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Northern Irish Independent MP Lady Sylvia Hermon intervenes on Karen Bradley's speech and asks why there was a three month delay in the cut in MLA salary.

She says MLAs "continue to receive a full salary for not doing a full job", which "absolutely outrages people in Northern Ireland".

The Northern Ireland secretary says "it is not a three month delay, I made the statement in September."

She says "there are issues that need to be dealt with in terms of notification... and also the need to change the payroll amendments", which means the earliest opportunity to cut pay "was the November paychecks".

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Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley says this government "remains committed to the Belfast Agreement", and that "Northern Ireland needs devolved government".

"The only sustainable way forward lies in fully functioning and inclusive devolved government," she says.

The bill "provides space and time for this government to continue our engagement with political parties in Northern Ireland and to restore devolved government at the earliest opportunity", the Northern Ireland secretary says.

Karen Bradley says "the bill allows civil servants to continue to run public services but, they will not be lawmakers or have the power to change policy decisions."

in the absence of this bill "essential public services in NI will become in danger of not being delivered" and "that is why this government has brought this bill forwards," she says.

Ms Bradley says the current situation "is not what the people of Northern Ireland deserve", and allowing for a five-month period up to 26 March during which an executive may be formed without further primary legislation or an Assembly election was a decision "decided in consultation with civil servants in Northern Ireland".

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Labour MP Stella Creasy is tabling her amendment to the programme motion, which she says is needed because the government "has made an error", missing out a clause that lets amendments be selected for votes.

She says MPs "must be able to take a view" and have a meaningful vote on her amendments on abortion and same-sex marriage, which she suggests is being denied.

Conservative MP Heidi Allen says she supports the motion. Labour's Chris Bryant then adds that "the point is that we should do this properly", arguing that there is only "emergency legislation when there is no controversy". He calls for a "proper business of the House motion".

The DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson disagrees, suggesting that the government is correctly following procedure.

MPs vote in favour of the amendment without division. This means it is open to the chair to select the amendment on abortion and same sex marriage if they choose to.

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MPs are now beginning to debate all stages of the Northern Ireland Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions Bill.

This legislation will give Northern Ireland civil servants more legal clarity to make decisions in the absence of ministers, and is expected to be fast-tracked through this afternoon.

Northern Ireland has been without an executive since January 2017.

In the absence of ministers, civil servants were supposed to take big decisions. But that stopped in July when a court ruled a senior civil servant did not have the power to approve a controversial incinerator at Mallusk.

The bill will also give UK government ministers the power to make public appointments.

These will apply to the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission, Northern Ireland Policing Board, the Probation Board and the Police Ombudsman.

It will also suspend the secretary of state's legal duty to call a fresh assembly election.

Two Labour MPs, Stella Creasy and Conor McGinn are trying to add amendments to allow a change to the law on abortion and same-sex marriage.

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Conservative MP Richard Bacon is now tabling his Housing Reform Bill as a ten minute rule motion.

The bill would amend housing law, particularly focusing on thermal performance standards and providing "serviced plots" - spaces already provided with water, electricity, gas and other services, where self-build homes can be constructed.

He says the bill looks "to offer real choice to anyone who wishes to get their own place to live".

"No recent government has really taken housing seriously enough," he says, adding that 74% of housing budget goes on housing benefit.

"The planning system should be about making great places to live," he says, and calls for nationally enforced requirements on house building.

He adds that the bill will also place a duty on the government to require provision of serviced plots. He says attempts to increase standards and rates of house building "won't succeed without muscling from government."

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The SNP's Stewart McDonald says he agrees that "both houses must contain robust political debate around the parliamentary estate," but that is is "wrong" that the "violent racist thug" Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, was "invited on to the estate and wined and dined in the House of Lords yesterday".

"I understand we have to engage with those we do not agree with," he says, "but surely a man that is as guilty as he is of stirring racial hatred, and organizing violent crimes crosses a line."

"Surely such a man shouldn't be invited among us to walk on the parliamentary estate."

Mr McDonald asks for the Speaker to take up the issue with his counterpart in the House of Lords.

"I had no advanced notice of this issue", says the Speaker John Bercow, "but I share his assessment of the individual concerned, who is a loathsome and repellent individual."

The Speaker says "the question of who might be invited to dine is outside of my remit," and suggests Mr Malcolm McDonald writes to the leader of the House of Lords to register his views.

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Conservative MP Theresa Villiers says the whole House is pleased with the commitment from the prime minister of "£20bn more to the NHS", and asks the prime minister whether she will ensure that the NHS create a plan to "ensure this additional money is used wisely".

The prime minister says "this is the biggest cash boost that the NHS will have received in its history" and it is important that this money is used "carefully and properly to ensure patient care is being improved".

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Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable asks the prime minister if "she does not accept" that the "very sensible objective of Universal Credit," to make a system that is simpler and improves work incentives, was "seriously undermined" by the 2015 Conservative Budget.

He asks her to listen to charities "and her own backbenchers, who are urging her to pause the roll out until these deficiencies are remedied".

The prime minister says Sir Vince Cable is right that Universal Credit is a system that is simple, encourages work and ensures more money is kept by working claimants. She says it is "good for people".

Analysis by Mark D'Arcy

Relegated as usual to a slot 40 minutes into PMQs, Sir Vince Cable appeals for more money to be put into the Universal Credit system. He gets a non-answer about what a fine idea UC is.

