Westminster Hall

This afternoon, MPs will take part in a Westminster Hall debate on funeral poverty.

The funeral services sector has come under pressure this year to become more transparent over the way its products are priced.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation in June to ensure consumers were "not getting a bad deal".

Families can often find they are left with unexpected extra costs for headstones and church fees.

Sun Life’s latest annual Cost of dying report, external, published in September 2017, estimated that the average cost of a funeral in the UK in 2017 was £4,078.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry says "it is easy to feel jaded" in attempts to change the government's approach to Yemen, to whom she suggests "no atrocity is too much".

She reads the account of a Yemenese man, whose son was killed in a Saudi airstrike on a school bus recently, sharing his dismay at the "silence" from the international community, "it's as if it were livestock who were targeted".

She repeats calls for an independent UN led investigation, a suspension of arms sales until the investigation is complete, and for "the UK government to do its job" as pen holder in the UN to bring forward a new resolution order an immediate ceasefire.

Responding to interventions from her own side opposing the suspension of arms sales, on the grounds that it would affect manufacturing workers, she says: "I don't want our bombs and our planes to be responsible for this."

She suggests "even the Trump administration" is willing to consider withdrawing military support for Saudi Arabia, and asks why the government is not "doing its job".

House of Commons
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Stephen Twigg concludes his speech with the suggestion that "the time is surely ripe for real meaningful action", urging the minister to "affirm the UK's long term commitment to Yemen and its people".

Conservative Andrew Mitchell follows, and says the UK is "part of a people" who have created "a man-made famine" in Yemen, through their involvement with the Saudi-coaltion.

"The people of Yemen, they know the UK and US are involved in this... they know who is to blame," the former International Development secretary warns, and says this means young people are "prey to the immoral advance of terrorists".

He repeats Mr Twigg's suggestion that the UK "holds the pen" on Yemen in the United Nations. "The UK needs to move from outright support" for Saudi Arabia, and take "a much more neutral position," he says.

The Irish Prime Minister was speaking at the announcement of 90 new jobs at an engineering company in County Donegal.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Stephen Twigg says the government's response to recent attacks on civilians in Yemen has been "far too soft... as far as I'm aware, the government has not condemned the attacks".

We need a fully independent UN-led investigation of all sides in the Yemen conflict, he says, adding that the UK has an additional responsibility to condemn its allies if they break international law.

He says children as young as eight are being conscripted into the conflict, which "is a clear violation of the rights of children" and "could amount to war crimes".

He urges the government to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia, as many international actors have suggested and Spain has recently done. SNP MP Chris Law intervenes to say that recent polling suggests that the British public would support this approach.

"I fear that our approach to this as a country undermines our prejudice as a force for good," Mr Twigg says.

House of Commons
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The Commons now moves to an emergency debate on the escalation of violence in Yemen, opened by Chair of the International Development Committee Stephen Twigg.

"This has been an ugly conflict, with all warring parties committing atrocities," he says.

He explains that in August alone, 450 civilians lost their lives, with 135 of them children.

House of Commons
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Treasury questions comes to an end, with Labour MP Lucy Powell is now presenting her Online Forums Bill as a ten minute rule motion. The bill seeks to make administrators responsible for content posted on certain online forums, , externalsuch as Facebook, requiring some content to be removed and forums reported.

"Online radicalisation is a frighteningly dangerous process which we are not currently equipped to deal with," she says, arguing that the bill is "one step towards putting that right".

She warns that even if people don't necessarily agree with views shared on the pages, repeatedly being subjected to the views would change opinions.

"I am not talking about censorship," she says, "but accountability."

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In his letter to Chancellor Philip Hammond, external, Mark Carney says:"I recognise that during this critical period, it is important that everyone does everything they can to support a smooth and successful Brexit.

"Accordingly, I am willing to do whatever I can in order to promote both a successful Brexit and an effective transition at the Bank of England and I can confirm that I would be honoured to extend my term to January 2020."

If you would like to read the letter sent from Mr Hammond and to Mr Carney, click here, external.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell raises the issue of Brexit, saying "there is only weeks to go" before a deal needs to be agreed. He says the Chancellor has a responsibility to "bring some rationality" and be clear about the risk a no deal Brexit presents.

Mr Hammond says the government is committed to securing a good deal and "protecting the British economy".

Mr McDonnell says "all sides of this issue are feeling let down" and calls for him and the Chancellor to get together in communicating to the prime minister that she must move away from the idea that "no deal is better than a bad deal".

He says the Chancellor knows the consequences of a no deal situation, and asks for him to "show some leadership" and make it clear he will not accept no deal scenario.

Mr Hammond repeats that the Cabinet is united in being committed to securing a deal, and says they will be working "flat-out" to do so.

