Summary

  • Minister resigns over 'delays' to maximum stake for fixed-odds betting machines

  • MPs debated an urgent question on the matter this morning

  • MPs concluded debate on 2018 Budget during afternoon

  • They later approved series of motions authorising government spending plans

  • Legislation implementing Budget expected to be published next week

  • Lords debated social mobility and problem gambling

  1. Peers debate plans to support the children of prisonerspublished at 14:54 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Oral Questions

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness VereImage source, HoL

    The first question in the Lords today is introduced by the Bishop of Gloucester and is about supporting the children of prisoners.

    Justice Minister Baroness Vere says "having a parent in custody can have a significant impact on a child, which must be taken into account".

    "Due to the recent Budget announcements, prison guards will have the budget and flexibility to provide services that work in their prisons and for their communities," she says.

    The Bishop of Gloucester says the children of prisoners often have to move home, and asks for them and their carers to receive "significant support".

    "We want to make out prisons outward looking," the justice minister says, "so that prisoners and their families can have successful futures."

    Labour peer Baroness Corston says the number of short sentences should decline as these "can be catastrophic for a family unit, and have proved to have no benefits".

    Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Burt calls for a minister for "the vulnerable children of prisoners" to ensure the best requirements are made for them after a court judgement.

    Baroness Vere says "we already ensure that all suspects are asked whether they have children in the court process."

  2. How the Budget played out on social mediapublished at 14:52 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Digital teams behind the political parties and think tanks getting their messages out to those not watching it all on television

    Read More
  3. Budget 'does not prepare for next crisis'published at 14:50 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Budget debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Barry SheermanImage source, HoC

    Labour MP Barry Sheerman says he has listened to 44 Budgets in his time as an MP and "I believe this is in an uninspiring little Budget".

    "I have been here when this country has been at great crisis, I have seen people that you thought were pretty ordinary politicians...step up to that dispatch box and show leadership," he says.

    "That a Chancellor of the Exchequer could stand there yesterday and call the cataclysm of 2009 and the global meltdown of the world economy 'Labour's great recession'... What rubbish! ...Shame on him."

    "They did what was necessary to save our county," he says, "we showed leadership."

    He rejects suggestions that "Labour was responsible for PFIs...the charm offensive was led by John Major. It was actually the fashion across the benches that led to PFIs...the chancellor made no steps yesterday to help the parts of the country that were in trouble with PFIs."

    He says the UK is "heading for a very bad time indeed" with Brexit "if we leave on bad terms", yet the chancellor "hasn't got the courage to mention Brexit more than once".

    "This is going to be the next crisis where we need people there at the dispatch box who actually take on their role as leaders."

  4. Have staffing levels been restored?published at 14:49 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Home Affairs Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Paul LincolnImage source, HoC

    Chair Yvette Cooper asks Paul Lincoln of the Border Force if the recruiting extra officers for no-deal just takes staffing levels back to 2014 levels.

    Mr Lincoln says that since 2014, there has been a reduction in border staff of 7%, and there will now be an increase of 8%. He adds that there have been "significant change in technology" with new e-passport gates.

    Ms Cooper says that there has been an increase of 25% in passengers.

    Allowing other countries to use e-passport gates will help, Mr Lincoln says.

  5. Today in the Lordspublished at 14:29 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Our coverage of the Lords will begin at 2.30pm with oral questions. Today these include a question on the introduction of legislation to reduce the maximum bet for fixed-odds betting machines to £2, and one on the importance of the identification of spectrum conditions, such as dyslexia, ADHD and dyspraxia.

    After this, peers will debate the Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Bill at its third reading.

    The bill makes provision about the oversight and management of the appropriate use of force in relation to people in mental health units and similar institutions.

    Peers will then complete the second reading and all remaining stages of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Bill.

    This bill, which passed through the Commons last week, gives Northern Ireland civil servants more legal clarity to make decisions in the absence of ministers.

    An amendment proposed by Labour MPs Stella Creasy and Conor McGinn which will require the secretary of state to provide guidance on the law regarding abortion and same-sex marriage passed by 207 votes to 117.

    Following this, Labour peer Lord Collins of Highbury will introduce a debate on the extradition treaty between the UK and Kuwait.

    There are then two order and regulations motions on the Data Retention and Acquisition Regulations 2018 - a motion to approve by Conservative peer Baroness Manzoor, and a motion of regret by Liberal Democrat peer Lord Paddick.

  6. Tory MP welcomes road tax 'spent on our roads'published at 14:27 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Budget debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Marcus JonesImage source, HoC

    Conservative MP Marcus Jones says previous Budgets have been "framed by the mess left by previous Labour governments", but yesterday's Budget "was a turning point and we are now beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel".

    He says it needs to be recognised that local government funding has experienced considerable cuts, and that it is vital that they are properly funded. He also welcomes that "road tax is actually now being spent on our roads".

