:00:12. > :00:14.Hello and welcome to Monday in Parliament.
:00:15. > :00:19.The Education Secretary prolises that bringing back grammar schools
:00:20. > :00:22.will mean a better education for everyone.
:00:23. > :00:25.We do not want to see a rettrn to the old binary system of good
:00:26. > :00:31.But Labour tears into the changes, accusing the Government
:00:32. > :00:48.Under Labour, we had educathon, education, education. This
:00:49. > :00:50.government's mantra is segrdgation, segregation, segregation.
:00:51. > :00:54.As David Cameron announces he is resigning from Parlialent
:00:55. > :00:56.there's a tribute - of sorts - from a Brexit adversary.
:00:57. > :00:58.I think he was a pretty good Prime Minister,
:00:59. > :01:02.and I'm not going to criticise him today.
:01:03. > :01:05.The big news of the day, of course, is that David Cameron
:01:06. > :01:09.He said that having a former Prime Minister on the backbdnches
:01:10. > :01:13.But there's speculation that he is leaving Parliament
:01:14. > :01:16.because he doesn't agree with Theresa May's decision
:01:17. > :01:19.to reintroduce grammar schools in England.
:01:20. > :01:22.In the past, Mr Cameron has said he regards bringing back gr`mmars
:01:23. > :01:26.Although, when questioned about his resignation, he said it had
:01:27. > :01:38.There is a lot of merit in the policy but I don't want to get into
:01:39. > :01:40.the wares and why force of this individual policy.
:01:41. > :01:41.His announcement coincided with the publication of the
:01:42. > :01:43.Government's consultation paper on education.
:01:44. > :01:46.It sets out plans to create new grammars and to allow existing
:01:47. > :01:48.state schools to apply for the right to select children
:01:49. > :01:53.The Education Secretary, Justine Greening, was in thd Commons
:01:54. > :02:03.We want this country to be ` truly meritocratic country,
:02:04. > :02:05.where what matters most is a person's individual talent
:02:06. > :02:10.And so we need to build a schools system that works for everyone,
:02:11. > :02:15.We need to radically expand the number of good schools places
:02:16. > :02:19.available to all families, not just those who can afford
:02:20. > :02:23.to move into the catchment `reas of the best state schools,
:02:24. > :02:28.or those who can afford to pay for private education.
:02:29. > :02:31.And she offered some reassurance to critics.
:02:32. > :02:34.Mr Speaker, I think it's re`lly important that I am clear about how
:02:35. > :02:40.We do not want to see a rettrn to the old binary system of good
:02:41. > :02:47.For Labour, Angela Rayner tore into the policy.
:02:48. > :02:50.Mr Speaker, if I may, I would like to start by offering
:02:51. > :03:17.That reaction is very interdsting because that wasn't my advice,
:03:18. > :03:21.it was the advice of the last Prime Minister, still in post
:03:22. > :03:27.as I think, today, the right honourable member for Witnex.
:03:28. > :03:30.When asked about Tory MPs w`nting to return to grammar schools,
:03:31. > :03:35.he went on to say, "I think it is delusional to think that
:03:36. > :03:40.a policy of expanding a number of grammar schools is either a good
:03:41. > :03:47.idea, a sellable idea or even the right idea."
:03:48. > :03:49.He was the future once, but this Prime Minister wants
:03:50. > :03:55.Where once under Labour we had education, education,
:03:56. > :04:01.education, this government's mantra is segregation,
:04:02. > :04:08.A former Education Secretary was concerned
:04:09. > :04:11.about plans to allow faith schools to select all pupils
:04:12. > :04:21.And also, can I ask her to reconsider pretty fundamdntally,
:04:22. > :04:23.the announcement she has made about faith schools.
:04:24. > :04:26.Because we need to live in ` society where we actually reduce barriers
:04:27. > :04:31.and improve contacts and integration between people of all faiths
:04:32. > :04:35.and if it has been imperfect, we do need to know why it's not
:04:36. > :04:38.worked and it may be right to modify.
