Parental Bereavement Bill debated in Commons
EU Withdrawal Bill
House of Lords
Parliament
Brexit Minister Lord Callanan tells peers the government is going to extend the requirement for statements on complying with equality legislation to Henry VIII powers.
Lord Low accepts this change and withdraws his amendment without a vote.
Criminal Legal Aid
House of Commons
Parliament
The Commons has voted against the Labour motion to revoke the latest Statutory Instrument relating to junior criminal barrister pay.
Ayes: 252
Noes: 300
Majority: 48
With that, the House adjourns.
Criminal Legal Aid
House of Commons
Parliament
The Commons divides to vote on the Labour motion on criminal legal aid.
The division centres around a motion to revoke a Statutory Instrument from earlier this year, which amended pay under the Advocates' Graduated Fee Scheme.
The Legal Aid Act 2012 reduced the number of civil proceedings for which people can receive legal aid.
The result is expected at around 10pm.
EU Withdrawal Bill
House of Lords
Parliament
Image source, HoLCrossbencher Lord Low of Dalston introduces an amendment designed to ensure the exercise of delegated powers in this bill doesn't reduce protections under equalities legislation.
"A minister should have no difficulty in certifying that a technical provision doesn't diminish equality protections," he argues.
Criminal Legal Aid
House of Commons
Parliament
Image source, HoCBob Neill, Chair of Justice Committee, and former criminal barrister, says his committee has "looked at a number of these issues" and "we've heard a great deal of evidence on it".
"It is a demanding profession, and it is not well rewarded," he says, but he "regrets" that some of the problems raised by Labour "have always been a feature of the scheme".
He says that the current squeeze on the bar was started under the Blair government.
"Is it perfect? No I'm sure it is not. Would it be better that more money could be found? Yes I'm sure," he says.
"We do have to make the case for more funding for the criminal bar," he states, "it is a lot harder to start at the junior criminal bar now than it was in my day".
He says a business case needs to be made for an increase of money in the system.
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EU Withdrawal Bill
House of Lords
Parliament
Peers vote 225 to 194 for crossbencher Lord Lisvane's amendment which would give the Lords the power to refer statutory instruments back to the Commons.
These are orders and regulations which receive a one-off vote, and which are almost never rejected by peers.
At the moment peers can pass "regret" motions on them, but these have no real effect.
EU Withdrawal Bill
House of Lords
Parliament
Image source, HoLLords Leader Baroness Evans of Bowes Park tells peers the government takes the question of secondary legislation seriously and it wants to ensure it is "rigorously scrutinised".
She draws attention to steps taken to meet concerns on delegated legislation, including new amendments to extend the remit of the "sifting committee" which is being set up to examine statutory instruments.
But Lord Lisvane insists on moving his amendment to a vote - it would give the Lords stronger powers to make the Commons reconsider statutory instruments.
Criminal Legal Aid
House of Commons
Parliament
Image source, HoCJustice Minister Lucy Frazer says she recognises the importance that advocates play in ensuring justice.
She says that she and the Lord Chancellor have heard concerns about the wider justice system since they took office four months ago.
"We want people to have every confidence in every part of the justice system," she says.
"This scheme doesn't bring in a cut, at the very least it is cost neutral," she says and adds that there is an increase in expenditure in some areas.
She says that the current scheme came about because both the bar and the government accepted that the old system was out of date.
She says the "party opposite is playing politics" with this "important profession".
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EU Withdrawal Bill
House of Lords
Parliament
Image source, HoLShadow Lords leader Baroness Smith of Basildon speaks for Labour, highlighting that there will be a "huge number" of statutory instruments and the consequences of getting them wrong are "very serious".
She objects that the government's undertaking to publish statements justifying the use of SIs where possible is "not good enough".
"We have to have confidence in the process," she says.
Criminal Legal Aid
House of Commons
Parliament
Image source, HoCShadow justice secretary Richard Burgon is moving a motion on Criminal Legal Aid.
He says that UK society has a duty to those accused of a crime to guarantee them a fair trial.
He says that co-ordinated strike action by barristers shows that the government needs to work with the profession to resolve the issues.
"We deeply regret the fact that the government has pushed barristers into this position," he says.
In 2011, the government said that cuts to legal aid were required to reduce the £2bn annual cost of the service.
"Our justice system is actually at tipping point," he says.
What does it mean for Labour?
House of Lords
Parliament
The government has suffered another defeat over its Brexit plans after peers voted to instruct ministers to negotiate the UK's continued membership of the European Economic Area.
Labour peers were under orders to abstain when members of the Lords voted on a cross party amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill which was designed to keep the UK in the European single market.
In spite of Labour's decision to abstain, the amendment was approved by 245 votes to 218, a majority of 27.
It is the government's 13th defeat during the report stage of the bill.
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Nuclear Safeguards Bill
House of Commons
Parliament
The Commons has voted to reject the Lords amendment on remaining in Euratom until other arrangements can be made.
Ayes: 306
Noes: 278
Majority: 28
The government have moved their alternative amendment, which has similar provisions, instead.
EU Withdrawal Bill
House of Lords
Parliament
Image source, HoLCrossbencher and former Commons clerk Lord Lisvane is moving an amendment which would give the Lords the power to refer statutory instruments back to the Commons.
These are orders and regulations which receive a one-off vote, and which are almost never rejected by peers.
At the moment peers can pass "regret" motions on them, but these have no real effect.
Lord Lisvane says he wants to stop ministers being given "carte blanche" to act.
Nuclear Safeguards Bill
House of Commons
Parliament
The Commons divides to vote on disagreeing with a Lords amendment to the Nuclear Safeguards Bill.
Peers voted to insert a clause to require the government to suspend the UK’s withdrawal from Euratom until either international agreements have been reached or the UK is allowed to continue under current arrangements if the agreements are not in place by 1 March 2019..
If passed, the bill will go back to the Lords for legislative "ping pong" between the two Houses.
The result of the division is expected around 8:25pm.
EU Withdrawal Bill
House of Lords
Parliament
Peers vote 245 to 218 for the amendment - meaning a government defeat.
The amendment sought to make it a negotiating objective of the government to ensure that an international agreement has been made which enables the United Kingdom to continue to participate in the European Economic Area after exit day.
Nuclear Safeguards Bill
House of Commons
Parliament
Image source, HoCThe SNP's business, energy and industrial strategy spokesperson Drew Hendry says that leaving Euratom is a "folly".
"The safest nuclear power is no nuclear power," he says, adding that Scotland is able to work on renewable energy.
"The medical profession has been very concerned" about the availability and use of radioactive isotopes used in cancer treatments.
He says they have a short half-life and could expire before they reach UK patients.
He says the SNP support Labour in their view on this amendment.
EU Withdrawal Bill
House of Lords
Parliament
Image source, HoLLord Alli does not accept the minister's view and he moves his amendment to a vote.
The amendment seeks to make it a negotiating objective of the government to ensure that an international agreement has been made which enables the United Kingdom to continue to participate in the European Economic Area after exit day.
EU Withdrawal Bill
House of Lords
Parliament
Image source, HoLBrexit Minister Lord Callanan winds up for the government, arguing against the amendment seeking continued EEA membership.
This move "would not deliver control of our borders or our laws", he tells peers, as the UK would have to accept freedom of movement and EU regulations "over which we would have little influence".