Summary

  • International Trade Questions at start of the day

  • Questions next to Women and Equalities ministerial team

  • Urgent question on Bedford prison

  • Business statement outlines what's coming up in the Commons

  • Statement on scallop fishing from Fisheries Minister George Eustice

  • Debate on proxy voting

  • Peers question ministers from 11am

  1. Abortion clinic 'buffer zones are not needed'published at 10:57 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    Oral Questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Amber RuddImage source, HoC

    Amber Rudd, asks about the Home Secretary Sajid Javid's statement today on whether a buffer zone is needed around abortion clinics in the UK.

    In a statement issued today, Mr Javid said a review of protest activity outside of abortion clinics found that anti-abortion demonstrations take place outside a small number of abortion facilities, just 36 individual places in the UK.

    Campaigners have called for "buffer zones" barring anti-abortion protests outside clinics to be implemented across the UK.

    The home secretary concludes in the statement that "introducing national buffer zones would not be a proportionate response, considering the experiences of the majority of hospitals and clinics, and considering that the majority of activities are more passive in nature".

    Amber Rudd, the former home secretary, asks the minister to comment on what individual councils or areas can do to help if a national buffer zone is not going to be implemented.

    Women's Minister Victoria Atkins says out of 363 premises that offer abortion services in the UK, only 36 have experienced demonstrations which is why, at the moment, the evidence suggests the current scheme, which allows councils to apply for public space protection orders which are targeted in their locality, should continue.

    She says the matter will remain under review, as it is important that people needing to use these facilities are able to do so in a safe way.

    Labour's Rupa Huq says she is pleased the report into abortion clinics has seen the light of day, but questions whether a dispropotionate number of women need to be affected before any action takes place.

    Rupa Huq says there is other ways of resolving this issue without the blanket ban they have rejected.

  2. How is the government tackling Islamophobia?published at 10:55 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    Oral Questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour's Sandy Martin asks what steps the government is taking to tackle Islamophobia.

    In response, Nigel Adams says it's important we continue dialogue with social media companies, and that anything which incites hatred is taken down immediately.

  3. What is the law on abortion in Northern Ireland?published at 10:49 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    Unlike other parts of the UK, the 1967 Abortion Act, external does not extend to Northern Ireland and an abortion is allowed only if a woman's life is at risk or there is a serious or permanent risk to her mental health.

    Rape, incest and fatal foetal abnormalities are not circumstances in which an abortion can be performed legally.

  4. What's being done to ensure abortion service access for Northern Irish women?published at 10:48 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    Women and Equalities questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Stella CreasyImage source, HoC

    Labour MP Stella Creasy asks what steps the government is taking to ensure access to abortion services for women that travel to England from Northern Ireland.

    Victoria Atkins says since 2017 women from Northern Ireland have been able to access abortion services in England free of charge. The government has worked to simplify the process and will help with travel costs "where appropriate".

    She says there has been a rise in the number of women accessing the service as a result.

    Ms Creasy raises concerns that plans to follow Scotland in allowing women to take abortion pills at home could "deny the 28 women a week coming from Northern Ireland" access to the service due to residency tests.

    She calls on the government "give our Northern Irish sisters the right to access health and abortion at home".

    Ms Atkins says ministers only have powers to "approve English homes as a class of place for medical abortion", and says that there are issues with this. They are working to overcome this.

    She asks for "those representatives to get their act together and get the Assembly working again so that Northern Irish people can make their decision on this very important topic."

    The Northern Ireland Assembly has not met since January 2017, when the governing parties - the DUP and Sinn Féin -split in a bitter row.

  5. How do we increase prosecutions of people that offer free rent for sex?published at 10:38 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    Oral Questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Wera HobhouseImage source, HoC

    Liberal Democrat Wera Hobhouse asks what discussion ministers have had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing the number of successful prosecutions of people that offer rent-free accommodation in return for sex.

