House of Commons
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MPs are now debating shadow home secretary Diane Abbott's question on knife crime.

Home Office Minister Victoria Atkins says "the senseless killings in recent days have shocked the country."

There is no denying the urgency of this issue, she adds, noting the government is "day in, day out" acting to end the bloodshed.

The government is taking "a tough law enforcement approach," he adds, including knife prevention orders being added to the Offensive Weapons Bill.

"We recognise that we cannot arrest our way out of this," she adds, noting that £220m is being invested into early intervention projects so young people are not "sucked into crime".

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Shadow solicitor general Nick Thomas-Symonds says Geoffrey Cox is giving legal advice on the negotiations as well as being "part of the negotiation team".

He adds that he will have to run his proposals past a reported 'Star Chamber' of Eurosceptic lawyers, external before he answers to the Commons.

"I'm not appearing before any Star Chamber [...] the Star Chamber I'm appearing in front of is this House", he replies.

"I commit now to this House that I shall publish my legal opinion on any document that is produced and negotiated with the Union," he says.

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DUP MP Gavin Robinson asks the attorney general if he has considered whether an indefinite backstop plan is "likely to breach commitments" in the Good Friday Agreement.

Geoffrey Cox says all he can say is he turns his mind "to a great deal" of the legal implications, and that these "have not escaped" him.

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Tory Brexiteer Mark Francois says Mr Cox will "effectively be examining his own codpiece in the Commons".

He questions how Geoffrey Cox can provide objective advice when he is "in effect marking his own homework".

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox says "the law is the law", and that he shall judge documents relating to the backstop "entirely and impartially".

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The SNP's Patrick Grady says Geoffrey Cox will not be able to change a "single word" in the withdrawal agreement.

"We are discussing detailed, coherent, careful proposals, we are discussing text with the European Union", says the attorney general in reply.

"I am surprised to hear the comments that have emerged over the last 48 hours the proposals are not clear", he adds.

"They are as clear as day and we are continuing to discuss them".

In reply to a question from Tory Eurosceptic Sir Bill Cash, he says talks will resume "very shortly" and will "almost certainty" continue over the weekend.

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Geoffrey Cox notes that his proposals to change the backstop have been referred to in some quarters as "Cox's codpeice".

"What I am concerned to ensure is that what's inside the codpiece is in full working order", he quips.

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Following up, Helen Goodman asks whether the changes ministers are seeking will require "reopening" the current withdrawal agreement.

In reply, Geoffrey Cox says it is government policy to achieve "necessary change" to the backstop to allow him to change the advice he previously gave to MPs.

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Image source, HoC

Labour MP Helen Goodman asks what discussions the attorney general has had with the cabinet about the legal implications of the Irish backstop plan.

Geoffrey Cox says "unable" to talk about the legal content of what he has discussed in Brussels because of the convention that his legal advice is not disclosed.

He says UK discussions with the EU over the backstop have been "focused" and "detailed".

"We continue to seek legally binding changes to the backstop to ensure that it cannot be indefinite", he adds.

"These discussions will be resumed shortly", he tells MPs.

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox has arrived in the Commons to take questions from MPs.

Yesterday he arrived back in the UK after a trip to Brussels for further Brexit talks in an attempt to secure legally-binding changes to Theresa May's deal.

Mr Cox has played down reports he has abandoned hopes of getting the EU to agree to a firm end date or some kind of exit mechanism to the Irish border backstop.

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Good morning and welcome to our coverage of today's proceedings in the Commons.

The day will begin shortly with digital, media, culture and sport questions, before brief questions to the Attorney General Geoffrey Cox who returned from Brexit talks in Brussels yesterday.

After this, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott will ask an urgent question on knife crime.

This morning it is reported that police commissioners and London's Mayor Sadiq Khan have written to the PM saying pupils are being "sucked into criminality", and that cuts to school funds and youth services mean "interventions" for needy youngsters are not happening.

After this, Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom will outline upcoming business for what is due to be a busy week next with the next meaningful vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal.

