House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour's Keith Vaz, who was born in Yemen, has tabled this urgent question on the planned military action by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on the Hodeidah port in Yemen.

Hodeidah is the main port where aid goes in to the country from around the world to help with the humanitarian crisis in the country.

Responding, Defence Minister Alistair Burt says reports of this kind have circulated "for some time".

DfID has issued a statement to warn workers in the area of military action, and the Emiratis have given a three day warning that the port and city are about to come under assault, he adds.

The UK has made its concerns clear on the case of attacks on Yemen of this nature, he states.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Home Office spokesperson Baroness Manzoor is opening a debate on the government's new Serious Violence Strategy, which is intended to support young people to lead productive lives away from violence.

The strategy includes an £11m Early Intervention Youth Fund, and a National County Lines Co-ordination Centre to tackle violent and exploitative criminal activity associated with the "county lines" drug dealing operations.

Baroness Manzoor says the government is "extremely concerned" by a rise in fatal shootings, stabbings and acid attacks.

"Too many young people have lost their lives to meaningless violence and it simply has to stop," she goes on. "It's incumbent on all of us to do all we can to stop it."

House of Commons
Parliament

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Chair of the Defence Committee and Conservative MP Julian Lewis asks what recent discussions have been had with the Chancellor on the future of funding for the Ministry of Defence.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson says he has regular discussions with the Chancellor, and the government is committed to spending at least 2% of GDP on defence. Spending will be at least £40bn by 2021, he adds.

Mr Lewis asks Mr Williamson to endorse the views of his predecessor, Michael Fallon, that 2.5% is more adequate.

Mr Williamson says that the department is looking at threats evolving "right across the world" and ensuring that the UK has the right capabilities for these new threats.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Conservative Lord Polak asks about the impact of changes made to bereavement benefits on 6 April 2017 on parents with dependent children.

He argues that support for children of school age who have lost a parent should be continued throughout their schooling.

Work and Pensions Minister Baroness Buscombe stresses she has the "greatest sympathy" with people in that situation but says the current system "restores fairness" by limiting bereavement payments to 19 months after death of a loved one.

She points out the previous system dates back to World War One, when widows would not be expected to work again.

Another Tory peer, Baroness Altmann, questions the "fairness of these changes" and asks official devising a payment specifically designed for children.

The minister replies she will not do so as Baroness Altmann has "not got the facts correct" and the payment is designed to support people with the additional costs associated with bereavement, not as an income replacement.

Westminster Hall

At 4:30pm, MPs will gather in Westminster Hall to debate a petition from the public.

The petition asks for MPs' final vote on the Brexit deal to include an option for the UK to remain in the EU.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Labour's Baroness Gale asks if there are plans to encourage other police forces to take action similar to that of the Metropolitan Police in electronically tagging known stalkers to alert victims that they are nearby.

She wants to know how police will report on the pilot and when it will be rolled out to all police forces.

Home Office spokesperson Baroness Manzoor says the government is exploring how this technology can be used to protect vulnerable victims and highlights the introduction of a new civil stalking protection order.

She adds that it's the responsibility of police to evaluate their own projects.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Conservative Rehman Chishti asks what recent assessment has been made of the threat to the UK posed by cyber attacks.

Defence Minister Mark Lancaster says that the MoD takes cyber threats "very seriously" and are strengthening defences against such attacks.

Mr Chishti asks how much the government will spend on improving cyber security.

Mr Lancaster says that the government opened a cyber school in March which is a £40m investment in a cyber security facility, and £265m towards a new cyber vulnerability investigation programme.

The government could be defeated on several key votes.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour's Jim Cunningham asks what assessment has been made of the affordability of the Equipment Plan, external from 2017-27.

(The government oultines its plan for the next 10 years to deliver and support the equipment for the armed forces.)

Defence Minister Guto Bebb says that the cost of the plan is reviewed constantly, and the department will publish their next report in the autumn.

Mr Cunningham asks if the government still intends to procure the full number of 138 F-35 aircraft as previously announced.

Mr Bebb says that the first four have been delivered, and the first 48 have been committed for in payments. The current situation is anticipation of full payments for 138 F-35s, he adds.

House of Commons
Parliament

The day kicks off with defence questions at 2:30pm, followed by an urgent question on Yemen and the reported preparations by Saudi and UAE forces to attack Hodeidah, the main port used for aid in and out of the country.

There will then be two statements: the first on the G7 by the prime minister, and a second on Grenfell Tower by the Communities Secretary James Brokenshire.

The main business today is the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill., external

The Commons will adjourn at 10pm tonight.

Welcome to our coverage of Westminster, at the start of what looks like a busy week.

With the EU Withdrawal Bill set to return to the Commons tomorrow, all eyes will be on MPs as they debate Lords amendments.

But there's plenty going on today too. For a full rundown of the week ahead, take a look at our parliamentary correspondent Mark D'Arcy's blog here.

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