House of Commons
Parliament

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SNP MP Joanna Cherry says that in a written statement today, the transport secretary says the no-deal ferry contract to Seaborne Freight was awarded under section 32 of the Public Contracts Regulations.

This section, she says, envisages procurement in "an emergency situation brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting authority".

Ms Cherry says it has been "foreseeable by the government and everyone in this country for some time that there might be a no-deal situation".

She asks whether ministers will publish the legal advice allowing them to proceed under the regulation.

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay says "it was necessary to follow this procurement route".

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour MP Meg Hillier, who chairs the public accounts committee, raises the awarding of a government contract to Seaborne Freight to provide extra ferry services in the event of a no-deal Brexit - despite them owning no ferries - along with this morning's Operation Brock exercise in Kent.

Given the Brexit department's job is to oversee preparation for Brexit, she asks whether Mr Barclay believes the Department for Transport is up to the job.

The Brexit secretary says the transport secretary has answered numerous questions already, and "the reality is that a responsible government needs to put contingency arrangements in place".

He says he's sure Ms Hillier's committee will "explore the mechanics" of that.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Liberal Democrat Lord Storey says this is a "sombre second reading debate" and he says he "shares the sadness" that the legislation is needed at all.

"Sometimes we need to take a step back" and look at "why things happened" and a "kneejerk reaction" to ban something "is not always the right approach", he says.

"I can't imagine anything worse than a police officer appearing at the door" and telling you that "your son or daughter has been charged with a stabbing or shooting offence" or that someone has lost their own child to such an event, he adds.

He says he is "tired" of hearing about "intentions" to improve the mental health of young people.

The cost of keeping a young person in prison is twice that of the cost of a youth worker, he states.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Labour peer and former defence secretary Lord Robertson of Port Ellen says he has a "deep concern about the progress of this bill" due to changes made over rules on sniper rifles.

Some MPs pressured the government into preventing the banning of such rifles due to their use in shooting sports.

"Weapons of this type have sadly been used in the Troubles in Northern Ireland", he says, and the weapons are owned by criminals who "clearly intend to use them".

House of Commons
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Labour MP Chris Leslie says as the Brexit Secretary refused to answer an earlier question about whether the so-called 'meaningful vote' on the Brexit deal will definitely take place, he will ask it again.

He asks whether the Brexit Secretary can guarantee that the meaningful vote will take place next week.

In reply, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay says simply: "Yes".

House of Commons
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Labour Brexiteer Kate Hoey says some reports of the potential consequences of a no deal Brexit are "outrageous".

Mr Barclay says it is "nobody's interest to cause false alarm" about leaving the EU without a deal, but warns against causing "false comfort" also.

He adds that people should also not suggest that the UK would have any hope of managing no deal were it not to meet its financial obligations to the EU.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour MP Hilary Benn, who chairs the Brexit select committee, says the EU "shows no signs" of being willing to offer the assurances that the prime minister wishes to gain.

He says the prime minister must "rule out the disaster that a no-deal Brexit would be for this country".

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay says "the problem with ruling out no deal is that the House has to be for something rather than ruling something out."

"The House has to decide what it is for, not simply what it is against", he adds.

House of Commons
Parliament

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SNP's Westminster Leader Ian Blackford says it is "with regret that we return from the Christmas break with no progress and no prime minister".

He questions why Theresa May is not responding to the urgent question, and says "it is clear that the prime minister's tactic is to run down the clock, bringing the proposal of a no-deal closer."

He calls for Jeremy Corbyn to "get off the fence and join us" and to stop this Brexit plan.

Mr Blackford says Parliament "cannot operate in the dark" and that the government must show MPs all the details.

Stephen Barclay says "the best mitigation for no-deal is to back the prime minister's deal."

"It is the government's firm intention not to extend Article 50", he adds.

House of Commons
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Tory MP Ken Clarke says there is no consensus on what should be sought from the EU, let alone what is achievable from negotiations.

Labour have no idea what they want, he adds, and only ask the question because they feel they should.

It is not an unreasonable request that Article 50 be extension so further negotiations can take place, he says.

