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ePolitix.com: PMQs briefing

The eurozone, poppies and UK borders were among the issues raised by backbenchers at PMQs today. Dr Julian Huppert (Lib Dem, Cambridge) said the prime minister was right to be concerned about jobs and growth. With reference to the Adrian Beecroft report, he asked if telling 25 million workers they have no job security would boost consumer confidence. The prime minister did not deliver a direct response, saying that the government must make it easier for firms to hire people and listed a number of measures taken by the government. He said the work programme and apprenticeships were all being invested in to boost employment. Gary Streeter (Con, South West Devon) called for a message of support for the Royal Marines, due to parade in Plymouth. Cameron said the whole of the South West and UK were proud of the marines. Lindsay Roy (Lab, Glenrothes) asked if it was right for RBS to pay out bonuses to its staff this year. Cameron said he did not think it was acceptable - the government was a large shareholder in RBS and would make its thoughts known. Edward Leigh (Con, Gainsborough) called for safety for the Red Arrows, and to prevent RAF closure. Cameron said the hearts of everyone in the House went out to the family of the Red Arrows pilot who was killed at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire on Tuesday. Gordon Banks (Lab, Ochil and South Perthshire) referred to a report from a trade union on youth unemployment. He asked why the prime minister was letting young people down. Cameron said there was a “difficult situation” with young people, right across the country. He said there was record investment going into apprenticeship and called for for improvement. Peter Aldous (Con, Waveney) highlighted the need for investment in skilling people for energy jobs and called for funding for a school in his constituency. Cameron said the government was spending £15.9bn during this Parliament on school capital projects. Gregory Campbell (DUP, East Londonderry) referred to the war dead, and asked the prime minister to support the wearing of poppies and the Remembrance Day silence, to which the prime minister agreed. Andrew Selous (Con, South West Bedfordshire) called on the prime minister to back a family support project and said fewer family breakdowns would reduce the cost loaded on to the economy. Cameron said this was a vital idea. It was tragic fact that so many couples broke up after the birth of a first child due to the pressures. He said more money should be spent on trying to keep families together in Britain. Mark Durkan (SDLP, Foyle) asked about the Palestinian' bid for state recognition at the UN. Cameron said the foreign secretary would address this in his statement following PMQs. He said Britain supported a two-state solution. However, he did not believe this would be achieved simply by declarations at the UN. Tessa Munt (Lib Dem, Wells) asked if he would make it his policy to endorse the Somerset Community Foundation's 2011 Surviving Winter appeal. She asked about the campaign to encourage pensioners who did not need the winter fuel allowance to donate it to others. In response, the prime minister said he would look at the campaign. But said he would not support anything that would put pressure on people to do something that was not in their interests. Chris Leslie (Lab, Nottingham East) called on the government to publish all the documents related to the Border Agency controversy. Cameron said these matters would be considered by the inquiry. Tracey Crouch (Con, Chatham and Aylesford) called on the prime minister to condemn the Fifa decision to ban England players from wearing the remembrance poppy on their kits this weekend. The prime minister said Crouch spoke for the country. He said this was "an appalling decision and I hope they will reconsider it." "It's absolutely vital for Fifa to understand that and I think a clear message going out of this House and from this government can make them think again." Geraint Davies (Lab, Swansea West) asked why the government was removing the right to vote from people. The prime minister said the government was introducing individual voter registration, a Labour policy. He said he could understand why Davies, with 62,000 people in his constituency, was opposed to the size of constituencies being equalised. Annette Brooke (Lib Dem, Mid Dorset and North Poole) said there was growing evidence about increased abuse on park home sites across the country. She called for political will on the issue. Cameron said the government was committed to improve rights for park home residents and agreed on the need for urgent action. Hazel Blears (Lab, Salford and Eccles) referred to the Speakers parliamentary placement scheme, and paid tribute to the inspiring individuals that would not normally get the chance to work in Parliament. Cameron praised the initiative and said it allowed interns to get a real chance to see what happens in Parliament. Karen Lumley (Con, Redditch) asked about the lobbying power of trade unions, citing GMB. In response, Cameron said a serious issue had been raised, he suggested that some Labour MPs vote according to what they were told in "tired old briefs" from unions. Cathy Jamieson (lab, Kilmarnock and Loudoun) asked how high unemployment had to go before the PM accepted his employment policies were not working. Cameron said they would do all they could to help businesses employ people, including investment in the work programme and enterprise zones. Jo Johnson (Con, Orpington) asked about Italian bond yields rising above seven per cent. The prime minister said the levels were now "unsustainable" and displayed why it was important to control debts. He said: "It's a lesson for all of us to have sustainable plans to get on top of our debt and our deficits. In terms of Europe, the problems of contagion is that as we agree a decisive write-down of Greek debt, people inevitably start asking questions about other countries. "As that happens, you need to have in place the biggest possible firewall. That is what the EFSF (European Financial Stability Facility) is all about and eurozone urgently need to put flesh on the bones on the size of that firewall to stop this contagion going any further." Andrew Gwynne (Lab, Denton and Reddish) asked about the scrapping of the Future Jobs Fund and cited how youth unemployment had risen to 34 per cent in his constituency, from 20 per cent. Cameron said youth unemployment went up by 40 per cent under Labour. He added that when the government came into power, it was advised that the Future Jobs Fund was not working. Alec Shelbrooke (Con, Elmet and Rothwell) argued the poppy was not a political symbol, it displayed that we respect the sacrifice that people make for their countries. In response, Cameron said he had asked FIFA’s membership bodies including FA to take a strong line on this. He added: “We wear poppies to honour the fact that people sacrificed their lives for us." Sir Stuart Bell (Lab, Middlesborough) asked about the eurozone crisis. Cameron told the Commons that it could not be expected from countries outside the eurozone to do things that members of the eurozone were not prepared to do themselves. Bill Cash (Con, Stone) called on the prime minister to press for a treaty change in Europe. He said the UK needed "structural renegotiations" of its treaties with the EU. Cameron replied: "If there are future treaty changes, and some countries are pushing for them, we will make sure we do a good deal for Britain and protect our national interest."