Prime Minister David Cameron has told those responsible for the recent rioting in England: "You will pay for what you have done."

In a statement to the Commons on 11 August 2011, after Parliament was recalled from its summer recess, Mr Cameron outlined a series of proposals that he said would make it easier to apprehend looters and protect innocent people from any future unrest.

Police will be given greater powers to ban face-coverings, and planning regulations hindering the installation of protective shutters on shops will be altered.

The government will examine whether new powers are needed to block people who are "plotting violence, disorder and criminality" from using social media and other communications services, telling MPs: "Free flow of information can be used for good. But it can also be used for ill."

He also said that ministers were looking into the use of dispersal powers and considering "whether any wider power of curfew is necessary".

"To the law-abiding people who play by the rules, and who are the overwhelming majority in our country, I say: the fightback has begun, we will protect you, if you've had your livelihood and property damaged, we will compensate you. We are on your side," Mr Cameron said.

"And to the lawless minority, the criminals who have taken what they can get, I say this: We will track you down, we will find you, we will charge you, we will punish you. You will pay for what you have done."

Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "Today as a House of Commons we stand shoulder to shoulder, united against the vandalism and the violence we have seen on our streets."

He added: "There can be no excuses, no justification. This behaviour has disgusted us all, it cannot be allowed to stand, we will not allow it to stand."

But Mr Miliband urged the government to reconsider police funding cuts in the wake of the riots, a call that was echoed by a series of Labour backbenchers.

The opposition leader said: "The events of the last few days have been a stark reminder to us all that police on our streets make our communities safer and make the public feel safer.

"Given the absolutely priority the public attaches to a visible and active police presence, does the prime minister understand why they would think it is not right that he goes ahead with the cuts to police numbers?

"Will he now think again on this issue?"

Mr Cameron rejected the argument, claiming that the planned funding cuts were "totally achievable without any reduction in visible policing", as a result of the reforms being introduced.