01/03/2017

:00:36. > :00:38.Morning, folks - welcome to the Daily Politics.

:00:39. > :00:40.Just one week to go until the Budget.

:00:41. > :00:42.So can the Chancellor keep the ship steady before

:00:43. > :00:48.There's plenty in the in-tray for the man known as Spreadsheet Phil.

:00:49. > :00:51.But with rows brewing over social care, business rates,

:00:52. > :00:57.and disability benefits, will he be able to make the numbers add up?

:00:58. > :01:00.The RMT announces a fresh round of strikes across the rail network.

:01:01. > :01:06.We speak to the RMT General Secretary and the Rail Minister.

:01:07. > :01:09.Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn will square up at noon

:01:10. > :01:12.It's been a bruising few days for the Labour leader

:01:13. > :01:17.after the Copeland by-election, so can he get on the front foot?

:01:18. > :01:20.And will the Lords inflict defeat on the Government later today

:01:21. > :01:34.over the issue of status of EU citizens living in the UK?

:01:35. > :01:39.I think they might. Maybe. Welcomer you told me they were. Must be true,

:01:40. > :01:43.then. Watch this space! And with us for the duration, two

:01:44. > :01:48.legends in their own living rooms - Rail Minister, Paul Maynard,

:01:49. > :01:51.and the Shadow Health First this morning, the RMT union

:01:52. > :01:58.has said its members from Southern Rail, Merseyrail

:01:59. > :02:02.and Arriva Rail North will go on strike for

:02:03. > :02:05.24 hours on March 13th. It's over the ongoing row

:02:06. > :02:08.about driver-only operated trains, These are the first strikes by RMT

:02:09. > :02:14.members on Merseyrail But Southern Rail said this would be

:02:15. > :02:20.the 30th day of RMT strike action Well, Ellie Price has been speaking

:02:21. > :02:36.to Southern commuters , No. No trains again? Yeah, you

:02:37. > :02:41.really want to know what I think? I'm not impressed, I've got no

:02:42. > :02:47.sympathy. Who is to blame? I think it's train drivers and the guards. I

:02:48. > :02:50.think there is no reason why we can't have godless trains. Someone

:02:51. > :02:55.should agree that there should be guards and trains. Quite simple.

:02:56. > :02:58.People get pulled under trains. Drivers can't see what's happening.

:02:59. > :03:04.Southern should absolutely agree that this is a safety issue, and

:03:05. > :03:08.they should back down. As a country, we are massively subsidising these

:03:09. > :03:12.railway companies that are not doing their job. I do for their workforces

:03:13. > :03:16.all the passengers. We should take them back into national ownership. I

:03:17. > :03:23.think the government needs to take control and deal with the issues.

:03:24. > :03:29.And unequivocally give them an answer one way or another. Their

:03:30. > :03:31.striking for their rights. But the government say they're putting the

:03:32. > :03:33.safety of the people first. Let's just come to a decision.

:03:34. > :03:38.Joining me now is the General Secretary of the RMT, Mick Cash.

:03:39. > :03:44.Welcome to the programme. That start with Southern Rail because this is

:03:45. > :03:48.going to be the RMT's 30th day of strike action. Yet more pain for the

:03:49. > :03:52.300,000 people who depend on the network every day. How do you

:03:53. > :04:00.justify it? Thanks for the invite. It is the 30th day of action, and it

:04:01. > :04:04.is the 30th day I've met Paul, who is the real minister. We are in a

:04:05. > :04:08.situation where our members, and it's not just guards, its drivers,

:04:09. > :04:11.who have got deep-rooted concerns around the introduction of

:04:12. > :04:16.driver-only operated trains, which means getting rid of the guaranteed

:04:17. > :04:20.second safety person on every train. At something passengers have got

:04:21. > :04:24.now, and have elsewhere. But the government and GDR have decided to

:04:25. > :04:27.take it away. I'm happy to have the debate with Paul, and perhaps we can

:04:28. > :04:31.have it outside. Pulled doesn't represent the company. Let's talk

:04:32. > :04:35.about the dispute going on outside the company. You're not just sobbing

:04:36. > :04:39.at Southern, you are spreading the misery to the north of England with

:04:40. > :04:44.new strikes on Northern Rail and Merseyrail. How do you justify

:04:45. > :04:49.broadening it? Southern are contracted to the DFT. Paul is the

:04:50. > :04:55.piper who plays the tune. The reality here is that both on

:04:56. > :04:59.Northern and Merseyrail, the passengers, as we stand today, have

:05:00. > :05:02.got the guarantee of a second safety person on the train, a guarantee of

:05:03. > :05:06.a guard. They're planning to take that away and our members are very

:05:07. > :05:10.angry about that. They're fighting to keep our trains safe and

:05:11. > :05:14.accessible. You say they're planning to take it away - what evidence is

:05:15. > :05:18.there that Northern Rail are planning to do that? It's in the

:05:19. > :05:21.franchising. They say they haven't got any driver-only operated trains

:05:22. > :05:25.at the moment, they haven't ordered any, and your strike action is

:05:26. > :05:30.extremely premature. Where was the evidence? They have ordered the

:05:31. > :05:36.trains stop what they have? Yeah. So they're wrong? We've had meetings

:05:37. > :05:41.with them, and we've been trying to get the issue is resolved. They have

:05:42. > :05:46.in their franchising group, mandated by Paul's department, at least 50%

:05:47. > :05:49.of their trains will have to operate without a safety critical guard. We

:05:50. > :05:53.have spoken to Northern Rail and they have said that they don't have

:05:54. > :05:56.any driver operated trains. And they haven't ordered any. They do say

:05:57. > :06:01.that they're in the early stages of a modernisation plan, but we will

:06:02. > :06:04.leave it there. It's up to people to decide who to believe as far as that

:06:05. > :06:09.is concerned. The damaging strike action that we've seen in the past

:06:10. > :06:13.has been your union, the RMT, and Atlas, which represents more train

:06:14. > :06:17.drivers. Aslef are saying that they don't want more strikes, so your run

:06:18. > :06:21.your own. That will be easier for Southern to handle, won't it? Wing

:06:22. > :06:29.Tyrone because passengers, particularly disabled passengers, of

:06:30. > :06:36.great concern of getting rid of the guard on the train. -- we are not on

:06:37. > :06:42.our own because passengers. Will you be able to have the same level of

:06:43. > :06:47.impact? The last time you had a strike without Aslef joining you was

:06:48. > :06:50.last week, the 22nd of February. According to Southern, around half

:06:51. > :06:55.of their conduct turned up for work and they ran 87% of their timetable.

:06:56. > :06:59.To some extent, the strike that you will be running well have lost its

:07:00. > :07:02.edge? I don't necessarily agree with Southern. They don't have a great

:07:03. > :07:07.credibility about how they spend their story. But the reality is our

:07:08. > :07:11.members are determined to keep fighting to keep a guard on the

:07:12. > :07:14.train and keep the second safety critical person guarantee. That's

:07:15. > :07:18.what we will continue to do. But if you're not able to affect the train

:07:19. > :07:21.service in the way you have been able to, how much longer will you be

:07:22. > :07:25.able to keep your striking members on board? We will keep fighting to

:07:26. > :07:29.keep a guard on the train. As long as our members are prepared to

:07:30. > :07:37.fight, and they are prepared to fight. Why aren't you going down the

:07:38. > :07:40.same sort of line as Aslef? The assistant general secretary said on

:07:41. > :07:43.the 17th of February that they could put strike dates on if they wish,

:07:44. > :07:47.but is not where they want to be. They see no reason why they can't

:07:48. > :07:51.agree a negotiated settlement. They did have an agreement with Southern

:07:52. > :07:54.which was rejected by members. But they are obviously trying with that

:07:55. > :08:00.sort of language and tone to reach a deal. Why aren't you? We are trying

:08:01. > :08:04.to reach a deal. You have put out a statement like that, have you? The

:08:05. > :08:08.last time I met the company on the 14th of February they grossly

:08:09. > :08:14.misrepresented that deal. They told us information that was incorrect.

:08:15. > :08:17.We are in a situation where we want to get round a table, but we also

:08:18. > :08:22.need the people who help facilitate that deal, the TUC in particular, to

:08:23. > :08:25.assist us. There is misrepresentation by this company

:08:26. > :08:29.about what is actually being delivered and what train drivers

:08:30. > :08:33.were going to get in that deal. Finally, in the case of Merseyrail,

:08:34. > :08:38.it's actually devolved to local councils in Liverpool. You talking

:08:39. > :08:43.to politicians that? We're talking to the company. But you said that he

:08:44. > :08:46.wanted to talk to the Minister, too. Are you going to torture Labour

:08:47. > :08:52.politicians that? We will talk to anybody to get the matter resolved.

:08:53. > :08:57.-- you going to talk to Labour politicians there?

:08:58. > :09:02.Let's talk Minister now. How much is the taxpayer forking out for this

:09:03. > :09:06.situation? Let's be very clear on what Mr Cashel said. There is no

:09:07. > :09:12.loss of jobs on Southern Rail. There is no going back on having second

:09:13. > :09:15.people on-board train. We want to reassure all passengers that they

:09:16. > :09:18.will get an improved level of service on the train by ensuring

:09:19. > :09:24.that on-board supervisors can spend more time helping customers land

:09:25. > :09:29.their journeys, the then disabled or otherwise. -- plan their journeys.

:09:30. > :09:33.The union have always maintained that you will take away what they

:09:34. > :09:38.call a safety critical role for the second person on trains, never mind

:09:39. > :09:41.if they become driver-only operated. Can you guarantee that they won't

:09:42. > :09:44.lose that safety critical vault? There is an important point to make

:09:45. > :09:48.which is that all on-board supervisors will be safety trained.

