House of Lords
Parliament

The Lib Dem's Baroness Walmsley now asks the government how it intends to implement the Nice guideline "End of life care for infants, children and young people with life-limiting conditions: planning and management".

The guidelines were published by Nice (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) in December 2016.

The guidelines say those affected and their parents and carers have a central role in decision-making and care planning.

Health Minister Lord O'Shaughnessy tells peers that responsibility for implementing the recommendations lies with local commissioners.

Baroness Walmsley says that implementation could save the NHS £34.7m.

House of Lords
Parliament

Defence Minister Earl Howe says the procedures for trying soldiers are reviewed every five years.

Baroness Smith urges the government to undertake a consultation on the rules in order to get the views of service personnel and their families.

Lib Dem Lord Thomas of Gresford says the public have lost confidence in the process adding that "the days of having courts martial are long past".

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon isn't satisfied, and asks ministers to apologise for the "suffering" caused by unlawful tribunal fees.

Justice Minister Dominic Raab tells him "we realise we got the balance wrong" but insists fees do have a part to play in the tribunal system.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, MOD/PA

Next Labour's leader in the Lords, Baroness Smith of Basildon, asks a question on behalf of Labour's Lord Morris of Aberavon.

She asks if there will be a consultation about the procedures for trying members of the armed forces for serious crimes such as murder.

In 2013, the UK's senior military judge said the rules for convicting members of the armed forces looked unfair.

Five members of a panel currently weigh up evidence in a military court and can deliver their verdict on a majority of three to two.

This contrasts with how civilians are tried where a minimum majority of 10 to two is needed in order to reach a verdict.

House of Commons
Parliament

The SNP's Ronnie Cowan asks when the government plans to announce how rebate arrangements will work for people who have paid employment tribunal fees.

In July, fees for those bringing employment tribunal claims were ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court, and the government will now have to repay up to £32m to claimants.

The government introduced fees of up to £1,200 in 2013, which it said would cut the number of malicious and weak cases.

Mr Cowan says the fees have caused stress and financial burdens.

Justice Minister Dominic Raab replies that the government wants to ensure all considerations are properly taken into account before it announces further steps.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

...and the first question to kick off the new term comes from Conservative Baroness Neville-Rolfe who asks how the inconvenience of congestion can be reduced.

Transport Minister Lord Callanan replies that the government is investing £23bn in the country's roads.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe tells peers that during her summer travels she came across many serious traffic problems "not just confined to major roads".

She suggests the government is more interested in the large projects.

House of Commons
Parliament

Justice questions kicks off with a question from Labour's Thelma Walker on ensuring adequate access to legal aid providers.

Justice Secretary David Lidington says it's under regular review and there will be a forthcoming post-implementation review of legal aid reforms.

House of Lords
Parliament

Over in the House of Lords peers begin with the customary round of oral questions which today cover road congestion, military courts, children's health and North Korea.

Next, the Bishop of St Albans will ask how the government is responding to the crisis facing the Rohingya people in Myanmar.

Then comes a slew of statements covering the Brexit negotiations, the situation in the Korean Peninsula and an update on the response to the Grenfell Tower fire.

The rest of the day will be taken up with debate of the Air Travel Organisers' Licensing Bill and a debate on UK-Irish relations following Brexit.

Image source, Reuters

MPs return from the summer recess today with plenty to keep them busy.

First the justice secretary and his ministerial team will take questions, then there'll be an urgent question from Labour's Yasmin Qureshi on recent violence in Rakhine, Myanmar.

That's followed by statements on:

• The progress of Brexit negotiations
• The situation on the Korean Peninsula
• The response to the Grenfell Tower fire and building safety.

We're told SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford will then seek an emergency debate on Brexit and the devolved administrations.

MPs then take part in committee and report stage of the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Relief from Non-Domestic Rates) Bill, which scraps business rates on new ultrafast broadband lines.

The adjournment debate led by Labour's Madeleine Moon is on incontinence.

Westminster Hall

Image source, Getty Images

Labour's Chuka Umunna now opens a debate on blacklisting.

Some construction firms have admitted banning individual workers in a practice known as blacklisting.

Details of a construction industry blacklist emerged during an Information Commissioner investigation in 2009.

Construction firms were found to have compiled information on workers regarding union membership or political views.

Westminster Hall

Image source, PA

MPs are now beginning a debate on the combined fire and police service in Northamptonshire, where the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has proposed changing the fire service's governance.

If adopted, the fire service would become the responsibility of the Northamptonshire PCC in April 2018.

Conservative MP Philip Hollobone has tabled this debate.

Conservative Home

Neil Parish, who is the chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, has written for the website Conservative Home about today's debate.

He says:

Britain needs more homes. Rising house prices have made building more houses a social and economic imperative. So it’s vital we get the design and quality of these new homes right. That’s why I was so pleased to see the 2017 Conservative manifesto commitment to:

This pledge really stood out for me, and I look forward to leading a Parliamentary debate on this topic today. As someone who used to work in planning at local authority level, I know just how terrified some communities are of new development. This isn’t because they are NIMBYs. But because they have seen how previous developments in the in the last 50 years have left communities with homes totally unsuitable for their area.

Read more from Neil Parish's article here., external

Westminster Hall

Image source, Reuters

The debate on Coventry concludes. Next up, MPs discuss new housing design.

In February, the government published its white paper on housing, external which urged developers to use land "more efficiently" and to avoid building at low density.

The government also wants to encourage smaller building companies to enter the market through a £3bn Home Building Fund.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has warned that the UK is facing a "critical rental shortage".

The debate is led by Conservative MP Neil Parish.

Westminster Hall

Image source, HoC

The next debate in Westminster Hall has been tabled by Labour MP Jim Cunningham and concerns Coventry's bid to be named City of Culture 2021.

The current city of culture is Hull.

Peter Hain's warning comes as the House of Lords is due to debate a report on Brexit later.

Westminster Hall

Graham Jones wraps up the debate with a plea to the government to "move from condemnation to action".

He acknowledges the the UK does not have its own sanctions policy but says "we should be the lead nation within in the EU calling for sanctions".

And there the debate comes to an end.