House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh speaks on the issue of pay being cut by some companies through the introduction of the National Living Wage. 

She mentions the music video that she and several other Labour MPs recorded to highlight this area, saying it has been "derided by some and adored by others - namely my mum". 

Ms McDonagh says she is pleased that the video has generated national attention to the issue of pay cuts; telling MPs that many "good employers" are making bad decisions about older, long-standing staff. 

She says that tens of thousands of workers are facing a pay cut this Christmas and assures MPs that this is "not some sort of niche issue" but rather effects "every single constituency". 

House of Lords
Parliament

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Peers now briefly debate a number of statutory instruments including one which seeks to ensure that plain tobacco packaging regulations can be better enforced.

They also debate the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (Penalty Points) (Amendment) Order 2016 which increases the number of penalty points imposed for drivers caught using a hand held mobile phone. 

Statutory instruments allow governments to alter the law without having to pass a new Act of Parliament. 

House of Commons
Parliament

The SNP's Martyn Day is speaking about the illicit trade in tobacco products.

He says that the UK has signed a protocol on this matter but has yet to officially ratify it, and says that the government is dragging its feet and setting a poor example by doing this.

Mr Day says that his concern with the problem is that this illicit trade is bypassing tobacco control measures aimed at stopping access to children.

Select Committee
Parliament

Andrew Tyrie brings the session to a close by asking the prime minister to help with some correspondence that the select committee chairs haven't had replies to from government departments.

Mr Tyrie tells the prime minister: "I want to end by saying thank you for an extremely interesting session. We'll see you after the Easter recess by which time we'll have a much clearer idea about what is happening on Brexit."

House of Lords
Parliament

Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury asks in reference to the proposed takeover if the prime minister will "stand up to the rich and powerful on behalf of ordinary people" as she promised in her Conservative conference speech.

Lord Keen seeks to assure peers that Theresa May will adhere to those settlements.

Conservative Andrew Lansley asks if the House of Lords will have an opportunity to consider the deal before it is approved by the culture secretary.

Lord Keen replies that this would not be appropriate.

Select Committee
Parliament

Clive Betts asks if Mrs May will commission a review into social care, as has been requested by healthcare professionals. Mrs May makes no commitment to do so and questioning is taken over by Health Committee Chair Sarah Wollaston.

She asks about the childhood obesity strategy and opportunities that have been missed by the government to drive behavioural change. 

Mrs May says government does make difficult decisions such as introducing the soft drinks levy and healthy breakfast clubs at schools. 

She says: "Ultimately it is about the decisions that people are making in terms of their behaviour and what they're eating."

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Mary Glindon asks if the Leader of the House will send out a search party to look for the government's updated drugs strategy. 

She says that the policy is still awaited and that "unless we have an unexpected delivery from Father Christmas", it will not be seen in the coming months. 

Ms Glindon says the ONS has reported that drug deaths are at record levels and the government needs to prioritise drug and alcohol treatment with a strategy with enough resources to fulfill its objectives.

Select Committee
Parliament

The chair of the Communities and Local Government Committee, Clive Betts, is asking Theresa May about social care.  

Mrs May says: "I accept there are pressures on social care". 

She says as well as short term pressures there is also a question about medium term responses. Mrs May says best practice is being introduced and that more people are accessing social care as a result of decisions in local government.

Mr Betts says, according to the King's Fund, a funding gap of between £2.5bn to £3bn for social care is emerging. 

House of Lords
Parliament

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Lord Keen of Elie now repeats the reply to an urgent question tabled earlier in the House of Commons, on Fox's takeover of Sky.

Labour's spokesperson Lord Stevenson asks if James and Rupert Murdoch are "fit and proper persons" to run Sky.

Lord Keen of Elie replies that it is for Ofcom to judge the Murdochs' fitness.

He adds that no special adviser will be involved in the decision. 

Select Committee
Parliament

Continuing on the subject of NHS budgets, Meg Hillier says the government's plans make the assumption they will be able to match the funding available to managing demand. 

She asks: "If it doesn't work what will you do?"

Mrs May says it's up to NHS England working with government to maintain their five-year plan. 

Ms Hillier repeats her questions. Mrs May says the focus the government should have is that the plans for NHS has for the next five years are put into place.

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP Bob Blackman is now kicking off the Christmas adjournment debate. 

This debate allows MPs to raise any topic that they wish to receive a ministerial answer from. Mr Blackman says that he wishes to talk about those who are less fortunate than others at Christmas. 

