Summary

  • Day began with questions to Culture, Media and Sport ministers

  • Business Statement unveils forthcoming business

  • Statement on decision on Fox's Sky takeover bid

  • MPs and peers debate Queen's Speech

  1. Minister - We should be positive about future of Universal Creditpublished at 19:39 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Adjournment debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Work and Pensions minister Damian Hinds says that given the "scale and ambition" of universal credit "there are bound to be issues" as the service is rolled out.

    Despite this, Mr Hinds says there are many good reasons to feel positive about the future of the benefit.

    The minister says that valuable feedback has allowed the government to improve the way it delivers the benefit.

  2. MP suggests a dedicated hotline for claimantspublished at 19:16 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Adjournment debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jim ShannonImage source, HoC

    The DUP's Jim Shannon asks if the Waveney MP agrees with him that there should be a dedicated helpline to help those who do not understand the changes to their benefits.

    Mr Aldous says he agrees and suggests there should also be front-of-house support in job centres themselves.

  3. Conservative MP criticises roll-out of universal credit in his areapublished at 19:14 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Adjournment debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Peter AdousImage source, HoC

    Marcus Jones concludes his remarks and the debate on the education and local services measures in the Queen's Speech comes to an end.

    We now come on to the last business of the day - Conservative MP Peter Adous' adjournment debate on the universal credit roll-out in Lowestoft.

    He says that the main problem with the roll-out was the delay in people receiving payments, which he says left vulnerable people in difficult circumstances with no means to pay for food or a roof over their head.

    The payments often did not contain the housing element, Mr Aldous says, which led to rent arrears.

  4. Government will ensure fire safety in schools - ministerpublished at 18:48 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Marcus JonesImage source, HoC

    Communities and Local Government Minister Marcus Jones wraps up the debate for the government.

    He tells MPs that the government will ensure that no school will have its budget cut as a result of the new funding formula - which prompts jeers from the large number of Labour MPs still present in the chamber.

    On the issue raised at the start of the debate by shadow education secretary Angela Rayner about fire safety in schools, Mr Jones says sprinklers must be installed in new school buildings if a risk assessment says they are necessary or if it is required by local planning rules.

    "We have no plans to introduce any changes to fire safety laws to make them less strict than they are already."

  5. 'What a difference seven weeks makes'published at 18:40 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Andrew GwynneImage source, HoC

    Shadow communities secretary Andrew Gwynne now rises from the front bench to respond to the debate for the opposition.

    Labour's campaign co-ordinator in the general election repeats the famous add adage "a week is a long time in politics" before adding: "What a difference seven weeks made."

    He says he was virtually laughed off College Green in media interviews when the election was called due to the predictions of a Conservative landslide victory.

    On the issue of local government funding, Mr Gwynne says Labour will "not let up" until there is "absolute certainty" of how the revenue support grant is going to be replaced.

    "If we want a government for the many and not the few then it is clear that it will not come from the party opposite," he says.

  6. Deal with DUP defendedpublished at 18:23 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    DUP's Lord Hay of Ballyore says of the Conservatives' agreement to allocate £1bn to Northern Ireland - "I welcome the money, I make no apology for it. Any other party in our position would do the same thing."

    "The money is for the whole of Northern Ireland" and not just the DUP, he points out.

  7. New MP's praise for Nottinghampublished at 18:17 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Alex NorrisImage source, HoC

    The new Labour MP for Nottingham North, Alex Norris, makes his maiden speech.

    He says that the previous Labour MP, Graham Allen, deserves to be made a freeman of the city or to never have to pay for a pint in the city again - whichever he thinks is the highest honour.

    Mr Norris praises various Nottingham alumni during his comments from boxers to actors, and reminds MPs of Brian Clough's reign at Nottingham Forrest.

    "Our city has won more European Cups than London, Paris, and Rome - and more than all three put together."

    "We have some of the best of Britain in Nottingham," he says, but adds that it is important to remember that Nottingham has also had some of the worst of Britain - which "all comes back to our poverty".

  8. A word to the wisepublished at 18:16 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Lloyd Russell-Moyle & Dame Rosie WintertonImage source, HoC
    Image caption,

    In the left of the picture we can see the veteran former Labour chief whip Dame Rosie Winterton giving some words of wisdom to the new MP for Brighton Kemptown Lloyd Russell-Moyle

  9. Who ordered a doughnut?published at 18:11 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    MPsImage source, HoC
    Image caption,

    Labour MPs cluster around their new MPs in what is known as "a doughnut" which makes the MPs speech look well attended on the TV camera close-up

  10. 'School-run mum' makes her maiden speechpublished at 18:03 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Ruth GeorgeImage source, HoC

    Another Labour gain at the recent election, the new MP for High Peak, Ruth George, is now making her maiden speech.

    The first female MP for High Peak repeatedly refers to herself as a "school-run mum" in her speech and tells MPs that she has four children and for over 20 years she has been on the school run.

    She praises schools, nurseries and the activity groups around them for creating communities and for stopping rural isolation.

