House of Commons
Parliament

Jeremy Corbyn asks about the national living wage, which he suggests isn't actually a living wage.

He asks if the Budget, due in November, will "put the onus on employers to pay a decent wage, to ensure that they can make ends meet" rather than continuing to use the welfare state to subsidise low wages.

Theresa May says the government is "investing in an economy for our future" and says that Labour's tax credits actually subsidised low wages.

Jeremy Corbyn says Labour want to "make work pay" by offering a £10 an hour living wage.

He rounds on the government, says it "doesn't know if it's coming or going".

He highlights a number of contradictory positions held by members of the government, including on the possibility of a "no deal" Brexit. He goes on to call them "weak, incompetent, divided, and unable to take the essential decisions necessary for the good of the people of this country".

Theresa May says "of course we want to see people earning higher wages" says we need to build a stronger economy, which can't be done with uncontrolled borrowing, "the highest taxes in our peacetime history", by voting against progress in the Brexit negotiations, or by "preparing for a run on the pound".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HOc

Jeremy Corbyn raises comments by former work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith, who apparently cited the six week wait as one of the reasons he resigned from the government last year.

Theresa May reiterates that the government is listening and making changes to UC as it's rolled out. She then rounds on Labour's record in government, and the "rushed" introduction of tax credits, which she said led to people being landed with "bills for thousands of pounds".

Jeremy Corbyn makes a joke about Theresa May not actually answering questions.

He then returns to universal credit, and he says Croydon Council £3m of its budget to prevent UC recipient tenants being evicted due to being in arrears.

He asks if the prime minister thinks this is a fair use of council money.

Theresa May says the "vast majority" of people on UC don't have a problem "managing their budget", and that the system is being changed to ensure that landlords can be paid directly.

She adds that no-one can be evicted from council housing due to short term rent arrears.

Image source, Hoc

House of Commons
Parliament

Jeremy Corbyn gets to ask the prime minister six questions.

For his first he asks about last week's vote on pausing the rollout of universal credit, boycotted by the Tories. "Will the PM accept the will of the House?" he asks

Theresa May says the government is listening to concerns. But she says the roll-out of UC is being done in a "measured" way, that only 8% of benefits claimants are on it and that currently four out of five claimants are satisfied or very satisfied with the service they're receiving.

Mr Corbyn says that 20% of people on UC being dissatisfied should be give "pause for thought".

He then quotes a Conservative member of the Welsh Assembly saying she was "ashamed of her government" over the UC rollout, and asks if they'll pause or fix it.

Mrs May says the government is listening and is making changes. She goes on to defend the concept of universal credit, which she says is a "simpler" system that "makes sure work pays".

House of Commons
Parliament

The prime minister begins by wishing home nations teams the best of luck in the Rugby League World Cup.

Labour MP Afzal Khan has the first question. He says social care services in England are in crisis and in Manchester, the budget has been cut by £32m.

Why won't the PM match Labour's commitment to promise an investment of £8bn in the Budget? he asks.

Theresa May says there are short and medium and long term answers to this problem.

She points to the £2bn to local authorities made in the last Budget, and she says that in the medium term, best pracitce needs to be observed.

In the long term, a full consultation on ideas is underway.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Business in the Commons is under way, with Scotland questions.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell is telling the House about the "significant increase in the decision making power" of the devolved administrations that he says will occur after Brexit.

SNP MP David Linden says the Scottish secretary's answer is "fluff" and challenges him to name which powers will go to Holyrood.

David Mundell says there are 111 powers currently held by the European Union that will be devolved to Holyrood.

House of Commons
Parliament

Business in the House of Commons gets underway from 11:30am, with Scotland questions.

Then Theresa May will face Jeremy Corbyn and backbench MPs in Prime Minister's Questions.

Former Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villiers has today's Ten Minute Rule Motion due to be heard just after PMQs, on banning live animal exports.

The main business of the day is two debates chosen by the opposition, on social care and supported housing.

Select Committee
Parliament

As this morning's committee concludes, Hilary Benn thanks David Davis for attending.

"I think, if I may say so, you've made two very significant observations today," Mr Benn says.

He cites the first as being Mr Davis's admission that Parliament may not get to vote on the final deal until after the end March 2019.

Mr Benn says that the second is that the Brexit secretary has made it clear that the government's policy that it wishes to pursue the nature of the implementation period as swiftly as possible, and not for that to be dependent on sorting out the future arrangements

And that's where the committee's session with Mr Davis ends.

Select Committee
Parliament

Conservative Christopher Chope asks David Davis what questions the committee should ask Michel Barnier when he appears in front of them in a few weeks.

"Ask him what sufficient progress actually means, that would be a good start," suggests Mr Davis.

Select Committee
Parliament

Conservative Jeremy Lefroy asks for an update on citizens' rights, after David Davis set out the latest state of negotiations on the issue last week.

"Has there been any movement since then?" he asks.

Mr Davis says that he agrees with the prime minister that the UK is within "touching distance" of coming to a deal.

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, Hoc

Labour's Seema Malhotra presses for some clarification on the timetabling approving the withdrawal agreement.

"The vote of the UK parliament could be after March 2019?" she asks David Davis.

He tells her that it depends when negotiations conclude.

"It can't come before we have the deal," he says.

"It is our intent and expectation that we bring it to the British parliament before it goes to the European Parliament."