Summary

  • Brexit ministers face questions from MPs

  • It comes after government loses key Brexit vote last night

  • MPs hear statement on forthcoming business

  • Backbench business debates on hormone pregnancy tests and WASPI pensions

  • Peers question government ministers on probation service

  • Debates later on vulnerable children; and poverty

  1. What is the economic effect of Brexit?published at 10:08 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2017

    Brexit questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Kate GreenImage source, HoC

    Labour's Kate Green asks a question on what assessment has been made of the economic effect on the UK of Brexit.

    Exiting the EU Minister Robin Walker says that the sectoral analyses are made up "of a wide mix of quantitative and qualitative analysis," and he says the work is comprehensive, but adds "it is not, and never has been, a series of impact assessments".

    Ms Green says last week the Chancellor told the Treasury Committee that his department has modelled and analysed a number of different outcomes, and that these analyses inform the UK's negotiating position.

    She asks the minister if he has read these analyses, and how they have impacted the negotiating position.

    Mr Walker says the department works very closely with the Treasury, and says the negotiating position is informed by a wide variety of analysis, a large amount of that comes in the form of advice to ministers.

  2. 'Dismay on all sides'published at 10:01 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2017

    BBC tweets

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  3. 'Nobody drank champagne'published at 10:00 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2017

    Brexit questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour's Keir Starmer says the vote last night, in which the government was defeated over amendment 7, was a humiliating and entirely avoidable defeat.

    The shadow Brexit secretary asks for a reassurance that the government will not seek to overturn the decision at report stage.

    David Davis says the effect of the vote is to see the powers available under section 9 deferred until after Royal Assent is given to the government's yet to be introduced Withdrawal and Implementation Bill.

    The government wants to see a working statute book, as we leave the EU, he says, but as always we take the House of Commons view seriously.

    That wasn't the basis on which the vote was taken, Keir Starmer says.

    Next week, he says, amendment 381 will be voted on (this is the amendment which will put the date of exit on the bill).

    Rather than repeat last night's debacle, "drop this gimmick", he says.

    These are decisions taken by the House, says David Davis, and we'll respect the decision taken next week.

    Tory MP Anna Soubry - who voted against the government last night over amendment 7 - stands.

    Nobody drank champagne, not on these benches, let's nail that one, she tells MPs.

    The government defeat was avoidable, and she says meetings were not held with Dominic Grieve and others to offer a way forward.

    She goes on to ask: When will first reading of the Withdrawal and Implementation Bill be introduced?

    David Davis says there have been meetings over the past weeks, then says that the Withdrawal and Implementation Bill cannot be brought before MPs "until we have agreed the withdrawal agreement".

    He says the EU negotiator is expecting that in September/October, so after that date.

  4. Implementation period under scrutinypublished at 09:59 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2017

    Brexit questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Kwasi KwartengImage source, HoC

    The second question comes from Conservative Kwasi Kwarteng who wants to know what assessment has been made of the potential merits of an implementation period after the UK has left the EU.

    David Davis, the Exiting the EU Secretary, says that there are three main reasons why an implementation period benefits the UK and the EU. Firstly, it allows the UK time to implement infrastructure changes necessary; secondly, it allows European governments to do the same.

    Finally, it avoids businesses having to take decisions "before they know the shape of the final deal".

    Chair of the Exiting the EU Committee, Hilary Benn, says that Mr Davis told the committee that the government intends to complete a free trade deal with the EU by March 2019, whereas last Friday the Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, told the Today programme that ironing out the final details would take place during the transition period. He asks which is the government's plan.

    Mr Davis says the implementation period is most valuable if companies know what the final outcome will be, "to that end, we will seek to conclude a fairly substantive portion of the negotiation before then," he adds.

  5. Support for farmers after Brexit questionedpublished at 09:43 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2017

    Brexit questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Wendy MortonImage source, HoC

    Today's first question is from Conservative MP Wendy Morton on support for farmers after Brexit.

    Steve Baker, Exiting the EU Minister, says the government will provide the same total in cash funds until the end of the current Parliament.

    He adds that ministers have gathered patterns on immigration and Brexit's effects on the EU workforce.

    Labour MP Mary Creagh, who chairs the Environmental Audit Committee says farmers face a "triple whammy" : the loss of EU farm subisidies, tariff and non-tariff barriers, and a potential cheap flood of imports.

    Mr Baker replies the government is protecting payments to farmers during this parliament and will continue to do so.

