Image source, Getty Images

The BCC conference in London has kicked off with a recorded video of Prime Minister David Cameron. He says:

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative Richard Graham asks what is being done to improve broadband access in rural areas.

Minister Ed Vaizey says "broadband roll-out is going extremely well", but adds that British Telecom should "get its act together" in certain areas.

The Huffington Post

The campaign to stay in the EU has launched a new "attack ad" targeting "uncertainty" that it claims would follow a UK exit, HuffPost reports., external

BBC News Channel

BMW bosses have highlighted the benefits of EU membership, while small business owners have signed a letter backing an exit.

BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith says differences over the EU are emerging between small and large businesses.

Large businesses tend to favour remaining in, because they do a lot of trading with Europe, he says. But smaller firms are unhappy about what they see as a "torrent of regulation" from Brussels.

"I think we are seeing a clear divide in the business community between big businesses and smaller businesses when it comes to the EU."

The UK is not alone in getting worked up over a referendum. In New Zealand, it's the country's flag that is being put to the vote.

New Zealanders have until 24 March to send in a postal ballot choosing between the current flag and an alternative called Silver Fern, which won a previous vote.

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The campaign group's chief executive, Matthew Elliott, is not impressed by the French finance minister's comments:

Ben Wright
BBC political correspondent

Into the already febrile referendum debate in Britain walks France - making it clear there'll be no special treatment for the UK if it votes to leave the EU in June. Downing Street is likely to welcome this warning from Emmanuel Macron.

This annual summit will begin with a commemoration at a British war cemetery to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, but the talks between David Cameron and Francois Hollande will be framed by the UK's referendum campaign.

National security is now frequently cited by the government as a vital reason for remaining in the EU and the summit is a chance to hammer that message home. The foreign, home and defence secretaries will meet their French counterparts here too.

But Leave campaigners have said free movement rules leave Britain more exposed to a Paris-style attack.

The UK defence secretary has said Labour's divisions over the renewal of Trident could endanger thousands of Scottish jobs.

Michael Fallon told the BBC that a decision to scrap the nuclear missile system could jeopardise millions of pounds of investment in Scotland.

Scottish Labour accused the defence secretary of "aggresive politics".

MPs are expected to vote this year on whether to back government plans to renew the UK's four Trident submarines.

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Image source, Getty

UK car workers at Rolls-Royce have been sent an email from German parent company BMW, highlighting what it sees as the risks of a vote to leave the EU.

While stressing the decision is ultimately a matter for the British public, BMW highlights the "significant benefit" the company derives from the free movement of people within the EU.

Without that, it says, the employment base of the company could be affected.

Also in the news today is a warning that older and disabled people could be disproportionately affected by plans to force councils in England to sell high-value social housing.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation said the policy was likely to lead to a widespread sell-off of bungalows, which are often popular among the elderly.

It said 15,300 council-owned bungalows in England could be sold off by 2021.

But ministers say councils can decide not to sell a property if it meets "a particular need" or is hard to replace.

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Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

"Surprise surprise" says Vote Leave's Bernard Jenkin over France's comments about border checks. He dismisses Emmanuel Macron's intervention as an example of the "propaganda" being produced by foreign governments at the request of the UK.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

It's "absolute bonkers nonsense" to say a country with the UK's trading might would be excluded from EU free trade agreements if it votes to leave, Bernard Jenkin says. He says the government is "throwing the kitchen sink" at the debate with "scare stories".

Image source, AFP

The 'Treaty of Le Touquet' , externalis an agreement between France and the UK that has been in place since 2003 and governs border control arrangements and immigration.

The treaty ensures that immigration checks are carried out before passengers embark on cross-Channel services.

French border police have immigration checkpoints at Dover, while the UK has immigration checkpoints at Calais and Dunkirk. But at Calais and Dunkirk, passengers also go through French exit checks, as well as UK immigration entry checks.

In theory this stops those seeking to reach the UK from doing so without their immigration status being checked first, but this has led to the establishment of camps in Calais such as the so-called Jungle and previously, Sangatte.

How the border is policed

Image source, AFP

The French government has joined the debate about the UK's EU membership today, with a warning from finance minister Emmanuel Macron that France could end UK border controls in Calais and allow migrants to cross the Channel unchecked if there is a vote to leave on June 23.

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Matthew Price looks at how EU regulation affects our lives by considering the mobile phone.

French President Francois Hollande says he wants the UK to remain in the EU - and says leaving will have an impact on immigration control.

Older and disabled people could be disproportionately affected by government plans to force councils to sell high value social housing, campaigners say.

A look at the main stories this Wednesday, which saw the weekly Commons clash between David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn at Prime Minister's Questions.

• Mr Corbyn accused the PM of breaking his promise to give families in England 30 hours free childcare a week, but Mr Cameron said "significant progress" had been made
• A government analysis of the UK's options if it left the EU suggests they would all be worse for the economy than staying in - but leave campaigners said the "dodgy dossier" was misleading
• Ex-M&S boss Lord Rose, who heads the pro-EU Britain Stronger In Europe campaign, was accused of a "scandalous misuse of data" as he appeared before the Treasury Committee - but he accused chairman Andrew Tyrie of "calling my reputation into question"
• People in Scotland's four highest council tax bands are to pay more under new Scottish government proposals
• Delays in subsidies being paid to farmers in England have been blamed on a "childish turf war" in Whitehall

House of Lords
Parliament

Peers agree to the European Union Referendum (Date of Referendum etc.) Regulations 2016, external, confirming that the EU referendum will officially take place on 23 June.

And with that business in the Houses of Parliament is brought to a close.

Peers will return at 11am tomorrow, where the main business will be the Housing and Planning Bill.