:00:00. > :00:00.was Saudi Arabia is doing as well. Could the Leader of the House please
:00:00. > :00:10.give us the forthcoming business? The business for next week will be
:00:11. > :00:16.as follows, Monday the 30th of January, second reading of the
:00:17. > :00:20.pension schemes Bill Lord's, Tuesday the 31st, second reading of the EU
:00:21. > :00:27.notification of withdrawal Bill, day one. Wednesday the 1st of February,
:00:28. > :00:33.conclusion of second reading of the EU notification of withdrawal Bill.
:00:34. > :00:38.Thursday 2nd of February, select committee statement of the second
:00:39. > :00:43.report of the public illustration committee entitled Will the NHS ever
:00:44. > :00:48.learn, followed by a general debate on the Armed Forces covenant report
:00:49. > :00:52.2016. The subject of that debate having been determined by the
:00:53. > :00:58.backbench committing. 3rd of February private members bills. 6th
:00:59. > :01:04.of February will be as follows, Monday the 6th of February,
:01:05. > :01:10.consideration in committee of the EU notification of withdrawal Bill, day
:01:11. > :01:12.one. Tuesday the seventh, continuation of consideration in
:01:13. > :01:19.committee of the EU notification of withdrawal Bill. Wednesday the
:01:20. > :01:23.eighth, conclusion of consideration in committee of the EU notification
:01:24. > :01:26.of withdrawal Bill. Followed by remaining stages of the EU
:01:27. > :01:33.notification of withdrawal Bill. Thursday ninth, business to be
:01:34. > :01:39.nominated by the backbench business, Nessie. Friday the tenth we will not
:01:40. > :01:43.sit. The business in West Westminster Hall for the sixth and
:01:44. > :01:48.9th of February will be as follows, Monday the sixth, debate on an E
:01:49. > :01:54.petition relating to the domestic ivory market in the UK. Thursday
:01:55. > :01:57.ninth, debate on the sixth report from the science and technology
:01:58. > :02:05.committee on the smart monitoring of electricity and gas. In recent
:02:06. > :02:09.weeks, exchanges at business questions have been notably
:02:10. > :02:14.protracted and it would really help if questions and replies could be
:02:15. > :02:23.pithy, including the exchanges from the front bench. Thank you. Your
:02:24. > :02:27.comments are duly noted. Can I thank the Leader of the House for the
:02:28. > :02:31.business. And could he start by confirming that the 20th of July
:02:32. > :02:36.that will be the date that the house rises for summer recess? In
:02:37. > :02:40.addition, the great repeal Bill will be in the Queen's speech, could you
:02:41. > :02:46.let us know when that will be debated? The British people owe a
:02:47. > :02:50.debt of gratitude to Gina Miller because of her courage the highest
:02:51. > :02:54.court of the land confirmed it is inconsistent with long-standing and
:02:55. > :02:56.fundamental principles that far-reaching constitutional change
:02:57. > :03:03.cannot be brought about by ministerial decision all ministerial
:03:04. > :03:06.action alone but requires an act of Parliament. Can the Leader of the
:03:07. > :03:10.House tellers if the Prime Minister got the memo that Parliament is
:03:11. > :03:17.sovereign? White papers are a tool of participatory democracy not a
:03:18. > :03:22.policy commitment. The honourable member earlier this week along with
:03:23. > :03:25.30 members across the house or asked for the white paper on the Gottman's
:03:26. > :03:31.plans. The Secretary of State had exhumed on Tuesday did not answer.
:03:32. > :03:35.Instead the Prime Minister announced it in response to a question at
:03:36. > :03:40.Prime Minister's Time. Can the leader please confirm whether all
:03:41. > :03:44.policy U-turns will be announced in this way and will we have two
:03:45. > :03:52.negotiate an extension for Prime Minister's Question Time? And could
:03:53. > :03:54.the leader respond to will the white paper and risk assessments be
:03:55. > :04:00.published before the committee stage in the coming two weeks. The Kaufman
:04:01. > :04:06.is clearly does not do process or substance. The Secretary of State
:04:07. > :04:11.had ex who said what we have come up with is a competence of free trade
:04:12. > :04:17.agreement and customs agreement that will deliver the exact same benefits
:04:18. > :04:26.as we have, same outcome different name. We call it the single market,
:04:27. > :04:30.we... Could the Leader of the House in sure there is time to debate this
:04:31. > :04:35.alternative terminology so there is no confusion? And staying in the EU,
:04:36. > :04:40.could the Leader of the House find time to debate the comprehensive
:04:41. > :04:42.trade agreement between EU and Canada? The Secretary State for
:04:43. > :04:48.International development apparently committed the Government to have a
:04:49. > :04:52.vote before the 15th of February and the Secretary of State confirms the
:04:53. > :04:56.chair of the European scrutiny committee that he overwritten
:04:57. > :05:01.Parliamentary scrutiny. The Government can't use the Brexit
:05:02. > :05:05.shambles as an excuse at four policy failures of fiscal irresponsibility
:05:06. > :05:11.so could we have a debate on the NA oh report at HRC policy with
:05:12. > :05:22.concentric. ?23 million was paid as commission to the farm on a
:05:23. > :05:26.commission worth --. ... If the Government can find the 23 million
:05:27. > :05:31.for the commission can any damages the breach-of-contract be set aside,
:05:32. > :05:38.10 million of which could be set aside to cover the costs of child
:05:39. > :05:43.burial, a campaign sake started by the man of the Swansea East. Could
:05:44. > :05:48.we also have debate on the climate change risk assessment? The report
:05:49. > :05:51.highlighted urgent priorities. It said were action was needed on
:05:52. > :05:57.flooding coastal change risks. There are risks from health from high
:05:58. > :06:04.temperatures. Risks to public water supply. No speech, no statement and
:06:05. > :06:10.a twitter account is stark silence. Irresistible to the White House.