:09:49. > :09:52.We will make sure that those second people who are on trains have the

:09:53. > :09:56.quality training they need to deliver an improved level of

:09:57. > :10:01.customer service on these trains. The talent on the Southern at the

:10:02. > :10:05.moment is -- the problem on Southern at the moment is a desperately

:10:06. > :10:09.crowded network. We have to find new ways of working to properly

:10:10. > :10:12.accommodate all the extra passengers growing year-on-year. We need to

:10:13. > :10:16.work with the unions to find ways of doing that. But that has been the

:10:17. > :10:20.criticism, that the government hasn't done enough. The reason the

:10:21. > :10:24.government has to do more is because of the country that has been set up

:10:25. > :10:32.with Southern or go the Thames Link. -- because of the contract that has

:10:33. > :10:35.been set up. Can you answer the question about how much the

:10:36. > :10:39.taxpayers forking out, because the taxpayer will want to know why it is

:10:40. > :10:42.that they are having to fund compensation because so many people

:10:43. > :10:48.are not able to get to work on time? Way in which we operate Southern,

:10:49. > :10:52.they're paid to deliver a service on behalf of the department. That means

:10:53. > :10:57.we are finding things like delay we pay for passengers and compensation

:10:58. > :11:00.for those who are season-ticket holders. That's an understandable

:11:01. > :11:04.thing for the department to do. I think a lot of people will think,

:11:05. > :11:11.why on earth is the taxpayer funding it when they already have a ?9

:11:12. > :11:16.billion contract until 2021? As we saw yesterday, with the announcement

:11:17. > :11:19.and results for Go Ahead,, this is a train company not making a profit at

:11:20. > :11:24.the moment. They're taking a hit because they were goblins on the

:11:25. > :11:29.train. They haven't been driven to sort it out. I think there's a

:11:30. > :11:35.strong incentive for them to deliver an adequate service on behalf of the

:11:36. > :11:40.passengers, which is timely, punctual, reliable and which offers

:11:41. > :11:46.a decent chance of getting a seat. The problems on Southern go beyond

:11:47. > :11:50.industrial relations. But we can't tackle those problems while we have

:11:51. > :11:54.both hands tied behind our back as a consequence of industrial action. If

:11:55. > :11:57.you look at their punctuality record, it is deemed the poorest in

:11:58. > :12:01.a four-week period just before Christmas. This is across all its

:12:02. > :12:06.services. They have failed to meet any of the targets that have been

:12:07. > :12:10.set. They're worse than almost any other rail line? That is precisely

:12:11. > :12:15.why we are infecting 300 million in upgrading the network on Southern.

:12:16. > :12:21.That's what we need to do to bring the level of performance back. --

:12:22. > :12:25.why we are injecting 300 million. We can't do that while we have both

:12:26. > :12:30.hands tied behind our back by the RMT who was determined and having

:12:31. > :12:34.industrial action week in, week out. Luckily, we are starting to overcome

:12:35. > :12:38.that. The strikes are having a diminishing impact week on week.

:12:39. > :12:42.Does that mean you're not going to put the company under pressure? Do

:12:43. > :12:47.you accept that the buck stops with you? What I accepted passengers are

:12:48. > :12:51.deeply frustrated by the quality of service on Southern. What I want to

:12:52. > :12:55.see is a resolution. That means Southern and Aslef in particular

:12:56. > :13:00.reaching an agreement. They came very close. I hope this week we can

:13:01. > :13:04.start to resolve it. Jon Ashworth, do you support the RMT's Basic

:13:05. > :13:09.principle that all trains should keep a deck and safety critical

:13:10. > :13:15.person on board? Of course. You support the strikes? Of course.

:13:16. > :13:19.Union members have the right to go on strike and we will always support

:13:20. > :13:23.them to take strike action with the Labour Party. I'm sat in the middle

:13:24. > :13:27.and the minister won't even talk to the general secretary for trade

:13:28. > :13:31.union. For goodness sake, get around a table and sort it out. Mick Cash

:13:32. > :13:35.said they haven't spoken yet. I'm sure if Mick Cash and the Labour

:13:36. > :13:42.politicians want to speak, they will happily do so. This is going to put

:13:43. > :13:47.passengers at a huge inconvenience. Just get round a table with them and

:13:48. > :13:51.sort it out. Why is it Aslef has managed to do this, and the RMT

:13:52. > :13:57.can't, and yet you are still supporting them? Aslef are obviously

:13:58. > :14:02.come to a different judgment. The key thing to me is our ministers

:14:03. > :14:05.doing all they can to sort things out in the interest of passengers?

:14:06. > :14:10.Paul is a good bloke but he won't even address make directly. You're

:14:11. > :14:16.both here, why don't you have a cup of tea after the show and try and

:14:17. > :14:19.sort it? We are very clear that if unions call strikes, we are more

:14:20. > :14:23.than happy to have discussions. I don't want passengers held to ransom

:14:24. > :14:28.by the RMT. And you would obviously take up that offer to meet, but not

:14:29. > :14:33.if you have to call off the strike action? I'm happy to take that

:14:34. > :14:37.offer. There is my diary, Paul. We can sort something else. Are you

:14:38. > :14:42.calling off the strike? I will take that matter back to my executive. If

:14:43. > :14:46.you give me a guarantee that we can get to the table, I will take that

:14:47. > :14:53.back this afternoon. Is that an agreement, the strikes will be

:14:54. > :14:55.called off, if you agree? We will leave it there, Mick Cash, thank you

:14:56. > :15:04.very much for coming in. Francois Fillon the centre-right,

:15:05. > :15:08.the Republican candidate and France's Presidential election, at

:15:09. > :15:14.one stage she was favourite to win, he has been summoned to a French

:15:15. > :15:19.judge, a prosecutor magistrate, he has been accused of paying his wife

:15:20. > :15:22.in the French Parliament to do a job but she didn't actually do the job.

:15:23. > :15:27.That is the accusation, other members of his family have faced

:15:28. > :15:30.similar accusation, normally when you are summoned to see a French

:15:31. > :15:35.prosecutor it means you are going to be charged. That is the expectation

:15:36. > :15:43.that he will be charged, with these accusation, he has said before that

:15:44. > :15:48.if charged, he would stand down from his Presidential bid, but a press

:15:49. > :15:55.conference this morning he said I will not give up, will not be draw,

:15:56. > :16:00.so we have the prospect that the mainstream centre-right candidate

:16:01. > :16:04.will continue to fight the election, with this prosecution hanging over

:16:05. > :16:09.him. We will see what that does to him in the poll, it has been

:16:10. > :16:13.damaging to him, we will bring you more news out of Paris as it

:16:14. > :16:17.In case you hadn't noticed, it's the first day of March -

:16:18. > :16:19.and a happy St David's Day to you all.

:16:20. > :16:22.If all goes to plan, by the end of this month Theresa May

:16:23. > :16:24.will have triggered Article 50 and begun the formal process

:16:25. > :16:29.But before we get to that, there's the small matter of a Budget,

:16:30. > :16:33.There's plenty in the in-tray for the Chancellor Philip Hammond,

:16:34. > :16:35.so can he avoid any potential hiccups before we begin

:16:36. > :16:43.One major issue is funding for social care.

:16:44. > :16:47.Directors of adult social services in England say

:16:48. > :16:50.they have had to cut ?4.6bn from their budgets since 2010.

:16:51. > :16:52.It's reported that the Chancellor will make extra cash available

:16:53. > :16:56.to plug the short-term gap in funding.

:16:57. > :16:58.But could there be more controversial reforms

:16:59. > :17:05.In 2010 the Tories accused Labour of planning a so-called "death tax'

:17:06. > :17:09.But yesterday's Times reported that Philip Hammond is looking at how

:17:10. > :17:12.the assets of older people can be claimed by the state

:17:13. > :17:19.Another contentious issue has been the business rates revaluation.

:17:20. > :17:21.?3.4 billion has already been promised for transitional relief.

:17:22. > :17:25.There has also been cross-party criticism for the government's plans

:17:26. > :17:32.Critics say the majority of the schools that will lose money

:17:33. > :17:34.are in urban and poorer areas and that the redistribution

:17:35. > :17:37.The government claim no school will face a reduction

:17:38. > :17:41.And there's been anger over plans to change who qualifies

:17:42. > :17:44.for Personal Independence Payments, or PIPs - it's a weekly payment that

:17:45. > :17:54.goes to people with a disability or a long-term health condition.

:17:55. > :17:56.PIPs will cost an extra ?3.7 billion by 2022,

:17:57. > :17:59.due to a tribunal ruling that allows more people to claim.

:18:00. > :18:01.So instead, the Government is legislating to change the rules

:18:02. > :18:24.Paul Maynard, there is huge pressure to spend more on social care, after

:18:25. > :18:31.these massive cuts that Jo told us about. It has implications for our

:18:32. > :18:35.hospital, because the lack of social care means that older people often

:18:36. > :18:39.to to stay in hospital. Is the Government up for putting more money

:18:40. > :18:44.into social care? We will have to wait and see what happens next week.

:18:45. > :18:48.We have made sure that we have given the NHS what it has asked for, in

:18:49. > :18:54.addition we put more money in for social care but it isn't... Forgive

:18:55. > :18:57.me, first of all, the NHS is a different matter from social care,

:18:58. > :19:04.they are both interlinked but where is the extra money you have put into

:19:05. > :19:09.social care? We are allowing councils... You are asking councils

:19:10. > :19:13.to tax their people to put more money in. You are not doing it The

:19:14. > :19:16.key point I am making it isn't just the overall amount of money you

:19:17. > :19:20.spend that matter, I cover a constituency that has two social

:19:21. > :19:24.care providing authorities, both Lancashire and Blackpool. That is a

:19:25. > :19:27.different outcomes in the two of them as to how people who are

:19:28. > :19:31.waiting to be discharged from hospital are dealt with, once they

:19:32. > :19:35.are being put into care homes and so on. The amount of money is one

:19:36. > :19:39.thing, it is how you imagine that -- manage that care... Clearly some

:19:40. > :19:43.authorities will be doing it better than others and you can learn from

:19:44. > :19:46.what the management jargon is best practise, are you seriously

:19:47. > :19:50.maintaining this morning you can take five billion out of social

:19:51. > :19:57.care, as you have since you have come to power, and it makes no

:19:58. > :20:02.difference? Roughly half of delayed discharges as they are called are

:20:03. > :20:05.concentrated on ten local authorities. That isn't what I was

:20:06. > :20:11.asking, can you maintain to viewers it makes no difference? We will have

:20:12. > :20:14.to wait and see what the Chancellor announces next week. You have taken

:20:15. > :20:21.the 5 billion out. What we are waiting to see is if he is going to

:20:22. > :20:26.put more back in Wait and see next week. Well, the last thing... The

:20:27. > :20:30.last thing I expect you to do is tell me what is in the budget next

:20:31. > :20:34.week buzz because I am sure you don't know. I am asking about the

:20:35. > :20:38.principle. For example, the idea that before you transfer your

:20:39. > :20:42.estate, if it is a substantial estate to your children that you

:20:43. > :20:45.would have to pay something towards social care in the community, is

:20:46. > :20:50.that a runner now? I don't know whether it is is a runner or not. I

:20:51. > :20:58.can only read what you read in The Papers. Does it appeal to you. I

:20:59. > :21:02.want to see a system that ensures we have if right amount of money and

:21:03. > :21:05.those who are spending it are doing so in the most efficient way

:21:06. > :21:07.possible, to make sure that the people who really matter, those who

:21:08. > :21:12.are waiting in hospital to get a place in the a care home, get their

:21:13. > :21:17.discharges when they need them and the quality of care they most need.

