House of Commons
Parliament

Andrew Selous says surgeons are "understandably" refusing to work overtime on the weekends, as they are "being made worse off as a result".

He says the situation is "very worrying", and says the "punitive" changes to pensions taxation have had "unintended consequences".

Responding, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss says the health secretary is in discussion with the BMA and others about what can be done.

She says the wider issue of the pensions changes should be addressed "very early on" by the next prime minister, due to be announced on 23 July.

Image source, Merseyside Police

MPs are debating a petition in Westminster Hall about whether death by dangerous driving should lead to a life sentence in prison.

It comes after a petition from the parents of Violet-Grace Youens, who was killed by a stolen, speeding car when she was just four-years-old.

The driver was sentenced to nine years and four months, his passenger got six years and eight months.

The debate begins with Labour MP for Warrington North, Helen Jones.

She says: "To lose a child is the worst thing that most of us could imagine. To lose a child at the age of only four, mowed down by a speeding driver, is something we don’t even wish to imagine.

"To listen to their story is to step into a world of horror. To hear about parents called to a hospital knowing something must be dreadfully wrong.

"To hear their story of lying with their daughter until she died is just something for which I don’t have the words to describe.

"I do congratulate them on their courage and tenacity on wanting something good to come out of that grief.

"They do not want this to happen to anyone else."

Image source, Getty Images

That’s the debate on the leaking of emails from the UK's ambassador in Washington finished.

Now Conservative MP Andrew Selous is asking an urgent question on the NHS doctors pensions row which has seen waiting lists for routine surgery rise by up to 50%.

Consultants have begun refusing to work beyond their planned hours after receiving unexpected tax bills, following new pension rules in 2016.

NHS hospitals said delays are becoming increasingly routine as a result.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, UK Parliament

In the Lords, peers are debating the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Bill - the piece of legislation to agree all the works needed to be done to modernise the Palace of Westminster.

Labour's Lord Adonis said he is sure that moving out of the current estate is the right decision to ensure the Houses of Parliament can be modernised.

But, he tells his fellow peers they should spend time considering where they should go.

"At this juncture, where we have a moment to plan for a century to come... [we should ask] whether we should seek to re-balance our political constitution and move Parliament away from London.

"I know that will be a revolutionary suggestion to noble Lords, and I don't expect for a moment that it is going to be agreed in any great or rapid timeline, but I do think it is worth considering."

He said while the current Parliament is "one of the most recognisable buildings in the world", it would not change the decision making process to move, and it would be more accessible to the public.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Veteran Eurosceptic Sir Bill Cash says the emails contained "toxic and unjustified attacks" on the US president, which he says many people will regard as "completely unjustified".

He says in his role chairing the European Scrutiny Committee, he has himself comes across Sir Kim's own "prejudices in relation to the EU".

"Surely it is not his so-called frankness which should be the issue, but his lack of judgment which disqualifies him from his post," he adds.

Sir Alan Duncan says Sir Bill's intervention is "deeply unworthy", calling Sir Kim Darroch a "diplomat of calibre and integrity".

House of Commons
Parliament

The SNP's Stephen Gethins says people are becoming "collateral" of the "infighting" within the Conservative Party about Brexit.

Sir Alan Duncan replies the matter is "not about Brexit", but an "utterly disgraceful leak".

Those leading the inquiry will make "no distinction" between punishing a leaker if found, whether they are a minister, an MP or a civil servant.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Former defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon says all ambassadors are expected to report "frankly and privately".

He says Sir Kim Darroch should not be pilloried" for simply "doing his job".

Sir Alan Duncan says it is "unfair" that "little bits" of his advice have been "taken out of context" and "sensationalised" in some cases.

He says his full messages have been "extremely balanced" over the last two years.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry says Sir Kim has been "hung out to dry".

"His only crime was to tell the truth," she says.

"That is because it was his job."

She called for reassurance for all diplomats abroad that they should not fear "politically motivated leaks".

House of Commons
Parliament

Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, says the leak undermines the UK's relationship with an ally.

He says he would urge the minister to order a criminal inquiry into the leak, and says he has already written to the Metropolitan Police requesting one.

In reply Sir Alan Duncan promises that the Foreign Office inquiry into the leak will be "comprehensive" and will "endeavour to report its findings clearly".

"If evidence of criminality is found, then yes, the police could be involved," he adds.

House of Commons
Parliament

Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan says he "utterly deplores" the leaking of the emails, which he calls "classified information".

He says the public disclosure of the messages "totally unacceptable". He adds that the government continues to have full confidence in Sir Kim Darroch.

He says people expect ambassadors to give their "honest and unvarnished assessment" and are paid "to be candid".

Image source, PA Media

That’s questions to defence ministers finished.

Next up, Tory MP Tom Tom Tugendhat is asking an urgent question on the leaking of emails from the UK's ambassador in Washington criticising President Trump.

The government has begun an inquiry into the leak of emails, in which Sir Kim Darroch said the White House was "uniquely dysfunctional" and "divided" under Mr Trump.

Theresa May says she has "full faith" in Sir Kim but she does not agree with his assessment.

Westminster Hall

MPs are set to debate tougher sentences for dangerous drivers, following a petition started by the parents of a four-year-old girl killed in a hit-and-run.

Violet-Grace Youens was killed by a driver in a stolen car in 2017.

The driver was jailed for nine years and four months, but will be eligible for early release half way through his sentence, which the Youens family doesn't think is enough.

Their petition, signed by more than 160,000 people, calls for life sentences for those convicted of death by dangerous driving.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said it intends to give courts the power to hand down life sentences for death by dangerous driving and proposals for law reform "will be brought forward when parliamentary time allows".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith accuses the government of failing to train a "sufficient number" of new RAF pilots.

The situation, she says, has been "going from bad to worse".

In reply, Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt acknowledges that this is "an area where we are fragile", but says recruitment numbers are "improving".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Tory MP Anne Marie Trevelyan asks Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood whether he will meet her to discuss the idea of an ombudsman to enforce the Armed Forces Covenant.

The Covenant sets out government support for servicemen, women, and their families in areas such as paying council tax and access to schools.

Mr Ellwood says it is important that those organisations committed to the Covenant meet the expectations of those it is intended to serve.

He says there should be "some form of system" to flag up where this is not the case, and says he will meet with her to discuss the ombudsman proposal.

House of Commons
Parliament

The day will be starting at 14:30 BST with Defence questions.

After, there are two urgent questions, the first on diplomatic cable leaks and the second on NHS pensions.

Then, there are two ministerial statements on higher technical education reform and a Commons business statement.

The main business for the day is the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill at second reading.

The day will finish with an adjournment debate on manipulation in the precious metal markets.