:06:11. > :06:14.Could we have a statement from the Secretary of State as many people we
:06:15. > :06:24.need to know what steps will be taken to protect future generations.
:06:25. > :06:29.A five-year sentence has been confirmed, it is not clear what the
:06:30. > :06:35.charges are, and representation must be made. And I'm sure all members
:06:36. > :06:40.will join me in celebrating the consecration of the first woman
:06:41. > :06:43.bishop in Wales! She will now become Bishop of saying Davies. Great
:06:44. > :06:47.little city. Whatever the shape of the bill to be published later
:06:48. > :06:55.today, I would like to remind honourable members that the
:06:56. > :06:58.procedural material is open in the library to help people with the
:06:59. > :07:06.bill. Parliament is indeed sovereign. Mr Speaker, if I can try
:07:07. > :07:11.to reply briefly to the points made by the honourable lady, I join her
:07:12. > :07:17.firstly in welcoming the new Bishop of St Andrews, saying Davies, to her
:07:18. > :07:28.duties, I'm getting carried away by Burns day... Saints Davids. To her
:07:29. > :07:31.duties. And I think that she has obviously taken charge of what must
:07:32. > :07:38.be one of the most picturesque and delightful dioceses in the country.
:07:39. > :07:42.-- St Davids. On the question of misses Ratcliff, one ruble friend
:07:43. > :07:48.the Minister for the Middle East has spoken on Monday this week to
:07:49. > :07:52.express concern about the appeal verdict, this case has been
:07:53. > :07:55.previously raised directly by the Prime Minister and the Foreign
:07:56. > :07:59.Secretary with the president and with the Foreign Minister, our
:08:00. > :08:02.Ambassador will continue to raise this case at every level and at
:08:03. > :08:07.every opportunity in Iran. -- Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. On the
:08:08. > :08:14.question of consent checks, the government has accepted that both
:08:15. > :08:18.provided an acceptably poor service and HMRC must learn lessons from
:08:19. > :08:23.this experience, I hope the house will recognise that the government
:08:24. > :08:28.was right to prioritise the people who actually had tax credit claims
:08:29. > :08:33.that had either been handled wrongly or had not been properly assessed,
:08:34. > :08:40.and HMRC has now dealt with all 181,000 cases taken back from
:08:41. > :08:44.concentric. I shall look at her request for a debate on climate
:08:45. > :08:53.change, but as she will know, this is something to which the government
:08:54. > :08:59.continues to give a higher priority. I cannot as yet give the house
:09:00. > :09:11.details of dates for the summer recess. I would hope to do so as
:09:12. > :09:17.soon as possible. There was a need for the right honourable friend to
:09:18. > :09:22.over right scrutiny procedures because the EU timetable for
:09:23. > :09:26.agreement accelerated faster than expected and was frankly in our
:09:27. > :09:30.interest, a relationship with Canada, support for free trade. And
:09:31. > :09:36.EU relationships with other countries that we agreed, the
:09:37. > :09:41.agreement was something that the UK has been championing since the
:09:42. > :09:45.inception of negotiations. But I did say in my evidence to the scrutiny
:09:46. > :09:51.committee two weeks ago that we would look for an opportunity,
:09:52. > :09:54.possibly to try to link the debate to a broader debate, on
:09:55. > :10:01.International Trade, before much longer. On the broader question
:10:02. > :10:09.about Europe, I have to say to the honourable lady, that I'm sorry that
:10:10. > :10:10.she was a little bit grudging in her response to the government
:10:11. > :10:30.announcement on a white Paper. This was not in this case the government
:10:31. > :10:35.made the announcement in prime ministers questions, with a packed
:10:36. > :10:38.house, packed press gallery, and packed gallery, I thought the
:10:39. > :10:45.honourable lady might have welcomed that, and I hope that it will not be
:10:46. > :10:50.much longer before in prime we will have authoritative statement of what
:10:51. > :10:55.on earth the opposition policy is for which we have been waiting for
:10:56. > :10:58.too long. Would my right honourable friend find time for a debate on
:10:59. > :11:03.regulation finding the operation of... I understand it was very well
:11:04. > :11:08.for some people but it has had an adverse impact on the licensed taxi
:11:09. > :11:15.trade in Southend. -- finding the operation of Uber. I understand that
:11:16. > :11:19.that got my understanding is that drivers whose licences have been
:11:20. > :11:23.revoked by Southend Council who continue working in the town by
:11:24. > :11:32.obtaining a Tfl icings and working for Uber. -- Tfl licence. Those
:11:33. > :11:38.concerns should be raised directly with Tfl. It is the responsibility
:11:39. > :11:44.of local licensing authorities to ensure that not just taxi drivers
:11:45. > :11:51.but private hire drivers are also fit and proper person's to hold that
:11:52. > :11:57.licence. -- fit and proper persons. Thank you for an immaculate silk of
:11:58. > :12:04.grace last night, just to let you know, you are down for it is enter
:12:05. > :12:18.next year! LAUGHTER -- you are down for a tam o' shanter
:12:19. > :12:21.next year. He should have chanced his arm and said we will definitely
:12:22. > :12:24.be staying in the European Union, because first there was a White
:12:25. > :12:31.Paper, then there was no White Paper, act and for! As leader of the
:12:32. > :12:43.house, as the guardian of this house's
:12:44. > :12:53.Can we have a debate about special relationships, particularly how, you
:12:54. > :13:00.are supposed to behave in one of the special relationships. When a United
:13:01. > :13:02.States president says torture is an instrument of policy, when
:13:03. > :13:07.particular religions are picked out for exclusion, when women's rights
:13:08. > :13:18.are set back decades, should this country be not just a little more
:13:19. > :13:24.cautious before accepting this Trumpian embrace. What we now know
:13:25. > :13:30.is that all these Scotland acts, demolition and settlement, they are
:13:31. > :13:36.not worth the ermine they are written on. There is no such thing
:13:37. > :13:39.as permanence as Parliament, what we heard about, what was so convincing
:13:40. > :13:46.about enshrined in law is nothing other than Parliamentary wore full.
