House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour MP Gerald Jones kicks off today's justice questions, asking what steps the government is taking to ensure that workers can access legal advice on workplace injuries.

He calls for more scrutiny of the civil liabilities reform which he says could be "damaging to the access of legal advice" as it changes the minimum and maximum claim limits.

Justice Minister Lucy Frazer says the government is introducing measures to ensure that people can access the courts in a simple way without having to spend excessive amounts of money, and that an online courts claims procedure is being set up "to make things easier for money claims".

Shadow justice minister Gloria De Piero says there is a disparity in the availability of free legal advice for different workers who have sustained injuries at work, and calls for the government to "exempt all people injured in the course of work".

Ms Frazer says the government are "concerned about the injury obtained, not the profession of the individual," and that "people will still be able to get justice".

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour's Anna McMorrin asks about reports that the fashion label Burberry burns their clothes, rather than sell them cheaply at the end of a season.

Dr Therese Coffey says there are implications for the environment if brands are burning excess stock in this way.

Ms McMorrin says that it is wrong that Burberry want to keep their brand prices high in this way.

Dr Coffey says she is "sure" that leaders in Burberry are disappointed with the decision to burn excess stock, and their customers would have a similar view, too.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Environment Minister Therese Coffey says that in the past few years, people have been hanging on to clothes for longer.

The says the average life span of a garment is now three years, up from 2.2 years.

Labour's Kerry McCarthy says data she has seen shows the consumption of clothes has doubled in the last ten years, as people are buying more.

Dr Coffey says that the government doesn't have sufficient data for what people are doing with their clothes.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Labour's Anna McMorrin says that businesses are required, under new laws, to publish a statement on what they are doing to address slavery in their supply chains.

But she adds that firms could simply publish a statement to say they're not doing anything and still be in compliance with the law.

Business Minister Kelly Tolhurst says changes can be made to legislation "where necessary".

She adds that different departments are working together in this area.

Anna McMorrin says the Business Department could introduce legislation forcing brands to show where their raw materials come from.

Kelly Tolhurst says this is "an interesting suggestion".

House of Commons
Parliament

It's questions to justice ministers first up today, then there's an urgent question on yesterday's ruling by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on student loans.

It is believed the change in how student loans are recorded in the public finances will add £12bn to the deficit.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson will then deliver a statement on the delayed Modernising Defence Programme, and is expected to announce a £160m fund for the armed forces.

Following this, after the SNP's Westminster Leader Ian Blackford's successful application yesterday, there will be an emergency debate on last week's EU summit.

Mr Blackford called for the debate, which can last for up to three hours, to discuss the government's "shambolic handling of Brexit and Theresa May's continued negotiations in Brussels".

Then MPs turn to the second reading of the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill, external, which deals with the safeguards regarding the detention of cared-for people.

Labour have put down an amendment acknowledging some improvements made by the Lords amendments, but still declining to give it a second reading.

Independent MP Ivan Lewis will close today's proceedings with an adjournment debate on presidential elections in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Mary Creagh asks for the number of firms from each of the last five years that have been "named and shamed" by the Business Department.

Business Minister Kelly Tolhurst pledges to give that information to the committee in writing.

Conservative MP Robert Goodwill asks what the government is doing to prevent cotton resulting from forced labour entering UK supply chains.

Kelly Tolhurst says that stores such as House of Fraser have pledged to use sustainable cotton by 2022.

Mr Goodwill asks if more should be indicated to the consumer to show that cotton is sustainable.

Ms Tolhurst says it's something ministers "could look at", adding that it would be "good for industry to take a lead in this area".

Select Committee
Parliament

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Labour's Mary Creagh asks Business Minister Kelly Tolhurst whether she has considered linking fines for minimum wage breaches to firms' turnover.

She says this has been recommended by the government's own adviser on employment practices.

Kelly Tolhurst says she "hasn't particularly considered that particular point" - and wants to review changes already made to the penalties regime before making "further decisions".

The issue is not just about enforcement, she adds, but "making sure business recognise" their obligations under the law.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Mary Creagh says the average factory owner can only expect one inspection every 500 years.

She asks Janet Alexander, an official at HMRC giving evidence to the committee, how many factories she has visited in Leicester.

Janet Alexander says "tens" of factories in the city have been visited, acting on "risk-based" information from media reports, trade unions, and family members.

She says they have not to date found "the extent of breaches that have been indicated in media reports", although she adds this is not to say they won't "emerge in the future".

Turning to Business Minister Kelly Tolhurst, Mary Creagh asks - given the frequency of visits and the size of fines - whether factory owners think it is "worth taking the risk" of non-compliance.

Ms Tolhurst says the amount of unpaid wages collected back on behalf of workers has "more than doubled", and those breaching minimum wage law are "named and shamed".

Select Committee
Parliament

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Labour MP Mary Creagh, who chairs the committee, asks how many investigations are ongoing into potential minimum wage breaches at clothing factories in Leicester.

The alleged underpayment of workers at garment factories in the city was this year the subject of a report in the Financial Times, external.

Business Minister Kelly Tolhurst says there are "ongoing" joint investigations in the Leicester area "around non-compliance".