    In response, Equalities Minister Edward Argar says the practice is despicable and preys on vulnerable people seeking affordable accommodation. He says his department have been working to ensure the availability of the offence to prosecute this behaviour.

    Wera Hobhouse says the practice of offering rent for sex is illegal but continues to occur, and asks if the minister will consider the creation of a code of conduct or binding legislation to prevent websites from hosting these adverts.

    The minister says colleagues are working to ensure technology companies meet their advertising responsibilities, preventing their services being used for illegal activity.

    Watch more about the BBC Inside Out West investigation into this issue here.

  6. 100% of employers reported gender pay-gap in first yearpublished at 10:31 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    Women and Equalities questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson asks about the effectiveness of the reporting process on the gender pay gap.

    She says it's unfair that people earn less for being different, be it gender, race or anything else. She asks for a commitment that the government will build on the success of gender pay cap reporting and extend it to other areas.

    Minister Victoria Atkins says: "100% of employers identified as in scope has reported in the first year. I think that may be unprecedented in government schemes."

    She says the government is "committed to looking not just at gender" and is "very much hoping that as part of this reporting it opens up conversations about how employers treat their workforce more generally".

  7. Minister promises to look at Universal Credit recommendationspublished at 10:30 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    Oral Questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Sarah NewtonImage source, HoC

    SNP's Patrick Grady asks what recent discussions the minister has had with the secretary of state for Work and Pensions on the effect of the roll-out of Universal Credit on women.

    In response, Minister Sarah Newton says Universal Credit cases are treated equally irrelevant of gender. She says Universal Credit provides personal support to ensure people are progressing into employment, but also provides a safety net of support for those not in work.

    Conservative Alex Burghart, who sits on the Work and Pensions Committee, asks if the minister will take on board the committee's recommendation of ensuring Universal Credit provides more support for victims of domestic abuse.

    The minister says any suggestions that the committee comes up with will be looked into and taken very seirously.

  8. No deal planning to be publishedpublished at 10:22 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

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  9. What's being done to promote shared parental leave?published at 10:20 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    Women and Equalities questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Victoria AtkinsImage source, HoC

    Questions to Women and Equalities ministers begins, with Victoria Atkins is deputising for Penny Mordaunt, who she says "regrets she cannot be here this morning".

    Lib Dem Christine Jardine asks about the promotion the take-up of shared parental leave. Ms Atkins says the government is working to make it easier for parents to understand the scheme, agreeing with Ms Jardine that it is "about cultural change as well". She says they are working with employers on this.

    SNP MP Stuart C. McDonald says no promotion campaign will work while "structural issues" exist, such as men continuing to earn more.

    Ms Atkins repeats that it is about cultural change and says the government looks constantly at what other countries are doing to overcome the problem.

  10. What's being done to avert threats to WTO?published at 10:10 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    International Trade questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Barry GardinerImage source, HoC

    Shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner asks what discussions have been had with international partners ahead of the G20 meeting this weekend to "avert the threat" presented by President Trump's threats to pull the United States out of the World Trade Organisation and allow it to continue to function.

    Mr Fox lists Japan, Mexico and Canada as countries he has spoken with, and says this weekend is a "very good opportunity to recommit ourselves to the practice of free trade".

    On Donald Trump's threats, he says: "We should be pointing out that protectionism has never ended well."

    He warns that "the alternative to a rules based system is a deals based system", which would threaten the balance of international trade.

  11. What's happened?published at 10:06 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    The Times's sketchwriter tweets

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  12. Labour: Free trade consultations 'lack transparency'published at 09:56 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    International Trade questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Judith CumminsImage source, HoC

    Shadow international trade minister Judith Cummins says the current consultation process on free trade agreements has a "worrying lack of transparency".

    She asks if the government will work with others to create on that is more transparent.

    Mr Hollingbery says Ms Cummins "simply doesn't understand the consultation process".

    "I am confident this is the most open consultation on free trade agreements this country has ever undertaken."