:13:47. > :13:49.Week by week, of "Brexit" Britain, is looking like a less attractive
:13:50. > :13:54.prospect for Scotland. We need to know that our views will be
:13:55. > :13:57.respected, or we will have to consider whether we remain in this
:13:58. > :14:12.British Isles. On the important question asked
:14:13. > :14:16.about torture, the Prime Minister said very clearly, the United
:14:17. > :14:24.Kingdom remains resolutely opposed to torture on grounds of moral
:14:25. > :14:29.principle, on grounds of our participation in the UN Convention
:14:30. > :14:32.against torture, and other such international legal incidents, and
:14:33. > :14:37.on the grounds that it does not work because you cannot place much value
:14:38. > :14:42.in information, evidence extracted by means of torture. That continues
:14:43. > :14:48.to be and will continue to be the government position. I have to say,
:14:49. > :14:54.this question about Scotland, in the United Kingdom, it was the Scottish
:14:55. > :15:01.Government's decision to go to the Supreme Court, over the question of
:15:02. > :15:07.consultation with the devolved administrations. It has always been
:15:08. > :15:12.the case, and set down in the three devolution acts, that the United
:15:13. > :15:17.Kingdom's participation in international organisations,
:15:18. > :15:21.membership of international organisations, is a reserved matter,
:15:22. > :15:26.under those devolution settlements. On the other questions about Europe,
:15:27. > :15:32.this house voted overwhelmingly for the referendum Bill to give a
:15:33. > :15:34.decision to the people, it voted overwhelmingly for the Prime
:15:35. > :15:40.Minister to trigger Article 50 by the end of March, and that is what
:15:41. > :15:43.we are seeking to deliver. In reminding colleagues of the need for
:15:44. > :15:49.brevity I also remind them that those that came into the chamber
:15:50. > :15:54.after the debate started should not be standing, it is as simple as
:15:55. > :15:57.that. And the leader of the house confirmed that during the committee
:15:58. > :15:59.stage of drawing the bill, the government temptation will be to
:16:00. > :16:04.resist every and each amendment which seeks to guide the government
:16:05. > :16:10.in legal knots and in Piedmont negotiations. The bill, as
:16:11. > :16:15.honourable members will see when they have studied it, is a short
:16:16. > :16:20.bill which empowers the Prime Minister formally to trigger Article
:16:21. > :16:28.50 and commenced the negotiation, that is all that the bill is about.
:16:29. > :16:32.Since this government came to office, it has sought to avoid
:16:33. > :16:37.government scrutiny to leave the EU, and achieve ends by resorting to the
:16:38. > :16:40.use of the Royal prerogative, bypassing this Parliament. First it
:16:41. > :16:45.lost in the High Court, then it lost in the Supreme Court, and now
:16:46. > :16:48.finally, it has had to concede that Parliament is sovereign by
:16:49. > :16:53.publishing a bill and a White Paper. I was astonished at the amount of
:16:54. > :16:59.time that the leader of the house has given this Parliament to debate
:17:00. > :17:04.it. He's being very quiet about whether the White Paper will be
:17:05. > :17:09.published. Can you give us more time and tell us that he is going to
:17:10. > :17:14.publish the White Paper? I think, if you consider that this is a two
:17:15. > :17:19.clause bill, of which the second clause is dealing only with the
:17:20. > :17:25.extent of the bill, to the United Kingdom, there is plenty of time,
:17:26. > :17:30.including two full days at second reading, for all opinions to be
:17:31. > :17:34.fully expressed. Can we have a debate on the ongoing witchhunt of
:17:35. > :17:37.former service people who served in Northern Ireland during the
:17:38. > :17:41.troubles, this is a travesty of justice, bringing shame on the
:17:42. > :17:44.country, and has to stop. There will be Northern Ireland questions next
:17:45. > :17:49.Wednesday, February one, when my honour above friend may wish to
:17:50. > :17:52.press this point, as he knows, the Secretary of State has already
:17:53. > :17:56.expressed concern about this and it is important that criminal
:17:57. > :17:59.investigations are conducted independently and impartially but
:18:00. > :18:04.service men and women are not singled out in any way. Can I thank
:18:05. > :18:10.the leader of the house for the statement and the confirmation that
:18:11. > :18:15.there will be a backbench debate on the Armed Forces covenant. Earlier
:18:16. > :18:21.this week, backbench committee determined that a debate on is ready
:18:22. > :18:25.settlements in occupied Palestinian territories would be tabled for the
:18:26. > :18:30.next available date, and that will be on the 9th of February. Also
:18:31. > :18:34.hoping that we can table on that date but we need confirmation from
:18:35. > :18:35.the applicant is that it is OK to do so a debate on the governance of
:18:36. > :18:55.football. Can ask that I am --... I am
:18:56. > :19:01.grateful to the honourable gentleman and I try to assist in getting him
:19:02. > :19:13.adequate notice. He is helping the whole of the house. We hear about
:19:14. > :19:19.the excellent work in my constituency. With increasing life
:19:20. > :19:23.expectancy and conditions like dementia on the rise, can we have a
:19:24. > :19:28.debate about how we can support such organisations and cooperation train
:19:29. > :19:31.them and local authorities? He's quite hard right to highlight this
:19:32. > :19:36.point and I would like to congratulate him and those people in
:19:37. > :19:41.Warwickshire who are working so hard to improve those services living
:19:42. > :19:50.with people for -- for people living with dementia and contributing to
:19:51. > :19:55.research. We've seen a doubling of funding for research on dementia.