  6. Thursday in the Commonspublished at 09:34 Greenwich Mean Time 14 December 2017

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    This morning, MPs will put questions to David Davis and his team of Brexit ministers.

    Questions will cover the progress of negotiations with the European Commission as well as support for farmers after the UK leaves the EU.

    After that, the Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom will make her weekly statement, outlining the future business in the Commons.

    Later, MPs will debate two backbench business motions: the equality of pension provision for women (the WASPI campaign) and hormone pregnancy tests.

    The adjournment debate, tabled by Labour MP Emma Lewell-Buck, is on the future of South Tyneside Hospital.

  7. Summary: Wednesday in the Commonspublished at 23:00 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    Theresa May's government has suffered its first defeat in the Commons on its Brexit plans as MPs approved an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill which guarantees Parliament a "meaningful" vote on any Brexit deal.

    The result was announced as 309 votes to 305, majority four, in support of the proposal from Conservative former attorney general Dominic Grieve.

    His amendment requires any Brexit deal reached between the UK and the EU to be approved by a separate Act of Parliament before it can be implemented.

    Eleven Tories rebelled to back the amendment, while two Labour MPs voted for the government.

  8. 'A good day for democracy'published at 22:59 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    European Parliament's chief negotiator tweets...

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post

  9. MP posts explanation for backing the governmentpublished at 22:19 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    Conservative Huw Merriman posted on his website, external:

    Quote Message

    I am entirely comfortable that the role of Parliament is covered and do not see the need to amend the EU Withdrawal Bill any further. To do so suggests using Parliament as a smokescreen to hold up the entire process of the UK leaving the EU.

  10. Corbyn: Parliament has asserted itselfpublished at 22:18 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    Corbyn

    Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that "Parliament has asserted itself" amid a "power grab" by the prime minister.

    Mr Corbyn said "Parliament resisted tonight", adding "it's not all going to be left to David Davis".

    The Labour leader said his party had been "clear" over its Brexit position and would "not go down the road" of a Canada Plus Plus Plus deal, saying that would "be very damaging" to the manufacturing industry, working conditions and the environment.

    He added that Labour was "united" that "Parliament must have the final say" on Brexit and that his party recognised the result of the referendum.

  11. Minister: This is a minor setbackpublished at 22:17 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    Dominic Raab

    Justice Minister Dominic Raab said the government would "look again to make sure we got the balance right".

    He called tonight's vote "a minor setback" which would not derail Brexit.

  12. Nigel Farage expresses contempt over resultpublished at 21:54 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    Former UKIP leader tweets...

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post

  13. Stephen Hammond says he's been called a traitorpublished at 21:45 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    BBC Radio 5 live

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post

  14. Absentation, not a vote againstpublished at 21:30 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tory MP John Stevenson voted in the aye lobby AND the no lobby during the vote on the Grieve amendment, which is technically an abstention.

    This means there were 11 Tory rebels in tonight's vote, not 12 as we previously reported.

  15. Voting concludes on the Brexit billpublished at 21:30 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs vote 315 to 291 against a Labour amendment which would prevent the government using powers under Clause 8 - which deals with the continuation of international treaties - to reduce rights or protections.

    That's it on the EU Withdrawal Bill for today - it returns on 20 December for the eighth and final day of committee stage.

  16. Government loses key Brexit bill votepublished at 21:29 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    Theresa May is defeated over her Brexit plans despite last-minute efforts to prevent a Tory rebellion.

    Read More
  17. 'Castrating' Leveson recommendationspublished at 21:29 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    Data Protection Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord Berkeley of KnightonImage source, HoL

    Occasional journalist and crossbencher Lord Berkeley of Knighton tells the Lords that "castrating" the recommendations of Leveson so much has the potential to undermine people's confidence in inquiries.

    He was originally hesitant about this group of amendments imposing Leveson recommendations, as he says he believes in a free and fair press, but now he says he has become more sympathetic to Baroness Hollins' amendments.

  18. Making a difference...published at 21:23 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    Plaid leader tweets

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  19. Last vote of the evening?published at 21:20 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    PA's parliamentary editor tweets

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  20. MPs vote on powers to preserve treatiespublished at 21:20 Greenwich Mean Time 13 December 2017

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs are now voting on a Labour amendment which would prevent the government using powers under Clause 8 - which deals with the continuation of international treaties - to reduce rights or protections.