A representative from the Committee of Public Accounts will then give a statement on the Windrush generation and the Home Office, before MPs take part in two backbench business debates - on International Women's Day and challenges and opportunities facing the Commonwealth in its 70th year.

Labour MP Alison McGovern will close proceedings with her adjournment debate on the regeneration of New Ferry.

We'll be leaving our coverage of the Lords there for today as peers continue discussing the Trade Bill at report stage.

The Commons will resume tomorrow at 9.30am with digital, culture, media and sport questions and questions to the Attorney General, Geoffrey Cox.

Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom will then outline next week's itinerary in the business statement.

Sean Curran
Parliamentary correspondent

The government's defeat on a Labour amendment to the Trade Bill which calls on the government to negotiate a new customs union with the EU means MPs will get the chance to vote on whether or not the UK should remain in the customs union when the Trade Bill returns to the Commons.

Peers backed an amendment to the Trade Bill which calls on the government to negotiate a new customs union with the EU.

Labour had put forward the proposal with cross party support.

The amendment was approved by 207 votes to 141, a majority of 66.

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International Trade Minister Baroness Fairhead says the amendment would require disputes to be heard by UK courts which "has the potential to undermine a successful and internationally accepted framework".

The government supports calls for fair outcomes for claims, she adds, noting they "continue to push hard for transparency".

The Trade Bill is not here to deal with future trade agreements, she says, adding that due to this, and the fact there are processes already in place for complaints, Lord Stevenson should remove his amendment.

Lord Stevenson agrees to withdraw his amendment on the promise of further discussions with Baroness Fairhead.

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Labour peer Lord Stevenson of Balmacara is now moving the Labour frontbench amendment 15.

It calls for the involvement of judicial systems in trade disputes.

Lord Stevenson asks for a better understanding from the government on where they stand on the issue, and says "it is about time we got ourselves a bit more organised."

He says the opposition are happy to have discussions with the government about a reviewed amendment.

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Labour's amendment 15:

This is an opposition front bench amendment which calls for the involvement of judicial systems in trade disputes.

The amendment introduces a UK based investor-state dispute settlement mechanism with parliamentary oversight.

An investor state dispute settlement (ISDS) is a mechanism used in investment and trade agreements that allows an investor of a state to bring a claim against another state that is hosting the investment, if that state has allegedly breached a standard in the agreement.

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The government has been defeated on Labour's amendment 13 by 207 votes to 141.

Contents: 207

Not Contents: 141

Majority: 66

The amendment makes it an "objective" of the government during Brexit talks to pursue a free trade deal allowing the UK to stay "in a customs union" with the EU after Brexit.

Peers now move on to debate Labour's amendment 15.

Susan Hulme
Parliamentary correspondent

Peers insisted by a majority of 47 that the government should get the approval of the Parliament for its negotiating strategy before embarking on future trade talks.

However it is crucial that the Trade Bill is passed before Brexit day on the 29th of March.

Any defeat on the bill will hold it up and put that timetable in jeopardy.

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Image source, HoL

Labour peer Lord Stevenson of Balmacara says he feels sorry for Lord Bates having to speak against this amendment this evening.

On the fact that MPs have voted on customs union membership post-Brexit before, Lord Stevenson says "when the facts change, so do opinions".

He adds that the minister's argument that membership of a customs union would cause more uncertainty is inaccurate as "surely it is better to have a certain target".

Concluding his speech, Lord Stevenson of Balmacara says he wishes to test the views of the House and pushes his amendment 13 to a vote.

Peers divide to vote on amendment 13. The result is expected in around 10 minutes.

House of Lords
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Image source, HoL

International Development Minister Lord Bates says the arguments for and against a customs union has not changed and that the government's position is clear.

The people of the UK voted to leave, to take back control of their laws and have an end to a freedom of movement, he says, noting that a customs union would not allow this.

Lord Bates says the Commons has already voted against the UK's membership of a customs union.

He adds that he accepts uncertainty is damaging for businesses, yet this proposal "at the eleventh hour, when in sight of an agreement, requires the government to reopen the whole negotiation process".

This will not help businesses, he says, "it would cause more uncertainty".