Summary

  • Urgent question on Capita shares collapse

  • Commons debate on baby leave for MPs

  • Commons debate on hospital car parking charges

  • Questions to Brexit ministers

  1. Put party allegiances aside - former Commons Speakerpublished at 10:58 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness BoothroydImage source, HoL

    "I admit at the outset, that the referendum result was a very bad, sad day for me," says Crossbench peer and former Speaker of the House of Commons, Baroness Boothroyd.

    She says that during the referendum she wrote an article in a national newspaper asking Remain to campaign with "greater vigour, but it had little effect, and we lost".

    The win for the "other side" has caused confusion, inside the government, in industry and commerce, in the City of London, in the European Community and the wider world, she adds.

    She says that the role of the Lords should be to "scrutinise, amend, and if needs be reject parts of this bill, and to use the entire arsenal of our powers and prerogatives to limit the damage that threatens the sovereignty of Parliament and the national interest".

    She calls for partisan allegiances to be "put aside," because "nothing less than the nation's future is now at stake".

  2. Lord Adonis tweets...published at 10:49 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2018

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post

  3. 'Road to hell is paved with good intentions' - Lib Dem peerpublished at 10:43 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness FeatherstoneImage source, HoL

    Liberal Democrat former government minister Baroness Featherstone says that her contribution "is more like 'Just A Minute', there's no hesitation, but there's definitely quite a lot of repetition and a certain amount of deviation".

    She says that she "would like to believe the government" on retaining workers' rights and environmental protections after Brexit.

    "I almost believe they have good intentions, but you know what they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions", she adds.

    "There is a governance gap in terms of environmental standards," she says, referring to UK laws and EU laws on the environment. She adds that the government "must enshrine" EU environmental principles after the UK leaves the EU.

  4. 'The political leadership failed to make the case for Europe'published at 10:34 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord LiddleImage source, HoL

    Labour's Lord Liddle says that "the political leadership failed to make the case for Europe", arguing that if the case had been made effectively, the referendum would not have been necessary.

    He offers an explanation as to why Leave voters from his area voted Leave.

    "Their grievances have for too long been allowed to fester and it's the seeds of anti-immigration populism, that were sown for the unscrupulous to exploit."

    He criticises Theresa May, saying that "the only basis on which the Prime Minister can unite her party is pursuing a Brexit that knows not where it leads".

    "The only question before us, is how big the Brexit damage will actually be," he adds.

  5. Conservative peer has three areas of concernpublished at 10:31 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness ByfordImage source, HoL

    Conservative peer Baroness Byford kicks off day two of the debate this morning, saying that the bill is necessary, but this doesn't leave her "without concern".

    She asks the government how they intend to deal with the 800-1,000 statutory instruments which she says will be necessary to deal with EU law.

    She outlines three areas which concern her: the role of Parliament and Henry VIII powers: devolution: and timetabling to ensure proper scrutiny.

  6. Wednesday in the Lordspublished at 10:09 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    House of LordsImage source, HoL

    It's a busy day in the Commons from 11.30 this morning, but it's another earlier-than-usual start for the House of Lords, which is continuing debate at second reading of the EU Withdrawal Bill today.

    Peers are now in place to continue their way through a record-breaking list of speakers.

    The bill, which will also end the supremacy of EU law in the UK, has already cleared the Commons, but peers could now try to change it.

    197 peers signed up to speak in the debate, more than any other debate ever hosted in the chamber.

    The previous record was set by the EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill - the bill which allowed the Prime Minister to trigger Article 50, which had 187.

    Before that, the record was set by the House of Lords Bill in 1999, which had 182.

  7. First day of the EU Withdrawal Bill in the Lordspublished at 22:39 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    It was an earlier start than usual for the House of Lords to make time for the first wave of the 195 peers who wish to speak in the second reading debate on the EU Withdrawal Bill.

