House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, 1999 Eyewire

The statement concludes and MPs move on to debate of the Vehicle Technology and Aviation Bill at second reading.

Second reading gives MPs the opportunity to debate the general measures in the bill but there are, at this stage, no amendments.

The bill aims to 

• make it easier for victims to claim compensation when self-driving cars are in automatic mode
• ensure that charging stations for electric cars are available at key locations such as service stations
• make it an offence to dazzle a pilot, driver or captain being dazzled of distracted by a laser

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Labour MP and former leader welcomes Karen Bradley's "seemingly robust response".

However, he expresses concern about the issue of "the fit and proper test" which he explains is "wider than that of broadcasting standards".

Many believe that the Murdochs are in no way fit and proper people to have full control of Sky, he says.

He asks whether the test can take place before the bid has been completed.

He also asks why the culture secretary does not use the fit and proper test as a ground for referring the merger to Ofcom.

Karen Bradley replies that she can only intervene on media plurality, range of quality and genuine commitment to broadcasting standards.

Those wanting Parliament to have a decisive say actually oppose leaving, the former chancellor says.

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Following an hour-long committee session, the witnesses have been thanked and sent on their way. 

You can read more on the recent proposed changes to PIPs on the BBC News website . 

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg begins by declaring his "inherited" interests (his father was editor of The Times) and notes that Tom Watson did not declare that he received funding from Mr Mosely - a supporter of press regulation.

He urges the culture secretary not to take part in this "socialist witch hunt" against Mr Murdoch.

He argues that Rupert Murdoch helped to improve the efficiency of newspaper publishing and increase the plurality of the media.

Before the Karen Bradley can reply, Speaker John Bercow checks that the MP is not implying that Tom Waston's opinions are influenced by "pecuniary gain".

He goes on to say that MPs have a responsibility to declare their own interests, not that of others. 

Karen Bradley says the process will be "scrupulously fair".

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Gary Edwards expresses his frustration at the situation where, on a mandatory consideration, the DWP is allowed to send a representative. He says he rarely sees someone from the DWP attend, but often a representative from Atos will appear instead. 

He feels as though the DWP is giving their case work to these private companies, which, as fellow witness Sam Ashton said earlier, do not allow proper amounts of time per assessment. 

House of Lords
Parliament

Labour spokesman Lord Stevenson of Balmacara welcomes the government's decision to write protection for institutional autonomy into the bill, describing it as a "powerful" change. 

Education Minister Viscount Younger explains the thinking behind the move, saying universities' self-control is a "keystone" of the higher education sector.

House of Commons
Parliament

Culture spokesman SNP MP John Nicholson asks how the deal can take place when Leveson 2 has yet to take place, external .

Leveson 2 refers to the second part of the inquiry which will look into connections between the newspapers and the police.

John Nicholson also asks if the culture secretary shares his concerns about the level of Fox News' commitment to accuracy and impartial.

Karen Bradley repeats her earlier assertion that she is minded to refer the matter to Ofcom "based on the evidence" she has seen so far.

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Conservative MP Heidi Allen turns the discussion to mental health issues in PIP assessments. 

She says that in the assessments she has sat in on, she thought they were inadequate in dealing effectively with people suffering from invisible mental health conditions. They are more designed for dealing with physical conditions.

Conservative MP and fellow committee member James Cartlidge says that mental health is "more difficult" and is more of a "grey area".

Witness Gary Edwards says that in some cases, these assessments can make a mental health condition worse for some claimants with the anxiety surrounding an assessment. 

House of Commons
Parliament

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley tells MPs that she is "not ruling any evidence in or out".

She notes that Ofcom can look at whatever evidence they think is relevant.

Damian Collin seeks confirmation that the "fit and proper test" is a matter for Ofcom which they can initiate "at any time".

Karen Bradley says he is right that the fit and proper test is different from the grounds on which the culture secretary can intervene.

She adds, however, that the evidence "may well be the same".

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Z2K's Sam Ashton has said that because of the profit motives of Atos and Capita, they are unable to effectively dedicate enough time to cases for each assessor. 

He says he is sure that most cases are only known to an assessor for an hour before the meeting. 

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Shadow culture secretary Tom Watson warns that the merger would make the "Murdoch empire even bigger".

Empire 2.0, he suggests.

He says the "troublesome issues" concern James Murdoch's character, not his programming plans. 

He notes that News International employees have been convicted of phone hacking and perverting the course of justice.

He adds that the former Head of Legal Affairs has been held in contempt of Parliament "for lying to a select committee".

He asks if Ofcom will examine whether James Murdoch is "a fit and proper person". 

House of Lords
Parliament

Crossbencher and former head of the civil service Lord Kerslake introduces an amendment which would require the secretary of state and Office for Students to have regard to protecting institutional autonomy.

He expresses gratitude to the government for listening to peers on this point - the minister has put his name to the amendment, meaning it will become part of the bill.

Select Committee
Parliament

Personal Independence Payments, or PIPs, were set up to replace the Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

There are two different parts to PIPs, a daily living payment and a mobility payment. The benefit is aimed at helping people with mental or physical disabilities with additional living costs.

Assessment for eligibility to PIPs are regularly reviewed by private companies. They are paid at either a standard or higher rate depending on assessment of need. 

Eligible claimants receive between £21.80 and £139.75 per week.

You can find out more about the scheme from the official government website, external .

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley tells the House that she has not yet taken a final decision on intervention at this stage.

She says a final decision will be taken within 10 working days from 3 March - the date she received notification of the takeover bid.

She sets out her two concerns.

Firstly, she says the merger would bring together control of "significant news sources" including Sky News, The Times and The Sun.

Secondly she expresses concern about breaches of broadcasting standards by 21st Centruy Fox and corpation governance failures by New International in the past

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, PA

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley begins her statement on Sky and 21st Century Fox.

Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox is offering £11.7bn for the 61% stake in Sky it does not already own.

Karen Bradley has previously said that she is "minded" to order an Ofcom investigation into the planned takeover on the grounds of media plurality and broadcast standards.

If, following the investigation, Ofcom does not express any concerns about the bid the government will obligated to clear the takeover. 

If there are concerns, Fox must set out how it would address these problems and the Culture Secretary must then decide whether to accept such assurances. 

In the wake of the hacking scandal in 2011, Fox abandoned its bid to takeover BSkyB.

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Discussing how people can contact the Department for Work and Pensions, the committee hears how the DWP does not accept email submissions from people. 

Tony Lea describes a case of someone requiring a 130-mile round trip in rural areas to attend a disability assessment appointment.

This is something that the witnesses agree must be addressed.