Summary

  • MPs debate private members' bills

  • House of Lords sits from 10am

  1. It's 'probably obvious' that I would support this amendment - Green Peerpublished at 20:50 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness Jones of MoulsecoombImage source, HoC

    Green peer Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb says "it is probably obvious" that she would speak to support this amendment, as well as other amendments which deal with environmental protections.

    The government "is very much aware that the public care about the environment" nowadays, she says.

    She says a Conservative peer she spoke to last week was surprised to learn that the government is not bringing over all EU legislation to protect the environment after Brexit.

    "I feel very cheated, quite honestly," she says, referring to the fact that environmental protections may not be enacted, as it currently stands.

    "The environment is the loser," she says, adding that EU environmental law is the "cornerstone" of environmental protections in the UK.

  2. This amendment 'only contains what the government has said it wanted to do'published at 20:31 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord DebenImage source, HoC

    Conservative Lord Deben, who chairs the Climate Change Committee, says recent moves from the government have been reassuring, but he would still like to see more.

    "The amendment only contains what the government has said it wanted to do", he says. "What we want here is to engage the government in its own assertion."

    The amendment has received support from across the House, he says.

    "This is no plot of remainers, this is only a reflection of what the government has promised to do."

  3. On to motion about higher education...published at 20:30 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    Parliamentary reporters tweet

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  4. Peers move to debate environmental protections after Brexitpublished at 20:23 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness Brown of CambridgeImage source, HoC

    With further discussions concerning amendment 26, and whether or not there will be further amendments to the amendment (Lord Callanan accepts there can be), the Lords moves on to amendment 27.

    Crossbencher Baroness Brown of Cambridge says that on exit day there will be a "governance gap", on environmental protections and issues. Key air and water quality targets can be missed, and will have no penalties after the UK leaves.

    This needs addressing urgently, she says, because "exit day is less than a year away", and having a consultation, establishing a watchdog and appointing the staff will not be fast, she says.

    "This amendment reduces the risk of EU exit to our environment," she finishes.

  5. 'It's extremely difficult for us all to completely grasp the complications' - Labourpublished at 20:18 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord GoldsmithImage source, HoC

    Opposition spokesperson, Lord Goldsmith, says that this amendment was previously mostly introduced by his counterpart on the Labour frontbenches, Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town.

    "This is very complicated," he adds, "it's difficult for us all to completely grasp the complications." It would have been "extremely helpful" for the government to have introduced this amendment earlier, he says.

    More needs "to be said about this, and more needs to be discussed," he says.

    He expresses Labour's approval of the amendment.

  6. 'We will come back to this at third reading' - Cormackpublished at 20:12 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Conservative Lord Cormack, and frequent rebel in the current Brexit legislation, says that the House of Lords are very clear that "taking back control" means "Parliament taking back control", not "the executive amassing more powers for itself".

    He adds that the Lords "will come back to this at third reading".

  7. Government introduces amendment on status of EU retained lawpublished at 20:01 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord Callanan is introducing amendment 26, which is a government amendment.

    It adds a new clause for the status of EU retained law.

    The clause adds in how different laws will be classified after the UK leaves the EU, including which laws will be seen as primary or secondary legislation.

    All EU laws pertaining to rights will be primary legislation, Lord Callanan says, and all other laws, EU tertiary legislation, will be seen as "subordinate".

    EU directives do not get classified as primary legislation, "the status of these regulations is clear, they are, and do remain, statutory instruments", he says.

    It would be "constitutionally deeply questionable" to declare these instruments "as anything different".

  8. Big votes todaypublished at 19:53 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    Head of research services, House of Lords library, tweets

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  9. Government amendments on interpretation of retained EU law acceptedpublished at 19:51 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Labour spokesman Lord Goldsmith confirms his party's support for the amendment from Lord Pannick on interpreting EU law.

    Ministry of Justice spokesman Lord Keen assures peers "the whole government is steadfast behind the judiciary" but adds Lord Pannick's amendment is not the right way forward.

    Lord Pannick then responds, accepting the government's amendments as a "great improvement".

  10. UK courts should decide UK law - government spokesmanpublished at 19:39 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    The government has put down its own amendments in response to Lord Pannick's concerns.

