Summary

  • Earlier: Theresa May questioned on Brexit by senior MPs

  • Labour granted urgent question on Brexit legal advice

  • Minister says attorney general will give statement on advice next week

  • Labour MP reveals he is HIV positive during debate on World Aids Day

  • Lords debate school funding and tackling violent crime

  1. Government condemn Russia's actions in Ukrainepublished at 12:49 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Urgent Question on Russia-Ukraine relations

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Minister Alistair Burt says the government condemns Russia's action and is concerned.

    "Russia has again shown its willingness to violate Ukraine's sovereignty," he says, with its actions not in conformity with the UN's law of the sea.

    UK ambassadors reiterated this condemnation at emergency meetings held yesterday, he adds.

    He says the government welcomes the assurances by the Ukrainian government that martial law will not be used to restrict Ukrainian citizen rights and freedoms, and that full mobilisation will only occur in the event of further Russian aggression.

    The government also welcomes plans to continue with plans to hold presidential elections next year.

  2. Urgent question on Russia-Ukraine relationspublished at 12:39 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Urgent Question on Russia-Ukraine relations

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Health and social care questions comes to an end.

    Conservative MP John Whittingdale now requests a statement on Russian action in the Sea of Azov and the subsequent declaration of martial law in parts of Ukraine.

    Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt is giving the government's response.

  3. Minister admits need to respond quicker to child abuse inquiry reportpublished at 12:39 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Health and Social Care questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Lisa NandyImage source, HoC

    MPs are now putting topical questions to health and social care ministers.

    Labour MP Lisa Nandy says it's months since the child abuse inquiry - set up by the prime minister - recommended compensation to the victims of child migration programmes.

    Despite pledges for action by the prime minister and health ministers, Ms Nandy says nothing has happened and 22 people have died since the publication of the inquiry's report.

    How can we believe a single word from the government when they don't act on this, she asks, "people deserve better".

    Health Minister Jackie Doyle-Price says she makes a very good point, the need for a cross departmental response has delayed things but she insists it is "imminent".

    "We really need to respond as soon as possible," she says.

  4. Missguided: concern at underpayment led to dropping supplierspublished at 12:37 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Environmental Audit Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Paul SmithImage source, HoC

    Paul Smith of Missguided, who is substituting for his boss, CEO Nitin Passi, who has declined to appear before the committee, says 30% of the company's production is in Leicester but they have "rationalised" their supply chain in the city down from 35 suppliers at 80 sites to 12 suppliers and 20 factories.

    He says they cut their producers because there were "too many, too many people doing the same thing" which the company couldn't keep track of but admits concern over underpayment of workers was also a factor.

    Chair Mary Creagh asks how Missguided makes sure the minimum wage is paid in those factories.

    Paul Smith says there is a "robust code of conduct" and they stipulate that no-one can be paid in cash at their factories to ensure money is traceable.

    He adds that two members of his team have been "threatened or physically assaulted" by factory owners in Leicester as they were "scoping out" potential new suppliers who "didn't like the questions".

    He says one was "chased out" of a factory and another was "grabbed by the throat".

  5. Will NHS 'Brexit dividend' still be available if UK remains in EU?published at 12:30 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Health and Social Care questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Anna SoubryImage source, HoC

    Matt Hancock, asked about the impact of Brexit on access to medicines and medical equipment, says the deal struck with the EU ensures there is no problem, "so it's another good reason to vote for the deal".

    Labour's Emma Reynolds says the UK's current membership of the European Medicines Agency means it can access medicines far earlier than other countries, but the political declaration agreed with the EU relegates the UK to "exploring cooperation" with the agency.

    Mr Hancock says the government will do everything it can to ensure there are no burdens on ensuring medicines are licensed in the UK.

    Conservative MP Anna Soubry says the "much heralded £20bn for the NHS" has been called by some a "Brexit dividend", and asks for confirmation that the money would still be available in the UK remained in the EU.

    Mr Hancock says the UK will be leaving the European Union on 29 March 2019.

  6. Health minister welcomed by MPspublished at 12:27 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

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  7. New health minister makes debut in Commonspublished at 12:19 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Health and Social Care questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Stephen HammondImage source, HoC

    Shadow health minister Justin Madders says the A&E waiting targets have not been met for over three years and asks if the government will accept that once again this winter the NHS will be underfunded.

    Stephen Hammond, making his first appearance as a recently appointed health minister, says the government recognises there are challenges and that A&E performance standards are currently not being met.

    However, with an extra £20bn being invested into the NHS by the government, he says money will be used to ensure more patients are treated and that A&E performances improve across the country.

