Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

"How confident are you that this place, being Parliament, is actually going to give you that stability that you no doubt need in order to allow your business to go forward during Brexit?" asks Huw Merriman, a Conservative.

He refers to the 131 pages of amendments that have been tabled to the EU Withdrawal Bill.

"No doubt you will make it more complex than it needs to be," replies Mr Walsh.

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

"Do you think the economy and the aviation sector can defy expectations post-Brexit?" asks Labour committee chair, Lilian Greenwood.

She raises concerns that if the aviation sector and the UK economy are inextricably linked, there could be problems ahead.

Easyjet's Sophie Dekkers says that in a downturn more people look to value airlines. "If anything, we see business travellers switching to EasyJet when times are tighter."

BA chief executive, Willie Walsh, says: "A downturn on GDP would have some effect, the bigger impact on us actually was the devaluation of the Pound...the airline industry is primarily a direct cost industry."

Select Committee
Parliament

John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow Airport, describes the aviation sector as an "enabler for all other trade sectors".

Speaking about short shelf-life items, such as pharmaceuticals, he says "there is no point having a World Trade Organisation agreement that allows trade to happen if you just can't get your goods to market".

"That's why aviation is one of the keystones of the UK economy", he adds.

Responding to concerns from Labour's Graham Jones that the EU's Open Skies agreement and Freedom of Movement may be linked, Mr Walsh replies: "The UK has an Open Skies agreement with the US through the EU, that doesn't mean that everybody in the EU or the UK has freedom to go work and live in the US, there are precedents...we don't have to create a new structure."

Mr Stringer replies that these are the current EU conditions.

House of Commons
Parliament

SNP international development spokesman Chris Law says recognition of a Palestinian state would be "a fundamental stepping-stone towards a two-state solution".

He hopes that the centenary of the Balfour Declaration will provide an "opportunity for reflection and a reinvigorated peace process across the Middle East".

Foreign OfficeNovember 2nd, 1917

Dear Lord Rothschild,

I have much pleasure in conveying to you. on behalf of His Majesty's Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the cabinet:

His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.

I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.

Yours,Arthur James Balfour

House of Commons
Parliament

Sir Hugo Swire, a former Foreign Office minister, gives his backing to recognising a Palestinian state.

Boris Johnson repeats his earlier response that the time is not right to recognise a Palestinian state.

House of Commons
Parliament

Boris Johnson says that "the moment is not yet right" to recognise a Palestinian state, arguing that it will not, in itself, create peace.

It is better to "offer encouragement to both sides" to reach an agreement, he adds.

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry says Labour is "glad to join" Boris Johnson in marking the centenary and supporting the state of Israel.

She commends Israel's recognition of the rights of women and gay people in a region where they often face discrimination.

However, she also says that the promise to uphold the rights of non-Jewish communities in the region "remains unfulfilled".

Ms Thornberry asks when the UK government plans "to recognise the state of Palestine".

The shadow foreign secretary argues that a "viable, independent Palestine" would improve the welfare and security of Israelis and Palestinians.

"If they are not prepared to take that step, the next Labour government will," she tells ministers.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Home Office Minister Baroness Williams responds to accusations of a delay in publishing Dame Elish Angiolini's report, telling peers: "We thought we'd prioritise thoroughness over speed."

She answers Lord Paddick's points by saying mental health has been a "particular focus" and "what we've announced in this area is absolutely the right way to go" including no restraint of children with mental health problems.

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

During the EU referendum campaign, the boss of Ryanair, Michael O'Leary, warned that leaving the EU would cause problems for airlines, and would led to a rise in fares.

The Open Skies agreement was initially written up in 2007, and came into effect in 2008. It was shortly followed by another agreement in 2010.

EasyJet has been so concerned by the potential impact of Brexit that they have moved their European base to Austria.

Meanwhile, Mr O'Leary has remained critical of the government's position on Brexit and aviation.

The Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, says he is working to secure the right deals for airlines, external.

The BBC News website has an at-a-glance guide to the main areas of negotiation.

The Balfour Declaration of 1917 was the first significant declaration by a world power in favour of a Jewish "national home" in what was known as Palestine.

Historians disagree as to what the then British Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour, intended by his declaration.

The letter has no mention of the word "state", and insists that nothing should be done "which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine".

The letter was addressed to Lord Rothschild, a leader of the Jewish community in Britain. It became an important arm of the movement to create a Jewish state in Palestine.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Lib Dem Lord Paddick, a former senior police officer, stresses that the families of people who have died in custody need equality of representation with police, "no ifs, no buts".

He also asks why the report says that the need for attention to the mental health of those in custody has recently come to light, when it was a known issue when he was a police officer.

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Willie Walsh tells the Committee that the process for a new aviation agreement is actually relatively simple, and that no transition arrangement for aviation may be required.

"I don't think that this is an area where there needs to be a transition", he says.

"I think actually you're adding complexity trying to negotiate a transitional arrangement, because you may as well just negotiate a final deal, it's not massively complex".

House of Commons
Parliament

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is now making a statement marking the centenary of the Balfour Declaration, which falls on Thursday 2 November.

In 1917 the British government committed to a Jewish "national home" in the Middle East.

Mr Johnson says the UK's policy "paved the way for a great nation" in Israel, which has "provided a persecuted people with a safe and secure homeland".

He also says he is "profoundly moved by the suffering" of the Palestinians, adding that the commitment to their rights "has not been fully realised".

Mr Johnson says he supports the two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

House of Commons
Parliament

SNP spokesman Stuart C McDonald calls for the Independent Police Complaints Commission to be "funded to ensure an officer or a team can attend quickly after a death in custody".

He also calls for action to reduce the risk of death after leaving police custody, saying that 60 people died within two days of leaving custody in 2015.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Shadow home affairs spokesman Lord Rosser welcomes Dame Elish's review on deaths in police custody but claims there has been a "lengthy delay" in publishing it.

"Remarkably, the government does not intend to give its response to the recommendations," he continues, "and I hope that the words 'kicking' and 'long grass' do not come into play".

This does not fit with the objective of "alleviating the pain and suffering of those looking for answers", he says.

Carwyn Jones says people should not assume sexual misconduct is "just about a Westminster culture".

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Tory MP Huw Merriman asks the panel about how customers are dealing with uncertainty.

"I think the certainty that I give my passengers is that we will continue to sell our tickets...that's what we do", replies Mr Walsh.

Labour's Lilian Greenwood asks the panel if they would personally buy tickets beyond April 2019.

The panel seem in agreement that they would.

"I don't think that it's unusual in the airline industry for tickets to be sold on the basis that traffic rights that are under negotiation will be agreed in time", says Mr Holland-Kane, "that's part of the flexibility of the airline industry".

House of Commons
Parliament

Nick Hurd welcomes Diane Abbott's commitment to hold him to account on addressing deaths in custody.

The Home Office minister says Theresa May was right to commission a review when she was Home Secretary.

"It is our responsibility now, after all these years of failure, to tackle this," he adds.

Speaker John Bercow's statement on "recent disturbing allegations about a culture of sexual harassment at Westminster".