    Labour's Lord Adonis moved his motion at the start of the day, "regretting" that people will not be able to vote on the final Brexit deal.

    He said: "The final say should rest with the people once they see the terms proposed by the government."

    Later a former Brexit Minister, the Conservative peer Lord Bridges, warned that the UK could not "just muddle through" Brexit, saying there were "conflicting, confusing voices".

    Meanwhile in the Commons, a current Brexit Minister, Steve Baker, was answering questions about a leaked document suggesting that Brexit, whatever deal is struck, would have a negative economic impact on the UK.

    Mr Baker said the paper was not "anywhere near" being approved by ministers and required "significant further work". Labour called for the immediate publication of the documents.

    We'll be back tomorrow for day two of the EU Withdrawal Bill in the Lords.

  8. Lords adjournspublished at 22:36 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    The House of Lords adjourns after an epic first day of debate on the EU Withdrawal Bill.

    Peers pick up where they left off from 10am on Wednesday, as the second reading debate resumes.

  9. Duke of Wellington says MPs 'expect' the Lords to amend the billpublished at 22:35 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Duke of Wellington

    Conservative peer the Duke of Wellington says the EU Withdrawal Bill "should be supported" but the House should "make some changes".

    He is the ninth holder of the title first bestowed on Arthur Wellesley, who led his forces to victory at Waterloo in 1815 and later served as prime minister.

    He rejects the suggestion that amending the bill amounts to attempting to block Brexit, arguing that the Commons probably expects the Lords to amend it.

    He argues that many in Parliament "do wish to see control pass back from Brussels to London... but surely to Parliament, not to government ministers".

    The Duke of Wellington says he is "minded" to support amendments to "restrict" ministers' powers under the bill.

    He also thinks that the date of Brexit should be removed from the bill.

    During consideration of the bill in the Commons, MPs voted in favour of setting Brexit at 23:00 GMT on 29 March 2019 - with the caveat that ministers can change it if necessary.

  10. Lord Winston on 'human consequences' of the billpublished at 22:26 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Andrea Sella pictured in 2010
    Image caption,

    Andrea Sella pictured in 2010

    Labour peer Lord Winston says the bill being debated could have "massive human consequences".

    He says he has been contacted by fellow scientist Professor Andrea Sella from University College London, who has been left feeling "very insecure" about his future in the UK.

    Lord Winston says Italian-born Prof Sella "wakes up at night with cold sweats" and describes this experience as "common amongst his friends" who are worried about their residence rights post-Brexit.

    Lord Winston adds that Prof Sella also wrote that one of his Jewish relatives responded to the referendum result with the words: "How can these people forget so soon what nationalism leads you to?"

    The Labour peer adds that there are Jewish people "who are, amazingly, applying for German citizenship".

  11. Tory peer sympathetic to a second referendumpublished at 22:02 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness Wheatcroft

    Conservative peer Baroness Wheatcroftsuggests that, "if it's a referendum that's got you into this mess, the only way out should be another referendum".

    However, she adds that she is not convinced that the current bill is the right legislation to enforce such a requirement, as Labour peer Lord Adonis has proposed.

    She describes the government's attitude as: "We've made our bed and we will jolly well lie in it, no matter how uncomfortable we find it to be."

    Baroness Wheatcroft thinks many voters find this "perverse", suggesting instead: "Let's find a better bed."

  12. Ex-leader of Tory MEPs attacks 'isolationism' of Brexitpublished at 21:37 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate, former leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament, says the UK has played a significant role in the EU.

    The enlargement of the European Union "was driven by us", he says.

    Membership of the EU is a way to "defend British interests in a way that isolation and so-called independence will never allow", he adds.

    He accuses some Conservative MPs of being "frozen in an earlier era" and having presented an outdated image of Europe to voters.

    However, he does not think a second referendum is a good idea, arguing that members of the House of Commons must "carry the full responsibility for the decisions they take".