  8. No show from Facebook founder pilloried by select committeepublished at 12:15 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

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  9. Rise in demand 'shows sexual health is being taken seriously'published at 12:14 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Health and Social Care questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jackie Doyle-PriceImage source, HoC

    Labour MP Nick Smith asks recent assessment has been made of the record levels of demand for sexual health services.

    Health Minister Jackie Doyle-Price says local authorities took on responsibility for sexual health services in 2013, and the increases show that people are taking their sexual health responsibility seriously and the demand is being met.

    Nick Smith says gonorrhea and syphilis diagnoses are up 20% since 2016, and asks what the government is going to do this arrest this growing trend, with services stretched to the limit.

    Ms Doyle-Price says trends in sexual infections are stable, with rates of teen pregnancy falling, but she will look at the point he raises.

    The important thing is to look at outcomes, she says.

  10. MPs ask Primark to justify low pricespublished at 12:08 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Primark's head of ethical trade says the retailer has a different business model to its competitors.

    Read More
  11. Committee investigates mystery of the £5 UK-made dresspublished at 12:07 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Environmental Audit Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Carol KaneImage source, HoC
    Image caption,

    Boohoo CEO Carol Kane

    In the first half of the committee we heard about the mystery of the £2 Primark t-shirt, which was explained to be a result of long lead times and extremely tight margins. This time the mystery is the UK-made Boohoo.com £5 dress. Chair Mary Creagh wants to know how it is possible to sell a dress for £5 when the minimum wage is £7.83.

    Boohoo CEO and founder Carol Kane says cheap clothes are a "tiny amount of our collection" and calls the £5 dress a "loss leader", meant to drive traffic to the website.

    She says the company aims for "overall profitability on the basket" of what people buy in total, what she calls a "grocer mentality".

    She then reveals that a £5 dress might cost Boohoo about £2.50 to £3, but says they're "very simple" in terms of materials and skill needed to produce. Pushed further she declines to give more detailed costings to the committee but says she will write with more detailed breakdowns. The FT alleges that workers producing items for Boohoo and other retailers are being paid as little as £3.50 an hour.

    She also rejects a claim in the Financial Times investigation into cheap fashion where it is claimed that UK suppliers were challenged to push prices ever lower in an atmosphere like a "cattle market". She says she "does not accept" that suppliers are "played off against each other".

  12. Labour: GP numbers have reduced by 700 this yearpublished at 12:05 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Health and Social Care questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jonathan AshworthImage source, HoC

    Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth says: "The secretary of state recently got into a muddle over GP numbers so can I suggest he download an exciting new app to his phone - it’s called a calculator."

    He asks for a guarantee that there will be sufficient GPs and nurses to provide the increase in community and primary care services being promised by the health secretary.

    Mr Hancock says he can guarantee it, the government is doing everything they can do ensure it with a record number of GPs in training.

    Jonathan Ashworth says GP numbers have gone down by 700 in the last year. There's 107,000 vacancies in the NHS and NHS trusts are closing wards due to staff shortages, with the lowest health education training budget for five years.

    He says if the NHS long term plan, which will be announced next week, is to be credible, the government must reverse cuts to training budgets.

  13. Committee hears from online fashion retailers on minimum wage claimspublished at 11:52 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Environmental Audit Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    The committee is now hearing from representatives from online fashion retailers. One online fashion CEO Nitin Passi of Missguided, who Mary Creagh refers to as "the self styled king of fast fashion", has declined to appear instead sending Paul Smith, who is Missguided's head of product quality and supply.

    Concerns had been raised that Missguided and other online fashion brands were sourcing from businesses not paying minimum wage to workers in Leicester, as exposed by a Financial Times investigation, external.

    The FT found a "country within a country" in the Midlands city where "£5 an hour is considered the top wage".

    Also appearing are:

    • Carol Kane, Joint Chief Executive Officer, Boohoo
    • Nick Beighton, Chief Executive Officer, ASOS

    The panel of witnessesImage source, HoC
  14. Hancock: Pharmacies should support PM's Brexit deal to avoid stockpiling concernspublished at 11:50 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Health and Social Care questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Matt HancockImage source, HoC

    Conservative MP Michael Tomlinson kicks the Commons day off with a question about support for local pharmacies.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock says pharmacies play a vital role in communities but the government is sure they can do more and are determined they do.

    They can play an increasing role in ensuring people get healthcare where they need it, he says, as well as taking pressure off GPs.

    Shadow health minister Julie Minister says there are concerns about sufficient medicines being available in the event of a no deal Brexit, with industry heads warning it would not be possible to stockpile sufficient supplies.