  7. SNP: 'Scotland badly served' by Budgetpublished at 14:19 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Budget debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Kirsty BlackmanImage source, HoC

    SNP spokesperson Kirsty Blackman says "there has been a decade of the most vulnerable being hit the hardest by Tory austerity", and the Budget shows the reality that "the people of Scotland are badly served by the UK government".

    "There has been a decade of wage stagnation, of cuts...and we are staring into the abyss that is Brexit...after a decade of austerity, households cannot afford to lose £900 each and a Tory Brexit."

    "I don't know how anybody, even in this Westminster government, can believe their policies are having a positive benefit," she says.

    She says the government should have committed to increasing the minimum wage to the living wage, whilst they have "refused to pay back money owed" to Scottish farmers and Scottish fire and rescue services.

    Fees for EU citizens expected to pay for settled UK status should be scrapped, she says, as well as fees for children's citizenship applications.

    "The government needs to be honest about the benefits of immigration, it needs to be clear that immigration is good for this country."

  8. Are settled status applications still android only?published at 14:17 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Home Affairs Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Stephen DoughtyImage source, HoC

    Labour's Stephen Doughty asks if the application can still only be completed on android phones.

    Ms Nokes says that the applications can be filled out on any device, but the chip checker only works on android phones.

    Mr Doughty says that therefore half the population cannot complete their applications.

    Ms Nokes says "this is Apple's choice". She says that the Home Office has been working closely with Apple on this for the past 10 months.

    Mr Doughty asks if this can be resolved or "are you just going to blame Apple?"

    Apple won't release the upgrades necessary, Ms Nokes replies.

    Mr Doughty puts it to her that it is the government requiring people to go through this process and not allowing it to be done in the easiest way possible.

    It is unfair to blame the Home Office, Ms Nokes states.

  9. How many will be registered by March?published at 14:16 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Home Affairs Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Caroline NokesImage source, Hoc

    Labour's Kate Green asks how many EU citizens the government plans to have approved through the settled status scheme by 29 March.

    Ms Nokes says there are 1,000 EU citizens who have been through the first phase, after 4,000 were invited.

    In the second phase, she adds, NHS Trusts are now being invited, and it should be "around" 250,000 people going through the scheme.

    She says it is "imperative" that the government tests this in a small way before March.

  10. Size of tests on settled status scheme questionedpublished at 14:04 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Home Affairs Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Stuart C McDonaldImage source, HoC

    The SNP's Stuart C McDonald asks if the settled status scheme will be running in time, otherwise landlords may refuse EU nationals housing based on residency tests.

    Ms Nokes replies that the private tests of the settled status scheme so far have been very promising.

    Mr McDonald says this was a test with 600 people.

    Ms Nokes says the Home Office is now moving to a new trial with "several hundred thousand" people.

    Mr McDonald asks how an employer can employ an EU national after March if they don't have settled status.

    Ms Nokes says EU nationals will be subject to the same checks as anywhere else in the world.

  11. Health Secretary: £20.5bn NHS investment 'must be spent wisely'published at 14:03 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Budget Debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Health Secretary Matt Hancock says "we are bringing the deficit down along with inequality".

    "We are acutely aware on this side of the House, this is not government money, this isn't NHS money, this is the hard earned money from taxpayers and it must be spent wisely," he says.

    Mr Hancock says "it is a brilliant achievement" that people are living longer, but many of these people "are living with serious conditions", and "the money is only part of the plan in dealing with this".

    "We believe in an NHS free at the point of use for everyone in the long term."

    Mr Hancock says 83% of adult social care settings are now rated good or outstanding by the Care Quality Commission which is "a great step", but "it is important that more is invested in this area".

    He says that money from the investment in Mental Health services will go towards schools to offer more comprehensive mental health facilities.

    "This government wants to make sure that care will always be there for whoever needs it."

  12. What about right to work?published at 13:54 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Home Affairs Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Yvette CooperImage source, HoC

    Ms Cooper asks if employers will be expected to carry out right to work checks on employees, even if they are EEA nationals, this time next year, in the event of no deal.

    Ms Nokes says if there's no deal then the employer would need to check that the EEA citizen has the right to work in the UK.

    Ms Cooper asks if the government will require employers to specifically check mandatory registrations, or if these requirements will be relaxed.

    The government has said it will take a "pragmatic approach" to EU citizens working in the UK, Ms Nokes replies.

    Ms Cooper says this sounds "unworkable". The minister says this is "an enormous challenge".

  13. Helath Secretary: Social care to be 'sustainable in the long term'published at 13:53 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    The Budget

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Matt HancockImage source, HoC

    Health Secretary Matt Hancock says yesterday's Budget proved that generating growth "leads to better growth for our public services, on which we all depend".

    He says "while we're delivering more jobs, all the front bench opposite promises is more borrowing, more taxes and no debt", which "offers no ideas for the future, except talking Britain down".

    The health secretary says "the government can only invest this much in the NHS because so many people are back in work."

