19/12/2016 Monday in Parliament

Hello and welcome to Monday in Parliament, our look at the best

of the day in the Commons and the Lords.

Theresa May pledges to stick to her timetable for Brexit.

When we trigger Article 50, we want to make sure the process is as

smooth and orderly as possible. Opposition politicians at Stormont

try unsuccessfully to remove the First Minister of Northern

Ireland. I would call again on the First

Minister, that the people of Northern Ireland first. This

happened on your watch, First Minister. You need to go.

Labour calls for action following the prison

Shorter sentence prisoners are leaving prison with drug addictions

they did not have when they went in. But first, the Prime Minister

has repeated her pledge that the triggering of Article 50 -

the legal means by which Britain starts to leave the EU -

will be done by the end of March. Theresa May told MPs the deadline

would remain in place even if the UK Supreme Court were to rule that

Parliamentary approval was needed. The Prime Minister was reporting

back to the Commons after last week's meeting

of the European Council in Brussels. I am clear that the Government

will respect the verdict But I am equally clear that

whichever way the judgment goes, we will meet the timetable

I have set out. At the Council, I also

reaffirmed my commitment And in this spirit, I made it clear

to the other EU leaders that it remains my objective

that we give reassurance early on in the negotiations to EU

citizens living in the UK and That their right to stay

where they have made their homes Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

