Summary

  • The Commons met at 9.30am for Brexit questions

  • The Leader of the Commons set out forthcoming business

  • This was followed by a debate on the definition of Islamophobia

  • The second debate was on International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia

  1. May 'committed to delivering Brexit'published at 12:26 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tory MP and Brexiteer Nigel Evans asks if the PM can confirm "that if we were to stay in the customs union and single market that we would have to pay billions into the EU" and that the UK wouldn't be able to do free trade deals.

    One of Labour's key demands in order to support Mrs May's Brexit deal is that it includes a customs union with the EU.

    Mrs May replies that she is "happy to confirm" that she is "committed to delivering Brexit".

    "In leaving the EU we will end free movement, restore immigration policy control and end the days of sending vast payments to EU and we will not pay for market access."

  2. SNP: PM trying to 'force her shoddy deal through'published at 12:22 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Ian BlackfordImage source, HoC

    The SNP's Westminster Leader, Ian Blackford, asks if a backroom agreement has been reached between Labour and the Conservatives to "force her shoddy deal through", which will "sell out" Scotland.

    Mrs May replies that only the SNP want to "sell out Scotland".

    Mr Blackford says that Scottish people are "being ignored" in the talks between Labour and Conservatives.

    The prime minister responds that people in Scotland would know where they stand if the SNP were to vote for her Brexit deal.

  3. Corbyn: 'Scandal of inequality in modern Britain'published at 12:19 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Mr Corbyn says the wealth of the richest 1,000 people in Britain has increased by £50bn.

    "This country has seen the rich get richer, while the poor get poorer," he says.

    "More children in poverty, more pensioners in poverty...

    "When will she reverse the tax giveaways to the super rich?"

    He says it is the "scandal of inequality in modern Britain".

    Mrs May replies that the top 1% are paying more today than "they ever did under a Labour government".

  4. Restore the link between inflation and social security - Corbynpublished at 12:17 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jeremy CorbynImage source, HoC

    Mr Corbyn says "in-work poverty is the problem in Britain".

    He says half of all food parcels handed out by the Trussell Trust last year were handed to children.

    The Labour leader asks if the prime minister will "restore the link between inflation and social security".

    Mrs May says that the government has introduced the national living wage, and people are paid more under the minimum wage due to tax cuts in the personal allowance.

  5. May and Corbyn 'trading blows about what happened 10 years ago'published at 12:15 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

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  6. Corbyn: 'Why does the government continue to punish young people?'published at 12:15 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    "Why does the government continue to punish our young people?" Mr Corbyn asks.

    Since 2010, the Conservative party, along with the Lib Dems, have trebled tuition fees and cut child benefit, he says.

    Housing costs have "soared" and "more and more" food banks have opened up in Britain.

    Mrs May replies that the best way to ensure a stable income for families is that they are encouraged into work.

    Unemployment is at a record low, she says.

  7. Youth unemployment has fallen under government - Maypublished at 12:13 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jeremy CorbynImage source, HoC

    Mr Corbyn says "real wages are lower than they were 10 years ago".

    He asks how it "can be fair" that the average CEO of a FTSE100 company "now earns 145 times" the average worker in their company.

    Mrs May says proposed employment policies by the Labour Party would cost young people jobs.

    She says the last Labour government had a 44% rise in youth unemployment.

    Youth unemployment has fallen by 50% under the current government, she adds.

  8. Corbyn starts on hedge fundspublished at 12:12 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

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  9. May recognises 'sad passing of Doris Day'published at 12:11 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Theresa MayImage source, HoC

    Mrs May paid tribute to singer-turned actress Doris Day.

    She said she also noted that 40 years ago Margaret Thatcher was elected.

    Mrs May says Mrs Thatcher had always enjoyed being interviewed by Brian Walden, who passed away at 86 this week.

  10. 'Who does the government represent?'published at 12:10 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says nine out of the UK's richest hedge fund tycoons have donated to the Conservative Party in recent years.

    He asks who the current government is representing.

    Mrs May says income inequality is down since 2010.

    The Conservative Party "wants everyone to be better off", she adds.

    Mrs May accuses Labour of wanting to "bring everyone down".