:19:56. > :19:58.Helping people living with dementia needs families, voluntary
:19:59. > :20:04.organisations and local authority statutory services to cooperate. Can
:20:05. > :20:08.I tell him that just three days to debate the detail of the most
:20:09. > :20:14.important issue facing this country in a generation, the repercussions
:20:15. > :20:17.of which will face generations to come, is completely unacceptable and
:20:18. > :20:22.I vote that every opposition party in this house and everyone who come
:20:23. > :20:26.cares about democracy, will vote against this contempt of Parliament
:20:27. > :20:36.when it comes to the motion. I would say to him that his party supported
:20:37. > :20:41.the referendum Bill inputting the question to the people, and his
:20:42. > :20:46.party supported the timetable of triggering Article 50 by the end of
:20:47. > :20:52.March. The Bill is designed to secure those objectives are met.
:20:53. > :20:57.Does the leader agree that there is actually ample time to debate the
:20:58. > :21:01.Bill, with two days second reading and three days in committee stage.
:21:02. > :21:09.Could he confirmed the precise sitting times on those days? We will
:21:10. > :21:14.try to ensure that there is plenty of time and that adequate protection
:21:15. > :21:17.is given against the risk of statements or urgent questions so
:21:18. > :21:24.that members on all sides have the opportunity to debate these matters
:21:25. > :21:31.fully. It's such a pleasure and surprise to be called before
:21:32. > :21:37.friends! Previously I asked about the budget for a National Audit
:21:38. > :21:44.Office and consequences for Scotland he has still to get back to me. Last
:21:45. > :21:48.week there should be barnacle consequence was for the budget. How
:21:49. > :21:57.much will they get and when will it happen? I would like to go see the
:21:58. > :22:01.response he has had about this but I'll do my best to provide a
:22:02. > :22:07.response. Because the pro Minister has been so clear, I do hope that
:22:08. > :22:15.the white paper won't tell us anything that we don't already know.
:22:16. > :22:18.LAUGHTER All colleagues will have followed
:22:19. > :22:24.the Government's various statements on their approach to the EU exit
:22:25. > :22:31.with the assiduous nurse might honourable friend has shown. We
:22:32. > :22:34.should be clear about that while we wish to provide clear statements it
:22:35. > :22:38.would not be in the national interest to set out in detail our
:22:39. > :22:45.negotiating position. That would be the most foolish step for any
:22:46. > :22:53.Government to take. Should it not be made clear next week for not only
:22:54. > :22:57.does the UK not sanction torture as stated yesterday but will condemn
:22:58. > :23:03.the use of torture by the United States, if waterboarding is brought
:23:04. > :23:06.back? Would it not be absolutely wrong if this country, this
:23:07. > :23:17.Government, became an apologist for a bigoted and wrong-headed US
:23:18. > :23:22.president? There is no question of this country endorsing or supporting
:23:23. > :23:25.torture. The rejection of torture is written into the various
:23:26. > :23:28.international agreements to which we are party and has been integral to
:23:29. > :23:31.numerous statements on this subject by the Prime Minister, the Foreign
:23:32. > :23:37.Secretary and many other members of the Government. Can we have a debate
:23:38. > :23:40.on how Government can do better to ensure the prosperity agenda
:23:41. > :23:45.stemming from defence procurement is used to ensure existing clusters of
:23:46. > :23:50.high-tech businesses in the south-west such as jovial benefit
:23:51. > :23:57.from inward investment by large beneficiaries of governance spending
:23:58. > :24:00.such as Boeing? My honourable friend highlights real opportunities for
:24:01. > :24:06.business to benefit from technology. One of the things this country does
:24:07. > :24:12.need to improve on is how we turn our intent is this and our
:24:13. > :24:14.technological expertise into commercial job creating
:24:15. > :24:22.opportunities and this may be a very good opportunity to seek a debate to
:24:23. > :24:26.pursue this further. Last week I attended the Eastbrook primary
:24:27. > :24:31.school in my constituency. They have a free breakfast club attended by
:24:32. > :24:35.around 70 children every day. This is facilitated by Huddersfield town
:24:36. > :24:37.football club and their charity partners. They support a number of
:24:38. > :24:43.schools in the district. Can we have a debate to discuss how we can
:24:44. > :24:46.encourage or mandate other football clubs to do other types of community
:24:47. > :24:51.initiatives which support the communities? I can't promise a
:24:52. > :24:56.debate in Government time but I applaud the initiative and I think
:24:57. > :25:00.there are many parts of the country in which local sports clubs and
:25:01. > :25:05.other voluntary organisations are supporting their schools
:25:06. > :25:11.incompatible ways. Some of us in this place can talk for Britain, not
:25:12. > :25:17.me, of course. But surely we can hardly complain about getting four
:25:18. > :25:27.days -- five days on to Klaus Bell. This is implementing the will of
:25:28. > :25:33.people. -- two Klaus Bell. Can the leader confirm he will try to avoid
:25:34. > :25:41.statements on any of these days. We will try to, not to have unnecessary
:25:42. > :25:47.statements, but events happen and there is other business that has to
:25:48. > :25:51.be presented to Parliament. That explains why we said that on Tuesday
:25:52. > :25:55.next week the secretary debate will continue until midnight and I'm sure
:25:56. > :25:58.the honourable members will have every opportunity to speak and make
:25:59. > :26:02.all the points they went to make in rats. Doesn't it beggar belief that
:26:03. > :26:06.the Government are so afraid of proper debate that they've only
:26:07. > :26:12.allocated this pathetic three days to the committee of the EU
:26:13. > :26:17.withdrawal Bill, less than we had for the Lisbon Treaty, the Amsterdam
:26:18. > :26:23.Treaty, the single European act, and a tiny fraction of what we had the
:26:24. > :26:27.Maastricht, an eighth of the time we had? Doesn't it speak volumes of the
:26:28. > :26:31.Government's deficiency of their plan that they are trying to gag
:26:32. > :26:36.Parliament in this way? I have more respect than him to suspect this is
:26:37. > :26:43.anything more than synthetic rage. There is no comparison between
:26:44. > :26:49.previous bills that sought to ratify EU treaties which had a direct
