Summary

  • MPs debated new figures on homeless deaths in England and Wales

  • They also debated a UN report on the Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar

  • Earlier: Andrea Leadsom outlined parliamentary timetable for after Christmas

  • She said MPs' debate on the Brexit deal will resume on January 9th

  • The House of Lords debated Islamophobia in the UK

  1. Yemen 'a humanitarian crisis without precedent'published at 11:46 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    Oral Questions

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    People carrying aidImage source, Reuters

    The Lord Bishop of St Albans asks what steps the government are taking to provide humanitarian relief to Yemen following the agreement of the ceasefire in Hudaydah.

    Fighting between Yemeni pro-government forces and Houthi rebels in the city of Hudaydah has reportedly subsided, after a ceasefire came into effect at midnight on the 18th December.

    International Development Minister Lord Bates says it is "imperative" that parties "act in good faith" to restore peace in this area, which is undergoing "a humanitarian crisis without precedent".

    The UK has been the fifth largest provider of aid to Yemen this year, and will continue to work with its counterparts to support long-term peace, he adds.

    Shadow Minister for International Development Lord Collins of Highbury says the government needs to step up its efforts, along with other countries.

    He says key institutions such as hospitals have been destroyed in the conflict, which is something that money alone cannot compensate for.

  2. Lib Dem MP highlights lack of social housingpublished at 11:40 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    Homeless deaths urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse says homelessness is driven by insufficient levels of housing.

    She says the government needs to recognise that the private sector will not provide sufficient social housing to meet demand, and that the public sector must step in.

    She asks when the government will do this.

    James Brokenshire says there has been a lack of focus on social housing "frankly for years", but the government is taking steps to encourage greater building of social homes.

  3. Peers question housebuilding targetpublished at 11:29 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    Oral Questions

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    New homesImage source, PA

    The day in the Lords gets underway, with Liberal Democrat peer Lord Shipley asking about the government's commitment to build 300,000 new homes a year in England.

    Housing Minister Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth says the government has announced "bold" housing measures, and the target will be achieved from 2020.

    However Lord Shipley says only 222,000 homes were built last year, and there is a 90,000 shortage of social homes.

    Labour peer Lord Beecham adds that he believes few of the those homes built last year were affordable, adding that there is a link between the lack of affordable housing and homelessness.

    Lord Bourne replies that the homebuilding figure for last year is the largest in a decade, and ministers are "continuing to make progress" in this area.

  4. Minister: I won't 'hide away' from homelessness increasepublished at 11:23 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    Homeless deaths urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Karen BuckImage source, HoC

    Westminster North Labour MP Karen Buck says the minister points to "complex causes" for the increase in homelessness - such as family breakdown and drug and alcohol problems - rather than it being a result of government policies.

    She asks why those "complex causes" have also risen by 170% since 2010.

    In reply James Brokenshire says he's "not going to hide away from the increase in numbers, they are profoundly there".

    "I'm not going to shirk from the fact that the numbers have increased", he adds.

    "It is unacceptable and I am absolutely prepared to look at the evidence to address it."

  5. What can the public do to help?published at 11:16 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    Homeless deaths urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Bob BlackmanImage source, HoC

    Conservative MP Bob Blackman says 58,000 households have been assisted under the Homelessness Reduction Act, which came into force in April this year.

    The legislation began as a private member's bill he introduced in June 2016.

    Bob Blackman asks what people can do to help people sleeping rough.

    Mr Brokenshire says that there is "direct support happening" as a result of the Act. He says the Streetlink app , externalpoints members of the public to those sleeping rough in the right direction for help.

    "One of the challenges is getting people to actually take that help" that is available, he adds.

  6. SNP MP: Austerity 'pushing people onto the streets'published at 11:10 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    Homeless deaths urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Gavin NewlandsImage source, HoC

    SNP MP Gavin Newlands says the number of people sleeping rough has more than doubled since 2010, but the government is in denial about the impact of its policies.

