House of Commons
Parliament

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas tells the minister there is "overwhelming evidence that there are no downsides" to changing cannabis policy "no matter how hard he looks for them".

House of Commons
Parliament

SNP home affairs spokeswoman Joanna Cherry says her party supports the decriminalisation of cannabis for medical use.

She calls on the UK government to devolve powers to Scotland to enable it to legislate in this area, though she adds that she wants to see the policy across the UK.

House of Commons
Parliament

This Friday the Labour MP Paul Flynn's Legalisation of Cannabis (Medicinal Purposes) Bill, external is due to be debated as a private member's bill.

The bill seeks to legalise production, supply, posession and use of cannabis and cannabis resin for medical purposes.

But it is the third bill on the list for the day, behind other bills on organ donation and overseas electors. With only five hours of debating time available on Friday, it may not be debated at all, let alone pass.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Paul Flynn suggests that it would take a "heart of stone" to tell a parent "that your child has to turn blue up to 30 times a day and have a seizure" because of the law banning cannabis.

In a number of medical cases, "every alternative to natural cannabis is worse", he argues.

To medicinal cannabis users, Mr Flynn says: "I would urge them to break the law, because the law in this case is an ass."

Home Office Minister NIck Hurd tells him he is a parent of six children and does not "have a heart of stone".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Conservative backbencher Philip Hollobone says he supports medicinal cannabis and says the government should be "more fleet of foot" over the issue because "a sensible proposed amendment to the law on a free vote in this house, I think would be carried".

Nick Hurd says he "disuputes the allegation that the government is not fleet of foot...we are aware that the WHO is reviewing the evidence and we will follow that very closely indeed."

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour spokeswoman Carolyn Harris says policy should be "based on evidence" rather than reactions to "scary" headlines.

Labour does not dispute that cannabis use should be illegal, she says, but calls on ministers to ensure that "all avenues of treatment have been considered".

House of Commons
Parliament

Replying to Crispin Blunt, the minister Nick Hurd says "it's clear there are special circumstances to this case that need to be respected" but that the UK government's position on cannabis is "supported by expert opinion".

He adds that "the current regulatory position is what it is but...I will explore every option to find a solution to this extremely emotive case".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Crispin Blunt welcomes the minister's stated commitment to "find a solution".

A number of US states have licensed the medicinal use of cannabis, he says, as has the Republic of Ireland in certain cases.

The UK's approach "flies in the face of the popular view" and there is evidence of the effectiveness of cannabis-based treatments, he argues.

Alfie Dingley's current steroid-based medication puts him at risk of "early psychosis and a premature death", Mr Blunt adds, urging ministers to "find a way through and get a licence to treat him".

He adds that the fact that a Home Office minister rather than a health minister is answering the question is a sign of "how messed up" the situation is.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Home Office minister Nick Hurd says he sympathises "deeply with the situation faced by Alfie Dingley and his family" and that he "understands and respects the desire of the family to try and alleviate his suffering in any way possible".

He says the government wants to find a solution for Alfie under existing laws.

But he says "cannabis is not recognised as having any medicinal benefits" in the UK and that it is unlawful to produce or supply cannabis unless for research purposes.

He says that "only medicines tested for their safety to the correct standard are prescribed to UK children".

House of Commons
Parliament

An urgent question tabled by Conservative MP Crispin Blunt is underway in the Commons on the medical use of cannabis.

The Home Office has denied requests for a medical cannabis licence to help a boy whose rare form of epilepsy improved after taking the drug.

Six-year-old Alfie Dingley, from Kenilworth in Warwickshire, suffers up to 30 violent seizures a day.

His parents want to treat him with medical cannabis oil, which is illegal in the UK.

The Home Office said the drug "cannot be practically prescribed, administered or supplied to the public".

Alfie's mother, Hannah Deacon, said: "You've got to fight for your kids, I want to know that I've done everything I can".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Tory MP Anna Soubry calls for assurances that the UK government will not do anything that "undermines" the Good Friday Agreement.

