Summary

  • Questions to environment ministers

  • Urgent question on Brexit timetable

  • Business statement on week's agenda

  • Debates on Modern Slavery Act and LGBT rights

  • Peers meet for questions at 11am

  • Debates include intergenerational fairness and air and water pollution

  1. Lord Pannick urges statutory requirement for vote on Brexit dealpublished at 12:09 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    EU withdrawal statement

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    PannickImage source, HoL

    Crossbencher Lord Pannick, who represented Gina Miller in the Article 50 Supreme Court case, points out that the Lords passed an amendment to the resultant Article 50 bill requiring a meaningful vote on final Brexit deal.

    He says peers "backed down" on that point after assurances but David Davis' comments have since introduced "uncertainty" and the amendment should be reintroduced to the EU Withdrawal Bill.

    The minister says commitments at the dispatch box to a vote on the deal remain binding and "there is no confusion" on the vote being offered.

  2. Labour: Walking out of Brexit talks should be subject to votepublished at 12:02 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    EU withdrawal statement

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    HayterImage source, HoL

    Shadow Brexit spokesperson Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town argues that "government walking away must be subject to a vote because no deal is a decision".

    "Legislative authority is needed deal or no deal," she stresses.

    Brexit Minister Baroness Anelay replies that "the commitment to a meaningful vote on an agreement and implementation period is binding".

  3. Labour: Tory whip following 'Lenin and McCarthy'published at 11:56 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Business statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Shadow leader of the House Valerie Vaz thanks the leader of the House for announcing the first days of the EU Withdrawal Bill committee stage and asks if the government intend to complete all eight days of committee before the Christmas recess.

    She also finds time to have a pop at Tory whip Chris Heaton-Harris, who wrote to universities this week asking for names of academics who teach Brexit related courses.

    She says the letters raised the spectres of "Lenin and McCarthy" although says his inspiration turned out to be "Lennon and McCartney because he wants to be a paperback writer".

    Mr Heaton-Harris claimed the letters were part of his research for a book. Nevertheless, those who recieved the letters found them "menacing and threatening", Valerie Vaz says.

    Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom doesn't say how long the government intends committee stage of the EU Withdrawal Bill to take.

    She does address the Chris Heaton-Harris letters though, and says "we support free speech" and that the universities are "bastions of free speech" and should "welcome explorations of all sides of arguments".

    Andrea LeadsomImage source, HoC
  4. Response from Labour on statement over Opposition Day votespublished at 11:44 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Labour whips tweets

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  5. Peers hear statement on voting on final Brexit dealpublished at 11:39 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    EU withdrawal statement

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Brexit Minister Baroness Anelay of St Johns is repeating the answer to an urgent question on the final withdrawal agreement with the European Union.

    Earlier Brexit Secretary David Davis told MPs the government "fully expects there will be a vote... before we leave the EU" but he "can't say for certain" when deal will be agreed.

  6. Ex-Met chief calls for increase in police budgetpublished at 11:38 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Oral questions

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    BlairImage source, HoL

    Crossbencher and former Met commissioner Lord Blair of Boughton asks if it's "sensible" to announce a pay rise for officers but no increase in the overall police budget, saying he doesn't think it's "sustainable".

    Home Office Minister Baroness Williams of Trafford responds the government has "listened" on police pay but "there's a decision to make about how to deploy resources".

  7. Leader outlines government response on Opposition day votespublished at 11:37 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Business statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom also makes a statement about the government's stance on votes on Opposition Day debates.

    She said:

    Quote Message

    As I have made clear, this government is determined to listen and take account of views from all sides of the House. Where there is opportunity for the Government to listen and better enable the effective work of Parliament, we will do so. To that end, I am today updating the House on the Government’s approach to Opposition Day Debates. Where a motion tabled by an opposition party has been approved by the House, the relevant Minister will respond to the resolution of the House by making a statement no more than 12 weeks after the debate. This is to allow thoughtful consideration of the points that have been raised, facilitate collective discussion across Government, especially on cross-cutting issues, and to outline any actions that have been taken. This is in line with suggestions made by Members across the House and I hope colleagues will welcome the new initiative and the opportunity for accountability this provides."

  8. EU bill to return to Commons in mid-Novemberpublished at 11:35 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Business statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom is giving the forthcoming business in the Commons.

    It includes the Armed Forces Flexible Working Bill on Monday, the Finance Bill on Tuesday, Opposition Day debates on Wednesday and backbench business debates on refugees and sexual harassment in schools on Thursday.

    Next Friday is also a private member's bills day.

    She finally announces dates for the start of the committee stage of the EU Withdrawal Bill: Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 November.

  9. MPs must not 'undermine' Brexit votepublished at 11:28 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Parliamentary Brexit deal vote UQ

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Matt WarmanImage source, HoC

    Boston and Skegness Conservative Matt Warman says that "far more damaging" than not having a meaningful vote is suggestions of a second referendum or "talking about the idea that we may not leave at all".

    Mr Warman's constituents in the Lincolnshire town of Boston provided the most overwhelming Leave vote in the country in the June 2016 referendum.

    Brexit Secretary David Davis says that MPs "absolutely have to respect that vote and must not undermine it by other contrivances".

    Conservative MP Martin Vickers goes on to suggest that some MPs would do better to contribute "constructively" rather than "frustrate the will of the British people".

    "I couldn't have put it better myself," replies Mr Davis.

  10. Vote call from Lib Demspublished at 11:20 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Lib Dem MP tweets

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  11. Minister defends 'care Airbnb' pilotpublished at 11:17 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Oral questions

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    HospitalImage source, PA

    The first question is from Labour's Lord Clark of Windermere on increasing staffing levels in the National Health Service to meet anticipated demand during the forthcoming winter period.

