House of Commons
Parliament

Police Minister Brandon Lewis says that it's "important that we shine a spotlight on the issue" of police safety.

In response to Labour's call for better reporting of police officer assaults, the minister announces that from next year, forces will have to provide statistics about assaults on police officers as part of their general crime reporting requirement.

He also cites the increasing use of body worn cameras as something that can reduce assaults and provide "assurance to both the police and the public".

Scotland’s former First Minister, Alex Salmond, has said that the Scottish Government will publish a plan for Scotland's future in the light the EU referendum result "in the next two to three weeks".

Mr Salmond gave the "inside knowledge" during an interview on the London radio station LBC.

He revealed that current First Minister Nicola Sturgeon would outline what he called "a detailed plan for how Scotland should react in these circumstances".

Mr Salmond promised it would be "the most comprehensive approach that we've seen to date". 

He added that if Ms Sturgeon’s demands for special deal for Scotland were not met, there could be a referendum on independence in less than two years.

Select Committee
Parliament

Conservative Damian Collins suggests that while the report criticises Cabinet ministers, the prime minister and military officials, the civil service get off lightly.

Sir John rejects that accusation arguing that his report is "far from complimentary" and that "deficiencies are well exposed".

He says the inquiry was reluctant to "excoriate" particular individuals who were acting under political judgement. 

House of Lords
Parliament

Peers now turn to the Policing and Crime Bill at committee stage.

Debate begins on a group of amendments on custody and the release of people on pre-charge bail.

Liberal Democrat Baroness Harris of Richmond and Labour peer Baroness Henig have put forward an amendment to enable a police sergeant to authorise release on bail, rather than an officer of the rank of "inspector or above" as the bill specifies.

Baroness Williams of Trafford tells peers the government does not accept their argument that the bill's conditions are "disproportionate".

Select Committee
Parliament

Two of Tony Blair's most senior aides had been right to advise him not to tell US President George Bush ahead of the Iraq War 'I will be with you whatever', Sir John Chilcot has said.

Mr Blair was advised by his chief of staff, Jonathan Powell, and Britain’s then ambassador to Washington, Sir David Manning, to remove the sentence from a key memo.

Select Committee
Parliament

Former foreign secretary Robin Cook, who resigned on the eve of the Iraq war, had been "right and correctly said" that intelligence on Saddam Hussein's regime could be read in many ways, according to Sir John Chilcot.

Sir John also claimed if he had been given a significantly bigger staff at the outset of his inquiry, material submitted to it could have been processed quicker.

He felt "a continuing sense of concern for the bereaved families" over the length of the probe, but in the outcome, "they are more than satisfied, despite the length of time," he said.

Theresa May could trigger Brexit in weeks and some EU leaders could turn "vicious" in negotiations, the Irish PM warns.

The London Assembly has unanimously voted in support of permitting mixed-sex civil partnerships, which are currently only available to same-sex couples. 

The body was the first UK legislative assembly to support same-sex civil partnerships in 2000, granting couples the ability to have their relationship officially registered. 

Matt Hawkins, campaign manager for the Equal Civil Partnerships Campaign, said: "We hope that the government now does the right thing, listens to the voices of the Assembly and the London Mayor and gives mixed-sex couples the right to the financial and legal protections that a civil partnership offers."

The motion will now go to London Mayor Sadiq Khan for final approval. 

House of Lords
Parliament

Peers pass the revised "Leveson amendment" by 271 to 242, defeating the government again.

This means the bill returns to the Commons as parliamentary "ping pong" continues.

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott is introducing a Labour-led debate on police officer safety. 

Labour's motion notes 23,000 "estimated" assaults on police officers in England and Wales, but Diane Abbott says there's "no clear reliable evidence on the number of assaults on the police" because data collection on the issue is "haphazard".

She says it's "urgent" that the government begin to collect proper statistics across the country.

House of Lords
Parliament

Replying for the government, Earl Howe repeats his view that the Investigatory Powers Bill is not the right vehicle for measures on press regulation.

He does not convince Baroness Hollins to withdraw, however, and the House divides to vote.

If the UK leaves the EU, what happens on the island of Ireland? Its people would be living on either side of an EU border. In this edition of Analysis, Edward Stourton explores an aspect of the Brexit debate that few elsewhere in the UK may have thought about, but which raises urgent questions. Would there be a new opportunities, with a new version of the old Anglo-Irish special relationship? Or could a divisive border and economic harm revive dangerous tensions?

Producer: Chris Bowlby Editor: Hugh Levinson.

House of Lords
Parliament

The amendment that the House is voting on differs from the one passed on Monday, and rejected by the Commons on Tuesday.

The earlier "Leveson amendment" concerned cases brought against publishers for hacking and would have made them pay costs even if they won - if they were not members of an approved regulator.

Baroness Hollins has moved replacement amendments adding conditions to the definition of "unlawful interceptions" of communications.

These include a requirement that the interception is carried out in the UK and that "the communication is intercepted in the course of its transmission, by means of a public telecommunications system".

Select Committee
Parliament

Andrew Tyrie notes that the Attorney General is the legal adviser to the government as well as to Parliament, and also has a role at the Crown Prosecution Service. He wonders if this "trebling of the job" represents a conflict of interest.

Sir John believes that duplication of jobs doesn't automatically represent a conflict of interest.

He recalls coming across an instance of a conflict of interest in Ireland when the Attorney General was sharing a flat with someone accused of murder - "that was not a particularly easy situation".

Mr Tyrie congratulates Sir John on his Sir Humphrey-esque euphemism. 

The Electoral Commission - the body which oversees and organises elections, party registrations and referendums in the UK - has appointed a new Chair.

Sir John Holmes, currently chair of the International Rescue Committee-UK, will take over from outgoing Chair Jenny Watson at the end of 2016.

Commenting on his appointment, Sir John said: "Helping to make sure our democracy works as it should, moves with the times, and serves the interests and wishes of all the people of the United Kingdom is a huge responsibility. I look forward to working with all concerned to continue this vital task, and to build on the hard work and success of my predecessor"

Select Committee
Parliament

Conservative Sarah Wollaston asks if, during the conduct of the military campaign, Parliament should have played a greater role in holding the government to account. 

Sir John acknowledges that the role of Parliament changes in the case of "a major venture overseas" - "to get involved in day to day operations would really be impossible".

However, he believes that there should be a "constant presence of scrutiny".

House of Commons
Parliament

House of Lords
Parliament

Labour spokesman Lord Rosser says its "very odd" that the government is consulting on implementing its own "recent legislation", which already "represents the will of Parliament".

He indicates that Labour will support Baroness Hollis's amendment.