House of Lords
Parliament

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Labour's Baroness Massey of Darwen asks how many facilities conduct mammograms and offer breast cushions to relieve the pain of breast scans.

Health Minister Lord O'Shaughnessy says the use of cushions has not been formerly evaluated so there's no collated information.

The use of cushions has been trialed previously but discontinued due to interference with the mammogram, he says, but he's asked the advisory committee on breast cancer screening to advise on the issue.

Baroness Massey says many suffer "intense pain" during mammograms and therefore are put off returning for examination. Lord O'Shaughnessy says he will make sure evidence for the use is not just considered, but also the feelings of women who have scans.

He adds that screening saves the lives of 1,300 women every year.

Labour peer Baroness Golding - "speaking as the only radiographer in this house" - says the quality of the image is dependent on the closest possible contact and questions how this can be achieved if cushions were introduced, just to avoid "a few minutes discomfort".

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP Gary Streeter asks what steps the government has taken to support disabled people in the 2018 Budget.

Shadow work and pensions minister Marsha de Cordova calls for the minister to "finally listen and correct the wrongs of the UN report".

Work and Pensions Minister Sarah Newton says the government "does support disabled people" and she is "determined to ensure that all opportunities are offered to disabled people".

Marsha de Cordova calls for an independent review of sanctions and conditional on disabled people.

Ms Newton said "there were factual errors in the UN report" and that Universal Credit will be a "better welfare support system".

House of Lords
Parliament

Following questions regarding UNRWA, Labour peer Lord Foukes of Cumnock asks for an assurance that there is no truth in reports that the UK intends to withdraw from another UN organisation, UNESCO.

Lord Bates says he's "happy to give that reassurance" that the UK will not withdraw, but it is important the government ensures taxpayers' money is spent properly.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's shadow work and pensions secretary Margaret Greenwood also asks about the report from Philip Alston, special rapporteur on extreme poverty for the UN.

She says that the government is determined to press ahead with the rollout - and asks whether Amber Rudd will halt it.

Poverty causing 'misery' in UK, and ministers are in denial, says UN official - BBC News

Amber Rudd says she's read the report over the weekend and was "disappointed by the extraordinary political nature of his language".

She says the government will always engage with professionals and NGOs, and adds that the government will always try to "learn".

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour MP Debbie Abrahams says the report from the UN about poverty in the UK which said that ministers are "in a state of denial about the state of the crisis" was "scathing".

Ms Abrahams says the expert who wrote the report said a "punitive and often callous approach" to poverty had been taken in the UK, and said this had been enhanced by Universal Credit and the freeze on benefits.

She asks what the minister has been of the report, and asks if "poverty is a political choice".

Justin Tomlinson says the government "do not agree with the findings" but are pursuing a welfare programme which will help get 200,000 people back into work.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Conservative MP Lord Polak gets the day in the Lords started, asking about discussions held with the United States concerning their decision to withdraw from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which supports Palestinian refugees.

The US had been the largest donor to the organisation but ended its funding earlier this year.

International Development Minister Lord Bates says withdrawal by the US could worsen the humanitarian situation and threaten security in the region, and the government has looked to counter this by increasing contributions and proactively lobbying.

Lord Polak says UNRWA refuses to help resettle Palestinians and is now "outdated, does not provide value for money and perpetuates the problem". He suggests a new approach is needed. Lord Bates says UNRWA continues to do important work and the government "is not going to walk away when there's people in need."

Lord Anderson of Swansea asks if there's evidence that other countries will offer more support also and the minister stresses that other countries do need to step forward.

Baroness Tonge asks why Israel - "as the occupying force" - is not obliged to contribute to UNRWA. Lord Bates says it is a complex situation and he is not currently able to answer the question, but repeats that the peace process is the only way forward for the region.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael asks if the freeze on working-age benefits will be ended.

Work and Pensions Minister Justin Tomlinson says working-age benefits have been frozen for four tax years.

He says the provision will lapse in 2020 and the pre-existing statutory arrangements will come back in to force.

Mr Carmichael asks why the budget offered "higher taxpayers relief more than the poorest".

Mr Tomlinson says "lower income households will be £400 better off".

Labour MP Debbie Abrahams asks if poverty is a political choice.

Mr Tomlinson says "real life opportunities are being delivered for all in society".

House of Commons
Parliament

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Conservative MP Chris Green kicks off today's questions, asking what estimate the government has made of the number of workless households.

New Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd says the number of workless households has decreased by 964,000 since 2010 and stands at three million which is a decrease of 24%.

"We will continue to encourage policies which encourage employment and for parents to move into work," she adds.

Amber Rudd says "we need a welfare system which helps people into work and supports them when they are in work and universal credit will help 200,000 people into work and empower the nation."

Amendment 14 would require the government to publish an economic and fiscal analysis of the difference between no deal and remaining in the EU in the event of a no deal.

As you can see, it's been signed by MPs from across the political spectrum.

Vote could come around 10pm if the government decide not to accept it.

House of Lords
Parliament

Peers begin their day with oral questions from 2.30pm, with questions on US withdrawal from the UN Relief and Works Agency, mammogram facilities, plans to introduce new domestic abuse legislation and the review of the Teaching Excellence Framework.

Following that, the Lords give a third reading of Children Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill, external.

The rest of the day is filled by two general debates on select committee reports; the first of which concerns artificial intelligence, and the second citizenship and civic engagement.

House of Commons
Parliament

Our coverage of the Commons begins at 2.30pm today with Work and Pensions questions, and a first outing for the brand new Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd.

Shadow digital, culture, media and sport secretary Tom Watson will then introduce an urgent question on Johnston Press.

The media group, which has titles covering more than 200 locations across the UK, announced it had filled for administration on Saturday, and later that day confirmed it had been bought out by JPIMedia.

Then MPs will move on to day one of detailed scrutiny of the Finance Bill in its committee stage.

This is the bill to enact the changes announced by the Chancellor in the Budget, last month.

Labour MP Chuka Umunna and Conservative MP Anna Soubry have tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill which would force the government to publish an economic impact assessment comparing Theresa May's draft withdrawal agreement with the UK's current position as an EU member state.

The amendment has been signed by over 70 MPs, including 11 Conservatives.

After day one of the Finance Bill's committee stage, SNP MP Patrick Grady will introduce his adjournment debate on UK entry visas.

Select Committee
Parliament

Sir Bernard thanks Andrea Leadsom for her time and closes the evidence session.

This was the final evidence session of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee's inquiry into the status of resolutions of the House of Commons.

The Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011 sets out a statutory mechanism for a confidence motion to trigger an early general election.

Before the Act, if a government lost a vote of confidence, by convention, it would resign and an alternative government would be formed or a general election would be called.

Now there is a question over the effect of other motions, which the government of the day might choose to treat as a matter of confidence.

This inquiry has so far highlighted several unanswered questions about the working of the fundamental constitutional convention that the government must maintain the confidence of the House of Commons, or resign or call a new election.

Full details of the Act can be read here., external

Select Committee
Parliament

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Sir Bernard enquires about the role of the House of Commons once the government or a minister is subjected to a confidence vote.

A motion of no confidence only has "statutory effect" if it comes under the terms of the Fixed Term Parliament Act, Ms Leadsom says and that any other confidence motion "may have political consequences", but with no binding effect.

Previous conventions have now been "overtaken by statute", she confirms.

It used to be the case that if a minister lost a motion of confidence of the House of Commons, they would resign.

Find out more about confidence motions here. , external

Select Committee
Parliament

Committee chair Bernard Jenkin asks Andrea Leadsom how she views her role as the Leader of the House of Commons.

Ms Leadsom says she views herself as "Parliament's voice in government, as well as government's voice in Parliament".

Citing the 'Women MPs of the World' conference held in Parliament in early November, she says her role is supporting backbench colleagues of all parties to pursue their particular interests.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Conservative MP Dame Cheryl Gillan says the most "authoritative" voice on procedures of the House of Commons is Erskine May.

Ms Gillan asks if the office of the Leader of the House of Commons can put forward proposed changes to the publication.

Ms Leadsom says there is "no official review mechanism" but her office welcomes suggestions from committees and that her office might make recommendations for change, such as on baby leave policy.

First published in 1844, when Thomas Erskine May was Clerk of the House of Commons, the guide to parliamentary practice is now in its 24th edition.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Labour MP Rupa Huq suggests the government won't call a vote if it feels it can't win.

Andrea Leadsom explains that there is no obligation on MPs to vote, a convention which she says is "clearly set out in standing orders".

Ms Leadsom says the government will take a view on votes on a "case by case basis" and that individual MPs will do similar.

She says it is important that when the House expresses a view, "ministers are listening".