    If that's the case, Mr Hancock says, then pharmacies and everyone else should support the PM's deal to ensure the scenario doesn't occur.

  15. No 'slave cotton' in our supply chains, say fashion brandspublished at 11:34 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Environmental Audit Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Green MP Caroline Lucas says that there is evidence of Uzbekstan and Turkmenistan "forcing their citizens to pick cotton" in conditions compared to slavery. She asks if any of the panel source their cotton from those two countries.

    All four say they have banned any cotton from those two countries and M&S, Burberry and Arcadia say they have signed up with the Better Cotton Initiative, external. M&S and Burberry say they are aiming for 100% of their cotton to be sourced via the Initiative, while Arcadia set their target at 20% by 2020.

    The Better Cotton Initiative aims to reduce both the environmental impact of the cotton industry as well as improve the living conditions of those who grow it.

    Primark has not signed up to the international, industry wide BCI and runs its own scheme, external which it says has had "transformative results".

  16. Today in the Commonspublished at 11:30 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tuesday in the House of Commons begins with Health and Social Care questions, before Conservative MP John Whittingdale asks an urgent question on Russian action in the Sea of Azov and the subsequent declaration of martial law in parts of Ukraine.

    Tensions reached a head on Sunday night, with Russia capturing three Ukrainian ships and 23 crew members of the coast of Crimea.

    After that, Tory MP Huw Merriman will table his Minimum Service Obligation (High Street Cashpoints) Bill as a ten minute rule motion, before the Courts and Tribunals (Judiciary and Functions of Staff) Bill - sent down from the Lords - is debated at second reading.

    Concluding the day, SNP MP Martin Docherty-Hughes leads the adjournment debate, which today focuses on the arrest and detention of his constituent Jagtar Singh Johal in India.

  17. Primark £2 t-shirt 'due to tight margins'published at 11:01 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Environmental Audit Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Committee chair Mary Creagh has turned her attention to Primark. She wants to know how the famously cheap high street retailer can "justify" selling t-shirts for "as little as two or three pounds".

    "How can you be making a profit on those?" she asks.

    Paul Lister, who is head of Primark's ethical trade and sustainability team, says the company has "never done an ad campaign", buys on a longer lead time than other retailers at times when factories are less busy and has "very tight" margins by the time products are sold in store.

    It is "our business model that takes us to the £2 t-shirt", he says.

    He's then asked if he can guarantee that there are no children working in factories that supply Primark, to which he says "I know of no child labour in our supply chain" adding "and we look".

  18. Sir Philip Green 'doesn't affect' culture at Arcadia Grouppublished at 10:44 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Environmental Audit Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    Jamie BeckImage source, HoC

    Committee chair Mary Creagh tells Jamie Beck, representing Arcadia Group that "you've been in the news recently". Arcadia Group chair Sir Philip Green has been accused of sexual harassment, racism and bullying staff members, accusations which he denies.

    The chair asks how having a boss "like that" affects the "culture".

    Jamie Beck, who is Head of Supplier Management at Arcadia, says it "doesn't affect it at all" adding that he's "not here to comment on that specifically, this is about workers' rights".

    Mary Creagh says "this is about workers' rights in this country" and that Sir Philip "sets the standard and tone".

    The Arcadia Group representative says that the group has "a code of conduct".

    A former senior Arcadia employee claimed Sir Philip subjected his employees to "constant" verbal abuse and intimidation. Sir Philip has denied the claims, saying he had "banter" with his employees.

    Arcadia owns high street fashion chains including Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and Burton.

  19. Remembering Baroness Trumpingtonpublished at 10:22 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

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  20. MPs examine sustainability in the fashion industrypublished at 10:13 Greenwich Mean Time 27 November 2018

    Environmental Audit Committee

    Select Committee
    Parliament

    From 10:15am, the Environmental Audit Committee will hear from representatives from the fashion industry on what they are doing to reduce the environmental and social impact of the clothes they sell.

    Committee chair Mary Creagh has asked a number of UK fashion retailers about pay in their factories, their recycling policies, their environmental policies and steps being taken to keep microplastics out of the ocean.

    The first set of witnesses are:

    • Mike Barry, Director of Sustainable Business, Marks and Spencer
    • Paul Lister, Head of Ethical Trade & Environmental Sustainability Team, Primark
    • Jamie Beck, Head of Supplier Management, Arcadia Group (owners of Topshop, Topman, Burton and Miss Selfridge)
    • Leanne Wood, Chief People, Strategy and Corporate Affairs Officer, Burberry