:26:50. > :26:59.impact on many different aspects of UK law, and eight to Klaus Bell of
:27:00. > :27:02.which a single clause is a substantive one which is entirely to
:27:03. > :27:08.give authority to the Prime Minister to trigger an Article 50 process and
:27:09. > :27:14.begin a negotiation. Last Friday I had the honour of attending bracken
:27:15. > :27:22.barracks to Kaymer rate the 138th anniversary of a battle that was
:27:23. > :27:26.immortalised in the film, Zulu. Can we have a debate on importance of
:27:27. > :27:32.educating young hit people on the history of our Armed Forces? My
:27:33. > :27:40.honourable friend draws attention to the very deep connection between
:27:41. > :27:47.Brecon and the 24th Rab judgment of foot. I understand the museum is
:27:48. > :27:52.there. I hope the commemoration goes well and he may seek other
:27:53. > :27:56.parliamentary opportunities. The leader would not want to constrain
:27:57. > :28:00.the debate around the Article 50 Bell. Will he therefore be bringing
:28:01. > :28:02.forward with the Bill a money resolution so that the widest
:28:03. > :28:07.possible range of amendments can be tabled? I don't think the Prime
:28:08. > :28:14.Minister can needs any additional resources to trickle after tackle 50
:28:15. > :28:18.once authority has been given. Will he join me in welcoming today's
:28:19. > :28:21.growth figures. Can we have a debate on the fundamental strength of the
:28:22. > :28:28.UK economy which grew by 2% last year? I would like to think that
:28:29. > :28:32.very good news on growth, which is also good news for jobs and living
:28:33. > :28:35.standards in this country, would be welcomed across the house. It is
:28:36. > :28:43.attributable to industry and workers. The former Conservative
:28:44. > :28:48.Lord Chancellor described Government in this country as an elective disc
:28:49. > :28:52.dictatorship. This Government with their timetabling of the EU
:28:53. > :28:57.withdrawal Bill seems determined to prepare right. Whether he was right
:28:58. > :29:00.or wrong, it seems in the name of two not Christie that people
:29:01. > :29:07.campaigned frostily see you. I repeat the question, why are
:29:08. > :29:12.discovered in trying to muzzle voice of the people in Parliament with
:29:13. > :29:17.their timetabling of this Bill? I think the five days allotted can
:29:18. > :29:24.hardly be described as muzzling and the house voted both for the people
:29:25. > :29:29.to take the decision and for the March timetable for the triggering
:29:30. > :29:32.of Article 50. The passage of the Bill through Parliament is intended
:29:33. > :29:40.to ensure the wish of the house can be delivered. Next week one of my
:29:41. > :29:43.constituents appears in the Supreme Court because the Department for
:29:44. > :29:49.Education wants judges to interpret the word regular in relation to
:29:50. > :29:52.school attendance. If the Government wins the case the law will
:29:53. > :29:58.retrospectively criminalise the actions of tens of thousands of
:29:59. > :30:01.parents. If the law needs to be changed it should surely come before
:30:02. > :30:06.Parliament for proper debate and scrutiny. Could the leader in
:30:07. > :30:12.courage the secretary of state to make a statement on this. My
:30:13. > :30:15.honourable friend I'm sure we'll understand it would not be
:30:16. > :30:18.appropriate for either the secretary of state or me to comment on this
:30:19. > :30:27.case when it is currently before the courts. The Department requested
:30:28. > :30:34.permission to intervene because we need clarity about what the law
:30:35. > :30:40.actually says and means now, before we can take any policy decisions
:30:41. > :30:49.that might be needed. Last week the business Department announced a
:30:50. > :30:56.major review. Yet on Monday of this week the Treasury brought forward a
:30:57. > :30:59.legislative reform order, seeking the formation of a new type of
:31:00. > :31:05.limited partnership with even less controls. Can we have a debate on
:31:06. > :31:14.the use of Dallara owes? Is the honourable gentleman knows, Ella
:31:15. > :31:18.Rose have a genuine purpose in Scotland and have existed through
:31:19. > :31:23.long time in Scottish law. As he also says there have been serious
:31:24. > :31:29.allegations and evidence that this status has been abused and that is
:31:30. > :31:33.why the enquiry is taking place. If the enquiry concludes there is a
:31:34. > :31:37.need for changes in the law then the Government want to consider those
:31:38. > :31:46.quickly but carefully. We are hearing from Labour's backbenches
:31:47. > :31:50.that they would seek to as oppose the Government. Has he had any
:31:51. > :31:57.representations from labours front bench that they will seek to oppose
:31:58. > :32:04.the Government 's programme motion? It is not for me to disclose on the
:32:05. > :32:14.floor of the house. But I think there have been public, numerous and
:32:15. > :32:20.often contradictory about the plans they can to take. Hull has had
:32:21. > :32:26.nearly 350,000 people attending in the last week. I hope you might be
:32:27. > :32:29.able to attend in the course of 2017. Many of those visitors
:32:30. > :32:33.actually came through the railway station and imagine my surprise when
:32:34. > :32:36.I learned that trans-Pennine who operate the railway station and
:32:37. > :32:43.decided to close the waiting room and toilets at 7pm because of
:32:44. > :32:45.anti-social behaviour. After the three hole and peas have made
:32:46. > :32:50.representations they said keep them open till nine. But only if there is
:32:51. > :32:56.no more anti-social behaviour. Could we please have a debate about when
:32:57. > :33:06.we decided jobs could dictate the facilities passengers and general
:33:07. > :33:12.maps of the politic -- public? First of all, I would like to congratulate
:33:13. > :33:17.the city of Hull on their first few weeks as city of culture and I hope
:33:18. > :33:21.many honourable ambers on all sides are able to take the opportunity to
:33:22. > :33:28.go to hold during the course of this year. The last time I went, I do
:33:29. > :33:31.remember visiting City Hall and being hugely impressed I the
:33:32. > :33:37.architecture and the sense of civic pride. On the question of
:33:38. > :33:41.anti-social behaviour that she raised, I have a lot of sympathy
:33:42. > :33:48.with what she says. I would hope that the franchise holder, local
:33:49. > :33:50.police, local authority, can work together to find an effective
:33:51. > :33:56.solution that means these facilities can remain open.