This is a reference to recent suggestions by a number of high-profile Brexiteers, including ex-Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson, Tory MEP Daniel Hannan, and Labour MP Kate Hoey. that the 1998 deal may no longer be fit for purpose.

Irish deputy prime minister Simon Coveney called the Brexit campaigners "reckless", warning they could undermine the foundations of Northern Ireland's "fragile" peace process.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Labour's Matt Rodda says the foreign secretary's recent speech on Brexit led to him being described by one of his own colleagues as "completely in denial".

"Is he in denial or is he just wrong?" Mr Rodda asks.

Boris Johnson says he will "resist the alternatives that the honourable gentleman has laid before me".

He insists he was setting out a vision of "a positive Brexit" for the UK and Europe.

House of Lords
Parliament

Crossbencher Baroness Campbell of Surbiton calls for the forthcoming Green Paper on social care to include disabled people under retirement age, saying the current remit is "simply not acceptable".

Health Minister Lord O'Shaughnessy accepts that the primary focus is on the care of older people but says there is "a parallel programme of work going on" regarding younger people and they will be treated with "equal seriousness".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Labour's Chris Bryant asks what the cost was to the taxpayer of an event last year to launch pro-Brexit think-tank the Institute for Free Trade, which was held at the Foreign Office.

Mr Bryant almost explodes when Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson replies that there was "no cost to the taxpayer".

"Come off it!" the Labour MP shouts.

"You must think we were all born yesterday!"

He accuses Mr Johnson of breaking the ministerial code but the foreign secretary accuses him of "talking the most perfect tripe" - insisting the event was "completely non-partisan".

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour backbencher John Woodcock presses the UK to take more action over the Syrian government's involvement in suspected chemical weapons attacks during the country's civil war.

Mr Woodcock tells the House that the use of chemical weapons was "supposed to be a red line for the international community, which has been walked over time and again".

Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt says Mr Woodcock's anger is understandable and the UK "will continue to work through the UN" to enforce the global ban on chemical weapons.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Question time is under way in the Lords, with Lib Dem Baroness Barker asking about improving the regulation of charities, social enterprises, and voluntary organisations.

Culture Minister Lord Ashton of Hyde says the Charity Commission has made "significant progress in improving regulatory effectiveness".

Baroness Barker attacks the nomination of Conservative peer Baroness Stowell of Beeston to lead the Commission, claiming she has "no noted experience of charities and no noted experience of regulation".

The minister says the position is regulated by commissioner for public appointments and there are no plans to change the recruitment process.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

SNP MP Patrick Grady asks whether Boris Johnson has had any discussions with the French government about his proposal for a bridge between the UK and France.

Mr Johnson says the two government have agreed to set up a "committee of wise people" to examine areas of mutual interest.

Mr Grady says that a Brexit transition deal is needed urgently, asking: "What is the point of a 20-mile bridge if there's a 20-mile queue waiting to get on to it?"

Mr Johnson replies that the two countries are "connected by only one railway line" and the existing channel tunnel is likely to reach capacity in the next seven years.

Downing Street has said there are "no specific plans" for a bridge, after the foreign secretary reportedly ran the idea past French President Emmanuel Macron at a summit in January.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Sarah Clarke is being introduced in the Lords as Lady Usher of the Black Rod - the first woman to hold the position.

Lords Leader Baroness Evans of Bowes Park pays tribute to her predecessor, David Leakey, for his work at times of national celebration and crisis.

Mark Lowen
BBC Turkey correspondent

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Labour MP Grahame Morris kicks off Foreign Office questions by asking ministers if they have spoken to counterparts in Turkey about the country's operation in Afrin in Syria.

Turkey regards Kurdish fighters just across its border as terrorists. It launched a major offensive against them last month.

Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan says the UK government has "called for de-escalation" while also recognising Turkey's desire to protect its borders.

Mr Morris says the Kurds have "built a secular, democratic system" and helped to defeat the Islamic State group in the area, adding: "The international community owes a debt of honour to the Kurds."

Turkey had acted in response to attacks and believed it was "in compliance with proper UN standards".

However, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry says Labour condemns Turkey's actions.