Summary

  • Day in Commons starts with culture questions

  • Urgent question on hormone pregnancy tests

  • Business statement follows

  • Commons leader statement on sexual harassment

  • Main business backbench debates, including one on universal credit

  • House of Lords began questions at 11am

  • Several debates in the Lords this afternoon, including one on universal credit

  1. BBC political editor tweets...published at 16:02 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

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  2. Johnson: I have corrected the record several timespublished at 15:59 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour's Chris Bryant, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, says Boris Johnson's officials have not requested the correction of the record of what the foreign secretary said to the committee.

    Mr Johnson says he believes he has corrected the record several times.

  3. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's MP urges actionpublished at 15:57 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    SiddiqImage source, HoC

    Labour's Tulip Siddiq, the Zaghari-Ratcliffes' MP, asks for a meeting between the Foreign Office and the family's lawyers.

    She tells MPs that giving Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe diplomatic immunity "could save her life".

    Boris Johnson says "a huge amount of work" has been done and "will continue until we solve the problem".

  4. 'A little nearer to a full apology'published at 15:55 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    BBC political editor tweets...

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  5. 'What is going on in the heart of this government?'published at 15:53 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Environment Secretary Michael Gove has come under fire for saying he didn't know what Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was doing in Iran when she was arrested in 2016.

    "Why was another cabinet member not briefed properly?" asks SNP spokeswoman Hannah Bardell.

    "What is going on in the heart of this government?"

  6. Emily Thornberry calls for 'proper apology'published at 15:52 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    ThornberryImage source, HoC

    Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry describes the need for Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's return as "urgent".

    She claims Boris Johnson's contention last week that his words to the select committee had no impact was "entirely contradicted by what has been said by the Iranian courts".

    She calls on him to "accept the impact that his words have had" and to "apologise properly - not for upsetting people but for getting it wrong".

  7. Tory MP accuses Labour of 'opportunism'published at 15:49 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Boris Johnson says he apologises "for the impression that I gave" that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was in Iran "in a professional capacity".

    The government believes that she was on holiday, he adds.

    Conservative MP Sir Hugo Swire follows him, alleging that "more than the faint whiff of opportunism hangs over this urgent question".

    The Iranian regime will be listening to everything that is said, he cautions.

  8. Johnson to visit Iranpublished at 15:43 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Boris JohnsonImage source, HofC

    Boris Johnson expresses regret if he caused Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's family any distress but insists that the Iranian regime is responsible for separating her from her child.

    The foreign secretary says he has spoken to her husband Richard and repeats an undertaking he gave last week to travel to Iran later in the year "to review the full state of our bilateral relations".

  9. Johnson: My words could and should have been clearerpublished at 15:38 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Boris Johnson is at the despatch box to answer an urgent question on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

    He says all MPs will want to express "deep concern" about the case and join him in "urging the Iranian authorities to release her on humanitarian grounds".

    He adds that "the government has no doubt" that Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was on holiday and his words to the Foreign Affairs Committee "could and should have been clearer".

  10. Alex Salmond's successor raises ex-MP's Russian media showpublished at 15:35 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Work and pensions questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Alex SalmondImage source, PA

    Colin Clark, the Conservative MP for Gordon, notes that the SNP MP he defeated in the last election, Alex Salmond, "has just secured a very well-paid media position with Russia Today".

    Mr Clark asks: "Would the minister agree with me that people must be flexible about their career choices to get on?"

    Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke says that, for a former MP to "find themselves employed by a purveyor of fake news is disappointing".

    RT - formerly known as Russia Today - has been described as a Russian propaganda channel, but Mr Salmond has urged viewers to judge for themselves.

  11. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe 'is angry' - husbandpublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    The husband of jailed British citizen Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has said he doesn't think Boris Johnson should be forced to resign from his position as foreign secretary after comments made about his wife.

    Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested and jailed in Iran in April 2016. Cabinet ministers Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have been accused of bungling the UK's handling of the case.

  12. Does Universal Credit contribute to rent arrears?published at 15:29 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Work and pensions questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour MPs continue their attack on the government over Universal Credit, as Tracey Brabin asks about the relationship between the roll-out of the benefit and rent arrears.

    Work and Pensions Minister Caroline Dinenage says her department is conducting an assessment which "aims to understand the true level of rent arrears" and whether Universal Credit plays a part.

    Ms Brabin says another survey has shown that "49% of landlords" say they are less likely to let property to recipients of Universal Credit.

    After Labour MP Ian Mearns comments that many tenants in receipt of Universal Credit are over £1000 in arrears, Ms Dinenage says "we have to be really careful not to scaremonger on this" - prompting uproar on the Labour benches.

    The minister goes on to argue that many tenants receiving Universal Credit were in arrears before they transitioned to the new benefit.