:04:39. > :04:41.But isn't just removing the cap altogether going to lead us into
:04:42. > :04:58.There was praise from anothdr former Education Secretary.
:04:59. > :05:05.Can I congratulate the Secrdtary of State for the clear moral purpose
:05:06. > :05:07.that runs through every word of her statement?
:05:08. > :05:10.Her commitment to ensuring that every child in this country receives
:05:11. > :05:12.a high-quality education and that we narrowly attainlent gap
:05:13. > :05:14.between rich and poor has been the driving mission
:05:15. > :05:21.that she has taken to the role of Education Secretary and H,
:05:22. > :05:28.for one, am delighted to see her at the dispatch box.
:05:29. > :05:30.Schools that work for everyone and families is exactly what members
:05:31. > :05:33.on this side of the House are in favour of.
:05:34. > :05:35.And I want to press the Secretary of State on this
:05:36. > :05:39.Where's the evidence that any of the improvement we have seen
:05:40. > :05:42.in the last 15-20 years has come as a result of selection?
:05:43. > :05:44.And, in particular, can she name a school system elsewhere
:05:45. > :05:47.in the world that succeeds on the basis of selection at 11
:05:48. > :05:50.Well, our proposals are verx clear, that we don't want to see a test
:05:51. > :05:53.at 11 to be the main principal way that children get into gramlars
:05:54. > :05:56.We want much more flexibility in the grammar system.
:05:57. > :06:02.This is about having a 21st-century education system
:06:03. > :06:05.I have to say that I have sdvere reservations about introduchng
:06:06. > :06:09.I was at a grammar school, 50 years ago, and I've often
:06:10. > :06:12.wondered, if I had failed the 1 plus, where I would be?
:06:13. > :06:18.system has moved on, but I have to say that I thhnk it's
:06:19. > :06:20.not a question of introducing more grammar schools -
:06:21. > :06:22.if people want grammar schools, that is fine.
:06:23. > :06:25.It is what is happening in the main part of the system.
:06:26. > :06:28.I'm quite sorry for her, anxway because I'm sure this is not
:06:29. > :06:31.Could she tell us confidenthally whether she was as surprised
:06:32. > :06:34.as we were when she found ott the chaotic nature of futurd
:06:35. > :06:37.government policy, and when she was informed of it by government
:06:38. > :06:45.Well, Mr Speaker, I think on behalf of children in Britain,
:06:46. > :06:48.that was a totally pointless question and I'm not
:06:49. > :06:54.The Education Secretary, refusing to answer a question there.
:06:55. > :06:57.Now, at Defence Question Tile, all eyes were on Syria,
:06:58. > :07:01.where a ceasefire was due to come into force.
:07:02. > :07:04.It's not the first time there's been a cessation of hostilities.
:07:05. > :07:07.There was a brief lull in the conflict earlier in the year.
:07:08. > :07:10.Aid agencies and charities said they were on stand-by,
:07:11. > :07:13.once again, to send humanitarian supplies
:07:14. > :07:17.The Defence Secretary was asked about Russia's role in the deal
:07:18. > :07:20.and in the fight against the so-called Islamic Sate group -
:07:21. > :07:26.Given the announcement of a US- and Russia-negotiated ceasefire
:07:27. > :07:32.in Syria, does the Secretarx of State believe that Russi` is now
:07:33. > :07:34.an unpredictable ally or an unwelcome threat
:07:35. > :07:41.Well, my honourable friend knows Russian military activity in Syria
:07:42. > :07:44.has supported the Assad reghme, a regime which bombs,
:07:45. > :07:52.While we welcome the latest ceasefire from tonight,
:07:53. > :07:57.it is Russia that must make it work by stopping Assad from attacking
:07:58. > :08:01.Syrian civilians and moderate opposition groups and helping to get
:08:02. > :08:06.humanitarian aid into Aleppo and other cities that have
:08:07. > :08:11.This is indeed a critical thme for the future of Syria.
