Select Committee
Parliament

Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns asks witnesses for their views on gathering resources from outside the civil service to assist in the Brexit process. 

Sir Simon Fraser that there would be a potential issue of "fairness of renumeration" if other people are brought in from outside. 

"This could affect morale," he adds. 

The former Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office says that people in business don't yet feel "they are getting coordinated and united position" from within the civil service.

Select Committee
Parliament

The committee is undertaking an inquiry into process of negotiating the UK's exit from the European Union.

The experts giving evidence this morning are: 

• Dr Hannah White, Director of Research, Institute for Government

• Sir Simon Fraser, Former Permanent Under-secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Professor Catherine Barnard, Professor of European Union Law and the Jean Monnet Chair of EU Law, University of Cambridge  

BBC Radio 5 live

BBC Radio 5 live has been given exclusive access to the bowels of the Houses of Parliament, to find out what urgent repairs are needed.

MPs and peers have warned the Palace of Westminster risks "crisis" without a £4bn restoration.

It would take up to 6 years and would force MPs and peers to relocate.

Select Committee
Parliament

Last month, Labour MP Hillary Benn was elected to chair the new super-committee. In addition to Mr Benn, the MPs appointed were:

• Alistair Burt (Con)
• Alistair Carmichael (LibDem)
• Maria Caulfield (Con)
• Joanna Cherry (SNP
• Mark Durkan (SDLP)
• Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru)
• Michael Gove (Con)
• Peter Grant (SNP)
• Andrea Jenkyns (Con)
• Jeremy Lefroy (Con)
• Peter Lilley (Con)
• Karl McCartney (Con)
• Pat McFadden (Lab)
• Craig Mackinlay (Con)
• Seema Malhotra (Lab)
• Dominic Raab (Con)
• Emma Reynolds (Lab)
• Stephen Timms (Lab)
• John Whittingdale (Con)
• Sammy Wilson (DUP)

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, Reuters

Welcome to a new day at Westminster.

We're kicking off this morning with a brand new committee.

Following the EU referendum result, the Exiting the EU committee was appointed to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the newly formed Department for Exiting the European Union. 

The UK voted to leave the EU by 52% to 48% at a referendum held on 23 June 2016. 

Today will be the committee's first public evidence session. 

Image source, Reuters

Barratt Developments has said that there remains "strong demand" for new homes, although the London market is cooling.

In a trading update, external, Barratt, one of the UK's biggest housebuilders, said sales since July had risen by 4.3%.

But the company said the London housing market was "more challenging" because of the higher selling prices.

The news comes on the day that a report said first-time buyers need more help to stop a decline in home ownership.

Read more...

Image source, Reuters

Oxford Dictionaries has declared "post-truth" as its 2016 international word of the year, reflecting what it called a "highly-charged" political 12 months.

It is defined as an adjective relating to circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than emotional appeals.

Its selection follows June's Brexit vote and the US presidential election.

Oxford Dictionaries' Casper Grathwohl said post-truth could become "one of the defining words of our time".

Read more...

Image source, Thinkstock

Nearly half of UK adults believe where people end up in life is mainly down to their background and parentage, a survey has suggested.

Fewer than a third (29%) of people questioned by the Social Mobility Commission think the UK is a country where everyone can succeed through talent and hard work.

One-third of those surveyed said they could not save any money each month.

Commission head Alan Milburn warned of an "us and them", "corrosive" society.

Read more...

Image source, PA

Boris Johnson is offering Britain a vision of life outside the EU that is "intellectually impossible", a leading European finance minister has said.

The foreign secretary reportedly told a Czech paper the UK was likely to leave the EU customs union post-Brexit - but still wanted to trade freely after.

However, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the Dutch finance minister, said such an option "doesn't exist" and was "impossible".

Number 10 said a decision on membership of the customs union had not been made.

Read more...

• The Dutch finance minister says Boris Johnson's vision for a post-Brexit Britain is "impossible".
• Oxford Dictionaries declare "post-truth" as its 2016 international word of the year.
• The National Infrastructure Commission calls for major new east-west transport links to be established along the Cambridge - Milton Keynes - Oxford corridor.
• Shadow chancellor John McDonnell will be sworn into the privy council by the Queen.
• MPs say the RSPCA should be stripped of its powers to routinely prosecute animal welfare cases.
• Plus all the updates from PMQs and today's business in parliament. 

Ten candidates will contest a by-election prompted by the resignation of Conservative Stephen Phillips.