:21:18. > :21:20.Do you think it is fair people can transfer their wealth to their

:21:21. > :21:24.children, and then depend on the state for their social care in There

:21:25. > :21:29.are all sorts of balances and issues you have to consider. Is that fair?

:21:30. > :21:33.The correct system going forward for funding long-term care, a lot of

:21:34. > :21:39.work is going on within the Treasury and with the Cabinet Office, I am

:21:40. > :21:43.not privy to it but I recognise there will be questions that need to

:21:44. > :21:47.be asked. There is a shortage of money in social care, but given that

:21:48. > :21:51.there is a shortage of money, often it is the poorest who are suffering

:21:52. > :21:55.from a lack of social care, would it not make sense to look again at the

:21:56. > :22:01.changing to inheritance tax, that you will be able to own a property

:22:02. > :22:06.up to ?1 million you could leave free of tax to children or

:22:07. > :22:11.grandchildren, given the squeeze on resources which every party would

:22:12. > :22:15.face in power, would it not be worth looking at that again when people

:22:16. > :22:18.are suffering? I am sure the Treasury are carefully considering

:22:19. > :22:22.all the options they have. I don't know what they are looking at or

:22:23. > :22:28.what they are not. What they have ruled out or not. What would it say

:22:29. > :22:30.in general, the principle of a government which is preparing this

:22:31. > :22:35.substantial improvement in inheritance tax for what is clearly

:22:36. > :22:41.the better off end of our society, and yet only recently the DWP cut

:22:42. > :22:48.the disability benefits of a man many Hackney who is a double leg

:22:49. > :22:53.amputee because he could climb the Zaires with his arms? What does that

:22:54. > :22:58.say? I don't know the details of it. Doesn't that upset you? No, because

:22:59. > :23:01.I welcome the fact that we have moved to personal independence

:23:02. > :23:06.payment from disability living allowance, it is more modern, it

:23:07. > :23:10.fulfils a fundamental concern of mine which the people most in need

:23:11. > :23:14.weren't getting the most amount of help. PIP targets that help to

:23:15. > :23:20.people who need it most. That is crucial. More importantly, it brings

:23:21. > :23:26.in mental health, which is forgot un. Now it gets its true weights

:23:27. > :23:30.under PIP. We need to make sure... The head of policy in Downing Street

:23:31. > :23:37.said it is only the really disabled who need it not those taking pills

:23:38. > :23:44.at home suffering from anxiety. I should point out... I need to move

:23:45. > :23:47.on. I should they the man in Hackney appealed and the disability was

:23:48. > :23:54.restored. To follow the court ruling on

:23:55. > :24:00.disability benefits would cot 3.7 billion, would Labour pay that? We

:24:01. > :24:04.said we support the court ruling. We urged the Government to support it.

:24:05. > :24:08.Where would you find the money? We're have not outlined that yet. By

:24:09. > :24:14.2023 we have a general election, it is more likely, as we go into that

:24:15. > :24:20.election... You want to spend more on social care. Certainly do. You

:24:21. > :24:25.want to spend more on the NHS, you want to spend more on these

:24:26. > :24:28.disabilities, you are complaining about the school funning round, it

:24:29. > :24:33.all adds up. Where would the money come from? It is a fair question.

:24:34. > :24:39.What is the answer? At this stage we don't have a detailed budget because

:24:40. > :24:43.we have three or four budgets and Autumn Statements and maybe one or

:24:44. > :24:46.two Spending Reviews to come. You don't know, do you. You are in the

:24:47. > :24:51.position, because it is popular to say we will spend on these thing,

:24:52. > :24:55.the case for people, want to help people with disabilities but to say

:24:56. > :25:00.you will spend it but give us no idea where the money would come from

:25:01. > :25:06.is irspoonsable and means your promise is worthless. No shadow

:25:07. > :25:09.ministers have outlined details spending plans three years out from

:25:10. > :25:13.general election. Where would you get the money from? When the Shadow

:25:14. > :25:19.Chancellors coming on your programme he will be able to outline it to

:25:20. > :25:24.you. You don't know. At this stage of a Parliament in opposition, not

:25:25. > :25:29.knowing what the books will look like it will inherit will not

:25:30. > :25:34.outline detailed plans. So back to the same old Labour, we will spend

:25:35. > :25:42.all these things but we have no idea how we will pay for it. It is not

:25:43. > :25:46.same old Labour. Every opposition party outlines plans closer to

:25:47. > :25:51.elections. Tory spokespeople would come on and say wait until the

:25:52. > :25:55.elections. People want some kind of credibility on this. I don't think

:25:56. > :25:59.they trust the days when politicians just say yes we would spend on that,

:26:00. > :26:05.that and that that but we can't tell you how we will get the money? We

:26:06. > :26:09.outline our plans closer to a general election. Could Labour

:26:10. > :26:13.afford this? We will have to come forward with a set of policies to

:26:14. > :26:17.fund it. So like for example on social care the Chancellor has to

:26:18. > :26:20.find, if he wants to stabilise social care next week, something

:26:21. > :26:25.like ?2 billion. Now, as you say he doesn't need to go ahead with that

:26:26. > :26:32.inheritance tax cut which is due in this April. He could find 1 billion

:26:33. > :26:39.there. Some of decisions on corporation tax he could change.

:26:40. > :26:50.Your spokesman has said that. You have spent that corporation tax ten

:26:51. > :26:54.times from. You have spent it ten times over. We will have to come

:26:55. > :26:58.forward with our spending plans won't we. You will indeed.

:26:59. > :27:01.Now, today is Ash Wednesday, so put down the chocolate and get

:27:02. > :27:04.rid of those glasses of wine, the time for abstinence is upon us.

:27:05. > :27:07.Even the Prime Minister is getting in on the action -

:27:08. > :27:09.with Downing Street confirming yesterday that Mrs May will be

:27:10. > :27:11.forgoing her favourite salt and vinegar crisps

:27:12. > :27:16.But if six weeks of self-denial seems bleak, never fear.

:27:17. > :27:19.We are here to brighten your day with a chance to win

:27:20. > :27:21.one of our much-coveted Daily Politics mugs.

:27:22. > :27:26.But to be in with a chance to win, all you need to do is tell

:27:27. > :27:50.MUSIC: "My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison.

:27:51. > :27:58.# Wake up Maggie, I think I got something to say to you

:27:59. > :28:04.# It's late September and I really should be back at school. #

:28:05. > :28:10.Most parents can afford to provide their own children with milk.

:28:11. > :28:24.# So we waved our hands as we marched along

:28:25. > :28:26.# And the people smiled as we sang our song

:28:27. > :28:30.# And the world was saved as they listened to the band

:28:31. > :28:33.# And the banner man held the banner high

:28:34. > :28:36.# He was ten feet tall and he touched the sky

:28:37. > :28:41.# I wish that I could be a banner man. #

:28:42. > :29:06.To be in with a chance of winning a Daily Politics mug,

:29:07. > :29:08.send your answer to our special quiz email address -

:29:09. > :29:12.Entries must arrive by 12.30 today, and you can see the full terms

:29:13. > :29:15.and conditions for Guess The Year on our website - that's

:29:16. > :29:28.It's coming up to midday here - just take a look at Big Ben.

:29:29. > :29:31.And that can mean only one thing - yes, Prime Minister's Questions

:29:32. > :29:38.And that's not all - Laura Kuenssberg is here.

:29:39. > :29:44.We've got a week to go till the budget, and as he illustrated there

:29:45. > :29:51.are some difficult choices in front of the Chancellor. I think where

:29:52. > :29:54.Jeremy Corbyn may press today is the question of Pips, personal

:29:55. > :29:57.independence benefits to people with disabilities. Not least because this

:29:58. > :30:01.is a matter of concern to many people, but also because this time

:30:02. > :30:05.last year the government suffered a bruising humiliation over all of

:30:06. > :30:09.this which ended with Iain Duncan Smith storming out of the Cabinet

:30:10. > :30:12.full of rage. But also because this is something where some Tory

:30:13. > :30:17.backbenchers have concerns, too. It's not just a concern for the

:30:18. > :30:19.Labour Party, but it is an area of political vulnerability for the

:30:20. > :30:24.government. It doesn't seem right now that this is the kind of round

:30:25. > :30:29.that will... It's a tribunal ruling that will extend the accessibility,

:30:30. > :30:35.of certain disability payments, the Pips. But it adds substantially to a

:30:36. > :30:38.bill that is already out. So the government is changing... I will

:30:39. > :30:48.have to stop you because we are going to start on time today.

:30:49. > :30:54.I'm sure the people here would like to join me in wishing the people

:30:55. > :30:57.across the world a happy St David's Day. I'm sure the whole house will

:30:58. > :31:02.also want to join me in paying tribute to our former colleague, Sir

:31:03. > :31:08.Gerald Kaufman, who died over the weekend. He was an outstanding MP

:31:09. > :31:12.who dedicated his life to the service of his constituents. As

:31:13. > :31:15.father of the House, his wisdom and experience will be missed right

:31:16. > :31:20.across the House. I'm sure our thoughts are with his friends and

:31:21. > :31:23.family. I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others,

:31:24. > :31:28.in addition to my duties with the House I will have further such

:31:29. > :31:31.meetings today. I would like to associate myself with the Prime

:31:32. > :31:34.Minister's remarks and assure the many relatives and friends of our

:31:35. > :31:39.former colleague that they are very much in our thoughts and prayers at

:31:40. > :31:42.this difficult time. Mr Speaker, following last week's historic

:31:43. > :31:49.by-election victory in Copeland... CHEERING

:31:50. > :31:52.Does my right honourable friend believe this is an endorsement of

:31:53. > :31:58.her government's plans to maintain a strong economy, bring our society

:31:59. > :32:05.together, and ensure that we make a huge success of leaving the European

:32:06. > :32:09.Union? I thank my honourable friend. First of all, I would like to

:32:10. > :32:13.congratulate my honourable friend, the new member for Copeland, and I

:32:14. > :32:17.look forward to welcoming her to this house very shortly. But my

:32:18. > :32:21.honourable friend is absolutely right that last week's historic

:32:22. > :32:26.result in Copeland was an endorsement of our plans to keep the

:32:27. > :32:28.economy strong. And our plans to ensure places like Copeland to share

:32:29. > :32:36.in the economic success after years of Labour neglect. It was also an

:32:37. > :32:40.endorsement of our plans to unite communities where Labour seeks to

:32:41. > :32:44.sow division. And I think it was an endorsement of offering strong,

:32:45. > :32:57.competent leadership in the face of Labour's chaos. Jeremy Kerley bin.

