Summary

  • Commons day began at 14.30 GMT with questions to health ministers

  • Debate on bill to enshrine NHS spending boost in law

  • Earlier: Urgent question on Chinese firm Huawei and the UK 5G network

  • MPs also debated the Met Police's use of facial recognition software

  1. Committee chairs electedpublished at 17:35 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Nominations have closed for MPs who want to chair Commons select committees.

    Many were unopposed and so have been elected immediately, including three former cabinet ministers.

    All the others have been returned to posts they held before the election.

    Those elected unopposed are:

    Treasury - Mel Stride (replaces Nicky Morgan)

    Wales - Stephen Crabb (replaces David Davies)

    Women and Equalities - Caroline Nokes (replaces Maria Miller)

    Backbench Business - Ian Mearns

    Business - Rachel Reeves

    Education - Robert Halfon

    Environment - Neil Parrish

    Brexit (DExEU) - Hilary Benn

    Home Affairs - Yvette Cooper

    Housing, Communities and Local Government - Clive Betts

    Public Accounts (PAC) - Meg Hillier

    Scotland - Pete Wishart

    Standards - Kate Green

    Elections for contested seats will be held on Wednesday.

  2. Lib Dem MP: Government 'must not throw away right to privacy'published at 16:58 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    But Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney says they "must not throw away the right to privacy" for UK citizens with the use of the technology.

    She says an independent review of the Metropolitan Police trial of facial recognition technology was "very damning".

    The legality of it is "questionable", she says. And it is known to be "inaccurate".

    She says facial recognition technology has been shown to be "much less accurate in identifying women and ethnic minorities than it has been for identifying white men".

    This means that women and BAME people "are much more likely to be stopped without reason than white men".

    Mr Malthouse replies that she has "quite rightly" raised a number of issues that need to be addressed in the operation of the technology.

    He says the Information Commissioner's Office, which has previously voiced concerns, said on Friday it was broadly encouraged by the fact the Met had put some of its recommendations in place.

  3. Minister on 'vital' facial recognition technologypublished at 16:40 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Home office minister Kit Malthouse is talking to MPs now about automated facial recognition surveillance.

    He says the government is supporting the police and giving them the tools they need.

    "Embracing new technology is vital," he says. "We support the use of live facial recognition, which can help identify, locate and arrest violent and dangerous criminals who may otherwise evade justice."

    He says the camera matches those passing it with a list of individuals sought by police.

    It is then up to officers to decide whether to stop those who have been flagged.

    The technology can make the search for a suspect "quicker and more effective", Mr Malthouse says, and it operates within the appropriate legal framework.

    Restrictions mean that sensitive personal data must be used appropriately, he says, and there are "strict controls" on the data gathered.

    If there is no match the data is deleted immediately. Other data is deleted within 31 days.

  4. Duncan Smith: 'Fully bizarre' to give Huawei UK telecoms accesspublished at 16:01 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith tells MPs there is a cyber war going on "of which China is the arguably the single biggest participant - maybe Russia as well".

    So to consider giving Huawei, "a company which is heavily subsidised by China", access to UK telecoms - "a very, very delicate area of our technology" - is “fully bizarre”, he says.

    "I was led to believe that this government would not make that decision," the former Tory leader adds.

    "I hope that they will now reject Huawei immediately."

  5. Question over 'chronic lack of investment' in telecoms technologypublished at 15:54 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tracy Brabin, shadow education minister, asks how tomorrow’s decision on Huawei will affect the government's ambition to have 5G mobile coverage by 2027.

    She says a "chronic lack of investment has brought us to this situation".

    "What is he (the PM) doing so we are never again dependent on foreign powers to secure our critical national infrastructure and security?"

    Junior minister Mark Warman insists there has been investment in the industry. The UK has the largest digital economy in the G7, he says.

    "It is, of course, right we address this situation with all the seriousness it deserves," he goes on.

    "We come to a conclusion topmorrow. National security will always be at the top of the agenda."