accused the Prime Minister of a contradictory approach

to the Brexit negotiations. The mixed messages from her front

bench only add to the confusion. This Government fails to speak

for the whole country. Instead, we hear a babble of voices

speaking for themselves For instance, Mr Speaker, last week,

we were told by Britain's permanent representative to the EU that

a Brexit deal might take ten years. That contradicted what the Secretary

of State for Brexit told a select committee that day when he said that

a deal could be There is a bit of

a difference there. It is clear that on the

international stage, the Prime Minister and Britain

are becoming increasingly isolated. And if we are to build a successful

Britain after Brexit, it is more vital than ever

that our relationship with our with our European partners remains

strong, cordial and respectful. He should look at his own front

bench when he considers this matter. Let's take one very simple

issue of immigration. The Shadow Home Secretary

suggests freedom of movement The Shadow Chancellor said,

we should have a fair deal The Shadow Brexit Secretary says

we should have immigration controls. They cannot even agree on one aspect

of the European Union, And what I know is that

with the right honourable gentleman's negotiation techniques,

if he was in office, we would sure as goodness be getting

the worst possible deal we could get The Prime Minister's statement

welcomed commitments on capability, Without going into details,

for very obvious reasons, is the Prime Minister confident that

enough safeguards are in place regarding democratic

institutions in the UK, Did she discuss with fellow leaders

interference by Russia in the political processes

of Western democracies, including our own, using

propaganda and cyber? What action is she taking

to investigate what might have already happened in this country

and what is she going to do to stop I say to the right honourable

gentleman that I think everyone is aware of the way in which Russia

is currently operating and the more aggressive stance Russia is taking

across a whole range of aspects. Viewed from Moscow, Europe must look

so much more disunited The fact of the matter is,

we have 100,000 men and women What if tanks did roll

across borders in this unstable Well, I have to say

to the honourable gentleman, first of all, the Secretary of State

for Defence has told me the actual figure was 200,000, not 100,000,

that he is talking about. But let's look very seriously

at the issues he's talked about. One of the things I said

in my statement was the importance of Nato as the bedrock

of our security and the And, of course, that is

an organisation which is important What is this Government doing

in relation to defence? Committing over ?170 billion over

a number of years for investment The head of British Cycling's

Team Sky, Sir Dave Brailsford, has told a committee of MPs that

a package at the centre of an anti-doping investigation

contained a legal decongestant. The parcel was delivered

to the team's then lead rider, Sir Bradley Wiggins,

an asthmatic, in the build-up The Culture, Media and Sport

Committee had been authorised by the UK anti-doping authority,

Ukad, to ask questions about the mystery jiffy bag,

but the officials giving evidence In respect of the package,

I am somewhat taken aback by the comments from Ukad,

because we're working in We have been advised by them not

to make any comments on that because it is their investigation,

so, you know, we are caught out a little bit by that but we can come

back to you with further But, for now, we are working under

instructions with Ukad not All I can say is that

that is in writing. You will see that it is

from the chair, copying They could not be clearer

that they welcome the opportunity that this evidence session brings

for us to put questions to you and to Team Sky about this

matter that is obviously part I appreciate that, but the point

I would like to make is that we have not been part of the process,

so we would need to read up on that to find out what the latest

situation is around that. We're not prepared for that,

as of this moment. Well, I mean, do you know

what was in the package? I just find it extraordinary that no

British senior cycling management figure knows

what is in that package. But you have made that very

clear, that you don't. But I was interested in the line

that you gave Dr Gilbert about how And this pedal line seems

to be going round a bit, because Simon Cope,

who is the senior... Simon Cope, the senior official

who flew out the jiffy bag, he also said that it might

have been pedals. Pedals delivered to a doctor?

I just find that odd. Would a senior official

take out a jiffy bag But you're both saying pedals,

so it is clearly a line that It is not a line.

