Live webchat with David Cameron - this Thursday 19th, 1.45 pm

[JustineMumsnet]

Hello all - David Cameron is coming on to Mumsnet to answer your questions this Thursday at 1.45-2.45. Please post advance questions here if you can't make it on Thursday. (And please read our Webchat guidelines above before posting ie only one question each). Many thanks.

I'd like to second andagain's excellent post. (Hope that means you could ask David Cameron both questions... )

crosses fingers

As I asked for Gordon but didn't get asked, my question involves rural economy which spans everything for jobs, support, housing, farming, cost of petrol etc. Please can you ask this as there is a nimber of us who live in rural communities and you didn't represent us with GB.

Sorry but wouldn't you just love Paxman to ask our questions, not just him but all politions so they can't weasle out of giving answers. You know he will.

I fully expect the 'Well, we can't answer that until we are in power' answer a lot of the time.

VeryLittleHopeThatAnyQuestionsWillBeAnsweredAtAllTiggaxx

Hello Mr Cameron

In the Conservative plans for health visiting there are plans to vastly increase health visitor numbers by using money currently allocated to pay for outreach workers within childrens centres.

Can I just say that I think this is a mistake. Often the "hardest to reach" families engage with outreach workers in a way they cannot and will not with health visitors or others who they see as being in some position of authority over them.

How will the Conservatives plug the gap left by these outreach workers who do such valuable work?

Hi Mr Cameron, I don't think bankers bonuses have been asked yet. Apologies if they have.

What do you think of the proposed Tobin tax, a one off tax on banks and bankers profits.

I think this is a great idea. An absolutely win win tax. A vote winner for sure!

Could the proceeds of the windfall tax be used to help our poorest youngest memeber of society, via Sure Start centres perhaps.
It is the poorest, youngest members of todays society that are going to be most affected in the future by the huge bank bail out so this would go (some way) to address the grotesque profits and bonses bankers are currently making as a direct result of taxpayer support.

Would you agree?

Best Wishes

May I be cheeky and repeat the question I asked the prime minister:

Just wondering how much of a priority you place on supporting and encouraging breastfeeding? We know if a child is breastfed it reduces their chances of heart disease in adulthood yet campaigns such as 'change4life' make no mention of breastfeeding.

The national breastfeeding support infrastructure (eg national helpline) is currently held together by volunteers. In large parts of the country a mother is unable to receive face-to-face support from someone qualified to offer it. Midwives and health visitors may have had as little as six hours' training. So many mothers and babies are being let down. Government infant feeding survey revealed 90% of mothers who gave up in the first two weeks wished they could have continued further

Damn! I need to ask another question - blame mollythetortoise.

I work for a bank, if I work hard, hit my targets and excell at my job I get a bonus. That bonus has nothing whatsoever to do with taking risks as i don't work in a part of the bank that has anything to do with that. (I work in merchant services we look after credit card machines in shops.) When you saber rattle about bankers bonus' do you mean mine? Without my bonus I'd be on a very poor wage indeed. Are you actually threatening all bonus' or just some? If you aim to pick which bonus you threaten just how are you going to do that?

BTW the bank I work for has not had a 'bail' out from the government.

YesIKnowI'mGreedyButINeedToAskThisAsWellTiggaxx

I'd like to say that the reason I think The Sun's unfair, rather mean outing of the letter backfired was because people are quite tired of the whole playground bickering, point-scoring mentality of politics. They see through it. And it seems a silly way to conduct business on important matters such as foreign policy or the environment or domestic policy - these things matter! - and it's quite alienating.

Do you have any thoughts of how to change this culture if you were Prime Minister? Is it generated by the media, or do politicians actually think like this too - all that baying in the commons and point-scoring etc. It's a turn off.

David
Do you think that it was a mistake that Britain did not join the Eurozone in 2002?

What do you think of the comment that due to Britain being isolated in Euroland that the financial crisis hit Britain harder?

Where do you stand on introducing the Euro to Britain?

By the way, I live in Europe so am happy that the pound is so low against the Euro at the moment.

That should obviously be "I live in mainland Europe". I am aware that Britain is part of Europe

Can I just mention I am NOT against counter staff or branch staff or lower paid staff in banks getting bonuses.

I am quite sure they are deserved and fair and in any case are often in lieu of (the better option) of higher pay as they are non consolidated etc.

I am talking about the massive bonuses awarded to the wealthy elite of bankers that work for the casino side of banks.

And ALL banks have benefited from the bail out whether directly or indirectly.

thanks

(oh because you see I thought Baroness Warsi was BRILLIANT on that QT with the awful BNP man - she said by far the most insightful, relevant, honest things on immigration I've heard in a long time, and it was almost because they were all (quite rightly) united against him that a proper, interesting discussion could prosper rather than it being some one upmanship show.)