  13. Daily & Sunday Politics tweets...published at 15:21 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

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  14. Peers debate data protectionpublished at 15:17 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Data Protection Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Earl of KinnoullImage source, HoL

    Peers now move on to the committee stage of the Data Protection Bill, external, designed to set new standards for protecting personal data and prepare a data protection framework for when the UK leaves the EU.

    They begin with a set of amendments from crossbencher the Earl of Kinnoull, designed to address what he calls "unnecessary" barriers to renewing motor insurance

  15. Universal Credit is leaving people 'starving'published at 15:10 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Work and pensions questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Karen Lee

    Karen Lee, the Labour MP for Lincoln, says there is a "clear correlation" between the roll-out of Universal Credit and a rise in food bank use.

    Universal Credit brings six existing benefit payments into one but the roll-out has attracted criticism because some people have waited six weeks for their first payment.

    Ms Lee asks whether ministers "think it's acceptable that people... across this country are starving".

    "Nobody needs to wait a long period of time for cash support," insists Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke, adding that "to suggest otherwise is causing unnecessary anxiety".

    Conservative MP Robert Jenrick backs him up, arguing that the vast majority of jobs are, like Universal Credit, paid monthly.

    Mr Gauke says the benefit is intended "to close the gap between being out of work and being in work".

    However, Labour MP Frank Field, who chairs the Work and Pensions Committee, asks rhetorically whether he should believe ministers who say the roll-out "will go hunky dory, or the food bank, which says it will need 10 tonnes more food to prevent a scenario of people being hungry, if he can't abide the word 'starving'".

  16. Government pressed on DSA chargespublished at 15:06 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Oral questions

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lib Dem Lord Addington asks "what possible justification" there can be for charging students with pre-diagnosed dyslexia for a Disabled Students' Allowance assessment.

    Labour spokesman Lord Hunt of Kings Heath echoes his concern, saying a letter from a doctor should be enough.

    Education Minister Lord Agnew of Oulton says some disabilities diagnosed in childhood "may not apply in adulthood" and all have to prove eligibility for DSA.

    He points out some universities have hardship funds which could be used for this purpose.

  17. Peer 'fed up' with Cabinet infightingpublished at 14:55 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Oral questions

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    CormackImage source, HoL

    The first question in the Lords is from Conservative Lord Spicer about the impact on the eventual financial settlement with the EU of EU assets to which the UK made a financial contribution.

    Government spokesman Lord Bates stresses that officials are undertaking "line-by-line" analysis of the UK's financial obligations.

    Conservative Lord Cormack rises to say he's "fed up to the back teeth" at seeing the "attack" by two Cabinet ministers on another one - an apparent reference to Michael Gove and Boris Johnson's letter taking aim at the Chancellor Philip Hammond.

    "There can be full and frank negotiations within Cabinet," Lord Bates replies, before insisting they are "united" behind Theresa May's Florence speech.

  18. Pressure on foreign secretary over dual national held in Iranpublished at 14:49 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Nazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeImage source, PA
    Image caption,

    Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is serving a five-year sentence in Iran

    Labour has tabled today's urgent question as pressure mounts on Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson over his handling of the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

    Mr Johnson and fellow cabinet minister Michael Gove have been criticised over comments both have made about the case.

    The foreign secretary told MPs last week that he believed Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been teaching journalism in Iran before she was arrested, while Mr Gove told the BBC he did not know what Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been doing in Iran.

    Her family have always maintained she was on holiday with her daughter.

    In a phone call, Richard Ratcliffe asked the foreign secretary to consider diplomatic protection for his wife, which under international law is a way for a state to take diplomatic action on behalf of a national.

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  19. Monday in the Lordspublished at 14:30 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    Coming up...

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    The Lords get started at 2.30pm with questions on:

    • the impact of the eventual financial settlement with the EU
    • penalties for drivers using a hand-held mobile phone while driving
    • dyslexic students and the Disabled Students’ Allowance
    • the ratio of overseas aid expenditure to defence expenditure

    Peers will hear statements on the British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, imprisoned in Iran, and on Brexit negotiations.

    The main business is committee stage of the Data Protection Bill, external, and tonight's late debate is on levels of household debt.

  20. Today in the Commonspublished at 14:27 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2017

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    The House of Commons meets shortly for work and pensions questions.

    At around 3.30pm, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry will ask an urgent question on the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was arrested during a visit to Iran in April 2016 and accused of trying to overthrow the regime there - a charge she denies.

    After that, Brexit Secretary David Davis will update MPs on the negotiations with the EU on the UK's departure. At a meeting in Downing Street, representatives from groups including the CBI and BusinessEurope have pressed for a transitional deal that preserves the status quo after Brexit.

    Later, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire will intoduce the Northern Ireland Budget Bill.

    The Commons will debate all stages of this legislation today. Mr Brokenshire announced that Westminster needs to set a budget as Northern Ireland has been without a devolved executive at Stormont for 10 months.