House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

The SNP's Stephen Gethins is speaking to a number of new clauses by SNP members of the Commons.

They deal with topics from payments to the EU on severance pay from EU agencies in the UK, to payments in the EU Development Fund. The new clauses also require for assessments to be made and published both before the UK leaves the EU.

"Such evaluation is so important...in the post-Brexit era," he says.

He says he is not entirely sure what all the security is there for in the reading room for when members read the Brexit reports that have been published.

"I'm not entirely sure what the fuss is about," he says, referring to the reports that are available to MPs. "The only reason we haven't seen them is that this is a government who don't know what they're doing," he says the reports are more to do with internal party feuding.

Select Committee
Parliament

Women and Equalities Committee Chair Maria Miller asks how the government will tackle sexual harassment.

Theresa May says she is "not sure" if there is a "silver bullet" for the government to introduce. It is about culture and attitudes, she says.

Should it be a crime to offer money to silence employees over whistleblowing on the issue? asks Maria Miller.

The prime minister says there are already laws and advice that make certain settlements "unenforceable".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

"The purpose of this legislation is about process, not outcome," says Conservative Dominic Grieve.

He says that at no point has he tried to sabotage Brexit, he has just tried to make sure that the processes are correct, he adds.

He considered that setting an exit date "in stone" as "something which made no sense at all," he says.

He says he is minded to support the government on Amendment 381, but he is now concerned at the legal ramifications of the exit date amendment if the government does not win a vote on an exit deal, which now must be approved by Parliament.

His Amendment 6 is now no longer necessary, as Amendment 6 would have allowed ministers to set different exit days for different parts of the Act by statutory instrument.

He says problems he could see "coming down the track" have been averted.

Select Committee
Parliament

Work and Pensions Committee Chair Frank Field now offers to help write legislation enacting the recommendations of the Taylor Review which looked at the changing employment market including the emerging gig economy.

We are looking "very seriously" at the review says Theresa May and adds that the government will be consulting on employment status.

Frank Field worries that, with Brexit, the prime minister is doing too much.

"Women can multitask," replies the prime minister.

Sarah Wollaston reiterates Frank Field's point and encourages Theresa May to view committees as a helpful tool for implementing domestic polices - particularly at a time of a hung parliament and Brexit.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Paul Blomfield, shadow Exiting the EU minister, is speaking to move Amendments 43, 44 and 45. These all deal with Parliament being able to set the length and terms of transition, and allow Parliament to start the clock on sunset clauses within the bill.

Mr Blomfield says that setting the date so stringently shows no flexibility, he says that flexibility is necessary, which Amendment 381 does not provide, he adds.

"They recognise it's a nonsense," he says, referring to the fact that the government have now tabled an amendment to allow ministers to change the date of exit.

Referring to Amendments 43, 44 and 45, he says "there is a clear majority in this House for a sensible approach to Brexit," and for a "sensible transition".

He says Labour supports amendments from across the House on a wide variety of topics, including children, families and social care.

Twenty of the 23 current members of the Cabinet have spoken against the Working Time Directive, external, he adds. He says the prime minister has said that the Social Chapter, external is a burden on business.

He wants the UK to remain close "to remain close with our friends and partners" in Europe.

Select Committee
Parliament

Education Committee Chair Robert Halfon urges the prime minister to give the Social Mobility Commission "teeth" rather than allow it to remain a "state think tank".

How we deal with social justice will be down to the policies the government adopts, says Theresa May.

As an example she draws the committee's attention to the racial disparity audit. "We have shown our commitment to this," she insists.

Select Committee
Parliament

How confident are you that every elderly person who needs social care will get it next year? asks Communities Committee Chair Clive Betts.

"This is not just about funding but how care is provided," replies the prime minister.

"But funding is quite important," suggests Clive Betts and argues that funding has been reduced since 2010.

Theresa May counters that over half of councils increased their spending in the past year.

Prices will go up if the UK leaves the EU without a deal but not if people buy British, says Michael Gove.

Select Committee
Parliament

Science and Technology Committee Chair Norman Lamb says that the prime minister got "slaughtered" in the general election for being "audacious" on health and social care.

