Continuing, William Wragg asks about ACOBA - the body that advises former ministers and officials on whether their private sector jobs break government guidelines.

Wragg says the body is "pretty toothless" and asks the PM whether it should be made "legally binding" - as recommended in a recent review, external on lobbying by lawyer Nigel Boardman.

Boris Johnson denies it is toothless, but says there is "scope for improving" the body.

He says the government is "considering the recommendations" in the Boardman review and should reply before the end of this year.

You can read that review here, external.

Image source, ParliamentLive.TV

Committee member William Wragg asks if the PM's adviser on ministerial standards should have the power to launch investigations into ministers, rather than having to wait for permission from the PM.

The PM says it raises "difficult constitutional issues"

He adds it is "highly unlikely" he would disagree the adviser Lord Geidt.

On possible changes to the system of monitoring ministers' behaviour, Johnson says "I think it is reasonable that there should be gradations".

He adds that Lord Geidt agrees with the assertion that "a small breach should not necessarily lead to resignation".

The first question comes from William Wragg, who asks the PM to reflect on the row over standards in the past few weeks.

Johnson says it is important the public have full confidence in the system.

He repeats his earlier assertion that it was "a mistake two weeks ago to conflate" the case of Owen Paterson with changing the standards system.

He says he hopes there can be "cross-party" progress going forward.

If you're just joining us and are new to the row over MPs' second jobs, you can read more background information in this handy explainer.

Image source, ParliamentLive.TV

Conservative Bernard Jenkin begins by urging the PM if he can spare extra time to answer the questions.

Boris Johnson says he will "do his best" but adds "I've got quite a lot on".

Bernard Jenkin notes that the PM has a sore throat and advises he gives "short answers".

Conservative MP and chair of the Liaison Committee, Bernard Jenkin, has started the question session.

Read more about what the committee is here.

We're coming up to 15:00 GMT, which means it is almost time for the Liaison Committee, where senior MPs get to question the prime minister for about 90 minutes.

Today's session will focus on ethics, violence against women and girls, COP26 and the Budget.

Stick with us for the latest updates.

Image source, Getty Images

MPs are currently debating a call from Labour for the government to publish documents relating to Covid contracts awarded to testing company Randox.

Randox employed Owen Paterson, the Conservative MP who resigned after the standards commissioner found his work for the company had breached rules.

Earlier, Johnson told MPs he was "very happy to publish all the details of the Randox contracts".

During the debate, health minister Gillian Keegan says she has been “unable to locate” the minutes of a phone meeting between Lord Bethell (who was a health minister until September) and Randox.

She says it was a “courtesy call” after a contract with Randox was signed.

But Labour’s Dame Angela Eagle calls it an “astonishing revelation”.

Conservative Nigel Mills also urges the government to publish Randox-related documents.

"I don't see what we are trying to hide, I don't see why we are trying to resist publication," he tells MPs.

You can read a simple guide to Randox and its government contracts here.

Image source, EPA

Boris Johnson has already had a busy day in Parliament, but he will be back before MPs again soon.

From 15:00 GMT, the PM will appear for a 90-minute grilling in front of the Commons Liaison Committee - something he does three times a year.

This mega-committee is made up of all the MPs who chair the Commons select committees, and is chaired by the Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin.

Their sessions with the prime minister are usually sprawling affairs, covering many policy areas, with the chair acting as ringmaster trying to keep things on schedule.

The committee has already confirmed today's hearing will cover the COP26 summit, violence against women, last month's Budget, as well as the hot topic of "propriety and ethics in government".

Reality Check

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During Prime Minister's Questions, the leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer, asked Boris Johnson about Northern Powerhouse Rail and the eastern leg of High Speed 2.

"The government promised a Crossrail for the north, with an entirely new line between Manchester and Leeds. Will the PM stick by that promise?"

In a speech given in Manchester in July 2019, shortly after taking office, the prime minister did indeed compare the planned investment to Crossrail, ie a new line, and said: "Today I am going to deliver on my commitment to that vision with a pledge to fund the Leeds to Manchester route."

The 2019 Conservative manifesto said: "We will build Northern Powerhouse Rail between Leeds and Manchester."

This week it has been reported that the government will not be building a high-speed route but plans some upgrades to the existing line.

It is also expected that the eastern leg of HS2 will be scrapped although there will be two high-speed rail projects along part of the route.

Johnson said on 10 February this year: "I can certainly confirm that we are going to develop the eastern leg as well as the whole of the HS2."

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

Some of the tension around Westminster over allegations of sleaze and conflicts of interest exploded during that session of PMQs.

You got a sense of the frustration from the Commons speaker as he repeatedly intervened - and stopped the prime minister trying to respond to Keir Starmer’s questions with questions of his own.

You got a sense of the Labour strategy: accusing the prime minister of failing to lead on this and even using the word normally banned in the Commons - “coward”.

And then you got a sense of Boris Johnson’s plan: admit a mistake was made over the handling of Owen Paterson, but try and deflect some of the allegations onto the Labour leader.

But it’s worth noting the Conservative side wasn’t as packed as normal – nor was it as loud.

That’s a sign of some of the unease in the Conservative Party about the government’s handling of the past fortnight – and some nervousness about what a crackdown on second jobs might mean.

During PMQs, Keir Starmer urged Boris Johnson to "do the decent thing" and apologise for the government's actions over the Owen Paterson case.

Paterson was found to have lobbied government on behalf of companies he was paid by, however ministers attempted to pause a 30-day suspension for the MP until the disciplinary process was overhauled. The government later made a dramatic U-turn, amid an outcry from opposition MPs and some Tories.