:32:58. > :33:02.Thank you, Mr Speaker. -- Jeremy Corbyn. Could I join the Prime

:33:03. > :33:05.Minister in wishing everyone in Wales and all Welsh people all

:33:06. > :33:11.around the world a very happy St David's Day. And could I also

:33:12. > :33:16.expressed the hope that the workers at the Ford plant in Bridgend gets

:33:17. > :33:21.today daily assurances they need about their job security and job

:33:22. > :33:24.futures. Mr Speaker, I also want to echo the Prime Minister's tribute to

:33:25. > :33:29.Gerald Kaufman who served in this house since 1970 - the longest

:33:30. > :33:34.serving member. He started in political life as an adviser to

:33:35. > :33:38.Harold Wilson. He was an iconic figure in the Labour Party and

:33:39. > :33:43.British politics. He was a champion for peace and justice in the Middle

:33:44. > :33:46.East, and around the world. Yesterday at his funeral, the rabbi

:33:47. > :33:50.who conducted the service, radio message on behalf of the House to

:33:51. > :33:55.his family, which was so much appreciated. -- conveyed your

:33:56. > :33:59.message on behalf of the House. Yesterday I spoke to his family and

:34:00. > :34:03.I asked how would they describe Gerald. They said he was an awesome

:34:04. > :34:09.uncle. I think we should remember Gerald as that. We convey our

:34:10. > :34:14.condolences to all of his family. Mr Speaker, just after the last budget,

:34:15. > :34:18.we then Work and Pensions Secretary resigned, accusing the Government of

:34:19. > :34:24.balancing the books on the backs of the poor and vulnerable. Last week,

:34:25. > :34:27.the Government sneaked out a decision to overrule a court

:34:28. > :34:31.decision to extend personal independence payments to people with

:34:32. > :34:37.severe mental health conditions. A government that found ?1 billion in

:34:38. > :34:45.inheritance tax cuts to benefit 26,000 families seems unable to find

:34:46. > :34:48.the money to support 160,000 people with debilitating mental health

:34:49. > :34:55.conditions. Will the Prime Minister change her mind? Let me be very

:34:56. > :34:58.clear about what is being proposed in relation to personal independence

:34:59. > :35:06.payments. This is not a policy change. This is not a cut in the

:35:07. > :35:09.amount that is going to be spent on disability benefits. And no one is

:35:10. > :35:17.going to see a reduction in their benefit from that previously awarded

:35:18. > :35:23.by the DWP. What we are doing is restoring this particular payment to

:35:24. > :35:27.the original intention that was agreed by the coalition government,

:35:28. > :35:34.agreed by this parliament after extensive consultation.

:35:35. > :35:39.Extensive consultation is an interesting idea because the court

:35:40. > :35:43.made its decision last year. The Government did not consult the

:35:44. > :35:48.Social Security advisory committee and instead at the last minute

:35:49. > :35:54.snaked out its decision. The court ruled that the payment should be

:35:55. > :35:58.made because the people who are going to benefit from it were

:35:59. > :36:04.suffering overwhelming psychological distress. Just a year ago, the new

:36:05. > :36:09.Work and Pensions Secretary said you can tell the House were not going

:36:10. > :36:13.ahead with the changes to Pip that were put forward. Her friend, the

:36:14. > :36:17.member for South Cambridgeshire, said that in her view, the courts

:36:18. > :36:21.were there for a reason. If both, with a warning that raise the

:36:22. > :36:27.criteria should be extended, she believed there should be a duty to

:36:28. > :36:30.honour that. Isn't she right? First of all, on the issue of these

:36:31. > :36:36.payments and those with mental health conditions, actually,

:36:37. > :36:40.Personal Independence Payment is better for people with mental health

:36:41. > :36:45.conditions. Two thirds of people with mental health conditions who

:36:46. > :36:49.are in receipt of Personal Independence Payment, two thirds of

:36:50. > :36:54.them get awarded the higher daily living rate allowance. That

:36:55. > :36:59.compares, that two thirds compared to less than a quarter under the

:37:00. > :37:03.previous DLA arrangements. But it second time that the right

:37:04. > :37:08.honourable gentleman has suggested that somehow this change was sneaked

:37:09. > :37:21.out. It was in a written ministerial statement to Parliament. And I...

:37:22. > :37:25.Can I remind him, week after week he talks to me about the importance of

:37:26. > :37:29.Parliament. We accepted the importance of Parliament and maybe

:37:30. > :37:33.statement to Parliament. But also she referred to the Social Security

:37:34. > :37:37.advisory and they can look at this. My right honourable friend the Work

:37:38. > :37:40.and Pensions Secretary called the chairman of the Social Security

:37:41. > :37:45.advisory committee and spoke to him about the regulations on the day

:37:46. > :37:49.they were being introduced. He called the chairman of the work and

:37:50. > :37:53.pensions select committee and spoke to him about the regulations being

:37:54. > :37:58.introduced. He called both officers of the Shadow Work and Pensions

:37:59. > :38:12.Secretary, but there was no answer and they didn't come back to him for

:38:13. > :38:20.four days. Mr Speaker... Mr Speaker, calling the... Mr Speaker, calling

:38:21. > :38:25.the chairs of two committees and making a written statement to the

:38:26. > :38:30.House does not add up to scrutiny. And as I understand it, there was no

:38:31. > :38:34.call made to the office of my friend, the shadow Secretary of

:38:35. > :38:41.State. Mr Speaker, the reality is this is a shameful decision that

:38:42. > :38:46.will affect people with dementia, those suffering cognitive disorders

:38:47. > :38:49.due to a stroke, military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder,

:38:50. > :38:54.and those with schizophrenia. Can she looked at the effects of her

:38:55. > :39:02.decision to override what an independent court has decided and

:39:03. > :39:05.think again? The issues that he raised, the conditions that he

:39:06. > :39:09.raised, is these are taken into account when decisions are made

:39:10. > :39:13.about Personal Independence Payments. What the court said was

:39:14. > :39:17.the regulations were unclear. That is why we are clarifying the

:39:18. > :39:25.regulations and ensuring that they respect and inflect the original

:39:26. > :39:27.intention agreed by this Parliament. If the right honourable gentleman

:39:28. > :39:31.wants to talk about support being given to people with disabilities,

:39:32. > :39:39.this government is spending more than ever on support for people with

:39:40. > :39:42.disability and health conditions. We are spending more than ever on

:39:43. > :39:46.people with mental health conditions. As I say to him, what we

:39:47. > :39:49.are doing with the Personal Independence Payments is ensuring

:39:50. > :39:56.that those who are most in need get most support. The Government has

:39:57. > :40:00.overridden an independent court decision on this, and they should

:40:01. > :40:04.think very long and hard about that. Her friend, the member for North

:40:05. > :40:07.East Bedfordshire, said this week the Government had to make it very

:40:08. > :40:12.clear that physical and mental health of the same priority. In

:40:13. > :40:15.2002, the Prime Minister made a speech at the Conservative Party

:40:16. > :40:24.conference. I was watching on television. She described her party

:40:25. > :40:30.as we Nasty Party. She said some Tories have tried to make political

:40:31. > :40:34.capital by demonising minority. This week, her policy chair suggested

:40:35. > :40:42.people with debilitating conditions were those who, and I quote, take a

:40:43. > :40:47.at home, who suffer from an anxiety, and were not really disabled. Isn't

:40:48. > :40:54.that prove the Nasty Party is still around? My honourable friend has

:40:55. > :40:56.rightly apologised for the comment that he made, and I hope that the

:40:57. > :41:04.whole house will accept his apology. He asks me about the parity between

:41:05. > :41:11.mental health and physical conditions. It is this Conservative

:41:12. > :41:17.government that has introduced parity of esteem in relation to

:41:18. > :41:20.dealing with mental health in the National Health Service. How many

:41:21. > :41:29.years where labour in government and did nothing about that? 13 years! It

:41:30. > :41:35.was a Labour amendment to the health and social care bill that resulted

:41:36. > :41:39.in parity of esteem being put on the face of the bill. I'm surprised

:41:40. > :41:42.she's forgotten that, because she could take this opportunity to thank

:41:43. > :41:50.the Labour Party for putting that forward. Earlier this... The Prime

:41:51. > :41:55.Minister made a speech earlier this year supporting parity of esteem for

:41:56. > :42:02.mental health, and I'm glad she did. 40% of NHS mental health trusts are

:42:03. > :42:08.having their budgets cut. There are 6600 fewer mental health nurses, and

:42:09. > :42:12.160,000 people with severe mental health conditions about to lose out

:42:13. > :42:17.on support. Can she not recognised parity of esteem means finding it

:42:18. > :42:21.properly, and not overriding court decisions that would benefit people

:42:22. > :42:25.suffering from very difficult conditions? We should reach out to

:42:26. > :42:32.them, not deny them support they need. As I say, we are spending more

:42:33. > :42:36.than ever on mental health. That's ?11.4 billion a year. More people

:42:37. > :42:41.each week are now receiving treatment in relation to mental

:42:42. > :42:46.health than have done previously. Is there more for us to do mental

:42:47. > :42:49.health? Yes, there is. I've said that in this chamber on answer two

:42:50. > :43:00.questions I have seen previously. "We Will -- "Well, do it!" Shouts

:43:01. > :43:04.the Shadow Health Secretary from her normal sedentary position. We are

:43:05. > :43:08.doing it, that's why we are putting more money into mental health in

:43:09. > :43:11.seeing more people being provided with mental health treatment every

:43:12. > :43:15.week and this government. But there is one thing that I know. If you're

:43:16. > :43:18.going to be able to provide that extra support for people with these

:43:19. > :43:24.conditions, if you're going to be able to provide treatment, you need

:43:25. > :43:28.to have the strong economy that enables us to pay for it. And the

:43:29. > :43:36.one thing we know about labour is that they would bankrupt Britain.