    "Austerity is pushing people onto the streets and putting lives at risks", he says, urging a pause to the roll out of universal credit to prevent more people from being made homeless.

    Housing Secretary James Brokenshire says the most vulnerable are protected under universal credit, and his department is working with the DWP on tackling rough sleeping.

  7. Labour accuses ministers of 'complacency' over homelessnesspublished at 11:06 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    Homeless deaths urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Melanie OnnImage source, HoC

    Shadow housing minister Melanie Onn points out that the death yesterday was not the first time it's happened in Westminster, and is "not even the first time this year".

    "What will it take to shake this government out of its complacency and out of its outsourcing of responsibility?", she asks.

    She says the rise of homelessness deaths is the result of the government's "fracturing system of social security and support".

    In reply James Brokenshire says "no one chooses to be on the street", and repeats that the figures are "stark", as is the increase in drug related deaths.

    "These are complex matters that deal with mental health and addiction", he says, whilst the loss of tenancies is another factor.

    "There is absolutely no complacency from me or this government in terms of the need to deal with this urgent issue in relation to rough sleeping and homelessness", he says.

  8. This data is 'stark' - Brokenshirepublished at 11:00 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    Homeless deaths urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    James BrokenshireImage source, HoC

    Housing Secretary James Brokenshire says that "every death of someone sleeping rough on our streets is one too many".

    He calls the data published by the ONS today "stark", adding that it is "simply unacceptable to see lives cut short this way".

    He says that the government has committed to halving rough sleeping by 2022 and ending it by 2027.

    "But it is about action, now," he says, adding that £30m in funding this year is delivering 1,750 new bed spaces available for those who need it.

    He adds that he introduced an additional £5m cold weather fund for 400 additional bed spaces over the winter period in October.

  9. Speaker expresses sadness at homeless man deathpublished at 10:52 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    Homeless deaths urgent question

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    John BercowImage source, HoC

    Before the debate gets underway, Speaker John Bercow expresses his sadness at the death yesterday of a homeless man in a subway outside Westminister tube station.

    He urges MPs to "show some restraint" in commenting on the case in advance of an inquest.

  10. MPs debate homelessness deaths figurespublished at 10:47 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    Homeless deaths urgent question

    Person sleeping rough in a doorwayImage source, Press Association

    Next this morning, shadow housing minister Melanie Onn is asking an urgent question about this morning's figures on deaths of homeless people.

    The Office of National Statistics (ONS) , externalsays 597 homeless people died in England and Wales in 2017, an increase of 24% over five years.

    These are the first official estimates of homeless deaths in England and Wales - the ONS says the figures are "still subject to testing".

    The figures show that men made up 84% of deaths of homeless people last year, with over half of deaths due to drug poisoning, liver disease or suicide.

  11. Watch: MP sings Christmas political wish-listpublished at 10:41 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

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  12. MP question women and equalities ministerspublished at 10:10 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    Questions to ministers at the Department for International Trade come to an end.

    Next up this morning, MPs will be putting questions to women and equalities ministers.

  13. Concern that trade ambitions overshadowing ethical concernspublished at 10:10 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    International Trade questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Rupa HuqImage source, hoC

    Labour MP Rupa Huq expresses concern that the government's "desperation" to make a success of Brexit has "blinded us to all ethical and moral considerations before the ink has dried on a single deal".

    International Trade Secretary Liam Fox disagrees, insisting that the UK continue to takes "very seriously its human rights and ethical responsibilities".

  14. Fox highlights trade opportunities outside Europepublished at 10:09 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    International Trade questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    In response to a question from Labour MP Seema Malhotra, Liam Fox says the UK is "close to signing" a trade agreement with a Commonweath country.

    He says details of that deal will be announced "shortly", and discussions with other countries have been "very positive".

    "There are tremendous opportunities inside the Commonwealth to allow countries to trade their way out of poverty", he says.

    Asked whether there's any number of free trade agreements that can come close to those already enjoyed as part of EU membership, Mr Fox says it depends on the level of access the UK ends up having to the EU market.