Johnson acknowledged it "certainly was a mistake" to conflate Paterson's case with efforts to change the system.

PMQs is over but there is still plenty going on.

• Currently MPs are debating a call from Labour for the government to publish documents relating to contracts awarded to diagnostics company Randox - there will be a vote on that at around 16:00 GMT
• Then, in the wake of the row over MPs' second jobs, there will then be a second debate on what jobs MPs should be able to take on outside of their parliamentary work. There will be a vote on whether to back the government's or Labour's proposals which will come at around 19:00
• At 15:00 the prime minister will take questions from senior MPs on the Liaison Committee - subjects will include ethics, violence against women and girls, COP26 and the Budget

Sir Keir Starmer accused the prime minister Boris Johnson of being a "coward, not a leader" at PMQs earlier, in a testy exchange over the Owen Paterson lobbying scandal.

Starmer had called for the PM to apologise directly for his handling of the Owen Paterson lobbying row and subsequent government U-turn.

He was later asked to withdraw the comment by Speaker of the House Lindsay Hoyle, following a late intervention by a Tory MP.

The Labour leader conceded and withdrew the accusation of cowardice, but insisted his critique of the Johnson's leadership should stand.

More here.

Laura Kuenssberg
Political editor

We are at the end of two weeks of discussions, headlines, revelations and arguments about what MPs do when they are not doing things for their constituents.

Boris Johnson used familiar tactics during PMQs - instead of answering questions he asked questions of Starmer about legal work he carried out whilst an MP.

But, Hoyle has got to the end of his tether.

It is unusual for Speaker to criticise the prime minister in such strong terms.

That shows us how much tension there has been in Westminster over this.

Downing Street has made a real mess of this - and Labour think they have got a political bruise to hit.

It is many, many months since Labour tried to create this case that the Conservative are in hock to cronies and involved in sleaze (something the government has denied).

But it is only in the last couple of weeks it has hit the agenda and has really started to wind up Tory MPs.

There is no sign that Labour have given up trying to prosecute this case.

Image source, EPA

That brings an end to today's Prime Minister's Question.

It was quite a rowdy one with the question of MPs' standards dominating the exchanges between the prime minister and Labour leader.

Here are the key bits:

• Starmer accused the PM of breaking his promise to "the North" following reports that parts of the HS2 line will be scrapped. The PM told MPs to "wait and see" but added that people would "massively benefit" from the government's investment (an announcement is expected tomorrow)
• Starmer also urged the PM to apologise over the handling of the Owen Paterson case. Johnson didn't apologise but did say "it was a mistake" to conflate Paterson's case with plans to change the disciplinary process
• Starmer called the PM a "coward" - a phrase he later withdrew, following a request from the Commons Speaker. The PM hit back at the Labour leader, suggesting he should be transparent about legal work he did whilst an MP
• Sticking on the theme, Ian Blackford said the Conservatives are "up to their necks in sleaze" pointing to the number of former party treasurers given seats in the House of Lords. Johnson insisted that "this is one of the cleanest democracies in the world"
• Two MPs - including Lib Dem leader Ed Davey - raised the issue of growing pressure on the NHS - Johnson said the government was supporting staff "with more cash"

Reality Check

Image source, Getty Images

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Boris Johnson was asked about government contracts awarded to Randox – a healthcare company which paid the Conservative MP Owen Paterson to act as a consultant.

Johnson said: “I’m very happy to publish all the details of the Randox contracts.”

Randox won several government contracts, including ones in 2020 for £133m and £346.5m, which were awarded without competition and without being advertised, which was permitted under the rules.

He was responding to Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer asking about a conversation between Randox and health minister James Bethell, which Owen Paterson was present for.

The conversation happened shortly after the first contract was awarded and about six months before the second.

The government has so far refused to release the minutes of this call.

Randox has said Owen Paterson did not play any role in securing its contracts with the Department of Health and Social Care.

Read more here.

Conservative MP Michael Fabricant asks Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay whether Keir Starmer should take back calling the PM a "coward" in a feisty exchange earlier.

There are Commons rules, external on "unparliamentary language" - designed to ensure debate stays civil.

Sir Lindsay says the word coward "is not what is used in his House" and asks the Labour leader to withdraw what he said.

"I withdraw it, but he's no leader," Keir Starmer says in reply.

Image source, ParliamentLive.TV

DUP MP Ian Paisley says it is costing businesses in Northern Ireland £850m to operate the "failed and suffocating" Northern Ireland Protocol - part of the Brexit deal.

"When will the prime minister fix this by triggering Article 16," he asks.

Boris Johnson simply says triggering Article 16 would be "perfectly legal".

You can read about the Northern Ireland Protocol here and what triggering Article 16 would mean here.

Image source, ParliamentLive.TV

The SNP's David Linden asks Johnson if he will bring forward a bill allowing parents of premature babies to be able to take "neonatal" paid leave.

He says this would ensure parents "don't have to chose between spending time in hospital or taking unpaid leave from work".

Johnson replies that: "One way or another we will legislate for parents of children in neonatal care to be able to take leave."

Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has had to intervene on several occasions during a fiery PMQs after Boris Johnson repeatedly tried to ask - rather than answer - questions.

After Johnson attempted to ask again about Keir Starmer's links with a law firm, Hoyle said: "Prime minister, sit down. I'm not going to be challenged, you may be the prime minister of this country but in this House I'm in charge."