Prime Minister's Questions: William Hague v Harriet Harman

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of PMQs. There's no prime minister this week, as David Cameron's at the G20 summit in Mexico. Nick Clegg's en route to an environmental summit in Rio, so Foreign Secretary William Hague stands in. So, what is likely to come up today? With the foreign secretary speaking for the government, perhaps something on the ongoing crisis in Syria? Expect Argentina's renewed posturing over the Falklands - including the country's president confronting David Cameron over the issue in Mexico - to come up.

The eurozone's problems continue to dominate global political debate and it would be surprising not to hear about it. The latest figures show unemployment is down, which the government will be keen to trumpet, but the uncertain economic future would preclude any triumphalism.

Courtesy of BBC Two's Daily Politics we will have analysis from international development minister Alan Duncan and shadow Commons leader Angela Eagle.

After PMQs, Business Secretary Vince Cable will announce his plans to reform the governance of directors' pay. Alan Duncan tells Daily Politics it is an "important step" in ensuring that success is rewarded, and failure is not.

Labour's Angela Eagle is not impressed with the coalition's efforts regarding executive pay, decrying them as "an embarrassing climbdown" from earlier rhetoric.

The government has announced that no minister will attend England's quarter-final match against Italy in Euro 2012, in Ukraine, in amid concerns over the country's human rights record. There will be an official presence if the team makes the semi-final to be held in Poland, though.

A look at the list of MPs chosen to ask questions of William Hague shows that Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes is among them, as are former Conservative cabinet minister Peter Lilley and ex-Labour minister Jim Fitzpatrick.

The Commons is about one-third full, as Scottish Secretary Michael Moore and his ministerial team answer questions.

Minister Alan Duncan says there is no "quick fix" for cutting the UK's deficit. But Labour's Angela Eagle calls on the government to create a "more balanced plan".

William Hague is in the Commons, a few minutes ahead of his grilling.

BBC deputy political editor James Landale tells Daily Politics he thinks the issues of Syria and the future of the NHS will come up, an expects a few "sparks" between William Hague and Harriet Harman.

We are off. William Hague gets a cheer as he stands up.

The DUP's William McCrea asks whether Belfast's air link to Heathrow is at risk and urges that it is maintained. Mr Hague says the government will consult on aviation policy.

Harriet Harman also gets a big cheer as she stands up. A reminder that this is the first Hague v Harman clash since March 2010.

Ms Harman asks about the situation in Burma and asks Mr Hague to express his admiration for Aung San Suu Kyi. He does so, calling her "an inspirational figure".

Mr Hague says he looks forward to welcoming Aung San Suu Kyi to Parliament tomorrow. Ms Harman says sanctions should be re-imposed unless Burma moves to the rule of law. Mr Hague promises to review progress and keep up pressure.

Ms Harman turns to the NHS. A survey shows 90% of primary care trusts are restricting access to treatment because of finances, she says. Mr Hague says such actions are "totally unacceptable" and that the criteria followed must be clinical ones.

Most civil pmqs in recent memory, so far...

Labour's deputy leader repeats her claim, asking what can be said to elderly patients waiting for hip replacements. Mr Hague says arbitrary restrictions on operations happened under Labour and adds that GPs should be going to work on Thursday, rather than striking. He invites Ms Harman to agree.

Those cheers for Hague's call on GPs to avoid striking tomorrow came very much from the Tory side

Ms Harman says she does not want the GPs to strike and attacks the government's record. She says Mr Hague took to the streets last month to protest against NHS cuts in his own constituency of Richmond, North Yorkshire. The foreign secretary says shadow health minister Diane Abbott has expressed sympathy for the GPs. He adds that what is happening in his constituency is nothing to do with health funding and reforms and offers to let Ms Harman know in more detail outside the chamber.

A big laugh for William Hague's jokes about shadow chancellor Ed Balls - he thanks Ms Harman for not having him sat next to her, suggesting that Mr Balls must be conducting another opinion poll to find out what people think of him. "We could have told him the answer for that," he says.

Ms Harman says the PM once summed up his priority in three letters "NHS". Referring to text messages revealed at the Leveson Inquiry, she said now it should be "LOL". Mr Hague says NHS services are not declining in quality.

Tweets: Hague scoring well on defending his NHS march, taunting Harman re GP strike, but didn't answer on midwife numbers.

Tory Peter Bone accuses Lib Dem cabinet members of "appalling" behaviour for not supporting Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt last week in a Commons vote. He urges a "divorce from the yellow peril". Mr Hague, who helped negotiate the coalition agreement, disagrees.

Mr Hague says growth in the British economy next year will be similar to that in the US and twice that in the eurozone and says government policy is helping.

Douglas Alexander couldn't help a little smile at Hague's jibe at Ed Balls, who is not here today, but is usually a very vocal presence

Harman's Leveson/Cameron/Brooks gag seemed to get more laughs from the Tory side than Labour side. Harriet's chief of staff/former stand-up is in the gallery.

