House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

The SNP's transport and infrastructure spokesperson Alan Brown says that "any valid observations" about problems on railways is dismissed by Mr Grayling as "political point scoring".

He says that Mr Grayling, as a "Brexiter" has the political mantra "that everything will be just fine".

He says that the UK's railway system is actually subsiding other railway systems in the world, as the parent companies of UK Train Operating Companies are other state-owned railway companies from Europe, Hong Kong and Japan.

He asks if the UK franchising system should be "classed as foreign aid".

House of Commons
Parliament

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Transport Secretary Chris Grayling says some passengers on Northern and GTR services have received "totally unsatisfactory" service.

Hour by hour, his officials are in contact with these companies, he adds. He says that he has commissioned an independent inquiry into the current delays and problems with timetables by the independent rail regulator.

He says "all options are open" in considering whether or not to strip some private franchises of their ability to operate on UK lines.

"This cannot be allowed to happen again and it won't be allowed to happen again," he states.

Select Committee
Parliament

• Yvette Cooper (Chair) - Labour
• Rehman Chishti - Conservative
• Sir Christopher Chope - Conservative
• Stephen Doughty - Labour (Co-op)
• Kirstene Hair - Conservative
• Tim Loughton - Conservative
• Stuart C. McDonald - Scottish National Party
• Alex Norris - Labour (Co-op)
• Douglas Ross - Conservative
• Naz Shah - Labour
• John Woodcock - Independent

You can read more about the Home Affairs Select Committee and it's work here, external.

Select Committee
Parliament

Elsewhere in Westminster this afternoon, the Home Affairs Committee hears evidence from heads of policing from 2.30pm.

In the final session of the committee's Policing for the Future inquiry, MPs will hear from:

• Nick Hurd - Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service
• Scott McPherson - Director General of the Crime, Policing and Fire Group, Home Office
• Mike Cunningham - CEO of the College of Policing
• Sir Thomas Winsor - HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary

MPs are examining the current and future challenges of modern policing, including funding and resources, serious violent crime, child sexual abuse and online fraud.

Ultimately, the committee is looking to find out whether police forces are sufficiently equipped and prepared to keep the public safe.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald is opening his speech by asking how the chief executive of the Northern franchise has resigned over the problems on the railways, but the secretary of state, who oversees these franchises, has not.

He accuses the Department for Transport of doing "nothing" while sitting on the bodies managing the Train Operating Companies, calling the railway system in the UK "fractured".

"It is not acceptable to allow companies to run" following failures of this scale, he adds.

He says that rail passenger usage has fallen for the biggest time in 25 years, which will lead to more congestion and pollution on the UK's roads.

If passenger downturn continues, then taxpayers will have to foot the bill for bailout of franchises, he warns.

House of Commons
Parliament

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MPs are moving now to the first of their two debates this afternoon, this one is on Chris Grayling, the Transport Secretary.

The motion, tabled by Labour, states that the House has no confidence in the transport secretary, especially due to recent timetable changes "which left thousands of commuters without services and has drastically affected their everyday lives".

The motion states that the Mr Grayling is to blame for the current situation on Britain's railways, while others have resigned.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay presents his Represention of the People (Gibraltar) Bill as a ten minute rule motion.

The bill would enable Gibraltar to have an MP to represent them in Parliament.

Mr Mackinlay says Gibraltar already has representation as part of Britain through the European Parliament, but this will be lost when Britain leaves the EU.

In his view, Brexit "must make us think anew that the Rock is British and must remain so".

Gibraltar is often called the Rock.

He says the Rock has a population over 33,000, and an electoral roll of over 23,000. He compares this to the Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency in the Outer Hebredies, which has fewer.

The bill passes, with second reading to take place on Friday 28 October 2018.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Kevan Jones asks to consider how the authorities deal with those caught with a small amount of cannabis and prevent that leading to an escalation into crime

Mr Javid echoes Mr Jones' opening acknowledgement that today's statement is not recategorisation of the illegal drug cannabis, but recognises that more needs to be done in dealing with this issue.

Liberal Democrat Christine Jardine asks the home secretary not to be distracted from the central issue of making medicines available by wider issues of the drug's legality.

House of Commons
Parliament

SNP MP Patrick Grady raises the experience of his constituents, who believe their child may benefit from access to medicinal cannabis treatment, and asks what discretionary authority the home secretary still has and whether that will change as a result of today's announcement.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid says that people will still need a Home Office license to access the treatment, but he wants to make achieving this a quicker process.

