Point-by-point: Question time

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The main points from prime minister's questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday 17 January:

<li>Tony Blair began the session by paying tribute to British soldiers who have been killed in the past week.

<li>Tory MP Peter Bone said NHS guarantees about waiting times were "worthless and bogus", but Prime Minister Tony Blair thanked him for offering the opportunity to outline the improvements in cutting waiting times since 1997, saying only a "handful" of people were now waiting more than six months.

<li>Labour's Keith Vaz said "racism" on Channel 4's Big Brother showed broadcasters needed to "take care" before broadcasting "prejudices". Mr Blair said he "would agree entirely" that racism in all forms needed to be fought, although he said he had not watched the programme in question so could not comment on it directly.

<li>Conservative leader David Cameron asked why Home Office minister Joan Ryan was still in her job after the row about the backlog of crimes committed overseas by Britons not added to the national police crime database. Ministers had to "show some judgement", he said, it was now clear she had received letters about the issue and ministers had to be more than a "giant franking machine". The government had to publish a letter written by the Association of Chief Police Officers about the problem, he said.

<li>Mr Blair said the new system was in place and "working well", with a backlog of cases being tackled. He said there had not previously been a proper system for police forces in Europe to share information. Referring to the letter, he said everything would be published after a current inquiry ends.

<li>Mr Cameron said the inquiry was being carried out by the "head of personnel" at the Home Office. This showed ministers were "interested in protecting themselves and not protecting the public".

<li>Mr Blair rejected that claim and said the Tories had voted against toughening up laws on terror.

<li>Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell asked about the dropping of the inquiry into allegations of bribery over an arms deal with Saudi Arabia. He urged the government to publish details of the investigation, calling the affair "squalid".

<li>Mr Blair said he had acted "in the interests of the country as a whole" and that the Liberal Democrats were "an abject lesson in the absence of leadership".

<li>Mr Blair said British troops' actions in Helmand province in Afghanistan were "quite remarkable".

<li>Mr Cameron said the government had issued guidance making it harder for head teachers to enforce school uniform policy and asked for this to be scrapped. Mr Blair said he "fully" supported head teachers' rights.

<li>Conservative MP Jeremy Wright asked Mr Blair if he had accused Chancellor Gordon Brown of being "psychologically flawed". The prime minister denied this.

<li>Labour's Ann McKechin said people in Scotland had "much more serious issues" to concern them than a referendum on independence, as demanded by the Scottish National Party. Mr Blair said the current constitutional settlement, with a UK Parliament and Scottish devolution, worked well.

<li>Fiona McTaggart, Labour, said the UK was still 18th in the international league table for skills. Mr Blair said extra investment and moving to a new system of vocational education would ensure more "focus".

<li>Labour's Charlotte Atkins asked what the government would do to protect post offices. Mr Blair said investment was being made.

<li>Tory Robert Walter said the government had not ratified an agreement on the exchange of offender details between European countries. But Mr Blair said that "for the first time" a proper system was in place.