House of Commons
Parliament

Brexit minister Suella Braverman says she is "excited" at the opportunities that Britain leaving the EU offers.

Turning to the financial settlement, she says predictability will be provided to current recipients of funding such as farmers.

"We are a country that honours our financial obligations," she says, but adds that the financial settlement was agreed on the understand that a deal would be found.

"If one side fails to live up to its commitments, there will be consequences... until everything is agreed, nothing is agreed."

She says any agreement with the EU is an international treaty, and that if one party fails to fulfil its obligations the other side will be able to "take countermeasures".

She says the bill is "vital" in delivering the UK's withdrawal from the EU, providing clarity for individual and businesses.

London’s £15bn Crossrail project has been delayed by nine months to allow more time for testing.

Europe's biggest infrastructure project will help ease London's chronic congestion by connecting major landmarks such as Heathrow Airport and the Canary Wharf business district.

The route, to be known as the Elizabeth line, had been due to open in December, but will now be launched in autumn 2019 "to ensure a safe and reliable railway", transport officials said.

The project is also running almost £600m over budget.

Read more about the impact of the delay here.

Image source, Reuters

Former Remain-supporting Tory MP Simon Hart says British voters and firms want the UK government to get on with Brexit without being undermined by red lines.

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Conservative MP Steve Double asks about the recent delays to rail services and to large-scale projects.

Mr Haines says addressing such delays are an urgent priority for Network Rail and the sector needs to take a "real analytic approach" to every train delay to work out where the problems lie.

"We haven't been monitoring the true drivers of performance," he adds.

London's £15bn Crossrail project has been delayed to Autumn 2019.

House of Commons
Parliament

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MPs now move onto a general debate on legislating for the EU withdrawal agreement. Brexit minister Suella Braverman is opening the debate.

She says the government has made further progress on legislating for leaving the EU since it published its white paper before the recess. Ministers will "continue to work closely with stakeholders to get this legislation right", she says.

Legislation on the withdrawal agreement will be introduced as soon as possible after negotiations are concluded, she says, and will need to receive Royal Assent by exit day.

The withdrawal agreement bill will be able to be amended in the usual way and will be in the form of a draft international treaty, she adds.

Asked about the possibility of a second referendum, she says it would be a "betrayal", adding that "any parliamentarian who is committed to delivering the people's decision will find cause to vote for this bill [the withdrawal agreement]".

A number of opposition MPs raise the concerns of EU national constituents about whether their rights will be protected, to which the minister responds that the government has "made it very clear" and carried out extensive outreach.

"Providing certainty is our priority."

House of Commons
Parliament

Chair of the International Development Committee Stephen Twigg makes a request for an emergency debate on the on-going conflict in Yemen.

He says a debate would allow MPs to properly consider developments and "press for progress on all fronts".

"This conflict has already cost more than 10,000 lives and created a humanitarian crisis," he says.

The Speaker says he is satisfied that the matter is proper for an emergency debate, and - after MPs stand to show they are in favour of a debate - says it will take place tomorrow for three hours.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Chris Bryant refers to an urgent question granted in July about foreign fighters and the death penalty.

The key issue was why the government had not decided to seek assurances for the use of the death penalty before assisting the United States authorities in two specific cases regarding foreign fighters, to whom the UK had denied British nationality.

Mr Bryant says the security minister said this had happened previously, and said he would send the answer of when the principle would last used by summer, and asks the Speaker if he has heard a response as we are nearing the end of summer.

The Speaker says the minister should put the record straight sooner rather than later, and that the ordinary interpretation of summer would be the summer recess.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Conservative MP Huw Merriman says Network Rail has a debt of £52bn and asks Mr Haines what obstacles this debt has to "further investment in the railway".

Mr Haines says Network Rail has committed to finding "assets to dispose of" in order to fund enhancements to the railways.

Network Rail has agreed to sell its commercial property portfolio to property outsourcing firm Telereal Trillium and a Blackstone Group affiliate for £1.46bn.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Baroness Jones of Whitechurch, shadow minister for environment, food and rural affairs, says she worries how watered down the legislation could become.

"There is a link between antique and modern ivory despite what other lords have said, and there's a need to close that market."

Baroness Jones says the exemptions have to be incredibly rigorously defined, and that there should be no worries about religious items being banned as these fit under the exemption for cultural items.

In response, Lord Kimble, Minister for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity says the government in discussion with the antique and museum sector came up with the list of exemptions.

Lord Kimble quotes that 602 illegal ivory items were seized by the UK border force between 2013 and 2017, and this bill is being taken seriously to stop this trade.

"Items are assessed against their rarity and it is not our intention to affect our cultural and historical heritage in an unruly manner. The criteria is necessarily narrow."

Referring to Lord De Mauley's amendment to ensure all Art Deco works are exempt from the ban, Lord Kimble says the proposal is too broad, but that any museum may purchase an item of ivory whether or not it is in the exempt category to ensure artistic works have additional protection.

Select Committee
Parliament

Conservative MP Steve Double asks about enhancements to the railways and the prospects for new major announcements.

Mr Haines says there is a "huge amount of work going into HS2 and the East Coast".

Network Rail's CEO tells the committee that all railway schemes should be "viable and affordable" and it cannot be assumed there will be "an endless sum of money" for the sector, which, he says, is coming "direct from taxpayers".

