Summary

  • MPs question Cabinet Office ministers

  • PMQs at noon

  • Opposition Day debates on effect on equality of the Autumn Statement 2016; then homelessness

  • Statement on schools funding

  • Motion to ban terror organisation

  • David Davis answering questions on Brexit

  • Peers meet at 3pm for questions

  • Then examine National Citizen Service Bill and Wales Bill

  1. House of Lords adjournpublished at 21:58 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Wales Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Minister Lord Bourne says that there would be conversations between officials in Westminster and Cardiff "well in advance" of any move to use the statutory instruments in the Wales Bill. 

    He says that some peers seem to forget that there is a deal of goodwill between officials in Wales and in London and assures peers that there will be an "institutional underpinning" of such regulations at National Assembly level. 

    With that he concludes his remarks and the amendments are withdrawn. 

    That brings to an end today's business in the House of Lords - peers will return at 11am tomorrow morning. 

    Until then, good night!

  2. Peers speak out against statutory instruments in billpublished at 21:46 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Wales Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord Judge
    Image caption,

    Lord Judge

    Crossbencher Lord Judge and Plaid Cymru's Lord Wigley are now moving amendments that address the issue of statutory instruments in the bill.

    Statutory instruments, also known as secondary legislation, are a way of modifying a law after it becomes an Act of Parliament without having to introduce a whole new piece of legislation.

    Lord Judge calls the inclusion of statutory instruments in the Wales Bill "a constitutional aberration" and an "insult" to the democratic process. 

    He says that it is "quite astonishing" that any part of the bill can be wiped out by a minister without any consultation with anyone at the National Assembly of Wales.

    Lord Wigley says it is not appropriate for there to be "arcane and undemocratic" clauses like this in modern legislation. 

  3. Amendment rejectedpublished at 21:19 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Wales Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Peers have decisively rejected the amendment by 153 votes to 58, a majority of 95. 

  4. Division!published at 21:18 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Wales Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Randerson says that it is the wrong week for the government to speak in support of privately run rail franchises - referencing the current trouble on Southern Rail.

    She says that her party is not especially in favour of nationalisation but rather of "what works" and tells peers that she sees no reason why the Welsh government would not be able to run Welsh railways effectively. 

    The minister says that as the rail franchise is not up for renewal until 2028, the government does not see any urgency on this matter. 

    Baroness Morgan responds that she is "very disappointed" with that response, and says it is a case of double standards to allow German, Dutch and French state-owned companies to bid for rail franchises but not for Welsh state owned organisations. 

    Given this disagreement, she pushes her amendment 59 to a vote. 

  5. Amendment on rail devolution in Walespublished at 21:09 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Wales Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness Morgan of Ely

    The short debate on surrogacy comes to an end, and peers return to consider the Wales Bill.

    The next amendment being considered relates to the running of the railways in Wales.

    Labour's Baroness Morgan of Ely says that it is a key ambition of Welsh government to create a dynamic economy in Wales, and says that this requires an "effective integrated" transport network.

    She says that if this issue is left to the UK government, "we are going to be in trouble" adding that only 1% of money spent on rail infrastructure enhancements between 2011-15 was spent on the route in Wales.

    Baroness Morgan says that the amendment seeks to allow the Welsh government to bid to run the network when the franchise is next renewed.

    Currently, the situation is that Wales is maintained as "another nation's rail colony" she says, arguing that this is also an "important matter of principle".

    She accuses the Conservatives of being "ideologically blinkered" about the public sector being able to bid for rail services in the UK. 

  6. Minister - Current law 'based on 1980s thinking'published at 21:06 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Surrogacy debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

    Minister Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen acknowledges that there are "well founded concerns" about the ability of the current legislation to keep pace with the modern world - admitting that the law is based on "thinking and debate from the 1980s". 

    She says that the government remains committed to the altruistic principles of surrogacy, telling peers that the government has considered action in this area "for some time".

    The minister says that the Department of Health plans to produce guidance on surrogacy in the UK so as to provide authoritative information for people thinking about surrogacy.

    She also says that a public consultation will be undertaken on the subject, and urges interested organisations and individuals to take part.

  7. Labour: 'Dire' need for reform of lawpublished at 20:36 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Surrogacy debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Labour shadow health minister Lord Hunt of Kings Heath responds to the short debate for the Opposition.

    He says that it is important that the principle of altruistic surrogacy in the UK is guarded, and agrees that the current law is out of date and in "dire need of reform".

    Lord Hunt says that "one way or another" the issue needs to be taken forward - "carefully but with pace". 

  8. Law must be brought up to date says peerpublished at 20:32 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Surrogacy debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness Walmsley

    Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Baroness Walmsley says that the contributions to the debate have shown that there are "so many issues to untangle" and repeats calls for the Law Society to consider what changes need to be made and to produce recommendations for the government.  

    She says that the underlying aim should be to ensure that "every child is a wanted child" and that for the sake of the children, the government puts right some of the problems highlighted.  

    The law must be brought up to date to adapt to changes in society, she says. 