    He then raises reports there are plans to establish a so-called "care Airbnb" system, asking if patients will be discharged to homes where people have no medical experience.

    Health Minister Lord O'Shaughnessy stresses it's a local pilot, proposed by a local emergency doctor, subject to the same safeguards as other pilots.

    He adds it would need to pass "the mum or granddad test".

  12. Vote promise 'not empty words'published at 11:15 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Parliamentary Brexit deal vote UQ

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    David Davis is coming under pressure to agree to put an amendment guaranteeing Parliament a vote on the final deal into the EU Withdrawal Bill.

    Labour's Ian Murray challenges the Brexit secretary to name "one good reason" why he won't do so, and suggests that doing otherwise makes his guarantee "empty words".

    David Davis says they are "not empty words" and that an undertaking has been given to Parliament that there will be a vote on the deal, so there will be one.

  13. Could one EU parliament bring down the whole deal?published at 11:02 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Parliamentary Brexit deal vote UQ

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Hilary BennImage source, HoC

    Brexit Committee chair Hilary Benn says that the agreement over the UK's post-Brexit deal with the EU will need to be agreed by the Parliaments of the other 27 EU nations.

    He asks if one Parliament disagreeing with that would also bring down the divorce and transition deals and if those two elements of the deal should therefore be separate from the post-Brexit deal.

    Mr Davis says doing so would put the UK at a "negotiating disadvantage".

  14. Deal needed 'as early as possible'published at 10:58 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Parliamentary Brexit deal vote UQ

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Brexiteer Conservative backbencher Bernard Jenkin says that because of delays in the process by the EU so far it's "not entirely unreasonable" to believe that the EU is going to carry on delaying. He says the government must impress on the EU that a deal must be concluded "as early as possible".

    David Davis says Bernard Jenkin is "absolutely right".

    Bernard JenkinImage source, HoC
  15. Accept amendment to the EU bill, Nicky Morgan urgespublished at 10:57 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Parliamentary Brexit deal vote UQ

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Nicky Morgan says there is a way to solve the problem and that is to accept amendment 7 to the EU Withdrawal Bill.

    Reports have reached members that Conservative MPs who have signed that amendment are not serious, she says.

    Can I tell him we are deadly serious? she says.

    Ms Morgan advises David Davis to adopt a concession strategy on having a withdrawal agreement secured by statute.

    David Davis says he won't pre-empt the discussion on the bill but those reports are not true.

  16. Parliament needs 'full facts'published at 10:53 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Parliamentary Brexit deal vote UQ

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Peter GrantImage source, Hoc

    Peter Grant, SNP Europe spokesperson, says that for a vote to be meaningful access to the "full facts", saying that the government's Brexit impact assessments, currently unpublished and unavailable to MPs or the public, must be released.

    David Davis says the "full facts" are important, which is why the vote can't take place until the deal is agreed.

  17. Parliament 'will' get a meaningful vote on Brexit dealpublished at 10:49 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Parliamentary Brexit deal vote UQ

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    David DavisImage source, Hoc

    Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer has an urgent question on the government's policy on a substantive vote, following a suggestion from David Davis at a select committee yesterday that a vote may not happen until after the UK leaves the EU.

    Brexit Secretary David Davis says the government has been "very clear from the start of the process" that there will be a vote, but is interrupted by laughter from the opposition benches.

    He says the government still intends to put a "meaningful" choice, either deal or no deal, in front of Parliament.

    He says a draft deal is expected by October 2018, and that a vote on it will be "over and above" what is required by law.

    "What a mess," says Keir Starmer, raising Mr Davis's comments yesterday. He says the government committed themselves to a vote under threat of defeat by the Labour Party over the Article 50 Bill, and cannot "casually be dispensed with".

    He asks if the government will accept amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill putting a vote into law.

    David Davis says Parliament will get a "meaningful vote at the right time".

  18. Thursday in the Lordspublished at 10:40 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Coming up...

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    The Lords kick off at 11am with questions on:

    • increasing NHS staffing levels for winter
    • sharing analysis and co-ordination with UN allies to ensure enhanced security
    • funding available for police forces in England and Wales
    • investment in housing.

    After that, Brexit Minister Baroness Anelay of St Johns will repeat the answer to an urgent question on the final withdrawal agreement with the European Union.

    That's followed by three debates on:

    • intergenerational fairness and government policy
    • supporting the Rohingya refugees currently displaced in Bangladesh
    • the impact of air and water pollution on the environment.
  19. 'Get on with it' call for Palace renovationpublished at 10:40 British Summer Time 26 October 2017

    Commissioners Questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Lib Dem MP Tom Brake is answering questions on behalf of the House of Commons Commission, the body responsible for the administration of the House.

    The SNP's Gavin Newlands asks what progress has been made on the restoration and renewal plan for the Palace of Westminster.

    Tom Brake says that progress so far has been hampered by a lack of agreement between the Commons and the Lords. But he says both Houses plan to debate proposals by the end of the year. But he admits it may take another 12 to 18 months to consider all options.

    Authorities will have to decide to renovate the Palace quickly, moving both Houses out of the building entirely, or more slowly, by 'decanting' each House out of the Palace in turn.

    Labour's Chris Bryant wants quicker action, he calls the problems with the Palace of Westminster an "impending crisis" and says the government's procrastination is the definition of the word "irresponsible". "Get on with it man!" he urges.

    Chris BryantImage source, HoC