:08:12. > :08:14.And may I add the SNP's voice to those across this chamber
:08:15. > :08:17.in wishing well the proposed ceasefire in Syria and we echo
:08:18. > :08:22.the call for all sides in this awful conflict to observe it.
:08:23. > :08:26.Given that the ceasefire is vital to the campaign to defeat D`esh
:08:27. > :08:30.could I ask the Secretary of State what discussions the UK Govdrnment
:08:31. > :08:34.has had, both with the US Sdcretary of State and the Russian Federation,
:08:35. > :08:36.and what role did the UK Government play in helping
:08:37. > :08:43.I'm grateful to the honourable gentleman for his earlier rdmarks.
:08:44. > :08:46.The UK Government has been hnvolved in promoting the ceasefire
:08:47. > :08:50.all the way back from the original cessation of hostilities
:08:51. > :08:53.which was announced at the Munich Security Confdrence
:08:54. > :08:56.and we have been part of the intense efforts to gdt,
:08:57. > :09:01.and to keep, moderate opposhtion groups around the table to negotiate
:09:02. > :09:04.a future settlement for Syrha and we have also been
:09:05. > :09:08.part of encouraging the ceasefire as well.
:09:09. > :09:15.Mr Speaker, talking of the loderate forces, what contact
:09:16. > :09:18.has UK Government had with the representatives
:09:19. > :09:21.of the 70,000 moderate troops who, we were led to believe
:09:22. > :09:30.we were discussing ahead of last year's bombing or Syria
:09:31. > :09:36.and could he tell us what contact has been made and what assurances
:09:37. > :09:39.have been given by those moderate forces that this
:09:40. > :09:42.We have been in contact with exactly those moderate forces,
:09:43. > :09:44.and representatives from the different opposition groups
:09:45. > :09:47.in Syria were in London last week for exactly those
:09:48. > :09:52.We very much hope the ceasefire will stick now.
:09:53. > :09:55.A large part of that will ddpend on Russia persuading the Syrian
:09:56. > :10:00.regime to back the ceasefird but it's also important
:10:01. > :10:04.that it is properly respectdd right across northern Syria as well.
:10:05. > :10:08.We all welcome very much thd recent announcement of a ceasefire in Syria
:10:09. > :10:11.which, as well as providing opportunities for all sides to focus
:10:12. > :10:14.on defeating Daesh, create ` space for further negotiations ailed
:10:15. > :10:21.at ending the conflict once and for all.
:10:22. > :10:28.The need for a negotiated sdttlement in Syria is as urgent as evdr,
:10:29. > :10:30.particularly in light of horrifying reports of yet another chlorine
:10:31. > :10:35.Can the Secretary of State tell the House a little bit more
:10:36. > :10:37.potentially about the implications for the delivery of humanit`rian aid
:10:38. > :10:40.to civilians in Syria under the ceasefire?
:10:41. > :10:42.Well, I'm grateful to the Shadow Defence Secretarx
:10:43. > :10:46.for what he has said and for his support.
:10:47. > :10:49.Yes, getting humanitarian ahd into Aleppo and some of the other
:10:50. > :10:54.towns and cities that have suffered is a key part of the ceasefhre
:10:55. > :10:57.and I think, will be one of the tests of the ceasefire,
:10:58. > :11:00.as to whether the regime is really prepared to allow these
:11:01. > :11:06.Staying with question time, remarks made over the weekend by
:11:07. > :11:09.the International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, were brought up
:11:10. > :11:16.Liam Fox was reported as saxing that Britain is "too lazy and too fat",
:11:17. > :11:19.with businessmen preferring "golf on a Friday afternoon" to trying
:11:20. > :11:26.Downing Street has said that Dr Fox was expressing his own views.
:11:27. > :11:30.Would she disassociate hersdlf from the "fat and lazy" terl used
:11:31. > :11:36.We have no fat and lazy bushnessman in Huddersfield.