    It also depends on the level of growth elsewhere however, he says, adding: "in the next five years, 90% of global growth will be outside of Europe.

    "That's where the opportunities will be and that's where Britain needs to be too".

  15. Commons day beginspublished at 09:48 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    International Trade questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Liam FoxImage source, HoC

    Lib Dem Tom Brake begins the day with a question about trade agreements the UK is part of due to EU membership, and the consequences of a no-deal Brexit.

    International Trade Secretary Liam Fox says the UK will replicate existing EU trade agreements as far as possible.

    He says there is a "very clear desire" from other countries that the UK agrees a withdrawal agreement with the EU.

  16. Good morningpublished at 09:28 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018

    The last day of term before MPs break up for Christmas begins this morning with International Trade questions, followed by Women and Equalities questions.

    Shadow housing minister Melanie Onn will then ask an urgent question on statistics relating to the deaths of homeless people.

    The Office for National Statistics is expected this morning to release its first ever compiled figures on homelessness deaths in England and Wales.

    It comes after a homeless man died yesterday, hours after he was found unresponsive in an underpass opposite the Houses of Parliament.

    After that, Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom will give the business statement, before a debate takes place on the UN report on the Rohingya refugee crisis.

    Labour MP Clive Efford wraps up the day with his adjournment debate on a NHS drop-in centre in his constituency.

  17. Today's row over 'stupid woman' commentpublished at 21:57 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2018

    Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn denied calling Theresa May a "stupid woman" during Prime Minister's Questions.

    He was asked to make a statement to MPs after facing Tory calls to apologise for the alleged insult.

    Mr Corbyn said he was "opposed to the use of sexist and misogynist language in any form" and insisted he had actually said "stupid people".

    Commons Speaker John Bercow said he had not seen the alleged incident and all MPs had to be taken at their word.

    But Conservative MPs said they did not believe Mr Corbyn's explanation and repeated calls for an apology from him.

    Read more here.

  18. PMQs: what happened?published at 21:48 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2018

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  19. That's it from us...published at 21:45 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2018

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    That’s it for our coverage of the Commons today.

    The day started with questions to Cabinet Office ministers, before an eventful last PMQs at midday.

    After Jeremy Corybyn allegedly called Theresa May a “stupid woman”, he was invited to return to the House to address the allegations after numerous points of order on the matter.

    The Speaker also faced criticism from the Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom.

    Jeremy Corbyn returned to the House and denied the allegation, saying he said “stupid people”.

    After PMQs, two ministerial statements were made: the first, introduced by Home Secretary Sajid Javid, was on the future of immigration following the government’s publishing of the immigration white paper, and the second was delivered by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on the situation in Yemen.

    After this, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer was successfully granted an immediate emergency debate on the government’s no deal planning, which followed Conservative MP Maria Caulfield’s Defibrillators (Availability) Bill.

    Since then, MPs have been debating the impact of changes to disability support.

    Join us tomorrow at 9.30am with questions to international trade and women and equalities ministers, before Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom outlines the business for the first week back after recess in the Business statement.

  20. Government committed to ensuring disabled people can 'play full party in society'published at 21:42 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2018

    Impact of Changes to Disability Support Debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Sarah NewtonImage source, HoC

    Winding up the debate on disability support, Work and Pensions Minister Sarah Newton says although a cumulative impact assessment is not possible now, the Department of Work and Pensions "does undertake a wide array of research and analysis to monitor the impact on disabled people".

    She says since 2010, the levels of disabled people in income poverty has improved in three out of four tested measures, yet notes that "one person living in poverty in this country is one too many."

    The government is committed to putting more money in people's pockets, she adds, noting that there has been "an appalling use of statistics tonight".

    "We are delivering on implementing recommendations," she says, adding that she wants to implement video recording of assessments which was an issue raised by many Labour MPs this evening.

    The government is spending record amounts of money on benefits and are committed to getting one million more disabled people in work "so that every disabled person can play their full part in society", she says.