He sends his sympathy with the dead and injured of the Berlin Christmas market attack, for the people of Aleppo, and for the family of the late MP Jo Cox. 

The MP for Harrow East also raises a topic which he does a lot of campaigning on - that of homeless and rough sleepers; saying that the number of people homeless in the UK "is a disgrace". 

He calls for an increase in the supply of housing. 

Theresa May pledges to set out plans for a "truly global Britain" in a speech on Brexit in the new year.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Lord Roberts of Llandudno now asks what can be done for the inhabitants of Aleppo. He argues that the implementation of a no-fly zone would secure safe evacuation.

Foreign Office Minister Baroness Anelay replies that any military action requires an agreement "with our partners". Such an agreement, she says "has not been forthcoming".

She tells peers that the "only real solution" is a political transition to "ensure we have a stable Syria". 

Select Committee
Parliament

MPs close their questioning on Brexit and move onto health.

Public Accounts Committee Chair Meg Hillier asks whether the NHS can do everything it promises on the money it has.

The prime minister says the NHS came forward with its five-year forward plan and that the government has provided the money requested.

Meg Hillier asks how bad it has to get before the government acknowledge the "long term sustainability problem" with the NHS.

Mrs May says the number of hospitals with finance problems has reduced and she repeats that the government has given backing to the NHS five-year forward plan.

Select Committee
Parliament

When asked about Brexit Secretary David Davis's statement that he wants to see a vote in Parliament and whether the government is united in its intentions, Theresa May says "we are very clear that we want Parliament to be able to debate and discuss these issues."

Mr Tyrie says: "People are hearing a no I think, Prime Minster."

Mrs May says: "There seems to be this idea that we're not letting Parliament do anything" and then lists the debates there have been on Brexit and again references the Great Repeal Bill. 

She reiterates that she won't be giving a running commentary on Brexit.

Refering to whether there will be a vote in Parliament Mr Tyrie says people have to draw their own conclusions. He adds: "I didn't hear a yes."

House of Lords
Parliament

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Labour's Lord Kennedy of Southwark now asks the government to published their analysis of Transport for London's business case for rail devolution. 

In January, then-Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin and then-Mayor of London Boris Johnson agreed the deal. On 6 December, the Transport Secretary Chris Grayling ditched plans to hand control of some London rail lines to TfL (Transport for London).

A leaked letter from 2013 showed he opposed rail devolution to keep it "out of the clutches of any future Labour Mayor".  

Labour's Lord Kennedy of Southwark notes that the Transport Minister Lord Ahmad supported the deal in January but now does not. He suggests that it was the election of a Labour Mayor which changed his mind.

Lord Ahmad replies that the new transport secretary "rightly" asked for analysis of the business case which found "uncertainties" in the deal. He says the government will not be publishing the analysis. 

Select Committee
Parliament

Public Administration Committee chair Bernard Jenkin is questioning the prime minister on who will conduct Brexit negotiations. 

Mrs May says the negotiation will be conducted at "a number of levels". She says she will have a role to play with other European leaders and that the secretary of state will have a role, as will those at other levels.

When asked if trade minister Lord Price or Dr Liam Fox will take part she says that "as we unfold the way that trade negotiations take place" a number of people will be brought in.

She goes on to say that the government is building up "trade negotiation expertise" and will set plans out more clearly "in due course".

House of Commons
Parliament

Minister Gavin Barwell says that he acknowledges that many of the examples raised by MPs in the debate are not exceptions and that there are widespread problems that need addressing. 

Responding to the closing remark of Labour MP Jim Fitzpatrick, Mr Barwell says he does not feel comfortable with this level of concern across the country.

He says he is keen to see how the government can explore greater transparency and fairness in the sector and is "absolutely determined" to stamp out "unfair, unjust, and unacceptable" abuse of the leasehold system.

Gavin Barwell also says that apart from in some "very exceptional circumstances" he cannot see how there is "any good reason" for houses to be built on a leasehold basis.

"If the industry does not put a stop to this practice...we will look to see what government can do."

Select Committee
Parliament

Theresa May says the case currently in the Supreme Court, challenging Parliament's role in triggering Article 50, "hasn't blown the timetable off course". 

She says she still intends to trigger Article 50 at the end of March.

Mrs May then confirms that she expects the negotiations to cover "not just process of withdrawl" but also the future relationship with the EU.