    He warns MPs: "If they get this wrong they will pay the inevitable price of democracy - a heavy price in some cases."

  13. Watch again: Lord Lisvane on a second referendumpublished at 20:54 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

  14. Lord Patten: I hate referendumspublished at 20:28 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  15. Taking your nervous aunt to see the Texas Chainsaw Massacre...published at 20:01 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord Lisvane

    When he was known as plain Robert Rogers, crossbench peer Lord Lisvane was clerk of the House of Commons.

    He uses his speech in the Lords to defend "parliamentary sovereignty in the making of law, which the bill challenges and would constrain".

    He warns "Her Majesty's present ministers" that if the powers proposed in the bill were "to be in the hands of an administration of a difficult political colour, I fancy there will be a great deal of traffic down the legislative road to Damascus".

    He says he is "no friend of referendums" but is "genuinely torn" over whether to support calls for a referendum on a final Brexit deal.

    He likens the issue to taking "three elderly and extremely nervous aunts" out for the day. They decide they want to go to the cinema but "the only films on offer are Reservoir Dogs and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre".

    Should he say "you must stick with your democratic decision or do I say: now you know what's on offer, what do you think?" he says.

  16. Brexit and the UK's overseas territoriespublished at 19:42 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Anguilla
    Image caption,

    Remember Anguilla, says Baroness Hooper

    Baroness Hooper, a former MEP, raises the possible impact of Brexit on the UK's overseas territories.

    She says Lord Luce reminded the House about cross-border travel between Gibraltar and Spain, arguing this is often eclipsed by concerns about the Irish border.

    The Conservative peer says she would like to know about the future of travel between the UK overseas territory of Anguilla in the Caribbean and the French territory of Saint-Martin.

    She also asks whether passport holders from the UK's overseas territories still be able to travel freely in Europe and whether "direct UK funding" will replace EU funding for the overseas territories.

  17. Former armed forces chief's warning over 'unfettered power'published at 19:32 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord Stirrup

    Lord Stirrup, a former head of the UK's armed forces and now a crossbench peer, says he takes the approach that no-one in the world "can be trusted with power".

    Explaining his argument, he tells fellow peers that some people have to wield power but voters must have the right to throw them out.

    For this reason, he thinks the UK "cannot both leave the EU and remain within the single market and the customs union as they are currently structured".

    That would leave the EU with power over the UK but no ability "to hold them to account" in return, he argues.

    Lord Stirrup also says he has concerns about powers which the EU Withdrawal Bill would give to ministers, calling this "dangerous both in principle and in practice".

    He insists he is not in favour of any amendments designed to frustrate Brexit but would support amendments "intended to constrain the largely unfettered powers with which the executive has chosen to cloak itself through the provisions in this bill".

  18. Go ahead for HS2 legislationpublished at 19:16 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs decide - by 295 votes to 12 - to approve the High Speed Rail (West Midlands-Crewe) Bill. That means the bill will now be scrutinised in detail by a committee of MPs.

  19. Negotiations on citizens' rights after exit day 'ludicrous' says Labour peerpublished at 19:08 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness Royall of BlaisdonImage source, HoL

    Labour peer Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, a former leader of her party in the Lords, says that all the detailed negotiations on the rights of UK citizens will take place after the UK leaves the EU, which she describes as "ludicrous".

    She says the right thing to do is to extend the Article 50 deadline, in order to maintain control, checks and balances over ministers.

    She adds that she will be supporting amendments which will demand membership of the single market and the customs union, to "secure our economic future".

    "In some of the poorest areas of the UK, EU funding has made a difference," Baroness Royall says, adding that EU regional aid would have given Cornwall and Devon £350m in funding for local projects.

    The latest research and development funding budget over the past seven years has given the UK €8.8bn for projects, while the UK contributed €5.4bn to the EU for that particular pot of money, she tells the House.

  20. BBC parliamentary reporter tweets...published at 19:05 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2018

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post