House of Commons
Parliament

The urgent question comes to an end, and the Minister for London Gavin Barwell gets to his feet to make a statement on the tram crash in Croydon.

Mr Barwell tells MPs that "initial indications" suggest the tram was travelling at higher speed than permitted. However he says the professionals need time to do "a thorough job".

Mr Barwell is making the statement as the Minsiter for London, but he also the MP for the area.

He describes the last few days as "the toughest in my six and a half years in this House". 

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP Maria Caulfield believes Labour's objections to the government's policy are "strange" given, she argues, that their government introduced the same changes to the private sector in 2008.

She asks if the government believes there should be equality for tenants in the private and public rented sector.

Damian Green says he agrees and suggests that, given the opposition benches "tried to shout her down", her question "hit the mark". 

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow secretary Debbie Abrahams says the Supreme Court "clearly stated" that "the bedroom tax is discriminatory".

She asks Damian Green if he accepts the ruling and how quickly will the government inform those families affected by the court's decision.

Mr Green assures MPs that "of course" he accepts the judgement and that his department will take steps "as soon as we practically can".

He takes issue with his opposite number's description of government policy, arguing that "it patently isn't unlawful" as the court supported the government in five of the seven cases considered.

House of Commons
Parliament

Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green begins by defending the government's policy towards what it calls the under-occupancy charge.

He says the changes have saved £1.5bn of taxpayers' money and that the number of people affected by the charge is decreasing. 

He argues that local authorities are best placed to understand the needs of residents, adding that the government has provided £1bn for councils to ensure that vulnerable claimants "don't lose out".

He notes that the courts found in the government's favour in five out of the seven cases that were brought forward.

In the two cases where the court ruled against the government, Mr Green assures MPs that his department would take steps to rectify the situation. 

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow work and pensions secretary Debbie Abrahams now asks her urgent question on last week's Supreme Court ruling on the government's changes to housing benefit, known to critics as the "bedroom tax". 

On Wednesday the court ruled that the government changes to housing benefit discriminated against two claimants – a  woman with spina bifida and a couple who look after their disabled grandson.

However the court rejected the claims of five other people had similar challenges.

Concerning the two cases where the court ruled against the government, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said it would be taking steps to rectify the situation in due course.  

Image source, PA

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP and chair of the Education Select Committee Neil Carmichael asks what steps the government is taking to improve the financial management and accountability of academies - particularly those he says were established "in haste".

Education Secretary Justine Greening replies that the government is ensuring there is more transparency in academy financing. 

The government does not want to create a new department to care for veteran service personnel, a minister has said.

Defence Veterans Minister Mark Lancaster told the Victoria Derbyshire programme government as a whole should be responsible for veteran care.

He said the government would continue working in partnership with charities.

Brenda Hale, whose husband was killed in Afghanistan, says there should "absolutely" be a dedicated department for care of veterans and families.

Read more...

Image source, BCH POLICE DOGS

MPs are set to debate changing the legal status of police dogs and horses to give them greater protections when they're attacked. 

The Westminster Hall debate at 16:30 GMT is the result of an online petition, external that received over 120,000 signatures. 

The petition was set up after Hertfordshire police dog Finn and his handler PC Dave Wardell were stabbed while pursuing a suspect. 

Read more: Dog stabbing: Government says laws do not need changing

House of Commons
Parliament

A question comes up about tackling bullying in schools.

The shadow education secretary Angela Rayner says that after the EU referendum, teachers reported a rise in racist bullying in schools and "now we are seeing the same thing" after the election of Donald Trump. 

She asks the minister to condemn such bullying and the "hateful, divisive rhetoric" of some politicians. 

Minister Edward Timpson does not mention Donald Trump, but says the government condemns bullying "in all its forms". 

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Roberta Blackman-Woods notes that the Department for Education does not have representatives on any of the EU exit committees. 

She asks what assurances the government can give higher education institutes on recruiting students, sustaining funding and being represented in Brexit negotiations. 

Minister Jo Johnson replies that the government has "continuity funding arrangements" in place for when the UK leaves the EU. He adds that EU students will still have access to student loans.

The SNP's Philippa Whitford says 15% of Scottish academics are EU nationals. She asks the minister to guarantee that EU staff will be able to stay in the UK after Brexit "before we lose any more talent".

Jo Johnson seeks to assure her that the Prime Minister will guarantee the status of EU nationals, provided "reciprocal guarantees" are made by remaining EU states. 

Image source, @nigel_farage/twitter

First Minister Carwyn Jones has attacked UKIP interim leader Nigel Farage's decision to go to the US to meet Donald Trump.

Mr Farage met the president-elect at Trump Tower on Saturday.

Mr Jones said the MEP should have been at UK Remembrance Sunday events rather than "on a jolly", calling him a "grinning poppy-less popinjay in a gold lift".

A UKIP spokesman described Mr Jones's comments as "look-at-me vapourings."

Read more...

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Dan Jarvis asks why the government doesn't have a dedicated plan to reduce child poverty.

He tells MPs that the Institute for Fiscal Studies has projected that child poverty will increase by 50% over the course of this parliament. 

Justine Greening responds that the best way to help children out of poverty is a strong economy and strong productivity.

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP Andrew Stephenson asks about the long-term funding for maintained nursery schools.

Education Minister Caroline Dineage says the government wants maintained nursery schools to be sustainable, and that they have been given £55m in supplementary funding for the next two years.

Mr Stephenson asks if the government will extend this funding beyond two years.

The minister says she will say more on this funding shortly.

Another Conservative MP, Heidi Allen, says further information "cannot come soon enough", adding that vulnerable children need a "secure future."

House of Commons
Parliament

...and Labour's Tristram Hunt asks what the government is doing about the "disturbing" collapse in the number of librarians.

He suggests that Ofsted should make libraries part of its inspection criteria for schools. 

Education Secretary Justine Greening tells MPs that the government has provided the resources to improve literacy.

She adds that they have also protected schools' core budget, but that it is up to schools how they spend that money. 

House of Commons
Parliament

The day kicks off shortly at 2:30pm, with questions to the Education Secretary, Justine Greening, and her ministerial team. 

There will then be an urgent question on last week's Supreme Court ruling on the government's changes to housing benefit, known to critics as the "bedroom tax". 

This will be followed by a ministerial statement on last Wednesday's tram crash in Croydon. 

The rest of the day will be taken up with the second reading of the Technical and Further Education Bill. 

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

UKIP's Nigel Farage should have a role in the UK government's efforts to build its relationship with US president-elect Donald Trump, says a former minister. 

Conservative MP Sir Gerald Howarth said he was not suggesting a formal role for Mr Farage but the UK needed to establish close connections with Mr Trump by whatever means possible.