:33:57. > :34:03.I welcome the government commitment to publishing the White Paper this
:34:04. > :34:06.week, I thank my friend for his work in enabling this to happen, but can
:34:07. > :34:11.he outlined discussions he has had to enable this, and also on the
:34:12. > :34:15.timescale that my constituent views can be heard in Parliamentary time.
:34:16. > :34:22.There will be fiercely opportunities to debate the particular bill that
:34:23. > :34:26.has been published today. Pretty narrow in scope but there will be
:34:27. > :34:38.the repeal bill, which the government has said we will
:34:39. > :34:49.introduce there will continue to be various debates on aspects of
:34:50. > :34:53.departure from the European Union. Notwithstanding the importance of
:34:54. > :34:59.issues like "Brexit", will the leader of the house consider how we
:35:00. > :35:04.ensure that other legislation receives the prominence it deserves,
:35:05. > :35:08.yesterday was an historic day for the parliament, when the gender pay
:35:09. > :35:17.gap red regulations were passed, forcing large companies with more
:35:18. > :35:24.than 250 employees to publish gender pay gap information. Very happy to
:35:25. > :35:31.give consideration to that because I think that we will all wish to see
:35:32. > :35:35.much greater public knowledge of and understanding of things that go on
:35:36. > :35:44.in our Parliament that perhaps you not grab the headlines and do not
:35:45. > :35:52.happen at when prime time. It does demand considerable consensus among
:35:53. > :35:54.the house. Last week, a gas issue meant the town was disconnected from
:35:55. > :36:08.the network for a considerable will the leader of the
:36:09. > :36:13.house join me in thanking all efforts on the ground, and can we
:36:14. > :36:19.have AIDS debate next week on emergency planning and getting it
:36:20. > :36:24.right. -- can we have a debate. Given the other business we have, I
:36:25. > :36:28.cannot promise a debate, but can we unhesitatingly both thank and
:36:29. > :36:37.congratulate the statutory services and individual constituents in
:36:38. > :36:41.Rafael what they managed it. Can we have a statement on funding cuts to
:36:42. > :36:46.the equalities and human rights commission, with hate crime on the
:36:47. > :36:48.increase, does the leader of the house appreciate that many
:36:49. > :36:56.honourable members think these cuts send their own message to women, the
:36:57. > :36:59.BAME community and those that suffer from disabilities. Because of the
:37:00. > :37:03.need to bring public finances under control, all parts of the public
:37:04. > :37:10.sector are facing difficult decisions but I can point the
:37:11. > :37:17.honourable gentleman towards questions on women's equality on
:37:18. > :37:22.February two. The leader of the house and I were both elected in
:37:23. > :37:31.1992. And he will recall the many days that we spent on the Maastricht
:37:32. > :37:38.Treaty. Can you tell the house how much consideration he has given to
:37:39. > :37:45.previous debates on these matters, not just in 1992 but in the 1970s,
:37:46. > :37:47.when we joined the European Union, and also, what discussions and
:37:48. > :37:51.considerations were given at that time to the opposition parties and
:37:52. > :38:01.what they said then compared to what they are saying now? If I am honest,
:38:02. > :38:05.I think that any of us who came in in 1992 would probably not look back
:38:06. > :38:11.at the debates on the Maastricht Treaty as the greatest moment of
:38:12. > :38:16.glory for the House of Commons. And it is not something that I think we
:38:17. > :38:20.necessarily want to put more recently arrived colleagues through!
:38:21. > :38:24.I think that given the very narrow scope of the bill that is being
:38:25. > :38:31.published today, that the five days that we have announced and the six
:38:32. > :38:34.substantial amounts of additional time, particularly on second
:38:35. > :38:38.reading, that we are providing four, means that Parliament has plenty of
:38:39. > :39:01.opportunities to have a debate on this will stop in full.
:39:02. > :39:07.When this house agreed we had not discussed the issue of women's state
:39:08. > :39:11.pension and equality, will this government bring forward a debate
:39:12. > :39:16.and make sure it bring forward proposals that deal with the women
:39:17. > :39:20.that are suffering. The last government the coalition did commit
:39:21. > :39:24.over ?1 billion to lessen the impact on those who were worst affected by
:39:25. > :39:30.the change in pension age, no one will see their pension age change by
:39:31. > :39:33.more than 18 months. Those who face the largest increase in the state
:39:34. > :39:38.pension age released at least seven years notice of that. We have also
:39:39. > :39:42.got to be realistic about the fact that people are living longer and if
:39:43. > :39:48.we are going to equalise the state pension age, then we do need to
:39:49. > :39:52.raise the state pension age for both men and four women, and the cost of
:39:53. > :40:04.reversing the 2011 at will be ?30 billion. -- 2011 act. In Gwent, the
:40:05. > :40:13.air is fresh and pure, but the air in London is putrid, can we have a
:40:14. > :40:15.statement on air quality and the impact of diesel emissions, the
:40:16. > :40:23.government needs to better protect the public health of its people.
