House of Commons
Parliament

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Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable asks Theresa May "how she expects to be taken seriously" in her stated aim of completion of the single market when she's in the process of trying to dismantle it.

Theresa May replies that the digital single market remains important regardless of whether the UK is in or out of the EU.

House of Lords
Parliament

Meanwhile, in the House of Lords, peers are debating further amendments to the Space Industry Bill.

The bill aims to make the UK the leading place in Europe for commercial space launches, and creates the regulatory regime needed for there to be a UK spaceport for rocket launches and space plane takeoffs.

There are currently no space launchpads in western Europe. Rockets of the European Space Agency, of which the UK is part, launch currently from French Guiana, on South America's Caribbean coast.

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour's Yvette Cooper asks Theresa May to clarify what would happen if no trade deal has been reached by this time next year, asking if it would mean no transition deal at all.

Mrs May tells her that it is "about adjusting to a future relationship with the EU".

From Reality Check: Why a transition period may not buy more time for talks.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Conservative Bernard Jenkin, a leading Brexiteer, says anyone who suggests Theresa May is "weak" is "seriously underestimating her" - a remark that gets a call of "hear hear" from Conservative MPs.

Mr Jenkins goes on to reject suggestions that it's the Brexiteers who are causing problems for the Prime Minister. He insists: "The only people undermining her from this side are people who are threatening to go into the lobbies with the Labour party."

"It is often cheaper and normally thought better, all other things the same, to buy a house than to rent. Getting a mortgage application accepted depends on several factors – one is a good credit score which makes both acceptance more likely and the offer more favourable terms.

Renters complain that their history of paying rent does not get recorded on their credit score in the way in which mortgage payments are recorded. This makes it hard for them to improve their score and get better deals on all sorts of credit applications – and mortgages.

An e-Petition called for rental payments to be treated equally with mortgages repayments."

Read more here., external

Image source, PA

Westminster Hall

Over in Westminster Hall, MPs will soon start to debate a motion “That this House has considered e-petition 186565 relating to eligibility for mortgages”.

The debate is being led by Conservative Paul Scully, after the petition attracted over 147,000 signatures online.

House of Commons
Parliament

Tory backbencher and Brexiteer Sir Bill Cash says the UK must avoid the "bear trap" of the potential involvement of the European Court of Justice in any transitional deal, because of the long term commitments that membership of the court entails.

Theresa May says she's been "very clear" that one of the reasons people voted Leave was to avoid the ECJ having jurisdiction over the UK but she says there must be "as little change" as possible during a transition.

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative Anna Soubry tells MPs that WTO tariffs should be ruled out, as should the "no deal" scenario.

"We've been engaged with and listening to businesses," says the prime minister, "but we are in a negotiation."

That, she continues, means not signalling that we are prepared to accept any deal.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Brexit Committee chair Hilary Benn asks two questions. He wants to know why EU sources keep saying that they "do not know what the UK wants" and also why the cabinet "hasn't reached it's own view".

Theresa May says that there are "different levels of detail" and that the UK has set out a "vision for a future partnership". She says that at the most recent summit the EU27 "agreed that they will now start the work" of preparing their vision.

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative John Redwood advises that firms should "prepare for a smooth transition to WTO tariffs but expect the PM to bring home something better".

Mrs May emphasises that "a smooth orderly Brexit is not just in our interest but in that of the 27 EU countries".

The former Conservative leader, Iain Duncan Smith wonders whether the Prime Minister reminded EU leaders of the need to get on with things.

He says that in order to reach a "proper free trade arrangement" they need to have concluded the negotiations before the summer of 2018.

Theresa May tells him that Michel Barnier has suggested October 2018 for the conclusion of talks.

House of Commons
Parliament

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The SNP's Westminster leader, Ian Blackford says that "time is running out for businesses" asking Theresa May to "end her catastrophic flirtation with 'no deal' and take it off the table today".

She says the UK cannot stay in the single market as it leaves the EU.

House of Commons
Parliament

Father of the House Ken Clarke warns of a "damaging delay" if the UK doesn't make progress soon. He says that a "noisy minority" of Conservative backbenchers have decided that a no deal Brexit is "desirable".

He asks if the Prime Minister has considered appointing a minister to approach opposition MPs to work "in the national interest" on the outline of a transitional deal that can get through the House.

Theresa May replies that Mr Clarke's question "sounded rather like a job application" - a remark that got a few laughs from MPs.

She adds that the "vision" she set out in her Florence speech has brought "clarity" and it is now for the EU27 to think about what they want from the negotiations.

House of Commons
Parliament

Theresa May responds to accusations of lack of progress on a deal, saying: "It is going to happen."

She says her Florence speech created new momentum, and criticises Labour MEPs for voting against moving towards trade talks.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn responds to Theresa May's statement, saying he has a feeling of "Groundhog Day" as "we still have no idea when the trade phase of talks will begin".

He goes on to say there's "confusion" about the different positions on Brexit held by different Cabinet ministers.

"Would an outcome that's short of Armageddon be setting the bar too low?" he asks.

He calls for a transition deal to be made clear to give certainty to businesses.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Theresa May is updating MPs on her recent trip to Brussels for the European Council summit.

At that gathering the other 27 EU leaders decided progress on the Brexit separation issues had not been "sufficient" to open talks on future trade relations with the UK yet - but they did agree to discuss the issue among themselves, paving the way for talks to possibly begin in December.

Mrs May says talks have been conducted in a "constructive and professional" way and a deal is "within touching distance".

House of Commons
Parliament

Following a point of order from Conservative chair of the Health Committee Sarah Wollaston, Commons Speaker John Bercow says it is "absurd and indefensible" that some committees of Parliament still haven't been set up.

These include the Liaison Committee, the European Scrutiny Committee and the Intelligence and Security Committee.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Labour peer Lord Boateng says there is "already evidence" of discrimination by banks against minorities.

He asks what guidance the government will issue to banks to avoid accounts coming under scrutiny when people are called "Boateng, or Singh, or Patel" and have a "name that might indicate they were not born in the United Kingdom" - even if they were.

Minister Baroness Williams says accounts "are not checked" based on the owner's name, and that people's accounts will only be checked if they appear on lists of illegal immigrants held by other agencies.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, Reuters

Lib Dem peer Lord Roberts of Llandudno asks if the government believes that banks and building societies are able to carry out immigration checks on 70 million bank accounts, as the Immigration Act 2016 requires them to.

Home Office Minister Baroness Williams of Trafford says effective immigration controls require action. She says the Immigration Act 2014 made it illegal to open an account for an illegal immigrant, and the 2016 Act went further in seeking to find existing accounts held by those without the right to be in the country. She says the government is "continuing to engage" with the industry ahead of the Act's full implementation.