Summary

  • Commons day starts with environment questions

  • Urgent question on review of children's mental health services

  • Home secretary makes statement on attempted murder of ex-Russian spy

  • MPs celebrate International Women's Day

  1. MP raises the political situation in the Maldivespublished at 19:02 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Adjournment debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MaldivesImage source, Science Photo Library
    Image caption,

    What many people associate the Maldives with...

    The final, short debate today is led by Conservative MP Sir Hugo Swire, a former Foreign Office Minister, and concerns the political situation in the Maldives.

    In February a former president of the island nation off the Indian subcontinent, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who was in power for three decades, was arrested at his home as a crackdown on the opposition intensified.

    President Abdulla Yameen has declared a state of emergency to investigate a "coup" against him, while the opposition has called for other countries to intervene in the crisis.

    Since President Yameen took power in 2013 the country has faced questions over freedom of speech, the detention of opponents and the independence of the judiciary.

  2. Bill offers 'time-limited, intelligent intervention' in the market - ministerpublished at 19:00 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Claire PerryImage source, HoC

    Minister Claire Perry says the bill needs a "smooth" passage through the Commons to achieve the aim of having a price cap in place by the end of the year.

    "The market has changed considerably," she argues, with some consumers "empowered" and others not.

    She insists that the bill will enable a "time-limited, intelligent intervention" in the market with more powers for the regulator.

    The ultimate aim is a more competitive market, she says.

    MPs pass the bill at second reading without a vote. It will now go to a public bill committee for detailed scrutiny by MPs.

  3. Labour calls for action to repair the market before cap endspublished at 18:52 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Energy price cap bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Shadow energy minister Alan Whitehead praises the quality of this afternoon's debate, saying that it contained "not a single stupid contribution", to laughter from MPs.

    Labour had "an almost identical proposal of a temporary cap" on energy prices, Dr Whitehead says.

    And accuses the government of doing nothing "for some considerable time" when it could have fixed the energy market.

    He adds that measures need to be enacted to improve the market when the cap comes to an end, and indicates that Labour will introduce amendments with this aim.

  4. Bill will 'empower consumers' - Tory MPpublished at 18:29 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Energy price cap bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tory MP Stephen Kerr says a price cap "can be a blunt object if it's left in place too long".

    However, he argues that the bill's aim is "something far subtler" - "empowering consumers".

  5. Peers asked to approve environmental and welfare regulationspublished at 18:02 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Orders and regulations

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    As their last piece of business today, peers are being asked to approve a series of orders and regulations:

    • Draft Renewable Transport Fuels and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Regulations 2018
    • Draft Seafarers (Insolvency, Collective Redundancies and Information and Consultation Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018
    • Draft Enhanced Partnership Plans and Schemes (Objections) Regulations 2018
    • Draft Social Security (Contributions) (Rates, Limits and Thresholds Amendments and National Insurance Funds Payments) Regulations 2018
    • Draft Tax Credits and Guardian’s Allowance Up-rating etc. Regulations 2018

    That's where we're leaving our live coverage of the Lords for today. They return tomorrow, earlier than usual for a Wednesday, at 11am, to resume debate on the EU Withdrawal Bill.

  6. Tory MP attacks Labour nationalisation planspublished at 18:02 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Energy price cap bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jack BreretonImage source, HoC

    "Labour quashes competition," declares Conservative MP Jack Brereton, as he takes aim at the opposition's plans to nationalise the energy sector.

    Nationalisation would eliminate consumer choice and prevent people being able to shop around, he argues.

    He supports the bill today, saying that it will help to address problems in the energy market.

  7. Labour renews calls for Magnitsky amendmentpublished at 17:44 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Russia statement

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    CollinsImage source, HoL

    Shadow foreign affairs spokesman Lord Collins of Highbury accepts "some interaction is preferable to none" with Russia, but adds that "rather than the off-the-cuff remarks today by Boris Johnson, we need to hear how robust he was on human rights" on a recent visit to the country.

    Lord Collins calls for an amendment to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill which would enable sanctions on individuals who perpetrate human rights abuses, sometimes known as a Magnitsky amendment, after legislation in the US.

    Government spokesman the Earl of Courtown agrees that "we've got to remain open to dialogue".

    He tells peers there are already civil recovery plans for the assets of those who engage in human rights abuses, and says the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill will enable the government to impose sanctions regimes on those involved in "gross human rights abuses".

  8. SNP MP on party's plans for a publicly-owned energy companypublished at 17:39 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Energy price cap bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Nicola Sturgeon speech to SNP conferenceImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Nicola Sturgeon announced the party's plans at its annual conference in Glasgow

    SNP MP Drew Hendry says the Scottish government is setting up a publicly-owned energy company "whose only job is to secure the lowest price for consumers".

    This will help consumers "who lack the confidence or the ability to engage" in a complex energy market, he adds.

    SNP leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the party's conference last year that the company would be set up by 2021 and will sell energy to customers at "as close to cost price as possible".

  9. 'This government has acted'published at 17:39 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Energy price cap bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Antoinette Sandbach gives her support to the bill, saying: "This government has acted when the last [Labour] government failed to."

    She adds that a price cap "is only needed as a temporary measure".

  10. SNP MP calls for 'easier and faster ways to switch suppliers'published at 17:28 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Energy price cap bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    "We must have easier and faster ways to switch suppliers" and "more transparent bills for consumers", says SNP MP Patricia Gibson, in a speech arguing for a more competitive market.

    The introduction of a cap is an opportunity to let change happen, she adds.