:40:24. > :40:30.Improving air quality is a priority for the government and for my right
:40:31. > :40:32.honourable friend the Secretary of State for environment in particular,
:40:33. > :40:36.we follow best available evidence but we are ready to update those if
:40:37. > :40:42.necessary, and we have been at the forefront in Europe to make sure we
:40:43. > :40:44.can see more accurate real world emissions testing of cars in
:40:45. > :41:15.particular. Can we have a debate on the Mersey
:41:16. > :41:19.crossing so that the government Canuks blame why they have broken
:41:20. > :41:24.promises to my constituents. I cannot promise a debate in the
:41:25. > :41:36.meantime. -- so that the government can explain. I will always ask the
:41:37. > :41:43.relevant Minister to explain. 40 branches of banks are being closed,
:41:44. > :41:49.200 jobs will be lost. My constituents will be left without a
:41:50. > :41:52.single local bank branch. We can send a strong signal to banks,
:41:53. > :41:56.including Clydesdale, about the negative impact this closure will
:41:57. > :42:02.have on local economies and local communities. I think that this is
:42:03. > :42:04.probable is something you want to raise by way of an adjournment
:42:05. > :42:10.debate or backbench debate on the issue, more generically, but I quite
:42:11. > :42:16.understand the plight of some of her constituents, it is incumbent upon
:42:17. > :42:19.the big retail banks to reflect very carefully, in particular before
:42:20. > :42:25.closing the last banking outlet in a particular community. Will the
:42:26. > :42:28.leader of the house do me a favour and stop suggesting that those who
:42:29. > :42:32.are on this side of the house and the other side of the house they
:42:33. > :42:36.believe passionately in the scrutiny of this European built being
:42:37. > :42:40.thorough, would he stop suggesting that we are trying to overturn the
:42:41. > :42:46.popular vote on the referendum. That is not the case, new nose it is not
:42:47. > :42:52.the case, please be honest about it! This house, as well as voting for
:42:53. > :43:00.the referendum, also voted for the Prime Minister to trigger Article
:43:01. > :43:05.50, before the end of March, 2017. Because of the Supreme Court
:43:06. > :43:09.judgment, it is necessary for a bill to go through all its legislative
:43:10. > :43:13.stages in both houses, for the wish of the house, in respect of the
:43:14. > :43:17.timetable to be met. I believe that the five days we have allotted will
:43:18. > :43:25.give ample opportunity for the narrow issue to be adequately
:43:26. > :43:31.debated. And we have a ministerial statement on HS2 in South Yorkshire,
:43:32. > :43:34.they went out for consultation, plenty of support in South Yorkshire
:43:35. > :43:40.but not a consensus and consequently they are currently out thought by
:43:41. > :43:43.the MHC Easton Road re-routed through South Yorkshire, we have
:43:44. > :43:48.learned this week that they are now looking at putting a parkway station
:43:49. > :43:51.on possibly eight hearts of that re-route but none of them are for
:43:52. > :43:56.public consultation now. Could we make sure that we have good return
:43:57. > :44:06.for public money, they are wasting money hand over fist! What I would
:44:07. > :44:15.suggest is that I report to the Minister with direct responsibility
:44:16. > :44:21.for HS2, to, like you, Mr Speaker, I can speak with personal constituency
:44:22. > :44:24.experience of wrestling with HS2, and it is important that the
:44:25. > :44:29.honourable gentleman and his constituents get clear answers and
:44:30. > :44:33.are able to make strong representations. In January last
:44:34. > :44:36.year, a group of MPs invited trade union leaders to address a meeting
:44:37. > :44:43.in Parliament and it has since emerged that meeting was equally
:44:44. > :44:46.recorded. Given that MPs of all parties hold meetings on the
:44:47. > :44:49.parliamentary estate, I would be grateful if the leader of the house
:44:50. > :44:53.could clarify rules on third parties recording meetings without consent
:44:54. > :44:58.and give me his view on whether those rules may have been breached?
:44:59. > :45:01.I'm very concerned by what has been said, if you would like to let me
:45:02. > :45:07.have full details, then I will investigate this as quickly as
:45:08. > :45:09.possible. The Prime Minister has indicated that Parliament will vote
:45:10. > :45:13.on the terms of a final "Brexit" deal, what if there is no deal, will
:45:14. > :45:19.there be a reference back to this house, will there be a vote about
:45:20. > :45:29.whether we leave the EU on no terms? The decision to leave the EU was
:45:30. > :45:34.taken by the referendum. The house knows where I stood, as Democrats we
:45:35. > :45:40.have two except the outcome of the vote, but if there is no deal under
:45:41. > :45:44.the terms, specified in article 50, then, as the Prime Minister said
:45:45. > :45:53.yesterday, we have to fall back on other arrangements. The SNP will
:45:54. > :45:59.certainly be the opposing quite a disgraceful motion, but will the
:46:00. > :46:03.White Paper, giving the government's position, organising irrevocable
:46:04. > :46:07.step to the greatest constitutional change in this country for 50 years,
:46:08. > :46:13.been published before the committee stage of the bill, and if not, why
:46:14. > :46:19.not? I said to the house a few moments ago, I hope that we can
:46:20. > :46:22.publish the White Paper, as soon as possible, and the other point I
:46:23. > :46:28.would make to the right honourable gentleman, is that the authorisation
:46:29. > :46:32.for our departure from the European Union was given by a referendum of
:46:33. > :46:37.all people of the United Kingdom, some of us like that decision, some
:46:38. > :46:42.do not, but it was a democratic decision that the electorate was
:46:43. > :46:46.entitled to take. 22 weeks, still no date for the restoration and renewal
:46:47. > :46:50.debate, as the leader of the house turned into Oscar Wilde, who said,
:46:51. > :46:55.never put off till tomorrow what could possibly be done the day
:46:56. > :47:01.after, or Ellen Degeneres, who said, don't procrastinate, put it! -- put
:47:02. > :47:04.it off. Or does he seriously think that we can carry on like this and
:47:05. > :47:11.hope that somehow we will muddle through. He says that we will have a
:47:12. > :47:15.debate Sunday, but Sunday is not a day of the week. The honourable
:47:16. > :47:17.gentleman made his point as forcefully now as he did during his
:47:18. > :47:24.debate in Westminster Hall, early this week. He will know, from the
:47:25. > :47:27.business that faces the next two weeks, that it has not been possible
:47:28. > :47:31.to schedule the debate on restoration and renewal then, I hope
:47:32. > :47:40.that we will be able to identify a date as soon as possible. The leader
:47:41. > :47:42.of the house will be aware of the controversy in Northern Ireland
:47:43. > :47:46.surrounding the renewable heat initiative and the millions lost, a
:47:47. > :47:49.colleague of mine sought information from Whitehall departments, under
:47:50. > :47:55.freedom of information, received a letter this week from both, one
:47:56. > :47:58.month after asking for the information. Saying that there was
:47:59. > :48:02.too much work needed to get that information, so he has put the
:48:03. > :48:06.questions in again. Can we guarantee from the leader of the house that no
:48:07. > :48:14.politics will be played here and that the information will be found
:48:15. > :48:21.and will come out? The deadlines set under the Freedom of Information Act
:48:22. > :48:25.are a matter of law. Not a matter of discretion. For ministers or
:48:26. > :48:32.officials. Clearly, ministers here do not have any direct authority
:48:33. > :48:39.over the devolved departments within Northern Ireland. But I would
:48:40. > :48:43.certainly hope that any Whitehall department would respond well within
:48:44. > :48:52.the time frame, specified within the Freedom of information legislation.
