Select Committee
Parliament

Shortly we'll head over to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, who continue their inquiry into Fake News.

Their witness today is Dr Aleksandr Kogan, a senior research associate at the University of Cambridge.

Dr Kogan created the app This is Your Digital Life, which it is alleged harvested data from 50m Facebook users.

He's since said that he did not know his work for Cambridge Analytica in 2014 violated Facebook's policies.

Welcome to Tuesday's coverage of Westminster - the Commons will be starting at 11.30am with questions to justice ministers.

But first, we're going to cross over to the committee rooms, as the inquiry into fake news continues.

House of Lords
Parliament

Lord Wallace agrees to withdraw his amendment and shortly after that the House adjourns.

The government was defeated three times today, losing votes on amendments brought in to:

• ensure that the majority of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is carried over in domestic law
• remove ministers' ability to specify in regulations when individuals may bring challenges against the validity of retained EU law
• retain the right of action in domestic law if there is a failure to comply with the general principles of EU law.

House of Commons
Parliament

It's been a busy day in the Commons, dominated once again by the Windrush scandal. The home secretary gave a statement this afternoon. She announced that compensation will be given to those affected by the ongoing row, and that none will be "out of pocket" from speaking to the Home Office and obtaining the documents they need.

Labour tabled an urgent question on Voter ID trials, due to take place in four local authorities at next month's local elections. Labour called it voter suppression, the Conservatives say the documents asked for are no different to picking up a parcel at the Post Office.

The Council Tax Rates Bill passed with no objections from Labour, who pointed out the main provision of the bill, to allow local authorities to increase council tax on properties for more than two years, is something they have been calling for for some time.

Then there was the late night drama of the Labour motion to annul the new Office for Students. The motion failed, with a majority of 80.

House of Lords
Parliament

Brexit Minister Lord Callanan explains why the government cannot support Lord Wallace's amendment.

He says the wording of the amendment is not sufficiently clear and runs the risk of creating "real tensions" between "competing rights" - those currently protected under EU law, and any which the government may wish to legislate on in the future.

Compensation is also promised - as Labour warns against "token" sums for those affected.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Baroness Ludford withdraws her amendment without a vote although the declares herself "quite cross" about what she sees as the lack of detail in the minister's speech.

Lib Dem Lord Wallace of Tankerness presents an amendment designed to ensure that the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU does not diminish protection for equality in domestic law.

This sort of requirement "does focus ministers' minds", he submits.

House of Lords
Parliament

Labour spokesperson Baroness Hayter voices concern that the UK's involvement with "networks which help keep our people safe" is being endangered by the government's "obsession with the red line around the European Court of Justice".

"It is an area where the government needs to show some leadership," she says.

Brexit Minister Lord Callanan responds that the government will facilitate practical measures to co-operate with EU-wide security arrangements after Brexit.

But he reiterates the final nature of this relationship is a matter for negotiation.

House of Lords
Parliament

In tonight's final group of amendments, Lib Dem Baroness Ludford introduces a proposal designed to ensure all necessary action has been taken to continue the UK's participation in EU measures to promote internal security, justice and police co-operation and counterterrorism.

Her party colleague Lord Paddick, a former police officer, says he has spoken to people working in law enforcement and counter-terror agencies who are "very concerned" about the UK "not having a seat at the table" at Europol.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Labour spokesperson Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town agrees the government needs to spell out its intentions on foreign policy co-operation with the EU.

"Assuming there is a plan we need to know what it is, so we can see it will be fully in hand and workable on the day we leave," she urges.

Responding for the government, Baroness Goldie says ministers are "unconditionally committed to security" and has stated this is "not a time to inhibit co-operation".

She goes on to argue "our security interests don't stop at the edge of our continent" and the UK's foreign policy has never been based primarily on EU membership.

Lord Wallace is unhappy with her reply but he agrees to withdraw his amendment without a vote.

Voters in five areas of England will have to show identity documents before they take part in the local elections in England next week.

Labour has called for the trials to be abandoned because they could "disenfranchise legitimate voters". But the government says the scheme - which is designed to deal with voter fraud - is proportionate and reasonable. Kristiina Cooper reports.

And there is more from Today in Parliament on BBC Radio Four at 11.30pm.

House of Commons
Parliament

The result of the motion to annul is as follows:

Ayes: 211

Noes: 291

Majority: 80

This means Labour's attempt to annul the Office for Students is rejected by the Commons.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Baroness Brown withdraws her amendment on the environment, although she notes it is a matter of "deep concern".

Lib Dem Lord Wallace of Saltaire introduces an amendment which aims to ensure that before exit day all necessary action has been taken to continue co-ordination of foreign and security policy with the EU, including association with the EU’s military staff and the European Defence Agency.

Co-ordinating with other European countries is the starting point of foreign policy, he argues, and "remains the bedrock of any role in global policy".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

With disagreements in the Commons, MPs move to a vote.

We'll expect a result from Labour's motion to annul the new Office for Students at around 9:40pm.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Science and Universities Minister Sam Gyimah says that this is the "first time" that students will be put first, and will stop students being just "grateful" for the education that they receive from their universities.

Of 131 higher education institutions, 90 received less than 50% of their income directly from the government, he says. Attaching conditions to grant funding "is quite simply no longer viable" for students' interest in the long term.

He says that Labour's proposals would take the UK to "state control" of UK universities.

"The key point tonight is that there is no going back," he says, outlining how the new Office for Students is already operational. Both of the previous regulators ceased to exist on the 1 April, he says.

"That ship has already sailed, and neither of those bodies can be resurrected without primary legislation," he adds.

"A vote to annul these regulations is a vote for tuition fees to be increased without any upper limit," he says.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Brexit Minister Lord Callanan describes the amendment on environmental protections as "well-intentioned but unnecessary".

He tells peers the government will bring forward a new policy statement on the environment which will "draw on EU principles".

He underlines that ministers have already committed to enhanced protections for the natural environment, and announces that a consultation on a new statutory body to oversee this area will be published before third reading of the bill.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Conservative Education Committee Chair, Robert Halfon, says his committee has been looking into the new regulator, the Office for Students, and he supports the introduction of the new regulator.

He adds that he "is concerned" about the lack of representation on the board for this education regulator.

"Further education and apprenticeships" is the best way for those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those voices often aren't heard, he says.

He says his committee "were so concerned" by the appointments process to the board that they received a private briefing from the head of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

He says "the Office for Students should be leading the approach" in encouraging the sector to approach different models for higher education.

He urges the government to explore how best the vacant places on the board can be filled by more diverse members.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Labour spokesperson Baroness Jones of Whitchurch speaks in support of the amendment designed to secure EU-derived environmental protections.

She says while the UK has its own environmental laws, they do not have "the range and depth of the EU" and there is no enforcing body.

She acknowledges the government has promised to introduce its own environmental plan, but complains that there is currently "no timeline and no details".

The amendment aims to prevent the removal or diminution of environmental protections and would require the government to publish proposals for primary legislation establishing a duty on public authorities to apply principles of environmental law established in EU law after Brexit.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner introduces the Commons debate on a motion to annul a Statutory Instrument for funding and setting up the Office for Students.

"What a shambolic and politicised appointment," she says, referring to the appointment of Toby Young to the regulator, something which she says is still "hanging over" the new regulator.

The composition of the board "remains highly controversial, even now", she says. She raises concerns that representation on the board may not be as broad as some had wished for, and the University and Colleges Union is calling for staff representation on the board, too.

She says the government "believes education is a commodity, to be bought and sold for private gain and not for public good".

She says that every time the government "hands out" the title of university to a private provider, it not only harms students, but "undermines the whole system".