PMQs: Swine flu and Gurkha rules
Updated on 29 April 2009
Gordon Brown confirms three more cases of swine flu in the UK and is challenged over the new immigration rules for Gurkhas by David Cameron and Nick Clegg at prime minister's questions.
Gordon Brown confirms three more cases of swine flu in the UK and is challenged over the new immigration rules for Gurkhas by David Cameron and Nick Clegg at prime minister's questions.
Brown started the session of prime minister's questions by stating that three more cases of swine flu had been confirmed in the UK, including one 12 year old girl in Torbay and two adults in London and Birmingham.
He said all three had recently travelled to Mexico and were responding well to treatment for their mild symptoms.
'Well prepared'
Conservative David Cameron started his questions by welcoming the steps taken by the Government but said:
"The prime minister said the Government is ordering more stocks of anti-virals. Currently they cover half the population. The Government has accepted it would be useful to have anti-virals not just for treatment but for prevention.
"Could he tell us the timescale for getting up to those figures and what percentage of the population would then be covered?"He also asked for a timescale on the issue of face masks.
Mr Brown said the order for anti-virals was being increased from 35 million "that we now have" to 50 million, and that "several million more" face masks were being ordered for NHS workers and would arrive over the next few days and weeks.
"We feel we are well prepared at the moment. But it is right to increase the coverage of the population," he said.
Gurkha rules 'too restrictive'
Cameron then moved on to say recent changes to the settlement rules for Gurkhas were "too restrictive" and did not honour the obligation to the soldiers or command public support.
Mr Brown said the Government had taken action to "give justice to the Gurkhas" since 1997 and insisted the new rules would help up to 4,000 Gurkhas to settle here - not the 100 claimed by critics.
He said there was a need to balance responsibilities to the Gurkhas with public finances saying: "Within the public spending restraints that we face, we are taking another big step forward."
'Moral principle at stake'
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg launched a scathing attack on the Government's position.
He accused the Prime Minister of giving "deeply, deeply evasive" answers and added: "There is a simple moral principle at stake.
"It is this: surely if someone is prepared to die for this country surely they deserve to live in this country."