It is just an example. As we said before, the issue

here is that we have not been able to ask any of those questions around

what is in that package. Mr Cope says that he did not ask

what was in the bag. Now, to pick up on a previous point,

I think often these things come Now, I don't know anybody

who would take a jiffy bag, fly it across international

boundaries and not Unless he is a travel ingenue

who has no experience of travel. Because if someone gives me a bag,

I know when I check in the first thing I am going to be asked is,

what is in the bag? I agree entirely with your

reasoning, but that is something Has Dr Freeman told

to what was in the package? Yes, he told me what was

in the package, yes. Are you able to tell us

what was in the package? Well, if this letter allows me to do

so, then I would be more than happy This letter does, in which case,

we would love to know. Well, Dr Freeman told me

that it was Fluimucil It is a product which is for

a nebuliser, and that was It seems extraordinary that

for a drug that is not banned and there are no restrictions

on its use, that the easiest way to get hold of that drug was to get

someone at British Cycling to fly it from Manchester to Geneva and then

hire a car and drive it If that was the sole purpose

of someone flying out, then, yes, it would seem to be a little bit

of an extreme step. The fact of the matter is that

someone was flying out anyway. And what we have, on a very regular

basis, as I am sure some of my colleagues might have

explained this morning, is that, as a team, you know,

I have just come back from York after two weeks of training,

and people have been coming With people moving,

if you need anything, you phone them up and say,

actually, can you make sure that X has got whatever product it might be

and can you bring that with you? So I think it might be

where this whole situation has been slightly misled,

that the sole purpose of the visit was not expressly to bring

and deliver a package. Labour say the riot that took

place at the Winson Green is evidence the Government has

lost its grip on jails The privately-run jail

in the Midlands was on lockdown all day on Friday with 240 inmates

apparently running riot, It was described as the worst prison

disturbance since the siege at the Strangeways jail

in Manchester 26 years ago. In the Commons, the Shadow Justice

Secretary called for urgent action from Government

following the series of recent First, the Justice

Secretary updated MPs. I have ordered a full investigation

and appointed Sarah Payne, adviser to the independent chief

inspector of probation, a former director of

the Welsh Prison Service, Levels of violence are too

high in our prisons. We also have very concerning levels

of self-harm and ethics in custody. That is why we are reforming

our prisons to be safe and purposeful places,

and taking swift action to deal It is important to remember

that these problems have developed over a number of years and it

will take time and concerted effort We are increasing staffing

levels by 2,500 officers and we are taking steps to train

and retain our valued staff. This includes a new apprenticeship

programme, a graduate entry scheme, fast-track promotions

and retention payments. And we are putting an extra

?100 million into this. We are modernising our estate

with a ?1.3 billion And we are empowering governors

to manage their regimes locally, to get people off drugs,

get them the skills that they need This is a failure to protect

society. Privatisation of the Probation

Service, savage cuts to prison staffing, overcrowding

in our business, cuts to through the gates services

all stop prison working. And put the public at avoidable

and increased risk. The Secretary of State should admit

that in her overcrowded, understaffed prisons,

shorter sentence prisoners are leaving prison with drug

addictions that they did not have when they went in and are leaving

more likely to commit than the crimes they were put away

for in first place. This is not protecting society,

it is endangering society. You're watching our round-up of the

day in the Commons and the Lords. The First Minister of

Northern Ireland survives "Just when you thought the foreign

aid farce couldn't get any worse." That was the headline above another

tabloid press report on how aid money from the UK

is allegedly being spent. The report claimed an all-female pop

group dubbed "Ethiopia's Spice Girls" had received ?5.2 million

in British foreign aid. When the International Development

Secretary came to the committee that monitors her department,

the issue was taken up by a Conservative

member of the committee. says you wish to build a diverse,

resilient and effective civil society in the developing world.

What aspect of the Ethiopian girl band does that fit into? What I want

to start on is, I think it is fair to say, obviously, when it comes to

a country like Ethiopian. Ethiopia is a hugely con challenge country

and I've no doubt many mothers have been to Ethiopia and seen some of

the enormous challenges around civil society, governance and the ability

to develop. Alongside that, there are many issues relating to

violence, women, rights of individuals that need support, need

addressing and clearly the programme which you are referring to is one

component of that. It's just one component of a wider matrix of not

just our investment but international investment in

Ethiopia, in that rights space. They appreciate what you've just said and

I have been to Addis Ababa. I've seen women carrying eucalyptus

punches don't very steep hills in order to sell them for firewood.

There is a lot of poverty there. Do you not believe the money going from

our department could be better spent. Secretary of State, I've

known you for many years, your blood must have been boiling when you read

that story. Don't you believe the Department's money could be more

effectively spent on women in Ethiopia that in a way that is being

currently being spent? UK aid in Ethiopia is frankly combating forced

child marriage, violence, teen pregnancies. All those big issues.

We are doing a range of work there. That is just one programme, one

project. You looking at the programme now? It is fair to say all

programmes are under review. This programme is now under review? I

spoke to the team on Friday myself so the in country team and the

Africa team, to make sure the programme is doing what it should be

doing and it is actually doing substantial work when it comes to

combating the issues I've highlighted.

Now to Belfast, because the Northern Ireland First Minister,

Arlene Foster, has survived an attempt to no confidence her

The motion had been put forward by opposition parties

following a row over a flawed heating scheme known as RHI.

It's believed problems with how the scheme was run could lead

to Northern Ireland taxpayers having to find ?400 million.

The Northern Ireland Auditor General said the heating scheme had "serious

Facing the no confidence motion inside the Northern Ireland Assembly

chamber, the First Minister defended her role.