The PM’s approach to his questions is usually to flat-bat them away, without generating any heat or excitement from her answers.

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Conservative MP Sir Henry Bellingham asks about the potential prosecution of ex-servicemen in Northern Ireland and says the investigation is "against natural justice".

Mrs May tells MPs the current system is flawed and that a "vast debt of gratitude" is owed to veterans.

The prime minister says "there is a disproportionate focus" on the security forces within the investigations - comments she has made before.

Theresa May is facing demands from 150 Tory MPs and peers to drop plans to investigate past crimes in Northern Ireland and other military conflicts.

Read the full news story here.

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Analysis by Mark D'Arcy

Another issue which sets Tory teeth on edge is the historic investigations into troops who served in Northern Ireland.

The PM has another carefully-worded answer when the issue is raised by former minister Sir Henry Bellingham.

A similar answer to Johnny Mercer in a PMQs in September did not convince him...

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Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi says this week's "hard hitting" Women and Equalities Committee report on sexual harassment in public places shows "equality is stalling under this government".

Ms Antoniazzi asks how the prime minister plans to address this.

Theresa May says "the position is not as she has set out as we see women with greater opportunities today."

The prime minister adds: "I absolutely take seriously this issue of sexual harassment and bullying in the work place," and that it is "extremely important that action is taken to eradicate bullying in the workplace".

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Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg says there have been reports that the European Court of Justice will be the final arbiter in most cases arising from Brexit.

He asks if the prime minister will deny this "as this inconsistent with her previous commitment".

The prime minister says "if the reports are as he has suggested, they are wrong".

"We have been clear in ensuring that in future the European Court of Justice does not have jurisdiction over the UK," she says.

Analysis from Mark D'Arcy

Aha! A Brexit question. Jacob Rees-Mogg asks about reports of the European Court of Justice having continuing jurisdiction in the UK after Brexit.

He gets a flat denial from the PM. Any equivocation there would have re-echoed into tonight’s appearance before the Tory backbench troops.

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Conservative MP Justine Greening says rent "doesn't help build up credit history" and asks the PM for government support in next week's budget of the Credit Worthiness Assessment Bill, which will "support 50 million renters" in the UK.

Prime Minister Theresa May assures her the Chancellor will have heard her calls.

Find out more about the bill here., external

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Analysis from Mark D'Arcy

More positive body language: former education secretary Justine Greening has picked up Lord Bird’s Creditworthiness Assessment Bill after it cleared the Lords.

It is well down the queue of private members' bills and has little direct chance of becoming law, but responding to her question, the PM hints that that Chancellor might well have something to say in the Budget.

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Labour MP Jess Phillips says it "seems that our laws allow rich and powerful men to pretty much do whatever they want, as long as they can pay to keep it quiet."

She asks the prime minister if she supports the Court of Appeal;s decision to back non-disclosure agreements, "used to silence women who have been sexually harassed and others who have been racially abused."

Theresa May says she can't comment on a particular case, but sexual harassment is against the law and should not be tolerated. She says an employer that allows harassment must face consequences.

She says non-disclosure agreements cannot be allowed to stop people from whistleblowing, but it is clear that "some employers are using them unethically".

The government is going to bring forward measures for consideration and consultation to improve regulations around NDAs, she says, to make it "absolute explicit" when an NDA does not apply.

Analysis from Mark D'Arcy

Significant.

A barbed question from Jess Phillips about rich and powerful men silencing complaints against them. No names are named and the PM promises measures to reform the use of non-disclosure agreements.

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Conservative MP David TC Davies says women who have concerns about the Gender Recognition Act, which would allow self definition of gender, have "had their meeting venues cancelled and have been subject to intimidation".

He asks for a meeting with a victim of sexual violence who says that "these plans will needlessly put more women in danger".

The prime minister says this is "a very important subject" and "it is right we are making these proposals in relation to gender reform, but we must make sure we are taking account of any impact it could have to women."

"In the run up to the consultation and during the consultation, 90 groups including women's groups were mentioned, but we do want voices to be heard," the prime minister says.

Theresa May says she has asked a minister from the government equalities office to meet with him.

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SNP MP Patrick Grady asks about visas, saying that the denial of visas to a number of people does not enhance the PM's vision of a global Britain.

The hostile environment lives on, he says.

Theresa May says the reality is different to the situation, and "there is no travel ban".

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Labour MP Gordon Marsden draws attention to evidence given in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee last week which suggested that the Dangerous Dogs Act is "not fit for purpose".

"Pit bull types are being confiscated and destroyed with no reference to bite numbers," he says.

Mr Marsden says it "breaks my heart" to think that dogs are being put down because "their face doesn't fit the right picture".

Theresa May says the secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs is a keen dog owner and "will be looking at the issue very carefully".

Analysis from Mark D'Arcy:

Nods from Michael Gove, as Labour’s Gordon Marsden raises the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s new report on the DangerousDogs Act, external, which it condemned as not fit for purpose.

A straight bat answer from the PM, but sympathetic body language, at any rate

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Scottish Tory MP Paul Masterton says Scotch Whisky is the "jewel in the Crown" of Scotland's food and drink sector and calls for an extension of the freeze on duty in next week's Budget.

Ms May agrees about the importance of the industry and jokes that the Chancellor "will have heard" his request.

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