The main points from prime minister's questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday 25 April:
The main points from prime minister's questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday 25 April:
Prime Minister Tony Blair paid his respects to soldiers killed in Iraq this week.
Prime Minister Tony Blair paid his respects to soldiers killed in Iraq this week.
Tory
MP Michael Fabricant said Labour-controlled Staffordshire County Council had announced the closure of care homes. Mr Blair said the council said understood change had to happen in a "planned and controlled" way.
Conservative
leader David Cameron extended his condolences to the families of the dead soldiers.
He asked whether Mr Blair shared concerns over leaks on anti-terror operations. The prime minister said he agreed there can be "no justification".
Mr Cameron asked for a guarantee that leaks over an operation in Birmingham did not come from a minister or officials. He asked whether a "full-scale leak inquiry" was under way.
Mr Blair said if there was any evidence of leaks, he would take the "strongest possible action".
Mr Cameron said leaks could "cost lives". Mr Blair said if Mr Cameron had "evidence" of leaks he would like to hear it. The prime minister said there was "no evidence" and, If he was being "unkind", he would call that a "smear".
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell added his condolences to families of dead soldiers.
He asked why MPs should be exempt from freedom of information requests, after the government gave Parliamentary time to a private members' bill calling for such an exemption. Sir Menzies said it would seem to the public that MPs had "something to hide".
Mr Blair said Britain had "one of the most transparent systems" in the world.
Mr Cameron asked if people who had lost their pensions through private scheme collapses would get payments funded by a Treasury loan.
Mr Blair said this was not a "very suitable or correct way" of addressing the problem, as the loan would have to be paid back.
Mr Cameron said people were "desperately in need of money", but Mr Blair said loans would "have a financial consequence that we would have to meet".
Labour's John Mann asked whether solicitors would write to miners who had been overcharged for services. Mr Blair said the government had paid out more than £3bn in compensation to miners for injuries at work.
Lib Dem Adrian Saunders asked for a block on money used to relocate Dartington College, Devon. Mr Blair said he would look into it.
Tory John Randall asked whether he would commit to bringing forward a marine bill. Mr Blair said this had been part of the manifesto and would be.
Mark Lazarowicz, Labour, asked if ministers would work to prevent further damage such as that to the Firth of Forth. Mr Blair said an inquiry would help "learn the lessons".
Tory Nigel Waterson asked what would be the PM's "greatest regret" when leaving office. Mr Blair said the Tories' three election defeats in a row should be "their regret".