:11:37. > :11:42.Mr Speaker, those are certahnly not my words and I would like to pay
:11:43. > :11:45.tribute to the certainly many businesses in Huddersfield
:11:46. > :11:49.and around South Yorkshire which do such wonderful work in terms of
:11:50. > :11:55.You're watching Monday in Parliament, with me
:11:56. > :12:04.The Secretary of State for Dxiting the European Union - David Davis -
:12:05. > :12:08.has been setting out how he will go about the huge task of extr`cting
:12:09. > :12:13.He was speaking to the Lords European Union Committee.
:12:14. > :12:16.One peer was critical of thd process that took place ahead
:12:17. > :12:23.She said the public only had three months to consider the new DU deal
:12:24. > :12:41.Unless and until you can prepare for what you
:12:42. > :12:45.people are not going to be `ble to assess whether what you want
:12:46. > :12:51.is what they want on the other side or indeed find other ways of getting
:12:52. > :12:54.to what you want so it is not just a matter of A says
:12:55. > :12:58.this and B says that, it is a matter of a longer term
:12:59. > :12:59.conversation and it hasn't been done very well.
:13:00. > :13:02.I really can't comment on the records.
:13:03. > :13:07.Today of all days when the Prime Minister is standing down.
:13:08. > :13:10.I think he was a pretty good Prime Minister and I am not
:13:11. > :13:21.-- I'm not going to criticise him today.
:13:22. > :13:24.I was only commenting on the process, not the man.
:13:25. > :13:26.In those terms I'm not agreeing to comment on that.
:13:27. > :13:29.In terms of our approach, it will be something over two years
:13:30. > :13:36.I imagine because the triggdr has that intrinsic to it.
:13:37. > :13:41.As I have said, I will seek to be as open as is possible.
:13:42. > :13:45.Bear in mind, unlike that negotiation which was relathvely
:13:46. > :13:58.narrow, this will be as bro`d as the entire governmental front
:13:59. > :14:01.so even were I to decide I was going to behave like Rasputin
:14:02. > :14:06.and keep everything secret, I would feel because it
:14:07. > :14:19.Lord Teverson said the European Parliament would expect to be kept
:14:20. > :14:24.Are you going to get ahead of this process or are we all every
:14:25. > :14:26.Monday morning going to be on the European Parliament website
:14:27. > :14:29.to find what is going on or talk to our British MEP colleaguds
:14:30. > :14:36.who are positive and helpful to seek what is really going on in?
:14:37. > :14:44.This Parliament would not w`nt to be treated as a second-class chtizen.
:14:45. > :14:46.Neither do I want to treat Parliament like that.
:14:47. > :14:52.It will be a little bit of matching between the two.
:14:53. > :14:55.That is no interest whatsoever for the government to leave the text
:14:56. > :15:05.We will certainly match what the European
:15:06. > :15:28.It may be the most complicated negotiation of all times.
:15:29. > :15:31.So we won't always be entirdly a free agent but we will be as open
:15:32. > :15:40.And he told the committee hhs department was attracting
:15:41. > :15:47.This is really the sexiest `rea of politics at the moment.
:15:48. > :15:55.My department at the moment is quite tiny.
:15:56. > :16:03.It has quadrupled in one month, it is eight weeks but everybody
:16:04. > :16:06.knows what Whitehall and Brtssels are like in August so it has
:16:07. > :16:11.It will probably double agahn in size but it will still bd small
:16:12. > :16:20.I have a lot of bright and young civil servants
:16:21. > :16:30.grey hair yet which I might have to find outside.
:16:31. > :16:34.Now, there's been a lot of talk about how redrawing the electoral
:16:35. > :16:36.boundaries in time for the 2020 general election will affect MPs.
:16:37. > :16:38.The change has been describdd by the Electoral Commission
:16:39. > :16:42.Fifty seats will go - and they could include
:16:43. > :16:44.Jeremy Corbyn's constituencx of Islington North in London
:16:45. > :16:46.and George Osborne's constituency of Tatton in Cheshire.
:16:47. > :16:49.During a discussion in the Lords on electoral fraud, a Labour peer
:16:50. > :16:52.couldn't resist bringing up the boundary changes.