  6. Tory MP: 'Beware of strangers and the gifts they bear'published at 15:50 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2020

    Huawei urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, who opposes Huawei's involvement in 5G infrastructure, comes back at the minister.

    He points out that MPs will not have any say over the government's decision once it is made and that the decision is irreversible.

    He says we "must ask if the risks are worth it" and questions whether the government is aware of the tech firm's links to China's state surveillance bodies, as well as governments in Uganda and other countries.

    Mr Tugendhat - chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee in the last parliament - says "even the Communist Party in Vietnam" has rejected Huawei, and other countries will be looking closely at the UK's decision.

    "Perhaps we should beware of strangers and the gifts they bear."

    He points to China's undermining of UN bodies which protect the distribution of information and says ministers should understand Parliament's concerns.

    Finally, he says the UK should not "nest the dragon" of Huawei in the UK's network, and "let the fox into the hen house".

  7. Minister on Huawei: Security of UK telecoms 'of paramount importance'published at 15:41 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat asks his question on Huawei's involvement in the UK's 5G infrastructure.

    Culture minister Matt Warman replies that new telecoms technology - including 5G and full-fibre broadband - can "change our lives for the better".

    It helps rural communites and socially isolated people maintain relationships, he says, "so the security and resilience of the UK telecoms networks is of paramount importance".

    On the potential downsides, he goes on: "We would never take a decision that threatens our national security or the security of our allies."

    He says it's a "complex area" and there is a review of "high-risk vendors" to be concluded.

    The National Security Council will meet tomorrow to discuss these issues, the minister says.

    A statement will be made to the House at the right time, he adds.

    "We will always put national security at the top of our agenda."

  8. Community union nominates Starmer for Labour leaderpublished at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2020

    The union Community, which represents steel workers, has nominated Sir Keir Starmer to be Labour leader, after a meeting of its national executive committee.

    It has also backed Angela Rayner for deputy leader.

    The union, which also represents disabled workers and self-employed people, is seen as being the most moderate union affiliated to the Labour Party.

    Roy Rickhuss, general secretary, said the party needed to "rebuild" after "four devastating general election defeats".

    He added: "We face an enormous challenge over the next five years.

    "Labour has the opportunity to deliver an ambitious vision for a modern Britain, rooted in our values of fairness and equality, and where credible policies give hope to millions of working people, including our members across the country.

    "Community believes Keir Starmer is the candidate most ready to meet this challenge. His experience and vision are what the Labour Party needs to rebuild, win back the trust of voters, and lead a transformative Labour government."

  9. What is the Huawei urgent question about?published at 13:51 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat will ask the culture secretary to make a statement on the question of Huawei's involvement in the UK's 5G infrastructure.

    The question comes as the government is due to make a decision tomorrow on whether to ban the Chinese firm from the network.

    The US is lobbying the UK to exclude it on the grounds of national security, because the firm has close links to the Chinese state.

    Huawei insists it would never take orders from the Chinese government.

    There is speculation Prime Minister Boris Johnson might choose to ban Huawei from the "core" parts - which send data between devices - of the network only.

    Mr Johnson is under pressure from both sides. He wants to preserve relations with the US in hopes of securing a UK-US trade deal, but he has also been warned that banning Huawei would harm the UK economy by delaying the roll-out of 5G.

    Mr Tugendhat, a former chair of the foreign affairs committee, is in favour of the ban.

  10. Today in Parliamentpublished at 13:29 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2020

    The Commons' day starts at 14:30 GMT with work and pensions questions.

    There are then two urgent questions: one on the government's upcoming decision on the involvement of Chinese tech giant Huawei in building the UK's 5G infrastructure, and one on the use of facial recognition technology by police.

    The rest of the day is taken up by a debate on the NHS Funding Bill.

    The Lords also start their day at 2:30pm. There will be oral questions on a variety of topics, including involvement with the EU's Horizon 2020 science project after Brexit, the availability of children's emergency beds in the NHS, and improving support for children excluded from mainstream schools.

    Main business will be on the Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill, which looks at regulating drones.

    Read more about the week ahead in Parliament from our correspondent Mark D'Arcy.