:43:37. > :43:40.Coming from a government that by 2020 will have borrowed more and

:43:41. > :43:47.increased the national debt by the total borrowing of all Labour

:43:48. > :43:51.governments, that comes rich! Mr Speaker, the mental health charity

:43:52. > :43:54.Rethink says the Government has spoken forcefully about the

:43:55. > :43:58.importance of parity of esteem between physical and mental health.

:43:59. > :44:04.Yet when presented with a chance to make this a reality, has passed the

:44:05. > :44:10.opportunity by. Mr Speaker, as a society where judged by how we treat

:44:11. > :44:13.the most vulnerable. The respected mental health charity Mind has said

:44:14. > :44:20.this misguided legislation must be reversed. Can the Prime Minister

:44:21. > :44:26.look again? Look again at the decision of the court. Look again at

:44:27. > :44:31.the consequences of it. And withdraw this deep decision, this nasty

:44:32. > :44:34.decision. I accept the court's judgment and support those going

:44:35. > :44:39.through a difficult time in their life. -- accept the court's

:44:40. > :44:43.judgment. That is how we will all be judged. The way we are dealing with

:44:44. > :44:47.disability benefits is to ensure payments are going to those who are

:44:48. > :44:52.most vulnerable. What we are doing in relation to Personal Independence

:44:53. > :44:56.Payments is ensuring that the agreement of this Parliament is

:44:57. > :45:00.being put into practice. But he talks about funding and he talks

:45:01. > :45:08.about boring. I understand that today. Siam have a constant debate

:45:09. > :45:11.-- have a constant debate while the high minister is answering a

:45:12. > :45:18.question. The question was heard and the answer was heard.

:45:19. > :45:23.I understand that the Labour Shadow Health Secretary today when asked

:45:24. > :45:31.how Labour would pay for the increase if it was put in place,

:45:32. > :45:35.said we've not outlined that yet. That just sums up the Labour Party

:45:36. > :45:42.and the Labour Party leadership, you know, after the result in Copeland

:45:43. > :45:45.last week, after the result in Copeland, the honourable member for

:45:46. > :45:49.Lancaster and Fleetwood summed up the result by saying it was an

:45:50. > :45:57.incredible result for the Labour Party. You know, I think that word

:45:58. > :46:13.describes the right honourable gentleman's leadership. Incredible.

:46:14. > :46:21.Thank you Mr Speaker. On Monday... Thank you. On Monday I chaired a

:46:22. > :46:26.seminar at the rote society looking at the priority for the science

:46:27. > :46:31.committee. A report of the meeting will be launched here on 21st March.

:46:32. > :46:37.I understand the Prime Minister might be too busy to attend that

:46:38. > :46:41.herself will she agree to meet me so I present the collective concerns to

:46:42. > :46:45.her in person, round collaboration and people in particular. I thank

:46:46. > :46:50.him for raising this, this it is San important issue, he is right to

:46:51. > :46:54.raise it. We want the UK to be the go to place for innovators, we want

:46:55. > :46:58.to secure the best possible outcomes for the UK research base as we leave

:46:59. > :47:02.the European Union, indeed it is one of the objectives I have set out in

:47:03. > :47:06.our negotiation, are lates to science and research, we are already

:47:07. > :47:11.a leading destination for sign and innovation and we welcome agreement

:47:12. > :47:16.to continue to collaborate with our European partners I am interested in

:47:17. > :47:24.what he has said and I am sure that report will be looked at carefully.

:47:25. > :47:28.We on these benches join the Prime Minister and the Leader of the

:47:29. > :47:36.Labour Party in entending our condolences to the family and friend

:47:37. > :47:41.of Gerald Kaufman. Prior to PMQ today in Scottish questions minute

:47:42. > :47:48.stirs were unable to answer basic questions about Government plans for

:47:49. > :47:51.agriculture and fisheries. They are devolved areas to the Scottish

:47:52. > :47:57.Government and Parliament. With Brexit ending the role of Brussels,

:47:58. > :48:02.will all decision about agriculture and fisheries be made at Holyrood,

:48:03. > :48:08.yes or no? Well, the right honourable gentleman knows very well

:48:09. > :48:12.we are discussing with the devolved administration the question of the

:48:13. > :48:16.UK framework and devolution of issues as they come back from

:48:17. > :48:20.Brussels. The overriding aim I think for everything we do, when we make

:48:21. > :48:24.those decisions is making sure we don't damage the very important

:48:25. > :48:28.single market of the United Kingdom. A market which I might remind him is

:48:29. > :48:35.more important to Scotland and that the European Union is.

:48:36. > :48:40.There is a very interesting answer because during the Brexit

:48:41. > :48:44.referendum, people in Scotland, including those working in the

:48:45. > :48:49.agriculture and fisheries sectors were told the powers would be

:48:50. > :48:53.exercised fully by the Scottish Government and the Scottish

:48:54. > :48:58.Parliament. Now it seems judging by the PM's answer that that is not

:48:59. > :49:02.going to be true. Will the Prime Minister confirm today, she has the

:49:03. > :49:08.opportunity, will she confirm today, that it is her intention to ensure

:49:09. > :49:14.that it is UK ministers that will negotiate and regulate over large

:49:15. > :49:17.areas that impact on Scottish fisheries and agriculture

:49:18. > :49:23.post-Brexit. I repeat to the right honourable gentleman he seems no to

:49:24. > :49:26.have quite understood this point, we are in the process of discussing

:49:27. > :49:31.with the devolved administration the question of which of those powers

:49:32. > :49:36.that currently reside in Brussels, will be returned and remain at a UK

:49:37. > :49:39.level for decision and which would be further devolved into the

:49:40. > :49:43.devolved administrations, that is taking place at the moment. When he

:49:44. > :49:48.asks about the negotiations for Brexit with the European Union, it

:49:49. > :49:52.will be the UK Government that will negotiating with the European Union,

:49:53. > :49:59.taking full account of the interests and concerns of the devolved area of

:50:00. > :50:06.the devolved administration and the other regions of England.

:50:07. > :50:13.Does the Prime Minister aglee when tickets to a teenage cancer charity

:50:14. > :50:17.gig by Ed Sheeran are being resold on a ticket website for over ?1,000

:50:18. > :50:23.with none of that money going to the charity, and tickets to the hit

:50:24. > :50:34.musical Hamilton, are touted for up washed of ?5,000 when via go go know

:50:35. > :50:37.the tickets are invalid, what will the Government do ensure genuine

:50:38. > :50:43.fans are not fleeced by ticket touts and rogues?

:50:44. > :50:48.I thank hill for raising this important issue. I know he has been

:50:49. > :50:51.working on it for some time. He is right to identify those

:50:52. > :50:55.circumstances as he does where there are websites that are causing, that

:50:56. > :51:00.are acting in the way he talks about and causing the problems for people

:51:01. > :51:05.who believe they are able to buy tickets for what they wish to

:51:06. > :51:09.attend. I understand he has met by right honourable gentleman the

:51:10. > :51:15.Minister of State for digital and cultural matters to discuss this

:51:16. > :51:21.issue, as he will by a wear the consumer rights act introduced new

:51:22. > :51:25.rules on ticketing and that will be responded to. But we are as a

:51:26. > :51:29.government looking at the general issue of where markets are not

:51:30. > :51:34.working in the interest of consumers. Can I add my condolences

:51:35. > :51:40.to those expressed about the former father of the house and welcome to

:51:41. > :51:51.his place the new member for Stoke on Trent. Mr Speaker, young black

:51:52. > :51:57.men using mental Health Services are more likely to be subject to

:51:58. > :52:02.detention extreme forms of medication and severe physical

:52:03. > :52:07.restraint and others and this has led to death in extreme case, too

:52:08. > :52:11.many black people with mental ill health are afraid to seek treatment

:52:12. > :52:17.from a service they fear will not treat them fairly. Will the Prime

:52:18. > :52:21.Minister meet with me and some of the of effected families to discuss

:52:22. > :52:25.the need for an inquiry into institutional racism in their mental

:52:26. > :52:31.Health Services? I thank the honourable gentleman, I am happy to

:52:32. > :52:37.member the new member for Stoke-on-Trent to this house. It is

:52:38. > :52:44.because of concern about how many various people were being treated

:52:45. > :52:48.within our public services, that this Government has introduced, I

:52:49. > :52:51.introduced an audit of disparity of treatment within public service, I

:52:52. > :52:56.saw this as Home Secretary when I looked at the way that particularly

:52:57. > :53:01.people with, black people with mental health issues were being

:53:02. > :53:05.dealt with in terms of police and detention in various ways and that

:53:06. > :53:09.is the sort of issue we are looking at. I am happy for him to write to

:53:10. > :53:15.me with the details of the issue he has set out.

:53:16. > :53:21.Le Thank you. Would the Prime Minister join me in congratulating

:53:22. > :53:27.my West Suffolk college, all the staff and the principal who last

:53:28. > :53:30.week in the times education alfurther education award won the

:53:31. > :53:40.teaching and learning initiative for the whole country. By combining

:53:41. > :53:43.maths, art, religion and science, this initiative drives forward

:53:44. > :53:50.inquisitive minds and grows future generations we will need for the

:53:51. > :53:55.skills they need succeed. I am very happy to join my right honourable

:53:56. > :54:01.friend for the award they have been given in this category for best

:54:02. > :54:04.teaching and learning initiative. It is a really interesting initiative

:54:05. > :54:08.they have put in place. Congratulate all the staff and this is a sign, I

:54:09. > :54:16.think, this award of the dedication of the staff and the students at

:54:17. > :54:19.West Suffolk college. All colleges across the country should be

:54:20. > :54:23.aspiring to reach #24ez standards, she is is right, we need to ensure

:54:24. > :54:28.that young people have not just a skill set, but also the entiring

:54:29. > :54:32.mind that enables them as they look forward to what might be different

:54:33. > :54:40.career, to emgreats new skills and change throughout their careers.