:16:53. > :17:06.talked about the integrity of the voting system which is something we
:17:07. > :17:11.all want to seek. Why then hs the government pressing ahead whth
:17:12. > :17:17.boundary changes on an electoral register which they know is out of
:17:18. > :17:21.date given that so many extra people registered in time to participate in
:17:22. > :17:25.the European referendum. Wotld it not be better to use a register
:17:26. > :17:31.which is more current than the one they have chosen to use? I do not
:17:32. > :17:35.think this is anything to do with the question but I am happy to
:17:36. > :17:41.announce it. Parliament has agreed that the data of December should be
:17:42. > :17:48.used as the data for this rdview. Unless you have a defined d`te and
:17:49. > :17:53.set of registers to assess ht, it is impossible to run a review.
:17:54. > :17:59.Boundaries are necessarily `s snapshot and will continue to change
:18:00. > :18:04.Staying with the House of Lords where some peers greeted
:18:05. > :18:06.Government's plans to reintroduce grammar schools with dismay.
:18:07. > :18:09.One of David Cameron's formdr advisers urged the Government
:18:10. > :18:14.I regret to say that it does appears to me that it is no more th`n a dog
:18:15. > :18:17.whistle response by the Conservatives to the current state
:18:18. > :18:21.How much easier it is to throw up the idea of more grammar
:18:22. > :18:23.schools than concentrate on the real difficulties facing many working
:18:24. > :18:31.The most disadvantaged children are from those families whose
:18:32. > :18:33.parents are not motivated or have any educational
:18:34. > :18:36.For those children even entering school at
:18:37. > :18:41.five, they are well behind the rest of their cohort.
:18:42. > :18:47.Wouldn't it be far better if the government gave
:18:48. > :18:49.more attention to early years attention than coming
:18:50. > :18:50.up with silly plans like
:18:51. > :18:55.I do agree with the noble l`dy that early years is very important
:18:56. > :19:00.indeed and it is of course sadly the case that many
:19:01. > :19:04.parents do not engage as well as they could on behalf of
:19:05. > :19:08.their children in the school system but that to me is why we should be
:19:09. > :19:19.One of the things we have said is that
:19:20. > :19:21.selective schools could perhaps help primary education.
:19:22. > :19:25.Everyone gets so fixated on GCSEs results but the work has to be done
:19:26. > :19:35.in primary because the deprdssing statistic is if you do not get
:19:36. > :19:38.your required levels when you leave your primary, you have only 7%
:19:39. > :19:44.One of David Cameron's formdr advisers urged the Government
:19:45. > :19:55.I welcome the government commitment to
:19:56. > :19:57.a meritocratic society and to increasing the number of good school
:19:58. > :20:00.The government is into contested territory
:20:01. > :20:05.Can he confirm that the government will
:20:06. > :20:09.only agree to an increase in academic selection if thdy
:20:10. > :20:14.are totally confident that ht will increase the number of good
:20:15. > :20:16.school places and secondly, following an increase the
:20:17. > :20:18.Department of Education will evaluate the impact of thesd changes
:20:19. > :20:24.on the school system to enstre that social mobility has indeed been
:20:25. > :20:30.He makes good points and it is our intention to ensure that
:20:31. > :20:33.the impact across the whole system is favourable and there is ` net
:20:34. > :20:36.benefit across the whole system and of course we will continue to
:20:37. > :20:44.We end with a rather grisly debate about the fact that five million
:20:45. > :20:51.dogs are slaughtered for food in South Korea every year.
:20:52. > :20:53.MPs were debating an online petition signed by more than one hundred
:20:54. > :20:56.thousand people - urging thd UK government to speak out -
:20:57. > :20:59.and calling for the dog meat trade to be banned.
:21:00. > :21:05.Campaigners say the eyes of the world will be on South Korea
:21:06. > :21:11.in the run up to the Winter olympics, which it's
:21:12. > :21:21.I know that South Korea has been picked out for this motion, I think
:21:22. > :21:25.that has more to do with thd fact that the Winter Olympics ard coming
:21:26. > :21:28.We should also be mindful of this practice is
:21:29. > :21:31.not confined to South Korea, it is very prevalent in China,
:21:32. > :21:37.Vietnam and Thailand and other countries.
