House of Commons
Parliament

"We have strong rights and protections here domestically," says Solicitor General Robert Buckland.

"They are not dependent on our membership of the EU."

Labour's Chris Leslie has tabled an amendment to ensure that Parliament is informed of changes in EU and EEA provisions that might have amended UK law if the UK had remained a member of either.

Mr Buckland argues that this amendment, which has backing from a number of Labour and SNP MPs, would create an "onerous and unnecessary" obligation on ministers.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Crossbencher Lord Luce asks what action is being taken, together with international partners, to urge Saudi Arabia and Iran to work to reconcile their differences.

He says proxy wars could spark a wider conflict in the Middle East.

Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon urges de-escalation and says the government is using all its efforts to ensure all assaults on Yemen are brought to a halt.

"It is not just worrying to the region but worrying to the whole world," he observes.

Lib Dem former leader Lord Ashdown asks: "Is it not foolish to support Saudi Arabia while they're committing clearly illegal acts in Yemen?"

Lord Ahmad says we are not directly involved in the Saudi-led coalition and it's not about supporting one side or the other.

House of Commons
Parliament

A number of MPs intervene on the minister to express concerns about the future of such things as environmental protections and workers' rights.

Pro-EU Conservative Ken Clarke says that there is "widespread consensus amongst remainers and leavers" that the bill should not be used to reduce rights.

He adds that there are "members of the present government who are not excessively fond of lizards and bats and workers' rights".

From the Labour benches, Liz Kendall says of the minister: "I haven't heard anything practical from him about what he's going to do to change the bill to address these concerns."

House of Commons
Parliament

Following the prime minister's declaration at PMQs that "we are listening carefully" to MPs on the EU Withdrawal Bill, Solicitor General Robert Buckland says he will "take very seriously" the points made on all sides of the House.

He says the measures in the bill are required to prevent large gaps in the statute book and "to provide certainty over what our law is" when the European Communities Act 1972 is repealed.

Mr Buckland argues that clause two of the bill will enable what he calls "retained EU law" to be incorporated into the UK's laws and enable it to operate in "exactly the same way that it did before".

The clause begins: "EU-derived domestic legislation, as it has effect in domestic law immediately before exit day, continues to have effect in domestic law on and after exit day."

House of Lords
Parliament

Question time is taking place in the House of Lords, and Conservative Lord Holmes of Richmond asks what cross-government work is being done to maximise opportunities from the "fourth industrial revolution".

He calls for a "cross-Whitehall, collaborative process" and applauds the use of blockchain for the payment of benefits.

Business Minister Lord Henley says the government is determined to make the UK "the best place to start and grow a digital business" and "great opportunities lie ahead of us".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

SNP Europe spokesman Peter Grant introduces an amendment which would exclude the European Economic Area agreement from the bill, allowing the UK to remain in the EEA.

He says Article 50 was activated with "indecent haste" and then the government made the "premature decision" to rule out remaining in the single market.

This resulted, he believes, in the UK "painting itself into a corner" and the same mistake should not be repeated with regard to the EEA.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Conservative former attorney general Dominic Grieve is next to speak, and he describes the idea that a country's law all originate in its parliament is "fanciful".

He says the problem we are facing is "how to preserve the essence of [existing] law until we decide we want to do something about it".

His party colleague, Jacob Rees-Mogg, objects that we are subject to laws which British MEPs voted against in the European Parliament, whereas statutory instruments are at least subject to scrutiny by this House.

Mr Grieve responds: "Two wrongs don't make a right."

He goes on to say: "I don't know how long it's going to replace all these laws five years, ten years, 20 years, 30 years."

There is a lively debate going on, which is "right and proper", with strong views on both sides of the House, says the PM.

One of the things that Labour's amendments seek to protect are EU-derived employment law.

Among the employment rules that derive from the EU are:

• The Working Time Directive, external, which means employees cannot be asked to work for more than 48 hours on average in a week
• Equal treatment for part time workers and their full time colleagues on issues including pensions and paid holiday
• The right for women and men to be paid the same for the same work

However, UK employment law goes further than EU employment law on some areas including:

• UK law guarantees 52 weeks of maternity leave, while EU law guarantees a minimum of 14 weeks
• UK law guarantees 28 days of paid holiday, while EU law stipulates a minimum four weeks

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

MPs are now getting started on the second day of committee-stage debate on the EU Withdrawal Bill, which repeals the European Communities Act and provides the mechanism for writing EU law into UK law.

Committee stage is when MPs carry out line-by-line scrutiny of a bill.

First up is shadow Brexit minister Matthew Pennycook, who is arguing for a new clause would give certain areas "enhanced protection" from being changed through secondary legislation.

These areas are EU-derived employment rights, environmental protection, standards of equalities, health and safety standards and consumer standards.

"The uncertainty around retained EU law is one of the main weaknesses of this bill," he warns.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Jo Stevens is introducing her bill which would put people on the electoral register as soon as they are issued with a National Insurance number.

The ten minute rule bill is a type of private member's bill which has little chance of becoming law without government support.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, hoc

Conservative Anna Soubry says in a point of order that five tweets have been reported to the police for threats against her following today's Telegraph front page which named her and others as "Brexit mutineers".

Speaker John Bercow says any attempt to threaten her or her colleagues is "repugnant and doomed to fail".

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow work and pensions secretary Debbie Abrahams says she has heard the government is planning to cut the six-week wait before a first payment of Universal Credit.

Critics have blamed the six-week wait for causing hardship for new claimants and those transferred to the benefit, which replaces six other social security benefits.

Ms Abrahams says it is "an affront to the House" if the work and pensions secretary does not update MPs on the matter.

"Policy announcements... should first be made to the House," says Speaker John Bercow.

However, he adds that MPs will hold a backbench business debate on Universal Credit on Thursday and encourages the government to use it to make an announcement.

It "should not be briefed out to the media first", he adds.

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP Neil Parish said he was an election observer in Zimbabwe in 2000 when, he says, Robert Mugabe "stole" an election from the rival MDC party.

He says "there will be a stage when we heed to re-engage" and help rebuild what he describes as "a beautiful country, lovely people, absolutely destroyed by a madman".

Another Tory, Rehamn Chishti, calls for Zimbabwe to be readmitted to the Commonwealth if it pursues democracy.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful?" says Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.