Here are some of the key exchanges.

The prime minister admitted he had had "something of a Damascene conversion" in deciding to attend the session despite turning down earlier invitations.

He was asked about his power base in Westminster having centralised much of government from Westminster.

Chris Mullin MP: Do you remember the last election? Tony Blair: Yes, I can truthfully say that I do

Mr Blair said he made no apology for that approach.

"If you go back in politics, I think prime ministers fall into two categories - those that are considered to have a strong centre are accused of being dictatorial, and those that are not are seen as being weak.

"You pays your money, you takes your choice.

"I make no apology for having a strong centre, though."

'Stock takes'

Tory Sir George Young said the checks on government were not working, with a weak parliament and Cabinet, with special advisers retaining too much power.

Prime minister's question time is an excellent way of holding the prime minister to account but if we are all absolutely honest about it, it is 80% theatre as well

Tony Blair

Mr Blair said he did not accept that the system of Cabinet government had been weakened.

He said he held regular "bilateral stock takes" with ministers, adding: "I think the system of Cabinet government is alive and well."

Writ

He said: "There are very practical reasons why the centre has been strengthened. I have a hunch that most prime ministers would want to keep that strengthened centre."

Mr Blair insisted his Downing Street staff amounted to that of Irish premier Bertie Ahern and were outnumbered by that of French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

He added: "I can't believe there is a single prime minister ... who hasn't wanted the prime minister's writ to run.

"I can't believe there is a prime minister sitting in Downing Street saying 'Let them just get on with it'.

"The prime minister, in the end, the buck stops with you and that is how it should be."

Special advisers

On special advisers and their role in government, Mr Blair said they had a part to play.

You are living proof that the political machine has its limits

Tony Blair to Tory MP Nicholas Winterton

"Their role is sometimes a bit misunderstood," he said. "The idea that they determine policy of the government would not be recognised by any Cabinet minister even if you were talking to them off the record."

Edward Leigh asked if Mr Blair would open up the accounts for the prime minister's office.

Mr Blair said: "I am prepared to do what we have always done."

Asked by Tony Wright why he had strengthened the Downing Street machine, Mr Blair said one reason was that his office received a huge number of letters from the public.

Control

Mr Wright said: "You haven't extended the centre so that you can deal with letters."

If public services don't improve by the next election, people will hold us heavily to account

Tony Blair

The prime minister was asked about public services and whether the government was taking too much control.

He said: "At the beginning we were driving a lot from the centre. We need to start getting out from the centre, particularly where you have a successful school, hospital or local authority.

"There is a balance that needs to got right here."

On apathy with politics, Mr Blair said: "We have got to think of the ways we can bring the real political debate before the eyes of the public.

Discourse

"If people have a clear idea of what parliament was doing they would see a far greater connection between their concerns and what MPs were debating.

"It is a not a fault of this particular government. In terms of accountability we have been every bit as assiduous as previous governments."

"I think it has to do with this disconnection between political discourse and the public.

"I think we have got to think of the ways we can bring the real political debate before the eyes of the public.

"If what people see is a political discourse which takes place solely in terms of process and personality and not policy I think they do become disconnected over time."

Trick

Labour former minister Chris Mullin, chairman of the Commons home affairs select committee, asked Mr Blair: "Do you remember the last election?"

Mr Blair replied, bemused: "Yes, I think I can truthfully say I do.

"It's one of those questions that you ask me and I think there must be a trick in there somewhere. I do yes, I do remember it."

Mr Mullin tried again: "Presumably you had a sneaking feeling that you might win?"

Mr Blair retorted: "It was possible. It was always possible, yeah."

Public services

Mr Blair said the government's policy on public service reform had been "paying dividends, but it takes a long time to turn around a failing public service".

He said: "If public services don't improve by the next election, people will hold us heavily to account."

"It is really only the last couple of years money has really started to come to the front line.

"I think you will find in the coming couple of years that people do recognise considerable improvements on the ground.

"Sure, there is a great deal to do but I think it would be a mistake to say nothing has happened."

On education, Mr Blair said "there is a challenge for us to do more there", including increasing staff in schools.

Herbalists

Mr Blair, whose wife Cherie has been pictured wearing jewellery supposedly linked to alternative medicine, was asked whether the NHS should make more use of herbalists and acupuncturists.

"I have to say we (the government) didn't devote an enormous amount of time to it but it is a perfectly serious issue," Mr Blair said.

"There are a lot of people who want to use alternative herbal medicines but I'm not sure what the answer is. I'm not sure we would gain a lot by trying to bring it in-house as it were."