He urges her to work with other parties to find a solution to the "intolerable" situation in the NHS.

Theresa May says the government wants to "do better" to improve the NHS.

Select Committee
Parliament

It is now the turn of Sarah Wollaston - both the chair of the Liaison Committee and the Health Committee.

She asks if the prime minister recognises that health and social care funding is not keeping up with the increase in demand.

Theresa May says the government has put extra money into the health services.

"But there remains a gap," says Sarah Wollaston.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Conservative Sir Oliver Letwin talks about Amendment 400, a government amendment which allows for changing of the exit day by a minister at a later date.

He says Amendment 381, which abolishes the European Communities Act at 11pm on 29 March 2019, could cause conflict between two parts of the bill, and there would have to be "emergency primary legislation".

He says all Amendment 400 would do is allow for Parliament to change the exit date depending on the progress of negotiations.

Fellow Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg says that the Article 50 date is a "deadline," not necessarily exactly the date of an exit. He says it is possible that the UK could leave before then, Sir Oliver agrees, and says it can also be used in the opposite direction to extend the date.

Conservative Dominic Grieve says that the previous Amendment 381 would pose a "significant obstacle" if agreement is reached earlier. He thanks Sir Oliver for intervening and helping in the issue.

Select Committee
Parliament

Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Bernard Jenkin asks how the government will treat recommendations of the sifting committee when it suggests that legislation should be approved by MPs.

The sifting committee was proposed in order to decide which pieces of secondary legislation in the EU Withdrawal Bill should be subject to further scrutiny by MPs.

Theresa May says there wouldn't be any point in setting up the committee if the government was going to ignore its recommendations.

Bernard Jenkin says he is grateful for her assurance but adds that "history is littered" with instances when committee recommendations were ignored.

Select Committee
Parliament

EU Scrutiny Committee Chair Bill Cash refers to the European Commission's draft guidelines for the second phase of negotiations.

"It reads like an ultimatum," he says, and suggests that the EU's attitude would mean growing support for Brexit.

The draft guidelines are the starting point, replies Theresa May but promises the MP that the UK will be robust.

Select Committee
Parliament

Yvette Cooper now asks if Parliament will have a vote on a statute on the withdrawal agreement before the agreement is ratified.

Parliament will have two opportunities to vote, says Theresa May. First the vote on the withdrawal agreement, then primary legislation to bring withdrawal agreement into UK law.

Yveyye Cooper asks if the primary legislation will happen before Britain ratifies the treaty.

"We want to ensure that parliament has a meaningful vote," says the prime minister.

Select Committee
Parliament

Home Affairs Committee chair Yvette Cooper asks Theresa May if she can rule out cameras the Northern Ireland border.

We will be ensuring that there is no hard border, replies the prime minister and says that can be achieved in a number of ways.

"That's also baffling," says Ms Cooper.

Select Committee
Parliament

Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Tom Tugendhat expresses concern about today's reports, external that Britain had no warships deployed overseas.

How is that boosting the UK's prestige? he asks.

Theresa May says the Royal Navy is currently saving lives in in the Mediterranean and had given support during the hurricane in the Caribbean.

Select Committee
Parliament

Andrew Murrison now asks, if the UK is "subject to full regulatory alignment", what will the MP for North Somerset do for a job?

The MP for North Somerset is Liam Fox, also the International Trade Secretary.

Committing to regulatory alignment with the EU could make it harder to reach new trade deals with other countries who have differing regulations.

We will be able to look at this in the next phase of negotiations, replies the prime minister.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs let clause 13 and schedule 5 stand part of the Brexit bill without a division.

MPs then move on to the second part of today's debate, with Labour's Chris Leslie introducing a new clause to provide for the UK to remain member of customs union, as currently framed under the European Communities Act but set to be repealed by this bill.

Select Committee
Parliament

Northern Ireland Committee Chair Andrew Murrison asks who will pay for the rights of Northern Ireland residents who identify as Irish.

He offers the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) as an example of a right which would need to be paid for.

This is one of the items under discussion, replies Theresa May.

What about rights the EU grants in the future? asks Dr Murrison.

The prime minister says this will be considered during the next phase of arrangements.