House of Commons
Parliament

• After considering animal welfare regulations, MPs will move on to debating invisible disabilities
• In Westminster Hall, a debate is currently taking place on universal credit
• At 16:00 BST, Conservative Steve Double opens a debate on authorised absence from schools
• This will be followed by a debate on rising crime in smaller towns and communities - led by Labour's Tracy Brabin

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, PA

MPs now debate a statutory instrument which changes the regulations related to selling pets in England.

The instrument prohibits those who hold a licence to sell pets from selling puppies and kittens aged under 6 months, that they have not bred themselves.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs have voted to approve the motion by 266 votes to 192.

Voting is a rare occurrence in the House of Commons these days.

There have only been four votes in the past seven weeks.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Image source, Reuters

Meanwhile, over in the Scottish Affairs Committee, Environment Secretary Michael Gove confirms that he did meet Donald Trump.

"I had the opportunity to say a few words to president on Monday night," he says.

Both men attended the state banquet at Buckingham Palace on Monday night.

He tells the committee that Melania Trump was "very taken" with the kilt he was wearing and adds that the president may be placing an order for Gordon tartan.

"Another example of a successful trading relationship between the UK and America that we have brokered," he says.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

In a point of order after urgent questions, Rebecca Long Bailey complained that one of David Lidington’s answers in PMQs was “accidentally” factually incorrect.

In PMQs earlier, Mr Lidington, when responding to a question about the UK’s carbon budgets, said: “We are not off-track in meeting those targets at all.”

But Ms Long Bailey says “it is a matter of established fact” the government is off track, referencing findings from the government’s committee on climate change and statistics from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Preet Kaur Gill's bill progresses to second reading without disagreement.

The Commons now hears arguments for approving changes to offender rehabilitation rules, a debate being opened by Justice Minister Robert Buckland. The government is proposing that inquiries can consider spent convictions and cautions from the authorities.

But, he says, this will only apply when convictions are relating to the subject of an inquiry.

Mr Buckland says that these changes to the rules are particularly important due to the current ongoing Undercover Policing Inquiry, external.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Labour's Preet Kaur Gill is introducing her bill to reform how management firms charge freeholders service fees within private housing estates.

When large housing areas are built by homebuilders, the communal areas at the end of the build are often sold to a private management company, who then levy a fee. Under this proposed bill, these fees and how they are being spent would be opened up to greater transparency.

Private member's bills are unlikely to progress without government support.

House of Commons
Parliament

On NHS workers, Health Minister Stephen Hammond tells MPs the government is working to ensure that "all staff know they are valued" and will feel that they can "speak up" against bullying. He also commits to publish further papers and consultations on how to fulfil the needs of the NHS report.

With that, the Commons moves on to their next urgent question, on the closure of Sure Start centres.

The IFS on Monday published a report, external saying that Sure Start did have benefits for children in poorer neighbourhoods. It also found that it saved the NHS money.

Sure Start centres were set up under the Blair government in 1998, and have received cuts since 2010.

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Parliament

The Commons moves on to an urgent question on the NHS People Plan.

The interim plan, released on Monday, says it is not enough for the service to have more staff, it must also be "the best place to work".

The NHS is calling for doctors and nurses to be recruited from overseas to "quickly grow the number of doctors and nurses".

You can read more on the NHS' announcement on their website, external.

BBC health editor Hugh Pym has also looked at the report in detail.

More on Michael Gove and climate change. When he was appointed secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, there were claims that he had tried to remove the teaching of climate change when he was previously in charge of the education department.

This piece by BBC education correspondent Sean Coughlan looks closely at whether that's really what happened.

BBC Politics Live
BBC2's lunchtime political programme

Conservative Robert Buckland says the Tory party is "at its best" when it is a "broad church," responding to comments from Esther McVey this morning that she would not have Remain-supporting MPs in her cabinet.

"We need a leader who brings the party and the country together," he adds.

He says he doesn't want to see candidates for leader who don't "genuinely understand the breadth of view within the party".

A bit more on Rebecca Long Bailey's claim that several ministers have denied climate change. Paul Waugh, of the Huffington Post, tweets Labour's position:

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Parliament

And that concludes today's Prime Minister's Questions.

MPs now move on to an urgent question on the interim NHS People Plan, followed by another urgent question on the IFS report on Sure Start.

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Parliament

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The subject of Presdent Trump's visit comes up again as Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts asks her question.

"What we saw this week was a vision of things to come - razzle dazzle concealing the reality of sovereignty reduced to sycophancy," she says.

She notes that 68% of Welsh exports go to the EU compared with 14% going to the US.

"Which deal would the government prioritise?" she asks.

David Lidington replies that the government wants "a very close partnership" with the EU "while at the same time having freedom to pursue trade deals with other parts of the world".

BBC Politics Live
BBC2's lunchtime political programme

The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg says David Lidington "couldn't help himself" when it came to making a joke at Emily Thornberry's expense as she has been disagreeing with the Labour leadership, and did not do PMQs today.

She says Rebecca Long Bailey "did a decent job, particularly at the start" and it looked like herself and David Lidington were enjoying themselves.

"There were a couple of claims that might be seen as being a bit stretchy" by Long Bailey, says Laura, like claiming Michael Gove had denied climate change.

She made a "smart choice" by staying on "home turf" and asking questions relating to business.

She says it was a better PMQs than many between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn.

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Parliament

Conservative Michael Fabricant criticises those who demonstrated against the visit of US President Trump, but not the visit of the Chinese premier.

David Lidington says the MP has made "a telling point about the inconsistency in standards that we have seen from some leading members of the house".

He adds "the sad truth is that people in China are still unable to protest peacefully."

House of Commons
Parliament

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Luke Pollard asks whether Mr Lidington agrees that the police and armed forces should, like the fire service, record the number of people working for them who take their own lives.

Mr Lidington says the MP makes a good point and promises to draw this point to the attention of the relevant minister.