House of Commons
Parliament

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Mother of the House Harriet Harman, who worked on victim support whilst Solicitor General under the previous Labour government, praises much of the strategy.

However she says it does not do enough to support victims of rape cases, who "are in effect put on trial by being cross-examined about their previous sexual history".

Failure to resolve this "will be a glaring omission", she says.

Mr Argar says he and the current Solicitor General will reflect "very considerably" on what she has said.

Select Committee
Parliament

Network Rail CEO Andrew Haines arrives to give evidence to the Transport Committee and is welcomed by chair Lilian Greenwood.

"What is the biggest weakness in Network Rail as an organisation?" Ms Greenwood asks.

Mr Haines says he is concerned that passengers "do not have confidence" in Network Rail at the moment and says his priority is that passengers are "front and centre" of the organisation's outlook.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Conservative Baroness Rawlings says that the preservation of history is just as important as the preservation of elephants, and protecting historical items from the ban needs to be emphasised in this bill.

"I worry where all this is heading, next someone will suggest that bone and leather should be outlawed," she says.

Baroness Rawlings says she supports the amendment to issue exemption certificates not only to those items that are of outstandingly high historical value, but also for those that are of the same calibre to objects found in officially recognised museums.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, Hoc

Shadow justice minister Gloria De Piero says "any progress to help victims is welcome", but that from a victim's point of view "our justice system is just not fit for purpose". She says the only thing that will strengthen victims' claims is primary legislation, something Labour is still waiting for from the government.

She says it has taken three years for today's strategy to be introduced, and that it isn't good enough that so much of it still refers to future consultation.

"Haven't we had long enough to talk about this?" she asks.

Mr Argar says the strategy sets out plans for legislation. He "takes the point" on consultations, but says consulting is "hugely important" and that "it is right that we consult properly".

He says the strategy is "a clear statement of intent and a clear statement of commitment" from the government to better support victims.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Conservative Lord De Mauley, former environment minister and current chairman of LAPADA, the Association of Art and Antiques Dealers, says Art Deco pieces made from ivory should be exempt from the ban.

Art Deco was the predominant decorative art style of the 1920s and 1930s, characterized by precise and boldly delineated geometric shapes and strong colours, and it was used most notably in household objects and in architecture.

Lord De Mauley says these works should have exemptions like musical instruments made from ivory have, to protect and preserve items that add to our cultural and artistic heritage.

He says there are thousands of ivory sculptures which represent religious images which should also be protected.

At present, the bill states that the selling of items with 10% or more ivory, unless exempt, would be banned.

Lord De Mauley draws attention to the fact that Elizabethan fans, Indian sowing boxes and Georgian theatre tokens would all come under the ban.

"This list is a source of enormous concern to many people who value our heritage."

Lord De Mauley asks the government whether the restriction of the sale of objects not connected with the trade of illegal poached ivory is necessary.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Justice Minister Edwar Argar is now giving a statement on the government's new Victims Strategy, external, which has launched today.

The minister says the strategy "sets out our vision for victims of crime", and "allows victims to speak up with the certainty they will be supported.. regardless of their background."

He says "the nature of crime is changing and we must adapt our response", referencing the rise in the number of sexual offences reported.

He says the message from victims is clear about how they need to be treated, and this is what the strategy sets out to achieve.

"We must ensure that victims of crime do not become a victims of process."

Additional funding will be provided to support victims of abuse, as well as improving training of police and trialling body-warn cameras when statements are taken.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Ben Bradshaw says: "Syria represents the worst failing of the civilised world since Rwanda and Burundi after which we said 'never again'". He says the House made a decision not to intervene in in Syria in 2013.

He asks if there will be an inquiry into "how on earth we let this [Idlib] happen?"

Minister Alistair Burt says it would be wrong to pin the blame on consquences of the vote in the House of Commons. But he says asking questions about "how we got where we are" are "essential",

Labour's Mike Gapes, referring to a Foreign Affairs Committee report released today, says that "there hass been a manifest failure to protect civilians and prevent mass atrocity crimes in Syria".

He says the committee calls for an independent inquiry into the thinking that led to the decision not to intervene in Syria previously, and asks "why is it we are happy to have an inquiry when we do intervene.. but we aren't when we don't."

Mr Burt says there is nothing to stop a further inquiry into why decisions were made. Syria "demonstrates the consequences of non-intervention", he says.

He adds that the public told MPs not to get involved, but the House does need to consider in future the consequences of both.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Labour's Baroness Jones of Whitchurch says there are limited resources to police online sales, but she would like to think that the bill as proposed would bring the ivory trade under control in the UK.

"I would like to think that the checks and balances are there."

Minister Baroness Vere says the bill was drawn up with online issues in mind and anyone involved in an illegal sale online would be breaching the ban and would be punished.

Baroness Vere says it would be disproportionate to completely ban the commercial dealing of exempt ivory items online. She says the auction houses use the online environment as a valuable way for marketing the items that they have for sale.

She says that roulette balls used in casinos, which are often made of ivory and replaced every five weeks, will be caught in this ban.

House of Commons
Parliament

Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Tugendhat says it is "outrageous" that Russian individuals and banks are able to continue to "exploit our assets, our property and our laws... to finance this war".

He asks whether the minister agrees "that we should stand up to the Russians who are financing this war?"

Mr Burt says Russia will have an important role to play in ending the situation in Syria and preventing the conflict from getting worse.

"This is an opportunity for Russia to step forward and do what is right on an international stage."