The main points from prime minister's questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday 18 April:
The main points from prime minister's questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday 18 April:
Prime Minister Tony Blair started by sending condolences to the family and friends of the service personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan over the Easter period. He said all had shown "heroism, dedication and professional commitment to this country".
Prime
Minister Tony Blair started by sending condolences to the family and friends of the service personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan over the Easter period. He said all had shown "heroism, dedication and professional commitment to this country".
Tory MP Angela Watkinson asked Mr Blair about his 10-year drug strategy, saying 13-19 years committed one third of crime and asked that the "disastrous decision" to downgrade cannabis be reversed.
Tory
MP Angela Watkinson asked Mr Blair about his 10-year drug strategy, saying 13-19 years committed one third of crime and asked that the "disastrous decision" to downgrade cannabis be reversed.
Mr Blair said progress had been made on drugs policy but there was much more to do. He said drug misuse was down and said they had doubled the amount of money for drug treatment.
Mr
Blair said progress had been made on drugs policy but there was much more to do. He said drug misuse was down and said they had doubled the amount of money for drug treatment.
Labour MP Joan Humble asked about the decision not to site a super-casino in Blackpool and asked that it be located in an area where the regeneration impact would be maximised.
Labour MP Joan Humble asked about the decision not to site a super-casino in Blackpool and asked that it be located in an area where the regeneration impact would be maximised.
Mr Blair said he understood concerns and said the government would consult carefully and come back with proposals after 3 May. But he said in a world where there was online betting, that when casinos could bring much-need private investment into areas like Manchester and Blackpool.
Mr Blair said he understood concerns and said the government would consult carefully and come back with proposals after 3 May. But he said in a world where there was online betting, that when casinos could bring much-need private investment into areas like Manchester and Blackpool.
David Cameron also paid tribute to the service personnel killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
David
Cameron also paid tribute to the service personnel killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
He asked about the 125,000 people whose occupational pension schemes had collapsed. He said he was asking in a "genuinely cross party way" for the prime minister to look at amendments to the Pension Bill that would give victims more compensation.
He
asked about the 125,000 people whose occupational pension schemes had collapsed. He said he was asking in a "genuinely cross party way" for the prime minister to look at amendments to the Pension Bill that would give victims more compensation.
Mr Blair said there was no help scheme in place under the previous Conservative government and Labour had listened to concerns.
Mr
Blair said there was no help scheme in place under the previous Conservative government and Labour had listened to concerns.
He said the chancellor had upped the scheme to £8bn, but said he did not know if they could afford to make a further commitment, but it would be looked into in a review. He said it was not responsible to make the commitment at this stage.
He
said the chancellor had upped the scheme to £8bn, but said he did not know if they could afford to make a further commitment, but it would be looked into in a review. He said it was not responsible to make the commitment at this stage.
Mr Cameron said the Budget changes did not help people who had already reached retirement age - some were dying and would not get their money. He said: "Only about 1,000 people have been helped. The financial assistance scheme isn't working." He said the government had to act now.
Mr
Cameron said the Budget changes did not help people who had already reached retirement age - some were dying and would not get their money. He said: "Only about 1,000 people have been helped. The financial assistance scheme isn't working." He said the government had to act now.
Mr Blair said new proposals, the pension protection fund had been introduced to help people but they could not guarantee any additional payment until the review was published. He said it was important not to be left with a financial commitment that the government could not be sure it could meet.
Mr
Blair said new proposals, the pension protection fund had been introduced to help people but they could not guarantee any additional payment until the review was published. He said it was important not to be left with a financial commitment that the government could not be sure it could meet.
Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell also expressed condolences about the deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He asked why nurses in England and Wales are not getting their full pay increases upfront, as they were threatening to strike.
Mr Blair said it was not popular to introduce the pay awards in stages but it was necessary and it would amount to an average 4% increase for nurses. He said there had been a huge real-term increase in the pay for nurses over the past 10 years.
Sir Menzies said the government had lost the confidence of health care workers and their patients.
Mr Blair said the government had avoided a winter crisis in the NHS the past few years because of extra investment and extra capacity. He said the patient was getting a better deal in the NHS today.
Mr Cameron asked about who should be prime minister when Mr Blair stands down asking the prime minister to explicitly endorse the chancellor.
Mr Blair replied that he would make his statement at the time he decided to stand down, but he said Mr Brown had given the Tory frontbench a "drubbing" in Tuesday's occupational pensions debate.
Mr Cameron asked why he had not turned up to vote in the debate and asked why he could not repeat a previous comment backing Mr Blair.
Mr Blair said on serious policies, Labour had the serious questions and serious answers and Mr Cameron was "not at the races".
Mr Cameron accused the chancellor of being impossible to work with and asked Mr Blair what he thought was wrong with Mr Brown.
Mr Blair replied: "Let me tell you what's right with him". He said he had delivered the strongest economic growth, low interest rates, rising living standards and said Mr Cameron had only delivered "a big part in Black Wednesday" - a reference to Mr Cameron's role as a political adviser in 1992.
