House of Commons
Parliament

Lib Dem Tom Brake rises to make a point of order, and asks if the prime minister will be coming to the House to give an update on the UK's current military action in Syria.

The Speaker assures Mr Brake that the "news of his point of order" will "wing its way" to the prime minister, and suggests that he may use the parliamentary "weapons" available to further his point.

The Ministry of Defence is to be censured over the deaths of three soldiers on an SAS training exercise in the Brecon Beacons in 2013, the Health and Safety Executive has  said.

Just as we approach the 2016 referendum on Britain's membership of the EU with the polling industry in disarray, following its car crash in 2015, so were the polls in the 1975 European referendum burdened with past failures.

In the 1970 general election, all bar one had predicted the wrong result and their performance in the two 1974 general elections was charitably described as "unhappy".

Why then should we be interested in the latest poll conducted by NatCen and published in the British Social Attitudes (BSA) series, external? The answer is that here we are dealing with the quality end of polling.

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David Cameron is quizzed by Jeremy Corbyn over a delay in fulfilling a manifesto pledge, eith the Labour leader claiming the promised allotment of tax-free child care has not been delivered for one in three children.

The prime minister said some of the delay was down to a court case. He added that there would be pilots later this year, and thanked Mr Corbyn for "helping me to promote government policy".

Image source, PA

People in Scotland's four highest council tax bands are to pay more under new Scottish government proposals.

The plans would see the average band E household pay about £2 per week more, and the average household in the highest band about £10 a week more.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the move would raise £100m a year for education.

The council tax freeze will also end in 2017, with councils then able to increase the tax by up to 3% a year.

More here

David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn on election pledges and delivery of tax-free child care claims.

Image source, EPA

The European Commission has announced an emergency aid programme to help countries in Europe cope with the migrant crisis. The plan would see EU funds normally used for overseas emergencies spent in Europe instead.

Commenting on the news, Kirsty McNeill, from Save The Children, said:

The prime minister jokes about Labour appointing a former Greek finance minister.

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

This week's PMQs saw David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn clash over the government's promise to give families in England 30 hours of free childcare a week.

Conservative MP Graham Brady says the government has made "solid progress" in this area despite the "difficult" economic times.

But Labour's Jon Ashworth says the PM has broken his promise, saying the initiative was meant to be implemented in autumn 2015 but now won't begin until 2017.

The prime minister jokes about Labour appointing a former Greek finance minister as an economic advisor, claiming Yanis Varoufakis left his own nation's "economy in ruins".

But Jeremy Corbyn did not see the funny side, saying the line was "not much help" as he pressed David Cameron over claims about 41,000 children not being given the free care they were promised by the government.

BBC deputy editor political James Landale, Conservative Matt Hancock and Labour's Ian Murray review the questions and answers between David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn.

They looked at the exchanges on education, and lack of interrogation from the Labour leader to the prime minister about the UK's future in, or out, of the EU.

The panel spoke to Andrew Neil and Jo Coburn on the Daily Politics, and also heard a range of thoughts from viewers.

House of Commons
Parliament

International Development Secretary Justine Greening says "a situation of humanitarian concern is unfolding in Greece".

She says the UK is providing nearly £55m to the Mediterranean migration crisis response.

She adds that the government is "monitoring the situation closely".

Close to 24,000 migrants in Greece are in need of housing. Some 8,500 of them are stuck in worsening conditions on the Greece-Macedonia border.

Read more here.

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

Conservative MP Graham Brady says the EU's freedom of movement "which can't be changed, may have worked in the beginning “but clearly it is not working now”.

Discussing the government's report, published today, warning about the implications of an EU exit, Mr Brady doesn’t think there’s "any doubt" the UK would secure a much better trading arrangement with the EU than Norway or Switzerland, if it left, as it has a much bigger economy.

"We should be negotiating best arrangement for Britain" and "we are in a very strong position to do that”, he says.

"I’m not sure I have the same confidence that Graham has," adds Labour MP Jon Ashworth, prompting Mr Brady to say he should be "more ambitious".

Mr Ashworth says he's "pretty content" with the EU reform deal David Cameron has negotiated with the EU.

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

For the first time, the EU has announced that it's going to spend money to deal with a humanitarian crisis inside the EU - the latest illustration of the impact the migrant crisis has made.

Graham Brady, Conservative MP for Altrincham and Sale West, says it's "entirely proper" to look at what can be done to help Greece, which is at the forefront of the crisis.

Labour shadow cabinet member Jon Ashworth welcomes the initiative, saying it demonstrates the “strength” of collaborating on an EU-basis to respond to a humanitarian crisis. “It reinforces the case for staying in the EU,” he argues.

House of Commons
Parliament

The SNP's Stuart McDonald asks for a statement on the emerging humanitarian crisis in Greece. 

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative Robert Jenrick says "affordability should definitely be a part of any review into our pension system".

Iain Duncan Smith agrees, and accuses Labour of making commitments they cannot meet.

Reality Check

Image source, HM Government

The government has now published its paper on alternatives to EU membership, external.

It is set out in much the same way as the earlier Reality Check on the subject. It divides the options up into three possibilities: the Norway model, negotiated bilateral agreements (such as Switzerland) and the World Trade Organisation option.

It expresses particular concern about the capacity of bilateral agreements to give the UK's dominant service sector access to European markets.

The section on bilateral agreements looks at the examples of Switzerland, Turkey and Canada, concluding that none would be suitable for the UK and also casting doubt on whether other EU countries would be prepared to extend a deal such as Switzerland's to the UK, quoting the Council of the EU describing it in 2010 as "complex and unwieldy".

Unsurprisingly, the government paper concludes that none of the available options would be as favourable as staying in the EU.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Tom Blenkinsop asks if the pension age will take occupation into account, as some jobs are associated with lower life expectancies than others

Iain Duncan Smith says that is "within the scope" of the review, and encourages Mr Blenkinsop to raise it.