  9. MPs adjourn for the daypublished at 20:31 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Adjournment debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    House of Commons clock

    Business Minister Margot James tells the House that their green paper on corporate governance says the government will not force companies to put workers on their boards. 

    However she hopes the consultation period on the green paper will provide an opportunity for "the case to be made" for companies to voluntarily put workers on their boards.

    The debate comes to an end and the House of Commons is adjourned for the day. 

  10. A not-inconsiderably Merry Christmaspublished at 20:30 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Labour MP tweets:

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  11. What is the law around surrogacy in the UK?published at 20:27 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Surrogacy debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Surrogacy in the UK is legal but it is illegal to advertise for a surrogate, or to advertise to be a surrogate.

    After a surrogate child is born, the parents apply for a parental order, to become legal parents of the child.

    A surrogate must not have received anything other than expenses which can range from £8,000 to £15,000.

  12. Adjournment debate beginspublished at 20:12 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Louise Haigh

    We now come to the final item of business for the day - the adjournment debate.

    Labour MP Louise Haigh has tabled this short debate on corporate governance and social responsibility.

    Writing for The Times, Ms Haigh said there is "a crisis of legitimacy over who governs our companies".

    She argues that it would be in the interests of good management for companies to report on their impact on the community and environment. 

  13. Surrogacy debate beginspublished at 20:00 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Pregnant womanImage source, PA

    Liberal Democrat Baroness Barker is now leading the hour long dinner break debate on the subject of the law on surrogacy. 

    She is calling for an update in the law, saying that when the legislation was first passed there was only one "overarching aim" - to prevent the development of commercial surrogacy in the UK. 

    Baroness Barker says that the law has restricted the development of ethical, altruistic surrogacy. 

  14. MPs approve ban of far-right grouppublished at 19:58 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Ben Wallace

    MPs across the house support the motion.

    Home Office Minister Ben Wallace warns that in the future "we are going to have deal with more of this, not less."

    He concludes by thanking members of the security force - many of whom he says will be working over Christmas.

  15. Amendments withdrawnpublished at 19:47 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Wales Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    After assurances from the minister, Lord Wigley says that although he still feels "very strongly" that Scotland's devolved powers should be mirrored in Wales, "clearly no progress will be made tonight" - so he withdraws his amendments.

    Baroness Morgan similarly withdraws her amendments on gambling machines after the minister's speech.

  16. Devolving powers over mixed-odds betting machinespublished at 19:44 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Wales Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness Morgan of Ely

    Labour frontbencher Baroness Morgan of Ely is moving amendments that seek to devolve powers over fixed-odds betting terminals.

    She says that government provisions in the bill do not go "nearly far enough" in addressing the issue, as it only deals with machines with minimum bets of £10; whereas the Labour amendment has a wider scope - down to machines with £2 minimum bets. 

    Baroness Morgan says that her biggest concern is that the bill's provisions only apply to new betting premises. She says that the government might counter this point by saying that the same provisions were in the Scotland Act. 

    "Just because the SNP weren't keeping an eye on their bill doesn't mean that we are going to flag it through when it is fundamentally flawed" she says.

  17. Peer calls for devolution of crown estates in Walespublished at 19:33 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Wales Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord Wigley

    Lord Wigley rises to move his next batch of amendments to the bill.

    His first amendment seeks to increase the megawatt (MW) capacity limit in the bill to 2000 MW for giving development consent for generating stations. Lord Wigley asks why the current limit of 350 MW, which he calls "a low arbitrary limit", is necessary.

    The Plaid Cymru peer also moves another amendment which seeks to devolve the crown estate in Wales as it is in Scotland under the Scotland Act 2016. 

    He says that currently the situation is like "living in an imperial time" with a levy on Welsh natural resources to subsidise the monarchy.  

    Lord Wigley says it is about time that power over the land and coast should be in the hands of the Welsh people through the Welsh Assembly.  

  18. MPs debate ban of far-right grouppublished at 19:21 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs now debate an order which would label the far-right group National Action a terrorist organisation and ban membership of it.

    Home Secretary Amber Rudd said National Action was a "racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic organisation".

    It will be the first time a group engaged in extreme right-wing activities has been proscribed.

    Following the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, a branch of the group tweeted praise for her killer, Thomas Mair. 

  19. MPs reject Labour motion on amendmentpublished at 19:20 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs have rejected Labour's motion by 289 votes to 230.

    The government's proposed wording, which welcomes its action on homelessness, is agreed to without a vote.

  20. Minister: Milford Haven has 'strategic importance' for UKpublished at 19:09 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2016

    Wales Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Wales Office Minister Lord Bourne responds to the amendments, which he says seek to devolve power over reserved trust ports, external to the National Assembly for Wales. 

    Lord Bourne says that the government believes there is a "strategic case" for excluding these ports, such as Milford Haven, external, from the devolution of port governance in the bill. 

    He says the trust ports have unique government arrangements, and returning to the example of Milford Haven , says the port deals with the significant bulk of oil and gas for both road and aviation fuel in the UK.  

    Oil tankerImage source, Reuters