Labour's David Hamilton says local pay in the NHS would be unfair. Mr Hague says former Labour Chancellor Gordon Brown once recommended the policy.

Lib Dem Tessa Munt says more money should be spent on radiotherapy treatment for cancer. Mr Hague says more than £150m extra is being invested to increase capacity over the next four years.

Labour's Adrian Bayley says the Regional Growth Fund is being misspent. Mr Hague says it is important that the money goes in the right direction.

Mr Hague reassures Tory Mel Stride that the government will act to tackle bovine TB. He discloses that there will be an announcement on the issue made tomorrow.

Tory co-chair Sayeeda Warsi is watching events from Members' Gallery. She has yet to come up in questions...

Labour's Fabian Hamilton urges Mr Hague to restate a commitment to the human rights of Tibetans in China, ahead of the Dalai Lama's visit. Mr Hague promises to continue to push to ensure rights are respected.

Lib Dem Simon Hughes says companies which do jobs for government departments must be stopped from avoiding tax. Mr Hague says work will be done on this.

There are a few laughs as Lib Dem Simon Hughes almost slips up and begins to refer to William Hague as 'Deputy...' stopping just before promoting the foreign secretary to the DPM role held by his Lib Dem colleague Nick Clegg

Mr Hague says benefit changes mean no-one on state benefits will get more than the average wage. Labour's Jim Fitzpatrick says people in his London constituency will suffer. The foreign secretary replies that the reforms are fair, with payments to meet rental costs of up to £21,000 a year.

Tory Simon Hart says that electrified train track should be extended to Swansea. Mr Hague says the case is being looked at.

The SNP's Angus Robertson says unemployment is down in Scotland and urges Mr Hague to congratulate the Scottish government, run by his own party. Mr Hague replies that it is down across the UK and that Scotland is part of it.

Former Tory minister Peter Lilley says too many universities are extending students' stay in the UK after they finish courses. Mr Hague agrees the system was "out of control" and is being reformed.

Mr Hague says the human rights dialogue with China is continuing, in response to a question from Independent Labour MP Denis MacShane.

Tory Christopher Chope says contributions to the EU budget should be cut. Mr Hague says the government will be better at negotiating than Labour was.

Labour's Phil Wilson says there is no case for introducing regional pay in the public sector. Mr Hague says Labour introduced it to the courts service.

Sayeeda Warsi, by the way, is the only person in the Members Gallery looking down on pmqs

A Labour MP asks how the government's web surveillance "snooper's charter" plans differ from Labour's old plans that both the Tories and Lib Dems opposed while in opposition. But Mr Hague says they are different and says the government's data scheme will help detect criminality and terrorism.

Tory David Amess says the Olympics is a chance to celebrate being British and promote the country. Mr Hague replies that it will attract millions of visitors and much inward investment.

Labour's Luciana Berger says the PM likes to "chillax" in the pub, but needs more sober relations with France. Mr Hague says all French people are welcome in London. That ends PMQs for this week.

Now it's time fo Business Secretary Vince Cable to make his statement on directors' pay.

In the Commons: Mr Cable says there is "compelling evidence" of a "disconnect" between pay and performance at big companies.

The business secretary promises that shareholders will get a binding vote on executive pay. This will happen annually unless companies decide otherwise and will take place at least once every three years.

Mr Cable says pressure will be kept up on companies over pay.

Regulations on what firms report on executive pay will be simplified, the business secretary promises.

The UK is a global leader in corporate governance, Mr Cable says, adding that change will end rewards for failure.

In the Commons: For Labour, shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna says executive pay is not linked to success or performance.

Mr Umunna says Mr Cable has performed a "U-turn" by not ensuring an annual vote, but allowing a delay of up to three years between shareholders giving their view.

Mr Umunna says the government should have insisted on a 75%, rather than majority, threshold for shareholders to approve pay packages.

In other political news, Ken Livingstone (didn't he say he wouldn't stand for election again?) has topped the election for Labour's National Executive Committee.

In the Commons Mr Umunna asks whether the vote should be "backward-looking", that is, advisory, or "forward-looking", to influence policy.

In response to Labour, Mr Cable says no binding vote on pay was introduced by them when they were in government.

The business secretary says the changes are "very radical" and urges Labour to be "gracious" in acknowledging that.

The British Chambers of Commerce gives its view on the proposals. Director-general John Longworth says: "If binding votes every three years deliver improved levels of shareholder accountability, we have no objections. But government intervention should stop there."

As the debate continues over directors' pay, it's time to conclude our PMQs text coverage for this week. The Commons live video stream will continue until the discussion on shareholder rights is over. Here is the full story on Mr Cable's proposal and the reaction to them. The full video of PMQs and the statement will be available later.