House of Commons
Parliament

Labour had indicated that they would not support the Finance Bill at its final Commons stage, third reading.

The House divides to vote.

Select Committee
Parliament

David Davis is asked about whether he would publish an assessment of the impact of WTO rules.

Mr Davis addresses the wider question of the unreleased set of Brexit assessments, asserting that "we are not required to release anything which would undermine negotiations" after a Commons vote to that effect last year.

House of Commons
Parliament

Treasury Minister Mel Stride accuses Labour of an approach which "corrodes competitiveness" and declares that the government's Finance Bill contains positive measures to support the economy.

However, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Peter Dowd says the bill is "indicative of a government that wishes to serve the interests of a wealthy few at the expense of many".

SNP economy spokeswoman Kirsty Blackman says the Finance Bill is a "missed opportunity" to make changes her party has called for, including exempting Scottish fire services from VAT and paying back overpayments.

Select Committee
Parliament

David Davis goes on to tell the committee: "If we didn't get a full deal there are some areas where both our interests are so great - such as security - we would get some kind of fundamental deal.

"But this scenario is a small probability."

Select Committee
Parliament

David Davis is asked about the consequences of "no deal" and says "that is not what we're seeking".

"I'm not one of those people who thinks 'no deal' is a good deal," he adds.

He says he thinks the scenario is "improbable" and whatever happens "we will have a basic deal - I think of it as a deal without the bits we want".

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Conservative, Andrew Selous is asking Mr Hunt why there isn't "traffic light" labelling on all food products.

Mr Hunt says that ironically, it is currently EU single market rules which prevents this on all foods in the UK.

In the wake of the UK leaving the European Union, it is possible that this could be implemented, he says.

Select Committee
Parliament

Crossbench peer Lord Cromwell asks about citizens' rights, saying that the prime minister told the House of Commons in October the government was in touching distance of an agreement.

Are you able to talk specifics on what remains to be agreed and the prospects of it? he asks.

If agreement is reached on those specific issues and that would be vital progress, are there any concrete proposals for how they would be enforced?

David Davis says that there are differences when it comes to mutual professional qualifications and there should be flexibilty on students through their course.

"I won't forecast what the outcome will be," he says.

Other differences are movement and voting rights. On the UK side, it is the issue of benefits and future family unification.

On the question of the European court, nerves from the European Union reflect how trustworthy the Supreme Court would be and would a future government honour arrangements.

House of Commons
Parliament

Stella Creasy's amendment, which had support from fellow Labour MPs, plus the SNP and the Liberal Democrats, is nevertheless defeated.

The government wins by 309 votes to 279 - a majority of 30.

MPs approve the remaining amendments without a vote and third reading, a final general debate on the bill as a whole, begins.

House of Lords
Parliament

Peers vote 283 to 201 for a Lib Dem-led amendment meaning pension holders would be asked if they've sought advice before withdrawing assets.

House of Lords
Parliament

Lib Dem Lord Sharkey forces a vote on his amendment, which would mean that the trustees or managers of a pension scheme have to ask members of the scheme at the point at which they require access to or individual transfer of their pension assets if they have received information and guidance.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs vote on a Labour amendment to ensure that requirements for businesses to generate quarterly updates are not mandatory.

The government announced plans to introduce quarterly reporting, similar to tax returns, for businesses, as part of its Making Tax Digital, external programme.

MPs reject the amendment by by 309 votes to 243, giving the government a majority of 86.

The House divides again to vote on Stella Creasy's amendment.

Select Committee
Parliament

David Davis is back and he's asked whether he regrets agreeing to the sequencing of agreements in Brexit talks. He replies: "No."

He argues "we're being as clear as we can" with the Irish government when asked if he could be giving them more information.

House of Commons
Parliament

Treasury Minister Mel Stride jokes that Stella Creasy has "already tweeted that I have rejected her advances in this debate" over her amendment on capital gains tax for non-domiciled companies.

He says the Labour MP has made her point powerfully but argues that her amendment confuses non-doms and UK residents and will not achieve its intended aim.

Ms Creasy intervenes to say: "Can I make it very clear. I am not making advances to him, I am making arguments to him."

Mr Stride continues, pledging that the government is looking at the matter but urging the House to reject the amendment - while Ms Creasy accuses him of "mansplaining" on Twitter.

Select Committee
Parliament

A short time earlier, Lord Jay asked what the relationship is between the withdrawal agreement and issues for the future.

David Davis said they're "inseparable", spelling out that the withdrawal agreement will favour the EU and the future relationship benefits both sides.

He said he thinks the withdrawal agreement “on balance, will probably favour the union in terms of things like money and so on whereas the future relationship will favour both sides”.

Select Committee
Parliament

On the border question, David Davis points out: "There is a border in Ireland but it's invisible - I expect some healthy smuggling goes on.

"Maintaining an invisible border will be relatively easy - if we have a situation where we have tariffs then it's a real problem."

The session then suspends for a vote in the Commons.

Select Committee
Parliament

Labour's Dr Paul Williams asks "How will leaving the European Union help the NHS?"

Mr Hunt says he did not expect the question to be put in such a way.

10% of our doctors are from the EU, says Mr Hunt, and he says the NHS is doing everything they can to make sure they can stay as we negotiate our relationship with the EU.

Mr Hunt says he always thought it was inevitable that the EU would move the headquarters for the European Medicines Agency from London in the event of the UK leaving the EU.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Stella Creasy introduces her amendment to allow non-resident companies to be taxed on their capital gains made when they sell assets in the UK.

"I rise to give the minister, given that it is Halloween, a fright," she begins.

She goes on to say that former Chancellor George Osborne said in 2015 that it is not fair that non-doms (people or companies not resident in the UK for tax reasons) could put profits in an offshore trust and avoid inheritance tax.

Ms Creasy argues that her amendment is "the necessary and inevitable conclusion of this debate" as it is not fair that UK-based business pay corporation tax on capital gains but overseas companies trading in the UK do not.

"We are one of the few countries in the world who treat our businesses in this way," she says, adding that voters worried about public sector cuts will want the matter addressed.

Before Ms Creasy spoke, SNP spokeswoman Kirsty Blackman indicated that her party backed the amendment.

Select Committee
Parliament

On payments to the EU, David Davis says: "What we're doing by leaving is causing a disruption - and we're correcting that."

Labour's Baroness Kennedy asks him why he doesn't make clear that the UK needs to honour its financial contributions to EU pension funds.

He responds that "my motto is Wellington's - ask me for anything but time", reiterating that he'd rather explain his reason for negotiating positions after it's concluded.