  11. Peers hear Boris Johnson's statement on Russiapublished at 17:28 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Russia statement

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Government spokesman the Earl of Courtown is repeating an answer to an urgent question asked earlier in the Commons, on government policy towards Russia.

    Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told MPs the UK would respond "robustly" to any evidence of Russian involvement in the collapse of former spy Sergei Skripal.

    Mr Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, in her 30s, are critically ill in hospital after being found unconscious in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on Monday.

  12. Companies accused of 'failings' over water shortagespublished at 17:07 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Water supply statement

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    JonesImage source, HoL

    Shadow environment spokesperson Baroness Jones of Whitchurch says there have been "huge failings" by the water companies.

    She tells peers the problems caused by recent bad weather could have been predicted and the companies involved "got their priorities wrong".

    She highlights that water bills are going up at the same time and the government has not announced any measures to hold the industry to account.

    Lib Dem Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville calls the water companies' approach "extremely disappointing".

    The minister, Lord Gardiner, responds that "it's clear the priority is to restore the water supply for vulnerable people and hospitals".

    "The water companies do need to do better," he acknowledges, pointing out that Ofwat will review their performance.

  13. Peers hear water supply updatepublished at 17:06 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Water supply statement

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Bottled waterImage source, PA

    Environment Minister Lord Gardiner of Kimble is repeating a statement made earlier in the Commons on water supply disruption.

    Thousands of homes are without water for a third day in parts of the UK after a sudden rise in temperature caused frozen pipes to burst.

    Companies have been supplying bottled water while they reconnect customers in London, Kent, Sussex and Wales.

    South East Water says about 1,000 homes and businesses still have no supply.

    The industry regulator Ofwat said it understood the recent weather was an issue but added suppliers had "fallen well short" on forward planning.

  14. Changes accepted to domestic abuse housing billpublished at 16:59 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Secure Tenancies (Victims of Domestic Abuse) Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    BourneImage source, HoL

    Housing Minister Lord Bourne accepts the amendment from Baroness Lister designed to ensure domestic abuse victims can stay in their homes.

    The amendment will "obviate the risk there could be two concurrent tenancies at the same property", he says.

    He points out more generally that the prime minister and home secretary "are very committed to this" and high priority is being given to keeping refuges open.

  15. Bill will 'serve notice on injustice' - former shadow energy secretarypublished at 16:59 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Energy price cap bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Caroline FlintImage source, HoC

    Labour MP Caroline Flint, a former shadow energy secretary, says the bill has come about because the government has accepted that "the majority of energy bill payers... are being ripped off".

    She says the Conservatives resisted Labour calls in the 2015 election campaign for a price cap but the government "were on the back foot as evidence of over-charging mounted".

    The House should "serve notice on injustice" and "defend the principle of a short-term cap on a failing market", Ms Flint adds.

  16. MP queries impact on investmentpublished at 16:35 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Energy price cap bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Mark Menzies, a Conservative MP, asks what impact a price cap will have on investment in the energy sector.

    Like his Tory colleague John Penrose, he says he doubts that regulator Ofgem "has the preserve of wisdom" over prices.

  17. Help domestic abuse survivors to stay in their homes, peer urgespublished at 16:27 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Secure Tenancies (Victims of Domestic Abuse) Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Peers move on to report stage debate of the Secure Tenancies (Victims of Domestic Abuse) Bill, external, which allows the granting of old-style secure tenancies in cases of domestic abuse.

    Report stage is a chance for backbenchers and ministers to make amendments to the bill before it goes to the Commons.

    Labour's Baroness Lister of Burtersett introduces an amendment to ensure these tenancies can be granted to domestic abuse survivors who previously held a joint tenancy, enabling her to remain in her home after the abuser has left.

    She tells peers "we usually think of a domestic abuse survivor fleeing" and that is often the case, but it should be possible for them to stay in the place where they live.

  18. 'Energy companies have brought this cap on themselves'published at 16:15 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Energy price cap bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Rachel ReevesImage source, HoC

    "The fact that the energy market is broken is undeniable," says Labour MP Rachel Reeves, who chairs the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee.

    "Customer loyalty is not rewarded, it is punished with higher prices," she adds.

    Ms Reeves says that energy firms have campaigned "to stop this cap from happening" but she thinks that "the Big Six energy companies have brought this cap upon themselves".

    She adds that if a price cap had already been in place, families would not have had to worry about bills during the recent cold weather.

  19. SNP spokesman says bill is neededpublished at 15:51 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Energy price cap bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    SNP energy spokesman Alan Brown says higher tariffs are often paid by the least well-off customers and many are paying too much "in a competitive market".

    "This is the poorest and most vulnerable customers subsidising the wealthy customers," he says, arguing that this situation makes the bill necessary.

    Noting that previous speaker John Penrose suggested a cap on the mark-up levied by companies, rather than an absolute cap on prices, Mr Brown concedes that there is a need to guard against an "equalisation effect... one that drifts towards the higher end of the scale".

  20. Tory MP: Lobbyists for the Big Six are licking their lipspublished at 15:42 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2018

    Energy price cap bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    John PenroseImage source, HoC

    Conservative MP and former minister John Penrose makes a speech opposing a price cap and in favour of letting the market determine prices.

    He says caps are to be set by "an all-knowing committee" at energy regulator Ofgem, but "the price moves around every day".

    This means that no committee is as good as the market, he argues.

    Mr Penrose adds that smaller, "challenger energy firms" outside the so-called Big Six energy companies are worried about a price cap, while "the lawyers and the lobbyists for the Big Six are licking their lips".