Summary

  • MPs debate private members' bills

  1. Goodbyepublished at 14:44 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    That's where we leave today's coverage of the Commons.

    Join us next week, when we'll be covering the Budget and subsequent debate, as well as committee meetings and events in the Lords chamber.

    Thanks for joining us.

  2. Organ Donation Bill clears the Commonspublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour MP Dan Jarvis thanks MPs for the cross-party support that has seen the "safe passage" of the bill through the House of Commons.

    The bill will go on to be debated in the Lords before it can become law.

  3. 'Pleasure' to confirm govt support - ministerpublished at 14:26 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jackie Doyle-Price MPImage source, HoC

    Minister Jackie Doyle-Price stands to wind up today's debate on the bill.

    "To give the gift of life" is something that donors and their families should be very proud of and it is a "pleasure" to be able to confirm that the government supports the bill, she says.

    The health minister says thoughts today are with those who benefit from organ donation, and the families of the organ donors and encourages families to have advance discussions with one another about their wishes.

  4. Bill approved in Commons todaypublished at 14:06 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    BBC tweets

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  5. 'Matters of life and death' discussed on Fridays - Tory MPpublished at 13:46 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Neil O'Brien says it is a "pleasure to support" the bill, telling the Commons that between 2005-10 there were 49,000 people waiting for an organ transplant and that 6,000 died while waiting - 270 of which were children.

    Mr O'Brien said it is "ironic" that when few MPs are here on a Friday, it is "matters of life and death" that are discussed.

    Neil O'Brien MPImage source, HoC
  6. Celebrating after bill clears Commons stagespublished at 13:26 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Conservative MP tweets

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  7. Labour supports bill creating 'opt-out' systempublished at 13:01 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    There is no doubt that we need more organ donors in England, Sharon Hodgson tells the Commons.

    The shadow health minister says Labour supports the bill, which, it is hoped, would deliver an increase in available donors.

    She says that when one donor can save up to nine people, a future system needs to be supported by a national campaign and increased resources.

  8. This system would 'save hundreds of lives' - Jarvispublished at 12:58 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs are now debating the Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill at third reading.

    Dan Jarvis says moving to an "opt-out" system where consent for donation is deemed would add "thousands of names" to the organ donor register and "save hundreds of lives".

    Third reading is the final chance for the Commons to debate the contents of a bill. Debate on the bill is usually short, and limited to what is actually in the bill, rather than, as at second reading, what might have been included.

    Dan Jarvis MPImage source, HoC
  9. Bill goes to the Lordspublished at 12:40 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Civil Partnerships Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    The private members' bill clears all legislative stages in the Commons and now moves to be debated in the Lords on a future date.

    MPs will now debate Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson's Organ Donation Bill.

    Mr Robinson is absent so the bill is being moved by his colleague Dan Jarvis.

    The bill would enable people in England to withhold consent for organ donation and transplantation. It would introduce an 'opt-out' system.

  10. Cross party partnership?published at 12:40 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Labour MP responds

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  11. Week ahead in Parliamentpublished at 12:36 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    The Budget is the week's big event - but how could the government's opponents use it to cause parliamentary disruption?

    Read More
  12. Bill will give 'great comfort' - Tory MPpublished at 12:34 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Civil Partnerships Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Will Quince talks of the importance of "providing comfort" for bereaved parents and says this bill would help as they can prove their child existed, even if they do not survive.

    The campaigner for recognition of baby loss says "whether it is a miscarriage or stillbirth - that baby is still born".

    Will Quince MPImage source, HoC
  13. What are civil partnerships?published at 12:20 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    They were created in 2004 to give same-sex couples - who at the time couldn't marry - similar legal and financial protection to a marriage. They weren't available to mixed-sex couples.

    Then, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 legalised same-sex marriage in England and Wales and the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 did the same there.

    Since then, same-sex couples there have been able to choose between marriage or civil partnerships - except in Northern Ireland, where they are still not able to marry.

    But the opposite didn't become true - mixed-sex couples didn't get the right to a civil partnership. That's what's now set to change.

    A civil partnership is formed by signing a document.

    There is no requirement for a ceremony to take place or to exchange vows - unlike for a marriage - but you can do so if you wish.

  14. Tory MP wants civil partnerships scrappedpublished at 12:16 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    ParlyApp tweets

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  15. MP talks of 'heartache' of unable to register baby losspublished at 11:54 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Civil Partnerships Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Sharon Hodgson MPImage source, HoC

    MPs are debating other aspects of the bill, which include requiring the government to prepare a report on whether the law ought to be changed to permit the registration of pregnancy losses and stillbirths.

    Labour MP Sharon Hodgson tells the House she was "overwhelmed" with messages from families who have experienced "the heartache of losing a baby pre-24 weeks and were unable to register that death". She supports the bill and the registration of pregnancy losses.

    Also supporting the bill, Conservative MP Victoria Prentis says that if MPs can't talk with passion about birth, marriage and death then "what on earth are we here for".

  16. Bill will be a 'welcome distraction' from Brexitpublished at 11:30 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Civil Partnerships Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tim Loughton's bill passes report stage without a division and moves to third reading.

    Mr Loughton apologises to officials because there will be a lot of work to do in a short period of time - this will be a "welcome distraction" from Brexit, he jokes.

  17. A concession?published at 11:24 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Parliamentary reporters tweet

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  18. Minister: Govt will introduce own bill in next sessionpublished at 11:24 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Civil Partnerships Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Caroline Nokes MPImage source, HoC

    Home Office Minister Caroline Nokes says the government support an early move to allow straight couples to enter into civil partnerships but there are "concerns" this bill may not be the best vehicle for change.

    The consultation has started and we want to conclude it, she says, and the government would prefer to introduce a bill in the next parliamentary session.

    "The government does not support extending civil partnerships to siblings, and this bill is vulnerable to being amended to allow that," she adds.

  19. MPs debate to extend civil partnerships to opposite-sex couplespublished at 11:01 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Civil Partnerships Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Next up is Conservative MP Tim Loughton's Civil Partnerships Bill which would extend civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples and create this change within six months.

    Mr Loughton says there are 3.3 million cohabiting heterosexual couples and many have waited a long time for the "chance for equality".

    Earlier this month, the prime minister announced that all couples in England and Wales will be able to choose to have a civil partnership.

    Mr Loughton says the proposal will be "under pressure" from the parliamentary timetable and "emergency Brexit legislation" means it may not take effect until 2021.

    Tim Loughton MPImage source, HoC
  20. Govt 'strongly supports' the billpublished at 10:43 British Summer Time 26 October 2018

    Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Housing minister Heather Wheeler says "rogue landlords will have to improve their properties or leave the business".

    Ms Wheeler describes how the government has introduced minimum size requirements in properties to prevent overcrowding and concludes the debate by saying the government "strongly supports" this bill.

    The bill has cleared all remaining stages in the Commons and will now move to the Lords for further consideration.

    Karen Buck MPImage source, HoC