:21:38. > :21:39.The main problem about it and why Korea
:21:40. > :21:41.being highlighted is not silply because of the traditional
:21:42. > :21:44.means to to eat dog meat, it is the scale of
:21:45. > :21:48.Over 5 million animals are killed every year and nearly 3
:21:49. > :21:49.million of them are farmed on puppy
:21:50. > :21:51.farms for the purpose of that so it
:21:52. > :22:01.is not surprising people highlight this country.
:22:02. > :22:09.One of the problems one has in trying to get people not to eat dog
:22:10. > :22:15.meat is that it has medical properties and is good for xou. Does
:22:16. > :22:20.he agree that it is somehow difficult to persuade peopld that
:22:21. > :22:26.their long-held beliefs are now more than codswallop? I thank hil for
:22:27. > :22:29.that intervention and it is absolutely right to highlight this
:22:30. > :22:35.long-held view about its properties...
:22:36. > :22:37.Oliver Dowden moved on to concerns about how
:22:38. > :22:38.the animals were slaughtered and the conditions
:22:39. > :22:53.They are kept on salt floor as they cannot even stand in. The evidence
:22:54. > :22:59.from charities has shown a huge range of injuries including skin
:23:00. > :23:03.diseases, ie infections, pahnfully swollen feet. When animals have no
:23:04. > :23:09.form of stimulation you get the problem of self-mutilation.
:23:10. > :23:19.Regulation has been passed classifying dog meat as
:23:20. > :23:22.a repugnant food but it has not been effective in curbing the deland
:23:23. > :23:32.There is a law in place of 2007 which prohibits some of the
:23:33. > :23:34.cruel methods to slaughter dogs but that law is widely ignored.
:23:35. > :23:36.As we have also heard, according to
:23:37. > :23:42.charities campaigning on thhs, many South Koreans believe the more dogs
:23:43. > :23:45.suffer before it dies the bdtter the meat will taste.
:23:46. > :23:54.An SNP MP said she'd found ht hard to prepare for the debate.
:23:55. > :23:58.In spite of a conscious effort to look at the trade in an hmpartial
:23:59. > :24:00.light, it was nonetheless vdry difficult to read about, look at
:24:01. > :24:06.photographs and watch videos on the subject.
:24:07. > :24:11.It is clear dogs are being treated in an appalling way
:24:12. > :24:13.something which most of us would condemn in strong terls.
:24:14. > :24:24.What I and other SNP members would encourage is
:24:25. > :24:28.rights groups in that country who are already working to bring
:24:29. > :24:40.The Minister began by showing off his dog-loving credenti`ls.
:24:41. > :24:43.My right honourable friend, the Member for Whitney,
:24:44. > :24:45.demonstrated his love for c`ts, specifically Larry the Cat,
:24:46. > :24:55.When it came to ending the dog meat trade he said it was a case
:24:56. > :25:01.Dogs are not internationallx protected species and there are no
:25:02. > :25:03.international laws or agreelents covering the trade and constmption
:25:04. > :25:20.No one would be happier than me if the consumption of dog meat ended
:25:21. > :25:35.tomorrow. consumption of dog meat enddd
:25:36. > :25:38.tomorrow but I have to say that dictating to people in South Korea
:25:39. > :25:41.or anywhere else that they should not eat dog meat would be akin
:25:42. > :25:44.to another country telling ts The tradition he said was f`ding,
:25:45. > :25:48.particularly among the young and the middle classes
:25:49. > :25:50.who saw dogs as pets. It was also thought domestic
:25:51. > :25:52.pets were being stolen And that brings us to the end
:25:53. > :25:55.of Monday in Parliament. Keith Macdougall will be
:25:56. > :25:57.here for the rest of the wedk. But from me, Kristiina
:25:58. > :26:05.Cooper, goodbye.