David

As a parent of 2 children with additional needs I watched you on the program "When a mothers love is not enough" and I have to say I was pleased to see someone with your stature being so open about Ivan's life, an obviously painful and personal matter. It was good to see that someone lie yourself understood the problems we endure on a daily basis.

I would like to know how you would change the system? would you bring in the passport system you talked about?

I'll try on a GB failed question...

Dear David

Please can you explain what you feel about VAT being paid on certain medical devices both by individuals and by the NHS. My personal experience here is on cochlear implants, something that is essential for my deaf daughter to hear.

I do hope we get "straight answers" rather than the "politians' response"

Should the passport system come in, please could you ensure it covers allkids who get DLA_ and not just those who meet SSD defintions.I am sick of being beaten by an aggressive Aapergers child, being up all night to ensure he cannot endanget other siblings, being housebound when no second adult available because of the behaviours, monitoring every mouthful of food so he can't lose any mroe weight (hides food rather than eat), replacing furniture almost weekly (and uniformmore than that) and yet unable to get any help at all. Another drop in services might just be the Too Much level in all truth (and yes a bit tired from another bad night, sorry).

I have a 'more severe' autistic child who will need lifetime care guaranteed and I know which child is mroe demanding- and yet everyone tells me I am worng and that ds1 doesn't need help. He does, but also importantly I do as well. I get carers, he gets HR DLA........ yet not a day off ever (actually DH and I will be going out this weekend for the first time in 3 years. Amazing).

Do you and your party see winning the next election and inheriting the economic disaster caused by brown and co as a re run of last time?And if so what will be the first and no doubt unpopular step in rebuilding the balance books?

Dear Mr Cameron,

I would like to know why, as a military wife with a special needs child, one under assessment and one in hip splints and whose husband has served twice in Iraq, and due to go to Afghanistan for 7 months, that we get zero support due to Autism "not being a disability". We have spent the last of our savings and time and energy pursuing formal complaints with Social Services/Education/Health and all we get are apologies, but still no support. My son doesn't even qualify for a paediatrician in Oxfordshire despite being on the spectrum and also having severe dyspraxia. Is this any way to treat a family who spends months apart due to serving their country, it is a DISGRACE. When will carers get the support they need? and our children get their needs met ?

Dear David
I note that it is your policy to repatriate European law relaing to employment rights. What is your policy towards equal pay law and maternity rights? Do you intend to dilute these rights when they are repatriated?

Dear Mr Cameron

My husband is a university lecturer at a Russell Group institution. Although many of his students are bright, a significant number require what can only be termed "remedial teaching" regarding how to construct a basic sentence. For example, some have apparently never been told that sentences start with a capital letter and end in a full stop. Others cannot discern the difference between "was" and "were". Their grammar can be so poor that the meaning of their sentences is incomprehensible.

These students have all obtained three or more A grade A levels.

It would not be so bad but for the fact that the overseas students (from both the EU and Asia) have better English - as a second or third language - than the home students.

What will you do to remedy the evident deficiencies in the education/examination system?

Today I received a letter from our local wheelchair services, we can have a buggy that will enable us to take our disabled daughter (3) out and about in a much more comfortable way than we currently do, great news! Only thing is, there is a waiting list, quite a long one. We waited a year for portage only to be told that we would get 6 months worth as here they stop at 3 years of age due to lack of staff/funding/high demand. It's become a very common trend for us, having to constantly wait for different services as they are so overstretched. What will a conservative government be doing to improve the wait for essential services that our disabled children so desperately need?

thanks

Madamimadam thank you! I'd settle for a decent answer to either of them to be honest. Fingers crossed indeed!

Hello!
Given that research has repeatedly shown that more equal societies are happier societies (research I know you're familiar with as you quoted it in an interview not long ago), why do you reject the idea? Do you (and I am genuinely curious about this) think that the Tory party rejects the more-equal goal because its members' privileged background prejudices it against these ideas? If you have some sound reason for rejecting the goal of a more equal society as a route to a happier (less 'broken') society, what is it?

BTW: I work in the voluntary sector, have done for years. We can't replace the state. Only part of our society is broken. I believe we could fix it, but it would take a LOT of money, well spent. See www.hcz.com Will you raise the taxes necessary to do the job?

Mr Cameron
Please can you look at the system for starting school in Scotland. It seems so much fairer on children born at the end of the school year than the system we have in England.

Although compulsary school starting age in Engand & Wales is 5 years, parents of summer born children are forced to start their children at age 4. Yes, they can exercise their right to keep their children at home or in nursery until age 5, but their children will be deprived of starting school in reception and be forced straight into Y1. Whilst many 4 year old children can cope with reception, there are some (in particular prem born children and those with a developmental delay) who are just not ready.

Please can your party introduce flexibility into the system and take into account the fact that all children are different. If they can do this in Scotland, and in many other countries, then I am sure we could manage it.