:48:53. > :48:59.We all wish the Prime Minister well in her work to increase exports. Is
:49:00. > :49:03.it time for a debate about the relationship between this country
:49:04. > :49:10.and a president who since he's in your duration has behaves like a
:49:11. > :49:13.petulant try child out to destroy the achievements of his
:49:14. > :49:17.predecessors. A new region is promised between Trump and the UK.
:49:18. > :49:25.Is there a danger that this will be a new dark age? Mr Trump has been
:49:26. > :49:31.elected by the people of the United States under their democratic
:49:32. > :49:37.constitution. And under Conservative and Labour governments alike it has
:49:38. > :49:42.rightly been a national priority in terms of our security interests,
:49:43. > :49:48.geopolitical interest, interesting prosperity and trade, to forge as
:49:49. > :49:52.close as possible a partnership with and understanding of a new American
:49:53. > :49:55.administration. That has to be in the interests of the people we
:49:56. > :50:02.represent and that is what the Prime Minister will be seeking to do in
:50:03. > :50:05.Washington. Further to the point made by my honourable friend, the
:50:06. > :50:10.member for Chester, can we have an urgent debate discuss the Government
:50:11. > :50:16.Ponte's relating on its promise to provide special help for small
:50:17. > :50:22.businesses when they knew... That is the second time they've written I
:50:23. > :50:30.reneges on something. That decision was announced by the then Chancellor
:50:31. > :50:33.on the 23rd of April 2000 15. Can we have an urgent debate to find out
:50:34. > :50:39.again by the Government is refusing to honour its commitments? There are
:50:40. > :50:43.questions the Secretary of State for business on Tuesday the 31st which
:50:44. > :50:48.will provide you with an opportunity. If I may I will look
:50:49. > :50:55.into the pointy raises a long sized that raised by his honourable
:50:56. > :51:00.friend. Given the decline and the abuse of civil liberties and human
:51:01. > :51:14.rights in Malaysia over the last few months, in particular the arrests,
:51:15. > :51:23.would the leader agreed to a statement or better still a debate
:51:24. > :51:28.on this matter? As so often, he is pursuing his interest in human
:51:29. > :51:30.rights, I can't offer an immediate statement in Government time but I
:51:31. > :51:38.will ask the appropriate minister to write to you. Gwent music is a local
:51:39. > :51:42.authority music service that provides opportunities to young
:51:43. > :51:46.people in my cup constituency, including my own daughter, can we
:51:47. > :51:53.have a debate on the importance of affordable music lessons in our
:51:54. > :52:00.schools across the country? I recognise and sympathise with the
:52:01. > :52:04.underlying point you are making. This will turn on decisions not just
:52:05. > :52:12.by the United Kingdom Government but by the Welsh Government and Welsh
:52:13. > :52:15.assembly, by local authorities and by individual schools about their
:52:16. > :52:20.priorities. But I would hope ways can continue to be found to be
:52:21. > :52:28.maintaining those standards of excellence for war people wanting to
:52:29. > :52:31.pursue music. Can he give us an absolute guarantee that the
:52:32. > :52:36.unelected House of Lords will not have more time to debate the Brexit
:52:37. > :52:47.Article 50 Bill than the elected House of Commons? The House of
:52:48. > :52:51.Commons will have the final say, as an practically all legislation. As
:52:52. > :52:54.is always the case, the House of Lords has its own procedures and it
:52:55. > :52:59.is not in the gift of the Government to set down what times will debate
:53:00. > :53:12.are going to be in the House of Lords on any Bill. And the prize the
:53:13. > :53:19.patients goes to Jeff Smith! -- patience. And we wish him a happy
:53:20. > :53:22.birthday. Thank you. It is quite right other Parliamentary business
:53:23. > :53:26.should be shelved in the next couple of weeks to debate Article 50,
:53:27. > :53:29.including the bus services Bill. In Manchester we have been demanding
:53:30. > :53:33.London style bus franchising powers the many years. We can wait a little
:53:34. > :53:37.longer but can I encourage the leader to reschedule the bus
:53:38. > :53:40.services Bill as soon as possible after the recess so Manchester can
:53:41. > :53:48.properly manage our transport network? This may be an inadequate
:53:49. > :53:57.birthday present, but I will do my best to deliver on what you want.
:53:58. > :54:02.Point of order. I am glad the Brexit secretary is here to his moment of
:54:03. > :54:03.history. If I could just detain him for a second, he used