Clegg, Russell, Mulholland and Featherstone quiz Brown

4.49.00pm GMT Thu 13th Nov 2008

• Nicholas Clegg (Party Leader; Sheffield, Hallam, Liberal Democrat): WEEK after week, I have called on the Prime Minister to cut taxes to give help to people on low and middle incomes, . .

. . and he is now raising expectations that he will do just that, but why should anyone believe him? This is the Prime Minister who will not take responsibility for people losing their jobs, but did take credit for a bank rescue plan that he copied. This is the man who doubled the tax rate for 5 million of the poorest people in the country, and called it a tax cut. When it comes to taxes, he may pretend that he is Robin Hood, but he is no more than a petty pick-pocket. People do not need more cynical tinkering. What people need are tax cuts that are big, permanent and fair.

Gordon Brown (Prime Minister; Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath, Labour): If we had listened to the Liberal party's advice, we would be cutting public expenditure by £20 billion this year. That is not the policy that I believe it is right to follow. I hope that, on reflection, the right hon. Gentleman will support not only the recapitalisation of the banks, but the fiscal and monetary stimulus that ought to be co-ordinated worldwide, and ought not to be happening just in one single country. It is the ability of countries to work together and to co-ordinate that work worldwide that I think will be important to recovery in every country.

Nicholas Clegg: The Prime Minister can misrepresent me all he likes, but he needs to get on and represent the millions of British families who are suffering under his unfair tax system. Right now, millionaires pay less than half the tax that they should on their capital gains. Top earners get an £8 billion tax bonus on their pensions. Up to £40 billion is lost in tax avoidance every year. When will he put an end to these tax breaks, and give ordinary people big tax cuts that are simple, immediate, permanent and fair?

Gordon Brown: First, we have raised capital gains tax from 10 per cent. to 18 per cent. Secondly, we have closed tax loopholes and continue to do so in every Budget. Where they are found, we take action when it is necessary. Thirdly, I come back to the point: what sort of stimulus to the economy would it be to cut £20 billion of public spending at the moment?

. . Bob Russell (Shadow Minister, Defence; Colchester, Liberal Democrat): For almost 200 years, the Gurkhas have served in the British Army with loyalty and distinction. Last Tuesday, a Gurkha was killed in Afghanistan. Also last Tuesday, the Home Affairs Committee resolved unanimously to call on the Government to allow those Gurkhas who retired before 1997 the right to live in this country, just as those who have left the Army since 1997 can. Will the Prime Minister take the necessary action, particularly in light of a High Court judgment on this matter in September, to allow Gurkhas who retired pre-1997 to live in the UK?

Gordon Brown: The High Court judgment is being examined by the Home Secretary. There are a number of cases in which people have applied to come into the United Kingdom. Those issues are being reviewed by the Home Secretary now. We have always been clear that where there is a compelling case, soldiers and their families should be considered for settlement. However, in the light of the Court's ruling, we are now going to revise and publish new guidance in the near future. We pay tribute to the Gurkhas, who have fought for the United Kingdom for two centuries. They have serviced in conflicts throughout the world. They are operating in Iraq and continue to serve with great distinction in Afghanistan. Gurkhas who have served after 1997 have the ability to come into this country, and we are now reviewing the situation that has arisen because of the court judgment.

. . Greg Mulholland (Shadow Minister, Health; Leeds North West, Liberal Democrat): On 26 November, Terry Pratchett, who has Alzheimer's disease, and representatives from the Alzheimer's Research Trust will present a petition to No. 10 Downing street describing the Government's funding of dementia research as "appalling"-it is just 3 per cent. of the medical research budget-and asking for an increase. Will the Prime Minister meet me, Terry Pratchett and experts from the Alzheimer's Research Trust to discuss the issue?

Gordon Brown: Of course I will be happy to meet the hon. Gentleman, but I have to say that we have set aside £15 billion over the next 10 years for the priorities of medical research, which include cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. I believe that the extra, additional money that we will spend on research in the next few years will help the sufferers of that terrible disease.

. . Lynne Featherstone (Youth and Equality Spokesperson, Cross-Portfolio and Non-Portfolio Responsibilities; Hornsey & Wood Green, Liberal Democrat): I was leader of the opposition on Haringey council at the time of the Victoria Climbié tragedy, and I was told that lessons would be learned and that such a thing should never happen again. Yet it has happened again. Although I welcome the Prime Minister's announcement yesterday that Lord Laming would lead a national review of child protection services, in terms of Haringey that does not go far enough. I hear what the Prime Minister says about looking at the report, but that report will not guarantee the safety of children in my borough. I ask the Prime Minister to look at that report, but also to call for an independent public inquiry.

Gordon Brown: I am grateful for the way in which the hon. Lady has put the sets of issues that have to be addressed. The first set of issues that has to be addressed is about whether we can ensure the protection of children in all parts of the country following the Laming report after the Victoria Climbié case, and that we are determined to do. The second set of issues arises in Haringey itself, and the executive summary has already pointed to weaknesses in what is done there. The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has received the report-now the full report-this morning, and he will take as quick action on that as is necessary and look at the procedures that need to be followed in Haringey itself.