  11. Theresa May starts by thanking mental health charitypublished at 12:05 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Theresa May starts by thanking the Mental Health Foundation for organising mental health week this week.

    Having good mental health is “vital to us all”, she says.

    She wants to ensure people receive treatment and care when needed, she says.

  12. Theresa May arrives for PMQspublished at 12:04 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Theresa MayImage source, HoC
  13. Two urgent questions added to today's Commons actionpublished at 11:46 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    Coming up...

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    There have been two urgent questions granted by the Speaker's Office.

    The first is asked by shadow culture secretary and deputy Labour leader Tom Watson on the WhatsApp data breach.

    The second is from shadow health minister Barbara Keeley on the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review. The report, due to be published at the end of the month, has been leaked to the Health Service Journal, external.

    They'll be heard shortly after Prime Minister's Questions, so at around 12:45.

  14. Current police funding model 'not fit for purpose' for Welsh forcespublished at 11:44 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    Wales Office questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Susan Elan JonesImage source, HoC

    The first question is being asked by Labour's Susan Elan Jones, on levels of police funding in Wales. She says the current funding model for policing in Wales is "not fit for purpose".

    In response, Wales Office Minister Kevin Foster says that in North Wales there have been increases in police budgets, and three out of four police forces in Wales are rated good for effectiveness.

  15. Today in the Commonspublished at 10:09 British Summer Time 15 May 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Wednesday’s live coverage from the Commons will start at 11.30am, with ministers from the Wales office answering questions from MPs, before the spectacle of PMQs kicks off at midday.

    This will be followed by a ten minute rule bill, introduced by the Labour MP Faisal Rashid, which aims to improve the right of access to trade unions for employees within organisations.

    There will then be a Statutory Instrument for approval on the Higher Education and Research Act 2017.

    After, there’ll be a general debate on serious violence.

  16. Commons adjournspublished at 19:57 British Summer Time 14 May 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs finish the day with an adjournment debate on crime and antisocial behaviour in Stockton South.

    The House of Commons will resume tomorrow at 11:30 BST with Wales questions, followed by Prime Minister's Questions.

  17. Health spending motion defeatedpublished at 19:18 British Summer Time 14 May 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour's motion has been defeated by 286 votes to 230 - a government majority of 56.

    It was the first vote to take place in the House of Commons since 10 April.

  18. What is a humble address?published at 16:13 British Summer Time 14 May 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    House of CommonsImage source, HoC

    Instead of tabling a standard motion, Labour are today using an arcane piece of parliamentary procedure - a humble address - aimed at forcing the government to release documents.

    As the largest opposition party, Labour is allocated 17 days per parliamentary session which it can use to debate a motion of its choosing.

    Such debates are useful to the opposition as it requires a minister to respond on behalf of the government and there is often a vote on the motion.

    However, if a government believes it cannot win a vote it can tell its MPs to abstain meaning the embarrassment of a defeat is avoided.

    Increasingly frustrated by this tactic, Labour began using a parliamentary procedure called 'a motion for a return' in order to give their motions more force.

    This meant that instead of tabling a normal motion Labour tabled a humble address calling on the government to produce government documents.

    Speaking in November 2017, shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer explained that the use of this unusual procedure was to make it "impossible for the government to pull their usual Wednesday afternoon trick of not voting on opposition day motions or not taking any notice of them".

    Unlike usual opposition day debate motions, a 'humble address' motion is regarded as binding on the government.

  19. MPs debate health spendingpublished at 16:08 British Summer Time 14 May 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs now begin a debate on health spending.

    Labour, who have tabled the motion, are calling on the government to release briefing papers or analysis provided to the health secretary since July 2018 including documents covering:

    • impact assessments of public health spending reductions
    • life expectancy
    • funding pay risks for NHS staff
  20. Today in Commonspublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 14 May 2019

    The day in the Commons starts - as usual - with questions to ministers.

    Today it's the turn of the Foreign Office, and Jeremy Hunt and his team will be at the dispatch box, responding to questions from MPs.

    Unusually, there are no ministerial statements or urgent questions from backbench MPs today - so MPs will move onto two Opposition Day debates.

    The first is on prisons and probation - the second on health and local public health cuts.