs debate later. "He is never around when there is bad news," said Mr Hague. He asked why Mr Brown would not listen to experts who said HIPs would harm the housing market.
Mr Hague asked whether Chancellor Gordon Brown would be taking part in the home information packs debate later. "He is never around when there is bad news," said Mr Hague. He asked why Mr Brown would not listen to experts who said HIPs would harm the housing market.
Mr Prescott said the government was trying to help people with houses to buy and sell, in the face of "vested interests".
Mr Prescott said the government was trying to help people with houses to buy and sell, in the face of "vested interests".
Mr Hague said it showed Mr Brown could not "be the change" people wanted and it was time for a general election.
Mr Hague said it showed Mr Brown could not "be the change" people wanted and it was time for a general election.
Mr Prescott said Mr Brown had been responsible for "an awful lot" of the government's polices and helped Labour win three elections.
Mr Prescott said Mr Brown had been responsible for "an awful lot" of the government's polices and helped Labour win three elections.
Speaker Michael Martin stepped in to stop Mr Prescott criticising what he said was a Tory "u-turn" on grammar schools, saying: "Even the deputy prime minister has gone a bit too far."
Speaker Michael Martin stepped in to stop Mr Prescott criticising what he said was a Tory "u-turn" on grammar schools, saying: "Even the deputy prime minister has gone a bit too far."
Vincent Cable, standing in for Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell, asked what had happened to the government's pledge to create 100,000 "new environmental jobs".
Vincent Cable, standing in for Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell, added his support for the McCann family. He asked what had happened to the government's pledge, at last year's party conference, to create 100,000 "new environmental jobs".
Mr Prescott praised the government's record on the environment and accused Mr Cable of "making a bid for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats," referring to a poll in the Times newspaper saying party members wanted a new leader. He said it was perhaps time to hand over to a younger leader, before congratulating Mr Cable on his 64th birthday.
Mr Prescott said there had been a "major investment" in low carbon technology and there was new investment and jobs on the way.
Asked
by Conservative MP Stephen Dorrell about his constituents the McCann family, saying what had happened to them was "every parent's worst nightmare," Mr Prescott said everything possible was being done to support the Portugese police. He said he would be meeting the relatives later.
Mr
Cable accused the government of "trying to imitate" the "empty" rhetoric of Tory leader David Cameron on the environment and asked why it made sense to build new eco-towns but not give VAT relief to the "25m householders who want to improve the energy efficiency" of their homes.
Mark
Francois, Conservative, Rayleigh. asked about the chancellor's "re-announced" plans to build 100,000 eco homes by 2015, saying the chancellor's "great guru" had admitted no such homes had so far been built by Labour.
Mr
Prescott again praised the government's record on the environment, saying there was now more building on brownfield sites, and accused Mr Cable of "making a bid for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats," referring to a poll in the Times newspaper saying party members wanted a new leader. He said it was perhaps time to hand over to a younger leader with more "vitality", before congratulating Mr Cable on his 64th birthday.
Conservative MP Stephen Dorrell asked about his constituents, the McCann family, saying what had happened to them was "every parent's worst nightmare,"
Mr Prescott said everything possible was being done to support the Portugese police. He said he would be meeting the McCann's relatives later.
Mark Francois, Conservative, Rayleigh. asked about the chancellor's "re-announced" plans to build 100,000 eco homes by 2015, saying Mr Brown's "great guru" Ed Balls had admitted no such homes had so far been built by Labour.
Mr Prescott said "thousands" of new homes had been built to low carbon standards and the chancellor had been referring to low cost homes.
Mr Prescott said "thousands" of new homes had been built to low carbon standards and the chancellor had been referring to low cost homes.
Asked about criticism by former defence secretary Geoff Hoon of US vice-president Dick Cheney's role in the run up to the Iraq war, Mr Prescott said the first time he met Mr Cheney was on 11 September 2001, via a video link, saying he was "in a cave somewhere under security control". Mr Precott said he recalled saying he did not think Bin Laden "would have been under the same conditions", but said he did not want to go down the route of criticising Mr Cheney.
Asked about criticism by former defence secretary Geoff Hoon of US vice-president Dick Cheney's role in the run up to the Iraq war, Mr Prescott said the first time he met Mr Cheney was on 11 September 2001, via a video link, saying he was "in a cave somewhere under security control".
Mr Prescott said he recalled saying he did not think Bin Laden "would have been under the same conditions", but said he did not be "joining that brigade" of those criticising Mr Cheney.