  11. Lord Steel condemns Tory-DUP deal as 'extorted'published at 17:53 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    SteelImage source, HoL

    Former Liberal leader Lord Steel of Aikwood introduces himself as the last leader in the House to negotiate a confidence and supply arrangement, stating he has "considerable misgivings" about the one which has just been agreed.

    He describes the prime minister as "just about managing" and condemns the conduct of talks with the DUP as "long, drawn-out and unnecessary".

    He goes on to say that even if you ignore the "prehistoric" social views of the DUP, the deal which has been reached is "extorted and extortionate ".

    It will hold together in the short term, he predicts, but "at a terribly damaging price - strong and stable it is not".

  12. History will judge us if we don't stand up for our children - MPpublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Martin WhitfieldImage source, HoC

    Labour's new MP for East Lothian, Martin Whitfield, says the new Parliament sits at a time of great constitutional uncertainty and change, and so he stands to speak with "trepidation".

    He says this trepidation is blunted by the faith invested in him by his constituents.

    Mr Whitfield says that he believes history will treat us "harshly if we do not stand up to that potential and the obligation that we owe our young".

  13. David Trimble calls on DUP to redouble effortspublished at 17:41 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    TrimbleImage source, HoL

    The former UUP leader Lord Trimble, who now sits as a Conservative, gives his verdict on the deal with the DUP, saying: "Theresa May has been generous to the DUP to the point where she is open to criticism."

    He calls on the DUP to reduce Mrs May's "exposure" by doing everything they can to restore power-sharing at Stormont.

  14. DUP peer welcomes deal with Toriespublished at 17:36 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    DUP peer Lord Browne of Belmont tells peers his party has "consistently played a positive role" in power-sharing talks and "the main concerns of those in Northern Ireland are very similar to those of people of England, Wales and Scotland".

    He applauds the government's move to "strengthen bonds" between the UK's different nations and says: "I welcome this agreement and I hope it will provide additional incentive" for the restoration of devolved government at Stormont.

  15. New MP says new schools funding formula is 'Orwellian'published at 17:32 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Lloyd Russell-MoyleImage source, HoC

    Brighton Kemptown's new Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle says it is lovely to come back to the House of Commons - reminding MPs that he did his work experience here as a "local comprehensive lad".

    He says that every school in his constituency is facing cuts from the "Orwellian" description of a fairer funding formula.

    "It is not fair at all," he says.

  16. Glasgow fed up with austerity says new MPpublished at 17:32 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    David LindenImage source, HoC

    The SNP's only new MP, Glasgow East's David Linden, focuses his maiden speech on austerity and says that although much has been done to regenerate east Glasgow in recent years, "we are forced to do the work with one hand tied behind our back".

    He says it is "simply unacceptable" that thousands of children in his constituency are deemed to live in poverty.

    People in Glasgow are no longer "just about managing", he says, "we are just fed up with austerity".

  17. London veterans speak in debatepublished at 17:20 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Two more experienced MPs from South and North London respectively - Labour's Siobhain McDonagh, and Conservative Bob Blackman contribute to the debate.

    Mitcham & Morden's MP Ms McDonagh tells a story about struggling families in her constituency who have either been moved there by other local authorities who have no capacity themselves, or have been moved away from south-west London - some as far as Birmingham.

    Mr Blackman speaks about teaching unions' "propaganda" in Brent about how much money will be lost in local schools due to the new funding formula, saying this is "clearly a lie and should be nailed as such".

    He also urges the government to "press ahead" with plans to build 245,000 homes per year.

  18. Former prisons inspector attacks Queen's Speechpublished at 17:16 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Crossbencher and former inspector of prisons, Lord Ramsbotham, says all David Cameron's plans for reforming prisons set out in 2015 "now appear to have been dropped".

    He tells peers that prisons are in a "deep crisis" which can only be addressed through "thought-out long-term plans".

    He predicts the new justice secretary, David Lidington, is set to repeat his predecessors' mistakes, citing remarks in which he said "we know what needs to be fixed", asking: "If that's so why has he not been fixed before now?"

    He ends by begging the prime minister to think again.

  19. New member says it's the 'honour of his life' to be an MPpublished at 17:16 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Damian MooreImage source, HoC

    Damian Moore, the new Conservative MP for Southport, makes his maiden speech in Parliament.

    The former supermarket manager mines his past life to produce a plethora of food retail based puns...

    He says he hopes MPs are as receptive as his customers were to his prices; will his constituents think his contributions are "as fresh" as his produce - and he muses if he will be past his "sell-by date" by the next election.

    He assures the Speaker that he will often be on his feet championing his constituency; adding that it is the honour of his life representing Southport.

  20. UUP ex-leader warns against 'begging-bowl unionism'published at 17:05 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Queen's Speech debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    EmpeyImage source, HoL

    Lord Empey, a former leader of the UUP, comments on the agreement reached between the Conservatives and the DUP, arguing that the problem is not the money allocated to Northern Ireland but that it is "linked to votes in the other place".

    He says he "can well understand the unhappiness" in Wales and Scotland at the situation, describing the Barnett formula as a "delicate flower" which is in danger of being crushed.

    He says he's never supported what he calls "begging-bowl unionism", and while it's natural for a party to press home an advantage as the DUP has done, "unionists must never create the impression their beliefs are cash-based".