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Asked by Chair of the Treasury Committee Nicky Morgan about the future of Mark Carney as the governor of the Bank of England, Mr Hammond says that he has been discussing the issue with him.

He announces to the House that Mr Carney has agreed to continue as governor of the Bank of England until the end of January 2020.

House of Commons
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Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson asks how the government is making sure that large tech companies pay tax properly in the UK. She says Amazon's profits recently trebled but they ended up paying less tax.

Financial Secretary to the Treasury Mel Stride says it is absolutely right for all companies to pay a fair rate of tax, but the government recognises that not all current systems are appropriate and ministers are looking to resolve this.

They will not shy away from taking unilateral action if needs be, he adds.

Shadow Treasury minister Anneliese Dodds says the government has repeatedly blocked attempts to reform the tax system. She asks why the government is "letting multinationals getting away with it and letting everyone else down"?

Mr Stride says the government has exemplary record on clamping down on tax avoidance.

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Economic Secretary to the Treasury John Glen responds to a question from Scottish Labour MP Danielle Rowley, who asks about plans to tackle household debt.

He says the government is working proactively on this and is committed to "doing all it can for working people". Ms Rowley says too many people are working extreme hours yet still living in poverty.

Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable says household debt in the UK is up to levels close to that at the time of the financial crash, whereas levels are much lower in France and Germany. He asks which the minister thinks is more sustainable.

Mr Glen says disposable income is up by 4.6% compared to 2010, but repeats that the government is looking to reduce help reduce household debt.

Shadow Treasury spokesman Jonathan Reynolds says the government relies on household debt for economic growth, and calls for greater investment to create growth instead. The minister says the government is investing, but criticises the Labour's investment proposals, asking how it will be pay for.

SNP Kirsty Blackman says families are forced to use credit for essential goods and are being forced to visit foodbanks. She asks whether the minister will "accept that this government's austerity has created this mess?"

The minister says the government has created conditions for growth.

Select Committee
Parliament

Chair Bob Neill thanks the witnesses for their evidence and closes the evidence session.

"Society as a whole is very grateful to you for the work you do," he says.

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House of Commons
Parliament

The Commons begins its day with questions to Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond and his ministerial team.

Conservative James Morris is up first, with a question on fiscal support for the pubs sector.

Mr Hammond says the government is committed to supporting pubs, pointing to the freezing of alcohol taxes in 2017. He adds that pubs are benefiting from reforms of business rates.

Tory Daniel Kawczynski invites the Chancellor to join him for a pub crawl of Shrewsbury - "I'm buying"- so local pub landlords can explain the struggles they've experienced caused by business rates. Labour's Jenny Chapman adds to this, calling for the government to look again at the business rates system for pubs.

Mr Hammond says there is a special pubs business rates system, but if it isn't working he's happy to look at how it can be improved.

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Inspectors found blood, vomit and rat droppings on the floor, sleeping staff, cockroaches and an overpowering smell of drugs during an unannounced inspection between 30 July and 9 August. Inspectors described it as "in a state of crisis".

The capacity of the jail, the scene of a £2m riot in 2016, will be cut by 300 to 900 prisoners.

An extra 30 prison officers were drafted in and the government said it was taking over the troubled prison from the private company G4S.

The staff have come from government-run jails in England, with G4S covering all costs, the Ministry of Justice said.

Read the full story here.

Select Committee
Parliament

Labour's Ian Lucas asks about personal service companies, external. He says the use of such companies has had an impact on individuals, such as Liz Kershaw, who gave evidence to the committee.

"PSCs has been an issue we have been constantly on," Lord Hall says.

The BBC has been "solid" on ensuring people have had support, but he says teh BBC has not sat back to let things happen, pointing out that the BBC is talking to HMRC to get issues resolved.

Lord Hall says he is hoping the issue will be resolved with HMRC.

Read more from the BBC about its response to the issue here.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Chair Damian Collins asks about pay for onscreen talent, and equal pay. He asks whether the BBC should tell independent companies that the BBC expects a fair and transparent policy.

Lord Hall says the BBC expects companies that work for the BBC to do that. He says that disclosure of pay has been a factor in the decision for Radio 2 star Chris Evans and Radio 4 presenter Eddie Mair to leave the BBC.

"I don't think there's any doubt disclosure has made it harder for us to retain people like that," he says.

He explains that the pressure on Chris Evans was hard, when salaries were being disclosed, and says he is a loss to the BBC and audiences.

Select Committee
Parliament

Labour MP Ruth Cadbury asks about rehabilitation and mental health treatment for prisoners and whether provision is adequate to stop inmates from reoffending.

Mark Fairhurst says the problem boils down to private contracts within prisons and rehabilitation regimes run late because prisons are often left waiting for medical treatments.

Julia Rogers of Serco tells the committee that mental health treatments are "lagging behind" in prisons.