Syrian refugeespublished at 15:46 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Lords
Parliament
Lord Ashton of Hyde is now repeating an answer made by James Brokenshire to an urgent question on Syrian refugees.
Summary
MPs sat from 11.30 GMT and the day began with questions to the ministerial team at the Northern Ireland Office.
At noon, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg stood in for David Cameron at prime minister's questions.
There was an urgent question from Yvette Cooper on the resettlement of vulnerable Syrian refugees.
Then there was a statement by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan on preparing young people for the world of work: Tristram Hunt replied for Labour.
MPs then turned their attention to the Stamp Duty Land Tax Bill at second reading. After that, MPs considered Lords amendments to the Wales Bill.
Peers began their day with oral question to government ministers
Peers debated both statements made in the House of Commons as government ministers repeated them in the House of Lords.
The Modern Slavery Bill completed its committee stage in the House of Lords.
Syrian refugeespublished at 15:46 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
New peerspublished at 15:45 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Lords
ParliamentWe're getting two new hereditary peers.
Clerk of the Parliaments David Beamish announces that, following a by-election on the crossbenches, the 19th Duke of Somerset, Lord Seymour, and Lord Russell of Liverpool will be joining the House of Lords.
Welsh Politician of the Yearpublished at 15:44 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Commons
ParliamentWelsh Secretary Stephen Crabb topped the list of honours at the annual Welsh Political Awards.
Chair of the judges Dr Denis Balsom said Mr Crabb had "revitalised the political debate in Wales".
Plaid Cymru's Elfyn Llwyd was named Welsh MP of the Year, with Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams named AM of the year.
There was also a Lifetime Achievement Award for Labour peer Lord Morgan.
Size of the statepublished at 15:43 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Lords
ParliamentLabour peer Lord Clinton-Davis tells peers that both the OBR and the IFS forecast that the policy of the government is reducing the size of the state - relative to GDP - to its lowest levels since the 1930s.
He tells peers this is "utter madness" and claims it is contrary to the government's claims about the benefits Universal Credit will have for those most in need.
Work and Pensions Minister Lord Freud says that Universal Credit - which he describes as "on track" - directs funding more efficiently "to those who need support", and provides "economic benefits of £7bn every year at a investment cost of £1.8 bn".
Shadow minister respondspublished at 15:41 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Commons
ParliamentShadow Welsh secretary Owen Smith opens for Labour by congratulating his counterpart Stephen Crabb for winning Welsh Politician of the Year.
Mr Smith says Mr Crabb who once "described devolution as constitutional vandalism" is now a supporter.
He jokes that Mr Crabb "deserves to have his political footwork duly recognised".
Protect Malalapublished at 15:36 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Lords
ParliamentFormer Chief of Naval Staff, Lord West of Spithead, asks the government to confirm that Malala Yousafzai is being properly protected from the threat of "jihadists" in this country.
Baroness Northover says she can't go into detail, but confirms the government are protecting her.
Pakistan teacherspublished at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Lords
ParliamentConservative peer Baroness Berridge calls on the government to set up a scholarship for professional development of teachers or an award to teachers in Pakistan in honour of Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.
Department for International Development Minister Baroness Northover congratulates Malala Yousafzai who she calls "an extraordinary young women".
DfiD is committing significant resources to education in Pakistan, she tells peers. "The most important thing is to sustain that," she says.
More on the Wales Billpublished at 15:24 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Commons
ParliamentStephen Crabb, Secretary of State for Wales, is opening for the government.
His predecessor David Jones described the legislation as a "major milestone in Welsh devolution".
The bill would also give the Assembly greater borrowing powers, including for capital expenditure.
It also allows for a referendum on devolving some income tax.
The bill follows reports from independent commissions: the Holtham Commission and the Silk Commission.
Ukraine fearspublished at 15:24 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Lords
ParliamentCrossbench peer Lord Hylton argues that Russia's violations of the ceasefire in Ukraine, the presence of Russian military equipment and personnel in disputed areas, "the devastation of areas and the onset of winter" all make the case for strengthening the Organisation for Security and Co-operation's (OSC) mandate and personnel in the field.
Foreign Office Minster Lord Wallace of Saltaire says at the Basel meeting of the OSC last week only Belarus argued against such increases.
Wales Billpublished at 15:23 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Commons
ParliamentAnd that's it for a very brisk debate on the Stamp Duty Land Tax Bill.