House of Commons
Parliament

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas says it is shameful that it took three months for Alfie Dingley to get access to the drugs he needed, despite promises from the prime minister for swift action.

She argues that it was only after wide press coverage of the issue that the government was shamed into action.

Mr Javid says that no government had previously even entertained the idea, and asks Ms Lucas to welcome the change in approach.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Home Affairs Select Committee Chair Yvette Cooper raises the issue of scheduling of drugs and asks Mr Javid to look widely in the review to consider whether more drugs policy should be driven by the health department.

The home secretary expresses agreement that the health department should be more involved with issues such as this.

House of Commons
Parliament

SNP spokesperson Joanna Cherry asks what work is being done to overcome bureaucracy around the issue.

If she also asks what will work will be done with the Scottish government, as health and policing are both devolved in Scotland.

The home secretary says he wants to make the process as smooth as possible, although he doesn't wish to prejudge the results of the review.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott welcomes the statement that the use of medical cannabis will be reviewed and that Alfie Dingley's mother has spoken with the policing minister, with a license issued for the treatment needed.

She asks if the complete supply of medication brought into the country will be released for Billy Cauldwell's treatment beyond that released so far, and stresses that any action on medicinal cannabis use must be taken on the back of scientific evidence rather than popular opinion.

The home secretary says the government is acting as quickly at they can to understand how and whether treatment can be made available, and that they are working with Billy Cauldwell's family to find a solution that suits them, the government and the Northern Irish authorities, should she choose to return there.

Cannabis is not recognised as having any therapeutic value under the law in England and Wales and anyone buying or using it can be arrested or jailed.

One cannabis-based product - Sativex - can be legally prescribed in limited circumstances usually to help alleviate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis and the government is open to further applications.

The parents of children with severe epilepsy are calling for cannabis-derived drugs to be made available to their offspring.

Last week officials at Heathrow Airport confiscated Billy Caldwell's cannabis oil, which the 12-year-old's mother Charlotte had been attempting to bring into the UK from Canada.

The Home Office returned some of the medicine after protests from Ms Caldwell, and assurances from the medical team treating Billy that the treatment was necessary.

Billy was discharged from hospital on Monday, but will continue to be treated with the oil.

Alfie Dingley, six, from Warwickshire, has a very rare form of epilepsy which causes up to 150 seizures per month.

Hannah Deacon had urged the home secretary to intervene in her son's case.

Alfie's family applied to the government to be able to use cannabis oil medication in April.

House of Commons
Parliament

The government plans to issue a licence for Alfie Dingley later today, the home secretary says.

Alfie Dingley, six, from Warwickshire, has a very rare form of epilepsy which causes up to 150 seizures per month.

His mother Hannah Deacon had urged the home secretary to intervene in her son's case afterBilly Caldwell, 12, was granted a limited licence for the drug.

House of Commons
Parliament

Home Secretary Sajid Javid is making a statement about the medical use of cannabis, following the case of 12-year-old Billy Caldwell, who was being treated with cannabis oil.

Mr Javid says it is time to look at the use of cannabis-based medicines in the health service in the UK.

"I have now come to the conclusion that it is time to review the scheduling of cannabis," he says.

He makes clear that the government has no plan to legalise cannabis for recreational use.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Scottish Secretary David Mundell says he does not support calls for a public inquiry.

Labour's Paul Sweeney says government of all levels need to step up to protect buildings like the Mackintosh building, and he says he wants to see the building restored.

Mr Mundell says he feels for the craftsmen who restored the School of Art before - and says he takes on board the points about safety issues.

There is "hope" for the future of Glasgow School of Art after it was gutted in a massive blaze, according to the leader of the city council.

Construction experts have suggested the historic Mackintosh building could be so badly damaged, it would have to be torn down.

But council leader Susan Aitken said the early indications were that it was not in imminent danger of collapse.

Ms Aitken said the council's focus would be to save the building.

House of Commons
Parliament

SNP MP Alison Thewliss is asking a question about the Glasgow School of Art and the fire at the historic Mackintosh building.

She pays tribute to firefighters and police, as well as other helpers, who reacted to the fire. And she says the experts need time to investigate the cause of the fire, which may take some time.