Summary

  • MPs debating support for people with autism in the UK

  • Earlier: minister announces legal funds for contaminated blood victims

  • 'Reasonable expenses' for preparing for public inquiry will be met

  • International Development Secretary: Islamic State group 'all but destroyed'

  • Commons leader announces future parliamentary business

  • House of Lords sits from 11am

  1. Sack May's political secretary - Angela Eaglepublished at 17:05 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Angela EagleImage source, HoC

    Labour's Angela Eagle calls for the sacking of Stephen Parkinson, a political secretary to Mrs May, who outed the Vote Leave whistleblower while using "Number 10 paper".

    Mrs May says "that is not what I should be doing," and that her political secretary is doing a very good job and that the statement was a personal one.

  2. PM: Aide's statements were 'personal statements'published at 17:03 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Theresa MayImage source, HoC

    Labour MP Ben Bradshaw picks up on the statement made by former Vote Leave manager Stephen Parkinson in response to accusations by Brexit activist Shahmir Sanni about campaign spending by Vote Leave in the 2016 EU referendum.

    Mr Parkinson, who is an ex-boyfriend of Mr Sanni and now the prime minister's political secretary, recently denied allegations that Vote Leave co-ordinated spending of a donation given to a different group, BeLeave.

    Mr Sanni has said - in a statement issued through his lawyers - that Mr Parkinson had outed him as gay in his original response to the story. He says this has put his relatives in Pakistan in danger as a result.

    Ben Bradshaw asks how this could be possible in an "officially-sanctioned statement", calling it a "disgrace".

    In replay Theresa May says any statements issued were "personal statements".

    She says she wants to see a world "where everybody is able to be confident in their sexuality".

  3. Businesses need further certainty on regulations - Morganpublished at 16:58 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Nicky MorganImage source, HoC

    Conservative chair of the Treasury Select Committee Nicky Morgan says that businesses want certainty on regulations during the withdrawal period from the EU.

    She goes on to say that they will also need certainty on the new set of rules and regulations which may come into effect after Brexit.

    Mrs May says the government is "aware of the stance of the regulators" and has been working with them on how they can work with their European opposite numbers.

    This is necessary to ensure there is a "sound regulatory footing" during the implementation period, she says.

  4. DUP accuses critics of 'inventing problems' on Northern Irelandpublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    The DUP's Westminster leader, Nigel Dodds, expresses "bemusement there's so much concentration on so-called backstop" for Northern Ireland and accuses detractors of "using" this issue to "shape their version of Brexit or thwart it altogether".

    He claims they are "inventing problems where there are none".

    Mrs May says she shares his "bemusement there's so much focus on Plan C" and it wouldn't be possible for any prime minister to "support something which could destroy the UK internal market".

  5. International approach needed - Lib Demspublished at 16:47 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jo SwinsonImage source, HoC

    Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Jo Swinson welcomes the approach the government is taking to Russia, in working with countries.

    She asks the PM if she agrees that the only way to clamp down on large tech companies in terms of regulation of data and tax is to work with other countries.

    Mrs May says that the government wants to continue a good working arrangement on data protection with the European Union and it is part of ongoing negotiations.

    The government continues to work on tax collection from large multinational tech companies and will work with the EU on this matter in the interim, she says.

  6. Committee chair seeks clarity over security dealpublished at 16:43 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Yvette CooperImage source, HoC

    Labour MP and Home Affairs Committee chair Yvette Cooper asks why there is no "fall back" clause in the transition agreement that would allow it to be extended.

    She asks Theresa May what she will do if a new treaty on security co-operation - which she tells MPs could take up to 18 months to ratify - is not ready by this time.

    Theresa May replies that a new pact on security is in the interests of both the UK and EU.

    EU countries have "every intention" of ensuring new security arrangements are in place when the transition period ends in December 2020.

  7. ECJ jurisdiction to continue in implementation periodpublished at 16:39 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Sir Bill Cash, Conservative chair of the European Scrutiny Committee, says the text agreed with the EU "insists on the autonomy of the EU legal order".

    He stresses we should not accept the exclusive jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice from March 2019 or December 2020, as this risks a "legal viper's nest".

    Theresa May tells him the implementation period will continue to have role for the ECJ but "after that we will take back control of our laws" and sole ECJ jurisdiction is "not something we want to see".

  8. Scottish fishermen 'left in the dark' - SNPpublished at 16:38 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Ian BlackfordImage source, HoC

    The SNP leader at Westminster Ian Blackford pays tribute to the police officers who have lost their lives in service.

    He notes that last week the prime minister secured a statement from EU leaders that Russia was highly likely to be behind the nerve agent attack. And he asks what discussions she has had with European partners on making sure that non-governmental organisations do not work with Russia. He wants to know when the government will clamp down on Russian money laundering in the UK.

    He goes on to say that fishing communities in Scotland were "left in the dark" as the government "bargained away" future fishing rights for fishermen in the UK.

    Mrs May replies that the UK government has had conversations with the other parties on making further amendments to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill, external currently going through the House of Lords.

    She adds that the UK will be leaving the Common Fisheries Policy, commenting that "it's a bit rich" for Mr Blackford to make such comments when the SNP wants to remain in the EU and therefore the CFP.

  9. May commended for 'strong stance' against Russiapublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative Iain Duncan Smith commends Theresa May's "strong stance" in her actions against Russia, contrasting this with what he says is Jeremy Corbyn's preferred option of "never-ending dialogue".

    Mrs May thanks him and says discussions with EU countries on how to respond to Russia will continue.

  10. Being a member of Euratom is legally linked to EU membership - Maypublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Mrs May replies that the UK wants to work with the EU on talking to the US in extending the temporary exemption from steel tariffs to a permanent exclusion.