:54:41. > :54:44.My constituent Joanne Good's 16-year-old daughter Megan

:54:45. > :54:52.tragically died after drinking half a three litre bottle of Frosty Jack

:54:53. > :54:59.cider which is 7.5% proof and at under ?4 a bottle contains 22 vodka

:55:00. > :55:02.shot equivalents. Does the Prime Minister accept that cheap

:55:03. > :55:08.super-strength white cider is a health hazard and should be banned

:55:09. > :55:13.or at the very least carry a much higher duty per unit. First of all.

:55:14. > :55:19.I am sure that members across the whole house will want to join me in

:55:20. > :55:22.offering our deepest similar thinks to the family of this former

:55:23. > :55:28.constituent of the honourable lady. She does raise a very important

:55:29. > :55:33.issue. That is why we do as a government recognise the harm that

:55:34. > :55:38.is associated with problem consumption of alcohol. These high

:55:39. > :55:47.strength cider and beer are taxed more, we have taken action on the

:55:48. > :55:53.very cheap alcohol by banning sales below duty plus vat. Young people

:55:54. > :55:57.must be made assure of the danger and hashes of alcohol abuse.

:55:58. > :56:01.Campaign have had been run offering advice and support and they work

:56:02. > :56:04.with charities and in schools to help raise awareness which I think

:56:05. > :56:08.is San important part. We are rightly proud that young

:56:09. > :56:13.people regardless of race, creed or colour with study at our colleges

:56:14. > :56:18.and university, yet this week Jewish students are being subjected to

:56:19. > :56:24.intimidation, fear, and to anti-Semitism as a result of

:56:25. > :56:29.so-called Israel apartheid group, what action willry of make that

:56:30. > :56:36.Chancellorings and principles ensure that anti-Semitism is not allow to

:56:37. > :56:39.prosper on campuses. Well, first of all I want to assure my right

:56:40. > :56:43.honourable friend hiring education institution have a responsibility to

:56:44. > :56:47.ensure they provide a safe and inclusive environment for all

:56:48. > :56:53.students and we expect them to have robust policies in place to comply

:56:54. > :56:59.with the law, to ingaes gate and address hate crime including

:57:00. > :57:03.anti-Semitic incidents reported. I know the universities minister has

:57:04. > :57:07.written to remind institutions of these expectations and urged them to

:57:08. > :57:19.follow the Government's lead. There is a flaw in the legislative

:57:20. > :57:23.reform order with which the Government is seeking to create

:57:24. > :57:27.private fund limited partnerships which allows criminal owned cosh

:57:28. > :57:32.limited partnerships to easily convert to to these new types of

:57:33. > :57:38.partnerships. Will the Prime Minister delay that until such times

:57:39. > :57:46.as the current review into SLPs is completed? Completed? Well we have

:57:47. > :57:53.taken important steps to tackle money launders and other crimes. On

:57:54. > :57:58.the question think raises of Scottish limited partnerships, I

:57:59. > :58:01.understand that the Department for Business consulted last year on

:58:02. > :58:06.further transparency requirements and they will be publishing

:58:07. > :58:13.proposals soon. The Business Secretary is gathering evidence

:58:14. > :58:16.which may lead to further reform. My right honourable friend will be

:58:17. > :58:21.aware of the concern overs the new business rates and why there is a

:58:22. > :58:26.welcome for many of the businesses who have been taken out of business

:58:27. > :58:30.rate there's is a concern among those who have Ian an increase. Can

:58:31. > :58:35.she give me an assurance that we will do all we can for these people

:58:36. > :58:42.who work very hard to be the engine room of our economy and a rise of

:58:43. > :58:49.this size threaten their livelihood itself. Business rates are based on

:58:50. > :58:53.property value. It has opinion seven years since those, this property

:58:54. > :58:59.values were last looked at. It is right that we update them. Of

:59:00. > :59:07.course, as I recognised last week it is important we have put already put

:59:08. > :59:12.-- so that we help the companies who are facing increased bills but as I

:59:13. > :59:15.said in this House, have asked my right honourable friends the

:59:16. > :59:19.Chancellor and the Communities Secretary to make sure that support

:59:20. > :59:23.that is provided is appropriate and is in place for the hardest cases

:59:24. > :59:26.and I would expect my right honourable friend the Chancellor to

:59:27. > :59:35.say more about this next week in the budget.

:59:36. > :59:40.A recent national awe deaf report showed massive overspend on free

:59:41. > :59:47.school sites with the department ex mating it will need to respond more.

:59:48. > :59:52.Schools in my constituency are reporting chronic levels of

:59:53. > :59:54.underfunding. Will the Prime Minister provide our existing

:59:55. > :00:19.schools with the ininvestment they need. #4s...

:00:20. > :00:57.Does the Prime Minister agree with me that Welsh interests must remain

:00:58. > :01:01.at the heart of the United Kingdom? As we leave the European Union, the

:01:02. > :01:09.future of the UK union has never been more important.

:01:10. > :01:15.I'd like to thank my honourable friend. He's absolutely right to

:01:16. > :01:26.raise the importance and I would like -- and minding the world -- we

:01:27. > :01:31.are committed to getting a deal that works all parts of the UK, including

:01:32. > :01:34.Wales. The best way to do that is for the administration to continue

:01:35. > :01:38.to work together. I'm pleased to say that I will be hosting a St David's

:01:39. > :01:43.Day reception in Downing Street to celebrate everything that Wales has

:01:44. > :01:59.to offer. Can I once again wish all members of the house...

:02:00. > :02:02.SHE SPEAKS WELSH congestion journey times and Bradford Leeds are amongst

:02:03. > :02:09.the worst in the country. Will the Prime Minister committee

:02:10. > :02:15.delivering the investment that we desperately need far West Yorkshire

:02:16. > :02:18.Powerhouse? I apologise to the honourable lady because I missed the

:02:19. > :02:23.first part of her question. I think she was talking about investment in

:02:24. > :02:28.infrastructure. HS three, right. I'm very clear that we have set out

:02:29. > :02:30.commitments we have made of the government in relation to

:02:31. > :02:34.infrastructure. As she will know, we do believe that infrastructure plays

:02:35. > :02:38.an important part in encouraging the growth of the economy, and in

:02:39. > :02:39.ensuring that we do increase productivity around the rest of the

:02:40. > :02:42.country. economy and ensuring that we do see

:02:43. > :02:47.that we increase productivity around the rest of the country and we'll be

:02:48. > :02:58.looking at further projects that can do just that. Canvassing in Cortland

:02:59. > :03:03.recently, people wanted to talk about the future of their local

:03:04. > :03:08.maternity unit -- Copeland. It was like being at home in Banbury.

:03:09. > :03:15.Rather than politicise the NHS, with the Prime Minister agree to a review

:03:16. > :03:19.of maternity services, encouraging not just care that is safe but also

:03:20. > :03:28.clear that is kind and close to home. My honourable friend raises an

:03:29. > :03:31.important point in relation to local maternity services. I am looking

:03:32. > :03:36.forward to welcoming the new member for Copeland in this House but

:03:37. > :03:40.during the campaign, she made it very clear that she did not want to

:03:41. > :03:46.see any downgrading of the west Cumberland Hospital services but she

:03:47. > :03:51.also put forward a very powerful case for what my honourable friend

:03:52. > :03:53.has just suggested, which is a review to tackle the recruitment

:03:54. > :03:58.issues that affect these maternity services out there and the

:03:59. > :04:03.professionally led review does seem very sensible and then know the

:04:04. > :04:06.health minister is looking at it. A 90-year-old constituent of mine

:04:07. > :04:11.faces being discharged by the mental health trust for a second time

:04:12. > :04:16.because they have neither the skills nor the cash to provide the support

:04:17. > :04:23.he needs. What's the Prime Minister's message to him? I don't

:04:24. > :04:26.not the individual details of the case the honourable gentleman has

:04:27. > :04:31.raised. I know we are ensuring all money is being put into mental

:04:32. > :04:34.health conditions over the year and will continue to be, but if you wish

:04:35. > :04:41.to write to me at the Secretary of State for Health, I'm sure we can

:04:42. > :04:46.look into it. As a leader who wants to spread wealth and opportunity as

:04:47. > :04:53.widely as possible, will the Prime Minister insurer that we end the

:04:54. > :04:58.practice of developers buying freehold land on which they sell new

:04:59. > :05:03.house is on a leasehold basis? Many first-time buyers on help to buy

:05:04. > :05:08.feel they're being ripped off by this practice and look to the

:05:09. > :05:12.Government for help. I thank my honourable friend for raising this

:05:13. > :05:16.point, an issue he has raised previously. I know he is working on

:05:17. > :05:21.it. Our house on the White Paper -- housing White Paper says there

:05:22. > :05:24.should be house developed for people to live in for fairness for

:05:25. > :05:30.leaseholders but we will be consulting on a range of measures to

:05:31. > :05:35.tackle unfair unreasonable abuses of leasehold as my friend has said.

