House of Lords
Parliament

Lib Dem Lord Wallace of Tankerness now speaks on his amendment designed to ensure Brexit does not diminish protection for equality in domestic law.

He tells peers that the UK's equality protections have developed in tandem with the EU and this will help it continue to be "a country which values fairness and equality".

He says we need to make sure that these safeguards are "proofed into the future as we leave the EU".

House of Lords
Parliament

Brexit Minister Lord Callanan is responding to the Labour amendment seeking to preserve EU environmental principles.

He says he "welcomes the sentiment" behind it, but it is "ultimately unnecessary".

He points to Theresa May's announcement of a 25-year environment plan which commits to no lowering of environmental standards, alongside the comprehensive policy statement promised by Michael Gove.

The amendment would "pre-judge" this, he warns.

Crossbencher Lord Krebs intervenes to suggest this requires putting 18 months' work into 12 and asks if he's familiar with Einstein's theory of relativity which says if you can travel faster than 186,000 miles per second you can stretch time.

Lord Callanan says he'll take this as an observation rather than a comment.

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Owen Smith says that it is a "great pleasure and an honour" to respond to the debate.

"No measure of disrespect was meant by the Labour frontbench by not having members of our armed forces team here... they're coming along shortly", he says.

House of Commons
Parliament

Defence minister Mark Lancaster notes that Sir Jeffrey is a "champion" for veterans in Northern Ireland.

Mr Lancaster says that it "hasn't gone unnoticed" that there is no shadow defence minister present on the Labour front benches.

"I'm absolutely sure that is not meant as a disrespect to this House", he says.

"It is however a certain disappointment considering the subject of conversation today."

House of Commons
Parliament

"I know we've come a long way since the dark days of our troubled past," says the DUP's Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

He continues by claiming there is a "culture of fear" around identifying yourself as a member of the armed forces.

He adds that there is "substance" in the call by veterans for the establishment of a special facility to support them, paying tribute to charities who support former members of the forces.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, Gov.uk

The Government says the Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve , externalor have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly.

House of Commons
Parliament

The Commons has moved on and now the DUP's Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is opening his party's debate on the Armed Forces Covenant in Northern Ireland.

The motion on the order paper "recognises the valuable contribution made by men and women from Northern Ireland to our armed forces" and calls on the government "to ensure that the Armed Forces Covenant is fully implemented in Northern Ireland".

House of Commons
Parliament

The debate concludes with MPs approving the Plaid Cymru motion without a division.

House of Commons
Parliament

Responding is the Brexit Minister Robin Walker, who calls it a "considered" discussion on the citizenship issue.

"I've heard many arguments", he says, "on why we should seek some form of continuation of EU citizenship for British nationals."

He says that we are "leaving the European Union, we are not leaving Europe".

At the end of all this, we will all be citizens of a European state, he says.

SNP MP Stephen Gethins asks whether the Plaid Cymru motion is approved, it will be part of the government's negotiating strategy.

"We always listen carefully to decisions of this House", he replies, but adds that EU treaties only allow citizens of countries that are members of the EU to hold citizenship.

House of Commons
Parliament

"Forgive me if my comments are fairly brief," says Plaid MP Hywel Williams, battling a sore throat.

He says the debate has been "positive" but observes that could be due to the absence of the "usual suspects" on the government benches.

"It is something of a novel idea in this place to talk about EU citizenship continuing after we leave," he says.

"I look to having a very positive response from the government."

House of Lords
Parliament

Labour environment spokesperson Baroness Jones of Whitchurch introduces an amendment which would mean public authorities must have special regard to the following principles:

• the precautionary principle as it relates to the environment
• preventive action should be taken to avert environmental damage
• environmental damage should be rectified at source
• the "polluter pays" principle
• environmental protection requirements must be integrated into the definition and implementation of policies and activities.

She says it "aims to put certainty into the bill so that existing standards remain in place".

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative David TC Davis asks Plaid's Ben Lake if he is "seriously suggesting" the EU is contemplating banning young people from travelling in their countries.

"I would perhaps politely suggest what the EU may or may not to is not a matter for this House", replies Mr Lake.

He says he's arguing that the UK should pursue associate citizenship to ensure that citizens of the UK can still "enjoy the rights that they do".

Image source, HoL

Peers resume day five of committee-stage debate on the EU Withdrawal Bill, external, which repeals the European Communities Act 1972 and writes EU law into UK law ahead of Brexit.

Committee stage is when peers carry out detailed line-by-line scrutiny of legislation, but amendments are not normally forced to a vote – this happens at report stage.

First up, Lib Dem Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted introduces an amendment designed to ensure that retained EU law continues to be subject to EU-derived interpretation.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Crossbencher Lord Bird asks the government what steps it is taking to reduce and prevent avoidable emergency hospital admissions.

He calls attention to the level of avoidable admissions, saying it's "a clear case of why we need more prevention" and would relieve the "ridiculous situation" of pressures on the NHS.

Health Minister Lord O'Shaughnessy responds that greater use of integrated services is helping cases to be managed without the need for a stay in hospital where possible.

He mentions in particular extended access to GPs.

The SNP's Mhairi Black says Parliament needs to look at how it works, saying that a few weeks ago when voting in the Commons she ended up being physically pressed up against a fellow MP accused of sexual misconduct.

Ms Black, who also outlined the scale of sexist abuse she received, was speaking during a debate calling for misogyny to be classified as a hate crime.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Question time is under way in the Lords, with Conservative Baroness Gardner of Parkes asking about the impact on the availability of long-term housing for rent of holiday lets, including those listed as rooms to let, particularly in London.

Baroness Gardner points out she's raised the question repeatedly and is always told legislation in this area is not possible, even though tenants are being "abused in their blocks" as a result of these lets.

Housing Minister Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth says the government "supports the sharing economy" and it's for local authorities to manage the situation.

He claims Airbnb properties "physically cannot be let for more than 90 days in a year".

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's shadow Home Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds says that it is "simply not good enough" that the government has not yet brought forward immigration legislation.

"When we speak of EU citizens they are our friends, our colleagues, our neighbours," he continues.

"The government could have done so much unilaterally a long time ago."

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Home Office Minister Caroline Nokes says the interim deal reached between the UK and EU in December has provided citizens with "certainty" on their future rights.

The UK is "content" to listen to proposals for preserving associate citizenship after Brexit, she says.

However proposals for this have "not been formally proposed" yet during the talks, she adds.

She says the EU's treaties state that EU citizenship is only accorded to member states, meaning only those UK citizens who are dual nationals might keep this.

"The position in law is very clear," she adds.

Mhairi Black says she was physically pressed up against a fellow MP accused of sexual misconduct in the Commons voting lobby.