Clegg, George, Reid and Sanders quiz Brown

• NICHOLAS Clegg (Party Leader; Sheffield, Hallam, Liberal Democrat) : ' . . What will he do now for them, this winter?' . . '

Let me add my own expressions of sympathy and condolence to the family and friends of Trooper James Munday and aid worker Gayle Williams, who in their very different ways were serving this country and serving the people of Afghanistan.

The public have seen that the Prime Minister delivered his multi-billion pound bail-out package for the bankers only once the banks were on the edge of collapse, so they are now asking themselves how bad it needs to get before he delivers a bail-out package for them. Yesterday we heard the energy companies saying that they will be handing down price cuts next year at the earliest, yet this winter four out of five single pensioners will be living in pensioner poverty, and the measures that he outlined in answer to the earlier question will be too late for them. What will he do now for them, this winter?

Gordon Brown (Prime Minister; Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath, Labour) : First, let me correct the right hon. Gentleman. We have been putting liquidity into the banking system for months. We have put £100 billion and more into the banking system to ensure that our banks can continue to be in existence. The recapitalisation of the banks was to strengthen them, so that they could face all sorts of difficulties ahead, and at the same time restart lending. So I have to correct him on that; he is wrong on that issue.

On helping pensioners this winter, the right hon. Gentleman knows, of course, that the pension is more than £30 a week, but let me point out to him that we are helping pensioners this winter by the rise in the winter allowance that will come to people very soon, by the help that we are giving with the social tariff, which also helps many pensioners, by encouraging pensioners to use the direct debit system to keep their bills low, and by all the measures that we are taking on insulation and central heating to give pensioners the best chance of saving energy or saving costs from the use of energy. We are trying to do all these things; I hope that we will have all-party support for them.

Nicholas Clegg (Party Leader; Sheffield, Hallam, Liberal Democrat) : I asked the Prime Minister about fuel poverty and he gave me a wholly different answer. The answer shows that this Prime Minister- [Interruption.] He is all at sea- [Interruption.]-if not in a luxury yacht, like some prominent members of the Opposition. [Interruption.]

Michael Martin (Speaker) : Order. Please allow the right hon. Gentleman to be heard. [Interruption.] Order.

Nicholas Clegg (Party Leader; Sheffield, Hallam, Liberal Democrat) : Let me make a specific suggestion about something that the Prime Minister could do now. At the moment, we all pay more for the energy that we use first-our early energy units-and less for the rest. That hits families on low and middle incomes, who use less energy, very hard indeed. Will he commit today to reversing that unfair system-turning it on its head so that those who use less energy pay lower prices? It makes environmental sense, it makes common sense and it is something that he could do now, to help people this winter. Will he do that-yes or no?

Gordon Brown (Prime Minister; Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath, Labour) : I am happy to look at any constructive suggestion that has been put about how we can help people through these difficult winter months. We have also raised the payment that would be paid to people if there should be severe weather during these months. But I think the right hon. Gentleman's protestations about what ought to be done would be better heard if he had not committed his party at his conference to £20 billion-worth of cuts in public expenditure.

Andrew George (St Ives, Liberal Democrat) : If the Prime Minister really plans to build and spend his way out of the looming recession, will he assure the House that he will ensure that those who have sacrificed the most, such as working families who struggle and pay their taxes-some of which are used to bail out those who have accrued the most, yet often avoid paying theirs-like thousands of families in my area who have no housing or very poor housing, receive reward and support as he builds and spends?

Gordon Brown (Prime Minister; Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath, Labour) : Twenty-two million people are receiving a tax cut of £120, which is being paid to them over the next few months. I understand what the hon. Gentleman says about home owners and housing. We will deliver 50,000 homes a year for social rent and increase housing supply in the social sector.

Alan Reid (Shadow Minister, Scottish and Northern Ireland Affairs; Argyll & Bute, Liberal Democrat) : The Vestas factory just outside Campbeltown that produces towers for wind farms is threatened with closure, which would mean the loss of over 90 jobs. Given that the Government's 2020 renewables targets require a tenfold increase in renewable energy generation, and given the absolutely devastating effect that the loss of all those jobs would have on a small community such as Campbeltown, will the Prime Minister intervene and do all that he can to save the jobs at the Campbeltown factory?

Gordon Brown (Prime Minister; Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath, Labour) : I am aware of the case. The factory announced that it would cease production in Machrihanish, near Campbeltown. It was Scotland's only wind turbine tower factory. The company is investing in another plant on the Isle of Wight, but the problem is due to the factory losing money. I understand that the Scottish Administration's Highlands and Islands Enterprise met the company and those who are trying to find other potential occupants of the site. I will endeavour to find out what I can do to help in this instance.

Adrian Sanders (Deputy Chief Whips, Whips (Commons); Torbay, Liberal Democrat) : For over a decade, the Government have given the people of the south-west warm words about their water charges, which are the highest in the country. Ofwat has just published a prediction of further rises to water and sewerage costs by 2016. Those rises are not only above the inflation rate, but above the average for all water companies. When will the people of the south-west get action, rather than sympathetic words?

Gordon Brown (Prime Minister; Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath, Labour) : I have met Members of Parliament from the area to talk about the issues and to see what could be done, but I have to say to them, after 10 years of Labour Government, that the south-west enjoys higher employment, higher standards of living and better public services as a result of a Labour Government.