But despite further questioning from Mary Creagh, she says she "cannot go into the specifics" about when these investigations started.

She goes onto add that "if we have any intelligence" on malpractice, then the government investigates such breaches.

Hello and welcome to our coverage of events in Westminster today – the day in the Commons kicks off later this morning.

First up however we’ll be focusing on the environmental audit committee, which is this morning continuing its inquiry into the fashion industry.

Today the committee will be taking evidence from government ministers, including Women’s Minister Victoria Atkins and Small Business Minister Kelly Tolhurst.

So far the committee has been looking into the sustainability of clothes production and the impact of ‘fast fashion’ on the environment.

They've also been looking at low wages for workers in clothing factories, forced labour in the supply chain, and textile waste.

But Downing St sources say ministers will not grant time for the vote, labelling it "silly political games".

House of Lords
Parliament

Over in the Lords, consideration of the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill at report stage is coming to an end, with the final amendment (no.46) withdrawn by crossbencher Baroness Howe of Idlicote.

With that, the house adjourns for the day and the bill proceeds to the next stage.

Business begins again tomorrow at 2.30pm, as peers consider the upskirting bill at report stage after oral questions.

House of Commons
Parliament

That's it from our coverage of the Commons today as the House has now adjourned.

The day started with education questions, before Theresa May made a statement to MPs updating them on last week's European Council.

Jeremy Corbyn then tabled a motion of no confidence in Theresa May, which Downing Street have yet to respond to.

After that, Business Secretary Greg Clark introduced a statement on the 'Good Work Plan', a set of workplace reforms introduced by the government to ensure workers on zero hour contracts and those in the 'gig economy' are better protected.

Following the two statements, SNP's Westminster Leader Ian Blackford successfully secured an emergency debate on the EU Council which will be held for up to three hours tomorrow after questions.

Since then, MPs have been debating online pornography regulations, before Labour MP Ruth Smeeth's adjournment debate on the criminal justice system.

Join us tomorrow for Justice questions at 11.30am, before the emergency debate on the EU Council and second reading of the Mental Capacity Bill.

House of Commons
Parliament

The Liberal Democrats have tabled a cross-party amendment to Jeremy Corbyn's no confidence vote, which if passed, would trigger the terms of the Fixed Term Parliament Act and lead to a general election.

Earlier this afternoon, Jeremy Corbyn tabled a motion of no confidence in Theresa May. As the motion is directed at Theresa May and not the government, if Theresa May lost the vote of no confidence it would not lead to a general election.

In response to the Lib Dem's amendment, Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable said “Jeremy Corbyn seems more interested in installing a new Tory prime minister in Downing Street than in the general election he keeps talking about.

“By contrast, our joint amendment shows what a real opposition would do. It will test MPs’ views on the real question and would remove every Labour excuse not to back a 'People’s Vote' on the deal, with an option to remain in the European Union.”

House of Commons
Parliament

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In response, Justice Minister Rory Stewart says "this is genuinely a horrifying case which we must learn from."

Restorative justice is a hugely important thing, Mr Stewart says, and in this case there were delays "but we will now reach out to Kayden's mother again to see if there is more we can do".

On the broader question of how people who cause death by dangerous driving are dealt with in the courts, Mr Stewart says "the awful truth is that 25% of young men aged 17 to 21 have a car crash."

"It is like murder, and that life can never be given back," he says, "but the difference between murder is in the intention of the individual."

He adds that the move to increase the penalty for causing death by dangerous driving to a life sentence "is right because it is indistinguishable from manslaughter".

"We must improve our road safety, we must ensure we have a fair justice system that addresses the question of the impact of your act on the victim and balances it with the loss, and we must seek to extend the maximum penalties," the justice minister concludes.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour MP Ruth Smeeth is now introducing her adjournment debate on the criminal justice system and the death of Kayden Dunn, who was killed by an uninsured speeding driver while on his way to the local park.

Seven-year-old Kayden Dunn died in 2017 in a road traffic collision in Snyed Green, for which Shakeeb Zamir was sentenced to 12 months in prison and disqualified for driving for three years.

Following his release this summer, Mr Zamir was arrested once more after being found driving while disqualified, and sentenced to another 12 weeks in prison.

Ms Smeeth says Mr Zamir checked his car over for damage when the incident happened and then drove away, and notes that it is "shocking" that he only received 12 months in prison.

She adds that her constituency feel "let down" and while the decision to raise dangerous driving sentences to 14 years to life is "the right one", she says "memories and lessons must live on".

House of Commons
Parliament

With the debate on online pornography over, Speaker John Bercow updates MPs on the emergency debate regarding last week's EU council meeting.

He accepted an application from the SNP's Ian Blackford earlier today, but was unable to give a start time and duration because he was "awaiting advice regarding a separate but important matter", presumably Jeremy Corbyn's no confidence motion in the prime minister.

That advice "was not forthcoming", he says, so he makes the judgement "based on what is known now".

The government has not yet indicated it will accept Mr Corbyn's motion, which is required for it to be considered by MPs.

Unless that changes, he says the SNP's emergency debate will take place tomorrow at the start of public business - after justice questions and any urgent questions or statements - and last for three hours.

If anything suggests the situation could be "revisited", he says alternatives may be considered.