    "This is the longest, largest cash injection in the history of the NHS," he says.

    Mr Hancock says the government are being "progressive" investing £650m in social care, alongside reforms which will "put it on a sustainable footing in the long term".

    "This is for the many, not for the few," he says, "the opposition are envious that we're getting on with it and building the NHS."

    Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth intervenes to ask the health secretary "if capital training and public health will see real term increases".

    The health secretary says "the spending review is next year, but this is the biggest injection into the NHS in history."

  14. What will happen at the border on day one?published at 13:48 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Home Affairs Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Caroline NokesImage source, HoC

    The SNP's Stuart McDonald asks what will happen at the actual border in the event of no deal.

    Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes says that the announcement from the Chancellor yesterday that the government will expand who can use e-passport gates means that there will be less workload on border staff.

    Ms Cooper asks if the Home Office has modelled different queuing arrangements. Ms Nokes replies that the government does not intend to put EEA citizens into the "rest of the world queue".

    Ms Cooper asks if they will be the same checks in 2019. Ms Nokes replies that they will be the same checks for those with biometric passports. EU citizens who use ID cards will still be able to use them up until 2025, she adds.

  15. Who are the witnesses?published at 13:47 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Home Affairs Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

  16. Who is on the committee?published at 13:47 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Home Affairs Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Yvette Cooper, external (Chair) Labour

    Rehman Chishti , externalConservative

    Sir Christopher Chope , externalConservative

    Stephen Doughty , externalLabour (Co-op)

    Kate Green , externalLabour

    Kirstene Hair , externalConservative

    Tim Loughton , externalConservative

    Stuart C. McDonald , externalScottish National Party

    Alex Norris , externalLabour (Co-op)

    Douglas Ross , externalConservative

    John Woodcock, external Independent

  17. What is this committee session about?published at 13:47 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Home Affairs Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    PassportImage source, Press Association

    The committee is looking at whether or not the government is prepared for Brexit in terms of border security.

    Concerns have previously been raised that the government has not got enough staff to be able to work at the border with the increased workload from leaving the EU. Last week, a report by the NAO was published which said that the UK is not going to be able to be ready for the increased border work in March 2019.

    The NAO is examining the government’s preparedness for Brexit early next year. It estimates that between 150,000-250,000 traders would need to make customs declarations for the first times in the event of a no-deal scenario.

    In all, 205 million people crossed between the UK and the rest of the EU in 2017, while the amount of people who cross at the Northern Irish border is unknown. £40bn is the estimated tax and duty collected in 2017-18 on border transactions.

    The NAO say that in the event of no deal, customs declarations will increase from 55m to 260m. The report also says that border staff will have to be increased by 8%, after being reduced by 7% since 2014. The report warns that 11 out of 12 IT systems needed for Brexit will not be ready by March.

  18. Labour: Pre-election Budget? Bring it onpublished at 13:35 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Budget debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    John McDonnellImage source, HoC

    John McDonnell says the Chancellor was confused yesterday, blaming Labour for the size of the deficit. "It wasn't the deficit that caused the crisis, but the crisis that caused the deficit."

    He says it was the "casino-style gambling" economy that caused the financial crisis and the ideology of neo-liberalism, both of which were supported by the Conservatives.

    Brexit negotiations have been "bungled" by the government, he says, and this is affecting the economy and investment. He says this was made worse yesterday by the Chancellor "threatening to revoke his own Budget in the event of a no-deal Brexit, whilst his prime minister was contradicting him."

    "There are rumours this was a pre-election budget...if the Conservatives are planning on calling another election, then we say bring it on."

  19. Shadow Chancellor opens second day Budget debatepublished at 13:26 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    Budget debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    John McDonnellImage source, HoC

    Shadow chancellor John McDonnell is now opening the second day's debate on the Budget, with today's theme: health and public services.

    He says the prime minister had "raised the hopes" of the British people that austerity was over - "those hopes we dashed yesterday. At best what they got was what the Chancellor described as little extras."

    "Yesterday's Budget was not the end of austerity," he says, as two third of the planned benefit cuts will still roll out and the Resolution Foundation has said that while many departmental budgets are still flat, "other departments will have a 3% cut".

    However, he says it is "the beginning of the end" of an economic theory and practice "that has wrecked" the UK, as people no longer believe that "the myth of austerity" was necessary.

    He says record numbers of teachers have left the profession and says nothing has been done to tempt them back, whilst not enough is being done to properly fund care services.

    "We have a record number of children in care...Why are they coming into care? Because there has been a 40% cut in funding for early intervention."

    He says that "less than half" of what is needed to fund social care was offered by the Chancellor yesterday, and he suggests disabled people "have been a particular target for this government". He says the government has been forced by the courts to change their approach, but "they don't seem to have learnt their lesson yet".

  20. Budget debate beginspublished at 13:22 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2018

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs have started the second day of debate on the Budget - and it's the shadow Chancellor John McDonnell who is speaking at the despatch box.