  13. International Trade Committee Chair: How will GDP gap be filled post Brexit?published at 09:55 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    Oral Questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Angus MacNeilImage source, HoC

    SNP's Angus MacNeil, Chair of the International Trade Committee, says a potential free trade deal with the United States is expected to be worth 0.2% of GDP, but the loss of GDP from a FTA European Union deal would be 6%.

    He notes the GDP percentage with an EU deal is 30 times greater, and asks where the government is going to make up the GDP gap that Brexit is costing the UK.

    In response, International Trade Minister George Hollingbery reminds Mr MacNeil that the British public voted to leave the EU, and says the government are putting together a wide ranging package of proposals for the EU which will allow trade to continue with them hopefully as much as it does now.

  14. What's being done to encourage trade with Israel?published at 09:49 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    International Trade questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Liam FoxImage source, HoC

    The day begins for the Commons with questions to International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and his team of ministers. Tory MP Philip Hollobone asks what is being done to encourage trade co-operation with Israel.

    Mr Fox says the UK and Israel have an important trading relationship, with a "tech hub" established to help build links between Britain and "innovative Israeli businesses... Israel has more start-ups per capita than any other country".

    He says the government is looking to create a deal that goes "even further" after Brexit.

    The SNP's Alan Brown asks about ensuring trade is not with illegal Israeli settlements. Mr Fox says the UK follows rules set out by the EU, which will continue, and that the extension of trade in the region can only help the peace process.

  15. One Urgent Question, one Statement coming uppublished at 09:48 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour MP Mohammed Yasin has tabled an urgent question this morning, requesting a statement from the government on Bedford Prison.

    An official warning letter has been submitted to the justice secretary about conditions in the jail.

    After the Business Statement, there'll also be a statement from Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister George Eustice on scallop fishing in the Bay of Seine.

  16. Good morningpublished at 07:39 British Summer Time 13 September 2018

    Welcome to our coverage of the final day of Parliament, before MPs head off to attend party conferences.

    First item on today's agenda: questions to Liam Fox and his team of international trade ministers. That'll be followed by questions to the Women and Equalities ministerial team.

    Thanks for joining us.

  17. PMQs: UC focus for Labour leader's questionspublished at 17:36 British Summer Time 12 September 2018

    What happened?

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Theresa MayImage source, hoc

    Passions were running high in the Commons at the final Prime Minister's Questions before the party conference season gets under way.

    Jeremy Corbyn questioned Theresa May about the Universal Credit, the government's flagship welfare reform.

    He said it was "flawed" and failing thousands of families.

    Mrs May told MPs that Universal Credit was designed to make work pay and simplify the benefit system.

    It was a noisy session, BBC parliamentary correspondent Mark D'Arcy said, with no-one really trounced. Read more from him here.

  18. Russian spies: what happens next?published at 17:31 British Summer Time 12 September 2018

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  19. See you tomorrow...published at 17:27 British Summer Time 12 September 2018

    The Commons now moves to the adjournment debate, this time led by Conservative MP Anna Soubry on Beeston station.

    The Lords continue to debate the Ivory Bill for the second day.

    We'll be leaving our coverage of Parliament there for today. Join us tomorrow for questions to International Trade ministers, followed by further questions to those responsible for Women and Equalities.

    After that, Andrea Leadsom will deliver the Business statement before MPs turn their attention to proxy voting, an issue some had hoped to discuss before the summer recess.

  20. Minister: 'We are better than them'published at 17:20 British Summer Time 12 September 2018

    Salisbury Incident debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Ben WallaceImage source, HoC

    Home Office Minister Ben Wallace is now wrapping up the debate. He thanks again those that have worked in responding to the Salisbury incident, as well as detailing what is being done to help the community around Salisbury recover and move on.

    He says something "that makes us different from those types of regime is just as we could indulge ourselves by going beyond a reasonable and proportional response" the UK instead follows the rule of law and puts suspects on trial - not just imprison them.

    "We are better than them," he says.

    "Our mission, our aim is to one day have good relations with Russia... we will not let up the pressure," he concludes.