Katy Austin
Transport Correspondent

We've been hearing this morning from the transport secretary, Mark Harper, who has dodged questions in the transport select committee hearing on public sector strikes.

He has not directly answered repeated questions by Labour MP Ben Bradshaw on whether the Treasury or No 10 "inserted" the further rollout of driver-only operated trains into the dispute in the last week - and whether that had "scuppered a deal".

The RMT rail workers' union has long seen this as controversial subject, and it was on the list of proposed changes to working practices contained in an initial offer put forward by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) on Sunday - a deal rejected by the RMT.

The RDG insisted it does not mean staff will be removed from trains.

Mr Harper did say "you have to have reform to drive the savings" but he was "not going to provide a running commentary" on things in newspapers.

He said "no-one is trying to stop a deal".

One thing we're expecting to come under discussion at Prime Minister's Questions a little later is the winter strike action.

As our graphic below shows, it's not only rail staff, nurses and ambulance crews who are planning walkouts this month - so are postal workers, teachers in Scotland and driving examiners, among others.

Image source, .

Demands have been growing across a number of sectors for better working conditions and pay increases to keep up with rising prices.

• Read more here

Image source, Reuters

Turning now to the matter of the ongoing dispute over pay and working conditions in the rail industry.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has urged rail unions not to advise their members to reject the latest pay offer on the table, and instead to pass it on with "at least a neutral recommendation".

Speaking to a Commons committee, Harper said the impasse was "not just a pay dispute, it's about reform of the rail industry" after huge amounts of public money was spent keeping the network running during the Covid pandemic when passenger numbers and revenues plummeted.

There are four 48-hour walkouts planned over the next month, in addition to a strike that will see rail staff finish work at 6pm on Christmas Eve and not return until 27 December.

Singling out the Christmas strike, Harper said the walkout would hurt "individuals and businesses across a whole range of sectors".

He said the government would encourage employers and unions to keep talking, while stressing that it was his role to facilitate conversations and not to actually get involved in negotiations.

The unions accuse the government of tying the hands of the rail companies.

Image source, PA Media

The government has defended its second about-turn of the week, after signalling that it would be possible for new onshore wind farms to be built in the UK despite Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's prior objections.

Yesterday, the government confirmed it would consult on how local communities could consent to new projects. Sunak has previously opposed the building of new turbines onshore.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay played down the reversal, using an interview with Sky News to stress the importance of making decisions with "local consent" - and to highlight Sunak's efforts to tackle inflation.

The latest government U-turn comes after ministers abolished housebuilding targets following a potential rebellion by backbench Tory MPs.

As Rishi Sunak prepares to face Sir Keir Starmer and new SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn in the Commons, which issues are likely to feature?

• In the past 48 hours, Conservative rebels have forced the government into two policy U-turns: relaxing the rules on building onshore windfarms and watering down local councils' housing targets
• Starmer is likely to argue the U-turns show the prime minister is weak and being pushed around by his backbenchers
• Sunak may respond by again accusing Labour of being too close to the trade unions as the wave of strikes encompassing rail workers, nurses and ambulance staff to postal workers and teachers continues to grow
• A day after replacing Ian Blackford as the SNP's leader in the Commons, Stephen Flynn will ask Sunak the party's weekly two questions. He is not as close as Blackford to Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and has promised a "fresh approach"
• This morning Green MP Caroline Lucas welcomed the U-turn on onshore wind, but said she feared the decision could be linked to the possible approval of a coalmine at Whitehaven in Cumbria - this would be the first deep coal mine to open in the UK for more than 30 years. Lucas does not have a question listed, but the issue could be raised by another MP

Labour has sent out shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy to answer questions on behalf of the opposition this morning, where she was asked about the prospect of health service strikes and Tory peer Michelle Mone's decision to seek a leave of absence from the House of Lords as she faces allegations she benefitted from a company she recommended for a Covid contract.

On pay for NHS workers, she urged ministers to keep negotiating with staff in England to avert a strike, despite Health Secretary Steve Barclay appearing to rule out an improved offer this morning.

She told BBC News that it was absolutely clear Britain "needs a pay rise" and the country "can't go on like this" with people leaving the health service.

Image source, Getty Images

On the separate issue of the allegations concerning Tory peer Baroness Mone, Nandy said she should never have been made a peer in the first place.

Mone has requested a leave of absence from the Lords "to clear her name", which if it is approved would mean she will not attend sittings of the House, vote on any proceedings or be able to claim any allowance.

Her spokesman has said the allegations were "unjustly levelled against her".

Asked if Mone should remain a peer, Nandy said: "No, but I don't think we should have a House of Lords at all."

Image source, EPA

More from Steve Barclay, who was pressed this morning on pay rises for public sector workers.

Asked if he'd be prepared to give NHS staff a bigger increase than the current offer of around 5%, he insisted pay rises for health workers in England are set by an independent pay review body.

This represents a real-terms pay cut for NHS staff given that inflation - the annual rate at which prices rise - is currently about 11% which is more than double what is being offered.

Barclay told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the government was "prioritising getting the balance in terms of pay".

"We're looking at all the other things we can do for staff because staff tell me it is not simply an issue of pay," he said .

Asked if he accepts the word "crisis" to characterise the state of the health service, he said: "People can come up with whichever term they want.

"We all recognise as a result of the pandemic there are huge pressures on the NHS."

Image source, PA Media

Health Secretary Steve Barclay has been doing media interviews for the government this morning, where he was asked about the looming prospect of public sector strike action in the run up to Christmas.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said if all public sector pay were to increase at the level of inflation, with annual price rises running at around 11%, then it would cost the government an extra £28bn a year - around £1,000 per household in the UK.

Barclay said at a time of significant cost of living pressures, it was "important we get that balance right" between asking people to pay higher taxes and recognising the health service has faced "very real challenges as a result of the pandemic".

Asked about the planned strike action by paramedics on 21 December, he said the government stood “ready to work with trade unions”, but that independent wage rise recommendations for this year had been accepted in full already.

Public sector pay bodies have recommended a 5% rise, external for 45% of civil servants, including the armed forces, police, teachers and NHS - which represents a real terms pay cut, at less than half the current inflation rate.

Barclay said Chancellor Jeremy Hunt had “prioritised NHS funding” in the Autumn Statement but that a 19% rise was "not affordable given the other pressures we face".

Asked whether the military would be brought in to help out on days when nurses and paramedics are on strike, Barclay said the government was looking at "all contingencies".

Good morning and thanks for joining our live coverage of this week's Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons.

Rishi Sunak will be questioned by MPs from midday - including Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and the Scottish National Party's new Westminster leader Stephen Flynn who was elected yesterday after Ian Blackford decided to step down.

What might come up? In the last week the government has bowed to pressure from Tory backbenchers to scrap house-building targets and relax rules over onshore wind farms - so we may hear more on that.

Another name likely to be mentioned in the Commons is that of Tory peer Michelle Mone. She requested a leave of absence from the Lords “to clear her name” on Tuesday, amid allegations she benefited from recommending PPE Medpro for a government contract to supply personal protective equipment during the Covid pandemic.

Industrial action in the run up to Christmas continues to dominate the headlines, with Health Secretary Steve Barclay saying this morning that if everyone in the public sector were to receive a pay rise in line with inflation “that would cost an extra £28bn”.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper is also taking questions at the transport select committee ahead of next week’s rail strikes - we'll keep you updated on that as well.