House of Lords
Parliament

In the Lords, peers are putting questions to ministers.

First up is Labour's Lord Collins of Highbury, asking about consultation with civil society organisations and NGOs on changing the rules relating to overseas development assistance.

He says the government has advocated change "without saying what that change should be".

International Development Minister Lord Bates rejects accusations of working "unilaterally" and says that the steps taken in the wake of Hurricane Irma represent "a major advance".

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Labour's Ann Clwyd asks a question on the Iran deal, which has come under threat since the presidency of Donald Trump.

She asks if he will guide UK companies on sanctions with Iran.

Mr Johnson says he wants to avoid a situation where the US may "slap on" tariffs to British companies trading with Iran.

He says he wants British companies to continue trading with Iran.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour's Conor McGinn echoes concerns expressed earlier about recruitment and retention.

He describes the strength of the Army at 78,000 soldiers as an "abject failure" and highlights the numbers leaving the Reserves.

"The British public deserve far, far better," he concludes.

Select Committee
Parliament

Ms Ghani asks Mr Johnson about the announcement from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia that Saudi citizens want a return to moderate Islam.

He says that the recent announcements from Saudi Arabia, including allowing women to drive, are welcome.

He says that it is not about which type of Islam they follow, but instead what kind of society they choose to build.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Conservative Nusrat Ghani says she hopes that 'Global Britain' is not just a soundbite.

Mr Johnson says that Global Britain is a concept, "people think that Brexit is about turning inwards," but he says he believes that Britain should be open to the rest of the world.

He says he wanted to "get it over to the British public that this is something that is in their interests as well".

House of Commons
Parliament

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Conservative Sir Mike Penning acknowledges "pay is important" but says "it's not the reason I joined the Army as a young man".

He argues it's more about "where you're going to go during your career - aspirations".

He cites "many other challenges" aside from pay such as retention and accommodation.

He tells MPs he saw accommodation at Catterick Garrison "I wouldn't put a dog in - and I came back and went beserk".

Select Committee
Parliament

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Labour's Chris Bryant is further pressing Mr Johnson on membership of EU bodies after Brexit.

He says that Lord Hague, external and Lord Ricketts, external appear to be under the impression that the government will seek observer status of the Foreign Affairs Council.

Mr Johnson says that the UK has a lot to offer to the EU. "We are a global actor," he says. "We can show our unconditional support for European security and defence."

Emma Barnett
BBC 5 Live

The former Conservative leader and prominent Brexiteer Iain Duncan Smith has told BBC Radio 5 live that he expects the Brexit impact studies – which the government is resisting publishing – to be released ahead of any parliamentary vote on a potential Brexit deal.

Speaking to Emma Barnett, Mr Duncan Smith stressed that he didn’t want the papers during the Brexit negotiations, but he thought they would be released after the negotiations have been completed and before the MPs vote in parliament.

He said:

But he stressed they needed to remain confidential until then.

The studies are the subject of an Opposition Day debate in the Commons this afternoon, external.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Labour's Mike Gapes asks Mr Johnson if there are plans for the UK government to still be in the room on meetings of the Political and Security Committee, external, the Foreign Affairs Council, external and the Committee of Permanent Representatives, external.

The foreign secretary says these are very relevant and pertinent questions, at the moment the government has not decided on what it would like to seek.

Mr Johnson says it is his feeling that it is difficult for the UK to remain in any institution which is more than just purely intergovernmental.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour's Kevan Jones claims that Conservative MPs are behaving as though pay is not important, when "I have yet to meet anyone who says a decent reward isn't important to them".

"We need to ensure they [armed forces personnel] are paid and resourced to a level which is acceptable."

He questions the value of a 2% pay rise when you are starting from a low base.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Mr Zahawi says it has been more than a year since the foreign secretary last appeared before the committee. He asks what achievements in the past twelve months he has been most proud of.

Mr Johnson says it is important for the British government to be as useful as it can be in sharing priorities with the US President.

He says the commitment to Article 5 of NATO, external is reassuring to everyone on this side of the Atlantic.

Getting the world behind Ghassan Salame's plan for Libya, external is something else Mr Johnson cites.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Conservative former defence minister Mark Francois tells the House that the armed forces are "under pressure".

He says there's been a "hollowing out in the ranks" which has the effect of "increasing pressure on personnel who remain".

In order to address this, he says the forces need to improve recruitment especially among ethnic minorities and women.

He adds that pay is "not the predominant factor" why people are leaving service.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Nadhim Zahawi, Conservative, asks Boris Johnson about the government's relationship with EU nations.

Mr Johnson says we have roughly the same size of diplomatic network as the French, but with 25% less expenditure.

There is an increase in Foreign Office spending, going from £1.2bn to £1.24bn over the current spending period, he says.

Select Committee
Parliament

• Boris Johnson, external, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
• Sir Simon McDonald, external, Permanent Under Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Karen Pierce, external, Director General, Political, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Select Committee
Parliament

• Tom Tugendhat, external (Chair) Conservative
• Ian Austin, external Labour
• Chris Bryant, external Labour
• Ann Clwyd, external Labour
• Mike Gapes, external Labour (Co-op)
• Stephen Gethins, external Scottish National Party
• Ms Nusrat Ghani, external Conservative
• Ian Murray, external Labour
• Andrew Rosindell, external Conservative
• Royston Smith, external Conservative
• Nadhim Zahawi, external Conservative

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

This session has been set up to take oral evidence from the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, external, Boris Johnson.

This is the first session for this committee looking at the work of the department, so expect a wide remit of questions so the committee can see what the department are working on.

House of Commons
Parliament

Stewart McDonald, the SNP's defence spokesman, says his party will support Labour's motion.

"Inflation has pushed the cost of living up for everyone," he says, with many people finding "there is too much month at the end of the money".

Mr McDonald says he expects an "inevitable crescendo of back-slapping and chest-thumping" from Conservative MPs but adds: "I'd be embarrassed to defend this government's record."

He pays tribute to the "bravery and sacrifice" of the armed forces and argues that "it would take some nerve to anything but support" the motion.

The SNP supports nuclear disarmament and Mr McDonald argues that the cost of the Trident nuclear weapons system is a "drain" on the defence budget.