    On the Northern Ireland border, she says the government has set out proposals on how that will work. In the December report, she says, both the UK and EU agreed that all aspects of the Belfast agreement should be respected and that there must be no hard border.

    Turning on Mr Corbyn's position, she says the Labour leader wants to be in the customs union but, at the same time, does not want to abide by the competition rules of the union.

  11. Corbyn welcomes 'international consensus' over Russiapublished at 16:30 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    Jeremy CorbynImage source, HoC

    Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also pays tribute to French policeman Arnaud Beltrame, British policeman Keith Palmer and victims of the recent fire at a shopping centre in Russia.

    He welcomes the "international consensus" built by Theresa May over Russia and says "multilateral action" is the strongest possible response.

    He also welcomes the temporary reprieve from American steel and aluminium tariffs, and like Theresa May calls for it to become permanent.

    He says that "some progress seems to have been made" on a Brexit transition deal, but says what has been agreed is "identical to what Labour was calling for last summer".

    He tells MPs "dithering and posturing" before "accepting the inevitable" has become the "consistent pattern of Brexit talks".

    He says the government has not yet produced a "credible solution" to the issue of the Irish border, and asks how the transitional deal might be extended if a final deal is not reached.

  12. May seeks backing for withdrawal agreement planspublished at 16:22 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Theresa May turns to US proposals for tariffs on steel, saying they cannot be justified on national security or overcapacity grounds and pledging to "defend our industry".

    She then hails David Davis finalising "large parts of a withdrawal agreement" with the EU, notably on a time-limited implementation period.

    "The Council welcomed the agreement reached," she tells MPs.

    She specifies it is "not in our interest for businesses to change the rules twice", and the implementation period will help "minimise uncertainty" and allow the UK to "prepare properly" for a settlement which will "last for years to come".

    She acknowledges the arrangements for the Northern Ireland border have yet to be turned into legal text, but insists "we can and will find the best solution for Northern Ireland".

    She urges MPs to embrace these proposals as voters are "tired of old arguments and attempts to refight the referendum".

  13. All EU leaders agreed it is 'highly likely' to be a state sponsored attackpublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    European Council statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Theresa MayImage source, HOC

    Theresa May is making a statement on the European Council meeting last week.

    She pays tribute to the police officer who died in the terrorist siege at a supermarket in southern France at the weekend. She also pays tribute to PC Keith Palmer who protected Parliament in the terror attack last year.

    In a wide-ranging statement, she says the UK and EU agreed their responses to the US import tariff on steel and on sanctions against Russia.

    They are issues that the UK will continue to work on with the EU "even after we have left," she states.

    All EU leaders agreed that it is "highly likely" that the attack on Sergei Skripal was a state-sponsored Russian attack, she says.

    She adds that she argued for collective efforts in sending a strong European message back to Russia, especially after President Putin's re-election.

    Today, more than 18 countries have agreed to expel more than 100 Russian diplomats working in other countries.

    Mrs May says that the UK has "no disagreement with the Russian people" but that Putin is carrying out "acts of aggression".

  14. Prime Minister statement on Russia and Brexitpublished at 16:07 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    Macron, May and MerkelImage source, EPA

    The Prime Minister is making a statement about last week's meeting with EU leaders in Brussels.

    Her statement comes a few hours after it was announced that the United States and some European countries are expelling dozens of Russian diplomats in a coordinated response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK.

    EU leaders agreed last week it was highly likely Russia was behind the nerve-agent poisoning.

    On Brexit, EU leaders approved guidelines for the negotiation of future relations with the UK after Brexit.

  15. Trendsetters?published at 16:05 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

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  16. Red white and blue Brexit did not mean the 'Tricolore'published at 16:05 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    Urgent question: passports

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Stephanie PeacockImage source, HoC

    Labour's Stephanie Peacock says "when the prime minister said we'd have a red white and blue Brexit, we didn't think she meant the colours of the Tricolore".

    She asks why protecting British jobs is not a "priority for this government".

    Ms Nokes says that to protect jobs in the way Ms Peacock suggests would be "protectionist," adding that she wants "British companies to bid on a global stage".

  17. Labour accused of 'chutzpah' over passport objectionspublished at 16:01 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    Urgent question: Passports

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative Damian Green, a former Home Office minister, says Labour is showing "a degree of chutzpah" in its complaints as an American firm was given the contract under the last Labour government.

    Caroline Nokes agrees there's a long history of passports not necessarily being printed by British companies.

  18. SNP: Dark blue passport 'offers little compensation'published at 16:00 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    Urgent question: Passports

    Speaking for the SNP, Joanna Cherry says getting a dark blue passport "offers little compensation" for the loss of rights after the UK leaves the EU.

    She wonders what benefits "dark blue passports" will bring to "outweigh these losses".

  19. Somerset produces secure paper for Chinese passports - Rees-Moggpublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    Urgent question: passports

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jacob Rees-MoggImage source, HoC

    Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg says he is concerned for the De La Rue plant in his constituency, which produces the high security paper used in Chinese passports.

    He asks if the "Franco-Dutch consortium" will be able to buy its secure paper from Somerset.

    Ms Nokes says that, "like all British companies," the government "wishes for them to be outward looking and global".

  20. Labour labels passport row 'a farce'published at 15:56 British Summer Time 26 March 2018

    Urgent question: Passports

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott says people from all parties are "concerned" at the prospect of British passports being made by a Franco-Dutch firm.

    She warns the government "cannot be allowed to hide behind EU procurement rules" and asks if it will take responsibility for the "fallout for workers and their families".

    "Is this what they meant by taking back control?" she asks, before calling this matter "a farce".

    The minister responds that it was in 2009 that rules were changed to allow production overseas and 20% of blank passports are already made abroad.

    "It's absolutely imperative" to maintain the highest security requirements, she says.