    Ministry of Justice spokesman Lord Keen of Elie says the amendments are intended to clarify "the recognition that it is right and appropriate that UK courts decide how to interpret all UK law including retained EU law".

  11. Fresh Lords defeat for Brexit billpublished at 19:37 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    Peers vote to keep the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in force after Brexit.

    Read More
  12. Allow UK courts to have regard to EU case law, government urgedpublished at 19:37 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    PannickImage source, HoL

    Next up, crossbencher Lord Pannick presents an amendment that would specify a court or tribunal may have regard to anything done after Brexit by the European Court, another EU entity or the EU where it considers it relevant to the proper interpretation of retained EU law.

    He tells peers this would help "protect [judges] from criticism that they are making a policy choice" by having regard to decisions reached by the European Court.

  13. Broad welcome for council tax bill from Labourpublished at 19:29 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    Rating and Council Tax Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jim McMahonImage source, HoC

    Shadow housing minister Jim McMahon says that Labour "broadly welcomes" the two amendments brought forward in this bill.

    He warns that he would not want to see the bill operate "to the detriment of local government finances", referring to the return of small business rates relief.

    The Federation of Small Businesses has raised concerns that some small businesses are unnecessarily penalised for needing larger premises, such as childcare facilities, he adds.

    It has been Labour policy for some time to see council tax increase to 300% on houses which are kept empty, he notes, observing the government is "moving towards" Labour policy on empty homes.

  14. Government defeated on complying with principles of EU lawpublished at 19:05 British Summer Time 23 April 2018
    Breaking

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    A third defeat for the government today as peers vote 280 to 223 for an amendment in the name of Lib Dem Lord Beith and crossbencher Lord Pannick designed to retain the right of action in domestic law if there is a failure to comply with the general principles of EU law.

  15. Peers vote on complying with principles of EU lawpublished at 19:00 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Peers are now voting on an amendment in the name of Lib Dem Lord Beith and crossbencher Lord Pannick designed to retain the right of action in domestic law if there is a failure to comply with the general principles of EU law.

  16. Government defeated on powers over challenges to retained EU lawpublished at 18:53 British Summer Time 23 April 2018
    Breaking

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Peers vote 285 to 235 for an amendment in the name of crossbencher Lord Pannick and Lib Dem Lord Beith which would remove the ability for ministers to specify in regulations cases where individuals may bring challenges against the validity of retained EU law.

  17. Peers offered reassurances on public health after Brexitpublished at 18:36 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord Duncan of SpringbankImage source, HoL

    Unusually, government spokesman Lord Duncan of Springbank gets to his feet early to tell peers that Article 168 on public health will be available in the future to UK courts after Brexit.

    Several peers signal they are reassured by this, with Labour spokesman Lord Hunt of Kings Heath suggesting the issue could be shelved for now and revisited at the next stage in the bill's passage.

    Lord Duncan repeats that Article 168's functionality "will not be undermined" but says he can't go further than that at this point.

  18. Bill will tackle unfairness in business rates - ministerpublished at 18:34 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    Rating and Council Tax Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Dominic RaabImage source, HoC

    Housing, Communities and Local Government Minister Dominic Raab says the bill intends to remove the "unfairness" of young families unable to buy their first home while houses sit empty.

    Mr Raab says that 1,000 businesses have lost their small business rates relief as a result of changes in how businesses premises are assessed and this is 1,000 "too many", promising changes to help these businesses.

    He says the government is "straining every sinew" in order to build the homes the country needs, but the bill will also release existing housing stock onto the market.

    The bill will allow councils to charge double the rate of council tax for homes which are empty for two years or more, Mr Raab outlines, and "provide a positive incentive to prevent that from happening".

  19. Bid to prioritise public health in retained EU lawpublished at 18:20 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    EU Withdrawal Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord WarnerImage source, HoL

    Crossbencher Lord Warner introduces an amendment which would make it clear that Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, requiring ministers to uphold a high level of human health protection in policy-making, forms part of retained EU law.

    "Matters need to be made clear on the face of the bill," he urges.

  20. Commons debates Rating and Council Tax Billpublished at 18:03 British Summer Time 23 April 2018

    Rating and Council Tax Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Empty housing

    The Commons moves on to debate the Rating (Property in Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Bill.

    The bill deals with empty dwellings and may allow for increases in council tax where a property sits empty for an extended period of time.

    It also changes classifications for those living together in one property.