At no point was any recommendation made to need to introduce cost

control measures. Far from it. I was being told we needed to increase,

not decrease the take-up of the scheme. Although the opposition did

not want to hear it and didn't want to hear it or they would have been

in the chamber Ilia, the simple fact remains that at no time during my

tenure was I warned there could be an overspend. I of course accept

responsibility for the work of the department put the charge that I did

not observe the highest standards of probity and regularity is completely

and totally baseless. The public expect a shoe on this issue. They

want an apology. Action to mitigate liability to the public purse. And

to see those who that were responsible to be accountable. This

happened on your watch, under your leadership. You need to go. Until

the scandal has been investigated, I support the motion. We committed

that we would be a constructive opposition, that we would support

government where we believed it was acting in the best interests of the

people. Today, it is not acting in the best interests of the people of

Northern Ireland. It is failing them massively. I would call again on the

First Minister, but the people of Northern Ireland first, as you have

said you will do, even at this late stage. Voluntarily stepped down from

your role. Allow your colleague to step in. This motion is a

disgraceful attempt, nothing short, a disgraceful attempt by failed

party to create the impression that the First Minister has failed to

observe the highest standards of propriety and regularity in relation

to the stewardship of public funds. But you know, they haven't produced

a scintilla of evidence or facts, not one. Let's get back to the crux

of this issue, credibility, integrity. Arlene Foster needs to

step aside. We've made it clear. Apparently because it was London

money it was OK to squander is really breath taking. Whether it

comes from London Brussels Washington or Belfast, somebody and

that money and paid it in. All taxpayers are entitled to know that

their money is being fairly spelt. What we have today is the actions of

a lynch mob because here we have the First Minister who has come before

this house and there is not any evidence whatsoever against terror

at this point but we have a demand that she moves away, that she cannot

do her job. Well, under the power-sharing

rules in the Assembly, the DUP was able to exercise a veto

to block the no confidence motion. And so Arlene Foster continues

as Northern Ireland First Minister. The Lib Dem winner of the recent

by-election in Richmond in West London has made her maiden

speech in the Commons. Sarah Olney was contributing

to a general Commons debate on how She said collaboration

with Britain's European neighbours Evidence and instinct both suggest

that collaboration with our nearest neighbours benefit our trade, our

education, our environment, our security and our individual

well-being. Such benefits should not be carelessly thrown aside without a

careful, sober and detailed examination of what the consequences

will be. The impact of Brexit will be wide-ranging and not just

financial. In my constituency, how hospital relies on the hard work and

dedication of migrants from Europe. Many of my constituents work in

financial services which rely on our privileged position inside Europe.

Many of our businesses import from under export to the European Union

and rely on the tariff free access and the harmonised standards of the

single market for their success. Meanwhile, a Labour member

of the House of Lords has suggested that money being spent

on the process of exiting the EU should be used instead on solving

the problems in funding the care Lord Foulkes was one of a series

of Labour peers to challenge a Trade Minister at Lords Question

Time. First, a Lib Dem peer noted that six

months have now elapsed since the people's decision on 23rd

June to leave the EU. Exactly six months this week since

the referendum and we still are awaiting a clear position from the

government on its stance on a customs union and also was the Lords

committee report this past week specifically asked for which was

urgent clarification on the legal position of one the UK could start

negotiating legal commitments, whether it could be while we are

discussed terms or after it. When will the government provide that

legal clarification which doesn't have too great. We are very clear on

the position. We are clear that why we are members of the EU, we cannot

negotiate no sign free-trade agreements but we can have an

exploratory discussions which we are doing at the moment. I've listened

carefully. I'm still not clear what the government's position is. Mr

Fox's briefing that WTO arrangements would be satisfactory. Mr Hammond

recently said the WTO option would not be the most favoured outcome.

Which is it? Can he say precisely? The government is still working

towards its position for Article 50. It takes in views from all sides. We

have 20 different select committee reports coming to the government in

January alone. I visited 29 countries over the course of the

last four months. I've spoken to 200 businesses, over 2000

businesspeople. What I would say is that we are open to listening to all

parts of the debate. Are any precedents for being part in and

part of the customs union? I am aware that Turkey has arrangements

whereby agricultural goods and food products are excluded from the goods

position but it doesn't include services. Isn't it becoming

increasingly clear, day by day, week by week, that Nigel Farage, Michael

Gove and to be fair, Jesus Jewett, have got us into an unholy mess? We

don't know where we are on trade, on movement of labour, indeed on

anything. Wouldn't the money, the billions of pounds that we are

spending trying to organise this Brexit be better spent sorting the

crisis in social care? The people of the UK were very clear when they

voted on the 23rd of June. Harping back does none of us any good. It

doesn't do the United Kingdom any good. We need to move forward, we

need to move forward united Lee and we need to get the best deal for the

United Kingdom. Can we move forward if Cabinet ministers are putting

forward different points of view? I was brought up to understand that

government speaks with one voice. Surely these arguments should be

kept within the Cabinet instead of being vented publicly? I come from

the world of business and what we believe in is having boards which

have different experiences and can express different views. , noble

friend say... And that's it for this programme,

but do join us for our For now, from me,

Kristiina Cooper, goodbye.