:05:36. > :05:40.Other than exceptional circumstances, I don't see why new

:05:41. > :05:52.homes can't be built and sold at the point. I add my condolences to the

:05:53. > :05:55.family of Gerald Kaufmann. Yesterday I received a new mill from your

:05:56. > :06:01.local pharmacist who since the Government announcement in October

:06:02. > :06:08.has cemented cost-cutting measures including staff and services. --

:06:09. > :06:17.implemented. He has had a reduction of nearly ?9,000 which represents

:06:18. > :06:21.18.8%, well beyond the 4% the pharmacy ministers spoke about in

:06:22. > :06:29.October. Will the Government commit to revisiting community pharmacy

:06:30. > :06:32.funding as a matter of urgency? We all recognise the important service

:06:33. > :06:36.that pharmacists provide that is by spending them has risen in recent

:06:37. > :06:41.years and also we have seen an increase of over 80% in the past

:06:42. > :06:45.decade. The system does need to reform so that the NHS resources are

:06:46. > :06:50.spent efficiently and effectively and just look at some of the

:06:51. > :07:03.figures, two thirds of pharmacies are within ten minutes

:07:04. > :07:08.walk of two others. Many receive a subsidy regardless of size or

:07:09. > :07:11.quality. What we did do is to look at this concern when it was raised

:07:12. > :07:13.last summer and make changes to ensure there was greater support

:07:14. > :07:22.available to pharmacies in particular areas. One of David

:07:23. > :07:27.Cameron's greatest legacies were his efforts to fight human trafficking

:07:28. > :07:31.and modern-day slavery under the act. Last year this country looked

:07:32. > :07:38.after 800,000 children in Syria or the surrounding countries for the

:07:39. > :07:44.same investment of looking after 3000 in this country. By doing that,

:07:45. > :07:46.we helped defeat human trafficking. Could the Prime Minister confirm

:07:47. > :07:52.that we will continue with that policy? I'm very happy to join my

:07:53. > :07:56.honourable friend in paying tribute to David Cameron. I was very pleased

:07:57. > :08:00.he supported the modern slavery act when I propose we should introduce

:08:01. > :08:04.it and we had indeed committed to continuing our policy in relation to

:08:05. > :08:08.this area. I have setup a modern slavery task force at number ten,

:08:09. > :08:11.which I chair, bringing together various parties to ensure that

:08:12. > :08:16.across Government, we are doing what is necessary both to break the

:08:17. > :08:20.criminal gangs, deal with the perpetrators and provide necessary

:08:21. > :08:24.support for the victims. May I on behalf of my honourable friend join

:08:25. > :08:27.with the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition in expressing

:08:28. > :08:35.condolences to the family of the late father of the House, he will be

:08:36. > :08:38.greatly missed. The Prime Minister I'm sure cannot have failed to

:08:39. > :08:45.notice the intervention by two former Prime Ministers recently with

:08:46. > :08:51.the Brexit debate and as helpful as they were, I'm sure, I'm sure the

:08:52. > :09:00.Prime Minister will know, of course, what they and everyone else means by

:09:01. > :09:03.hard Brexit, soft Brexit, but we all wondering what is meant by a soft

:09:04. > :09:09.coup! LAUGHTER

:09:10. > :09:15.When indeed it may be triggered and when we bother it has been triggered

:09:16. > :09:19.or not! Perhaps the Prime Minister can elucidate on that since she has

:09:20. > :09:24.been so helpful in so many other ways. Which eg the opportunity today

:09:25. > :09:28.however to make it clear that whatever former Prime Ministers for

:09:29. > :09:33.the unelected upper house might say, the reality is that her plan to

:09:34. > :09:39.trigger Article 50 by the end of March is now clearly on track?

:09:40. > :09:43.CHEERING I thank the honourable gentleman for

:09:44. > :09:49.the question that he has asked. It is my plan to trigger Article 50 by

:09:50. > :09:56.the end of March, rather than triggering any kind of coup. It is

:09:57. > :10:00.still our intention to do that. It is important the Article 50 builders

:10:01. > :10:06.respond to the judgment of the Supreme Court but also responds to

:10:07. > :10:09.the voice of the United Kingdom when people voted to ensure we do leave

:10:10. > :10:17.the European Union and that is what we will do. Mr Speaker, perhaps you

:10:18. > :10:19.like many here today took a shower this morning.

:10:20. > :10:35.LAUGHTER I am sure, Mr Speaker, you are very

:10:36. > :10:46.careful to check whether the shower gel contained micro beads. Products

:10:47. > :10:53.containing them can result... The thrust of this fascinating question!

:10:54. > :10:57.Let's hear it. Shower gel products containing them can result in

:10:58. > :11:03.100,000 micro beads or plastics being washed down the drain every

:11:04. > :11:06.time you use them. This damage is precious habitats. With the Prime

:11:07. > :11:11.Minister join with me in welcoming the steps this Government is taking

:11:12. > :11:17.to introduce a ban on micro beads used in cosmetics and care products.

:11:18. > :11:33.The consultation ended just a few days ago. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I

:11:34. > :11:36.think I should say for clarity to members of this House that I am not

:11:37. > :11:46.in a position to know whether or not you took a shower this morning.

:11:47. > :11:50.LAUGHTER My honourable friend has raised a

:11:51. > :11:54.very important point and it is completely unnecessary to add

:11:55. > :12:00.plastics to products like face washes and body scrub were harmless

:12:01. > :12:04.alternatives can be used. As she referred to at the end of her

:12:05. > :12:09.question, our consultation to ban micro beads in products closed

:12:10. > :12:13.recently. We were aiming to change legislation by October 20 17th and

:12:14. > :12:17.we also ask for what more can be done in future to prevent other

:12:18. > :12:20.sources of plastic from entering the marine environment because we are

:12:21. > :12:22.committed to being the first generation ever to leave the

:12:23. > :12:27.environment in a better state than it was inherited and I'm sure we can

:12:28. > :12:35.work together to bring an end to these harmful plastics clogging up

:12:36. > :12:42.our oceans. I think people are assured by what the Prime Minister

:12:43. > :12:49.just said! Along the corridor in South Wales, families woke up this

:12:50. > :12:56.morning worried about potential job losses at Ford in Bridgend. Families

:12:57. > :13:00.are particularly frightened that Ford is not going to be able to

:13:01. > :13:06.bring new contracts into the factory with the uncertainty of Brexit ahead

:13:07. > :13:11.of them. Can I have an assurance from the Prime Minister that she

:13:12. > :13:16.will ensure our ministers meet with Ford and the union to see what can

:13:17. > :13:23.be done to support Ford to ensure continuity of engine production in

:13:24. > :13:26.the Bridgend Ford plant? Can I reassure the honourable lady that

:13:27. > :13:29.one of our automotive sectors is one of the most productive in the world

:13:30. > :13:32.and be what is she going from strength to strength? That's why

:13:33. > :13:37.ministers in this Government have been engaging with various companies

:13:38. > :13:41.within the sector including Ford and other companies. Ford is an

:13:42. > :13:45.important investor here. It has been established for over 100 years. We

:13:46. > :13:49.now account for around a third of its global engine production and

:13:50. > :13:53.Bridgend continue to be an important part of that. We have had dialogue

:13:54. > :13:56.with Ford and will continue to have regular dialogue with Ford about the

:13:57. > :14:03.ways Government can help to make sure the success continues.

:14:04. > :14:09.into extra time yet again Prime Minister's Questions. It's almost a

:14:10. > :14:14.quarter to one. We will come back to that in a minute. Some big news out

:14:15. > :14:19.of Paris, Francois Fillon, the centre-right presidential candidate,

:14:20. > :14:22.has been summoned to meet magistrates on March the 15th

:14:23. > :14:28.because of their investigation into the employment of his wife and a

:14:29. > :14:32.total sum over the years of 900,000 euros. There is some doubt over

:14:33. > :14:36.whether any work was done for that tax payers' money. To be summoned

:14:37. > :14:44.before magistrates is almost a certain precursor to Mr Fillon being

:14:45. > :14:47.charged with misuse of public funds. March the 15th is just over five

:14:48. > :14:53.weeks away from friends going to the polls in the first round of the

:14:54. > :14:57.presidential election on April 23. Mr Fillon was a one-time favourite.

:14:58. > :15:01.He was knocked back because of this scandal. Now that it looks like he

:15:02. > :15:04.is being prosecuted, he could take a further hit in the polls which could

:15:05. > :15:13.mean that the play-off on March the 7th could be between Mr Macron, and

:15:14. > :15:19.the national front's Madame Le Pen. This is important not just for

:15:20. > :15:23.friends, but the United Kingdom because Macron or Le Pen will have

:15:24. > :15:29.serious implications for Brexit negotiations. Mr Macron is not keen

:15:30. > :15:34.to give written much at all, as he made clear last week. Madame Le Pen

:15:35. > :15:38.wants to come out of the euro and EU, which would probably ten Brexit

:15:39. > :15:41.into something as a sideshow as far as the EU was concerned. So

:15:42. > :15:55.important news that out of Paris. We were talking about disability

:15:56. > :15:58.allowances before PMQ. The Prime Minister tried to answer as best she

:15:59. > :16:03.could. It's a difficult issue for the Government. Michael Murray,

:16:04. > :16:07.excellent forensic performance by Jeremy Corbyn, Theresa May's

:16:08. > :16:12.response proves the Tory party is till the nasty party. Theresa May

:16:13. > :16:17.very strong today. Well prepared meaning she could answer

:16:18. > :16:22.questionings. John said cheap shots from May on the Copeland vote. It

:16:23. > :16:28.was not a vote of confidence in the Tory, I live there. Andy says going

:16:29. > :16:35.by Jeremy Corbyn's question it is clear Labour have relinquished by

:16:36. > :16:40.the party of the worker they are the party of the disability. The court

:16:41. > :16:43.ruled to extend the paymentstor, people suffering psychological

:16:44. > :16:49.distress, was that the main widening? There are two separate

:16:50. > :16:53.rule what the two tribunals did was extend the criteria from the

:16:54. > :16:57.existing rules and regulations, so technically speaking it is not a

:16:58. > :17:00.cut, but there are people who do not currently receive the benefits who

:17:01. > :17:06.appealed to the court to say they ought to be entitled to them, the

:17:07. > :17:10.court decide they should. The Government said they disagree

:17:11. > :17:16.because of the cost. The cost would be 3.7 billion. So not insignificant

:17:17. > :17:20.when the Chancellor made it clear there is not much money to go round,

:17:21. > :17:24.my sense at the moment is while there are Tory backbenchers who are

:17:25. > :17:29.concerned it doesn't right now have the heat in this to force the

:17:30. > :17:33.Government to back down, but I think ministers are working hard to stave

:17:34. > :17:36.off a rebellion. And the Prime Minister was saying that this

:17:37. > :17:41.wouldn't make a difference to people who already get benefits, is that

:17:42. > :17:46.true? That is my understanding, is this is about the history natural

:17:47. > :17:50.said PIP payments should be extended to people in some groups, for

:17:51. > :17:55.example people who have such, mental health problems who find it in the

:17:56. > :17:58.one case that went the tribunal extremely distressing to go out and

:17:59. > :18:05.about. Therefore they should be entitled to some form of help to go

:18:06. > :18:10.about living dale life more easily. As I understand it the ruling would

:18:11. > :18:14.extend the benefits to people who do not receive them, rather than what

:18:15. > :18:21.Jeremy Corbyn was suggesting, these are what we would see as traditional

:18:22. > :18:24.cuts and the implication is taking away from people something they

:18:25. > :18:28.have. It is harder to fight something if it is a benefit that

:18:29. > :18:37.people get into their bank account and you are going to take away. The

:18:38. > :18:43.3.7 billion is a build up, 2022,/23. It is not like 3.7 #3w8 tomorrow.