MPs move on to consider Lords amendments to the Wales Bill, which is the latest in a series of adjustments to devolution in Wales.
The bill aims to introduce important new powers which expand the competence of the Assembly into financial matters.
The bill will devolve stamp duty, land tax and landfill tax.
UKIP's approachpublished at 15:23 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Lords
ParliamentFormer UKIP leader Lord Pearson says the government's opting back into EU crime and justice measures, which he describes as "ceding to the corrupt and profligate octopus in Europe", is the reasons for rising support of UKIP.
Home Office Lord Bates says UKIP's approach toward Europe would make people in the UK less safe and make the government less able to secure its borders.
"That's ideology, this is pragmatism," he says.
Losing UK law?published at 15:15 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Lords
ParliamentFormer Conservative MP and chairman of the 1922 committee, Lord Spicer, begins debate in the House of Lords by warning against what he sees as a slide towards a single EU-wide body of law, jurisdiction or court through opting in to EU crime and policing measures.
With the 35 opt ins to EU criminal law now in place and with the "powers of the European court to make law", Lord Spicer warns the UK is "in very real danger of losing the presumption of innocence, the jury system, case law and Habeas Corpus".
Home Office Minister Lord Bates says there is no move towards a so called European corpus juris, he says he recognisees the point but says the prime minister is actively fighting against such encroachment.
Minister respondspublished at 15:14 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Commons
ParliamentExchequer Secretary Priti Patel, replying for the government, says: "This has been an efficient debate."
It has certainly been quick, mainly due to no major objections to the legislation from the opposition.
'Hated' slab taxpublished at 15:10 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Commons
ParliamentConservative MP Anne Main calls for the new graduated stamp duty to apply to commercial as well as residential premises.
The existing system has often been criticised as a "slab tax".
Ms Main argues that "if the slab system is hated, it is hated", adding it has been "roundly denounced by all parties".
Land and Buildings Transaction Taxpublished at 14:58 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Commons
ParliamentFrom April next year, stamp duty in Scotland is being replaced by the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).
The new stamp duty rates will apply to Scotland until they are replaced by the Scottish government's new tax on 1 April.
The rates for LBTT in Scotland will be lower than the equivalent stamp duty in England and Wales.
Scottish purchasers will start paying tax at £135,000, whereas buyers elsewhere in the UK will pay from £125,000.
Labour supportpublished at 14:51 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Commons
ParliamentShadow Treasury minister Shabana Mahmood is opening for the opposition, indicating that Labour supports the proposed changes to stamp duty.
The new rates of stamp duty will only apply to the amount of the purchase price that falls within the duty band.
Someone buying a house for £200,000 will pay nothing on the first £125,000, and then 2% of the next £75,000.
Previously someone buying a house for £200,000 would have paid 1% on the total purchase price.
On average, someone buying a home in England and Wales will now pay £4,500 less in stamp duty.
Oral question sessionpublished at 14:43 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Lords
ParliamentBut before all that peers start the day with their daily question session with government minister's. Today's topics will include:
resisting further extensions of UK opt-ins to a European corpus juris
strengthening the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
the Nobel Peace Prize given to Malala Yousafzai for her contribution to girls' education
the roll out of Universal Credit.
Final businesspublished at 14:40 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Lords
ParliamentToday's final business will be a short debate on the report of the Communications Committee on media plurality, external led by the Committee chair, Lord Inglewood.
Main work of the daypublished at 14:39 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Lords
ParliamentToday's main legislation will be the final day of committee stage scrutiny of the Modern Slavery Bill.
The section being dealt with today covers transparency in supply chains - requiring companies selling products or services in the UK to demonstrate that they have been seeking to ensure slave labour has not been involved in their supply process.
Rules on gang-masters should also be covered.
Peers' daypublished at 14:38 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2014
House of Lords
ParliamentOur live coverage of the House of Lords is about to begin.
Today's statement by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan and the response to Yvette Cooper's urgent question will be repeated in the House of Lords to allow peers to have their say.
Government Whip Lord Ashton of Hyde will repeat Immigration Minister James Brokenshire's comments on Syrian refugees at around 15.40 GMT.
Education minister and former adviser to Michael Gove, Lord Nash, will repeat the statement on preparing young people for the world of work at 16.00 GMT.