PM welcomes policy review delegates to No10

Tony Blair has delivered a message to 60 members of the public helping to shape the future of public services at a Downing Street event.

Read the transcript for the film below:

Prime Minister:

Hello, I want to welcome you all to No 10 and to thank you for giving up your Saturday.

The discussions you are having today are very important, because they will provide real insights into how we continue to try to improve public services across the country.

And the regional events which you've attended over the last couple of weeks, have provided also valuable insights into how we should shape the public services for the future.

And that's what today's discussions are about.

We want you to look at our public services, consider the choices and challenges they face, and tell us what you think the best approach for the future will be.

It is about, for example, what the state should do or should leave to citizens, or how we make sure our public services provide the level of service that you would expect in the private sector or in rest of your lives.

And crucially, the sessions today will take you through the sort of choices that I, sitting in my seat, and other ministers face on a daily basis. In setting out these issues we're going to highlight the, at times competing, interests we face. Because governing is about decision-making which is about choices. And we'd like you to give your feedback on these choices to enable us to develop an even stronger set of policies in for example improving the NHS, or tackling crime, supporting our schools.

There are, I have learnt over the last ten years, usually no easy answers incidentally to these questions.

But as you are the people who use these services, every day, and pay for them through your taxes, we think that we've got a much better chance of getting the answers right if, there's some form of dialogue if we listen to what you're saying and we will listen.

I can't say we'll take forward every idea you come up with today, and there always will be difficult and hard choices to make. But I can promise that we will consider carefully what you say.

I'm going to hand back to Ben now who'll explain in more detail what's going to happen and some of the key issues that you'll be discussing.

Incidentally, don't worry, it's not an exam. There are no right or wrong answers. We simply want to hear your views.

Also to here how you think about these issues, when you consider them and look at them from the point of view of a decision-maker. How you actually think when we've got to try and make changes to make our services better, or when we've got competing priorities, how we make those decisions and make them in the correct way.

I hope, in fact, you'll find the day and the discussions enjoyable and thought-provoking.

So, thanks for coming. And, I look very much forward to hearing the results of your discussions, I will be receiving a full report and the main conclusions of the discussions that you're going to be having will be presented to the full Cabinet next Thursday.

And remember to have your photo taken on the doorstep before you leave this afternoon!

All the best.