The Brexit secretary says revoking Article 50 cannot be used as a "tactical device".

It would not be about buying more time, but "making a clear decision we do not intend to proceed" with Brexit, he adds.

House of Commons
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Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay says "we do not know what Labour's plan is, apart from knowing that it is full of contradiction".

There is "confusion" about what Jeremy Corbyn believes, he adds.

He says the Labour leader opposes no-deal preparations which any responsible government would make.

He says it is "time the leader of the Opposition came clear", asking whether he wants to honour the result of the referendum or whether he would prefer a second referendum.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Lord Pannick says that the bill "has a familiar ring to it" and the government is resorting to "legislation and imprisonment" rather than taking steps to change long-term behaviour.

He says that he agrees with Lord Tunnicliffe, in saying that knife crime is being caused by young people being left out of society and gangs taking the place of youth centres.

The bill is "in fact, a patchwork of un-coordinated and ineffective" measures, he says, and will put "further strain" on an "overcrowded" prison system.

"This bill is a missed opportunity," he adds.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Jeremy Corbyn says with less than three months before Brexit day, "there can be no more hiding and no more running away".

He says the time has come for Theresa May to tell MPs exactly what legal assurances have been given by EU leaders, and it should have been her speaking today.

He asks for guarantees that the prime minsiter "won't just run away" if her deal is defeated, and requests a "cast-iron promise" that the date of the vote will not be "reneged on yet again".

The government is attempting to run down the clock and force MPs into supporting a "botched deal", he adds, calling preparations for no deal "too little too late".

The government is "fooling nobody", he says, urging ministers to "stop wasting time and money" preparing for a no deal Brexit that MPs do not support.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay says Theresa May cannot update MPs personally because she is in Liverpool to launch the new 10-year plan for the NHS in England.

He says it was "clear that the deal was not going to pass this House", and that "further reassurances" should be sought on the issue of the backstop.

He adds that the prime minister has been discussing "legal and political" assurances with the EU over Christmas.

"Securing the additional reassurance that Parliament needs remains our priority and leaders remain in contact", he adds.

Mr Barclay says ministers "will be clear on Wednesday" what developments have been made.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Opposition spokesperson Lord Tunnicliffe says that while the bill has some "shortcomings", Labour will be supporting the passage of the legislation.

He says that the problems which cause knife crime have been exacerbated by young people turning to crime due to a lack of youth centres and help available.

"The government must commit to greater social cohesion and early intervention", he says, adding that it is a "shame" that the bill is not being used to do that.

"I am concerned that the government does not understand the urgency the public wants to see this issue sorted," he adds.

"We must tackle this threat head-on with the severity it deserves," he tells peers.

That’s questions to work and pensions ministers finished.

Next up Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will ask an urgent question on the further measures to the Brexit withdrawal deal promised by Theresa May.

The prime minister is reportedly planning to set out a series of new pledges, including on the Irish border backstop plan on Wednesday, when MPs resume their debate on her Brexit deal.

However Labour has demanded she give an update on the negotiations before then.

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay will reply on behalf of the government.

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Conservative MP Philip Hollobone asks how much the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has spent on preparations for the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.

Amber Rudd says preparations have been included in day-to-day departmental working, so it is not possible to provide a figure, but £15m has been assigned for 2019-20 for EU exit preparation.

"We are 100% ready for any eventualities", she says.

House of Lords
Parliament

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The Lords now move on to second reading consideration of the Offensive Weapons Bill.

This legislation will create a series of new criminal offences relating to firearms, knives and acids, including a ban on the possession of corrosive substances in a public place.

It also plans to ban the sale of corrosive substances to those under the age of 18.

Starting the debate, Home Office Minister Baroness Williams of Trafford says the UK has seen a "concerning rise" in knife crime, which has contributed to rises in homicides.

The bill is a "key part" of the government's response to serious violent crime, she says.

"Acid attacks have life-altering consequences" and there is "no reason" why "industrial strength corrosives should be sold to those under the age of 18", she adds.

"The public wants violent crime to be dealt with now, and rightly so," she adds.