Summary

  • Lords looking at Brexit bill

  • Day in House of Lords starts with questions to ministers

  • MPs questioning work and pensions ministers

  • Urgent question on proposed takeover of Vauxhall

  • Commons looking at Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill and HS2 Bill

  • Debate in Westminster Hall on President Trump state visit

Live Reporting

Kate Whannel and Ben Butcher

  1. Trump petition: MPs to debate state visit

    Westminster Hall

    Later on this afternoon, MPs are due to debate US President Donald Trump's state visit to the UK.

    One petition - against the state visit - got 1.85m signatures, while one supporting it got 311,000.

    Prime Minister Theresa May announced the state visit during a visit to Washington for talks with Mr Trump.

    A petition needs more than 100,000 signatures to be considered in Parliament.  

    The debate will be opened at 4.30pm by Labour MP Paul Flynn, with a response by Foreign Office minister Alan Duncan for the government.  

  2. And what's happening in the House of Commons?

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    With much of the attention on the Lords, the House of Common's will seem far more serene in comparison.

    MPs start with questions to the Work and Pensions Secretary, Greg Clark, and his ministerial team.

    Labour’s Justin Madders will then ask an urgent question on the proposed takeover of Vauxhall and Opel by the PSA Group at around 3.30pm.

    The afternoon’s business will see MPs debate the Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill at report stage. 

    This will be followed by a consideration of Lords amendments of the High Speed Rail Bill, which will allow the construction of the first stage of HS2 from London to Birmingham.

    Proceedings will close with an adjournment debate of motor neurone disease research and the life of Gordon Aikman, who died at the beginning of February.

  3. Today in the House of Lords

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Houses of ParliamentGetty Images

    It's a long day ahead for peers as they begin the second reading of the EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill. 

    The bill would allow the government to trigger Article 50 and begin formal negotiations to leave the EU. 

    A total of 190 peers have put their name down to speak and the debate tonight is expected to go on until midnight or 1am.

    First however, we begin with the usual half hour of oral questions to the government. Today's topics include social mobility, prison sentences, school counselling and magistrates.

  4. Good afternoon

    MPs and peers are returning to Westminster today, after the half-term recess - and all eyes are on the House of Lords.

    The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill is making its way through the Upper House over the next three weeks - and today is the first day of discussion.

    We'll be following it every step of the way - but there's plenty going on elsewhere in the chambers and debating rooms of Parliament too...

    So welcome back to another week in Westminster.