House of Commons
Parliament

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The Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom is making the weekly business statement - she's outlining what will be on the agenda when MPs return from conferences.

Shadow Commons leader Valerie Vaz calls the Conservatives' decision not to vote in yesterday's opposition day debate "jaw-dropping" and "makes Parliament look ridiculous".

She claims it makes the government seem "afraid of debate".

Select Committee
Parliament

How big is the Home Office presence at Brook House? asks SNP MP Stuart McDonald

"An extensive presence," replies Mr Petherick. He tells MPs that there is a Home Office monitor at every morning meeting.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Labour's Stephen Doughty asks how many staff have been suspended for bringing drugs into the centre.

Jerry Petherick replies that no staff have been suspended. There are ongoing operations, he adds.

Stephen Doughty also asks about intimidation of whistleblowers - such as social media abuse and tyres being slashed.

Jerry Petherick tells the committee that this morning was the first he had heard of such allegations.

"I am not aware of any tyres being slashed."

Select Committee
Parliament

Why wasn't the behaviour of staff not picked up by line managers? asks Yvette Cooper.

"I've asked myself that ever since the programme," replies Jerry Petherick.

"Ultimately I'm accountable. Ultimately I've failed in driving in expected behaviours."

Select Committee
Parliament

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Yvette Cooper notes that the apologies, expressions of shame and talk of inquiries are "remarkably similar" to what G4S said after similar revelations at Medway.

"How can you still not have done anything to address it?" she asks.

"We've worked very hard to address this," replies Jerry Petherick.

"There may be lapses," he says, "but we are all human beings.

"We do take robust action," he adds.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour's Jack Dromey tells the government it "inhabits another planet" and is confronting police with a real-terms pay cut.

Home Office Minister Sarah Newton replies that he is "talking down the police".

Select Committee
Parliament

Yvette Cooper asks how many whistleblower contacts G4S have received over the last two years at Brook House.

Peter Neden replies that there have been 11 cases - all in relation to staff-on-staff behaviour - not staff on detainee behaviour.

Yvette Cooper asks whether G4S believe their whistleblowing system is working.

"The system is operating," replies Peter Neden.

Jerry Petherick says an independent inquiry will be looking at ways of "re-energising" the system.

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative Andrew Selous complains that the funding formula "does not treat Bedfordshire police fairly" and calls for a fair level of funding to every force to bring those at bottom closer to the average.

The minister tells him these matters are kept "carefully under review".

Select Committee
Parliament

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The next two witnesses now take their seats:

• Peter Neden, Regional President, UK and Ireland, G4S
• Jerry Petherick, Managing Director, Custodial and Detention Centres, G4S

Yvette Cooper asks if they would you have been aware of any of the abuse had there not been a Panorama programme.

"I was ashamed and very sorry for what we saw," says Peter Neden.

He tells MPs that since the programme G4S had suspended 10 members of staff and dismissed three.

He adds that the behaviour in the programme "doesn't reflect the vast majority of the staff".

House of Commons
Parliament

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Shadow police minister Louise Haigh claims the government did not accept the independent pay review body's recommendations "in full" and asks why.

She says there's been a "cynical" attempt to portray the pay offer as better than it really is.

She argues police are "at breaking point" - which Home Office Minister Sarah Newton decries as "doing them a disservice".

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow police minister Louise Haigh is asking an urgent question on police pay.

Home Office Minister Sarah Newton says the latest pay decision was taken after "carefully considering the recommendations of the independent police renumeration body" and represents "a fair deal" for officers and taxpayers.

Earlier in the week the government announced that police officers would get a 1% rise plus a 1% bonus, with prison officers getting a 1.7% rise - both funded from existing budgets.

Unions argued that, due to inflation, this amounted to a real-terms cut and the Prison Officers Association threatened industrial action.

Select Committee
Parliament

Yvette Cooper cites a BBC report that said G4S was making 20% profits. She asks if that seems plausible.

"Absolutely," replies Nathan Ward who adds that he had seen a presentation where the figure was as high as 30%.

He adds that while at G4S he received an asset list for the company's pre-departure accommodation. He says items had been highlighted which the company was charging to the Home Office "but that we would never actually buy".

He says that the number of staff was also "inaccurately" reported to the Home Office.

"So G4S was deliberately giving false information to the Home Office?" asks Yvette Cooper.

"Categorically, yes," he replies.

He tells the committee that when he left he downloaded the senior management team's spreadsheets and gave copies to Kent Police and the Ministry of Justice.

Select Committee
Parliament

Labour MP Stephen Doughty asks how drugs are getting into the centre.

Nathan Ward sets out three routes - through visitors, through post and through the staff.

James Wilson says many detainees had not previously taken drugs but "the level of desperation" at the centre and the availability made drug use "hard to avoid".

House of Commons
Parliament

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Culture Secretary Karen Bradley has confirmed the £11.7bn bid to take full control of Sky through 21st Century Fox will be referred to competition authorities.

It will look at media plurality and broadcasting standards grounds.

Earlier this week, the culture secretary told MPs she was minded to refer the bid.

Fox owns 39% of Sky but wants full control of the satellite broadcaster.

Ms Bradley told MPs she is now referring the deal to the Competition and Markets Authority:

"Yesterday I received letters on behalf of both parties to the merger confirming that while they disagree with my 'minded to' decision they would not be making substantive representation in relation to it," she told MPs.

"As a result I can confirm that my 'minded to' decision is now final".