:18:44. > :18:46.No, over the course of time. Who would have thought John Ashworth

:18:47. > :18:58.that the Prime Minister was watching you on television? Assuming she has

:18:59. > :19:04.rushed back to the TV set again... I hardly think it was a zing tore say

:19:05. > :19:10.the Labour Party can't write a budget for 2022/23. It is reasonable

:19:11. > :19:15.not to expect them. That is point we are making, as we go into the next

:19:16. > :19:20.election will put forward detail plans for spending commitments. We

:19:21. > :19:26.won't do that in 2017, that is not what opposition parties do at this

:19:27. > :19:30.stage. She knows that. She used to make arguments like this when we

:19:31. > :19:33.were in Government. I remember during the election campaign in this

:19:34. > :19:38.very studio, asking Conservatives again and again, if they plan to cut

:19:39. > :19:45.welfare by 12 billion, and how would they do it? And answer came there

:19:46. > :19:50.none to either question, that is how oppositions behave, because they

:19:51. > :19:55.then do it. We have seen today a very full and Frank discussion on

:19:56. > :20:03.what we are planning to do on #3i7, making sure the assessment is right

:20:04. > :20:06.and accurate. Getting the assessment right, this is what matters and

:20:07. > :20:12.taking this tribunal ruling into account, to make sure we ensure that

:20:13. > :20:16.everybody is assessed properly, but people will always have differing

:20:17. > :20:22.needs, and differing costs flowing from those needs. The assessment has

:20:23. > :20:28.to capture that. Events across then champion, very significant, because

:20:29. > :20:32.Mr Fillip's campaign was already in trouble before the news it is almost

:20:33. > :20:38.certain he is going to be prosecuted which makes his campaign more of the

:20:39. > :20:42.walking wounded and suggests, polls will suggest Mr Macron or Madame Le

:20:43. > :20:47.Pen will be the two candidates to go through to the second round. France

:20:48. > :20:53.doing a clearing out to the top two, unless someone gets 50% in the first

:20:54. > :20:58.round. Speaking to some people in the Foreign Office, just as the

:20:59. > :21:03.British government had no plan for Brexit, I was astounded to be told

:21:04. > :21:08.they had no contingency plan for a Le Pen President S When you talk to

:21:09. > :21:12.minister, it is something interesting since the Lancaster

:21:13. > :21:17.House speech, in the last month or so ministers are becoming more

:21:18. > :21:21.optimistic, of doing a Brexit deal. They say this European counterparts

:21:22. > :21:27.have got over the original fury and are starting to feel we can go down

:21:28. > :21:32.and do a deal. So the first stages of a divorce you tell someone you

:21:33. > :21:36.are leaving then the other person says I hate you, then they say I

:21:37. > :21:41.hate you so we have to talk about access to the children. That process

:21:42. > :21:46.has happened. When you ask the question what about Le Pen, that is

:21:47. > :21:50.the unexploited bomb. That is uncontrollable, an event they are

:21:51. > :21:55.not planning for because knob would note what she would do. She said she

:21:56. > :22:00.would try to take people out of the euro in a slight parallel to Trump

:22:01. > :22:05.perhaps, there are parallels that are too simplistic to draw, but new

:22:06. > :22:09.a parallel to Trump there is a question about her, would she do the

:22:10. > :22:16.things she said she wants to do? Would she say I am going to try and

:22:17. > :22:20.immediately take France out... She count have a majority in the

:22:21. > :22:24.assembly to do so. 23 we think how they have been some of them the

:22:25. > :22:28.strongest federalists in the European Union, how France has been

:22:29. > :22:32.the driving force in terms opt no just keeping the European Union

:22:33. > :22:36.together, but in terms of expanding its reach, it is not clear to the

:22:37. > :22:40.Foreign Office here or anyone else she would want to do the things she

:22:41. > :22:48.said she would be able to do. Be able to do them. You are right. One

:22:49. > :22:56.of the huge events that would upset the ale card. Where the uncertainty

:22:57. > :23:02.would come in, is that neither Mr Macron Norma dam he pep would have

:23:03. > :23:06.the votes in the French Parliament, there are few National Front MPs and

:23:07. > :23:13.although there will be more, there will still be a small number. Mr

:23:14. > :23:18.Macron doesn't have a party, he is trying to turn one into a party. It

:23:19. > :23:23.would be a time of great uncertainty in either result. Huge uncertainty

:23:24. > :23:29.and instability, which means the whole approach to Europe and the

:23:30. > :23:33.Brexit negotiations become more precarious, and Brexit has happened

:23:34. > :23:38.now, we have to respect the wisheses of the country, I accept that as

:23:39. > :23:42.much as I'm campaigned for the other side, but I am worried about what

:23:43. > :23:46.means over the coming weeks and months. A quick thought today

:23:47. > :23:50.Jean-Claude Juncker is put foger ward a white paper for the future of

:23:51. > :23:54.the European Union, so without the Marine Le Pen potential victory,

:23:55. > :23:57.there are serious conversations happening in the European Union

:23:58. > :24:01.about what it should look like in ten years' time. I wonder if to

:24:02. > :24:07.tease the UK Government one of the options they have put forward is

:24:08. > :24:12.about only having the single market. What an economic relationship? Which

:24:13. > :24:21.is what many Tories who campaigned said, if it just a trading

:24:22. > :24:28.agreement, fine. Happy days. He obviously has had a good breakfast.

:24:29. > :24:31.Later the Government could be dealt the first defeat for its Brexit

:24:32. > :24:36.bill. Later this afternoon,

:24:37. > :24:38.peers are expected to agree an amendment to the bill -

:24:39. > :24:40.demanding that the rights of EU citizens living

:24:41. > :24:42.in the UK are protected. Despite the Home Secretary writing

:24:43. > :24:45.a letter to peers and reassuring them that this will be

:24:46. > :24:48.a priority once divorce talks begin, the amendment has attracted support

:24:49. > :24:50.from across the House. To discuss the politics of it all,

:24:51. > :24:53.I'm joined now from the Lords by Labour's Dianne Hayter,

:24:54. > :25:00.who tabled the amendment. Do you not think the Home Secretary

:25:01. > :25:04.has a point. However well intentioned this is about

:25:05. > :25:08.guaranteeing the right of EU foreign nationals it risks leaving hundreds

:25:09. > :25:13.of thousands of British citizens on the Continent in limbo if we do

:25:14. > :25:17.something unilaterally. ? Remember, we started this process, we decided

:25:18. > :25:21.we want to come out of the European Union, and I think therefore, we

:25:22. > :25:27.have an obligation to those people who moved to Britain in good faith,

:25:28. > :25:30.thinking we were going to stay in the European Union, to safeguard the

:25:31. > :25:35.rights they thought they had when they came here, a number are married

:25:36. > :25:39.to Brit, they have been here 20, 30 years, they may have British

:25:40. > :25:45.children, they have been in jobs for years, and the different between

:25:46. > :25:49.these, and the nationals who live abroad, is it for us to decide what

:25:50. > :25:54.happens to those people in on our own shore, that is what we are

:25:55. > :25:58.asking to Government to do. Do you expect the Government to be defeated

:25:59. > :26:01.in the Lords on this? My amendment has the support after a Liberal

:26:02. > :26:05.Democrat, a kith, and of an independent peer. And I think that

:26:06. > :26:10.is always a very strong signal. You think, yes. We always in the Lords

:26:11. > :26:16.still have to argue our case, we don't whip them in in the same way,

:26:17. > :26:20.we still have to make the argument. If fact we are hoping the Home

:26:21. > :26:28.Secretary might listen in to the arguments. A bit like Theresa May

:26:29. > :26:34.did. It was a shame she said we should not pass an amendment without

:26:35. > :26:38.having listened to the arguments. If you get it through how situation

:26:39. > :26:44.significant is it really? Unless there is a big backbench rebellion

:26:45. > :26:48.in the Commons or ministers make a concession, it won't come back,

:26:49. > :26:53.would you try and am end maniment for a second time. First let us win

:26:54. > :26:59.end see what they do. My judgment is if we get a big vote today and it's

:27:00. > :27:02.a very clear direction to the elected Government, that it should

:27:03. > :27:06.do something, it needs to think, listen, maybe we got this wrong,

:27:07. > :27:11.maybe we should do this unilateral thing now of simply saying to

:27:12. > :27:15.people, the rights you already had and expected we will look after

:27:16. > :27:20.those and which ought not to be part of the negotiation in any way. Put

:27:21. > :27:26.that to one side. I hope that the Government will listen. Just stay

:27:27. > :27:29.there for a moment. If there is a big groundswell of support for this

:27:30. > :27:38.and it is passed in the Lord. It does put the government in an

:27:39. > :27:41.awkward position. We asked the EU to deal with it before we triggered

:27:42. > :27:46.Article 50. They declined that opportunity. They want to say it

:27:47. > :27:51.should only start by discussed after we triggered Article 50. We hope we

:27:52. > :27:56.can resolved it shortly thereafter. Should the Government think again?

:27:57. > :28:00.This is about a unilateral move. I no the Government tried it says it

:28:01. > :28:05.in negotiations but should they think again? It isn't just about it

:28:06. > :28:12.being unilateral, it has to be with the agreement of the EU. We can't

:28:13. > :28:16.have that discussion. It will be a case of pinging it back to the Lords

:28:17. > :28:21.and then if they have said to its us they are going to stick to

:28:22. > :28:24.timetable? Your earlier thing about what is happening in France and

:28:25. > :28:30.election in Germany, means it would be at least a year before the EU is

:28:31. > :28:35.in a position to say anything about EU nationals. I don't think it is

:28:36. > :28:38.right for three many people to have to wait a year to know their future.

:28:39. > :28:43.We are not clear whether hay would have to wait that long. Thank you

:28:44. > :28:46.for joining us. My understanding is the British Government expects to

:28:47. > :28:50.deal quickly that the Spanish and east Europeans have been squared on

:28:51. > :28:53.that, it could be resolved quickly. Let us give you the answer to guess

:28:54. > :28:58.the year. The one o'clock news is

:28:59. > :29:12.starting over on BBC One now. Jo and I will be here at noon

:29:13. > :29:38.tomorrow, with all the big The very embodiment of the England

:29:39. > :29:42.that must emerge.