Clegg and Willis quiz Brown at PMQ

10.09.31am GMT Fri 13th Nov 2009

• [Nov 11] Nicholas Clegg: ' . . THAT response beggars belief-they are the Prime Minister's figures. How would he feel if he was on £80 a week and the Government came along and said, "We're going to take £15 of that away"?'

I am sure that most people will recognise the genuine sincerity, as always, of the sympathy and condolence that the Prime Minister expressed on all our behalves to the family and friends of those who tragically lost their lives, not only in Afghanistan, but in previous conflicts. I, of course, add my own expressions of sympathy and condolence to the families and friends of Warrant Officer Class 1 Darren Chant, Sergeant Matthew Telford, Guardsman James Major, Acting Corporal Steven Boote and Corporal Nicholas Webster-Smith, who were killed in that terrible incident last week, and to the families and friends of Serjeant Phillip Scott, Rifleman Philip Allen and Rifleman Samuel John Bassett, who tragically lost their lives in Afghanistan this week.

How is it possible, in the middle of a recession, with unemployment at 2.5 million and rising, that this Government-a Labour Government-should be planning to change local housing allowance rules to take £15 a week from some of the poorest people in Britain?

Gordon Brown: This Government have done more to take people out of poverty than any Government, and we have taken people out of poverty by giving them tax credits and improved housing benefits. I do not believe that the figures that the right hon. Gentleman has given me are accurate. This is a Labour Government who want to help people into work and help people who are in work.

Nicholas Clegg: That response beggars belief-they are the Prime Minister's figures. How would he feel if he was on £80 a week and the Government came along and said, "We're going to take £15 of that away"? This is going to hit up to 300,000 of the poorest people in this country and it will not save the Treasury any money. It took him months to do the right thing-the U-turn-on the 10p tax rate fiasco. Will he now look at this measure, stop it, and stop it now? Will he do that-yes or no?

Gordon Brown: This is the man who talked about savage cuts in public services. What we are trying to do is to reform housing benefit in a way that helps those who are most in need. What we are also trying to do is to use our resources to help those who are unemployed get back into work. If the right hon. Gentleman is talking about proposals on housing benefit, he is talking about proposals for consultation-no decision has been made.

• . . Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough, Liberal Democrat): The Prime Minister will know that there are about 1.3 million carers, who do the most fantastic job looking after people, often 24/7. This year £50 million was allocated by the Prime Minister to support respite care, but only 10 per cent. of that has been spent. In my primary care trust area, £365,000 is available, but only £3,600 has been spent. What will he do to ensure that carers get the respite that they need and not simply another headline?

Gordon Brown: First, let me thank the 6 million carers in our country for the work that they do, often under the most extreme pressure to help and be at the side of their relatives. We are determined to do more over time to help all carers, ensuring that their pension arrangements are better and that they have the respite care that the hon. Gentleman talked about. We have set aside the money; I want to see it spent. It is a necessary means by which we can support the energy of carers, who need time off, and therefore need respite care to be available. I will ensure that I look at the facts that he has given me.

Related Link:

• Full Debate in Parliament